{"id":26427,"date":"2026-01-10T14:12:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T14:12:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=26427"},"modified":"2026-01-10T14:12:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T14:12:44","slug":"when-my-husbands-affair-resulted-in-a-pregnancy-his-entire-family-filled-my-living-room-and-told-me-to-leave-i-didnt-raise-my-voice-i-didnt-defend-myself-i-simply-smiled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=26427","title":{"rendered":"When my husband\u2019s affair resulted in a pregnancy, his entire family filled my living room and told me to leave. I didn\u2019t raise my voice. I didn\u2019t defend myself. I simply smiled and said one sentence\u2014then watched the color drain from all six faces. They tried to apologize later. By then, it was already over."},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">Adrian shifted uncomfortably, finally looking up. Lilibeth crossed her arms, her jaw set. Arriane pressed her hand deeper into\u00a0her belly as if it were a weapon or a shield.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u201cFirst,\u201d I said, pointing a finger at the floor, \u201cyou seem to be under a severe misconception regarding this building. This house belongs to me.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">Lilibeth scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. \u201cWe know that, Maria. But you and Adrian are married. Property is shared. We are family.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u201cNo,\u201d I replied, my voice sharpening. \u201cMy mother was a very wise woman. She knew that marriage is a gamble. This house was paid for by her, and the deed is registered solely under my maiden name. It is \u2018paraphernal property,\u2019 excluded from the absolute community of property. Adrian\u2019s name is nowhere on the title. Not the family\u2019s. Mine.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">I let that sink in.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">\u201cThat means,\u201d I continued, locking eyes with Gina, \u201cthat you have no right to ask me to leave. In fact, you are all guests in my home. Unwelcome ones.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">Silence followed. Thick, suffocating silence.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">Read more:Back then, Adrian was gentle, attentive, and sincere. He possessed a quiet charm that masked his lack of ambition, a trait I mistook for contentment. I truly believed I was the luckiest woman alive. Our wedding was celebrated with the full approval and blessings of both families, a grand affair that felt like the prelude to a fairy tale.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-7\">\n<div id=\"welikedrama.com_responsive_1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As a wedding gift, my mother gave us a three-storey house in the city.<\/p>\n<p>It was a magnificent structure, with high ceilings that trapped the afternoon light and mahogany floors that smelled of beeswax and history. But it wasn\u2019t just a house. It was registered entirely under my name, built from my mother\u2019s lifetime of hard work, sleepless nights, and frugal savings. She had scrubbed floors and traded in markets so that I would never have to worry about having a roof over my head. It was her sacrifice, her love, her legacy solidified in concrete and steel.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-8\">\n<div id=\"welikedrama.com_responsive_2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-2\">\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1906827\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThis is your sanctuary, Maria,\u201d she had whispered to me on my wedding day, pressing the deed into my hand. \u201cNever let anyone take it from you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I didn\u2019t understand the urgency in her voice then. I do now.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-9\">\n<div id=\"welikedrama.com_responsive_3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>After becoming a wife and a daughter-in-law, I did everything I could to protect our small family. I worked as a senior manager at a bank, a demanding role that often saw me leaving before sunrise and returning home late, my feet throbbing and my mind racing with numbers. Because of my schedule, I couldn\u2019t always cook or manage the household the way my mother-in-law,\u00a0<strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">Lilibeth<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">, expected.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Lilibeth was a woman carved from granite and old-fashioned prejudices. She was never satisfied with me. She believed a proper wife should stay home, cook every meal from scratch, and center her entire existence around her husband\u2019s comfort.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAdrian looks thin,\u201d she would say, running a critical finger over the dining table, checking for dust. \u201cA man needs a wife who is present, Maria. Not one who is married to her career.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I never argued. I swallowed the insults like bitter pills. I woke up earlier to prep meals; I hired cleaners with my own money to keep the house spotless. I adjusted quietly, bending myself into pretzel shapes to fit their expectations, hoping that my patience would eventually earn her acceptance. I thought if I just loved Adrian enough, if I just provided enough, they would eventually see me as family.