I stared at her, a cold smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "What’s wrong? Feeling heartbroken now?"

Sienna visibly flinched, then looked at me with pain in her eyes. "I never thought you’d be this cruel. If this is your condition for marrying me, then clearly, we’re not the same kind of people. Let’s break up."

"Henry, please don’t take it out on Sienna. She is innocent." Daniel suddenly burst into tears.

"If anyone deserves the blame, it’s me. I just couldn’t bear to let go of the child... But fine, I’ll die right now to prove we’re innocent."

Before I could even react, he bolted toward the balcony, pretending he was about to jump.

My heart jumped into my throat. On instinct, I ran after him.

Sienna panicked even faster. She rushed ahead of me, eyes wide with fear.

But before either of us reached him, Daniel collapsed to the floor, sobbing and gasping for breath.

Sienna dropped to her knees and pulled him into her arms, her whole body trembling.

After a long moment, she finally lifted her head and looked at me with icy eyes, "Henry Cameron! Your baseless accusations almost pushed Daniel to the edge!"

She stared at me like I was a stranger.

"His mother is dying. Are you really going to drive him to his death, too? You might be able to just stand there and watch, but I can’t." Her voice trembled.

Then, she carefully helped Daniel to his feet. As they passed me, she glared and snapped, "Move."

I stood frozen, my mouth slightly open. "I didn’t think..."

Suddenly, Sienna’s expression twisted in pain before passing out. "Daniel... the baby, I think… it’s coming."

"Sienna!"

Daniel went completely pale. Without hesitation, he shoved past me, carrying her out the door.

I fell to the ground, biting my lip hard, but the coldness seeping through me could not be stopped.

I stayed awake the entire night. By dawn, my phone had finally lit up. It was a message from my fiancée, Sienna Bailey.

[I was too anxious last night. I said things I didn’t mean.]

[Henry, I’m so sorry.]

My chest tightened, my nose stung and tears welled up instantly.

For all those years, she was always the first to apologize after every fight. And I always forgave her.

But this time… This time was different.

I knew I would never get past this.

Before I could respond, another message came through. She sent me a photo.

It was her holding her newborn.

The baby lay cradled gently in her arms. She looked down at the child with a soft, serene expression, like spring water rippling in the sunlight.

[I went into labor early. It was a natural birth, but thankfully, the baby’s healthy.]

[The baby looks a lot like Daniel.]

[I’ll need to stay at the hospital for three days.]

[Let’s postpone the wedding for a week. I really can’t manage everything right now.]

Each of those words sounded so calm, so normal, but it stabbed me straight in the heart.

I stood up in a daze. Slowly, I walked over to the wall and tore down the wedding decorations one by one. Then I grabbed the scissors and shredded her wedding dress into pieces.

My hands were trembling as I started packing.

Just as I zipped the suitcase shut, the door burst open. Her mother walked in with a glowing smile.

"Sienna asked me to bring her some clothes for the hospital. As her mother, I can’t wait to see my granddaughter."

When I did not say a word, she took my arm affectionately. "Look, Henry, I know Sienna was wrong. She should’ve told you. My daughter hurt your pride, I understand. But still, it’s not something unforgivable, is it?"

"You two have been together so long. How could you break up over this one mistake? Let’s not take those things you said in the family group too seriously, okay?"

"Come on. Come with me to the hospital to see the baby. Give Sienna a little grace and let this whole thing blow over."

She pulled me along like I was a lifeless doll. And by the time I snapped back to reality, I was already standing outside the ward door.

Daniel was curled up on the hospital bed, fast asleep, his pale cheeks streaked with dried tears. It was clear Sienna’s delivery had scared him badly.

Sienna sat nearby, gently cradling the baby in her arms as she softly hummed a lullaby.

Sienna's father actually cracked a rare smile. "Since Sienna’s a flight attendant, how about we name her Skye Bailey? Carry on the aviation legacy!"

"What nonsense!" his wife snapped. "You can’t give a girl a name like that."

She was already reaching out eagerly to hold the baby.

Sienna turned away slightly to avoid her. "Mom, you don’t know how to hold her. You might hurt her by accident."

Her eyes lit up when she caught a glimpse of me from the corner of her eye. "Henry, come take a look. Aren’t her little hands and feet adorable?"

She leaned down, about to kiss the baby, but stopped abruptly. A flash of guilt crossed her face like a child caught doing something wrong. "No, no. Mommy can’t pass germs to you."

I had never seen her being so innocent like that before.

As a new mother, she seemed so clumsy yet so gentle.

She was glowing with the joy of new motherhood, desperate to show it to the world, but I should not be part of that world anymore.

I forced a stiff smile, turned around and walked toward the door.

Sienna hurried after me, gently lifting the baby up for me to see. "Henry, look. Her nose and mouth, don’t they look exactly like Daniel’s?"

I looked down. That tiny face… it really did look like him. The resemblance was unmistakable as if they had been stamped from the same mold.

The sight stung my eyes. My throat tightened, sharp and painful.

I pushed the blanket away without emotion and looked at Sienna’s hopeful expression. Suddenly, I could not stand to give her what she wanted.

"Take it away. It’s irritating to look at. I can’t stand it."

The baby immediately burst into loud, startled wails.

