Simone didn't go home. Instead, she rushed to Elvane overnight with Thalia's body to get an official assessment of the cause of death.

Anthony was untouchable in Avenport. She couldn't do anything to him there, but she would still fight to get justice for Thalia.

"Ms. Nolan, doing business with our boss comes with a price."

"Name your price. I'll pay up." Simone was still stunningly beautiful, but a pair of sunglasses hid her swollen eyes.

"We don't want money. Our boss wants you, Ms. Nolan." The person across from her slid a marriage contract across the table.

Simone's back went rigid, and her nails dug into her palms. She'd heard that Elvane's most elite scion was a vicious, cruel, and impotent man who was terminally ill. He was hunting for a bride to turn things around.

After a long moment, she said faintly, "Alright. I'll do it."

She'd lost everything, and she now only had one wish—to lay Thalia to rest in peace. Marrying this elite scion wouldn't make her lose anything, would it? She wasn't scared of that.

"We'll need three days to prepare. The boss will personally go to Avenport to deal with this, then bring you back to Elvane."

Simone nodded. Her throat was raw as she said, "I understand. I'll get Anthony to sign the divorce papers as soon as possible."

Three days. Anthony had set their wedding for three days from now, too.

Simone quickly signed the marriage contract. Her hair fell forward, shadowing the flash of sorrow at the corner of her mouth.

…

Anthony didn't come home that night. When he finally returned the next day, he held Winona in his arms. She'd just had surgery, and she was leaning heavily against his shoulder. Her face was pale. Her eyes were full of longing as she looked at him.

She didn't look like his sister-in-law at all. She looked much more like his bride.

Simone stood barefoot on the cold floor as she cradled her cat, Button. She listened to Anthony meticulously give the butler, Greg Smith, various instructions.

"Redo the house to match Winona's tastes. I'm going to care for her myself."

"Yes, sir."

"Winona likes white rugs, so replace this warm-toned one. She's allergic to roses; make sure there's not a single petal in this house! She's just had surgery, so she needs to stay in the warmest room with the best sunlight."

Silence descended upon the villa as soon as the words were out of Anthony's mouth.

Everyone turned to look at Simone. They all knew that she loved roses, that sunlit room, and playing with Button on that warm-toned carpet.

She lowered her gaze as she stroked Button's ear. She didn't even look up.

Anthony seemed to realize something and frowned at her. "Simone, Winona's just had surgery. You should be considerate of her."

Simone finally looked up, and her lips curved up mockingly. "If I object, would it stop you? How many of my things have you taken to give to her by now?"

Her tone was cool, but the hand hidden in her sleeve wouldn't stop shaking. Anthony had already taken her and Thalia's kidneys to give to Winona, hadn't he? Had her refusal ever mattered?

Winona's face became even paler. She bit her lip and tugged Anthony's sleeve. "Anthony, since Simone doesn't want me here, I should leave."

"Simone Nolan!" Anthony's expression went cold at once. He shot her a warning look. "Don't push it."

His words made Simone's shoulders tremble. So, a person really could be so partial to someone else. He'd given Simone's health, her right to have kids, and his love to Winona.

Even so, it wasn't enough for him.

"Fine. Give her everything." Simone turned and walked away before her tears fell.

If this love wasn't meant to be hers, then she didn't want it anymore.

…

Simone stayed in the pet room with Button. It was the only place where she could stay in that sprawling villa.

She vaguely heard Winona's voice. "Anthony, is Simone upset? Maybe you should go comfort her."

Anthony said coolly, "Leave her be. She's spoiled, so a little hardship will help wear her temper down."

Simone clutched a small box in her hands and bit her lip hard. Inside was Thalia's ashes.

"Don't cry, Simone. I'll protect you when I grow up!"

Simone remembered Thalia waving a magic wand around while clad in a hospital gown.

"Alright, I'll wait. The doctor said you'll be all cured soon. When that day comes, I'll take you to a theme park, okay?"

"Okay!"

Thalia's laughter still echoed in Simone's ears, yet in the blink of an eye, she lay in that tiny box, saying nothing at all.

Simone hugged her knees and curled up in a corner. She sobbed so hard that she couldn't breathe.