<\/p>\n<p>But silence, I learned, is not always golden. sometimes, it is just the quiet before the execution.<\/p>\n<p>One Tuesday evening, the air in the house felt heavy, charged with a static electricity that made the hair on my arms stand up. The scent of rain was in the air, but the storm was already inside.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Adrian came home looking distant and tense. He didn\u2019t kiss me on the cheek. He didn\u2019t ask about my day. He loosened his tie with jerky, nervous movements.<\/p>\n<p>He sat down on the edge of the sofa, staring at his hands, and said we needed to \u201chave a serious talk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>My chest tightened before he even opened his mouth. It\u2019s a universal reflex, I think\u2014the body knowing disaster is imminent before the brain comprehends it. A cold dread coiled in my gut.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said flatly, refusing to meet my eyes. \u201cThere\u2019s someone else. She\u2019s pregnant.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For a moment, I thought I\u2019d misunderstood. The words didn\u2019t make sense. They hung in the air, foreign and absurd.\u00a0<span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">Pregnant? Someone else?<\/span><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">\u00a0My heart felt like it was being crushed in someone\u2019s fist. What hurt most wasn\u2019t just the betrayal\u2014it was how calm he sounded. He spoke with the detachment of a man negotiating a contract termination, not a man destroying a marriage of five years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWho?\u201d I whispered, my voice barely audible.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter,\u201d he deflected. \u201cWhat matters is that I have a responsibility now. She\u2019s carrying my child, Maria. I can\u2019t abandon them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut you can abandon me?\u201d I asked, the tears finally stinging my eyes.<\/p>\n<p>He sighed, a sound of impatience rather than regret. \u201cIt\u2019s complicated. I just\u2026 I need to be a father. You know how much my mother wants a grandchild. We\u2019ve been trying for years, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He trailed off, but the implication hit me like a physical slap. He was blaming my inability to conceive\u2014so far\u2014as the justification for his infidelity.<\/p>\n<p>I didn\u2019t scream. I didn\u2019t throw the vase on the coffee table. I just sat there, frozen, as the world I had built dissolved into ash. He stood up, assuming my silence was submission.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy family is coming over next week,\u201d he said, checking his watch. \u201cWe need to settle this formally. Lilibeth wants to make sure everything is handled\u2026 correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHandled?\u201d I repeated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes. We need to discuss the separation terms. And living arrangements.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He walked upstairs to the guest room, leaving me alone in the dark living room. The house, my mother\u2019s legacy, seemed to groan around me. I touched the cold mahogany armrest of the chair.<\/p>\n<p>They are coming to take it all,<span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">\u00a0a voice inside me whispered.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">They think you are weak.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I wiped a single tear from my cheek. If they wanted a war, they were about to realize they had invaded the wrong territory.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>A week later, his entire family arrived at my house.<\/p>\n<p>It felt less like a family gathering and more like a tribunal. Six people crowded into my living room: Adrian, his parents (<strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">Lilibeth<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">Roberto<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">), his sister\u00a0<\/span><strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">Gina<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">, his brother-in-law\u2014and the other woman.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The pregnant mistress.<\/p>\n<p>Her name was\u00a0<strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">Arriane<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">. She was younger than me, perhaps twenty-four, with wide, innocent eyes and a pouty mouth. She was dressed in a flowy pastel dress that accentuated the slight curve of her abdomen. She sat next to Adrian, one hand resting protectively on her stomach, while Lilibeth hovered over her like a bodyguard, offering her a cushion for her back.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>They sat comfortably in the house my mother had given me, drinking my tea, staring at me without shame.<\/p>\n<p>I sat on the single armchair opposite the sofa, facing their united front. The dynamic was clear: I was the outsider. The obstacle.