Before I could even process what had happened,Lennon burst through the bedroom door and sprinted downstairs.

He rushed down the stairs and dropped to his knees beside Winona,his usually composed,obsidian-like eyes now filled with panic and fear.

"Winona!Are you okay?Please don’t scare me!"

His hands trembled as he fumbled to call 911.

Winona,barely conscious,lifted her bloodied hand and shakily pointed at me."Mr.Shepherd…I don’t understand…why did your wife push me?Does she want me dead?"

"It wasn’t me!"I shouted,stunned."I didn’t even touch her!She fell on her own—"

Slap!

His palm cracked across my face.

The force of the blow made me stagger backward.Lennon shook out his stinging wrist and looked at me like I was a stranger.

"Meredith,have you lost your mind?Are you really that jealous?Winona is our guest.She’s blind.She’s done nothing but help you and this is how you treat her?"

The ambulance arrived swiftly.Lennon snapped at the paramedics to be careful as they moved Winona onto the stretcher.He threw one final look my way—filled with disgust—then climbed into the ambulance without another word.

I was left alone in the vast,empty villa.My cheek throbbed.My chest felt like it was caving in.

I had no idea how long I stood there in a daze before my phone rang.

It was Lennon.

"Winona took a bad fall,but the baby’s okay—thankfully.The doctor said she’ll need proper care or she could end up with long-term complications."

"Since this involved you,you should make her some soup and bring it to the hospital.Show some remorse.You see?She’s kind enough not to blame you."

At one in the morning,I stepped into her hospital room.

I had expected Lennon to be asleep—he was a creature of habit,always in bed by midnight.But the room was glowing with bright light.

Lennon stood behind Winona,gently massaging her temples,his hands slow and careful.

"She can’t sleep and I’m just helping her relax."

I did not say a word.

I remembered how I once told him I had terrible insomnia.Yet,when I told Lennon about it,he only turned over with a grunt and buried himself deeper under the blanket.

"Isn’t closing your eyes the same as resting?Don’t bother me.I have work in the morning."

The memory hit me like a punch to the gut.Bitterness rose in my throat.

I placed the soup quietly on the table and turned to leave,until suddenly…

"Edith."

His voice stopped me.

"It’s late.It’s not safe to go back now.Just stay the night."

That long-lost tone of concern made me hesitate.When I looked back and saw the worry etched on his face,something inside me wavered.

In the end,I bit my lip and gave a slight nod.But then,as if it were the most natural thing in the world,he gestured toward Winona’s legs.

"The doctor said her circulation’s poor.You’ve always been good with your hands—why don’t you massage her?"

I instinctively pulled back.

Winona reclined against the hospital bed with a pale,delicate expression and offered a soft,pity-laced smile."I heard you used to massage Mr.Shepherd every night after you two got married.Why the sudden hesitance now?Oh…I see.You're worried about your dignity,aren't you?Of course,you're the prestigious wife of Lennon Shepherd.How could you possibly stoop so low as to massage a blind woman like me?"

Lennon shot me a cold,disapproving glance."Why are you just standing there?Don’t forget—Winona got hurt because of you."

I drew a shaky breath,then slowly knelt by the bed and began massaging Winona’s legs.

She let out a soft,satisfied sigh and closed her eyes,like a queen accepting a servant's offering.

I remembered all those nights when Lennon came home exhausted from work.I had spent months learning massage just to soothe his stress,to give him comfort and care.

And now…he was asking me to do the same for his lover.

"Ow!"Winona shrieked."What’s wrong with you?That hurt!If you don’t want to do it,then don’t touch me!"

She suddenly recoiled in mock pain,pulling her leg away and kicking me hard under the chin.

"Oh—I'm so sorry!"she said sweetly,hands fluttering in fake distress."I forgot I was blind.I couldn’t see where I was kicking.Did I hurt you?"

Her kick knocked me backward and the back of my head slammed into the sharp edge of the cabinet.

My vision dimmed instantly.A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

The sharp,metallic scent of blood hit my nose.I reached behind my head and felt something warm and wet.My fingers came away slick with blood.

Fighting against the dizziness,I pulled myself upright,using the cabinet for support.

I could feel the blood trickling down the back of my neck,soaking through the collar of my shirt.

Lennon did not move an inch.Not even a glance in my direction.

"Lennon…"I whispered his name.My voice trembled with pain and disbelief.

"Quit playing the victim,"he replied coldly."Winona barely touched you."

Winona stepped behind him and smirked at me,satisfied.

"I feel so dizzy…"I pressed my palm to the wall to keep myself upright.The world around me began to blur,the hallway bleeding into red and gray.

Only then did Lennon finally look at me—and freeze when he saw the blood streaming down my face.

He hesitated,as if about to come over,but Winona clung to his sleeve."Lennon,my legs…they still hurt so much…"

He panicked immediately and swept her up into his arms without looking back at me.It was a kind nurse who rushed to help me,called the doctor and stayed by my side until I passed out.

I was hospitalized for three days and Lennon never came to see me.Not once.

When I went to collect my blood test results,I happened to pass by Winona’s ward.Inside,nurses were bustling in and out and laughter echoed through the hall.

I overheard them talking,full of admiration and envy.

"Mr.Shepherd is so attentive,Miss Myers,"one nurse gushed."He peels your apples and grapes too…even pours your water and gives you bath himself."

