Seeing the look of disgust in his eyes, Cadence flashed him a wistful half-smile. "You'll get what you wish for."

Cassidy quickly latched onto Zayn's arm and said sweetly, "Zayn, there's no point getting angry over her. You'll just upset yourself. Look, the weather outside is so nice today. Why don't we go out shopping?"

Zayn turned to look at Cassidy, and his expression immediately softened.

"Alright, I'll go to the garage and get the car. Wait for me," he said gently, wrapping his arm around her waist.

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out, slamming the door shut with a resounding bang.

The loud crash shattered the last bit of calm Cadence had managed to hold onto.

Cassidy strolled over casually and dropped her considerate act completely. "I know you don't want him to know about your illness, so no need to thank me. That's just something a sister should do."

She winked proudly at Cadence and sashayed out of the dining hall.

Hearing the roar of the sports car fading in the distance, Cadence let out a bitter laugh and used all her strength to stand up.

The blood loss made her feel waves of cold. It was as if her soul had become weightless and was ready to drift away from her body at any moment. She reached out to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth. Then, she gritted her teeth and slowly made her way back to her room.

After she took her medicine, the pain she felt inside finally lessened. She could no longer hold on, so she collapsed into a deep, exhausted sleep.

From that incident onward, Cadence's appetite noticeably declined. Gradually, it progressed to a point where she could hardly eat anything.

During these days, Zayn and Cassidy stuck to each other like conjoined twins. They constantly showed their affection for each other in front of her with no intention of keeping it discreet.

Cadence watched them coldly as they flaunted their intimacy.

It was like looking at her past self. Once upon a time, they had been happy, carefree, and loved each other wholeheartedly. They had been absolutely focused on one another back then.

"This is fine," Cadence comforted herself inwardly. After she died, the two people she cared about the most could continue like this, happily spending the rest of their lives together.

Cadence rested for a few days at home. Then came the time for her to go to the hospital to pick up her medication.

But as soon as she stepped out, several unfamiliar men suddenly emerged from the alley. They looked unapologetically thuggish. It was clear they were up to no good.

"Who are you?" Cadence frowned and looked at them warily.

One of the men stepped forward and glared at her fiercely from head to toe. "You're Cadence, right?"

Cadence's eyes flickered slightly, and a sense of dread arose in her heart.

Sure enough, in the next second, the man waved his hand and barked, "Take her!"

Cadence could only let out a muffled whimper as everything went black before her eyes.

When she regained consciousness, she found herself tightly tied to a pool railing. Her body was immersed in the ice-cold water.

Judging from the surroundings, she was likely in an abandoned factory.

Cassidy stood at the edge of the pool, looking down at her from above.

"You're awake?" Cassidy said with a smile. "Perfect. Zayn should be arriving soon."

Cadence looked at her. "You kidnapped me? Aren't you afraid Zayn will find out?"

"He won't know," Cassidy replied with a coquettish smile as she stepped into the pool. "Because I'm a victim too! Say, who do you think Zayn will save first?"

When Zayn finally arrived, he saw both women tied up in the pool.

Cadence gave him a calm glance and turned her head away as if even one more look at him disgusted her.

Meanwhile, Cassidy had already begun crying pitifully. "Zayn, please save me. I'm so scared…"

Zayn's gaze hardened as he raised the suitcase in his hand. "I brought the money. It's all in here. Can I take them with me now?"

The head of the kidnappers gave a signal. One of his men stepped forward to take the suitcase and deliver it to him.

After counting the money, the head kidnapper nodded in satisfaction. "You're free to take them. But… you can only take one."

Zayn's head shot up in disbelief. He asked through gritted teeth, "What do you mean by that?"

The man glanced at the three of them with amusement. "Nothing, really. I just don't like the idea of a guy having two beautiful ladies waiting on him. I'm curious as to which one means more to you."

Without a moment's hesitation, Zayn reached out toward Cassidy. "I choose her."