<\/p>\n<p>Lilibeth spoke first. She placed her porcelain teacup down with a sharp\u00a0<span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">clink<\/span><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaria, what\u2019s done is done,\u201d she began, her tone patronizingly sweet, as if explaining a difficult concept to a child. \u201cWe are all adults here. You should accept reality. Women shouldn\u2019t fight each other. Arriane is carrying our grandchild. That baby is a blessing. She has rights. You need to step aside so everyone can stay at peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not once did she ask how I felt. Not once did she acknowledge the five years I had spent serving her family, funding Adrian\u2019s failed business ventures, or caring for them when they were sick. My pain meant nothing to her. All she saw was a biological vessel she believed would carry the family name.<\/p>\n<p>I looked at Adrian. He was studying the pattern on the rug, refusing to look at me. Coward.<\/p>\n<p>Then my sister-in-law, Gina, chimed in. She had always resented my career, my independence. \u201cYou don\u2019t even have children yet, Maria. Arriane does. It\u2019s nature. Don\u2019t force things. Agree to a peaceful divorce so everyone can move on without resentment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMove on,\u201d I echoed softly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d Roberto, my father-in-law, grunted. \u201cWe need to think about the child\u2019s future. Adrian needs a stable home to raise his son. It would be best if you moved out by the end of the month. We can discuss a small settlement for you, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Move out.<span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">\u00a0The audacity took my breath away. They weren\u2019t just asking for a divorce; they were evicting me from my own property to make room for his mistress.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I said nothing. My eyes drifted to the young woman. Arriane. There was no guilt in her expression, only a triumphant glimmer masked by false modesty.<\/p>\n<p>She lowered her gaze slightly, playing the part of the victim perfectly. \u201cI don\u2019t want to hurt anyone,\u201d she said, her voice breathy and soft. \u201cBut Adrian and I truly love each other. We didn\u2019t plan this, but it\u2019s fate. I just want the chance to be his legal wife\u2026 and the child\u2019s mother. Every child deserves a father and a home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She looked around the room, her eyes assessing the expensive furniture, the high ceilings, the security of my sanctuary. She was already mentally redecorating.<\/p>\n<p>That was when I smiled.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t a smile of sadness, nor of resignation. It was a smile of calm, terrifying clarity. It was the smile of a woman who realizes she is holding a royal flush while her opponents are bluffing with a pair of twos.<\/p>\n<p>I stood up slowly. The fabric of my dress rustled in the silence. I walked to the side table, poured myself a fresh glass of water, and took a slow sip. The condensation felt cool against my fingertips.<\/p>\n<p>I placed the glass gently on the table and turned to face them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re finished speaking,\u201d I said evenly, \u201cthen it\u2019s my turn.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>The room went silent. The shift in my energy was palpable. They had expected tears, begging, or perhaps a hysterical outburst they could dismiss. They were not expecting ice.<\/p>\n<p>Six pairs of eyes turned toward me. I could hear my heartbeat thumping in my ears, steady and strong. My voice didn\u2019t shake.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince you all came here to decide my life for me,\u201d I said softly, my gaze sweeping over each of them, \u201cit\u2019s only fair that I clarify a few facts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Adrian shifted uncomfortably, finally looking up. Lilibeth crossed her arms, her jaw set. Arriane pressed her hand deeper into her belly as if it were a weapon or a shield.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFirst,\u201d I said, pointing a finger at the floor, \u201cyou seem to be under a severe misconception regarding this building. This house belongs to\u00a0<strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">me<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Lilibeth scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. \u201cWe know that, Maria. But you and Adrian are married. Property is shared. We are family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo,\u201d I replied, my voice sharpening. \u201cMy mother was a very wise woman. She knew that marriage is a gamble. This house was paid for by her, and the deed is registered solely under my maiden name. It is \u2018paraphernal property,\u2019 excluded from the absolute community of property. Adrian\u2019s name is nowhere on the title. Not the family\u2019s.\u00a0<strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">Mine<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I let that sink in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat means,\u201d I continued, locking eyes with Gina, \u201cthat you have no right to ask me to leave. In fact, you are all guests in my home. Unwelcome ones.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Silence followed. Thick, suffocating silence.