When I finally managed to force my heavy eyelids open, the first thing I saw was a stark white ceiling.

My entire body throbbed with a deep, crushing ache. The pain was suffocating, but it was nothing compared to the profound emptiness in my abdomen.

I instinctively reached down, my hand finding only flat skin where my swollen belly had been. A hollow ache bloomed in my chest, as if a piece of my soul had been carved away.

"Darling, you're awake!" Justin, who had been keeping vigil by my bedside, shot up, his eyes bloodshot.

I turned my head away. I couldn't bear to look at his deceptively gentle face.

"We couldn't save our child," he said in a low voice, a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "But thank God you're safe. I didn't lose you. Just pull yourself together. When you recover, we can have another baby!"

Bitterness rose in my throat. Was our child just a medical instrument for Cassandra? I shook my head weakly, a dull pain radiating through every nerve.

Justin tried to comfort me, forcing a smile. "You must be starving. Hold on, I'm heading to the record store to grab that limited-edition vinyl you wanted."

I stared into his smiling, gentle eyes, wondering how he could so perfectly conceal his devotion to another woman.

As night fell, he still hadn't returned.

When the nurse came to change my dressing, her eyes were filled with pity. "Has your family been by to see you?"

I took a deep breath and dragged my aching body to the fourth floor.

Through the glass of the VIP ward door, I saw him. Justin was gently placing that same vinyl record onto a player for Cassandra, who lay propped up in bed. His gaze was soft, utterly focused.

Cassandra's face was pale, but she was still arrestingly beautiful.

When she noticed me, she shot me a defiant look, then grabbed Justin's arm, cooing that she wanted to hear the song he wrote for her.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms until I drew blood.

Justin picked up a pen. On the sheet music titled "For S," he crossed out the "S" and wrote, "Cassandra's Serenade."

A bitter sting flooded my senses, and tears streamed down my face, hot and unstoppable.

This proud man I had married was now kneeling before her like a devout worshipper. And I was nothing but a pathetic thief, coveting a happiness that had never been mine.

When he turned, with Cassandra in his arms, a flicker of panic crossed his face. He hastily let her go and strode toward me. "Darling, let me explain! Asher's swamped, so he asked me to watch over Cassandra for him."

"Where's my record?" I asked, my voice a hoarse whisper.

He handed me a regular CD, his tone apologetic. "Cassandra said she prefers the sound quality of vinyl, but the content is the same. Give it a try, darling. I'm sure you'll like it!"

Cassandra drifted over, her face pale, her voice soft. "Kayla, I didn't know that was your record. I'm so sorry."

Justin looked at Cassandra's frail form, his eyes swimming with love and pain. I bit my tongue until I tasted blood, forcing down the words I wanted to scream.

"It's okay," I conceded. Did he forget that hearing those tender love songs would only make me weep for the child we lost?

When Cassandra was present, there was no room for anyone else in Justin's world. She was always his first priority.

There was a time I thought his gaze was reserved only for me.

Three years ago, when he rescued me from the waves, soaking wet, he knelt before me, revealing a sparkling ring shaped like a delicate musical note. "Kayla, let me spend the rest of my life composing a symphony just for you."

I remembered the pink diamond bracelet on Cassandra's wrist, the one he'd bought with his first prize money from an international competition.

I still remembered the thrill of watching his acceptance speech on TV. When the host asked for his source of inspiration, he had smiled brightly and replied, "I want to dedicate this to the muse in my heart, who shines as brightly as the stars!"

The audience was captivated. Even my best friend called, teasing me about having such a devoted husband.

But the star in his heart had never been me.

Asher was always swamped with business, so Justin took it upon himself to care for both me and Cassandra.

He kept his promise, buying me expensive art supplies and tickets to exhibitions. "Don't get the wrong idea. It's not that I don't care about you; it's just that Asher can't get away. Besides, he doesn't trust anyone else with Cassandra. You understand, right?"

Seeing my silence, he wrapped an arm around my waist, his warm breath grazing my neck. "Alright, don't be so cold. In a few days, I'll take you to Puget Sound to relax, just the two of us."

What he didn't know was that I wasn't angry. My heart was already dead, having died on the night my child was taken. Every word he spoke now was weightless, failing to stir even a ripple in my numb soul.

...

On the day we went to the sound, Cassandra and Asher came along.

The path to the shore was a rugged mountain trail, and Asher carefully supported Cassandra the entire way.

Justin’s brow furrowed when he saw them, his eyes dropping to hide the disappointment within.

"What's wrong, Justin?" I asked, slightly breathless.

He quickly regained his composure, crouching in front of me. "Darling, it's still a long way. You haven't fully recovered. Let me carry you."

My cheek rested against his broad back, his body heat seeping through his shirt. Every step he took was steady, as if he would never let me fall.

It reminded me of the day he swam through crashing waves to find me. In my daze, I thought I had found my prince.

"When I'm better, let's go to Florence to paint," I said softly, my arms looped around his neck.

He agreed without hesitation. "Okay. Wherever you want to go."

On our wedding anniversary, he had made the same firm promise to my parents: he would spend his life fulfilling my every wish.

Asher walked over with two cups of hot cocoa. "Here, warm up. I'm taking Cassandra to see the seagulls."

Justin forced a smile. He squeezed my hand, his palm slick with sweat. "Cassandra's so fragile. Maybe the surgery... it could wait a little longer."

Cassandra leaned against Asher, covering her mouth as she laughed lightly. "We can't wait. Our parents called last night. They're already helping us plan the wedding."

She shot a veiled glance in my direction. "They're just thrilled for us. It's such a shame about your... tragedy."

The color drained from my face. Asher wouldn't meet my eyes and quickly pulled her away.

Justin stared blankly at their retreating figures, lost in thought. After a long moment, he came back to himself and placed a hand on my lower abdomen.

He kissed me feverishly, and between his ragged breaths, I heard him whisper, "It's okay if we don't have a child. Having you is enough."

And yet, his heart was hammering against his ribs.

"The wind is picking up," I said flatly, ignoring his empty reassurances.