When the darkness swallowed me whole, I seemed to see that snowy night from three years ago again—the faint breathing of my baby inside the incubator, flickering, weakening… until it went completely still.

When I opened my eyes again, all I saw was the stark white ceiling of the hospital.

The sharp scent of disinfectant pierced my nose. Instinctively, my hand went to my lower belly.

A doctor noticed that I was awake and spoke softly.

“Congratulations. Your baby is safe for now, but you need to rest. You mustn’t be stressed again, or you might lose your baby.”

I placed my hand over my belly. The faint rise and fall beneath my palm felt fragile.

“Thank you, Doctor,” I murmured, then glanced around the room, searching for the person I desperately hoped would be there.

But apart from the doctor who had just left, there was no one else.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. “So it wasn’t him. Maybe the housekeeper brought me here.”

I laughed at myself. “Well, that’s better anyway. One less favor I’ll owe him.”

Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, my phone buzzed on the bedside table. The screen displayed two messages from two different senders.

The first was from Gifford. His words were curt and commanding.

[Send over your Grandma’s moon necklace. Dakota likes it. Send it over right now.]

My chest tightened, the air catching in my throat.

That necklace… It was my grandmother’s dying gift to me.

[Gifford] I typed, my fingers trembling. [You know perfectly well that necklace was left to me by my grandmother before she passed. And yet, for Dakota’s sake, you’re asking me to hand over the last keepsake of the only person who truly loved me the most.]

I stared at the screen for a long time. Then, one word at a time, I deleted the message until there was nothing left but silence.

The second message was from Devon Ulmann.

I vaguely remembered calling him when I was half-conscious, begging for help.

I’d thought that after rejecting his proposal, we’d never cross paths again.

But in my most desperate moment, I didn’t expect that it was his number I had instinctively dialed.

[Sorry, I couldn’t stay to see you wake up. But don’t worry. Your baby is safe. If you need anything, call me anytime, and I’ll come to you immediately.]

[And hey, about what I said before? It still stands. If you ever change your mind, I’ll be waiting to marry you.]

My fingers hovered above the screen, unsure if I should reply.

Devon and I had grown up together, two children of powerful families, who everyone believed were destined to become in-laws one day.

But in the end, I chose Gifford—a man with nothing to his name—and turned down Devon’s proposal.

After our marriage, I secretly used my family’s influence and resources to help Gifford build his business empire.

Whenever he faced financial trouble, I’d invest in his company under someone else’s name.

It was no exaggeration that everything he had today… had been built on the sacrifices I made without him knowing.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a crash from a heavy kick.

“Austria! Are you dead or what?!”

Gifford stormed in, his voice full of anger.

His eyes darted to the phone in my hand, though he didn’t bother to see what was on the screen.

“It was just a necklace!” he shouted with a scoff. “You couldn’t even bother to reply? Don’t tell me you didn’t see my message!”

“I’m hospitalized,” I said hoarsely, my voice weak. My lower belly throbbed faintly with pain.

“Hospitalized?” He gave a cold laugh, his gaze sweeping over the bed with disdain. “Putting on a show for who, exactly? Dakota’s been crying from chest pains ever since you refused to give her the necklace—”

“That necklace,” I interrupted, my voice trembling, “is my grandmother’s heirloom, Gifford. You know exactly how much it means to me.”

“It’s just a necklace,” he dismissed. “Once you hand it over to Dakota, I’ll buy you a few others, whichever ones you like.”

He stepped closer, towering over me. “Listen to me. Have someone send it to her now. You owe Dakota that much. After all, you’re the one who set fire to her place.”

He gave a derisive snort. “And to think you’d go so far as to fake an illness just to stalk me to the hospital? Your shamelessness makes me sick.”

I didn’t argue this time. I only stared at him—the urgency in his eyes, the coldness in his voice.

That look… It was the concern he had for Dakota, and the indifference he had for me.

