On December 31st, Gerald's longtime friend from youth accidentally hit me with her car, causing severe hemorrhaging. Due to my blood condition, I couldn't reach out to Gerald for assistance in time.

Instead, I mustered all my strength to rescue Alma Barren, a pregnant woman from a wealthy family, from the damaged vehicle and tended to my own injuries quietly.

The reason? In my past life, when Gerald arrived, he prioritized saving his childhood friend, Joanne Clooney.

He had said, "Eleanor, do you think I'm a fool? Faking a pregnancy to manipulate me? Remember, I'm an ER doctor. Your blood loss is minor compared to Joanne's. I've tolerated you for years, but don't test my limits!"

Ultimately, my child and I died in the ensuing blaze due to delayed help.

When I regained consciousness, I saw Joanne's merciless eyes through the windshield as she pressed the gas pedal. She snarled, "You think you deserve to bear Gerald's child?" The impact of the crash surged through me like a powerful wave.

Memories of being consumed by flames flashed vividly, and I clutched my abdomen in fear as pain coursed through me.

Fighting through the agony, I managed to exit the car and, with great difficulty, pulled Alma, who was trapped beneath her seat, out of the vehicle.

She looked at her blood-stained jacket, her face ashen, and pleaded, "Eleanor, please... save my baby..."

Biting my tongue to stay alert, I assured her, "Don't worry, Miss Barren. I know some emergency procedures." I retrieved a medical kit from the car just as sirens announced an approaching ambulance.

Surprisingly, Gerald was the first to emerge from the ambulance. It seemed that, like before, Joanne had contacted him beforehand.

Seeing his familiar face brought back the painful memory of him leaving with Joanne as I perished in the fire. My stomach clenched in response. The chilly air felt like knives on my skin, amplifying the pain.

"Mr. Riverton! Eleanor is here!" Gerald's trainee rushed towards me with a stretcher.

Gerald's expression darkened with anger as he glowered at me, "Joanne was correct, it was you!"

Just like before, he misjudged the situation and assumed I had caused the accident intentionally. He also used all the medical supplies on Joanne, disregarding my condition.

This time, I didn't plead for him to hear me out. Instead, I used Alma's phone to call her emergency contact and continued administering first aid to both of us.

Since Alma became pregnant, her family had arranged for a medical team to be ready around the clock. I just needed to hold on for ten more minutes until they arrived.

However, as I treated our wounds, the movement aggravated my injuries, causing more bleeding.

Gerald's apprentice grew worried, saying breathlessly, "Mr. Riverton, your wife appears to be pregnant and her bleeding is unusually heavy!"

But the other paramedics who had worked with Gerald longer scoffed, "Eleanor, your act is impressive this time, you've even fooled the rookie! Let's go, ignore her. She wastes public resources just to get Mr. Riverton's attention. This is her third performance this week. Does she think the hospital exists solely for her?"

Although I had anticipated such ridicule, their words still hurt. I knew Gerald didn't care for me, but I hadn't expected his colleagues to treat me so callously.

Fortunately, Alma, who had just regained consciousness, hadn't heard their mocking comments. Through the crowd, she called out to Gerald that I was pregnant and implored him to save me and my baby.

I looked at Alma, tears forming in my eyes. Despite facing the risk of losing her own child, she chose to give up her chance at rescue for me.

In my past existence, Alma and I met our demise in a blazing inferno due to Gerald's hesitation to initiate a rescue. The remorse from this weighed heavily on my conscience.

I continued tending to Alma's wounds and purposely revealed her identity to the emergency responders, hoping they'd prioritize her rescue out of respect for the Barren family's status.

Their response was mocking laughter, "Eleanor, how impressive! You've enlisted so many actors, even roping in the Barren family heir. That must have cost you a fortune!"

Gerald was equally skeptical. With disdain, he remarked, "First, you wanted me to join you at the Barren family's New Year celebration. Now you claim to have been in the same vehicle as their heiress."

"Eleanor, do you ever speak truthfully? And didn't we agree to remain childless after marriage? How could you possibly be expecting?" After his tirade, he directed the paramedics to attend to Joanne, who had only minor scratches.

I finally grasped why Gerald had been so against having children post-marriage. As if sensing my realization, my abdomen tightened and I felt a slight movement within.

The bleeding from my body intensified, quickly staining my legs and forming a pool beneath me.

Alma desperately called for help, but I stopped her. There was no use in appealing to Gerald.

The Barren family's wealth in Jade Harbour City far exceeded my reach. However, three years prior, my brother had donated a kidney to Alma's father on his deathbed.

Since then, the Barren family invited me to their home each New Year. If Gerald had accompanied me just once, he would have known I never deceived him.

But he didn't. After my brother's passing, he took Joanne to the Riverton family home every New Year for their reunion. And I, his supposed wife, could only observe their joyful family gatherings through Joanne's social media posts.

With a cold expression, Gerald glared at Alma and me before speaking, "I told you I was taking Joanne home for New Year's. Was that enough reason for you to crash your car into hers?"

