Lily's fingers tightened around the spoon. Her appetite was gone.

"You go ahead. I'm leaving."

"Hey, don't. Stay and talk to me," Sophie said, reaching for her.

Lily tore her arm free, the motion catching Sophie's bowl of truffle broth. It toppled, and the liquid spilled across the floor.

Sophie let out a sharp gasp, yanking her hand back from the burn. "Ms. Rosenfelt! I was only hoping we could talk about the kids we're having. Why are you reacting this way?"

"Lily! What on earth are you doing?"

The noise brought Zeke over, and he tore into her without hesitation.

"Sophie's eight months pregnant! You know she can't handle this kind of stress. If anything happens to her or the baby, I'm not letting you off the hook."

Lily scoffed. "I'm eight months pregnant too, and blind. It was an accident. And you'd still hold it against me?"

"I…"

Zeke caught himself, realizing how harsh he sounded. He sighed. "Forget it. You can't see, so I'm letting it slide. Just sit down and keep Sophie company. It's her first time having a baby, and she's nervous."

Lily sneered under her breath.

His words cut to the bone. Sophie was carrying her first child. So was she. Yet somehow, he made it sound as though hers didn't count.

She made her way back to the table. The spoon slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor.

When she bent down to pick it up, she caught Sophie's foot hooked around Zeke's pant leg beneath the table, a gesture far too intimate. Her eyes went cold.

As she rose, she found them locked in a fierce kiss. Their arms were wrapped tight around each other. They carried on so brazenly over breakfast, thinking her blindness made them invisible.

Lily tossed the spoon onto the table and turned away. "You two take your time. I'm going back to my room."

"Wait, Lily. There's a document I need you to sign."

Zeke's voice broke the silence at last. He slid the papers toward her and pressed a pen into her hand.

"What is it?" Lily asked.

She lowered her gaze and found the bold words "Divorce Agreement" glaring from the top of the page.

Sadness gripped her like a vice. Her fingers tightened around the pen, and a scornful laugh curled inside her.

He wanted her signature so soon. Was he really that desperate?

"Our baby's almost here, so my mom has decided to give you a house. Here's the contract. All you need to do is sign it," Zeke lied smoothly, exploiting Lily's blindness without a moment's doubt.

Sophie chimed in from the side, "I'm so jealous of you, Lily. If only I were as lucky. How I wish I could be Mrs. Connolly, too. Watching you receive such a grand gift is making me green with envy."

Lily pressed her lips together, and a blank mask settled over her features. "Zeke, are you sure you want me to sign this?"

"Why would you even ask? Don't you want the house my mom's giving you?"

A thread of nervousness wove its way through Zeke's veins. Lily's face was taut, as if she'd uncovered something unspoken.

He raised his hand, tracing slow arcs before her eyes. When she didn't move, he let out a sigh of relief.

"Fine. If that's what you want," Lily said. She signed her name with a fast, decisive stroke where he had indicated.

Just then, Zeke's phone rang. He didn't need to check the screen to know it was Erica.

He stepped away, putting space between himself and Lily before bringing the phone to his ear. "What's up, Mom?"

"Zeke, did you mean what you said on TV? You're divorcing Lily for Sophie? Are you insane? Lily's pregnant with your baby!"

The news had reached Erica, and she was calling to confront him. She had liked Lily from the beginning and had pictured her as the daughter-in-law her family longed for.

How could she not be alarmed now, learning that Zeke planned to divorce Lily and marry a woman with such a past?

"Don't worry, Mom. It's only a temporary measure. I promised Sophie I'd protect her reputation for the time being. After her baby is born and recorded in my name, I'll divorce her. I won't betray Lily. We'll be married again."

"Be married again?"

Sophie had been nearby and had overheard everything. Her expression turned sour. She had believed Zeke was truly serious about marrying her, but now, she saw it was only a temporary arrangement.

Still, that didn't matter. As long as she was legally wed to Zeke, she'd make certain he never got the chance to end it.

Zeke assumed Lily couldn't hear him. But since losing her sight, her hearing had sharpened remarkably.

She sneered quietly. He was a master of schemes, but he hadn't realized that she had already made up her mind to leave him for good.

They'd be married again? Not a chance.

Once the divorce papers were signed, Zeke left with Sophie. Lily returned to her room and started packing her things.

The wedding ring on her finger had become a glaring eyesore, something she desperately wished to remove. Yet, with pregnancy came swollen hands, and try as she might, the ring wouldn't budge.

Resolving to seek help, she headed to the jewelry store where she had purchased it. But before she even entered, she spotted Zeke and Sophie standing inside.

"Mr. Connolly, this pair of rings was designed by the famous jewelry designer Robert Edelman himself. What do you think?" asked Perry Dempsey, the sales associate.

"It's beautiful. Zeke, let's take this pair, okay?" Sophie said eagerly, holding out her hand for him to slip the ring on.

Lily stood nearby, watching as Zeke dropped to one knee and slipped the ring onto Sophie's finger. Cheers rose from the crowd as the two held each other tightly.

Lily had just signed the divorce papers, and Zeke was already here, picking out wedding rings with Sophie.

Her eyes fell to the ring on her finger, the one Erica had picked.

Their marriage had never been Zeke's idea. That was why he'd refused to select rings himself and only posed for a handful of half-hearted wedding photos.

She should have seen this coming. He'd never had feelings for her from the beginning, and he never would.

"The ring sizes aren't quite right. Customizing them will take some time. Once they're ready, we'll arrange for someone to deliver them to the Connolly residence."

"Alright. Thanks," Zeke said.

After he and Sophie made their selections and left, Lily stepped forward.

"Mrs. Connolly?" Perry called.

The instant she stepped inside, the sales associates in the jewelry store stared at her in surprise.