“So you knew I was here all along,” I muttered. “And even knowing that, you’d rather believe I’m pretending, just so you can force me to hand that necklace over to another woman, is that it?”

He nodded impatiently, then sneered. “Haven’t you used enough tricks over the years? You think I’d still fall for them?”

A sharp pain tore through my belly again. This time, I had to grip the blanket tightly.

I knew then that if I didn’t give Dakota the necklace, Gifford wouldn’t let me go.

That was exactly why, all these years, that woman had the nerve to taunt and provoke me.

“As you wish,” I said finally, my throat dry, the words scraping out between clenched teeth. “I’ll send her the necklace.”

Giving in to what they wanted wasn’t surrender. It was survival… for the sake of the life still growing inside me.

“It’s in the bottom drawer of my vanity. Have someone pick it up.”

He froze for a moment, surprised by how quickly I gave in. Then, a smug smile flashed across his face as he turned to leave.

“Get out,” I said quietly, my tone calm but final. “Once she has it, tell her never to appear in front of me again.”

He paused at the door, glaring back at me. For a second, it seemed he wanted to say something. But instead, he just scoffed and slammed the door behind him.

Finally, silence returned to the room.

I picked up my phone again and quickly typed a message.

[Five days from now, come pick me up. I’ll have the divorce papers ready by then.]

After a pause, I added another line.

[You meant what you said, right?]

The moment I hit the send button, the pain in my belly seemed to ease a little.

Devon’s reply came almost instantly.

[I meant it. I’ll wait for you.]

At that moment, sunlight filtered through the window, falling warm and golden on the back of my hand.

‘This time,’ I told myself, ‘I will never look back again.’

I didn’t hesitate for a second.

As soon as I completed the discharge paperwork, I went straight home and started packing.

The sound of a key turning in the lock came just as I was stuffing a folded pile of clothes into my suitcase.

The zipper was only halfway closed, leaving a few of my favorite dresses exposed.

When Gifford pushed the door open, his gaze swept across the open suitcase, and his brows immediately drew together.

“Packing?” he asked, his voice carrying a note of suspicion.

Flustered, I pressed a knit sweater on top to cover the clothes inside and forced out a stiff smile.

“Mm, just changing seasons. I’m putting away the thick clothes.”

My heart was pounding so hard it hurt. Even my fingertips trembled, terrified he’d see through me.

He clearly didn’t believe it. He walked over, crouched down, and traced a finger along the edge of the suitcase.

“You usually let the housekeeper handle this kind of thing. What’s gotten into you to handle this yourself today?”

“Nothing,” I replied evenly. “Just wanted to keep myself busy.”

His gaze lingered on my face, probing, but he didn’t press further. After a pause, he stood up and said simply, “I’m going to take a shower.”

I let out a quiet breath of relief and quickly zipped the suitcase shut.

But when I looked up, I saw that he hadn’t gone to the bathroom. He was standing still in the living room.

Following his gaze, my blood ran cold. Lying on the dark carpet, glaringly white against the black, was the pregnancy test report I’d brought back from the hospital that morning.

It must have fallen during the argument we had then.

“What’s that?” His voice cut through the silence.

Before I could even think, I lunged forward and pressed my foot over the paper.

“Nothing… Just a receipt from the supermarket,” I stammered, turning around quickly, trying to keep my expression calm. “I was planning to use it for a return, but it slipped out of my bag.”

His eyes dropped to my foot, and his frown deepened. “A receipt? Let me see it.”

“No need!” My voice shot up, sharper than I intended, trembling with panic I couldn’t hide. “It’s useless anyway. I’ll just ask the housekeeper to handle the return later.”

I stepped back slightly, blocking his view. “Didn’t you say you were going to shower? You should go. The water will get cold.”

He stared at me for a few seconds, and I clenched my fists tight, praying he wouldn’t ask another question.

The air between us hung heavy for a moment until his phone chimed. Obviously, it was a message from Dakota.

