My boyfriend, Lucas Evans, was kidnapped, and the ransom they demanded was astronomical.

I sold everything I owned and became so poor I couldn’t even afford to eat. When I had nothing left, I finally rescued him and helped him rebuild his career.

During that time, I got pregnant several times, but Lucas kept finding excuses to make me terminate the pregnancies. In the end, it damaged my ability to have children.

And yet, on the wedding day I had dreamed of for years, he married his secretary.

“Emily Carter is pregnant. I want to marry her. My mother has always wanted a grandson. I’ll make it up to you for the rest of my life.”

I watched Lucas slip the engagement ring he had designed for me onto another woman’s finger.

I turned away, heartbroken, but collapsed the moment I stepped out.

When I arrived, the doctor told me I was two months pregnant.

Lucas’s impatient voice rang out from just outside the door.

“Zoe Bennett was just a stand-in. When she was kidnapped, she raised that much money—I don’t know what shady things she did. She disgusts me. I’ll give you the company after you give birth. Don’t cry, Emily. I’m coming now.”

He left without even glancing at me.

I stopped the doctor from telling him about pregnancy.

Watching his retreating figure, I let go completely.

If he didn’t value me, he didn’t deserve to be the father of my child.

I called my father.

“Dad, keep the overseas slot for me. I’ll come to you in a week.”

…

After finalizing my plans to go abroad with my father, I ended the call.

My phone buzzed repeatedly. A message came in from a friend.

“Zoe! Didn’t you say I should attend your wedding? Why didn’t I see you there? And why was Emily the bride?”

My chest tightened. I opened the video she sent.

In the video, Emily confessed everything.

She had stalked Lucas back in school, followed him when he moved cities, became his secretary, and now—his wife.

“I’ve loved you secretly for ten years. Now, I’m finally your wife.”

Lucas, moved to tears, embraced her and kissed her deeply.

“Emily, thank you for loving me all these years. It’s my turn now to cherish you for the rest of my life.”

I felt cold all over, and my mind went blank.

Lucas pursued me at the beginning. Today—our tenth anniversary—we were supposed to get married.

But he chose someone else.

Only now did I realize he had never loved me.

In the video, my friend tried to defend me, accusing Emily of interfering in our relationship.

Lucas’s younger brother, who used to call me sister-in-law, stood with Emily and threw my friend out.

“Interfering? Emily has always loved Lucas, and Lucas’s been tired of Zoe for ages! If she had just broken up with him, they would’ve been married long ago!”

The video ended. I smiled bitterly.

“It’s over. Lucas and I are done. I don’t want him anymore.”

It was already late when I left the hospital and returned home.

As I opened the door, I saw Lucas and Emily rolling around madly on the big sofa I had chosen myself.

Their wedding clothes were tangled together on the floor.

Three days ago, the wedding dress Lucas had specially ordered for me had arrived—but the size didn’t fit.

Today, that same dress fits Emily perfectly.

I stood silently in the doorway. Emily noticed me first.

“Ah! Lucas, stop for a bit. Someone’s here.”

With a playful pout, she pushed his head away from her chest.

Lucas looked up, clearly annoyed—until he saw me.

His face stiffened in embarrassment.

He hurried to pick up clothes off the floor and cover Emily.

“Zoe, why are you back? I just wanted to check if the baby was okay. You know you’re the one I love most.”

I ignored his pathetic excuse, walked to my room, and shut the door.

On the bedside table were unfinished wedding invitations.

When I opened them, the words inside pierced my heart.

Just a week ago, I had been planning the wedding room and finalizing the invites. Lucas had called Emily to help me.

She was careless at work and never managed tasks properly.

When I found she’d written her own name as the bride on one of the invitations, I was furious.

I scolded her a little, and she immediately burst into tears.

Lucas smiled and hugged me.

“Zoe, it’s her first time doing this. She made a mistake, that’s all. If you’re mad, just punish her by having her finish the wedding decorations and the rest of the invites. You can relax.”

He gently pushed me out of the room, brought me fruit, and turned on my favorite drama.

Back then, I felt touched by his thoughtfulness.

