Marianne used to be religious about texting Kennedy reminders—what to wear, how the weather was, what to eat. But today, she didn't send him a single text.

Normally, a quick errand would've been no big deal. Yet Kennedy insisted on dragging Marianne into it.

[Marianne, Suzie's stomach hurts. Bring over that box of meds from last night ASAP.]

He sent the message, but all he got back was a little red exclamation mark.

'Fuck… Did she block me?' Kennedy wondered, his brows pulling together, his face darkening.

'Damn it,' he cursed internally, realizing Marianne did block him. 'When it really came to Suzie, that woman always blew things out of proportion. Completely unreasonable!'

But he knew Marianne—she'd come crawling back soon enough, picking up right where she left off as his walking weather report.

Marianne had a makeup test scheduled with Director Angus, so she'd arrived at the set early. It had been years since she'd worked, and she wasn't exactly A-list anymore. Making people wait on her wasn't an option.

Unfortunately, Kennedy's crew was filming right next door.

"Scene one, take 36. Action!"

Kennedy was playing the male lead, rejecting the supporting actress's confession of love. The scene required her to steal a kiss from him.

It should've been easy—just a quick peck, like a bird snatching a crumb. But Suzanne managed to mess it up 35 times, her lips pressing against his over and over.

"Uncle Ken, I don't know how to kiss. I'm so nervous…"

"Uncle Ken, I still don't know…"

The crew was losing patience, but with Kennedy on set, no one dared to speak up.

"It's okay, Suzie. Let's try again," Kennedy said calmly, ruffling her hair.

When he glanced up—he saw Marianne walking toward him.

'Hah. I knew it,' Kennedy thought to himself. 'She came before I could coax her.'

"Aunt Marianne!" Suzanne called out with a bright smile. "Are you here to visit Uncle Ken? He's teaching me how to act!"

Marianne cursed under her breath but stayed where she was, arms crossed. Suzanne's acting was terrible, and Marianne watched the young girl make a fool of herself

"Uncle Ken, Aunt Marianne doesn't like me hanging around you. Maybe we should skip this scene?" Suzanne suggested.

Kennedy disagreed. "Why should her opinion matter?"

As if to spite Marianne for daring to break up with him, Kennedy suddenly pulled Suzanne into his arms. Their lips met in a heated kiss as they entwined with each other.

"Cut! Perfect!" the director called.

Finally, the scene was done.

Marianne stood frozen, her nails biting into her palms.

The stress must've hit her baby because nausea came rushing in like a tidal wave. She clutched her belly, hand over her mouth, barely holding herself together.

Kennedy pushed Suzanne aside and looked Marianne's way.

Marianne forced herself upright and made her voice sound loud. "God, it's the middle of the day, and some people are already making me want to puke."

Of course, she still couldn't stand Suzanne.

Kennedy let out a long breath, but when he looked again, Suzanne was no longer beside him.

After seeing how seriously he kissed Suzanne, why did Marianne bother them?

Marianne found an empty corner to sit, wiping her mouth clean as her stomach settled.

"Aunt Marianne, I'm sorry! Kissing Uncle Ken is just part of the job," Suzanne chirped as she walked over.

Her tone was sweet, but the smug look on her face gave her away.

"Good for you. Hope it pays off big," Marianne shot back, her face unreadable.

"Then why are you sitting here all alone? Not feeling well?" Suzanne smirked. "Or are you just jealous?"

But Marianne wasn't in the mood to play nice. "If you've got time to worry about me, maybe focus on improving your acting instead. At least then the crew won't look ready to quit."

Suzanne blinked in disbelief. 'Since when did this quiet little mouse grow her claws?'

Then, she fired back, "No matter how bad my acting is, Uncle Ken will always back me up. What about you? What do you even have?"

Marianne stayed quiet, and Suzanne knew she had won.

"Uncle Ken will always remember his late first love and love me," Suzanne added. "I'm her daughter, and I look just like her. But you? Nobody loves you."

She flashed a sly smile and gave Marianne a pitiful look. "You need to realize, the living can never beat the dead."

'True,' Marianne thought, 'the living couldn't compete with the dead.'

But a person with a dead heart didn't need to compete.

"Well, good luck trying to take my place. I hope you and your dear Uncle Ken end up happy together," Marianne said coolly as she stood to leave.

But as she stepped away, Suzanne stuck out her foot.

In an instant, Marianne lost her balance. She fell straight into the lake, and cold water quickly surged around her.

"Ahhh!" she cried. "Help! Hel—"

The foul, freezing water rushed into her mouth, choking her, and leaving her unable to scream properly.

Her limbs went numb, and a sharp ache pierced her stomach.

Even though she knew the baby would eventually leave her body, she instinctively curled around her belly.

"My baby… my baby… hang on," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the splashing.

"Marianne!" a voice broke through her panic.

'Am I hearing things? It sounds like…' she thought, 'Kennedy?'

Just as she was about to sink completely, she felt a hand grab her, pulling her toward the surface.

From the shore, voices shouted.

"Mr. Bryden, don't jump in! You can't swim!"

"Sir, stop! We've already called for help!"

It was indeed Kennedy saving her.

His hand didn't stop gripping hers, pulling her up while the people on the shore reached for her.

