That should have been the end of it.

But just then, a child at the next table suddenly collapsed, his body convulsing violently as he fell off his chair. White foam frothed at his mouth, his limbs jerking uncontrollably.

His family panicked, their faces stricken with fear. It was clear they had never encountered this before. Desperate, they called for help, but I knew the child wouldn’t last until the ambulance arrived.

Without hesitation, I stepped forward.

I quickly placed chopsticks horizontally into his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue, then began administering first aid. Slowly, his convulsions subsided, and the foaming stopped—but his eyes remained unfocused, dazed.

I turned to his parents. “Take him to the hospital now while he’s stable.”

But before they could react, Faye suddenly rushed forward.

She shoved me aside, stuffed a pill into the child’s mouth, and gently wiped his face with a tissue, her movements practiced and careful.

Moments later, the child blinked, his consciousness returning. His family sighed in relief, their panic melting into gratitude. They turned to thank me—only for Faye to step in, blocking their way.

“I’m a doctor,” she declared with a warm, reassuring smile. “It’s my duty to save lives. I’ve given him medicine, and he won’t have another attack. If you ever need help again, just come find me at the Pioneer Medical Center.”

Her words immediately captured their attention. A doctor. The one who saved their child. They showered her with thanks, their relief turning into admiration.

I clenched my fists, anger simmering beneath my skin.

After they left, I stepped forward and grabbed Faye’s wrist. “How can epilepsy be cured with just one pill? You should have told them to go straight to the hospital! What if the child has another seizure?”

I didn’t yell. My voice was steady, controlled.

But Faye acted as if I had struck her.

Her eyes turned red, brimming with unshed tears as she ran to Tristan, her voice trembling with grievance.

“Brother… why is Sister-in-law like this? I was only trying to save a life, and she’s accusing me instead.”

Tristan’s gaze snapped to me, his expression darkening with impatience.

“Eliza,” he sighed, his tone carrying the weight of irritation. “Faye is a doctor. She knows more than you—a full-time wife. Isn’t it a bit much for you to act like you know better than her?”

Yes.

I am just a housewife now—someone who only knows how to make money around men, while Faye stands at the pinnacle of medicine. Even if my way of saving people was correct, who would trust an ordinary woman like me over an esteemed expert like her?

I lowered my head, swallowing the bitterness rising in my throat. The sadness pressed down on my chest, but I forced myself to stay silent.

Tristan must have noticed my mood shift because he reached out, as if to comfort me—

But then, Faye suddenly clutched her chest and staggered, her face twisting in pain.

“Tristan… my heart… it hurts… I think my heart disease is flaring up again…” she whimpered, her body collapsing dramatically onto the floor.

Tristan hesitated for only a second.

Even if her exaggerated act was transparent, his reaction was instinctual—without thinking, he rushed to her side, scooped her into his arms, and carried her out.

It was only when I heard the roar of the car engine outside that I realized—he had left.

Without me.

The skies opened up, and heavy rain poured down in sheets, drenching everything in sight. I stood there in the doorway, shivering, my clothes sticking to my skin as I watched his car disappear down the road.

He didn’t look back.

I hadn’t brought an umbrella, and taxis were nowhere to be seen. With no other choice, I started walking.

The road home stretched endlessly before me. The rain blurred my vision, and my body—already weakened by pregnancy—stumbled more than once. I fell hard, my palms scraping against the cold pavement, my knees bruising. But I forced myself to stand and keep going.

By the time I reached home, my whole body was frozen, feverish.

That night, I burned with illness, drifting in and out of consciousness. In my dazed state, I reached for my phone and dialed Tristan’s number.

The call connected, but instead of his voice, I heard a familiar, sweet tone.

“Sister-in-law, are you looking for my brother?” Faye’s voice was laced with feigned innocence, but the smugness underneath was unmistakable. “He’s cooking for me right now. He doesn’t have time to answer the phone.”

I froze.

In the two years we had been married, Tristan had never once cooked for me.

Not even when I was sick. Not even when I was carrying his child.

But for Faye?

Tears slipped silently down my cheeks, but I didn’t bother wiping them away.

I had been foolish. So, so foolish.

I had actually thought that if I got sick in front of Faye, if she saw me weak and vulnerable, it would make Tristan realize my importance.

But the truth was—

I had never been important to him at all.

For two days, Tristan didn’t return home. Not a single call, not even a text.

Yet, Faye’s social media was filled with posts—pictures, updates, little snippets of their time together. Cooking together. Eating together. Laughing together.

As if she wanted the whole world to know.

As if she wanted me to see.

By the third day, my fever had finally subsided. And just as I thought things couldn’t be any more absurd—

An invitation arrived.

It was for Faye’s award ceremony.

When I was a child, my mother died because of insufficient medical skills. That day, I could do nothing but watch as she slipped away.

Since then, my dream had always been clear—to become a brilliant doctor, one who could conquer all diseases, one whose name would be etched in history. I had imagined standing on grand stages, receiving countless awards for my achievements in medicine.

But reality was cruel.

That dream never came true.

Still, before I walked away from it all, I wanted to see for myself.

So, I went to the award ceremony alone.

