The nurse looked at Chase with clear disapproval. “Rosalie was poisoned this badly, and not a single family member stayed with her through the entire surgery. That’s incredibly irresponsible! Especially since she’s in a special condition—she’s preg...”

Rosalie cut her off softly, “It’s okay. I’m feeling much better now. Another patient probably needs you more. Please go.”

The nurse gave a few more instructions before leaving the room.

Curious, Chase asked, “Just now, the nurse said something about a special condition? She mentioned preg...”

Rosalie waved it off. “Nothing. I just happened to get my period.”

Chase didn’t press further and sat down beside her. “Rosalie, I know Isla has always been willful, but this time, she really crossed the line. I thought she was only being difficult with you. I didn’t expect things to get so serious. I’m sorry for what she did.”

“No need to apologize,” Rosalie said coldly, picking up her phone. “She poisoned me on purpose. I’m calling the police to have Isla arrested.”

Chase’s expression shifted instantly. He snatched the phone from her hand. “Rosalie, Isla already knows she was wrong. Do you have to be so unforgiving?”

Rosalie let out a cold laugh. “The doctor said if I’d come any later, I wouldn’t have made it. Do you think a simple ‘she knows she was wrong’ can fix this? You took my phone, but I have plenty of other ways to report this to the police.”

A flicker of coldness flashed in Chase’s eyes. His voice hardened. “Rosalie, I’ll have people erase every trace of the poisoning. Even if you report it, there won’t be any proof. Don’t waste your energy.”

Rosalie clenched her fists tightly. “What right do you have to do this?”

But after a long pause, she gave in wearily. “Forget it.”

After all, she was about to leave soon, carrying the baby with her. She didn’t want to stir up more trouble.

Chase noticed how she turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze. A strange feeling stirred inside him, but he pushed it aside.

Isla, with only a mild sprain, was still admitted to the same hospital as Rosalie.

For days, Chase busied himself in Isla’s hospital room, bringing in the best medical team despite the minor injury.

Chase himself carefully prepared and fed every meal Isla ate to her.

Meanwhile, Rosalie recovered alone, but she often caught nurses whispering nearby with envy, “I wish I had a brother like him! So handsome, rich, and attentive. I heard his wife is here too, she had severe bleeding and needed a stomach pump. Her condition was much worse than Isla’s, but Chase barely visited her. It’s like he only truly cares about his sister…”

Rosalie didn’t pay attention to the gossip. All she wanted was to keep her baby safe.

One night, stepping outside for some fresh air, she passed Isla’s room and overheard her voice inside.

“Of course, I know Chase has been in love with me for a long time. But I never said a word. The only reason I stayed with the Hollis family was to take their fortune for myself. I’m just an adopted daughter. Money is the only thing that matters.”

“This whole drama was a test to see how much Chase really loves me. His wife nearly died because of me, but after a few tears, Chase was so worried only about me and ignored her completely. With a fool so blinded by love, I can definitely use him to destroy the Hollis family someday…”

Rosalie frowned slightly, never expecting Isla to harbor such deep malice toward the Hollis family. The poisoning wasn’t just a cruel act; it was a test of Chase’s loyalty. The love he poured out so freely had been wasted on someone so cold and calculating. It was almost laughable.

Just then, Chase’s cold voice cut through the air from behind her. “Rosalie, what are you sneaking around for? Planning to hurt Isla again?”

He reached out and grabbed her wrist, but then his eyes locked onto her hand, and he froze. “Where’s your wedding ring?”

Since they married, Rosalie had never taken that ring off. But now, her left ring finger was bare.

A hollow ache settled in Chase’s chest.

“I threw it away,” Rosalie said calmly, pulling her hand free, her voice light and distant.

Chase’s heart skipped a sharp beat. His grip on Rosalie’s wrist tightened instinctively.

“That’s our wedding ring; how could you just throw it away?”

Rosalie answered casually, “I’ve put on some weight lately. The ring doesn’t fit anymore, so I tossed it.”

