After the miscarriage from the car accident, I was overwhelmed with grief and lost my appetite.

To console me, Nolan organized an extravagant proposal ceremony.

Three days before the wedding, I went to pick him up from his bachelor party.

Unexpectedly, I overheard the conversation between him and his friends:

"Nolan, you deliberately sent someone to cause that car accident, just to get the fetal blood to save Delia's life? Didn't you consider what would happen if Melody found out? That was your child!"

"You're willing to sacrifice everything for Delia, even yourself?"

"It's just one child. As long as Delia can survive, I'd be willing to sacrifice a hundred children! As for Melody, she won't find out. She still thinks I'm in love with her."

Tears fell as my whole body froze.

So it turns out, our child was killed by his own hands.

Even the wedding I'd been looking forward to for five years was an elaborately planned deception.

If that's how it is, I'll agree to the arranged marriage my family wants.

This wedding, I'm giving it back to you!

------

The private room of the nightclub was a stark contrast to the lively music and dancing outside, with a somber atmosphere within.

Nolan stared at the bottle in front of him, his face full of regret and heartache.

"Even though she doesn't love me, if I can keep her alive, our acquaintance won't be in vain. If it means saving Delia's life, what's one child? As for Melody... I'll make it up to her slowly after we're married. We can have more children. She'll never find out."

Beside him, his brother Ivor looked on with a pained expression.

"It's a shame Delia still doesn't know that you arranged that surgery for her. That was your own flesh and blood! I saw during the procedure, it was a boy, already formed."

"Is it really worth it? Delia doesn't even love you! She only got close to you for the money!"

"Whether it's worth it or not is for my heart to decide. If she can live, I'll give anything. Not just one child, but my own life if necessary. I wouldn't even blink."

"It's all in the past now. Her being safe and healthy is my greatest wish."

"What about Melody? You've been together for five years, what does she mean to you? If one day she finds out that you killed your own child—"

He didn't finish the rest of his sentence.Nolan irritably downed the drink in front of him in one gulp.

"She'll never know. As long as I'm around, she'll never find out."

"I won't let her hurt Delia."

"You've lost your damn mind! Melody's a good girl, she's been by your side since you were a broke nobody. You... Forget it, make your own decisions. Just don't come crying when you regret this!"

The hand poised to knock froze midair.

Tears rolled down uncontrollably.

So that car accident wasn't an accident at all.

It was his scheme to use our baby to save Delia!

Delia was just his company secretary.

They'd only known each other for a mere six months.

Yet she held such an important place in his heart.

Important enough that he'd use our child's life as a bargaining chip!

A month ago, I miscarried in a car accident. To soothe my emotions, he fired Delia.

I thought he had a guilty conscience, worried I might overthink things.

Now I understand, he was afraid I'd suspect Delia for the accident!

That grand proposal was just his way of making up for his guilt.

I was such a fool to think I was happy, sharing the video everywhere.

It's laughable, really.

The waiter came in to deliver drinks, accidentally barging through the door in his haste.

Inside, they quickly fell silent.Nolan rose to greet me, a flicker of panic in his eyes.

"Melody? What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to wait for me at home? When did you arrive? Why didn't you say anything?"

His intoxicated gaze betrayed little emotion.

I forced a smile, tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"Just got here. I knew you'd be drinking and couldn't help worrying, so I came to pick you up."

He let out a sigh of relief.

Taking my hand, he planted a soft kiss on the back of it, his tone tinged with a hint of playfulness.

"I promised I wouldn't drink too much, didn't I? Trust me, darling. I'm saving my tolerance for our wedding, okay?"

"Thank you for coming to get me. I'm so lucky to have you..."

Ivor couldn't bear to watch any longer and excused himself from the private room, claiming he'd had too much to drink.

As I tidied up his things on the couch, I casually asked:

"Where's that secretary of yours? Haven't seen any updates from her lately?"

"Oh, I don't know. We haven't been in touch since I left the job. My eyes are only for my darling now; I don't know any other women."

As he spoke, he pulled me into his arms, burying his face in my shoulder and nuzzling me.

Out of my sight, he quickly deleted the chat window on his phone.

His answer was casual, and I didn't want to pursue it further.

For the last bit of time we had, let's leave each other with some dignity.

The drive was silent.

The only sound in the car was his playful, breathless whining as he clung to my arm.

After we got home, while he was in the bathroom freshening up,

I made a call to my family.

"Mom, I've agreed to the arranged marriage."

"You've finally come to your senses? What about Nolan? Didn't you swear you'd only marry him before?"

I remained silent for a long time. Mom sensed that something had happened.

She stopped trying to persuade me.

She only sighed and said:

"Alright, but technically, he'd be your uncle-in-law. Mom's worried it might be awkward for you. You should handle things properly before you leave to avoid any embarrassment later."

"Don't worry. You can arrange the wedding as you see fit. I'll be back in three days."

As I hung up the phone, I realized Nolan had been standing behind me, though I'm not sure for how long.

