The bird’s nest soup bowl slipped from my trembling hands, crashing to the floor. Porcelain shattered into countless shards, scattering across the cold tiles.

Glass fragments pierced my bare feet, sending sharp stings through my skin. But that pain was nothing compared to the agony ripping through my chest.

Footsteps sounded from inside the study.

Panic clawed at me, but I forced myself to move. Clutching my chest, I stumbled back to my room.

My gaze fell upon my son’s sleeping face, his small chest rising and falling in peaceful slumber. My emotions crumbled and my vision blurred with unshed tears.

He had only just learned to call for his father, his soft, innocent voice filled with trust.

And yet, Felix had destroyed his mind.

The thought of him spending the rest of his life trapped in a haze of confusion shattered me.

Ever since the accident, I had drowned in guilt, blaming myself for failing to protect him. But I had never imagined… never once suspected… that the man I loved had been the one to harm him.

Felix. My husband. The father of my child.

He had done this just to clear the path for another woman.

My baby was so young, so helpless. How could he be so cruel?

The love I had cherished, the love I had clung to, had been nothing but a cruel joke.

A ridiculous, unforgivable joke.

I lifted my gaze and met Felix’s eyes.

Terror flickered within them. Yet he still wore that same gentle smile, as if clinging to the illusion that I remained oblivious.

His voice wavered. "Adeline… were you just outside my study?"

I didn’t bother hiding my wounds.

Instead, I smiled. Calmly. Coldly.

"You’ve been working so hard taking care of our son lately," I said softly. "I made you some bird’s nest soup."

My lips curved as I glanced at the shattered pieces on the floor.

"But I was clumsy and dropped the bowl. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I stayed quiet."

He let out a quiet sigh of relief before pulling me into his embrace.

"Silly girl, how did you hurt yourself like this? My heart aches for you."

His voice dripped with tenderness as he cradled my foot, his gaze filled with what seemed like genuine distress. A perfect performance. If I hadn't known the truth, I might have believed it.

But I knew better.

His heart had long belonged to someone else. My child and I are nothing more than roadblocks in his grand pursuit of love.

I said nothing, watching silently as he rummaged through the first-aid kit. His fingers worked carefully, applying medicine to my wounds with a gentleness that once would have soothed me. Now, it only made my skin crawl.

When he finished tending to my injuries, he took my hand, his voice soft as ever.

"Adeline, we should go to the hospital to donate blood."

The words sent a shiver through me. My body tensed instinctively, my fingers curling away from his touch.

"Felix… I've been vomiting blood these past few days," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "Please… don’t force me."

For the briefest moment, hesitation flickered across his face. But before he could respond, his phone rang.

He turned away from me, answering without a second thought.

From the other end came a frail, tearful voice, Gianna Mitchell’s voice.

"Felix… my chest hurts so much… The doctor said I need a blood transfusion immediately. When will you be here?"

When he hung up, a flicker of panic flashed in his eyes. Without hesitation, he swept me into his arms.

"Adeline, be good. If you're scared, I'll stay with you while they draw your blood."

His words carried the illusion of comfort, but no warmth was behind them.

I stopped struggling, letting despair sink its claws into me. My lashes fluttered shut as exhaustion dragged me under.

He shoved me into the car, speeding toward the hospital with ruthless urgency. The ride was brutal; every jolt rattled my frail body, making my vision blur. By the time we reached the blood collection room, my stomach twisted violently. A sharp pain seared through me and I coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Felix gently wiped the corner of my lips, but his touch was mechanical, devoid of true concern. Then, without a word, he pressed me down onto the chair. A silent command passed from his eyes to the doctor.

The cold sting of the needle pierced my skin. Instinctively, my fingers curled around his sleeve, desperate for an anchor against the searing agony spreading through my chest.

I wanted to beg, to speak, but my voice was gone.

Just as the world began to slip away, I heard the doctor’s urgent voice, filled with concern.

"Mr. Young, your wife is already in a fragile state. If she donates too much blood, she won’t survive!"

Felix’s expression turned to ice, his gaze sharp and merciless as it landed on me.

"Enough. Give Gianna however much she needs!"

"If it's not enough, bring the child here too. No matter what it takes, I won't let anything happen to Gianna."

A chilling numbness spread through my body. The last of my warmth drained away, leaving nothing behind.

To him, my life and my children meant nothing compared to his precious Gianna.

A bitter smile ghosted my lips before darkness pulled me under.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying in a stark hospital ward. The sterile scent of antiseptic clung to the air, but it wasn’t nearly as suffocating as the man beside me.

Felix’s eyes were red-rimmed, brimming with worry. The moment I stirred, tears spilled down his face as if he had been waiting for this moment to break.

"Adeline, the doctor said you fainted from excessive blood loss." His voice trembled. "Thank God you’re okay. I was terrified you wouldn’t wake up!"

He pulled me into his arms, his sobs thick with emotion.

But I felt nothing. No warmth. No comfort. Only disgust.

He had nearly drained me dry, yet he still dared to act like he cared.

Without a word, I pushed him away and forced a fragile smile.

"I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me. I’m just worried about our son being home alone. You should go back and take care of him."

For a fleeting moment, something unreadable crossed his face: sorrow, perhaps even guilt. I almost believed it was for our child.

"Adeline, with the way things are now… the doctor says our child may never recover. He might not even live long enough to grow up."

His next words sliced through me like a blade.

"Should we start planning… and adopt a healthy child instead?"

I lifted my gaze, staring at him in disbelief.

Felix didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he pressed my hand to his lips, placing a feather-light kiss as if he were the most devoted husband in the world.

"Adeline, you’ve been heartbroken ever since Henry’s accident. It pains me to see you like this. Instead of drowning in sorrow, why don’t we adopt a healthy child?"

The words of accusation burned on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them back, forcing myself to stay composed.

After a long silence, I carefully tested the waters.

"Felix, I don’t want to raise someone else’s child. How about we have another baby instead?"

The shift in his expression was instant. His face darkened and without warning, he shoved me away.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

As if realizing his outburst, he quickly reined himself in, softening his tone, but his eyes flickered with unease.

"Adeline, your body isn’t fit for another pregnancy. I can’t bear to see you suffer again."

"Besides, with Henry’s condition, he’ll need extra care in the future. Coincidentally, the doctor mentioned today that the person who received your blood is looking for someone to adopt their child, so I thought..."

"Trust me, Henry will always be my only biological child. Everything I do is for his sake."

A sharp, twisting pain clenched my heart, suffocating, unbearable.

He had taken everything from my son, yet he refused to leave him, even the smallest fragment of love.

And he had the audacity to claim it was for the child’s well-being.

He had lied for so long that perhaps even he believed his own deception.

When I finally spoke, my voice was eerily calm.

"Alright, I understand. Do as you see fit."

Felix’s eyes lit up with joy, glistening with unshed tears. He bent down and pressed a lingering kiss to my forehead as if he were the most devoted husband in the world.

I forced a composed smile, swallowing back the metallic tang of blood rising in my throat.

But inside, my heart had already been reduced to ruins.

Unable to contain his excitement, he hastily found an excuse to leave, murmuring something about discussing my follow-up treatment with the doctor. Then, without a second glance, he walked away.

I pretended not to notice Gianna standing in the doorway, her eyes brimming with silent provocation.

My hands trembled as I reached for the phone Felix had carelessly left on my bedside table.