Isabella froze, then noticed Ethan was holding a half-burned photograph.

Because there had been so many photos, by the time she reached the end, some hadn't burned completely before she tossed them in the trash.

She hadn't expected Ethan to find them.

However, the album containing Ethan and Sophie's photos was already locked away in her private safe where Ethan couldn't possibly see it.

"Yes."

She didn't deny it. Only then did Ethan truly panic, gripping her even tighter.

"Bella, didn't you say these photos were your most precious memories? Why did you burn them? Did I do something wrong?"

The usually composed and dignified man now looked like a child who'd made a mistake, almost ready to cry.

"If I did something wrong, tell me! I'll change everything!"

Isabella finally looked at him.

If she told him, would he leave Sophie?

If she told him, could his betrayals simply be wiped clean?

No.

So it was better not to say anything.

Better to forget everything completely.

So she said calmly, "Don't overthink it. I fell asleep looking at the album, and an aromatherapy candle caught it on fire. By the time I put it out, most of it was burned. The negatives are still intact anyway, so it's not a big deal."

The lie was almost laughably poor. There was no way someone with Ethan's intelligence would believe it.

"Bella, you..." He was about to speak when his phone suddenly buzzed.

He glanced down at the message, his expression changing, and immediately stood up.

"Bella, I need to take a call."

He hurried out to the balcony. Faintly, Isabella could hear fragments of conversation drifting in—

"What do you mean you haven't had it this month..."

"Did you actually test? Are you sure?"

Ethan's tone on the balcony was somewhat agitated, but Isabella had no interest in listening to what he was saying. She simply closed her eyes and smiled bitterly.

You see.

Even the most pathetic lies can succeed when the other person doesn't care.

...

Over the next few days, Ethan was restless and didn't even bother pursuing the matter of the photos.

Isabella couldn't be bothered to care, focusing instead on preparing for her upcoming memory loss.

That day, she went to the university to handle some paperwork. As she left the office, she ran into Sophie at the stairwell.

"Isabella!" Sophie looked delighted to see her. "What brings you here? Are you looking for Professor Cross?"

She affectionately linked arms with Isabella, but Isabella pulled away coldly.

"Ethan's not here either," she said flatly. "So there's no need to pretend anymore."

Sophie's phone call during her birthday had already shattered the pretense between the two women.

But Sophie still wouldn't admit it, only widening her eyes to look at Isabella with innocent alarm.

"Isabella, what are you talking about? Are you still angry about the auction when Professor Cross bid on my photo? I'm sorry, I'm sorry—I really didn't mean for that to happen... If you're still angry, you can hit me..."

She actually grabbed Isabella's hand and tried to make her hit herself.

Isabella thought she was completely unhinged and immediately pulled her hand back.

"What are you doing..."

But as she pulled away, Sophie suddenly cried "Ah!" and lost her balance, tumbling backward down the stairs.

"Sophie!"

An urgent shout came from behind. Isabella turned to see Ethan appearing at the end of the hallway.

He rushed down to scoop up Sophie from the floor, his face pale with worry.

"Sophie, are you okay? You’re…”

Before Ethan could finish his sentence, Sophie burst into tears.

"Professor!" She grabbed Ethan's hand, crying pitifully. "Why did Isabella push me... Does... does she really hate me that much?"

Sophie's outburst drew a crowd of onlookers.

Isabella's expression turned cold. "I didn't. She did it herself..."

She tried to explain, but before she could finish, Ethan had already swept Sophie into his arms.

"I'm taking you to the hospital first!"

He rushed off without sparing Isabella a single glance.

...

When Isabella arrived at the hospital, she saw the doctor speaking with Ethan.

"Don't worry, Mr. Cross. Miss Shaw is fine—she just needs some rest."

Ethan visibly relaxed. When he turned around, he saw Isabella.

He looked surprised and walked over to her gently.

"Bella, what are you doing here?"

Isabella got straight to the point, "I came to tell you that I didn't push Sophie just now. She framed me."

Isabella hadn't wanted to get entangled with Ethan and Sophie.

But she refused to take the blame for something she didn't do, so she came to clear her name.

Ethan's hand stiffened.

The next second, he said softly, "It's okay. I'll apologize to Sophie on your behalf, and we can put this behind us."

Ethan tried to take Isabella's hand and leave.

But Isabella wouldn't move.

She looked up at him in disbelief.

"Apologize? Why should you apologize? Ethan, didn't you hear what I just said? I didn't push Sophie! She deliberately—"

"Enough!"

Before Isabella could finish, Ethan cut her off, unable to contain himself any longer.

"Sophie isn't that kind of person!"

The last trace of color drained from Isabella's face.

"She's not that kind of person?" Her earlier attempt at explanation suddenly lost all strength. She smiled weakly, her voice trembling. "So Ethan, you think I am that kind of person?"

Seeing Isabella's pale face, Ethan felt like his heart had been stabbed.

He panicked instantly and grabbed her hand.

"Bella, that's not what I meant. It's just that Sophie couldn't possibly risk her own body to frame you at a time like this, because she..."

Ethan's words suddenly stopped short, and he changed direction.

"What I mean is, you definitely didn't do it on purpose. Maybe you didn't notice there were stairs behind Sophie, so..."

The more he explained, the more hollow his words sounded.

Even Ethan gradually couldn't continue. Finally, he could only look at Isabella and say almost wearily, "Bella, can we not talk about this anymore?"

Isabella looked up at him.

She suddenly remembered when she and Ethan were in high school together. Other students, jealous of her academic progress, had falsely accused her of cheating.