Outside the room, Anthony kept getting things for Winona to celebrate her discharge from the hospital. Their laughter rang out in waves, so lively that they seemed to be in a different world.

…

When night fell, Anthony finally returned to the master bedroom.

Simone sat by the bed. There was a pot of cold tea at her elbow. It gave off a slightly bitter scent that filled the room.

He looked at her, abruptly struck by how much weight she'd lost. Her already slender wrists looked so thin now that they were mere skin and bones. It was almost as if she would vanish at any second.

"Simone, why aren't you asleep yet?" He softened his tone and pulled her into his arms. "Don't be upset about what happened today. My brother, Andrew, died young, leaving Winona on her own. She's so frail, too.

"I'm thinking about throwing her a birthday party tomorrow. Why don't you help me plan it? You know what young women like yourself like best."

Anthony looked at Simone. His voice was brimming with excitement and joy.

Simone felt like something was lodged in her throat. She asked softly, "Do you remember what day tomorrow is?"

He frowned. "No. What?"

The color drained from her face, but she forced a smile. "It's nothing."

Tomorrow was her parents' death anniversary.

Ever since they got married, Anthony had accompanied her on visits to the cemetery each year to pay her respects. To spare her feelings, he never did anything celebratory on that day. He would just quietly stay by her side.

But now, he'd forgotten. The man who'd once loved and protected her now only had eyes for Winona.

Simone drew a long breath, suppressed her raging emotions, and took out the divorce agreement. She covered the top half, leaving only the signature line visible as she slid it to Anthony.

He frowned. "What's this?"

Before she could answer, there came a commotion outside the door. "Mr. Lancaster, something's wrong! Ms. Stone has collapsed from poisoning!"

Anthony's face instantly turned ashen. He strode out of the bedroom, crying, "Winona, what happened?"

Simone was stunned. As she rose to follow, Anthony suddenly turned back, making her jump. He shoved the door open and snapped, "What did you put in that cake you made, Simone? Winona passed out after eating it!"

He spotted the box by Simone's pillow and sneered. "How dare you poison the cake!"

She was dumbstruck. "I didn't! You don't believe me?"

His eyes were bloodshot as he jabbed a finger at Winona's bluish face and the white foam at her lips. He roared, "How am I supposed to believe you? Wasn't hurting her once enough for you?"

He didn't wait for Simone to explain. He snatched the box from the bed and hurled it out the window. "Filth."

"No!" Simone screamed and lunged for it, but all she saw was the box opening in midair. The ashes burst forth and scattered like snowflakes. They got swept away by a gust of wind until nothing remained.

She could almost hear the cracking of her heart as it smashed into thousands of pieces. Nothing could put it back together again.

In a ward on the third floor of Lancaster Hospital, Anthony wiped the sweat from Winona's brow and tucked her in. "Thank goodness she only had heart palpitations. Nothing major happened."

Simone stood dumbly by the bed, clutching an empty box with both hands. She was like a lifeless puppet.

When Anthony turned and saw her like that, his heart ached, and his throat tightened. He pressed his lips together and pulled her into his arms.

Her usually bright and lively eyes had lost all their color and gone dull. He said, "I'm sorry, Simone. I was wrong to blame you. The cake was fine."

He rested his chin on top of her head, gently stroking her back over and over. That was when he noticed that she was trembling. She was still clutching the box tightly.

"Simone, what's wrong? What was in the box?" Anthony bent down gently to meet her lowered gaze. Then, he flinched at the redness in them.

He finally realized something was wrong, and panic crept in. "Are you feeling sick? I'll go get a stethoscope."

He hurried out, leaving only Simone and Winona in the room.

Winona opened her eyes and sat up in bed. A sharp smile cut across her face. She didn't look sick at all.

She sneered. "Why are you like a piece of gum, Simone? Why is it impossible to shake you off? Haven't you noticed that I just need to put on a simple act each time to make you end up beaten so badly that you can't get up?"

She leaned in and whispered in Simone's ear, "For example, that baseless abduction back then."

Simone saw the smugness in her eyes and asked hoarsely, "Did you stage the abduction?"

"Uh-huh. And that little incident at your wedding? That was me, too." Winona smirked. "Anthony is mine. Since you dared to steal him from me, consider this a lesson for you and your sister. I hope you both enjoyed it."

