After getting her wounds treated at the hospital, Michelle was called into the doctor’s office.

The moment she saw the report, it felt like a dull blade driving straight into her chest, each breath searing with pain.

How could this be possible?

She and Sigmund had always taken precautions, and even when passion got the better of them, she had always taken the pill afterward.

This baby couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“Doctor, please help me schedule the procedure as soon as possible.”

The surgery was set for three days later.

During the following days, Sigmund didn’t call her once in front of me.

When a message from Emily popped up on her phone, Michelle tapped her profile photo without thinking.

Emily’s social feed read like a love diary, documenting every tender moment between her and Sigmund since her return.

He cooked for her himself, feeding her each bite with care.

He brought her lavish gifts every day, just to keep her entertained during her hospital stay.

He searched through joke books, staying up late to tell her stories and make her laugh.

He cared for her with patience and warmth, even promising her a surprise once she was discharged.

Michelle stared blankly at the screen, and her mind drifted back to the early days with Sigmund.

Back then, she often came home drunk after business dinners, and Sigmund would wait outside the club to drive her home.

When she threw up, he was always the one by her side, cleaning up and comforting her.

She truly believed he had feelings for her—even if those feelings were built on money, she didn’t care.

But now she realized she’d been wrong all along. She had thought she was the one using Sigmund to fill the emptiness in her life.

In truth, she had been his greatest amusement.

That night, Michelle drank too much again.

She kept dreaming the same dream over and over—asking Sigmund if he would marry her and waiting endlessly for an answer that never came.

Anxious and heartbroken, she finally opened her eyes and saw his face, his eyes filled with a tangle of emotions.

“Why are you crying in your sleep again?”

Michelle touched her cheek and realized her face was wet with tears.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her heartbeat.

“I dreamt you said you didn’t love me. That you never planned to marry me.”

She said it casually, brushing it off as nonsense, missing the flicker of shock that crossed Sigmund’s eyes.

He pulled her into his arms, his tone laced with unease. “Is it because I haven’t been home these few days? You missed me, didn’t you? Don’t overthink it. Who else would I marry besides you?

“Baby, I just don’t have the means to give you the best right now. I don’t want you to settle for less. Once I’ve earned enough, I’ll propose to you right away. Okay?”

Michelle smiled against his chest, her tears spilling freely.

There was a time, after one of their passionate nights, when she had joked, “You’re so reckless every time. What if I end up pregnant?”

He’d taken her seriously and said gently, “I’d love for us to have a child. When I can give you a stable life, we’ll have one together.”

Michelle silently slipped out of his arms, but he quickly pulled her back to sit down beside him.

“Didn’t you say you liked this bakery’s cake? I waited in line for two hours to get it. Come on, try it.”

At that moment, a message from Emily popped up on her phone.

“How’s the cake? I only mentioned it in passing, and he ran off to buy it for me. I even told him to grab another one for you. It’s your favorite flavor, right?”

The amusement drained from Michelle’s eyes. She picked up the cake and tossed it straight into the trash.

Sigmund’s face darkened immediately, thinking she was still angry.

“Sigmund, I’m allergic to mango.”

A flicker of guilt crossed Sigmund’s face.

He pulled her into his arms, murmuring, “I’m sorry, baby. I got caught up and forgot. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

The next day, he took her out, keeping the destination a mystery.

Half an hour later, Michelle found herself standing in a bridal boutique.

When she saw the carefully selected gown Sigmund had chosen, her eyes widened.

“What are we doing here?”

“You’ve always wanted to get married, haven’t you? I thought you could try on some dresses. If you like one, we’ll buy it.”

His tone was calm, almost casual, but Michelle’s heart twisted painfully.

What was the point of buying the gown? To put it on display?

She didn’t understand what he was planning, but she did need to pick a wedding dress for her own wedding.

So, she quietly went along, trying on one gown after another.

Finally, Sigmund pointed to the last one and told the clerk, “This one. Have it wrapped and sent to this address.”

He wrote down the address of the villa, then walked over and wrapped his arms around her.

His breath was warm against her ear, his voice low and husky. “Baby, you look beautiful in this.”

Michelle forced a light tone. “This dress must be expensive. I’ll pay for it.”

“It’s just a dress. I can handle that,” he said, taking her hand, only to realize the silver ring she’d treasured for years was gone.

A strange unease crept through him.

“Where’s the ring?”

Michelle pulled her hand back calmly. “I put it away. I didn’t want to lose it.”

“It’s not worth much. If it’s lost, I’ll buy you another. Baby, just give me a little more time. Once I’ve saved enough, I’ll get you a real diamond ring and propose to you properly.”

Hearing the same lie once was already enough.

All Michelle felt now was bitter irony and cold laughter in her heart.

Sigmund’s fingers brushed over the faint mark where her ring had once been.

