Before the New Year, I discovered that Adam, who had always been very kind to me, owned a property. I initially thought it was meant to be our new home for when we got married later in the spring.

Excited, I rushed over, only to witness him with another woman on the bed. She was gasping and the scene was shocking.

"Adam, do you think if Mia found out you deliberately got her pregnant to use the baby's cord blood to save me, how would she react?" she asked.

Adam, with a seductive look, didn't stop his actions.

"She and her unborn child are nothing compared to you," he replied.

The sounds in the room intensified and I was left trembling. I quickly dialed a number.

"Dr. Sterling, I’m willing to terminate my pregnancy and participate in a cryogenic experiment," I said, my voice shaking.

"Little Mia, are you sure? Even though you have cancer, there's still a chance..." Alan, my mentor, responded.

But my voice was firm.

"It’s okay, teacher. I've made up my mind."

After all, I had planned to end my life in a week anyway.

***

I had just signed the consent form for the abortion when Adam Sims, the biological father to my child, rushed into the hospital in a panic.

Without a word, he slapped my face, leaving a fiery red mark, then tore up the surgical notice into shreds. He screamed at me, demanding to know why I was going to terminate his child. The taste of blood exploded in my mouth.

I licked the bitter, metallic sweetness at the corner of my lips, struggling to hold back the pain in my heart as I asked him, "Were you really looking forward to this child's birth?"

Adam froze for a moment, his expression faltering. But he didn’t stop shouting, his voice filled with rage, "Even a tiger wouldn’t harm its own cub! That’s our own flesh and blood! How dare you terminate it without my consent?"

Chesley Wade, standing nearby, quickly took my hand, her eyes filled with tears. "Mia, aren't you the president of the Animal Protection Association? How could someone as compassionate as you think about ending your own child's life?"

"I believe you have your reasons. Please, tell me why."

I pulled my hand away coldly, my voice devoid of any warmth as I replied, "I won't keep this child."

"He deserves better parents and I can't bring him into this world without taking responsibility."

Hearing this, Adam let out a cold snort, his anger only growing.

"What exactly do you mean by that, Mia?"

"Just because I've been busy with work and haven’t had much time for you, does that mean you're going to assume I'm some irresponsible father?"

"I’m telling you right now, this child is going to be born, whether you like it or not!"

With that, he grabbed my hand and tried to pull me out of the room. The nurse who had rushed in to stop him was pushed to the ground by Adam.

Seeing me and Adam holding hands tightly, Chesley’s eyes flashed with jealousy. She exaggeratedly clutched her stomach and began crying out in pain.

As she seemed about to collapse, Adam suddenly shoved me toward the driver who had followed him. He quickly pulled Chesley into his arms, a look of worry and panic on his face that I had never seen before.

"Driver, take Mia home and make sure all the maids and bodyguards keep an eye on her."

"If anything happens to my child, none of you will make it out alive."

Watching him anxiously carry Chesley toward the hospital, I couldn’t help but bitterly smile.

He wasn’t incapable of feeling for others; he just didn’t feel for me.

When Adam and I first got together, we made a clear agreement to live as a child-free couple, focusing all our energy on our careers.

But his desires were always intense.

And yet, every time we were intimate, he would refuse to use protection, claiming he didn’t like the feeling of any kind of restraint.

Adam kept whispering in my ear, persistently urging me, though half-heartedly, to go to the hospital and get an IUD.

Later, he became a renowned surgical director in the medical field, while I, forced to quit the research team because of my pregnancy, watched everything slip away.

I still remember that night—he reeked of alcohol, drunkenly resting his head on my chest, saying he wanted a child with me.

In the end, he took me to the hospital to have the IUD removed, which had become fused with my uterine wall, a painful and bloody ordeal.

He cried like a child, swearing he would treat me better from that moment on.

What he didn’t realize was that from the very beginning, my child was always meant to be a pawn to prolong the life of his beloved subordinate, Chesley.

Adam came back in the early hours.

There was a noticeable hickey on his neck and his body still carried the scent of Chesley.

It made me want to throw up.

Breathing heavily, he approached me and tried to kiss me, but I turned my head to avoid him.

"I'm pregnant," I said.

Adam dismissed it with a shrug. "You’re already eight months pregnant. If I’m gentle, it’ll be fine."

He tried to move closer again, but just then, Chesley’s ringtone blared.

Adam hurriedly ran to the balcony to answer the call.

The wind was howling loudly.

Yet, phrases like "I miss you" and "I love you" still slipped into my ears, one after another.

After hanging up the phone, Adam lit a cigarette and took slow drags, casually saying, "A colleague sent over some documents that need my signature. I’m going downstairs for a bit."

The thick smoke hit me and I couldn’t fight the urge to gag.

Adam’s brow tightened further and he finally snapped, "Can you stop being so dramatic? It’s just the smell of smoke. Is it really that hard to handle?"