"I'm warning you, Eleanor, if anything happens to Joanne, neither of you will be spared!" He picked up Joanne and boarded the ambulance, urging the driver to rush to the hospital.

Just like in my previous life, he left decisively without a single glance back at me.

Snowflakes falling from the sky landed on my hand, their icy chill penetrating my skin, numbing both my body and heart.

As anticipated, regardless of the circumstances, Gerald's first choice was always Joanne.

"Oh my, her water broke! She's going into labor!" someone in the crowd exclaimed in shock. Only then did I notice Alma's water had indeed broken.

Suppressing my sorrow, I knelt to support her neck and assured her, "Miss Barren, I've studied midwifery during my hospital internship. If you trust me, I ..."

Alma turned her pale face towards me, pleading, "Save ... my baby ..."

A sudden loud noise drew everyone's attention as fuel began leaking from the damaged vehicle. Flames erupted from the back seat, casting an eerie glow in everyone's eyes.

The crowd dispersed in panic, "The car's going to explode! Run! Get out of here! Don't just stand there watching, you'll be blown to pieces!"

Alma trembled in fear but forcefully pushed me away, "Forget about me, Eleanor. Go ... just go!"

Lightheaded from blood loss due to my clotting disorder, my body felt weak. I pinched my thigh hard to momentarily steady myself and used all my strength to help Alma to her feet. Together, we stumbled towards the nearby forest.

We had barely covered ten meters when a thunderous explosion rocked the air. The blast's shockwave hurled both of us half a meter away, landing us hard on the frozen ground.

I crouched down, protecting Alma fiercely as I retrieved the first-aid kit to assist with her baby's delivery.

Compassionate onlookers removed their thick jackets, spreading them on the snowy ground as improvised bedding and creating a human barrier around us to guard against the chill and curious eyes.

Time seemed to stand still, but eventually, a newborn's cry pierced the air. As jubilation broke out around me, my sight dimmed and I fell onto the frozen grass.

Enthusiastic voices called out, "She's delivered, it's a little girl!"

"My goodness, look at that woman's back, it's completely scorched from the blaze. The skin is entirely gone."

"She's expecting too! Seems to be about four or five months along!"

Alma wept uncontrollably, her voice trembling with emotion, "Previously, your brother rescued my father. And now, you've endangered yourself to save me and my child. Eleanor, how can Barren Family ever repay such an enormous debt?"

As the Barren Family's emergency vehicle raced towards us, my strength finally gave way and I blacked out. Upon regaining consciousness, I found myself in a private room arranged by Alma.

The nurse tending to my bandages informed me that the hospital had utilized up to 5,500 milliliters of blood to rescue me, pulling me back from the brink of death and managing to save my unborn baby.

She reassured me, stating that Alma was undergoing a comprehensive examination at the maternity center but would visit once she was done.

Her eyes welled up with anger as she inquired, "Miss White, the ambulance arrived within five minutes. How could your injuries be so extensive?"

"How did those medics overlook such severe blood loss? I'll notify the director immediately. It's shameful for our hospital to have such emergency personnel!"

Her words stirred a pain in my heart. Even a stranger like her, someone I'd just encountered, showed genuine worry. Yet the man I shared my life with could only ridicule me and accuse me of faking everything.

I bit my lip, tasting bitterness.

Noticing my silence, the nurse's face filled with empathy. She vowed not to disappoint me, assuring me she'd care for both me and my baby diligently.

Her words brought a flicker of warmth to my otherwise numb heart. After the nurse departed, I reached for my phone, intending to contact a divorce attorney.

Before I could make the call, my hospital room door opened abruptly. Joanne entered with Gerald supporting her. Her downcast eyes seemed on the brink of tears as she said plaintively, "Eleanor, I know you dislike me, but why did you have to take my hospital room?"

Gerald immediately moved to shield her, his cold eyes filled with concern for her. His voice, stern and icy, cut into my ears, "Eleanor, I don't have time for your dramatics. If it weren't for Joanne's mercy, you'd likely be in custody now. Quickly discharge yourself from the hospital, give the room to Joanne."

Joanne's eyes momentarily lit up, though she feigned selflessness and said magnanimously, "Gerald, please don't quarrel with Eleanor because of me. I'll just use a shared ward downstairs. It's fine, I can rest adequately there.

She added, "And don't blame Eleanor. If she truly insists on involving law enforcement, I'm prepared to take responsibility for the incident. I'll be alright, honestly."

Gerald's scowl deepened and his gaze grew icier, "Joanne, why are you always so considerate? Can't you see Eleanor takes advantage of this, constantly mistreating you?"

"Eleanor, I'm cautioning you, if you don't leave today, we're getting divorced!" This wasn't Gerald's first threat of divorce.

In my previous life, I would have yielded. I'd have obeyed him and dutifully made space for Joanne.

But now, I met his gaze firmly, unwavering and devoid of emotion, "Very well, Gerald, let's divorce."

The room plunged into a profound silence. One could have heard a needle drop.