Rift in the perfect picture

Chapter 0226

Terrified, Claudia shook her head vigorously and denied everything. “N–No! It wasn’t me! It was her–she fell on her own!”

Already on the edge of losing my voice, I cried out, “How could I ever harm. my own child? That’s my baby!”

I sobbed uncontrollably, my body quivering as Nicholas cupped my cheeks and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“Ari, let’s go to the hospital first. We’ll talk about everything else later.”

“No!” I began struggling in his arms. “I have to say this now!”

All the reporters below the stage remained silent, yet their cameras had been rolling and the clicking of shutters never ceased.

Everything Claudia and I said now would be recorded, becoming irrefutable evidence of her intent to harm her sister–in–law. So, there was no need to clear up the issue regarding Jane.

Everything would be unveiled then. But was this enough?

“Claudia, you once hired a homeless man to deliberately harm me and caused me to end up in prison. Now that I’m pregnant, I’m willing to let bygones be bygones for Nicholas’s sake, but you won’t even spare my child!

“Why did you do that? I’ve been married to your brother for four years, and I’ve let you live with us and even brought you on our honeymoon. I treat your like my own sister, but how could you loathe me this much?”

Even the thick layer of makeup on Claudia’s face couldn’t conceal her panic. She pouted and turned toward Nicholas, seemingly on the verge of tears.

“Nick, it wasn’t me. It really wasn’t me!”

Nicholas fell silent. I clutched onto his arm, forcing him to make his decision at this very moment.

“Nicholas, are you still going to side with her on this?”

25 BONUS

His grip around me tightened, and a hint of agony flickered in his eyes. He clenched his jaw so hard that even his muscles became visible.

After a long pause, he exhaled heavily and said, “Let’s go to the hospital first.

With that, he carried me down the stage.

Nicholas’s words pierced through my facade like a sharp needle. Like a deflated balloon, I collapsed in his arms. Was this still not enough? Was this not enough to change how much Claudia meant to him?

. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see him or hear him anymore. I just wanted

to drift into a deep slumber and never wake up again.

Tears tumbled down my cheeks incessantly. I trembled, feeling like my soul was weeping as well. I felt like a walking corpse–everything that I had done had been pointless.

Even though Claudia might be condemned by the people online in the future, what difference would it make to her? An immoral person like her wouldn’t care at all. This wasn’t the outcome I wanted.

She only cared about Nicholas, and only he could make her heart ache. But he chose to protect her, making me bear all the agony and grief alone.

If I had known it would turn out like this, I would’ve borne it all on my own. I wouldn’t have involved my child.

“I’m not going to the hospital,” I said, struggling to break free from his arms.

I didn’t want to stay here any longer. I wanted to leave this place that brought me so much pain and the person who had greatly disappointed me.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” He glared at me. He could barely walk with me struggling in his arms.

“Do you want to die?” he gritted out.

“Yes!” I choked out in anguish. “Let me die! Let me die with my baby!”