When Mark saw me, his eyes widened in shock.

I was so disheveled that he looked at me several times, as if unsure whether it was really me.

I tried to call out, but not a single sound came from my throat. All I could do was wave my hands, desperately begging for help.

He hesitated for a moment, then quickly turned and walked away—only to stop not far around the corner of the hallway.

Faintly, I heard his voice.

"Don Renato, there's a woman covered in blood by the elevator. She looks a lot like Madre…"

Renato. It was him. He was nearby.

Before I could even confirm it, his familiar voice came through.

"That's impossible! I already had her settled in the underground storage and gave her a sedative. She should be resting. How could she be here?"

The moment I recognized his voice, I tried to scream, but a bodyguard clamped a hand over my mouth.

My throat, already unable to produce sound, was completely silenced.

All I could do was listen.

"Don Renato, maybe you should come take a look. She doesn't seem to be in good condition. If it really is Madre, then both she and the baby could be in danger…"

Mark still sounded uneasy. He had followed Renato for years and was deeply trusted by him.

After Mark finished speaking, there was a tense silence. I knew Renato was hesitating.

Hope surged again, my heart leaping into my throat.

"Alright, I'll go take a look. If it's Ellen—"

Just as he was about to come, I finally let out a breath of relief.

But before he could finish his sentence, a doctor's voice rang out, calling for Renato.

"Don Renato! Madam Lina is having abdominal pain. It looks like the baby may be in distress!"

"And Madam Lina says she doesn't want you to leave her side. She hopes you won't go far."

"Understood. I'm coming right away."

Renato answered without hesitation.

"Mark, my sister-in-law needs me right now. That woman can't possibly be Ellen. If it were her, she'd have already come here, making a scene, demanding money and status for her child. How could she be this quiet?"

"But… what if—"

Mark tried to persuade him further, but Renato's footsteps were already fading away.

The bodyguard's hand still clamped over my mouth. I could only let my tears fall in silence.

Soon, the hallway fell completely quiet.

Renato—the man I once believed I could rely on for the rest of my life—chose to believe others over his own wife. In that moment, every trace of my love for him vanished.

Sophia returned shortly after, looking at me with smug satisfaction.

"Ellen, turns out Renato doesn't care about you that much after all. The only thing he cares about is the heir to our family. To him, you're nothing more than a breeding machine."

I closed my eyes and didn't look at her again.

My consciousness was sinking. My body, once heavy, now felt strangely light.

Aside from the constant pain, the baby's movements were growing weaker and weaker.

If this continued, both my child and I would die.

I let out a faint breath and slowly reached for the ring on my right index finger.

My father had commissioned it, a custom piece designed with a hidden mechanism.

As long as I pressed the gemstone, he would know I was in danger—and within twenty minutes, he would be able to locate me and come to my rescue.

I used to think I would never need it.

After all, Renato had once loved me with his life.

Now, thinking back on it… I had been unbelievably foolish.

Groping for the ring, I pressed the gemstone with all the strength I had left.

With a soft click, the gemstone turned. I knew the signal had gone out.

I closed my eyes and began to pray, hoping my child would survive this ordeal.

Sophia, who had witnessed everything, only sneered in disdain.

She had no idea about the hidden mechanism. She thought I was clinging to the ring out of greed for wealth and jewels.

"Ellen, you married my brother for our family's money and power, didn't you?

"If it weren't for the fact that you got pregnant, my brother would never have married a woman from such an ordinary, mismatched family!"

I couldn't be bothered to argue. All I did was pray silently for my child.

But Sophia kept talking.

"If you want to blame someone, blame your useless womb!

"We thought you'd give the family a boy, but who knew it'd be a girl?

"Luckily, Lina is carrying a son. At least our family has an heir now.

"Renato hasn't said anything about divorcing you yet, but if you're smart, you should leave on your own. It'll be better for everyone.

"Isn't it just money you want? As long as you leave, the Valentino family won't treat you unfairly…"

Her words grated against my ears. I wanted to laugh, but couldn't. My heart only grew colder.

Suddenly, it felt as though something inside me tore open. The effects of the drugs vanished completely, as if the invisible restraints had shattered in an instant.

Beneath me, I felt a heavy mass dropping rapidly. I couldn't hold back the scream that tore from my throat.

"Ah—!"

The scene stunned even the bodyguards and the young nurse nearby.

Perhaps realizing I wasn't pretending, Sophia quickly ordered the nurse to check on me.

The nurse approached, trembling.

After a quick look, her voice broke with fear.

"T-this is bad… the baby's head is stuck! We… we need surgery immediately!"

She froze in place, not knowing what to do.

Sophia finally understood the severity of the situation. She gestured for the nurse to deliver the baby.

But the nurse didn't dare step forward—she wasn't a doctor and had no real medical training.

And this was the elevator lobby—there wasn't even basic equipment for delivery. All she could do was hold my hand and tell me to push.

But beneath me, blood poured out like a stream. I had no strength left.

As the seconds ticked by, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

Realizing things had turned critical, Sophia didn't dare delay any longer and ran inside to report.

The moment she left, I heard the familiar sound of leather boots approaching. Then, a group of men in black suits rushed in, their expressions grim.

"Who are you? How dare you trespass into the Valentino family—"

The young nurse tried to shout, but before she could finish, one of the men covered her mouth and dragged her aside.

The hospital's bodyguards caught sight of the custom black rose insignia pinned to their chests—and fled in panic.

"Miss! We're late. Please forgive us!"

The man in the lead lifted me into his arms, his eyes reddened.

He immediately ordered the nurse to press the elevator, heading straight for the ambulance.

A few foolish bodyguards tried to block the way, shouting, "This is the Valentino family's private hospital—you dare—"

Before they could finish, they were slammed to the ground.

"The Valentino family? It won't exist much longer."

Within seconds, I was lying inside a custom luxury ambulance. The vehicle was fully equipped, and the medical team was ready.

But by then, my condition was critical—I was even slipping into shock.

"Obstructed labor—we need an emergency C-section immediately! The mother's blood pressure is dangerously low. There are signs of massive hemorrhaging… if this continues…"

Before the sentence could be finished, an elderly man's voice cut in.

"There is no 'if'! I order you to do everything possible to save my daughter!"

The moment he spoke, the monitor let out a piercing alarm.

"The patient's heart has stopped! Prepare defibrillation immediately!"

"Quick! Prepare for surgery—now!"

"No… it's too late. The baby has suffered severe oxygen deprivation… there's no breathing…"

…

The voices around me grew fainter and fainter, until I sank into endless darkness.

I don't know how long passed. When I opened my eyes again, the only thing I saw was my father's aged face.

"Ellen…"

He held my hand, tears streaming down his face.

"Where is the baby?"

My father lowered his eyes and shook his head.

I held my breath and closed my eyes. No tears came.

But inside me, it felt like a bottomless abyss had split open.

"Where is Renato?" I asked.

My father clenched his jaw.

"He's with Lina. She gave birth to a son. The entire Valentino family is setting off fireworks in celebration… they've forgotten you completely."

I laughed until tears streamed down my face.

"Dad… do something for me. Prepare two fake bodies. Mine—and my child's. Send them to the Valentino family. I want to see, with my own eyes… what expressions they'll wear when they hear of our deaths."