Chapter 3
A week later, Kieran suddenly came home.
Lorraine was surprised—figured he’d be glued to Aurora’s side 24/7.
“Family dinner tonight. Get dressed,” he said curtly.
Lorraine nodded, quietly slipped into an appropriate dress and followed him out.
At dinner, everyone was clinking glasses and making small talk.
Eventually, the conversation shifted to her and Kieran.
“You two have been married three years now. Time to think about kids.”
“Exactly. Kieran’s running the company now—he needs an heir.”
“Lorraine, honey, you really need to get moving on this…”
Lorraine kept her eyes down, listening in silence, absently tracing the rim of her wine glass.
That’s when Kieran, who’d been quiet all night, suddenly cut in.
“We’re not in any rush.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it made the entire room go dead silent.
Everyone’s faces changed, but nobody dared push back—not with Kieran now running the Harper empire.
The mood turned ice-cold, and dinner ended in awkward silence.
Afterward, Kieran’s mother Elara Kingston stood up, her stare drilling into Lorraine: “Lorraine, we need to talk. My office. Now.”
Everyone knew what this was about—she was about to get ripped apart over the baby thing.
Kieran obviously caught on too, frowning: “Mom, if you’ve got something to say, say it to me.”
Just as Elara was about to respond, Kieran’s phone buzzed.
He checked the screen and his entire face softened. He stepped away to answer, his voice going all gentle: “Aurora? Hey, what’s going on?”
Elara snorted coldly and snapped at Lorraine: “Move. Now.”
Lorraine pressed her lips together and silently followed.
The moment the study door closed, Elara’s face turned to stone.
“Get on your knees.”
Lorraine slowly knelt on the cold marble floor.
“Do you have any fucking idea what you did wrong?” Elara looked down at her with contempt.
Lorraine kept her eyes lowered, saying nothing.
SLAM!
Elara’s hand hit the desk hard. “Kieran say he’s not ready for kids, and you didn’t even try to change his mind!”
She ripped a pill bottle from her desk drawer and slammed it down: “Fertility drugs. Starting today, you take these every day. You will sleep with Kieran until you get pregnant!”
In the past, Lorraine would have obediently taken the pills.
But this time, she looked up, her voice quiet but firm: “I’m not taking those.”
Elara’s eyes went wide: “Excuse me?”
“I’m not taking them. If Kieran doesn’t want kids right now, I respect that decision.”
All these years, Kieran had always been careful. Even when things got heated and he lost control, he’d make sure she took Plan B afterward.
She used to think he just wasn’t ready for kids yet.
Now she got it—he just never wanted kids with her.
Since she’d already decided to leave, she sure as hell wasn’t going to get pregnant and trap herself.
“What the hell did you just say?” Elara’s voice shot up an octave.
“I said no.” Lorraine repeated calmly.
“You ungrateful little bitch!” Elara was shaking with rage. “You’re his wife! You have duties! Kieran’s out there donating bone marrow for that Aurora girl’s mother, and you didn’t even try to stop him!”
She screamed: “Bring me the disciplinary rod!”
A servant quickly brought in a salt-water soaked bamboo cane.
Elara gripped it tight, her voice deadly: “Last chance. Are you taking these pills or not?”
Lorraine shook her head.
CRACK!
The first strike hit her back, sending white-hot pain shooting through her entire body.
Lorraine bit down hard, cold sweat instantly soaking through her dress.
“Are you going to take them or not?”
Lorraine kept her jaw clenched and shook her head again.
The cane came down again and again.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she could see Kieran in the garden, still glued to his phone.
His back was to the study, posture relaxed, occasionally letting out a soft laugh—clearly having the time of his life chatting with Aurora.