He lifted her hand and pressed a soft kiss against it.

Then, glancing past Michelle, his expression suddenly changed.

“Baby, try on a few more dresses. I’ll go grab us something to eat.”

Before she could respond, he let go of her and hurried out of the store.

Sensing that something was wrong, Michelle quickly changed and followed him.

When she finally caught up, her breath caught in her throat.

At the intersection ahead, a terrible crash had occurred.

Emily lay in a pool of blood, and Sigmund—injured himself—was cradling her tightly, refusing to let go.

When the paramedics arrived, both of them were rushed toward the ambulance.

With what little strength he had left, Sigmund gripped a nurse’s hand and rasped, “Save her first…”

Michelle stood frozen as the ambulance sped away, her mind blank.

“I think they were fighting,” a bystander said nearby. “The woman ran into the street out of anger, and the man tried to save her. Looks like he took the worst of it.”

“Yeah, I heard him begging her to forgive him before it happened. Guess they both paid the price.”

Michelle’s head buzzed.

She clutched her chest, bending over as a sharp, tearing pain spread through her heart.

Only then did she understand what it looked like when Sigmund truly loved someone.

A weak smile tugged at her lips—no anger or bitterness, just a hollow kind of irony for the three years she’d spent blind.

Her phone rang. The voice on the other end was steady and detached.

“Miss Lowe, your procedure is scheduled for ten o’clock tomorrow morning. Please arrive at the hospital in advance.”

The moment Michelle was wheeled into the operating room, an unfamiliar sense of relief washed over her.

As the cold instruments pierced her body, tears slid down her cheeks, silent and indifferent.

The memories of the past three years flashed before her eyes like a film reel.

When she suffered from cramps, he would gently rub her abdomen with tender care, whispering, “If I could take the pain for you, I would.”

When she quarreled with her father and got slapped, he saw the red mark on her face and nearly lost control, ready to storm into the Lowe household to stand up for her.

On stormy nights, he had carried her, burning with fever, through the rain to the hospital, soothing her trembling body in her nightmares, murmuring, “Baby, don’t be afraid. I’ll always be here with you.”

Now, Michelle couldn’t tell whether Sigmund had been too good at acting or if she had simply been too blind to actually believe he loved her.

All those gentle words and tender moments—who was he really thinking of when he treated her that way?

She was exhausted. She slowly closed her eyes.

“Sigmund Lloyd, you’ll never know we once had a child, a life that never had the chance to be born.”

When the surgery was over, Michelle dragged her weak body past the recovery rooms and overheard the nurses chatting.

“It’s about the couple who came in yesterday… I heard the man’s rich and powerful. He booked the entire VIP floor so his girlfriend could recover in peace. As soon as he woke up, he went straight to see her.”

“Yeah, and she’s still throwing a fit and won’t forgive him at all. The poor guy’s still injured himself, sitting outside her room, talking to her so gently.

“I’ve never seen a man love someone like that. It’s like something out of a drama, only this feels more real.”

Michelle froze, her heart sinking as she made her way toward the VIP floor.

From one of the rooms came a voice she knew all too well.

When she turned, she saw Emily in Sigmund’s arms, crying as she accused him.

“Sigmund, are you still angry that I insisted on leaving for school back then? I’ve regretted it every single day for the past three years.

“I wish I’d come back sooner. I told you I’d make it up to you, but why did you lie to me?”

Sigmund gently wiped away Emily’s tears, his voice soft with affection. “Emily, I didn’t lie to you. You’ve always been the only one in my heart.”

“Then what about Michelle? You took her to try on wedding dresses. Were you really planning to marry her?

“Her father even tried setting her up with other men. Did you actually start to fall for her?”

“Emily, listen to me,” he said, his tone pleading.

“She was with me for three years. I just wanted to give her a proper goodbye, make her happy one last time, and end things cleanly.

“She never did anything wrong. I just thought we could part on good terms. But I never forgot my promise to you. Emily, I’ll only ever marry you.”

Tears streamed down Emily’s face, her sobs soft and delicate.

“Then break up with her now. I don’t ever want to see you with her again. You belong to only me.”

Sigmund pulled her into his arms, patting her back and whispering gently, “Alright. Whatever you say, I’ll do it.”

Just a few steps away, Michelle watched with a faint, weary smile.

Perfect.

Lovers reunited at last.

She didn’t look any longer and quietly turned away, stepping into the elevator.

When she got back to the villa, she packed up the last of her belongings.

Then her father called.

“Your flight to Westbridge is at ten tomorrow morning. The Shaws will meet you at the airport.”

“I understand. I’ll arrive at the airport on time.”

No sooner had she hung up than Sigmund walked in.

“What airport? Where are you going?”

Michelle’s voice remained calm. “It’s nothing. Just a business trip out of town.”