In the Doghouse - Chapter 176 - tangerine archive.

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He couldn’t bring himself to say any of it out loud. If she ever discovered that truth, he was certain she’d want nothing more to do with him.

In the end, he stayed silent. Courtney abruptly stood up. She had held back so much for the sake of the baby, but all those suppressed emotions finally erupted.

“I tried! I tried everything to be someone worthy of you!”

She stormed over to him, clenching her fists tightly, and struck his shoulders with them. A few solid thuds rang out, but he kept his head bowed, not moving an inch.

For Courtney, making an effort had never been optional. Even before marriage, struggling was the only way she could survive. After marrying, it was no different. She had overextended herself without question, grateful and ashamed for being chosen by him, giving everything for his sake.

Even after everything that had happened, she sometimes blamed herself. Perhaps it was her fault for not explaining things first.

She was exhausted now, so much so that the grand position she once held no longer felt like an honor.

“You trampled on my sincerity! Do you understand?”

Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks, her voice trembling with an undeniable hint of sobs.

Courtney’s fists pounded on him until, eventually, her hands fell still. She realized it was pointless. Hitting him did nothing more than vent her anger. It likely didn’t affect him much, either.

She wiped her tear-stained cheeks with her palms, and a quiet sob escaped her tightly pressed lips. Richard, who had been silently enduring her blows, finally spoke.

“It hurts, Courtney…”

“That’s why I’m hitting you!” she shouted, unable to control herself.

She struck his shoulder again, still choked up with sobs, her fists growing weaker with each swing until they landed softly on him.

Richard’s bowed form trembled. With a shaky voice, he murmured,

“Of everything you’ve ever done, Courtney… this hurts the most.”

At that, Courtney let out a full, heart-wrenching cry. Richard wanted to embrace her. But he was the one who had driven her to tears.

Seeing her cry so heart-wrenchingly because of him and not her family’ tore him apart, hurting as much as his bruised shoulder.

With all the humility he could muster, he pleaded.

“Courtney… don’t leave me. I swear, I’ll change, somehow… please…”

“I don’t need that!”

Her vision blurred from the tears flowing like a waterfall. She rubbed her face with her hands as her body, shaking with emotion, swayed unsteadily.

Richard instinctively reached out and pulled her into his arms as she stumbled, his face pressed against her belly where a tiny life was growing.

“Please… don’t cry…”

Only then did Courtney realize that Richard, too, was crying. A wave of sympathy hit her but quickly turned to resolve. Well, he deserved this. He had brought it on himself. Compared to what he’d done, he deserved even worse.

Richard couldn’t let go of her waist. This could very well be the last time he ever held her. With nothing left to lose, he finally confessed.

“To me… you, Courtney, mean more than ‘master’. You matter the most.”

Despite her tears, she let out a bitter laugh. She pressed her palms to his shoulders, trying to push him away. But he only held on tighter, making it clear he wasn’t letting go.

“Enough with those lies.”

“It’s true. I don’t want to lose you. If you wish… I’ll change, even if it means abandoning my twisted desires.”

This time, Courtney couldn’t bring herself to believe him. If he were to give that up, what reason would he have left to cling to her? She looked down at Richard’s head pressed against her belly and spoke softly.

“If you’re doing this because of the baby, you don’t have to. I’ll send them back when the time comes.”

“No, that’s not it. I just… I can’t be without you, Courtney. It’s not that I don’t want the baby, it’s that… I can’t bear the thought of you not being here.”

Richard held her tighter, as if she’d vanish the moment he let go, clinging to her waist with desperation. Over and over, he whispered the same plea—to not abandon him, to stay by his side.

Courtney tried a few more times to free herself, but finally gave up. His voice, broken by sobs, seeped into her heart, piercing it deeply.

With a long, weary sigh, she acknowledged the truth. She couldn’t fully push him away, no matter how much she wished she could.