When Sophie woke up again, she was already lying in a hospital bed.

Dr. Clinton’s eyes were slightly red, filled with regret. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t save the baby. But you’ll definitely be pregnant with another child...”

For years, Dr. Clinton had been following Sophie’s case, so no one understood better how much Sophie had endured.

After the surgery, Dr. Clinton overheard some nurses gossiping and learned about what had happened outside the office.

She felt deeply upset on Sophie’s behalf, but as a doctor, there were things she couldn’t say. All she could do was offer her powerless comfort.

Sophie stared blankly at the ceiling and murmured softly, “No, there won’t be a next time...”

Dr. Clinton sighed, reminded her to rest well, and then left the room.

Once the room was empty, Sophie pulled the blanket over her face and cried uncontrollably.

She had once been so overjoyed, eagerly looking forward to the arrival of this child, and now she felt equally devastated.

Her heart felt as though it was being torn apart, the pain so intense she could barely breathe, as if she would die in the next moment.

She bit her lip hard and silently screamed in her heart. “Luke, how could you be so cruel...”

It wasn’t until she cried herself into exhaustion that she finally fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up the next day, Sophie had come to terms with reality.

The person she trusted most had easily destroyed the dream she worked so hard to achieve.

Now that the dream was shattered, it was time for her to wake up.

She took out her phone and sent a message to her mentor.

“Prof. Brown, I’m willing to go with you to study abroad. Please make the arrangements.”

Prof. Brown quickly replied, “Alright, the visa will be ready in about a week. Make sure to talk to your husband about it, as this trip might take a year.”

‘Talk to my husband about it? He soon won’t be my husband anymore,’ thought Sophie.

After a brief hesitation, Sophie quickly replied, “Okay.”

She stayed in the hospital for five days, during which Luke sent her messages every day, just as he always had, detailing his schedule.

“Sophie, I’m staying late at the office today, working overtime with the team. I’m so exhausted—I just want to be with you.”

“Sophie, without you here, even my favorite roast chicken go uneaten.”

“Sophie, are you still mad? Can you come home now? I miss you so much...”

Every word was filled with affection, but Sophie didn’t reply to a single message.

Because on Helen’s social media, she saw a completely different side of him.

“Mr. Shaw is so thoughtful, he even came with me to buy clothes for the baby.”

“Mr. Shaw’s cooking is amazing. These are the best roast chicken I’ve ever had.”

“This is the baby’s room Mr. Shaw personally prepared for the baby. We’ll be able to live here together soon.”

Sophie knew Helen posted this on purpose to provoke her.

Helen had already won once, taking Luke away from her.

Now she wanted even more, and Sophie understood that.

What she couldn’t understand or accept was how the man she had shared a bed with for five years could act so convincingly.

On one hand, he expressed his love for her, while on the other, he cared for another woman and even fathered her child.

Sophie felt she was on the brink of collapse. She couldn’t tell which version of Luke was real anymore.

Did the Luke who once loved her and only her even exist?

Finally, Sophie calmly opened the recording app and captured every post on Helen’s social media.

When she packed her things and was discharged from the hospital, only Dr. Clinton was there to hail a taxi for her and offer her careful reminders.

“Even after leaving the hospital, you must take good care of yourself. No matter what happens, your health is most important.”

Sophie’s eyes were filled with tears, and she nodded firmly.

During the hardest period of her life, it was this angel who warmed her heart.

Yet the man who had vowed to love her for a lifetime was pathetically busy caring for another woman.

From that moment on, she knew she would never need him again.

At that moment, Sophie's phone buzzed with a message from her Prof. Brown.

"Sophie, the visa has been approved. I've booked a flight for you tomorrow night. Get ready—your colleagues are all excited to see you."

A warmth filled Sophie's heart, and her eyes grew moist without her realizing it.

No matter how many years had passed, only Prof. Brown and her profession had never betrayed her.

She wiped away the thin tears at the corner of her eyes and quickly replied, "Thank you, Prof. Brown. I'm looking forward to seeing all of you as well."

When Sophie stepped back into her house, a sense of disorientation washed over her, as though she were stepping into a different lifetime.

In just a few days, her entire life had been turned upside down.

The house was eerily quiet, a clear sign that Luke hadn't been home during her absence.

But since she had decided to leave, there was no point in caring about that anymore.

After standing dazed for a while, Sophie finally started clearing out the house.

The couple's mugs, pillows, and plush toys—all of them were packed into garbage bags.

The photos on the walls were also taken down, one by one, and burned.

Those photos were taken on every anniversary during the past five years—a special way of marking their memories together.

Luke had once promised her that they would keep taking such photos, capturing their happiness until they grew old, so he could remember every stage of her life clearly.

But now, it was all just a joke.

There was no future for her and Luke anymore.

After working tirelessly for hours, Sophie had finally cleared out everything from their bedroom.

She thought she could quietly leave the next day without anyone noticing, but then she heard the sound of the front door unlocking.

Sophie froze for a moment before hastily hiding her luggage behind the door and closing the bedroom door.

As expected, it was Luke.

The moment he saw Sophie, his face lit up with joy, filled with what looked like deep affection.

It was as if he had simply been away on a long trip and was overjoyed to see her after such a long time.

