Chapter 3

I sat in my room for what felt like hours until deafening rock music blasted from the main hall of the club headquarters, mixing with the clinking of beer bottles and raucous laughter.

Standing at the doorway, I watched the lively weekend party inside, my heart dead as ash.

Everyone knew. Everyone except me.

"Raven! Get over here!" Jake's voice boomed over the music. He stood in the center of the crowd with his arm around Crystal, his face glowing with the joy of impending fatherhood.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to walk into the hall.

Crystal had changed clothes—a black, low-cut bodycon dress that hugged her rounded belly and curves. The neckline plunged dangerously low, and the hem barely reached mid-thigh.

Every man in the club was practically drooling, staring at her with hungry eyes.

"Crystal, you're the hottest baby mama this club's ever seen!" some burly guy shouted, raising his beer bottle.

"Thanks, everyone. Jake says he wants to give our baby the very best," Crystal giggled in response, deliberately stroking her belly while shooting me a sideways glance, a smug smile playing on her lips.

Fake bitch, had enough of your little performance yet? I cursed internally, my fists clenched so tight my knuckles turned white.

"Baby, little one's kicking again." Crystal suddenly grabbed Jake's hand coquettishly, placing it on her belly. "Feel this."

I watched Jake tenderly caress her stomach, his eyes full of adoration. "When he's born, I'm gonna teach him to ride."

"What if it's a girl?" Crystal beamed like a flower.

"Then I'll protect her forever, just like I protect you."

The club members erupted in catcalls, the atmosphere growing even more heated. And there I stood like a ghost, isolated in the corner, shut out from all the joy and laughter.

I'd had enough. I turned and headed for the restroom, needing to cool down.

In the dim, cramped bathroom, the cracked mirror reflected my pale face. The sharp smell of disinfectant was suffocating. I splashed cold water on my face, trying to calm myself down.

"Raven?" Crystal's voice came from behind me.

I saw Crystal in the mirror as she entered and shut the door. Finally ready to drop the act?

"You don't look so good." Crystal approached me, her voice dripping with fake concern. "Are you upset about Jake and me?"

I stared at her coldly, my voice terrifyingly calm. "I have nothing to say."

"I know this is hard for you to accept." Crystal continued her performance. "But love can't be forced. Jake chose me because we truly love each other."

I nearly laughed out loud at that. "True love? You sure this isn't just some elaborate con?"

Crystal's expression flickered, but she quickly recovered. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Cut the act, Crystal." I stepped forward, my voice ice-cold. "You think I don't see your little game? Get your hooks into Jake, and you've got the keys to the whole club."

"You're talking crazy!" Crystal's voice turned shrill.

"Crazy?" I laughed bitterly, years of suppressed rage finally erupting. "Three years ago you were crying, begging me to help you because your family was broke. And now? You're the boss lady-in-waiting, enjoying all the perks. Nice work, cousin."

Crystal's face darkened completely, her fake mask finally slipping. "Raven, you're so naive. In this world, only smart women get to live the good life. You think your little mechanical skills could win Jake's love? He needs a woman who can help him run this club, not some glorified mechanic."

Her words cut like knives, but I wouldn't cry over them anymore. "So you seduced him?"

"Seduced?" Crystal rubbed her belly, smirking triumphantly. "I just gave him the tenderness he craved. And you? What can you do besides fix bikes?"

I felt sick. This woman's viciousness exceeded my wildest imagination. I turned to leave, but Crystal's voice followed me:

"Actually, I should thank you. If you hadn't helped me get into the club, how could I have gotten close to Jake? Now I'm carrying his child, and soon everything here will be mine. And you? You'll always be just some adopted outsider."

My footsteps stopped. I slowly turned around, the last trace of warmth in my heart freezing over completely.

"Are you done?"

Crystal looked at me, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

The moment she finished speaking, I watched in shock as Crystal suddenly threw herself against the wall, her forehead striking the sharp edge of a ceramic tile. Blood immediately gushed out.

She froze for a second, then clutched her forehead as tears instantly flooded her eyes.

"Ah!" Crystal let out an anguished moan, her body swaying. "My head... it hurts so much..."

