Chapter 3

The blood in my body seemed to turn cold.

It was over.

I had forgotten.

Chelsea and I were so close that we each had a spare key to the other’s place.

The moment the door opened, Chelsea rushed straight toward the bedroom.

“Chelsea, don’t open that door!”

I lunged forward, trying to stop her.

But the bedroom door opened on its own.

Inside, Ryan was holding the three children close, looking impossibly affectionate.

Chelsea’s eyes turned red with rage.

“Vivian! The proof is right in front of you, and you’re still trying to deny it? You shameless woman!”

She spun around, rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and swung it at me.

Pain shot through my arm.

“If you dare say those children aren’t yours one more time, I’ll make sure you never say it again.”

I cried out and stumbled back.

“You disgusting woman. Those are your own children, and you still refuse to acknowledge them? Fine. I’ll teach you a lesson myself.”

She kept cursing, the knife raised again.

Just as despair was about to swallow me whole, familiar footsteps came from the doorway.

“Mom! Dad! Help me!”

My mother rushed over and shielded me.

“Chelsea Zeller! Have you lost your mind? How dare you attack Vivian?”

My father stepped in front of me too, his face dark with anger.

“Whatever happened, couldn’t you talk it out? Why would you attack her?”

Chelsea was breathing hard. She pointed toward the bedroom.

“Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, why don’t you ask her what she did?”

My parents looked past Chelsea and toward the bedroom door.

The moment they saw the three children, their expressions changed.

My mother shoved me away.

Caught off guard, I fell to the floor.

She pointed at me and screamed, “Chelsea was right to hit you. A woman who won’t even acknowledge her own children deserves it.”

My father turned on me too, his eyes filled with disappointment.

“You’ve disgraced this family. I never thought you could be this heartless.”

My heart sank.

Just like in my past life.

The moment anyone saw those three children, they lost all reason.

The pain in my chest was worse than the pain in my body.

“You ungrateful thing,” my mother snapped. “If I’d known you would grow up to be someone who wouldn’t even recognize her own children, I never should have had you.”

I forced myself to speak through the pain.

“Mom, Dad, wake up. Ryan and I have only been married for five years. We were together almost every day. How could I possibly have hidden a pregnancy from him and given birth to three children?

“What is wrong with all of you? Why are you so desperate to claim these children who came out of nowhere?”

My mother kicked me aside and rushed toward the boys behind Ryan.

“Oh, my precious grandsons. You’re all so handsome. Come here and let Grandma see you.”

“Mom, are you insane? I told you, they have nothing to do with me.”

My father’s expression darkened.

“You still dare talk back?

“They look exactly like you. Of course they came from you.

“Ryan is willing to forgive you, and you should be grateful. You cheated, gave birth to someone else’s children, and now you don’t even have the courage to admit it.”

My mother grabbed a vase and threw it at me.

My father picked up the mop from the corner and came at me with it.

I curled up, protecting my head, and shouted, “Why do all of you go insane the moment you see these children? If you’re so sure, then come with me for a DNA test.”

“A DNA test?” my mother snapped as she hit me. “Why waste money? Anyone can see they’re your sons.”

I didn’t know how long it went on.

Finally, they grew tired.

Only then did they turn to Ryan.

“Ryan, we support you. Divorce this ungrateful daughter of ours. Make her leave with nothing. The house, the car, the savings, all of it should go to you.”

Ryan nodded obediently.

“Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad.”

Watching that scene, my heart went completely cold.

In my past life, they had beaten me to death with a hoe.

In this life, they had nearly beaten me to death all over again.

In their eyes, I didn’t matter at all.

All they cared about were those three children who had come out of nowhere.

I no longer had the strength to argue.

I simply said, “Fine. I’ll agree to the divorce. But first, you have to clear my name. Those children cannot be blamed on me.”

Ryan gave me a strange smile.

“Fine.”

He lifted his hand slightly.

Chelsea immediately walked toward me, hatred written all over her face.

Then she dragged me out, shoved me into the trunk of the car, and drove me to a DNA testing clinic.

The doctor looked at me with open contempt.

Clearly, he had already decided I was a cheating wife who had given birth to another man’s children.

Ryan punched the wall, his shoulders trembling.

My heart twisted painfully.

I walked over, wanting to comfort him.

But the moment my hand touched him, he recoiled like I had burned him.

Then he slapped me across the face.

“You disgusting woman. You won’t even acknowledge your own sons. Don’t touch me. Stay away from me.”

His reaction stunned me.

I instinctively reached for his sleeve.

“Ryan, you…”

But he jerked away again.

“Get away from me,” he growled. “You make me sick.”

Looking at him like that, I felt heartbroken and powerless.

“Ryan, what happened to you? We loved each other so much. Why are you doing this?”

He looked up at me.

“Honey, it’s because I love you too much. Why can’t you just listen to me this once?”

Then he dropped to his knees with a thud.

“Honey, I’m begging you. Please accept the children. Just this once. Listen to me this once, okay?”

The moment he knelt, everyone around us erupted.

“Oh my God. That poor man is on his knees.”

“She looks normal, but how can she be so heartless?”

Those kids are already so big. How can their own mother refuse to acknowledge them?”

“Young people these days are unbelievable.”

“She must have another man.”

“Exactly. Why else would she refuse to claim her own children?”

“Record it. Put it online and let everyone see what kind of person she is.”

The accusations and insults crashed over me like a wave.

I tried to explain.

“No. It’s not what you think.”

But my voice was drowned out by the crowd.

“She’s still making excuses.”

“Teach her a lesson.”

I didn’t know who moved first.

Someone shoved me.

Then another person struck me.

The crowd lost control, and I was knocked to the ground.

I curled up, trying to protect myself, but in the chaos, something hit the back of my head.

Pain burst through me.

Then everything went black.

When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed.

The nurse in the room looked at me with fear in her eyes.

Then she handed me a document envelope.

I sat up against the pillows and opened it with trembling fingers.

The moment I saw what was inside, I finally understood why everyone had been forcing me to accept those three children.