Even when Emily decorated the whole wedding room in her favorite colors, I didn’t get mad again—for his sake.

But looking back, those were all signs.

I should’ve seen Lucas’s betrayal coming.

But when you love someone, you keep making excuses for them.

I walked out and hurled the invitation I’d been clutching toward them.

“Lucas, I bought this house. Get out—take her with you!”

The two of them were already dressed in the living room.

When Lucas heard what I said, he froze.

He let out a sigh and walked over to me, pulling me into his arms just like he always did when he tried to comfort me.

“Zoe, why are you being so petty again? Emily is pregnant—of course she needs to stay with me.”

“Don’t worry, the master bedroom is still yours. Emily and I will take the room farthest away. Once she gives birth, I’ll ask her to move out.”

His voice was soft and calm, but I couldn’t forget what he said at the hospital.

I shoved him away with a cold laugh, pointed at the door, and told them to leave again.

“Zoe, I know you’re upset about me and Lucas. But Lucas’s mother really wants a grandson, and he’s under so much pressure. Can’t you be a little more understanding?”

“I love Lucas as much as you do. I just want to give him a child. I’m sorry for hurting you—but I don’t regret it.”

Emily’s unwavering words moved Lucas. He took her hand in his.

“Emily, don’t belittle yourself like that. It makes me feel worse.”

I’d seen that heartache in Lucas’s eyes countless times before—but now, it wasn’t for me.

Tears streamed down my face. My chest tightened with pain so sharp, I could barely breathe.

Then my expression softened involuntarily, and Emily stepped forward, offering a tissue.

“Zoe, what’s wrong? Here, wipe your tears.”

The very next second, a prickling itch spread across my face. I realized too late—there was pollen on the tissue. I was allergic.

Instinctively, I shoved the tissue—and Emily—away.

She fell to the floor with a dramatic cry. “Ah! Why did you push me?!”

I ignored her and frantically searched for anti-allergy medicine.

Lucas rushed to help Emily and guided her aside protectively.

Then he turned to me, furious, and slammed the medicine box shut with a glare.

“Zoe! What’s your problem? Yes, I betrayed you and married Emily, but she’s done nothing to you! Apologize to her now! You’ve scared the baby!”

Gasping for air, I tried to explain through shallow breaths.

“I’m allergic... I need the medicine...”

“There aren’t even flowers in the room. Maybe that rash on your face is some other illness.”

His accusation made me laugh bitterly.

He had forgotten. Forgotten how terrified he used to be of my allergies—how he gave up his childhood flower arranging classes just to avoid bringing pollen home to me.

And now, he was keeping my life-saving medicine from me for Emily.

I shoved him away and scrambled for the medication, downing it desperately.

“You’re insane! How could you push a pregnant woman?! If you won’t apologize to Emily, don’t bother coming to the company anymore. Hand your position over to her—it’s the least you can do.”

As the medicine began to work, I clearly heard what Lucas had said.

Rage and despair surged through me.

I’d sacrificed everything for the company, working day and night, even sleeping there more often than at home.

And now he wanted to give it all away?

“I don’t agree!” I snapped.

Lucas began walking toward the door, cradling Emily. Panic shot through me.

Was he going to the company now?

I lunged to stop him, but in my haste, I slammed my leg into a stool.

The pain made my knees buckle, and I collapsed to the floor.

At that moment, the door opened.

“Lucas, didn’t you say you were taking Emily away? Why are you still here?”

It was Lucas’s mother, Sandra Evans.

So he had already planned to take Emily away. I laughed bitterly at myself.

“Lucas, how many more lies are you hiding behind?”

Lucas stepped forward to help me.

I avoided his hand and braced myself on the table to stand.

“Are you with Emily because of the child? Or do you really love her?”

“I don’t want to leave you. But she’s pregnant, and you two don’t get along. So I’ll take her to live somewhere else for now. Don’t worry—I’ll come back in two days.”

“Zoe, I’ve told you already, once the baby is born, I’ll come back to you.”

His expression turned uneasy. He couldn’t even meet my eyes.