That was only part of the truth. More importantly, now that she had succeeded in getting pregnant, there was no need to keep up the charade of a loving marriage with Chase.

Suddenly, a startled cry echoed from Isla’s hospital room. “Ah!”

Chase rushed over without hesitation. “Isla, what happened?”

“Brother, I accidentally fell out of bed…”

He gently lifted her back onto the mattress, concern flooding his eyes.

But his gaze lingered on Rosalie’s retreating figure.

The wedding ring on his own hand suddenly felt painfully out of place.

Isla called his name several times, breaking through his reverie. “Brother, I’m hurt. Can you massage it for me?”

As Chase massaged her injury, his mind kept drifting back to his earlier conversation with Rosalie.

Isla pouted softly, “Brother, I want that pear blossom cake from Roseville Bakery tomorrow. Will you get it for me?”

Chase, who had always spoiled her, surprised himself by refusing this time. “No. You’d have to wait in line for hours. I’ll have my assistant pick it up for you. Rosalie is being discharged tomorrow. I need to bring her home.”

The ride back was quiet, filled only with the hum of the engine and a heavy silence.

Suddenly, Chase broke the stillness. “If the ring doesn’t fit anymore, it can be resized. But since you threw it away, I’ve already booked an appointment with the designer to make a new one for you. It’s set for three days from now; he’ll reach out to you.”

Three days.

Rosalie froze; that was exactly the day she planned to leave.

She replied with a faint shrug, “Hmm.” After all, she had no intention of ever wearing that ring again.

Chase didn’t notice anything unusual and felt a small wave of relief wash over him.

But just as they stepped inside, a hospital report slipped from Rosalie’s bag and fluttered to the floor.

Chase reached to pick it up, but Rosalie was quicker.

It was her pregnancy report.

Chase caught a fleeting glimpse of a uterine ultrasound, and a spark of excitement stirred in his chest. “Rosalie, are you pre—”

Before he could finish, Rosalie cut him off coolly, “The poisoning was severe this time. It damaged my uterus, so the doctor ordered an ultrasound.”

A hollow ache settled in Chase’s heart, though a nagging doubt still lingered. “Rosalie, let me see your report—”

But she interrupted again, her voice sharp. “Chase, Isla isn’t as innocent as she seems. She’s been scheming all along, using you to destroy the Hollis family.”

That single accusation ignited a flare of rage in Chase, and the pregnancy report slipped completely from his mind.

His face darkened with a shadow of pain. “Rosalie, I know Isla went too far this time, but she’s been shaken by those recent murders. Her mind is fragile, and when she hurt you, she wasn’t in control. You’re fine now, so why keep holding on to this grudge and staining her name? Isla has always been kind…”

Rosalie opened her mouth to reply but fell silent.

There was no reason with someone so determined to destroy. She had done her part to warn him that if Chase refused to believe her, that was his burden.

From what she understood, between the twin brothers Chase and Easton, the family had always favored Chase. Easton had never found happiness there. He had confided in her more than once, sharing the pain of growing up in such an unfair home. Given all that, what happened in the Hollis family was no longer her concern.

Rosalie stepped into the guest room, voice cool. “Do as you please.”

Chase followed close behind. “Rosalie…”

But she blocked the door firmly. “Since Isla’s ‘mental trauma’ won’t heal anytime soon, we won’t be sharing a room for the next few days.”

A surge of frustration crashed over Chase. Rosalie had always longed for his attention, even craved his touch. But now, time and again, she pushed him away.

His temper flared, sharp and restless.

Then, as if a sudden realization struck him, he said softly, “Rosalie, are you jealous of me and Isla?”

The heavyweight in his chest seemed to ease immediately. “Isla has always been fragile. Naturally, I’ve had to protect her more. And yes, you’ve suffered a lot these past few days. But I told you from the beginning. I can give you everything except my love.”

“You always wanted to paint your portrait on Hollingsworth Mountain, right? I’ll go with you. No more anger.”

