Chapter 2
“Are you insane?!” Madeline screamed and took a step back, covering her face, her eyes darting around in horror, “Vincenzo! Vincenzo, Amelia hit me.” I did not flinch, staring at her with red eyes. Vincenzo stood at the door with a cold face and glanced at the battlefield. He had already chosen his side—obviously not on my side. “What happened?” “She hit me,” Madeline choked, “I just took some beads to make a bracelet, but she went insane!” Vincenzo looked at me with cold eyes as he scolded, “Those are just a few old beads. Do you have to make a fuss like a madman?” My throat seemed to be filled with fire as I shouted, “Those are my family’s relics!” He raised his eyebrows, as if listening to a joke and said, “Your family has been dead for three years, you should let it go. Apologize to Madeline now.” “Apologize? She does not deserve it!” I raised my head, my eyes firm, not afraid of his threats at all. He narrowed his eyes after hearing my answer and asked back as if could not believe what he heard, “What?” “I said no, do you hear me clearly now? If not, go to the hospital and see an ear doctor!” This time my voice was low and calm. He took a step closer and lowered his voice as he questioned, “Are you defying me?” I did not answer with words, just stared at him. Staring at the man who trapped me in this house for three years and trampled on everything I had. No matter what Madeline said, Vincenzo would only believe her. When Madeline had a migraine attack and said that it was me who poisoned her, Vincenzo immediately locked me up for a week without food and drink to punish me. Madeline sprained her ankle with her high heels and said that I sent someone to spread glass shards on the road she had to pass. Without saying a word, Vincenzo made me walk back and forth barefoot on the glass shards ninety-nine times. I clenched my fists and whispered, “I want a divorce!” He laughed. The laugh was slow, as if he heard some ridiculous fantasy. “You? Want a divorce?” He approached me, his eyes gradually colder as he threatened, “You know you’re mine, Amelia. And what’s mine will always be mine. As long as I don’t say let go, you will stay here forever.” Madeline sighed behind him, crossed her arms and looked like a winner watching a show. I took a deep breath and calmed down. I was not surprised that Vincenzo disagreed with me. But I would not argue or quarrel, at least not that moment. Because I would be leaving in seven days and I could not alert the enemy at that time. As I turned and left, Madeline laughed triumphantly behind me. I exhaled softly and covered my belly with my hands. I had been pregnant for seven months and my belly was already showing, but I still wore a thick sweater to cover my pregnancy tightly. I hid all the prenatal examination reports and even endured the morning sickness. I had been cautious, because I knew that if Vincenzo found out, he would never let this child be born. I remembered that day when I mentioned that I wanted to have a child hesitantly, he just smiled coldly and threatened, “Don’t be delusional, I don’t want anything to be related to you, not even a drop of blood.” But that night, he was drunk and did not give me the contraceptive reagent after the operation. Just like that, this child came. I did not tell him, because this child was the only life that gave me hope to live when I was alone that day. I thought I kept it a secret until the next morning. Madeline was taking supplements and suddenly her skirt was covered with blood. The family doctor diagnosed it as miscarriage. Before I could react, Vincenzo threw a stack of drug test reports on my legs. I picked it up and saw that Mifepristone was detected in the pregnancy-preserving supplements. I opened my eyes wide, my heart pounding, “This is not me….” “If it’s not you, then who is it?” He pinched my chin, his eyes burning with cold anger as he asked, “You have always been jealous that she is pregnant with my child.” I struggled, but I could not escape his hand. “Do you think I do not know that you’re pregnant too?” He chuckled as he said that, “Before, I did not take your child seriously, thinking it would be okay to strangle him to death after he was born, but now, your child should be buried with Madeline’s dead child.”