I stared at this scene in complete shock, never imagining Crystal could be so vicious as to hurt herself to frame me.

"You're insane!" I rushed forward to check her injury.

"Don't touch me!" Crystal "weakly" backed away, her voice trembling. "You... why did you push me? My baby..."

Her voice grew louder, tinged with sobs: "Help! Someone help me! Raven pushed me! What if something happens to my baby?"

The bathroom door burst open as Jake and several club members rushed in. Seeing Crystal covered in blood and me standing nearby, Jake's face instantly turned livid.

My heart sank to rock bottom. No one would believe me.

"What the hell happened?" Jake rushed to Crystal, frantically checking her injuries.

"Jake, I just wanted to talk to Raven, to clear up our misunderstanding, but she... she suddenly pushed me." Crystal "weakly" leaned into Jake's arms, tears streaming down her face. "Our baby will be okay, right?"

"You son of a bitch!" Jake exploded with rage, grabbing my shoulders violently. "Raven! Have you lost your damn mind? Crystal's carrying my child!"

I wrenched free from his grip, looking at this man I'd once loved deeply now glaring at me with such fury. My heart finally died. "I didn't push her."

"Didn't push her? Then how the hell did she get hurt?" Jake's eyes blazed with anger. "You think I don't know what you're jealous about? But how could you attack a pregnant woman!"

The club members started murmuring among themselves:

"Raven's gone too far!"

"How could she hurt a pregnant woman!"

"That's just evil!"

Meanwhile, Crystal "weakly" said in Jake's arms: "It's okay, Jake. She loves you too much, that's why she did this... I don't blame her."

This only enraged the crowd further.

"Get on your knees!" Jake pointed at me, his voice filled with unprecedented anger and disappointment. "Get on your knees right now and apologize to Crystal!"

The entire bathroom fell dead silent. All eyes focused on me, waiting for my response.

I looked around at everyone, seeing nothing but contempt and accusation in their eyes. Even Razor stood at the back of the crowd, but he didn't speak up for me—just silently shook his head.

My heart went completely cold. So when push came to shove, I truly was all alone.

"Get on your knees!" Jake roared again. "You need to take responsibility for what you've done!"

I slowly raised my head, looking at Jake, looking at these people I'd once thought of as family. There wasn't a trace of warmth in my eyes, only bone-deep coldness.

"I'd rather die standing than live on my knees!" My voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet bathroom, it rang clear as a bell.

"What did you say?" Jake stared at me in disbelief.

"I said I won't kneel." I held my head high, my spine ramrod straight. "I haven't done anything wrong. Why should I kneel?"

In that moment, I remembered what Razor had taught me as a child: A person can lose everything, but never their dignity.

"You're still trying to lie your way out of this!" Jake was beside himself with rage. "The evidence is right here, and you still want to deny it?"

"I didn't push her." I spoke each word clearly, looking directly into Jake's eyes. "Whether you believe me or not is your choice, but I will never kneel."

Crystal "weakly" spoke from Jake's arms: "It's okay, Jake. If she doesn't want to, then forget it... Maybe she really didn't mean to. I just hope our baby is safe."

This kind of "understanding" made the club members even angrier:

"Raven, Crystal's being so forgiving, and you still won't apologize?"

"Someone like this doesn't deserve to be in the club!"

Facing everyone's accusations, I looked around one last time, finally settling my gaze on Jake. Nine years of love burned to ashes in that instant: "You're all being played by her! This woman isn't worth trusting!"

"Enough!" Jake completely lost it. "Raven, I never thought you'd become this."

Hearing those words, I finally gave up completely. This man I'd loved for nine years was now looking at me like I was his enemy.

"Jake," my voice was eerily calm, but my mind had never been clearer, "someday you'll learn the truth."

I pushed through the crowd and strode out of the bathroom. Behind me, I heard Crystal's "weak" voice: "Jake, let's go to the hospital for a check-up. I'm worried about the baby..."

The moment I walked out of the club hall, the night wind hit my face, and I felt more awake than ever before.

Nine years of love, thirteen years of family bonds—all reduced to zero tonight.

I didn't look back, walking straight to my room. Behind me, I could hear the club members talking, but I couldn't make out their words anymore, and I didn't want to.