<\/p>\n<p>Adrian tried to speak, panic flickering in his eyes. \u201cMaria, we can work this out\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I raised my hand, silencing him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSecond,\u201d I continued, stepping closer to the center of the room, \u201cif you want me to leave quietly, you must also accept the legal consequences of what you\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat consequences?\u201d my father-in-law snapped, his face reddening. \u201cDon\u2019t turn this into a scandal. We are respectable people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA scandal?\u201d I smiled faintly. \u201cYou are worried about gossip? You should be worried about the Penal Code. Adultery and concubinage are criminal offenses under Philippine law. So is knowingly being involved with a married man.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I turned my gaze to Arriane. The color drained from her face. She looked at Adrian, suddenly terrified.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have text messages, hotel receipts, and photos,\u201d I lied smoothly\u2014though I knew my lawyer could subpoena them easily enough. \u201cI can drag this through the courts for years. I can ensure Adrian loses his job at the firm\u2014they have a strict morality clause, don\u2019t they? And you, Arriane\u2026 do you want to start motherhood in a prison cell or buried under legal fees?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Adrian panicked. He stood up, knocking his knee against the coffee table. \u201cMaria, please\u2014let\u2019s handle this privately. You don\u2019t need to threaten us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPrivately?\u201d I asked, my voice rising just an octave. \u201cYou brought your parents, your sister, and your pregnant mistress into my living room to bully me out of my own home. And now you want privacy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re exaggerating,\u201d Gina said sharply, though her voice lacked its earlier confidence. \u201cHe\u2019s going to be a father. Be mature. Think of the child.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am being mature,\u201d I answered coldly. \u201cMore than any of you. I am protecting my assets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then I took a deep breath. This was the card they didn\u2019t know I held. The card that would shatter everything.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThird\u2026 before you forced me out of this marriage, you should\u2019ve checked your assumptions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Adrian frowned, confusion marring his handsome features. \u201cWhat assumptions?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI went to the hospital yesterday,\u201d I said calmly. \u201cFor a routine check because I\u2019ve been feeling unwell.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I paused, letting the tension stretch until it was nearly unbearable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd I found out\u2026\u00a0<strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">I\u2019m pregnant too.<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Chaos erupted.<\/p>\n<p>It was instantaneous and total. Arriane looked like she might faint; she slumped back against the cushions, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. Adrian jumped to his feet, his face a mask of shock and sudden, desperate hope.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2026 you\u2019re pregnant?\u201d he stammered, stepping toward me. \u201cMaria? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His mother, Lilibeth, suddenly panicked. Her calculation changed in a millisecond. The legitimate wife was pregnant. The legal heir. The social standing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh my God,\u201d Lilibeth gasped, standing up and reaching out to me. \u201cMaria! Why didn\u2019t you say so? This changes everything! We must\u2026 we must stay calm. We can fix this. We are a family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now that I was carrying a child, I was suddenly valuable again. The hypocrisy tasted like bile in my throat.<\/p>\n<p>I watched them scramble. Adrian was torn between the sobbing mistress and his pregnant wife. Gina looked sick.<\/p>\n<p>I let them argue, let the noise wash over me, until I spoke once more. My voice cut through the din like a knife.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy pregnancy,\u201d I said, \u201cis not the biggest surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They froze. Lilibeth\u2019s hands stopped in mid-air.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe baby,\u201d I continued, placing a hand on my flat stomach, \u201cmay not be Adrian\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The room fell into complete shock. It was as if I had detonated a bomb.<\/p>\n<p>Adrian\u2019s face turned purple. \u201cWhat? What did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI won\u2019t confirm paternity,\u201d I added, my expression unreadable, \u201cuntil after the divorce is final. And considering your track record, Adrian, I think the court will understand my hesitation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was a bluff. Of course, it was his. I had been faithful to a fault. But he didn\u2019t know that. His own guilt made him believe I was capable of the same treachery he had committed. I struck his ego, his masculinity, and his lineage in one sentence.