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.

Zayn and Cassidy's wedding finally happened amid great anticipation.

Fate seemed to be playing a joke on Cadence. The day of their grand celebration happened to be the day she had chosen to leave this world.

Early that morning, Zayn and Cassidy joyfully headed to the church with a crowd of merry guests.

Before leaving, Zayn looked at Cadence with a complicated expression and asked coldly, "Today is my and Cassidy's big day. Don't you have anything to say?"

Cadence looked at Zayn. However, his face had become blurry due to her failing eyesight.

She responded in a calm tone, "I wish you both will live long and enjoy a lifetime of happiness."

At the end of the day, one was the man she loved, and the other was her younger sister. Cadence's wish was genuine—it came straight from her heart.

But Zayn only found her demeanor unbearably irritating. He sneered coldly, "How hypocritical!"

With that, he left the villa without looking back and left Cadence alone.

That was just what she wanted. This would allow her to finish everything quietly and walk the final stretch of her life in peace.

She lit a fire in the fireplace and tossed all her personal belongings into it, destroying them all. Next, she reviewed all the assets under her name and wrote out several checks. She donated everything to various charitable organizations.

After she was done, she wheeled herself to the front gate and called a taxi. She headed to the hospital where her euthanasia would be carried out.

Her serene demeanor betrayed no sign that this would be a one-way trip.

Zayn and Cassidy's wedding was streamed live from start to finish.

Before the procedure, Cadence couldn't help but take a peek at their live stream.

In the church, Zayn's friends and family had gathered in celebration. The priest stood before the happy couple as a witness. Cheerfully, Zayn and Cassidy exchanged rings and shared a sweet kiss.

If not for that incident, Cadence and Zayn might have also had a joyous wedding and raised a family together. This was the future that she couldn't give him. She would let Cassidy fulfill it instead.

"I'm ready." Cadence silently turned off the live stream and lay down on the operating table.

Every part of her body ached faintly. Her voice was as light and almost breathless.

But the doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lacroix. We can't begin just yet. We require a signed consent from immediate family members for a full-body donation. Hence, we must notify your relatives and obtain their written signatures."

Cadence frowned weakly. "This is my body. Can't I decide for myself?"

The doctor looked troubled. "It's a legal requirement. We have to follow the procedure."

They hadn't anticipated that someone would arrive alone to undergo euthanasia without any family present.

"Then call the second contact in my phone. She's my biological sister, Cassidy Lacroix," Cadence said.

The nurse nodded and swiftly dialed the number as Cadence instructed. However, she didn't notice that she had accidentally tapped on the first contact instead.

"Wait…" Cadence tried to stop her, but the call had already connected.

She pressed her lips together and glanced at the nurse. Her eyes revealed a sense of longing that she herself hadn't even noticed.

This was the last time she would hear his voice.

Meanwhile, Zayn was pouring champagne with Cassidy amidst the cheers from the guests. As the liquid flowed down the tower of glasses, Zayn felt oddly unsettled because Cadence still hadn't contacted him.

Just then, his phone rang, dispelling the unease in his chest.

He smirked and answered, "Who is this?"

"Hello, Ms. Lacroix is currently at the hospital undergoing a euthanasia procedure. We need a family member to sign the full-body organ donation consent form. Would you please come by now?"

Euthanasia?

Zayn frowned hard upon hearing that word.

Cadence had always cherished herself, as well as her life and body. Back when they were together, she was obsessed with maintaining good health and always said she wanted to live a long, full life so she wouldn't regret coming into this world.

How could someone like her willingly choose to die?

Perhaps his wedding with Cassidy today had finally ticked her off.

Zayn felt oddly pleased at the thought of this, but he maintained an indifferent expression.

He sneered, "If she wants to die, why should I disagree? You have my consent."

Next to him, Cassidy took the phone and added, "Is Cadence signing some kind of form? I'm her sister. I agree too! You have my consent as well."

When Zayn wasn't paying attention, Cassidy ended the call and turned off his phone.

The nurse tried to call Cadence's first two contacts again using her phone. But all she got was the monotonous voice informing her that the phone had been turned off.

She sent a few messages but didn't receive any reply at all.

Cadence, who was lying on the operating table, had heard every word of their conversation. The last glimmer of light in her eyes finally faded.

She took out the divorce agreement she carried with her. Both she and Zayn had signed it. She had found it in the study. Her guess was that Zayn had probably planned to give it to her after the wedding.

"We're already divorced. So, I don't think their signatures are required for the consent form. Am I right?" Cadence asked with finality.

The doctor silently nodded. "We can begin the euthanasia now."

As the cold liquid entered her veins, her consciousness gradually faded.

At that moment, countless memories flashed through her mind.

At night, she and Zayn lay in each other's arms, welcoming the morning sunlight together. On each anniversary, Zayn had carefully planned various surprises for her. On warm summer nights, they lay on the beach together, counting stars and dreaming of a shared future…

Cadence slowly closed her eyes. A single tear slid down from the corner of her eye.

"Goodbye, Zayn. I wish you a long, happy life free from obstacles. Farewell."