He didn’t say anything else. He just turned around, grabbed his car keys, and walked out.

The sound of the door closing hit me like a release. My knees gave out, and I nearly collapsed onto the floor.

I snatched the pregnancy report from under my shoe, crumpled it tightly, and pressed it against my chest.

Back in the bedroom, I yanked the suitcase zipper shut with a hard click.

Staring at the door Gifford had just walked through, only one thought filled my mind.

‘Before I leave, I can’t let him find out I’m pregnant.’

With that, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Devon.

[Change of plans. Come pick me up in three days.]

Time was running out. I quickened my pace, hastily packing the rest of my things.

The door burst open just as I was finishing up the last of my luggage in the master bedroom.

Gifford entered, supporting Dakota by the arm. Her belly was faintly rounded, and her face carried a deliberately delicate expression. One hand rested gently on her belly, as though she were the most fragile thing in the world.

“The master bedroom is for Dakota,” Gifford said flatly. “You’ll move to the guest room.”

His tone left no room for discussion, like a command from someone who believed Dakota was the true lady of this house.

I froze for a moment, then let out a cold laugh. “And why should I? This is our marital home. The master bedroom belongs to you and me.”

“It’s different now,” he said stiffly, avoiding my gaze. “Dakota is pregnant. She needs rest. The master bedroom is larger, and it gets better sunlight.”

I looked straight into his eyes, every word sharp as a blade. “Whose child is she carrying, Gifford? Do you dare say it’s yours?”

“Don’t forget who caused the death of our child,” I continued between my clenched teeth. “Don’t tell me you let my enemy get pregnant with your child.”

His expression darkened instantly. “Goddamn it, what nonsense are you spouting, Austria?” he shouted. “Nothing is going on between me and Dakota. Don’t use your filthy suspicions to judge her!”

“And don’t forget,” he continued harshly, “our child’s death wasn’t her fault. If you had taken better care of him, he wouldn’t have gotten sick and died from a fucking fever!”

At that, Dakota shrank slightly into his arms, her eyes reddening as tears gathered at the corners. Her voice trembled, choked with practiced gentleness.

“Don’t be so upset… If she doesn’t like it, I can sleep in the guest room. It’s fine, really.”

But even as she spoke, her hand clung tighter to his arm, her eyes filled with pitiful grievance.

“Look what you’ve done—you’ve frightened her!” Gifford snapped, stepping protectively in front of her. “I’m warning you, Austria. Behave yourself, or don’t blame me for the consequences.”

I looked at the two of them—this nauseating scene, and a wave of disgust swept through me.

This man, for the sake of a woman who had once caused the death of his own child, was not only driving me out of my own bedroom but also denying that shameful truth of what had happened.

“Fine, I’ll do that,” I said finally, forcing down the anger rising in my throat. “But on one condition.”

I pulled a document from my suitcase and handed it to him. “Sign this contract, and I’ll move out.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gifford scrawled his signature across the paper.

“There. It’s signed,” he said coldly with a mocking smile. “Now, get out of the master bedroom.”

I took the document back and smiled faintly, raising my hand to show Dakota the diamond wedding ring on my finger.

“Dakota, remember this—until Gifford and I are legally divorced, we are still husband and wife.”

“And you,” I added, my tone sharp, “the moment you cross the line, you’ll be nothing but the third party in my marriage.”

With that, I turned and walked away.

At that moment, the last shred of attachment in my heart disintegrated completely.

If Gifford had cared for me at all, he would have realized that the document he’d just signed was not a contract… but a divorce agreement.

That night, I sent a brief message to Devon.

[Plans have changed. You can come pick me up tomorrow.]

He replied almost instantly with a simple [All right.]

After turning off my phone, I smiled faintly and rested my hand on my still-flat belly.

“Baby,” I whispered, “forgive me. I won’t let your father know about you. But to make it up to you, I promise, I’ll give you a home—a happy one.”