Cadence looked at Zayn and felt a bitter taste spread in her mouth. She thought she no longer cared. But why… Why did her chest still ache so badly?

Zayn said in a low voice, "Cadence, you know Cassidy's always been weak. I need to get her to safety first. You're stronger, so you can hold on a little longer. I'll… I'll be back soon."

With that, he picked up Cassidy in his arms and left in a hurry.

Cadence laughed. As she laughed, a single tear slid from the corner of her eye.

Zayn didn't know that her body was already beyond repair and couldn't withstand such harsh conditions. Even so, Cadence thought it was better that he didn't know.

Only then could he go on hating her. When she died, he probably wouldn't feel a shred of sadness.

At that thought, Cadence lowered her head and looked at her chest. This was what she had wanted, so why did it still hurt?

The head kidnapper walked up to Cadence and grabbed her mouth brusquely. Then, he forced a pill down her throat.

"Sorry, Ms. Lacroix," the man said, his slimy gaze roaming over her. "I'm just following orders."

But before he could do anything more, one of his men rushed in frantically. "Boss, we've got a problem! The cops are here!"

The head kidnapper clicked his tongue in irritation as he barked urgent orders. "Forget it. We've already completed our mission. Let's go. Leave her!"

Cadence used the last of her strength to struggle against the ropes binding her. It finally loosened a little, but her stamina had reached its limit.

Water flooded her nose and mouth, and a terrible weakness spread through her body.

Was this the end?

What a shame… This was too painful a death, and her body likely couldn't be donated now. Her final wish to give something back to the world would go unfulfilled.

Cadence let out a bitter smile, closed her eyes, and waited for death to come.

In her haze, she seemed to hear Zayn's hoarse voice calling from far away. "Cadence…"

Zayn finally arrived and pulled her out of the water. "Cadence, wake up!"

He frantically untied the ropes on her body and patted her face.

But the moment Cadence was freed, the first thing she did was throw her arms around him.

"I feel awful… Help me," she gasped, her voice thick with a seductive whimper.

Zayn shone a flashlight on her and immediately noticed something was wrong. Her eyes were closed. She was delirious as her whole body burned up and trembled in torment.

"Cadence, do you know who I am?" Zayn asked, his voice hoarse and his eyes dark.

Cadence didn't care anymore. All she knew was that her body felt like it was about to explode.

Without another word, she reached out and yanked at the collar of his shirt, pulling it down in one swift motion.

"I know. You're… my Zayn."

Those few words instantly shattered the hardened shell Zayn had formed over the years. He held Cadence in his arms tightly and rushed to the car at top speed.

Inside the enclosed space, the small sparks of desire turned into a blazing inferno of passion. They only had eyes for each other—nothing else in the world mattered.

"Take it easy…" Cadence winced from the pain.

Zayn paused slightly, then his movements became incredibly gentle. "Alright. Don't be afraid. Leave everything to me."

...

Cadence had no idea how long their lovemaking had lasted. When she woke up, she found herself back home, lying on the same bed with Zayn.

Both of them were completely naked, and Zayn's arm was still wrapped around her waist. His body was pressed closely against her back.

Countless women had also slept in this bed. Those women had awoken in his arms just as she did now.

Following that realization, a bitter ache filled Cadence's heart. She felt a sharp cramp in her stomach. Then only she remembered that she hadn't eaten in days.

In the next second, she rolled over and began vomiting violently.

"Cadence, what's wrong?" Zayn asked in concern, having been startled awake.

After Cadence finally showed her vulnerability and gave in to him for the first time last night, Zayn felt nothing but tenderness for her.

But to his surprise, Cadence shoved him away.

"Stay… away from me."

Her tone was chilly. It was as if what had happened last night had been nothing more than a dream.

Zayn's initially euphoric mood instantly sank to rock bottom. His expression became gloomy as well. He thought she must have felt disgusted by him. That was probably why she was throwing up so hard.

