Chapter 1 Diane Cornell, Have I Ever Touched You?

• “All right, you can get up now. Congratulations, you’re pregnant. It’s been exactly four weeks since you conceived.”
• Diane Cornell took the ultrasound scan that the nurse had just handed her. She felt that the nurse was like an angel when she smiled.
• Having been married to Norman Adler for a year, what Diane wished for the most was to have a child with him. Norman didn’t come home frequently since he was always busy. People typically believed that a couple’s passion would die after seven years of marriage. However, it had only been a year since they got married, yet Diane was already feeling that they had grown distant. Now, things were better. With this child, their relationship was bound to become secure.
• Diane blissfully put away the ultrasound results and left the ultrasound room gratefully.
• The hospital was teeming with people. She lowered her head to look at the results, immersed in her joy. Just as she was about to go downstairs, a charming and gentle voice pierced her ears unexpectedly.
• “The baby is moving again, Norman. Touch my belly. The baby’s kicking me.”
• Diane lifted her head to stare at the people before her. She was dumbstruck; no matter how she racked her brains, she couldn’t figure out why Stella Mayfair was holding her husband’s hand in such a tight grip. It was like Stella was physically attached to him.
• One of the two people before Diane was her own beloved husband, whereas the other one was her very best friend. The sight of the two being so physically close to each other was blinding.
• When Norman saw the person standing at the top of the stairs, his body went rigid—an unnatural look came over his face instantly. “Diane, let me explain. I…”
• Stella let out a surprised yelp. Her hand still tightly gripped Norman’s even though her other hand was still on her belly. “I didn’t do this on purpose, Diane. I’m sorry for letting you down. I’ll leave now.”
• Stella turned to leave, but before she could take a step, Norman stopped her with a hug. “Forget it, Stella. Just tell her.”
• As Norman held Stella tightly, his eyes met Diane’s own surprised and pained ones. “Diane, this cannot be blamed on Stella. She is far too wonderful a woman, and I wasn’t able to resist. Now that things have come to this, let’s just divorce.”
• The word ‘divorce’ exploded in Diane’s head. Instantly, her mind went blank.
• Stella had just been giggling with Diane yesterday, clinging to Diane and asking her to be her child’s godmother. After all this while, it turned out that the child in question was her husband’s. Anger rose within her. A few seconds later, she reached up to slap Stella.
• “Diane, let’s part on good terms. Don’t put Stella on the spot like this.” Norman grabbed Diane’s hand, sparks of fury shooting out of his eyes.
• Diane couldn’t stop the prickling feeling in her eyes as tears gathered in them. “Norman, we’ve been in love since our university days. When we graduated, we both worked hard to pool money for our wedding, and you’re telling me—one year after we got married—that you want to divorce me? It’s not April Fool’s, so please don’t joke with me, okay?”
• Diane struggled to free her hand from his grip. Once she slipped free, she grabbed Norman’s arm in a death grip. She didn’t dare to believe everything before her. She was very much a traditional woman, one who was devoted to her boyfriend before marriage. After she had gotten married, her husband was her everything. On their wedding day, she had already prepared to spend the rest of her life with Norman. But it had only been a year! Just one year!
• “Norman, speak up…” She looked at him pitifully, but Norman’s frostiness made Diane feel as though she was in an ice cellar; she felt so cold that her entire body trembled. Just as she was about to fall into despair, she suddenly thought of the ultrasound results in her hand.
• “Norman, you can abandon me, but how can you abandon our child? Didn’t your mother keep urging us to have children? I’m exactly four weeks pregnant. Look…”
• She put all her hope into those ultrasound results, and she was even ready to forgive Norman. As long as he didn’t divorce her, she could pretend that the affair between him and Stella had never happened.
• Diane was filled with hope and expectation, but all of a sudden, Norman’s eyes widened. His voice took on a twisted tone as he said, “What? You’re pregnant? Four weeks?”
• At first, Diane thought he was excited. Her tense body relaxed, and she frantically nodded. “That’s right, they just gave me the results. Norman—ah!”
• Her frantic words were cut off by an abrupt slap. Norman glared at her, veins creeping around his eyes from his sheer emotion as though he was a beast that was about to devour its victim.
• “Diane Cornell, you wench. How dare you cheat on me? For this one month or so—wait, never mind a month—throughout the past three or four months, have I ever touched you?”