As his girlfriend, I believed I should be more understanding and more considerate. The more guilty I felt, the harder I tried to care for him.

But everything came crashing down on our first wedding anniversary.

A stranger added me as a friend, and from there, everything began to unravel, exposing just how naïve and foolish I had been.

Lorelei sent me a video, a cruel show of victory.

In that video, Aiden appeared as a gentle, loving version of himself I had never seen, his eyes shining with affection I thought was reserved for me.

It turned out that his so-called "busyness" was just a convenient excuse. For a single call from his childhood sweetheart, he would drop everything, no matter the distance, to be by her side.

Their childhood bond was something I, a mere stranger in his life, could never hope to match.

All I could do was cry in silence, my heart shattered, too afraid to confront him with the truth.

In my previous life, when Lorelei passed away, Aiden stayed by my side, never leaving. At that moment, I believed he had finally turned his attention back to our family, recognizing my worth.

He even designed a dreamy children’s room for our little one, pouring his love into every detail.

Every meal was carefully planned, each dish prepared by his own hands—his love seemed overwhelming, blinding me to the truth.

But on the day I gave birth, the truth finally shattered the illusion.

He had built a prison of love, raising me high on the wings of affection, only to bring me crashing down, his final act of vengeance for the woman he truly loved.

To see me fall from grace was his sweetest revenge.

“Such a shame, such a young life lost. Her husband’s a doctor, too; how could he not have seen the signs? What will she do now…”

“Shh, don’t speak anymore.”

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a double hospital room, the weight of it all sinking in.

A relative from the neighboring bed came over, her eyes soft with concern.

“You’re finally awake. How do you feel? Should I call your husband? Honestly, how could he be so busy? You were in such a dangerous state, and yet he wasn’t by your side.”

I couldn’t stop myself from glancing down at my now-flat abdomen, the emptiness of it all overwhelming. Tears fell as if they had been waiting for the chance to escape.

“The baby couldn’t be saved. If only…”

My voice broke, and I shuddered slightly. “Maybe it’s better this way. At least the child won’t have to suffer because of me.”

The woman sensed my sorrow and stammered, trying to offer comfort.

“Right now, you need to focus on taking care of yourself. Don’t dwell on it too much.”

Many had pointed out to him that something was wrong with me, but he remained convinced it was just another one of my schemes.

Precious time, time that could have saved us both, had slipped away.

Seeing my expression, the woman’s face flushed with indignation.

“Doctors these days, aren’t they supposed to be angels in white? But all I see are butchers!”

“If I hadn’t raised a ruckus and begged them to check on you, you probably wouldn’t have made it. It would’ve been a double tragedy.”

“And your husband, how could he stand by and let you die, even if couples argue? He’s a doctor, for heaven’s sake!”

“I saw countless videos of the scene online. Public opinion is in an uproar.”

Her voice grew more heated with each word, and I could almost see her rushing to the nurses’ station to unleash her fury.

I swallowed the storm rising in my chest and, with a heart heavy as a stone, whispered, “He doesn’t love me. To him, my death would be a release.”

My words seemed to hit her like a slap, and her expression faltered.

She hesitated, then tried to offer what comfort she could, urging me to divorce him once I was out of the hospital and even promising to help me for the next few days.

I smiled faintly and politely declined.

I picked up my phone in silence, my heart sinking as I scrolled through the news.

The fractured relationships between medical staff and patients have always made headlines, but today, the situation has crossed a line.

As a doctor, saving lives was their sworn duty. Yet, they had stood by, letting a patient slip away.

The vivid red bloodstains on the floor were a stark reminder of the horror.

Someone had uploaded the entire video to the comment section.

The fury was instant and unrelenting.

People demanded answers. How could a doctor fail to recognize the peril of a pregnant woman in distress? Where was their sense of professionalism?

The pregnant woman had voiced her discomfort time and again, yet they remained so detached, so indifferent.

How could anyone trust their lives to such people in the future?

Anger was bubbling up everywhere, with many demanding the hospital’s official response.

But I knew, deep down, that the outcome would be nothing more than Aiden being dismissed, just a small blip in his privileged life.

I longed to see him fall, to watch him sink, trapped in a pit of his own making.

Lost in my thoughts, Lorelei sent a daring message.

In the VIP ward, Aiden was doting on her, never leaving her side, tending to even the smallest of needs as though afraid she might so much as break.

But I disappointed Lorelei; I didn’t beg for Aiden’s attention as she’d hoped.

A man like him? I had long stopped caring.

My phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with Aiden's name.

Finally, on his sixth call, I reluctantly answered.

"Corinne, I thought you were dead! Why the silence? What’s your problem? Do you think I wanted to call you? Just hearing your voice makes me sick!"

Aiden’s voice thundered through the phone, each word dripping with venom.

"Are you out of your mind? Did you send someone after Lorelei? Thank goodness she’s alright; otherwise, it’d be attempted murder! Do you even get that?"

"Get yourself over here and apologize to Lorelei on your knees! You vile woman, I can't believe I haven’t kicked you out already!"

Before I could respond, Lorelei’s sugary voice pierced through, sweet as poison.

"Sister Corinne mustn’t have meant it. Please forgive her, Brother Aiden. She’s just so in love with you, blinded by it. It’s pitiful, really. You should care more for her."

With those few words, she neatly turned all the blame on me.