Rosalie’s expression softened, a quiet warmth blooming.

Hollingsworth Mountain was the place where she and Easton first fell in love. They never cared much for photos, and now, with Easton gone, the only way she could remember him was through a portrait in Chase’s likeness.

Seizing the chance to capture that moment before leaving the country felt like a blessing.

A gentle smile spread across her face. “Alright.”

Chase relaxed fully, a rare smile curving his lips.

Just then, Isla’s voice called out again. “Brother, I still want that pear blossom cake from Roseville Bakery. The one you get yourself.”

Without hesitation, Chase replied, “I’ll go get it for you right now.”

After that, Rosalie received a string of biting messages from Isla.

[Rosalie, know your place. In my brother’s heart, you’re not worth even a single strand of my hair.]

[See all this jewelry? My brother bought every piece at an auction; it even made the front page in the capital!]

[You’ve been married to him for three years. Has he ever treated you like this?]

[He cooks for me personally, preparing anything I crave…]

[Don’t even think about driving a wedge between us.]

[Cross me, and my brother will make sure you burn in hell…]

Over the years, Isla had thrown barbs at her, both openly and behind her back, but Rosalie had always brushed them aside.

Today, however, her emotions surged like a storm.

Today marked the anniversary of her love for Easton.

She stood on Hollingsworth Mountain, waiting for Chase to arrive and pose for her painting.

He had promised he would come, but now he was late, still off buying jewelry for Isla at a New Year Eve’s celebration.

Memories of her sweet past with Easton flooded Rosalie’s heart like a rising tide. Yesterday had been filled with love, but today, the man was gone, and so was their love.

All that remained was her and their ailing child left to face the world alone.

How could she not be overwhelmed by the bittersweet scenery and haunting memories?

Tears streamed freely down her cheeks, endless and unrelenting.

She called Chase many times, but each call went unanswered.

Finally, she turned off her phone, surrendering to silence.

Without a model, she began to paint from memory, capturing the moment Easton had confessed his love to her atop Hollingsworth Mountain.

She painted their tender exchanges: giving flowers, embracing, sealing their love in a silent promise.

By the time the final stroke fell, the sun had swallowed its last golden ray.

Rosalie collapsed on the grass, tears still falling, and drifted into sleep, sinking deep into the echoes of her memories.

When Chase arrived at Hollingsworth Mountain, he found her there, cradling “his portrait,” a gentle smile on her sleeping face.

Moonlight bathed her features, stirring something deep within Chase’s chest.

He looked at the painting himself, passionately kissing her, and his heart thundered.

He hadn’t shown up, yet Rosalie had painted this imagined scene of love.

Did she love him this much?

Chase reached out and gently lifted her from the grass.

That’s when his eyes caught a small notebook that had slipped from her bag.

Curiosity nudged him to pick it up and flip it open. Inside, a collection of love letters she had written “to him” lay revealed.

“My dearest Hollis, I will love you for ten thousand years.”

“My dearest Hollis, my love for you will never die…”

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

Some letters dated back ten years.

He couldn’t believe that she had loved him all that time.

A warm smile spread across his lips as an indescribable sweetness bloomed in his chest.

At that moment, her eyes fluttered open, locking on the notebook in his hands. Her expression shifted instantly. “You…”

But Chase grasped her hand gently and met her gaze with deep emotion. “Rosalie, I never imagined your love ran this deep. There’s a meteor shower soon. They say if you wish for love beneath it, unexpected blessings will come since we’re here together. Let’s indulge your love; make a wish with me.”

Brilliant meteors soon streaked across the night sky.

Beneath the ancient maple tree, their fingers intertwined as their eyes gently closed, each lost in a silent wish.

Rosalie didn’t correct his quiet misunderstanding.

Instead, she gazed at the man before her, mistaking him for the one who had captured her heart and slipped away.

With a devoted, blissful smile, she whispered a wish for love to bloom again in the next life.