"She’s pregnant,you know.But right,he's so sweet.You’re so lucky to have such a devoted husband."

My chest caved in at their words.

I was the one who brought Winona into our lives—hired her to help Lennon with his condition.I even added her on social media,thinking she was kind.

Lately,she had been posting constantly.Every photo she posted was of him—holding her hand,smiling gently.On her wrist was his favorite bracelet,the one he never let anyone else touch.

Lennon and I had known each other since childhood and we had been married for years.Back then,even if I accidentally brushed against that bracelet,he would pull back almost swiftly.

But now,it was on her wrist.So,she was the one he truly loved,wasn’t she?

A sharp pain twisted in my chest.I instinctively placed a hand on my belly.

I had been so happy when I found out I was pregnant.But then,I overheard my own husband whisper to someone behind closed doors that even touching me made him feel dirty.That the baby I carried must be the child of some random homeless guy.

The memory made my whole body ache.

With trembling fingers,I walked to the OB-GYN reception desk and registered for an appointment.

I had made up my mind.

I would terminate the pregnancy.

Soon…just a few more days…and I would finally be free of Lennon Shepherd forever.

The abortion was scheduled for the afternoon,two days from now.I returned to the villa to gather the things I would need for recovery since there would be no one to look after me after the procedure.I would be on my own.

But the moment I stepped through the front door,I froze.

My belongings were scattered across the living room floor like trash.Clothes,books,skincare products—things that had once been part of my daily life—were now trampled underfoot by unfamiliar men and women in staff uniforms,walking around them as if stepping over dirt.

A hot,nauseating wave of rage and humiliation surged through my chest.

I stormed toward the bedroom.

"Lennon,what the hell is going on?"I demanded."Why are my things thrown out like this?"

His voice drifted from inside,calm and detached.

"Winona is injured and she needs a peaceful place to rest.She happened to like your room,so I gave it to her.You should feel honored."

I let out a bitter laugh,hollow and sharp like shattered glass.

"Is that all this is?A generous favor?Or are you just easing her into my role as lady of the house?"

His expression flickered—just for a second—but I caught the guilt before it vanished.

"Meredith Evans,don’t twist things.There’s nothing going on between Winona and me.We do nothing wrong."

Before I could respond,a shrill scream tore through the room.It was Winona’s voice,crying out from my bedroom.

"Lennon!My stomach—ah—it hurts!It hurts so much!"

Lennon rushed toward her.I followed,silent,watching her writhe on my bed,clutching her stomach.

What now?

"Lennon…the soup your wife made for me...something’s not right.It hurts…"

She weakly pointed to the bowl at the head of the bed,her voice trembling.

Lennon’s face twisted into a mask of rage.Without a word,he scooped her into his arms and glared at me like I was filth.

"I’m taking Winona to the hospital.If anything happens to her,I swear,you’ll pay for it.I’ll deal with you when I get back."

And just like that,he was gone.

I stood alone in the wake of his fury.The air in the room had turned cold and thick.

None of the servants dared to look at me.They simply bowed their heads and kept still,as if waiting for something terrible to happen.

I wandered back into the living room and stood before the mess that used to be my life.

My clothes and jewelry were strewn across the floor.Photo albums—even our wedding pictures—had all been ripped apart.

I knelt on the floor and picked up a photograph with trembling hands.It was on our wedding day.He had once vowed to protect me for the rest of his life.

And now,without even blinking,he had cast me out for another woman.

***

A few hours later,Lennon came back.

His face was dark,fury burning in his eyes.Before he even said a word,he slapped me hard as soon as he entered the door.

Slap!

I staggered backward,my vision momentarily going white.Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.

"Meredith,do you have any idea what you’ve done?"he roared,his voice sharper and colder than I had ever heard."Winona had a miscarriage!You killed her baby!"

"You heartless woman—you put something in the soup,didn’t you?Because you couldn’t stand to see her pregnant!"

I pressed a hand to my stinging cheek and slowly looked up at him.Then I laughed bitterly.

"So worked up,"I said bitterly."Because the baby in her belly was yours,right?"

His pupils shrank.He clearly was not expecting me to know.

"You...you knew?"

"I knew,"I replied coldly."I’ve known for a while.I know you’ve been sleeping with her behind my back.I know the baby was yours.And I know you’ve been dying to get rid of me so you could make space for her."

I paused,then added quietly,"So Lennon…let’s get a divorce."

His entire body stilled.His face turned pale,then darkened with rage.In the blink of an eye,he lunged forward and grabbed me by the throat,slamming me against the wall.

"Meredith Evans,what the hell did you just say?Divorce?I won’t allow it!"

His fingers tightened around my neck.My breath caught.Black spots danced before my eyes.And yet,I did not look away.

"Tell me,Lennon."When I spoke,my voice was barely a whisper."Did you ever love me?"

His grip loosened for a heartbeat.A flicker of panic passed through his eyes.But just as quickly,it was gone—buried beneath the seething rage.

"What does it matter now?You killed her baby!"

A broken laugh escaped my lips.

"Okay,"I said quietly."Thanks for finally giving me the closure I needed."

Thank you,Lennon,for shattering what little hope I had left,for making me realize there was nothing left to hold on to.

Soon,you would be free to stay with the woman you truly love,free from the woman you had never loved at all.