As soon as I stepped inside, my eyes landed on Tristan, who was standing close to Faye, carefully adjusting her hair. His fingers lingered, his expression soft. Their faces were so close that their lips almost touched.

I shouldn’t have been surprised.

Tristan noticed my arrival, but there was no guilt in his eyes. Instead, he merely turned to me and said, with the same practiced gentleness he always used:

"I'm sorry, my wife. Faye’s condition hasn’t been stable these past two days, so I couldn’t go home to take care of her."

His words were an apology, but they carried no weight.

I ignored him and found a seat.

Seeing this, he hesitated for a moment before sitting beside me.

Not long after, Faye approached, her gaze sweeping over me before she smiled sweetly and spoke in that familiar, saccharine tone:

"Sister-in-law, I’ve always liked sitting with my brother since I was little. I still do, even now. You don’t mind, right?"

I met her gaze and hummed lightly, "No mind."

It might have been my imagination, but I thought I saw a flicker of disappointment in Tristan’s eyes.

The award ceremony began.

The host on stage praised Faye to the heavens, reciting her so-called achievements one by one. But with every word, my hands clenched into fists.

Because every medical breakthrough they attributed to her—every brilliant discovery—had come from the knowledge recorded in my own notebook.

The very notebook I had spent years filling.

The audience was in awe.

"Dr. Faye is incredible! She’s solved so many medical challenges."

"Look at her and her brother sitting together—they’re both so good-looking. Honestly, if they weren’t related, they’d make a perfect couple."

"Unlike that pregnant woman sitting beside them… no matter how much she tries to cover up, you can tell she looks old. And I heard her private life is a mess. She was with an old man even though she already had a husband. I don’t know what Mr. Sinclair saw in her."

"She used to be a doctor too, right? Thank God she isn’t practicing anymore. I’d feel disgusted to be treated by someone like her."

The words stung, but I didn’t flinch.

Beside me, Tristan’s expression darkened. With just one cold glance, the whispers died down.

He took my hand, his grip warm and firm, as if shielding me from their words. His voice was filled with tenderness as he said:

"Wife, don’t listen to them. They’re just jealous of our happy marriage."

I looked at him.

For the first time in a long time, I really looked at him.

And finally, I asked the question that had been weighing on my heart.

"Did you give my medical notebook to Faye?"

His fingers stiffened around mine.

For a brief second, guilt flickered in his eyes. But then, just as quickly, he smoothed his expression and feigned ignorance.

"Wife, what are you talking about? Didn’t you lose that notebook a long time ago? Faye is smart—she wouldn’t need to rely on something like that."

In that moment, whatever little affection I had left for Tristan completely shattered.

After the ceremony, I stood outside the garage, waiting for Tristan to bring the car around. The night air was cold, but not as cold as the realization settling in my heart.

Footsteps clicked against the pavement.

I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Faye approached, her trophy clutched tightly in her hands, a smug smile playing on her lips. She lifted it slightly, as if to make sure I saw it sparkle under the dim light.

"Eliza," she said, her tone dripping with triumph. "No matter how smart you are, no matter how talented you were in medicine, in the end, the trophy still belongs to me."

She took a step closer, her eyes gleaming with malice.

"I’d say you’re nothing but a failure. You lost your career, and in love—you’re even worse. The childhood sweetheart who should have stood by your side? He betrayed you for me. And the man you married? He’s nothing more than my obedient slave."

Her words cut like a blade, but she wasn’t finished.

"Do you know who gave you to that old man?" She leaned in, lowering her voice as if savoring the moment. "It was my brother. He planned it all—to make sure you could never ruin my happiness. And your family's bankruptcy? That was his doing too. Every creditor who hunted you down, every moment you spent struggling to survive—it was all part of his design."

I already knew the truth.

But hearing it from her lips still made my chest tighten, made something inside me twist and ache.

She waited for my reaction, expecting to see me crumble.

Instead, I met her gaze and let out a soft laugh.

"Faye," I said, tilting my head, "you can steal a trophy, a career, even a man—but no matter how high you climb, you know the truth better than anyone, don’t you?"

I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping to a whisper.

"You didn’t earn this. You never could. And you should worry less about flaunting your stolen achievements…" I let my gaze drift to the trophy in her hands before meeting her eyes again.

"…and more about how hard the fall will be when the truth finally catches up to you."

Faye's smug expression twisted in irritation, but she quickly recovered, her lips curling into a chilling smile. Her gaze dropped to my stomach, dark and venomous.

"You still don’t know, do you?" she whispered, her voice sickly sweet. "My brother wants to use your umbilical cord blood to save me. I told him it was the only way."

I stiffened.

Faye tilted her head, eyes gleaming with cruelty. "But here’s the fun part… I don’t have a heart disease at all." She let out a soft laugh, each word laced with malice. "I just didn’t want you to have an easy life. So just sit back and watch as your child is taken from you and used for me."

My heart clenched with dread. A chill ran down my spine.

Before I could react, she did something unthinkable.

With one swift motion, Faye raised the heavy trophy—and stabbed herself in the chest.

Blood splattered. Warm droplets hit my face.