He climbed out of bed with a frosty expression and made a call. "Get the car ready. Take Cadence to the hospital."

Watching his back as he walked away, Cadence felt a bitter ache in her chest. She knew he had misunderstood, but she didn't feel like explaining.

What had happened last night was a mistake to begin with. It was a lapse in her own willpower when she craved for a fleeting moment of tenderness.

But upon waking, they were still begrudging lovers who were now worlds apart. There was simply no chance of reconciliation between them.

After arriving at the hospital, a female doctor named Penny Nielsen conducted a full examination on Cadence.

With the report in her hand, the experienced Penny frowned and called Zayn into the room as well.

She said solemnly, "Sir, your wife's condition is quite…"

But before she could finish her sentence, Zayn's phone suddenly rang.

As soon as he picked up, Cassidy's tearful voice came through. "Zayn, I was in a car accident…"

Zayn's face tensed instantly. "Wait for me. I'll be right there!"

He hung up and said to Penny, "We'll talk about Cadence's condition later. I have something urgent to attend to."

Right after saying that, he left the hospital without a backward glance.

Watching his retreating figure, Cadence let out a quiet sigh and turned back to Penny. "Dr. Nielsen, don't mind him. Just tell me about my condition."

Penny adjusted her thick glasses and sighed. "Ms. Lacroix, your body was already weak. After being submerged in water for so long and spending an entire night exerting yourself while running a high fever, your condition has worsened significantly.

"If this continues… I'm sorry to say that you likely won't live more than six months. You've completely lost your sense of taste, and your stomach has lost over 80 percent of its digestive function. From now on, you can only sustain your body through nutrition injections."

Cadence took in the news calmly as she accepted the syringe from Penny.

In the following days, Zayn was constantly by Cassidy's side. She claimed the kidnapping had left her traumatized and that she would have nightmares every night. So, she insisted that Zayn stay with her at all times.

Zayn felt sorry for her and doted on her. He even took her along on work errands.

Everyone at the company knew that their respected CEO, Zayn, loved his wife dearly. At the same time, they all thought his wife's name was Cassidy.

Soon, it was three days before the euthanasia program. Cadence went to the hospital for one final checkup.

Penny looked at the results with a somewhat complicated expression. "You're pregnant, Ms. Lacroix. We recommend you cancel the euthanasia and organ donation plans for now."

Cadence was stunned. She asked in disbelief, "I… I'm pregnant?"

A flood of emotions swept through her heart as she touched her belly absentmindedly.

Just the thought of a life growing inside her made her heart tremble. She felt elated but also weighed down at the same time. This was a tender moment, but it was weighed down by inexplicable bitterness due to her current circumstances.

Penny nodded. "That's right. If you want to keep the baby, you'll need to stay on bed rest and use medical equipment to support the pregnancy. You might make it until the baby is born. But you can't proceed with the organ donation anymore."

Cadence hesitated and said, "Please give me a few more days to think about it."

With a heavy heart, she left the examination room and prepared to head home. But as she reached the elevator in front of the OB-GYN department, she ran into two people she hadn't expected to see there.

Zayn was carefully supporting Cassidy, who had a shy smile on her face as she touched her belly.

When he noticed Cadence, he frowned. His voice was cold as he asked, "Are you sick again?"

He had just brought her to the hospital not too long ago. Why was she back now?

Cadence didn't respond. She wasn't sure if she should tell Zayn about her pregnancy.

This wasn't just her child. It was his too. He had a right to know.

But Cassidy stepped forward excitedly to disrupt her moment of contemplation. "Cadence, I'm so glad you're here! I was just about to tell you some good news. Listen… I'm pregnant!"

She beamed with happiness, looking every bit the blissful, rightful wife.

Cassidy pulled Cadence toward the staircase.

Once they were out of Zayn's sight, Cassidy whispered, "You shouldn't have come here, Cadence. Say, if something happened to both of us, who do you think Zayn would save first?"