Ethan had believed her without question and even dragged everyone who had gossiped about her to apologize to her face.

She had thought that even if Ethan betrayed her, their years together would at least be worth mutual trust.

But now he wouldn't even trust her character.

Something inside her finally collapsed completely. She lowered her head and said quietly, "Fine."

Ethan seemed surprised that Isabella had given in so easily. After a moment of shock, he put his arms around her and spoke as if coaxing a child.

"I knew my Bella would be reasonable."

Reasonable?

Isabella smiled weakly.

She simply didn't want to explain anymore.

After all, explanations were for people who mattered.

And she had completely stopped caring about Ethan.

...

Over the next few days, Isabella began preparing divorce papers.

She sent the signed divorce agreement and all the photos the private investigator had taken to her lawyer.

The lawyer reassured her over the phone.

"Don't worry, Miss Winters. With these photos, the divorce is a sure thing. Even if you lose your memory, I'll handle everything properly for you."

Isabella nodded. "I'm counting on you for the divorce."

She hung up the phone, but when she looked up, she saw Ethan standing in the bedroom doorway.

He grabbed her hand, looking alarmed.

"Divorce? Isabella, who's getting divorced?"

Isabella's heart skipped a beat.

But within a second, she regained her composure.

"It's my college roommate Fion Newman. She's getting divorced, so I'm referring my lawyer to her. Why?"

Ethan relaxed. "I thought..."

Before finishing his sentence, he smiled and shook his head.

He was overthinking things.

Bella had no idea about him and Sophie. Even if they'd been having some disagreements lately, it would never escalate to divorce.

So he dropped the topic and simply took Isabella's hand.

"Bella, I have a gift for you."

Isabella raised an eyebrow. "What gift?"

Ethan smiled. "Didn't you always want to adopt a child? I've been thinking about it, and you're right—we do need a child."

Isabella looked at Ethan in disbelief.

Due to her condition, she'd known for a long time that she could never have children of her own.

She'd always felt guilty about this, and knowing that Ethan actually loved children, she had suggested adopting when they first married.

But Ethan had refused outright then.

Why was he suddenly changing his mind?

Isabella found it strange and couldn't help asking, "Why so sudden?"

"It's not sudden," Ethan said gently. "I'm already contacting agencies. The paperwork is slow—probably seven or eight months—but then we can welcome our child."

Ethan showed unprecedented enthusiasm for adopting a child.

He converted one room in the villa into a nursery, had it renovated and painted, then began buying baby supplies.

From cribs to tiny clothes to all sorts of toys and books.

He was devoted to every detail.

Isabella found it even more bizarre.

Until one night, Isabella woke up with a headache and heard sounds coming from the nursery.

She walked to the doorway and saw Sophie and Ethan inside.

Ethan was gripping Sophie's hand, angrily questioning her.

"Sophie! Who gave you permission to come to my house in the middle of the night? And into this room? And what's the meaning of these photos!"

Sophie was holding a photo album filled with ultrasound images and pictures of a pregnant belly, but no faces were visible.

Sophie burst into tears.

"I just thought the baby's birth process only happens once, so I wanted to document it for him. I didn't mean anything else..."

Ethan's anger flared even more.

"What do you mean 'document it'? I think you're deliberately trying to let the child know you're his biological mother! Sophie, I've made it very clear—you can keep the baby in your belly, but only as mine and Bella's child!

"And you are never to appear in front of this child!"

At that moment, Sophie completely broke down.

"I know..." she sobbed uncontrollably. "I know everything... if you don't believe me, look at the album cover..."

Ethan frowned and closed the album in his hands.

The cover read:

Baby, this is a gift documenting your growth

From Mommy, Isabella

Ethan's pupils contracted as he looked up sharply at Sophie. "You..."

Sophie was now crying inconsolably.

"I know everything... I know you're only keeping this baby for Isabella. I never thought about taking anything away, and I know my place...

"But I really wanted to leave the baby a memento, so I took these photos. Don't worry—everything I give the child, I'll put Isabella's name on it... mmph..."

Before Sophie could finish, Ethan silenced her with a fierce kiss.

The pain in the man's eyes had become almost tangible, finally transforming into possessive action as he pressed the girl against the crib railing.

Sophie covered her belly in fear.

"Professor, the baby..."

But Ethan roughly pulled at her dress.

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle."

The sounds of impact continued. Isabella, standing at the door, finally couldn't take it anymore and slid down the wall.

No wonder Ethan had suddenly wanted a child.

No wonder he was so excited about this baby.

No wonder when Sophie fell down the stairs, Ethan didn't believe she'd done it deliberately.

The child she was supposed to "adopt" was Sophie's.

Ethan actually wanted the child he and Sophie created to call her mother.

Isabella closed her eyes as tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

Ethan, how could you... be so cruel?

...

The matter of the child was the final straw for Isabella.

She couldn't even pretend anymore and told Ethan directly that she wanted to go back to her parents’ home to rest.

Ethan initially disagreed but eventually relented.

He was supposed to drive her to the airport, but halfway there, he got a call saying there was an emergency at the company.

Isabella knowingly opened social media and, sure enough, Sophie had posted another hospital check-in with the caption: My stomach hurts a little, I hope nothing's wrong.

But Isabella couldn't be bothered to call out the lie. After Ethan left, she drove herself to the airport.

But just as her car left the villa gates, a large truck suddenly charged toward her.

CRASH!

Isabella had no time to react before her entire car was sent flying.