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."

Virginia's lips curled into a smile, but the sorrow in her eyes was unmistakable.

"You don’t have to worry about Cassie once she’s in the Stuart family. If there’s anything that needs handling, just send me a message."

She paused for a moment before handing over a small gift box.

"By the way, I just bought this watch. Consider it a wedding gift."

Hugh accepted the box, blinking playfully.

"Another gift? How many wedding presents have you given me in just a year of marriage? The cloakroom can’t even fit them all. If Bryan finds out, he definitely won’t be happy."

Despite his words, he made no effort to refuse the gift.

Beside him, Cassie grinned and threw herself into his arms, calling him "Daddy" over and over again.

Just then, the dean, busy with the adoption paperwork, rushed toward me and pushed open the door.

A flicker of panic flashed across Virginia’s face.

"Bryan, why are you here?"

She quickly composed herself and added, "Don’t overthink it. Hugh is just a volunteer at this welfare home. He happened to be here today while I was finalizing Cassie’s adoption…"

Hugh stood up with Cassie still in his arms and waved at me.

"Bryan, long time no see."

Sitting in my wheelchair, I forced a smile and swallowed the resentment rising in my chest.

"It’s fine. I was just out for a walk. Since you’re busy, I won’t bother you. I’ll wait in the car."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and wheeled myself away.

Virginia must have thought I was upset because she hurried after me, explaining anxiously.

"Don’t misunderstand. He comes here often to sponsor activities. The kids in the home call him ‘Dad’ all the time. Once the adoption is finalized, I’ll make sure Cassie understands."

Watching her so desperate to reassure me, I almost wanted to laugh.

Just to give this child a legitimate status, she had gone as far as orchestrating a car accident that left me disabled.

Now that she had everything she wanted, what was the point of feeling wronged?

"Don’t worry. I’m not an unreasonable person," I said lightly. "Go finish the paperwork. I’ll wait in the car."

Relief flooded her face as she watched me leave.

As I sat in the car, every employee who passed by glanced at me with barely concealed ridicule in their eyes.

I ignored them and quietly pulled out my phone, canceling the documents online.

That evening, to celebrate Cassie’s arrival, the Stuart family hosted a family dinner.

I excused myself, claiming I wasn’t feeling well, and stayed upstairs.

But even from behind my closed door, I could hear Virginia’s parents downstairs, their mocking laughter seeping through the cracks.

I moved my wheelchair to the staircase and stopped at the corner, looking down at the warm, happy scene below.

A picture-perfect family of three.

Virginia thoughtfully placed Cassie’s favorite food onto her plate. Hugh chuckled, teasing her.

"You’re going to spoil her at this rate."

Virginia just smiled and gently fixed the tiny crown on Cassie’s head.

"My daughter deserves to have the whole world."

The grievance I had buried deep inside me for years surged up all at once.

I turned back to my room and tore apart everything Virginia had given me over the past five years, throwing them into the trash.

The moment the trash can tipped over, Hugh appeared in front of me.

Without warning, he kicked my wheelchair.

Pain shot through my body, cold sweat breaking out across my skin. But Hugh only grinned.

"Bryan, it must be miserable to live like this, huh?"

"After all these years, you’re still just as useless."

"Watching your own wedding be taken from you, watching your wife bring my daughter home—and you still have to endure it all? Honestly, I almost feel sorry for you."

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to move.

But before I could react, Hugh suddenly staggered backward—then tumbled straight down the stairs.

Virginia’s panicked scream echoed through the house.

Before I could even process what had happened, she was already cradling him in her arms.

When she turned to look at me, her eyes blazed with fury.

"Bryan, what the hell are you doing? Are you insane?"

"Hugh just came to invite you to dinner—what right did you have to push him?"