<\/p>\n<p>Their faces crumbled. Lilibeth looked at me with horror, realizing she had lost all leverage. I was no longer the docile doormat; I was a wild card they couldn\u2019t control.<\/p>\n<p>Before leaving the room, I delivered the final blow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve already consulted a lawyer,\u201d I said, walking toward the front door. \u201cThis house is legally mine. You are trespassing. And anyone who disrespects me can leave.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I opened the heavy oak door, letting the cool evening air rush in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have five minutes to get out. If you are not gone, I call the police and report a domestic disturbance. And Arriane? I\u2019ll sue you for psychological damages.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They stared at me, paralyzed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne minute gone,\u201d I announced, checking my watch.<\/p>\n<p>They left\u2014every single one of them.<\/p>\n<p>It was a scramble of humiliation. Lilibeth refused to look at me as she shuffled out. Gina dragged her husband. Arriane was sobbing loudly, clutching Adrian\u2019s arm, but he looked defeated, a man who had lost his past and his future in a single hour.<\/p>\n<p>Adrian lingered in the doorway, his eyes pleading. \u201cMaria, please. The baby\u2026 is it mine? We can talk about this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I looked at him, seeing a stranger. The man I loved had died the moment he decided to betray me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGoodbye, Adrian,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n<p>I closed the door gently. The latch clicked\u2014a sound of finality.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>For the first time in months, the house was silent.<\/p>\n<p>But it wasn\u2019t the heavy, oppressive silence of before. It was peaceful. The house seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, as if it, too, had been waiting for them to leave.<\/p>\n<p>I walked back to the living room, locked the windows, and turned off the lights. I sat in the dark, touching my stomach.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re going to be okay,\u201d I whispered to the tiny life growing inside me. \u201cWe don\u2019t need them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Later, months after the divorce proceedings began, I learned the truth through mutual friends.<\/p>\n<p>Arriane had never been pregnant. It was a lie, a desperate trap to secure a wealthy husband. When the truth came out, Adrian\u2019s family imploded. Lilibeth never forgave him for losing me\u2014and the house. Adrian lost everything: his family\u2019s respect, his dignity, his marriage, and eventually his job when the scandal reached his office. He tried to contact me, to apologize, to ask about our child.<\/p>\n<p>I never replied.<\/p>\n<p>My son was born on a Tuesday, in this house, surrounded by love and peace. He has my mother\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n<p>And me?<\/p>\n<p>I gained something far more valuable than a husband. I gained the knowledge that I am unbreakable.<\/p>\n<p>Freedom isn\u2019t just about being alone; it\u2019s about being the architect of your own life. Sometimes, what feels like the end of your world\u2026 is actually the beginning of your strength.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"ng-star-inserted\" \/>\n<p class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><strong class=\"ng-star-inserted\"><span class=\"ng-star-inserted\">If you want more stories like this, or if you\u2019d like to share your thoughts about what you would have done in my situation, I\u2019d love to hear from you. Your perspective helps these stories reach more people, so don\u2019t be shy about commenting or sharing.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_26427\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"26427\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Adrian shifted uncomfortably, finally looking up. Lilibeth crossed her arms, her jaw set. Arriane pressed her hand deeper into\u00a0her belly as if it were a weapon or a shield. \u201cFirst,\u201d I said, pointing a finger at the floor, \u201cyou seem to be under a severe misconception regarding this building. This house belongs to me.\u201d Lilibeth&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=26427\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;When my husband\u2019s affair resulted in a pregnancy, his entire family filled my living room and told me to leave. I didn\u2019t raise my voice. I didn\u2019t defend myself. I simply smiled and said one sentence\u2014then watched the color drain from all six faces. They tried to apologize later. By then, it was already over.&rdquo;<\/span> &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_26427\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"26427\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1035,"today_views":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26427"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26428,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26427\/revisions\/26428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}