Whispers of Smoke: A Second Chance at Life

Jeremy’s expression instantly changed, and he straightened his back.

“What do you mean by that, Alania?!”

I trembled in an exaggerated fashion. Tears swiftly welled up in my eyes, and my voice quivered from agitation. “Jeremy, the baby is really yours. You have to believe in yourself!

“That hospital you went to must not be a proper one, and they got a misdiagnosis. Why don’t you check again? Your parents want grandchildren from you!”

Joy had been standing at the back and not participating, but when she heard this, she decided to stop being a bystander. She strode forward and discreetly blocked my view of Jeremy.

“Alania, I know that you can’t accept it, but Jeremy went to the hospital with Riverpolis’s best andrologist. Its accuracy is definitely better than any general hospital’s.”

Jeremy immediately took over the conversation and said indignantly, “Joy is right. Stop trying to find a loophole! We have to get a divorce! I refuse to become a laughing stock because of you!”

They worked together seamlessly.

When they saw me nod in agreement, their eyes lit up.

“Since we’ve been married for three years, I won’t be asking for a clean divorce. We’ll be splitting our assets equally. The house we’re living in will belong to you.”

Jeremy was delighted and waved off the house in a seemingly generous fashion.

I almost snorted.

It was a pity that Jeremy was not a mathematician, or he would have graduated with high honors, at the very least.

My parents left behind a large fortune for me, and he said that he wanted half of it? How idealistic of him.

As for the house he mentioned? It was just a worthless secondhand house.

Besides, Riverpolis had been shifting its economic center to the south over the past few years, which caused the houses in my area to fall. That house was really not worth that much money.

He wanted to use my money to get himself a good reputation? This was a great plan, and it was clear that he was not the one who thought about it.

I looked toward Joy, and she was startled. I could see the excitement she did not manage to hide.

“Joy, are you in favor of me divorcing Jeremy?”

Joy sighed with a conflicted expression. “Alania, while we’ve been best friends for seven years, I came from the same hometown as Jeremy. You’re both precious to me, and I don’t know who to support.

“But I think that no matter what, Jeremy is the victim here. He drew the short end of the stick when he offered to split your assets in half. Why don’t you make it up to him a little more? That way, no one will badmouth you.”

Joy grabbed my hand and squeezed it while she stared at me sincerely, as if she was really doing this out of consideration for me.

I flung her hand away and gave her a fake smile. “Joy, you have no proof that I cheated. Why do you keep saying that I did?”

I scowled, as if I was really hurt. “Or have you been hoping for me to get divorced?”

When the other people in the ward heard this, they perked up and listened in to the rest of the conversation.

“I know that you’re childhood friends with Jeremy, and my mother-in-law has always preferred you over me. She has always said that it would be better if you were Jeremy’s wife.

“If you like Jeremy, you can just tell me. We’re best friends, I won’t say no to your request.

“But you can’t do this to me! If you force me to admit that I cheated in front of so many people, I’ll have to live the rest of my life in shame!”

I grabbed Joy’s hand and squeezed it hard while I spoke earnestly. Right before my eyes, I watched as her expression turned dark.

In the end, she had to admit that she did not like Jeremy before everyone’s judgmental gazes, which meant she could never be with him.

Jeremy was furious but could not defend her.

If he did, it would prove that they were trying to pull something off in secret.