Lucas had repeated these words to me more than once. That he didn’t care about Emily, that he still cared about me.

But the truth was, if he had loved me, even a little, he wouldn’t have treated me this way.

I stared at him and spoke slowly, each word deliberately.

“What if I have a child too?”

Everyone was stunned.

“If I have a child too, will you give up Emily and marry me?”

I stared into Lucas’s eyes, desperate for an answer.

Sandra scoffed.

“You’ve been pregnant so many times and never kept a child. The doctor already said your health isn’t good. How could you possibly have a baby now?”

She had always looked down on me, but ever since Emily came along, her attitude worsened.

The first thing she did when she entered was examine Emily from head to toe.

When she saw that Emily’s belly was fine, she smiled in satisfaction.

To please her—my supposed future mother-in-law—I had done everything she wanted, given her every gift she asked for, yet never once did she say anything kind to me.

And Lucas? He never told her the truth—that the reason I didn’t give birth was because he didn’t want me to.

I looked at Lucas, mockery in my eyes.

The first time I was pregnant, Lucas had been kidnapped.

I spent every cent I had trying to gather the ransom, even begged my father. That nearly destroyed our relationship. He disowned me.

In the end, I went alone to deliver the money to an abandoned warehouse.

Lucas had been held for ten days and had developed a high fever.

There were no vehicles around.

I carried him on my back, step by step, out of that wilderness.

After getting him to the hospital, I passed out from exhaustion.

When I woke up, I learned I’d lost our first child.

Lucas sat by my bed, crying like a child.

After that, I got pregnant a few more times.

Each time, Lucas would hold me gently and ask me to terminate.

“Zoe, wait until the company stabilizes. I want to give our child a better life.”

And I believed him, again and again.

But when things finally calmed down and I was ready to try again, it was too late.

I took endless medications, visited countless hospitals, even knelt in prayer in front of priests—

But nothing worked.

The pain of losing each child was a wound carved into my soul, and it never stopped hurting.

My hand drifted to my belly.

No matter what, I had to keep this child.

Lucas’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“Zoe, I know how much you want a child. Emily’s baby can be yours too, so you don’t need to worry. And if Emily helps you at the company, it’s still for the good of the child’s future.”

I laughed bitterly.

“Lucas, you want her to manage the company? Do you want her to ruin it?”

“Last time you asked her to handle a business meeting, she overslept and arrived late. That delay cost us ten million!”

Lucas was silent. He knew exactly how incompetent Emily was.

I couldn’t let him drag the company down for her.

I pulled out my phone and called a senior executive.

I had equal authority with Lucas, and he knew that if I refused, it would be nearly impossible to install Emily in my place.

He rushed over and knocked the phone from my hand.

“Zoe! If you don’t want Emily to take over, fine! But do you have to tell everyone? How will she ever face anyone again?”

His outburst stunned me. Even now, all he cared about was protecting Emily’s image.

I bent down to pick up my phone, but he was faster.

He stepped on it—hard—until the screen went black.

Then he turned to me, faced dark, and suddenly pulled me into an embrace.

Before I could resist, he dragged me into the bedroom and locked the door behind me.

“Calm down. I’ll let you out tomorrow.”

I banged on the door and shouted until I had no strength left.

Eventually, I collapsed onto the bed.

Then, without warning, the door opened.

Emily stood there with a smile, holding out a bottle of pills.

“Zoe, do you love Lucas that much? Why not let go?”

“Do you recognize this bottle?” she asked.

I glanced at it—it was the medicine I’d been taking for years to treat infertility.

Emily laughed so hard she cried.

“That’s not infertility medicine. It’s birth control.”

“You’ve taken it countless times over the years. Your body’s been damaged for a long time—it’s no wonder it’s hard for you to conceive now.”

She sighed, feigning sympathy.

“You’re so pitiful. You were tricked for ten years and still think a baby will win Lucas’s heart. But think about it—if Lucas ever intended to marry you, why didn’t he protect your child in the first place?”

Her words hit me like an explosion.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Tears blurred my vision.

How could I expect sincerity from Lucas?

What I mistook for love was just my unwillingness to let go.