"Lorelei, you're as innocent as always, too pure for your own good. People like her only dare to hurt you because of your kindness. It’s a blessing it didn’t harm you."

"Women like her need to pay for what they’ve done."

Aiden's voice was cold, his words a blade cutting through the air.

I listened to their sweet, almost flirtatious exchange, my expression an unshaken mask of indifference.

“If that’s the case, then I’ll grant your wish. I fear this 'vile woman' might lose her grip and hurt you again.”

“Let’s end this. Meet me at the civil affairs office.”

“Corinne, do you honestly think you’re worthy of a divorce? You’ll end up in jail—”

Before he could finish his furious rant, I ended the call.

Barely a moment passed before a flood of abusive messages poured in.

“Are you insane? Do you really think you deserve to divorce me? If you weren’t pregnant, I would’ve gotten rid of you long ago!”

“You think you’re something special? You’re not even worth a single finger of Lorelei. If you hadn’t worn that white dress, looking a little like her, I never would’ve bothered saving you.”

“Now go create an account and publicly confess your wrongs. Don’t be a coward, leaving Lorelei and me to take the fall.”

Each message oozed with disdain, bitterness, and scorn.

His fury exploded as the messages kept coming.

I didn’t waste a second on them. Without a single word, I blocked and deleted him.

Even though I had met such a tragic end in my past life, facing his vile actions now still felt like my very soul was being ripped apart. The pain was unbearable, searing through me with each passing second.

Across from me, the nurses chatted eagerly, their voices sharp as daggers piercing through the silence.

“Wow, Dr. Winslow is incredible! He’s so devoted to his wife; it's like something straight out of a childhood romance. Just look at how he dotes on her; it’s almost too sweet.”

“I accidentally nicked her while removing the needle earlier, and Dr. Winslow was so upset. He held her close, comforting her for what felt like forever.”

“What are you all talking about? Dr. Winslow’s wife is on this floor!”

An oppressive silence lingered in the air.

Their conversation, so full of warmth, failed to stir a single emotion within me.

My gaze remained hollow, fixed on the emptiness where my womb once had been.

Waves of sharp, unrelenting pain spread across me, each throb a reminder of the hollow void inside.

Beside me, a young couple whispered sweetly, sharing soft moments of affection, their joy almost suffocating in contrast to my frozen, desolate world. The warmth they exuded felt like an alien concept, as cold and distant as the void surrounding me.

In the afternoon, the attending physician arrived to check on my injuries. His words were laced with subtle pity, revealing the harsh reality: the impact had been too severe, and the delay in care had caused excessive bleeding and extensive damage. To save my life, they had no choice but to remove my uterus.

His eyes were heavy with sympathy, but I felt nothing. Compared to the torment of my death in the past life, this loss seemed insignificant. All I could do now was hope the heavens would show mercy, granting my child a chance at a better life with a family that truly loved them.

As people passed my hospital bed, their glances were sharp, laced with judgment, as if my suffering were somehow their spectacle.

When I checked my phone, chaos had erupted.

Aiden had posted a message accusing me of masterminding the car accident out of jealousy toward Lorelei.

He went even further, claiming that my miscarriage was nothing more than a result of my own wrongdoing.

His colleagues quickly rallied behind him, validating every false claim. It was as if Aiden had unleashed a storm, throwing me to the wolves without a second thought.

What had started as an outrage against the medical staff now turned into a tidal wave of fury directed solely at me.

My account was exposed, and soon, my inbox was flooded with venomous messages, each one more hateful than the last. I tried to create a new account, hoping to clarify things, but it was banned within minutes for "negative influence."

Each passing day, I could feel the malice creeping into my life.

The glares, the whispers, and the looks from every direction pierced through me as sharp as daggers.

The medical staff sneered as they passed by, their words dripping with sarcasm, their actions careless and harsh.

But none of it fazed me.

The day I was discharged, I finally dialed Aiden's number.

"Meet me at the civil affairs office now."

He laughed, the sound mocking and cold. "What’s this? A sudden pang of conscience? Realized you’ve wronged me and want to let me go? Don’t think I’m falling for your little act."

"If it weren’t for Lorelei begging for you, you’d be rotting in prison. I’m done. Half an hour, don’t waste my time."

Without another word, he hung up, leaving the silence between us heavy with resentment.

I opened a video on my phone, the footage of Lorelei and the driver orchestrating the car accident playing out before me. After my discharge, I took a taxi back home to retrieve my documents.

As I entered my bedroom, I was met with the sight of Lorelei sprawled on my bed, clad in a lace nightgown. The moment her eyes locked with mine, she slithered closer, her breath hot and malicious against my ear.

"Do you really think you can compete with me? How laughable," she sneered, her voice dripping with venom. "Such a pity about your little bastard. In your past life, she was killed by her own father because of your stupidity. And this time? Suffocated by him again. Don’t you think she must have been cursed?"

A wave of fury engulfed me. My hand shot up instinctively, delivering a sharp slap across her cheek.

Before I could even catch my breath, Aiden barged into the room, fury radiating off him.

He shoved me against the bedside table, and a glass photo frame shattered against my face, the sharp shards biting into my skin as blood poured freely from my nose.

Aiden immediately pulled Lorelei into his arms, his expression etched with concern. His sharp gaze turned to me, and he looked ready to lash out when his eyes caught on my flat abdomen. He froze, his face paling.

"Where’s the child?"