On the day of our wedding, my fiancé was killed in a tragic car accident on his way to pick me up.

Just like that, I became a widow. And the child growing inside me became fatherless before even entering this world.

The trauma shattered me. I spiraled into a deep psychological breakdown, consumed by despair, plagued with thoughts of ending my life. However, everyone pleaded with me to hold on—for the sake of the baby.

On the day of the funeral, my husband’s older brother, Ryan, and his wife returned from Africa to pay their respects.

When I looked at him—his face almost identical to my husband’s—I found myself slipping into confusion, again and again.

But then, outside my mother-in-law’s bedroom, I overheard a conversation that shook me to my core.

“You really faked your death and ran off just to be with that foreign woman? Aileen is carrying your child! You staged this whole act just to bring that vixen home?”

After a long silence, his voice finally responded, soft but unmistakable.

“Ivy is terminally ill. The doctors said she only has six months left at most. Once those six months are up, Aileen will have given birth by then, and everything will return to normal. We'll be one happy family again.”

It was in that moment the truth hit me—my husband hadn’t died at all. This so-called brother-in-law was none other than my husband, Wendel, in disguise.

I clenched my fists, fighting the trembling of my body as I sent a message to my brother, who works in a covert government agency overseas.

[Brother, help me stage an accident. If Wendel can fake his death, so can I. Let’s give him a taste of his own medicine.]

Even after sending the message, my hands wouldn't stop shaking.

——

Inside, their conversation continued.

“Do you really think this is fair to Aileen? If it weren’t for the baby, she would’ve followed you to the grave. She’s like a ghost—she can’t eat, she can’t sleep. Even I feels heartbroken watching her like this.”

Wendel let out a deep sigh.

“But Ivy only has six months. This is her last wish. I can’t let her down.”

“As for Aileen, I’ll have the rest of my life to make it up to her. Don’t worry, Mom...”

It felt like a giant hand had gripped my heart, squeezing until the pain reached every corner of my body. I could barely breathe.

I staggered back to my room, collapsing to my knees just as my phone rang—it was my brother.

“What’s wrong, Aileen? What happened? Wasn’t Wendel supposed to be dead?”

I wanted to respond, but the moment I opened my mouth, tears fell uncontrollably.

Yes. As far as the world knew, Wendel was dead.

I understood my brother’s confusion. Even I couldn’t have imagined that my husband would fake his death—and all for another woman.

Even though I couldn’t speak, my brother seemed to pick up on my silence. After a pause, he spoke gently.

“I’ll send a plane the night after tomorrow. I’ll take care of everything else.”

When the call ended, I stayed frozen in place, still clutching the phone.

That’s when a soft knock came at the door.

Outside stood my so-called brother-in-law—Wendel—holding a glass of milk.

“What’s wrong, Aileen? Why are you sitting on the floor? Are you crying again? Are you missing Wendel?”

Ever since his return in this disguise, he had been incredibly kind to me, acting the part of a grieving older brother-in-law. As if I really were his late younger brother’s widow.

Each time he showed concern, I felt dazed and lost. My mother-in-law chalked it up to grief.

I quickly locked my phone and forced a smile.

“I’m fine. Just a little stomach discomfort. I lost my balance, that’s all.”

Wendel finally let out a breath of relief, placing the glass of warm milk to the side. He carefully helped me up from the floor.

“This little one is already being stubborn,” he said with a soft chuckle. “When he’s born, his uncle is going to have a serious talk with him.”

“Come on now, drink the milk I warmed up for you and get some rest. Don’t overthink things. If Wendel were watching from above, he wouldn’t be at ease seeing you like this.”

The moment he mentioned that name, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I lifted my head, stared him straight in the eye, and asked, each word weighted with accusations.

"Are you really not Wendel?"

He froze for a second, then smiled gently as he patted my head.

“Don’t be silly. How could I be Wendel? Now drink your milk and get some sleep. Tomorrow I’ll go with you for the prenatal checkup. Discomfort during pregnancy is no small matter.”

"This is the only bloodline Wendel left in this world. I have to make sure he arrives safely."

I lowered my eyes, unable to bear the false concern in his gaze any longer.

"Please leave. I’m tired and need to rest."

When I heard the soft sound of the door closing, the tears I had been holding in all night finally surged out.

I first met Wendel at a freshman meet-up in university. He fell in love with me at first sight and pursued me relentlessly.

Naturally, we fell in love. Two years after graduation, Wendel gave me an extravagant proposal.

I still remember, the fireworks filled the sky, reflecting in his eyes. His gaze was even more captivating than the fireworks themselves.

During the wedding planning, I discovered I was pregnant. At the time, Wendel looked at me with such anticipation.

"The baby came at the perfect time. He’s here to celebrate Mom and Dad's marriage. Aileen, I’m the happiest man in the world."

