Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game

”I’m different from you. I can accept his child with another woman; can you? Women in the U.S.A can’t handle this.” Donna gave Avery Jane a harsh blow, looking smugly as Avery’s lips turned from their beautiful rosy color to a dull gray, her entire being teetering as if she were a soulless doll.

For a moment, Avery felt as though her soul had left her body, watching Donna’s mouth open and close, but her ears buzzed: a pregnant woman, Evelyn Yates, Evelyn Yates...

The name was so familiar. Did she know her?

Her head began to ache, but she and Joshua Hughes were married, weren’t they? Their marriage certificate was in the bedside table, so how could another woman be pregnant?

Avery tried to breathe deeply, but couldn’t stop the chilling sensation creeping up from her fingers, seeping into the deepest corners of her heart with her blood flow.

She wanted to trust Joshua, because his eyes were so gentle and loving, because his lips were so warm, because everything about him moved her deeply. She believed she married Joshua because she loved him; her heart always beat faster when she looked at him. Yet news like this kept coming, making it impossible for her to accept. She wanted to ask Joshua, but if she did, wouldn’t he just deny it? If it were true, why would he tell her? Donna’s words detonated like a bomb inside Avery, almost knocking her senseless. She subconsciously checked her own body—her limbs were fine—yet why did she feel such pain, as if she were covered in blood?

”I can help you, Miss Jane. If Joshua really has a pregnant fiancée, then leave him, okay? I can find out the truth for you.” Donna said smugly.

”No need.” After a long silence, Avery finally regained her wits and spoke, ”There is only one truth, and it is what Joshua says. Your words are not credible.”

In fact, Avery’s heart was wavering inside. She had heard too many rumors about Joshua’s affairs, but this time it was something she truly couldn’t handle.

”He admitted it himself. If that woman residing in the Hughes Manor gives birth safely, he will marry her.” Donna looked at Avery. Was this woman just naive? Almost everyone in the Hughes family’s board knew about Joshua’s affairs; she had privately asked many people. Why wouldn’t Avery believe it?

”Miss Jane...” Donna gave Avery a mysterious look. ”That woman will give birth soon; her belly is already very large. If it’s a boy, Joshua will definitely marry her. In the Hughes family tradition, the eldest son of each generation is expected to inherit the family business, so Joshua might like you, but he won’t marry you. You are there to make him happy, while he finds a girl from a good family to bear him children, someone who can become Madam Hughes and manage the Hughes family. Clearly, you’re not the right fit...” Donna suddenly felt a bit sympathetic towards Cora Jane. If that woman gave birth to Joshua’s first son, she would inevitably enter the Hughes household, elevated by the status of her child.

Avery’s expression was full of sadness, bordering on despair. How could she find out the truth? She didn’t even know where the Hughes Manor was; had she never been there? Otherwise, why did she have no impression of it? Her mind seemed to be playing tug-of-war, with one side urging her to trust him, and the other insisting he was lying. Lying... Her head felt as if it were about to split open...

”I know this isn’t moral, but I just like Joshua. He’s the best lover. You don’t know how crazy we were then—we spent two entire days in bed, not stepping out once...” Donna’s eyes gleamed, reminiscing about their wild past.

Avery’s chest felt suffocatingly full. That dreadful, exploding tension seemed like not even the vast sea could contain her sorrow and helplessness.

”He wouldn’t...” Avery’s voice began to shrink, her breath weakening.

”He wouldn’t what? Lie to you? We were in bed together, and he would tell me anything, promising me anything. A man freshly out of bed is full of sweet words. He even promised he’d marry me once, but it never happened, did it?” Donna’s words turned colder and sharper like a knife stabbing at Avery’s heart.

Her heart ached more intensely than before, to the point of numbness, as if she were losing feeling. She thought of Joshua’s words of love whispered in her ear during their most intimate moments. Was it truly like that?

Truly a young girl, confusing truth and lies. Donna smiled smugly. If Avery learned everything, and questioned Joshua, a man like him wouldn’t tolerate being controlled by a woman; he’d naturally come to dislike Avery. If Avery didn’t ask and chose to investigate, she’d eventually see that heavily pregnant woman. If conflict arose between the two women, Donna would benefit either way, securing her own interests regardless of the outcome.

Avery looked at the distant sea. To her, Joshua was as mysterious and unfathomable as the vast ocean. How could she possibly handle this? In her daze, a tall, strong man’s figure appeared on the deck, handsome as Apollo the Sun God, striding towards her with burning energy...