"What's with the act?"

When I barely managed to say, "Secondhand smoke can harm the fetus," Adam quickly stubbed out the cigarette.

His expression faltered, uneasy.

"I’m going downstairs to take care of some work. You should get some rest," he said.

I let out a self-deprecating laugh. The difference between being loved and not being loved had never been more obvious.

I stood on the balcony, watching the car below sway all night. It wasn’t until the streetlights went out that Adam finally returned, carrying a flushed Chesley inside.

When I saw Chesley at the dining table the next morning, with the dark circles under my eyes from exhaustion, my heart no longer stirred.

I just ate slowly from my bowl.

Adam, ever thoughtful, poured me a glass of warm milk. "Mia, drink more. The baby needs to grow strong."

I responded lightly and didn’t say anything more.

Chesley, clearly jealous, spoke up. "Adam, I'm still growing, too. I’d like some warm milk as well."

Adam affectionately tapped her nose, smiling indulgently. "Of course, my little glutton."

After a moment, he quickly added an explanation.

"Chesley’s been interning with me recently," he said, "and I’m supposed to professor her thoroughly, so I brought her here for dinner. We’ll head to the hospital together later."

He then grinned and added, "Actually, since it’s New Year’s Eve, why not let her stay and have dinner with us? The more, the merrier, right?"

Chesley, smiling sweetly, linked her arm through Adam’s, her eyes full of playful challenge.

"Well then, thanks, 'madam.'"

"But Mia probably won’t mind if I come over every day for meals from now on, right?"

I simply muttered an "mm" and, with a casual "I’m full," retreated to my room.

It wasn't long before Adam stormed in after me. As soon as he stepped into the room, he pointed a finger at my face and erupted in anger.

“Mia, what are you throwing a tantrum for again? Chesley is a guest. You have the nerve to give her the cold shoulder?”

“I’m warning you, apologize to her right now, or this won’t be over between us!”

I pointed to the file folder on the table, which contained my cancer diagnosis. “Maybe you should take a look at what’s inside before you say anything to me?”

Adam sneered, not even lifting his eyelids as he tossed the file to the floor.

"What, are you trying to pull some pity act again? I really don’t understand why you always get so irrationally jealous."

I opened my mouth, but it felt like a thousand words were stuck in my throat and I couldn’t say a thing.

I turned my back to him, too exhausted to engage.

Realizing his outburst had gone too far, Adam quickly wrapped his arms around me from behind.

His soft breath on my neck made me feel oddly ticklish. "Mia, I’m sorry. I just lost control of my emotions for a moment. Please don’t be mad, okay?"

"Look, I even brought you a gift." He pulled out a necklace from his chest, presenting it like a treasure.

It matched the ring on my finger perfectly. In truth, it was the style I liked.

Seeing my expression soften, Adam quickly placed the necklace around my neck, his face lighting up with joy.

“I also got you your favorite red bean pastries. How about we go downstairs and enjoy them together?”

The memory played in my mind.

That winter during our third year, I was feeling low after a poor exam performance. To cheer me up, Adam braved the freezing wind and snow, queuing up in the early hours of the morning. He carefully tucked the pastries in his coat to keep them warm, then handed them to me with such tenderness.

Tears suddenly welled up in my eyes.

Before I could respond, he took my hand, eager to go downstairs together.

Feeling a bit awkward, I spoke up. "Adam, I’m a bit turned off, I just want to sleep."

I didn’t have the courage to tell him that it was the sight of him being affectionate with Chesley that made me feel sick.

Adam tried to stay calm and coax me. “Even if you’re not hungry, you have to eat for the baby.”

“If you don’t eat enough, how will you have a healthy baby?”

My expression instantly fell and I yanked my hand away.

That’s when I realized—he only cared about whether the umbilical cord blood from my baby could save Chesley.

I coldly replied, “I need to rest.”

Feeling mocked, Adam immediately snapped at me. “You’re impossible to deal with!”

He then angrily smashed the vase onto the floor, the loud crash causing Chesley to smile in satisfaction.

Just as his emotions were about to peak, Chesley calmly walked upstairs and gently patted his back.

"Adam, don’t be angry. Mia is probably just suffering from prenatal depression. Let me talk to her and help her through this."

"You can go now," she added.

Adam’s expression softened at her words. "Chesley, you're so thoughtful. I wish Mia could be half as understanding as you."

With that, he discreetly pinched Chesley’s backside before leaving the room.

Once Adam was gone, Chesley dropped the act. "Mia, looks like your baby is growing quite well, but unfortunately, he won’t live long."

"However, since he’ll help extend my life, I’ll make sure to arrange for an expert to perform a proper blessing for him."

I glared at Chesley, my eyes bloodshot with rage and snapped, "Destroying relationships, taking lives... with all the evil you’ve done, don’t you fear retribution?"