Three days before my wedding, I was hit by a car, and my spine was shattered.

Virginia Stuart had the driver thrown into prison.

I lay in a hospital bed, unwilling to wake up, drowning in the devastating news of my paralysis.

Half-conscious, I overheard Virginia speaking to the doctor.

"Ms. Stuart, there's still time for surgery. If we wait any longer, Mr. Bryan Klein will be permanently disabled! You just want Hugh Wheeler as your groom—do you really need to destroy half a life for that?"

"If he's disabled, I'll take care of him forever. But if he recovers, he'll ruin the wedding."

"I promised Hugh I’d welcome our child into the Stuart Family with honor. As long as Bryan is completely crippled, he’ll accept my child as his own. It doesn’t matter if he’s paralyzed—at least he won’t mistreat the boy."

In a shadowed corner, unnoticed, a single tear slipped down my face.

So, the wedding I had eagerly awaited was nothing but a lie.

The love I longed for was my own death sentence.

If that’s how she wants it, then I’ll grant her wish.

——

"Enough. Just follow my plan. Make sure the vasectomy is done thoroughly—he must never find out."

"When he wakes up, I’ll take him to the orphanage to pick up the child. Without the ability to have his own, he’ll have no choice but to love Cassie."

The doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead, pity flashing in his eyes.

"Ms. Stuart, are you sure? Mr. Klein is already paralyzed on one side—another operation could ruin him completely. How will he face the Stuart Family elders? He’s still a man..."

"Besides, your daughter with Mr. Wheeler is already three. She looks just like you. If Bryan ever finds out, everything will fall apart!"

Virginia gently wiped my cracked lips with a damp tissue, her voice laced with regret—regret for not being able to love.

"He won’t find out. As long as he’s crippled, he’ll have no choice but to stay in the Stuart Family's estate forever. He’ll never step outside again."

"I promised Hugh a grand wedding. I want to see our child grow up with my own eyes. Even if he marries someone else, I’ll make sure nothing stands in his way."

The doctor sighed, glancing at my lifeless face.

"Bryan is a good man. You two grew up together. But you still chose to be with that... Never mind. Do as you wish."

"Prepare for the surgery. Make sure it’s clean—leave no traces. I don’t want him to suffer more than necessary when he wakes up."

The doctor left in silence.

Virginia picked up her phone and sent a voice message to her assistant.

"Did the driver say anything? Make sure he doesn’t. Stick to the deal—give his family two million and move them out of the city. Bryan can’t know."

Tears welled in my eyes, soaking into the pillow.

Virginia continued wiping my body with warm water, again and again.

Yet, I couldn’t stop shivering.

So, the wedding I had dreamed of for five years was nothing more than a stepping stone for Hugh.

That car accident was no accident at all.

She had been clearing the path for Hugh—eliminating me, the obstacle.

The happiness and love I believed in were all illusions.

Lies and betrayal were the only truth between us.

I struggled to open my eyes.

But before I could, anesthesia flooded my veins.

As they wheeled me toward the operating room, Virginia gently pressed a kiss to my lips.

"Be good. It’ll be over soon, Bryan. I’ll be waiting for you."

Cold, sterile instruments pierced through my body.

My shattered heart turned cold.

When I opened my eyes again, I was already back in the ward.

There was still no feeling below my lower back.

Virginia sat by my bedside, her face filled with worry as she saw me wake up. She took my hand, pressing it gently against her cheek.

"Bryan? You're awake. Are you feeling any pain?"

"If you're uncomfortable, let me know. I’ll ask them to change your dressing."

Her voice carried the same tenderness as before, but her eyes held no warmth.

It's incredible what one person can do for another—how easily they can pretend.

I shook my head and lightly touched her weary brows.

"You didn’t sleep all night, did you? I’m fine. Get some rest."

Virginia didn’t think much of it, visibly relieved, and soon drifted off into sleep.

I reached for her phone on the bedside table and unlocked it.

The wallpaper was still our pre-wedding photo.

A social media app was left open in the background.

The top contact name: Hugh.

I tapped into the chat. Aside from a few playful cat emojis, the messages were all the same—photos of Hugh holding a child.

"Cassie called for her mommy again today. Even at her age, she already knows how beautiful her mother is. She’s going to be a heartbreaker when she grows up."

"Cassie had a great appetite today. She finished the cake you sent."

"Cassie won’t stop begging to go to the amusement park with you. No matter how I tried to reason with her, she wouldn’t listen. Come see her when you have time."

Virginia hadn’t responded.

But beneath every photo, there was a two-hour video call log.

I remembered how she once told me she didn’t like children.

Now, I understand.

It wasn’t that she disliked kids—she just didn’t like the child she had with me.

She had an entire photo album dedicated to Hugh.

The password was the child’s birthday.

Five thousand pictures recorded the past three years of the child’s life.

Virginia had been with them for every important holiday.

The second chat in her app was her conversation with the wedding planner.

From the moment she started preparing for the wedding a month ago, she had written Hugh’s name in every detail.

The suit measurements were his.

The invitations had both of their names.

From the beginning, she had never planned for me to be at this wedding.