But to this day, I still don’t understand why Wendel, who had cherished me for six years, chose to cheat, even going so far as to fake his death to avoid our wedding.

The next morning, Wendel knocked on my door.

"Aileen, today’s your check-up day. Have you gotten ready?"

But just as we were about to leave, Ivy’s voice rang out from behind us.

"Ryan, I’m feeling a little unwell today. Can you stay home and keep me company?"

Upon hearing Ivy’s voice, Wendel didn’t even glance at me. He immediately rushed over to her.

"Did you forget to take your medicine again? If you’re not feeling well, lie down in bed. Don’t get up and move around. What if you faint?"

After saying this, Wendel turned around and gave me a quick look. "Sorry, Aileen. Your sister-in-law is not feeling well. I might not be able to go with you to the hospital."

"Don’t worry, the driver is waiting outside. He’ll take you to the hospital safely. I’ve already arranged everything with the doctor. Just go straight there."

I closed my eyes, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over.

When I opened them again, I didn’t miss the brief, smug expression that flashed across Ivy’s face.

Without saying a word, I nodded and turned, walking straight out of the door.

The sound of the door closing echoed in my ears. I instinctively cradled my belly as the tears finally spilled, falling hard and fast.

The driver arrived promptly and took me to the hospital, where I underwent all the necessary tests under the doctor’s instructions.

Wendel had previously instructed the driver and doctor to keep an eye on me—if I didn’t come to the hospital, he’d start asking questions.

Sitting on a bench in the hospital, I looked down at the ultrasound report in my hands.

In the black-and-white image, there was a tiny, peanut-sized circle. The doctor said that it was my baby.

But I couldn’t accept it. My child had an unfaithful father.

I wiped away my tears harshly and booked an appointment at another hospital.

This was Fleming family's private hospital, and if I had surgery here, Wendel would definitely find out.

I called the driver and told him I wanted to shop myself, asking him to go back without me.

I hid behind the hospital gate until the driver’s car disappeared from my view, then I walked out and hailed a cab to another hospital.

Just before I entered the operating room, a video message arrived on my phone.

The video was half an hour long, and in it, Wendel was completely out of control, a side of him I had never seen before.

In the six years we’d been together, Wendel had always been gentle. Even in bed, he was always careful not to hurt me.

It turned out he wasn’t naturally composed, but simply that the one who could ignite his passion was never me.

I torturously watched the video, wanting to see this unfamiliar side of Wendel.

I didn’t know how long I stared, but eventually, a nurse walked over to me.

"Miss Aileen? Are you alright? It's time for you to enter the operating room."

I hadn’t even realized it, but as the video played, I was crying harder and harder.

When the nurse spoke to me, I realized I was shaking all over, my hand trembling uncontrollably as I held the phone.

And what was even more shameful, I discovered, was that I still loved Wendel, even now.

He wasn’t an object that could be discarded when broken, nor was he just a friend to be cut off when unhappy.

He was a living, breathing person, my lover for six whole years, and my love for him had become an instinct deep in my bones.

For six years, everyone said that Wendel loved me like his life, but how had I treated him? Hadn’t I also devoted myself to him for these six years?

It wasn’t until this moment that I realized—how could I let go? I truly couldn’t.

Thinking about the fetal heartbeat I had heard during the check-up earlier, I wiped my tears fiercely. I took a deep breath, and decided to give both my child and Wendel one last chance.

Clenching my phone tightly, I dialed Wendel’s number.

"Can you come over? I need to talk to you."

Wendel’s voice was strangely hoarse, as if he were holding something back.

"Aileen, I’ve still got something to do here. Let the driver take you home, and we can talk when you get back..."

A muffled grunt followed, and then the call ended, replaced by the mechanical beeping of the phone.

We were both adults, so I knew exactly what Wendel was doing on the other end of the line.

After a moment of shock, I looked up at the nurse waiting beside me.

"It’s fine now. I’m ready for the surgery."

By the time I got home after the surgery, it was already dark. As soon as I stepped through the door, Wendel rushed over to greet me.

"The driver said you went shopping after your check-up. Why didn’t you bring anything back? Didn’t you find anything you liked?"

But halfway through his sentence, he noticed my swollen, red eyes.

"What happened, Aileen? Why are your eyes so swollen? Have you been crying? Did you think about Wendel again during your check-up today?"

"It’s alright. The baby in your belly is Wendel’s child. It’s a kind of connection."

"By the way, didn’t you say you wanted to talk to me about something?"

I studied Wendel’s features carefully. He was still as handsome as before, his eyes full of my reflection.

Just like in the video Ivy had sent this afternoon.

I lowered my gaze, avoiding his eyes.

"It’s nothing. I just wanted to ask if there’s anything you wanted me to bring back."

Wendel’s shoulders seemed to relax, as if a huge weight pressing down oh him was lifted.