Sienna’s gaze turned cold in an instant as she gently patted the child, trying to soothe her.

Her mother's glare cut through me like a blade. "You’re the one who’s irritating!"

Her father even jabbed a finger toward the door. "You’re not welcome here. Get out!"

At some point, Daniel had woken up.

"Henry..."

He looked at the Bailey Family with pleading eyes. "I need to talk to Henry. Just the two of us."

When the door to the ward closed behind us, Daniel lowered his head and apologized.

"Henry, I never meant to come between you and Sienna. She really does love you. That night… she was drunk and that’s how it happened."

My ears buzzed. "Wasn’t it supposed to be a sperm donation?"

He turned his face away, avoiding my eyes. "Sienna didn’t want to tell you. She was afraid it would hurt you."

"By the time she found out she was pregnant, three months had already passed. She was furious, said she wanted to get rid of the baby. But my mother’s health was getting worse… she just wanted to see me have a child before she passed. Sienna felt sorry for me. That’s why she agreed to keep it."

"Then why tell me now?" I looked at him coldly. "Why not keep it a secret forever?"

He clearly had not expected me to call him out so bluntly. His expression shifted, changing again and again, until he finally pressed his lips together and said nothing.

I let out a bitter laugh. "Now that she and I are done, the child’s already born and you three can play happy family, so what is there left for you to be afraid of?"

He suddenly glared at me, a strange, unsettling smile creeping across his face.

Then, without warning, he threw himself off the hospital bed.

There was a loud thud as he hit the ground, followed by a panicked scream. "Henry, I know I was wrong! Please don’t hit me!"

I froze, completely stunned.

Before I could process what was happening, someone yanked me backward with force.

Smack!

A sharp pain exploded across my cheek and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

Sienna's father stood there, pointing at me with a thunderous expression. "You bastard! Do you think a hospital is a place for you to blow up like that?"

He raised his hand to hit me again, but Sienna quickly stepped in. "Dad, Henry is my fiancé. Let me handle this."

She pulled me out into the corridor, found some ice cubes and carefully pressed them against my swollen cheek.

I lowered my head and muttered, "I didn’t push him…"

"Yeah." Her voice was quiet and calm, neither angry nor questioning.

I knew her too well. That silence… was her loudest denial.

If she truly believed me, she would have spoken up for me without hesitation.

But if she did not… she would just stay silent.

Still, if she did not believe me, then why was she being so gentle?

My tears fell before I could stop them, landing on the back of her hand one after another.

She suddenly pulled her hand away as if burned, then stood up. "If you want to stay here and keep watching Daniel and the baby suffer, then go home first."

I panicked, grabbing the hem of her shirt, my voice shaking with tears. "Just believe me, for once, please?"

She let out a long sigh, then slowly pried my fingers off her one by one as if utterly disappointed.

"Henry, I let a lot of things slide because I love you. But the least you could do is be honest with me."

Just then, her phone rang. It was Daniel’s custom ringtone. How far must I go to reach your heart? How long until I’m close to you…

I had asked her ince, "Isn’t it strange to have a special ringtone for a coworker?"

She looked confused. "Daniel likes the song. I just set it for him. Don’t overthink it."

Now, I watched her walk away to answer his call without looking back even once.

I sat down on the bench, my face throbbing, half-red and swollen. Then, without warning, I started laughing through my tears like someone slowly realizing they were beyond saving.

She said I should be honest, but had she ever been?

I went back to get my suitcase and was ready to head to my parents’s place when a video call came through.

My father appeared on the screen, clutching his chest, trembling as he pointed at me and shouted.

"The Bailey Family said you went to the hospital, caused a scene and even hurt Daniel while he was helping the new mother. What were you thinking? The hospital director is a friend of mine. He messaged me in the group chat asking what happened. You’ve completely embarrassed the Cameron Family!"

My father went on and his voice grew more strained as he spoke. My mother hurried to give him his medication, then turned to glare at me.

"Sienna explained everything clearly. She and that young man are just colleagues. You’re really trying to force people together out of nothing?"

Then, catching sight of the injury on my face, she sneered. "Serves you right."

"What did I do that was so wrong that all of you are blaming me?" I took a deep breath, voice raw. "Why is it so easy for you to believe outsiders instead of your own son?"

"Believe what, exactly? Tell us," they both snapped back in unison.

Seeing their cold, unshaken expressions, I suddenly lost the will to keep arguing. "Forget it."

I ended the video call without another word.

I could not let them see my tears again. If they did, I would only hear the same familiar scolding. "What else can you do besides cry?"

Right now, I did not even know where I was supposed to go.

Then my phone buzzed. It was a message from Clara James.

[Henry, when can I take her place?]

[Now.]

I answered without even thinking.

She had been the lowest-ranked student in class once, but something changed in her final year of high school. She pulled herself together and followed me to the same university.

From then on, it was a relentless pursuit. For years, she confessed to me again and again and I rejected her every time, maybe a hundred rejections for a hundred confessions.

Who would like someone even worse than the worst student in school?

Even if she looked like an angel and her smile made your heart skip a beat, it still was not enough.

After college, I got together with Sienna Bailey.

Clara went abroad to study in Switzerland, but she never stopped reaching out.

From casual check-ins to everyday updates to asking the same question every few days. [Henry, when can I take her place?]