I let out a bitter laugh and stopped scrolling.

I called my brother and asked him to find a hospital abroad for my surgery.

I also filed to cancel all my records in America.

He didn’t ask much—he simply assumed I had finally seen Virginia’s true colors.

Every word he spoke was filled with relief for me.

I put the phone down and closed my eyes.

When I woke up again, it was to the sound of Virginia crying.

She clutched a hospital report in her trembling hands, her shoulders shaking violently.

"Bryan... The doctor said they found a congenital defect during their tests. You were never able to have children."

"But don’t worry, I won’t leave you. No matter what happens, you’re my husband."

"Once you’re discharged, let’s adopt a child, okay? Having a child around you will help you heal."

I was the one who had supposedly lost my ability to have children.

Yet, she looked more devastated than I did.

Her performance was flawless, but I was too tired to expose her.

After a long silence, I glanced at the report in her hands and nodded seriously.

Virginia was overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down her face as she hugged me tightly.

"I’ll take care of you. Don’t be afraid. No matter what people say, I’ll always stand by you."

"After we’re married, I’ll transfer all my assets to your name. Take it as my promise to you."

Our bodies were pressed closely together.

But our heartbeats were miles apart.

After a moment of hesitation, Virginia finally spoke, her voice strained.

"It's just... the wedding is already prepared. But with your condition now, you might have to—"

"Find someone to take my place. The Stuart family must not lose face."

I knew exactly what she wanted to say.

Rather than letting myself be placed in a passive position, it was better to take control. At the very least, I could maintain my dignity.

Virginia was momentarily stunned by my unexpected response. But since she had already gotten what she wanted, she chose not to press the matter further.

Just then, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen, then looked at me in surprise.

"Bryan, what documents did you cancel?"

I swiftly deleted the message and replied calmly,

"Nothing important. Just some expired documents—I’ll renew them online."

She didn't dwell on it. Instead, she hugged me tighter, her voice filled with concern.

"You’re not in the best condition right now. If you need anything, just tell me—I’ll handle it for you."

"Virginia, I want to leave the hospital."

Her expression tensed instantly.

"No. Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. I don’t agree."

I reached out and gently caressed her cheek, a faint smile playing on my lips.

"Didn’t you say you wanted to take me to adopt a child? There’s a nanny at home to help out, and I’ll be fine. I just want to visit the welfare home. Please?"

In five years of being together, this was the first time I had ever acted vulnerable in front of her.

She couldn't resist. With a reluctant sigh, she finally gave in.

On the way there, she took out a box of cakes she had prepared in advance and placed them in front of me one by one.

She claimed she bought them, especially for me.

But the packaging, clearly marked as suitable for young children, made my chest tighten.

Silently, I closed the bag, tossed the cakes to the backseat, and shut my eyes, feigning discomfort.

This charade had gone on for five years. It was time to end it.

As soon as we arrived at the welfare home, I sat in a wheelchair.

Before I could even take in my surroundings, a little girl came running up and clung tightly to Virginia’s leg.

She looked up at her, eyes sparkling with joy, and called out over and over again, "Mommy!"

Virginia’s face paled, panic flickering in her eyes. She quickly turned to me, her voice laced with urgency.

"Don’t misunderstand. I’ve been sponsoring this welfare home, and I’ve visited a few times before. She’s an orphan—she just got attached to me and started calling me that."

I nodded and smiled, reaching out to gently touch the child’s face.

"She looks a lot like you. If you hadn’t told me otherwise, I would’ve assumed she was your daughter."

"What’s her name?"

"Cassie. She’s the one I plan to adopt."

Before she could say anything else, Cassie suddenly burst into tears and cried out, "Daddy!"

Virginia’s expression turned deathly white in an instant.

She glanced at me nervously, trying to gauge my reaction.

I met her gaze with an easy smile.

"I’m fine. Go comfort her. She’s a beautiful child—I like her too."

My words seemed to reassure her.

Without another thought, Virginia carried Cassie into the office, leaving me alone.

Seizing the opportunity, I excused myself, pretending I needed to use the bathroom.

Outside, the voices of the welfare home staff drifted through the hallway.

"Why is Virginia pretending her child is an orphan? Look at those clothes—each piece costs more than my monthly salary. Who would believe she’s not from a wealthy family?"

"You don’t get it. Virginia planned all of this. It’s the only way to get the child into the Stuart family without raising suspicion. Be careful of what you say outside—Mr. Klein mustn’t find out."

"Figures. Virginia has always loved Mr. Wheeler the most. Back in college, they used to visit this place together all the time. I saw it with my own eyes. Guess it finally worked out for them. A man and a woman spending nights together… you do the math."

Laughter, laced with suggestive undertones, echoed through the hallway.

A sharp pain stabbed through my chest, suffocating me.

I gripped the wheels of my chair and moved closer to the office door.

Inside, a familiar voice spoke in a hushed tone.

"Is she good to you?"

"Very. But since she spends most of her time abroad, there are things she doesn’t know about. It’s actually better this way—she’ll never find out about Cassie. Ironically, she’s even pushing for us to have a child together."