Before Cadence could answer, Cassidy suddenly reached out. She cried out and dragged Cadence down with her, making sure both of them toppled down the stairs.

"Ah!"

The two of them tumbled down the stairs and ended up lying at the bottom.

As they landed, Cassidy deliberately fell on top of Cadence.

Zayn rushed over in a panic and ran straight to Cassidy's side.

"Cassidy, are you okay?" he asked anxiously, his face filled with worry.

"Zayn, it hurts so much… " Cassidy cried with tears streaming down her face. She looked broken and very pitiful.

Immediately, Zayn turned to look at Cadence with murderous rage. "What are you doing? You knew Cassidy was pregnant, and you still pushed her! Were you trying to kill her and the baby?

"I'm warning you! If anything happens to Cassidy or the baby in her belly, I won't forgive you!"

After spitting those harsh words, Zayn quickly lifted Cassidy into his arms. "I'll take you to see the doctor. Our baby will be fine!"

He walked away without so much as a backward glance. Therefore, he didn't see the patch of red that was slowly spreading beneath Cadence.

As Cadence felt the sharp pain in her lower abdomen and the wetness between her legs, her heart sank to her stomach.

"My baby!" she cried inwardly in anguish.

Two nurses rushed over and quickly helped Cadence into a hospital room. Coincidentally, the attending physician was Penny.

"Ms. Lacroix, you…"

Penny was startled and quickly began her examination and administered emergency treatment. But in the end, she could only lower her hands helplessly.

"Ms. Lacroix, the baby is gone. It was a girl."

In a daze, Cadence recalled something Zayn had once said.

Once upon a time, with doting eyes full of nothing but love, he had said to her tenderly, "One day, we'll have a daughter. She'll definitely look like you, and I'll give her the best of everything in the world."

Now, the child they had once dreamed of had come. But sadly, the two of them were no longer who they used to be.

Lying in the hospital bed, Cadence shook her head gently with tears streaming down her face. "It's okay. Maybe this is for the best."

Even if she had given birth to this child, she wouldn't have been able to stay by her side. Given how much Zayn hated her now, how could he possibly love a child who looked like her?

Rather than letting the child suffer in this world, it was better for her to have never been born.

In her heart, Cadence murmured, "Wait for me, my dear child. I'm coming soon. We'll reunite on the other side."

Penny continued, "The miscarriage has damaged your health even further. I don't think you'll be able to walk after this."

And so, Cadence returned home in a wheelchair.

Thanks to Cadence cushioning the fall, Cassidy hadn't been seriously injured. Her baby was safe.

Perhaps it was because of this incident that Zayn felt sorry for her. So, when she asked Zayn for a wedding, he agreed after only a brief hesitation.

In the two days that followed, Cassidy's social media was filled with updates about wedding preparations. She announced her upcoming marriage to Zayn and posted nine photos in a row. They were all photos of her trying on different wedding dresses.

Cadence's hand trembled slightly, but she regained her composure soon after. With steady fingers, she tapped on the "Like" button for that post.

It was as if Cassidy had been waiting for just that. She texted Cadence immediately.

Cassidy wrote, "Which wedding dress do you think looks best on me? You're my sister. I trust your taste. Why don't you pick one for me?"

Cadence paused for a moment. Then, she replied with just three words, "The first one."

That was the one Zayn had once said looked beautiful on her.

Back when she and Zayn had been planning their own wedding, he had accompanied her to try on every gown in the shop eagerly. No matter which gown she put on, he had smiled and told her that she looked beautiful.

At that time, his eyes overflowed with admiration and love. He had knelt on one knee while holding up a diamond ring, promising her the grandest wedding for the woman he loved.

But those days were long gone.

Zayn would give the person he loved the grandest wedding like he once promised… But the bride wouldn't be her.

Cadence turned off her phone and curled up in a corner of the bed, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.