He rushed over to hug Sophie, his voice choked with emotion. "Sophie, you're finally back. I've missed you so much..."

Sophie had thought her heart was numb, but now it started to ache again, making it hard for her to breathe.

She couldn't understand how he could act as if nothing had happened.

She couldn't understand how he could be such an incredible actor.

Sophie struggled desperately to break free from his embrace, only to notice Luke's mother standing behind him.

Her heart sank, and the word "Mom" felt stuck in her throat, impossible to say.

Luke's mother avoided her gaze, looking guilty as she spoke first.

"Luke heard from the property management that you were back, so he asked me to come along to explain things to you."

"Sophie, the child was an accident. Luke never wanted it, but his father is very ill and really wants to see a grandson before he passes... so we..."

Luke knelt in front of Sophie, wrapping his arms around her waist as he began to beg pitifully.

"Sophie, I don't even know how I ended up drinking so much that night, let alone how I ended up in bed with her. It was a mistake, one I deeply regret. But I don't like her at all, and I never intended to betray you. If it weren't for my dad, I wouldn't have kept that child... Please, forgive me for this one thoughtless mistake, okay?"

His eyes were red, his tone filled with humble pleading, and his words made it clear how little he cared about the child.

But to Sophie, it was hilarious, and her face grew even colder.

If she hadn't seen Helen's social media posts, she might have convinced herself otherwise.

But she had seen them. She had also felt Luke's anticipation for that child.

How could she possibly believe he didn't care about the child?

Luke's mother noticed Sophie's silence and frowned slightly, inserting herself into the conversation.

"Don’t worry, Sophie. We've agreed that once the child is born, we'll cut ties with Helen. I'll take care of the baby myself and ensure it doesn't interfere with your and Luke's life.

"Besides... If you hadn't discovered this suddenly, it wouldn't have turned into such a messy situation. This is actually better for everyone. After all, you've been married for five years and still haven't been able to have a child..."

Her words struck Sophie like a hammer, smashing into her heart and causing her eyes to turn red with pain.

So, they had all known about this—every single one of them—except her. She was the only one they had deliberately kept in the dark.

Why, then, should she have to pay for Luke's mistakes? Why should she be morally coerced into forgiving them?

Sophie's body trembled with rage as she slapped Luke hard across the face and roared, "Get out! I will never forgive you! Why should I compromise for your mistakes?"

Seeing her son slapped, Luke's mother's eyes flashed with displeasure, and she retaliated with a slap to Sophie's face.

"You've been married for five years and hadn’t been able to have a child. According to the traditions of our hometown, you should've stepped aside long ago.

"And you're just an orphan—being able to marry into the Shaw family was already a blessing. Have we ever criticized you for that?

"Luke didn't want us to pressure you, so as his parents, we never said a word. Now that there's a child, and you don't even need to raise it, how dare you keep making a fuss?"

That slap shattered all the false warmth of the past years.

So, they had always looked down on her for being an orphan...

So, they had always minded the fact that she hadn't been able to give their family a child...

But was it her choice not to have a child? Had she not tried? Had she not desperately wanted a child of her own flesh and blood?

Sophie clutched her face, staring intently at Luke, wanting to see how he would respond.

But Luke didn't dare meet her gaze. Instead, he hurriedly grabbed his mother's hand and said anxiously, "Mom, stop! Sophie has every right to hit me and yell at me. I'm the one who made a mistake, and I'll accept my punishment."

Sophie couldn't help but laugh—a bitter laugh that brought tears to her eyes.

He would accept his punishment?

Did he think a slap or a few harsh words could erase the pain he had caused her?

Could it bring their child back to life?

Just as Sophie was about to tell Luke about their child, his phone rang.

It was Helen calling.

Luke hesitated, glancing at Sophie before choosing to decline the call.

But the phone rang again, and again, just seconds apart.

Unable to ignore it any longer, Luke finally answered.

His expression quickly changed, and his voice filled with anxiety.

"Sophie, Helen fell. I need to go check on her. I'll come back and let you take you anger out on me, okay?"

Although he was asking for Sophie's permission, his body language had already made his decision clear.

As she watched him take a step toward the door, Sophie's eyes darkened, and she let out a soft, bitter laugh.

"Luke, if I told you Helen was lying to you, would you believe me? Would you stay for me?"

Luke's steps faltered, just like they had that day. But, just like before, he didn't turn back. He only left behind a noncommittal reply.

"Sophie, I'm just going to check on her. If everything's fine, I'll come right back to be with you."

Sophie didn't respond, only watching his receding figure, her eyes devoid of any trace of love.

As soon as she heard that Helen was in trouble, Luke's mother couldn't sit still either. Before leaving, however, she couldn't resist throwing out another reprimand.

"Sophie, you should try to understand us. We just want a grandson, an heir..."

Watching them leave, Sophie whispered into the, "But what about me ? It's fine—I'll grant you your wish."

Sophie had initially worried that Luke might notice the changes in the house and try to stop her from leaving.

But now, it was clear her concerns were unfounded.

Luke's heart had already strayed. Right now, his thoughts were entirely consumed by that child. There was no room for anything else.

But when she thought of her own lost child, Sophie's heart filled with a burning hatred.

If Luke knew that she, too, had carried his child, how would he feel?

Would he be as devastated as she was?