His arm slipped around my waist, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"What wedding? Who was darling talking to on the phone?""Nothing much, just a friend getting married soon. I'll be giving a wedding gift."

Nolan didn't notice the emotion in my eyes as he pushed me down onto the bed and started kissing me.

"Good, make sure it's a generous one. Let's make her bleed a little for our wedding too."

"On that day, my darling will definitely be the most beautiful bride..."

He kissed my ear, emboldened by the alcohol.

I subtly avoided his advances.

"You've had too much to drink. I'm going to wash up."

As I tried to get up and leave, he lunged forward and grabbed my waist tightly.

His forehead nuzzled against my waist repeatedly.

"What's wrong, darling? Are you feeling down?"

"Don't worry, I promised you, we'll have another child after we're married. Don't be sad anymore. Seeing you this thin breaks my heart..."

"Are your legs sore from walking? Let your husband give you a massage, okay?"

Seeing that he was about to push me down again, I quickly dodged and entered the bathroom.

Five years of companionship, day and night.

It would be a lie to say it didn't hurt.

But more than the betrayal, I was furious that he could use our child's life as a bargaining chip!

I splashed cold water on my face, handful after handful.

Yet it couldn't extinguish the rage burning in my heart.Returning to the bedroom, Nolan was already asleep, with only his phone screen still emitting a faint glow.

The chat history had been deleted, but an account labeled "Wildcat" had sent him a message.

"Nolan, little kitty's chest was hurting again today....... Didn't you promise you'd come see me? You can't go back on your word."

I picked up the phone and tapped into her social media feed.

It was filled with snippets of their blissful dates together.

Coffee shops, luxury hotels, snow-capped mountain peaks.

All the places I'd suggested to him that he never remembered.

He had visited them all with another woman before our wedding.

In the photos, Nolan's face wasn't visible.

But every little detail made it clear it was him.

Even the custom wedding ring he'd specially commissioned was never taken off.

Oh, Nolan, Nolan.

When I was hanging between life and death in the operating room, were you thinking about me being in danger?

Or were you worried that her life couldn't be saved by anyone?

I turned off my phone and lay down, but tossed and turned unable to fall asleep.

Dawn broke on the day we had planned to take our wedding photos.

Arriving at the photo shoot location, the staff were already waiting there.

When they saw my wedding dress being delivered, their faces lit up with envy in unison.

"Mrs. Carlisle is so lucky. In all my years in this business, I've never seen such a stunning wedding gown. It must be a designer's handmade creation, right?"

"Of course! Just look at those diamonds. I heard Mr. Carlisle designed it himself! They've been together since college, and you can still find photos of them dating on the Harvard forums!"

"Oh, I know about that! My cousin just got into their school this year. I heard Mr. Carlisle funded the construction of a building on campus to commemorate his first meeting with Miss Frost! Every couple goes there to write down their names. I'm so jealous. If my boyfriend was even half as good as Mr. Carlisle, I'd be grinning in my sleep."

It's true that he loved me once.

It's also true that he doesn't love me now.

He's just the Carlisle family's illegitimate son. Being with him caused no shortage of arguments with my family.To prove to my family that my choice wasn't wrong.

He worked tirelessly, day and night, striving for success.

Finally, he achieved his current position.

But we can never go back to how things were.

Since Nolan entered, his eyes have been glued to his phone screen, afraid to miss a single message.

The smile that unconsciously tugs at his lips.

Exactly the same as three years ago.

But the person who can stir his emotions is no longer me.

Just as the photoshoot was about to begin, his phone rang with a special ringtone.

When he turned to look at me, his tone was full of apology.

"Melody, there's been an issue with an employee at the company. He has been taken to the hospital. I need to go check on him. About the photoshoot..."

"It's okay, you go. I'll wait for you at home."

He hugged me tenderly, full of concern.

"Thank you for being so understanding, darling. Wait for me to come back. We'll have plenty of chances to take wedding photos in the future."

Before I could speak, he hurried away.

The staff looked uncomfortable.

"Miss Frost, what about this wedding dress...?"

"Return it. I won't need it anymore."

On my way back, lost in thought, I was knocked down by a speeding car.

After refusing several times, the person still insisted on taking me to the hospital.

At the emergency entrance, I ran into Nolan, who was waiting there.He held a delicate figure in his arms - who else could it be but Delia?

I hid behind the wall.

His voice was filled with concern:

"Where are you feeling unwell? Why didn't you tell me? If the hospital hadn't messaged me, how long were you planning to keep this from me?"

"I know today was your wedding photoshoot. I didn't want to trouble you... If you come here, Miss Frost will surely be upset."

"Delia, you know how I feel about you. This wedding is unavoidable - after all, she lost a child because of me. Just wait a little longer. In a couple years, I'll divorce her, okay?"

"You're lying to me again. Everyone knows you love Melody. People at the company all say I'm delusional. I don't want your pity! Go, just leave now!"

"Even without you, I can survive on my own."

"Don't say such foolish things. Without you, I can't go on living..."

The two embraced tightly. After a long moment, Nolan finally turned to go pay the hospital bill.