Shock and rage crashed over Simone. She saw red, and she slapped Winona hard across the face. "Enjoy it? I hope you enjoy this slap, then!"

She'd put all her strength into it, so Winona's cheek turned red and swelled in an instant.

"How dare you hit me, you wretch! Aren't you afraid Anthony will punish you?" Winona screeched.

Simone stiffened for a beat at Anthony's name. Then, she curled her lip. "You're right. He won't help me, which is why I'll settle my own scores!"

She raised both hands and landed two more sharp slaps on Winona's face.

Winona shrieked in pain. She was about to strike back when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Her gaze turned vicious in an instant. "Wanna make a bet, Simone? Anthony will always choose me."

With that, she clamped onto Simone and dragged her along as she hurled herself out the window. Outside, a thicket bristled with sharp, thorny bushes.

Winona sounded like she was about to cry as she screamed, "Anthony, help me! Simone wants to kill me!"

Anthony shot to the window like an arrow. His eyes bulged as he watched the two women fall together.

Calvin rushed up behind him, shouting, "Mr. Lancaster, there's only time to save one person. Choose now!"

Anthony's gaze locked onto Simone. But a second later, he reached out and grabbed Winona's arm, hauling her into the safety of his embrace.

He held her tightly, relieved that she'd escaped harm. "Thank goodness, Winona. Thank goodness you're safe."

She curled up in his arms tearfully, but the smug smile at the corner of her lips pierced Simone's eyes. She mouthed to Simone, "Gum."

In that instant, Simone's blood ran cold, and her limbs went numb. Her heart ached so badly that it went numb.

She shut her eyes in despair, feeling her body fall into the thorny bushes below.

It turned out that Anthony had truly never loved her at all.

She landed with a loud bang.

…

Simone had a long, long dream.

In it, she was brought back to that torrential night four years ago—the night that turned out to be a nightmare.

She stood barefoot in a pool of blood. Her hands were shaking as she called for an ambulance. The call was answered by a man whose voice was deep and steady. "Hello? Please tell me what happened."

Simone fought to keep her voice level. "We crashed on the Seavern Bridge. My mom and dad are both unconscious. Please hurry! Please, I'm begging you!"

The doctor on the other end quickly rattled off a series of first-aid steps for her to follow. "Hang in there, miss! We're on our way!"

The ambulance soon arrived, and that same doctor came with it. He stayed calm, directing the rescue with precise, swift measures.

This time, in the dream, Simone finally saw the doctor's face clearly. It was Anthony.

So, he was the one who'd tried to save her parents back then.

Under the crushing weight of the trauma, Simone's brain had blurred the memory as a defensive measure. It explained why she'd felt an inexplicable peace and reliance on Anthony when meeting him again.

He had been her lifeline in a huge crisis, leading her out of the shadow of her parents' fatal crash. He had painted a vivid streak of color across her gray world.

But in the next breath, she was pinned to a cold operating table.

Anthony donned a mask and raised a scalpel. His eyes gleamed icily behind his glasses. He was ready to cut her open alive.

"No, don't! Anthony, it's me, Simone! Please don't!"

Simone screamed and struggled, calling his name over and over. The only response she got was the sickening scrape as the scalpel sliced into flesh.

"This is the debt you owe, Simone."

With those words, the blade sank into her. Blood splattered onto the hem of Anthony's pristine clothes, but he didn't even flinch. He held up a fresh, warm kidney in his hand.

It was her left kidney.

Simone screamed and jolted awake, staring straight into a pair of familiar eyes.

Anthony's eyes were bloodshot, and there were bruises underneath them. He looked like he'd kept watch over Simone for a long time.

"Simone, you're awake!" He grabbed her hand excitedly.

She flinched instinctively and yanked her hand back. She stared at him coldly.

His smile froze, and he felt like someone had gripped his heart and squeezed. He pressed his lips together. "Simone, with how things were, I could only save the person closest to me. And besides, you did push Winona out…"

Simone's bloodless lips trembled as she stared at him in disbelief. "I didn't push her! She grabbed me and threw herself out the window!"