That moment was like deja vu 10 years ago.

Back then, he jumped in without thinking, knowing he couldn't swim, just to save her.

"Marianne, don't worry. I'm here!"

Today, he made the same choice.

'Why?' She wanted to ask him so badly. 'Why save me when you don't even love me anymore?'

Before she could speak, Suzanne screamed and jumped into the water.

"Uncle Ken! You can't swim—what if you drown? I'll save you!"

Then she started flailing in the water.

"Uncle Ken… help me…"

"Suzanne! Where are you?" Kennedy immediately let go of Marianne and turned to where Suzanne had fallen.

Marianne reached for him, but he pushed her away.

The shore was so close. If only he had held on for one more second, she could've made it.

But without him to hold her up, the icy water dragged her back under, the shore and the shouting voices becoming distant.

As darkness enveloped her, one thought echoed in her mind.

'Suzanne was right. I can't win against her.'

Ten years ago, Kennedy had jumped in to save her without hesitation.

Now, 10 years later, he let her go just as easily to save Suzanne.

If that's how it was, what was left for Marianne to hold on to?

When she opened her eyes again, the blinding hospital lights made her dizzy.

Dr. Obrien came rushing over, immediately scolding her. "Marianne, do you realize how reckless you were? You almost lost the baby!"

"Whatever. If it's gone, it's gone." Marianne said, giving a half-hearted, lifeless smile. She couldn't even force a real one.

The doctor was stunned.

Marianne had been coming to her for years. Just recently, when Marianne got her pregnancy results, her eyes lit up with joy.

But now… all that light was gone.

"It's that damn Kennedy, isn't it?" the doctor muttered angrily. "Stop saying things out of spite. I'll call him right now and tell him to come stay with you!"

"No need. Don't bother him," Marianne interrupted.

'Don't bother him while he's with someone else,' she wanted to add.

"Marianne, what are you saying?!" the doctor snapped. "If something's wrong with the baby, he needs to know! It's his child! What's he so busy with?"

The usually mild-tempered doctor lost her cool and grabbed her phone, ready to make a call.

But when her eyes landed on Marianne lying on the bed, her resolve softened.

Dr. Obrien was scared. If Suzanne's voice came through on the other end, it might push Marianne over the edge. The baby in her womb would truly be in danger.

"Ugh, forget it, I won't call him. Don't stress yourself out." Dr. Obrien let out a heavy sigh, one after another.

"Okay." Marianne wiped away her tears and turned over, only to see her phone screen light up.

Message after message from Director Angus popped up.

[Marianne, where are you?!]

[Marianne, the sponsor has been waiting for three hours!]

Quickly brushing away her tears, Marianne turned to the doctor. "I can leave now, right?"

Dr. Obrien panicked. "What are you planning to do? Your body can't handle this!"

"Marianne, listen to me!" she added. "The baby's the priority! I'll call Kennedy to pick you up…"

"Marianne! Marianne!"

The heavy sound of the door slamming shut silenced Dr. Obrien's shouts, cutting them off behind the hospital room door.

Meanwhile, Marianne texted the director. [Director Angus, I'm so sorry. I've had some health issues and couldn't make it earlier. If I come now, will it still be okay?]

The reply came swiftly. [What happened? Are you alright?]

Director Angus's concern seemed uncharacteristic. Normally, he wasn't the type to fuss. Still, the warmth in his words tugged at Marianne's heart.

[You've probably heard about someone falling into the lake on set, right? That… that was me.]

As soon as she sent the message, a wave of embarrassment hit her. Anyone on set could tell him what happened—that she had been provoked by his boyfriend's other woman and abandoned by her boyfriend, left humiliated and soaked.

[I'm glad you're safe now. Send me your location. I'll send a car to pick you up.]

Marianne thought he was just being polite, but five minutes later, a sleek Maybach pulled up outside the hospital.

'Director Angus' she thought. 'When did he get so rich?'

"Miss Marlowe, please get in." The driver, wearing white gloves, carefully opened the door for her.

The car's interior carried a light, pleasant fragrance—familiar yet soothing. Marianne couldn't recall where she had smelled it before, but it did calm her nerves.

As the car left the city, the roads became wider, and so did her mood. Soon, she'd be able to restart her career. Her path would only grow brighter.

If she had never paused her acting career to play housewife, who knows how many Best Actress trophies she'd have by now?

Lost in her daydream, her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden call from Alissa Cross, Kennedy's manager.

"Marianne, where are you? Hurry over! Kennedy's in danger!"

Marianne's voice was steady. "Alissa, whatever happens to Kennedy has nothing to do with me. You should talk to Suzanne instead."

"Please, don't be like this, Marianne. I'm begging you, come talk some sense into him!"

"I'm busy right now."

"This is serious! He's going to die! Kennedy's gone mad—he's refusing to use a harness for a rooftop stunt. It's suicide…"

The phone slipped from Marianne's hand and fell to the floor.

She had thought about breaking up with Kennedy. She had thought about never seeing him again. But she had never, not once, thought about him dying.

'Fine. This time, I'd treat it as our final goodbye,' she decided.

"Excuse me, could you take a detour to Skyline Studios?"

Clenching the fabric of her coat, Marianne's palms were damp with cold sweat.