"Can I help you with something?" Perry asked.

"Please help me remove this ring," Lily said.

"You don't want to keep it anymore?" Perry asked, his tone cautious.

"You saw what just happened. My husband came here with another woman to pick out rings. Since he's marrying someone else, I have to take this one off."

"Mrs. Connolly, your sight has returned?"

Five years ago, Erica had brought Lily here when she couldn't see at all. Perry never imagined that, this time, Lily would come back with her sight restored.

Lily responded with a soft hum and held out her hand. "Please help me take off this ring."

After he removed it, she passed it back to him. "When you deliver the rings to the Connolly residence, please include this one."

"Certainly, Mrs. Connolly."

"Please address me as Ms. Rosenfelt."

"Of course, Ms. Rosenfelt. Have a good day."

Leaving the jewelry store, Lily's gaze settled on her bare right hand. The bothersome ring was gone at last, and with its absence came a lighthearted sense of relief.

The weather was lovely, and she set off on a solitary walk, wandering without direction.

Night thickened, yet not once did Zeke reach out.

Maybe she had never meant anything to him at all. Maybe her absence wouldn't stir a single thought in his mind.

Lily returned home at 10:00 pm, stepping inside to find Sophie sitting on the couch.

Sophie spotted her but said nothing.

Lily paid her no mind. She started to head upstairs until she noticed Sophie's foot extended before her, poised to trip her in the low light.

Maintaining her composure, she stepped around the trap, then moved to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water. After a sip, she made her way up the stairs.

Sophie crept after Lily. When they reached the final steps, Sophie surged forward suddenly, attempting to shove Lily down the stairs while her guard was down.

Lily turned just in time, dodging the push, and Sophie faltered, losing her balance. Desperation seized Sophie, and she clutched at the hem of Lily's shirt, dragging her down too.

Their screams tore through the air.

Lily hurtled down flight after flight of stairs until she lay still. Searing pain ripped through her stomach.

A warm rush spilled between her legs, and she fought back the agony to touch the wetness. Her fingers came away bright red, flooding her with panic.

Sophie was in no better state.

"Lily! Why did you push me? It hurts so much!" she wailed in anguish.

"Sophie!" Zeke called out.

Lily stretched her hand blindly into the dark, toward him. "Zeke… please… help me… save our baby…"

But Sophie's screams rose, drowning out Lucy's. "Zeke, I'm so scared! It hurts so much! Please help me!"

Soon, Zeke was sprinting toward them.

Lily hoped he'd come to her first, if only for the baby's sake. But instead, he stepped past her and lifted Sophie into his arms.

"Don't be afraid, Sophie. I'm getting you to the hospital right now!"

Lily clung to his pant leg. Her voice was a faint and fragile whisper. "I'm bleeding, Zeke. My belly hurts so much…"

Compared to Lily, Sophie seemed steadier. Her condition was nowhere near as critical.

Zeke shrugged off Lily's hold and yelled, "Look at what you've done! You've let me down, Lily! I thought you'd accept Sophie, but instead, you've done everything possible to harm her and the baby she's carrying.

"Do you realize how much pain she suffered abroad? If anything happens to either of them, I swear, I will never forgive you!"

Lily ground her teeth against the pain. "I didn't push her. She fell on her own and pulled me down with her. Zeke, I'm begging you. Please, save our child..."

For eight months, she'd struggled to keep the pregnancy going. The very idea of losing their child was unbearable.

"This is on you! If the baby's truly gone, it's because of what you did!"

Without hesitation, he walked off, carrying Sophie in his arms.

Lily's eyes followed him into the darkness. She shut them tight, and tears of despair slipped down her cheeks. Her body was awash with pain, and blood poured out beneath her in unending waves.

She crawled on all fours, fighting to reach Rhonda's room.

"Help… Rhonda… please help me…"

By the time she reached the room at the far end, her strength gave out, and she fainted.

When Rhonda opened the door, she saw Lily lying outside, unconscious and soaked in blood. The shock nearly knocked her off her feet.

"Mrs. Connolly! What happened? Mrs. Connolly?" she called urgently.

She switched on the light, and the sight chilled her to the bone. A long line of blood ran from the living room down the hallway. The sight filled her with dread.

She didn't hesitate to call Zeke. "Mr. Connolly, Mrs. Connolly—"

Zeke cut her off sharply. "Don't mention her unless she's dead! I don't want to hear a word about her!"

Before Rhonda could respond, the call ended abruptly. Overwhelmed with panic, she quickly dialed for an ambulance.

…

Carrying Sophie, Zeke stormed into the hospital like a man possessed.

"Doctor, please save her!" he shouted.

The medical staff responded immediately. "The mother is about to deliver any minute! Hurry, get her to the delivery room!"

Once Sophie was whisked away, Zeke began pacing outside.

Half an hour later, Lily was brought in. After examining her, doctors found her condition critical and immediately took her into surgery.

After five grueling hours, Sophie finally gave birth to a son. Born premature at eight months, the baby was immediately placed in an incubator.

Zeke gently offered her water in the hospital room.

"You've been through so much, Sophie."

A blissful smile spread across Sophie's face. "Zeke, have you seen our baby? He's a boy—tiny, wrinkled, and kind of ugly!"

"You're being silly. All babies look like that when they're born."

Taking her hand in his, he spoke with a heavy heart. "I'm sorry, Sophie. Please accept my apology for what Lily did. She's been spoiled her whole life. I hope you can forgive her."

"What are you saying? How could I ever blame her?"

Sophie hadn't imagined Zeke would speak up for Lily at a time like this. Yet, since he had chosen her over Lily, she decided to let it go.

"That's good to hear. You should get some rest. I'm going to check on her."