Anthony looked at her as disappointment clouded his eyes. "Simone, I always thought you were kind. I never imagined you'd lie through your teeth like this. I'm honestly heartbroken."

She opened her mouth but couldn't force out a single word. Tears pooled in her eyes, stubbornly refusing to fall.

"Don't act like you're the victim here. The palm prints on Winona's face are proof!" he growled.

Simone shut her eyes and turned her face away as her tears spilled, soaking the pillow. Her voice shook as she asked, "Would you believe me if I told you that Winona's abduction back then isn't what you think it is?"

The room fell briefly silent. Anthony sighed. "Don't do this, Simone."

Simone's clenched fists suddenly loosened weakly. She laughed so hard that her body trembled, then asked softly, "Did you ever love me, Anthony? Even just a bit."

He furrowed his brows as he stroked her back, soothing her. "I love you, Simone. Of course, I do. Stop crying, okay? It'll be our third wedding anniversary in two days. Let's have another ceremony then, alright?"

He pressed his lips to her forehead, then to her reddened eyes. "I'll marry you again. Once Winona is better, I'll send her back to Lancaster Manor. We'll go back to how things used to be."

Simone lay on the hospital bed while staring blankly at the ceiling. From the moment Anthony dug out her kidney with his own hands three years ago, there was no going back.

…

Anthony didn't leave to attend Winona's birthday party, maybe because he was worried about Simone. He stayed at the hospital, never leaving her side. He fed her water and medicine, tending to her bit by bit.

He told her funny stories from the various hospital departments, making the young nurses laugh until they doubled over.

He made her restorative herbal broths, even testing them on himself, just to get the effects just right. He checked her medical records over and over, terrified he might miss the slightest change.

Simone overheard the nurses chatting outside her room.

"Which god do you think I should worship to snag a man as perfect as Dr. Lancaster?"

"Dream on. Handsome guys always go with beautiful women. Dr. Lancaster's significant other has to be a knockout like Mrs. Lancaster."

Another curse cut in, "But Mrs. Lancaster is so cold to him. Did they get into a fight?"

"It's nothing to worry about. Whenever Mrs. Lancaster gets mad, Dr. Lancaster cheers her up in no time. Just wait—I bet the silent treatment will end by tomorrow morning."

"I say tonight. They always kiss and make up so quickly!"

Their chatter carried into the room. Anthony chuckled and feigned anger. "What are you all babbling about? I'll have the department head dock your pay if you disturb my wife!"

In the past, Simone would blush at moments like this. This time, she simply drank her water quietly, not even glancing up.

A strange feeling rose in Anthony's chest. Simone seemed different.

"Sign here. I found a place I like in the south of the city." She took out the divorce agreement again.

Before Anthony could take a closer look, his phone rang. Winona's name flashed across his screen, and he frowned, losing all focus on the document.

He quickly signed and left the room to take the call in the hallway.

Simone took back the divorce agreement. She let out a long, steady breath as she stared at his bold signature. Finally, she was free.

She pulled out her phone and texted that mysterious number. "It's done."

A reply came almost instantly. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."

She locked her phone, feeling settled at long last.

Out in the hall, whatever Winona said made Anthony's expression shift drastically. He refused loudly at first, then closed his eyes in agony as she broke down in sobs.

"Fine, I'll do it. But this is the last time."

…

That night, Simone suddenly felt stabbing cramps in her lower abdomen. At first, she could bear it. Then, the pain grew stronger. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her whole body felt torn apart.

As her consciousness started fading, she reached out and shook Anthony, who was dozing with his head propped up by her bed.

"Anthony…"

He snapped awake, gripping her hand in a panic. "What's wrong, Simone?"

"My stomach hurts… My baby!" She bit her lip hard, and the color drained completely from her delicate, pretty face.

Her vision tunneled and went black. Just before she lost consciousness, she saw Anthony hold her hand tightly. His eyes were dark with something unfathomable.

He murmured, "It'll be okay, Simone. Everything will be okay."

Simone didn't know how much time had passed. It felt like she was back on that cold operating table with a sudden emptiness yawning inside her.

A machine's beeping cut through the air.

"Dr. Lancaster, we've removed the placenta from Mrs. Lancaster. It's intact."

"Send it back to the villa immediately!"