I froze.

Tristan had just driven out of the garage. He slammed the brakes, his face turning pale as he leaped out of the car.

"Faye!" His voice cracked with panic as he rushed to her side, cradling her blood-soaked body.

With trembling hands, Faye grabbed his sleeve, her eyes filled with unshed tears. Her voice was weak, fragile—like she was barely holding on.

"Brother… don’t blame Sister-in-law…" she gasped, each breath labored. "She just… couldn’t stand me winning the award… She acted on impulse… Don’t be mad at her…" Her lips quivered as she clutched her chest. "Brother… my heart… it hurts so much… Am I… going to die?"

Her performance was flawless.

The blood pooling beneath her looked terrifying, but I knew the truth—her wound was shallow. It wasn’t fatal. But Tristan didn’t see that.

His gaze snapped to me, burning with fury.

"Eliza, what did Faye ever do to deserve this?" His voice was ice, his body trembling with rage. "If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you."

I opened my mouth to explain, but he wasn’t listening. He scooped Faye into his arms and rushed her into the car, leaving me standing there in the cold.

Moments later, his men arrived. They seized me roughly, dragging me toward another car. I struggled, screamed, but it was useless. I was taken to the hospital against my will.

The moment Tristan saw me again, his hands clamped down on my shoulders. His eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted with grief and anger.

"Faye’s heart disease relapsed," he growled. "She needs umbilical cord blood immediately."

My breath caught.

Tristan’s grip tightened. "Since you hurt her, you’ll use yours to save her. That’s only fair."

He shoved me toward the doctor. I fought, twisting in his grasp, my voice shaking with desperation.

"She’s lying!" I cried. "She admitted it to me herself! She doesn’t have a heart disease! She planned all of this—don’t believe her!"

But he only looked at me with deep disappointment, as if I had done something unforgivable.

"Eliza," he said, his tone soft but firm, "when you do something wrong, you make amends. Isn’t that a simple truth?"

I shook my head violently. "Tristan, listen to me—"

He cut me off with a sigh, his expression weary.

"Faye isn’t a fool. She wouldn’t use her body just to deceive me." He cupped my face, wiping away my tears with his thumb, his touch unnervingly gentle. "Be good, Eliza. Listen to me."

Then came the words that shattered me completely.

"If you don’t have this child, then you don’t have it. We’re still young—we can always have another one. No matter what, I will only love you in this life."

A sob clawed its way up my throat. I begged him—pleaded for him to believe me—but he wasn’t listening. With a single wave of his hand, the doctor’s assistants dragged me away.

The cold metal of the hospital bed pressed against my back as I was forcibly strapped down.

"Don’t use anesthesia," Tristan ordered. "Perform the cesarean directly."

Terror gripped me.

I screamed. I thrashed. But I was powerless against them.

I felt everything.

The moment the scalpel sliced into my flesh, a white-hot pain ripped through me. Agony blurred my vision, but the true torment came when I saw them pull my baby from my body.

Too small. Too fragile. Too silent.

My child had no chance of survival.

A wretched cry tore from my lips as I reached out for him, but my arms were too weak. I could only watch, helpless, as his tiny body grew cold in the doctor’s hands.

The pain in my body was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

Tristan didn’t stay.

The moment they retrieved the umbilical cord blood, he left—rushing to Faye’s side without a second glance at me.

The only ones who remained were the doctors, stitching up my broken body.

As soon as the wound was sutured, I forced myself out of bed, biting back the pain that burned through me. With trembling hands, I left the divorce papers on the table—cold, final, and utterly irreversible. Then, cradling my lifeless child in my arms, I walked away without looking back.

At the airport, I erased every trace of the Sinclair Family from my life. One by one, I deleted and blocked their contact information. Then, in one swift motion, I yanked out my phone card and tossed it into the trash, severing the last thread that tied me to them.

Tristan, in this lifetime, you will never find me again.

Meanwhile, in the hospital ward, Tristan was still by Faye’s side, fussing over her every need. Yet, a sudden, sharp ache clenched his heart. A strange emptiness settled deep within him, a gnawing void that left him restless.

For a fleeting moment, Eliza’s face flashed in his mind. He couldn’t understand why, but an unbearable sense of loss crept over him. And for the first time, he felt as though something—someone—had slipped away forever.

Tristan suddenly realized that he hadn’t visited Eliza since the operation. A faint unease crept into his heart—how was she doing now? Had she eaten? Was she in pain?

Lost in thought, he barely noticed when Faye called out weakly, her voice tinged with feigned concern.

"Brother, what are you thinking about? Are you worried about sister-in-law?" She forced a smile. "A C-section isn’t that painful. I even sent her a message just now—she said she’s already up and moving around. Maybe even jumping."

Faye was a doctor. Tristan trusted her words without question. The weight on his chest lifted, and he let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

Eliza must be fine. She was strong. Once he settled Faye, he would go back to her. After all, she had suffered too much for him.

Just then, his assistant burst into the room, breathless and pale, gripping a document in his hands.

"Mr. Sinclair, bad news!" he panted, his voice laced with urgency. "Madam is missing—she left this for you."