Adam kept whispering in my ear, persistently urging me, though half-heartedly, to go to the hospital and get an IUD.

Later, he became a renowned surgical director in the medical field, while I, forced to quit the research team because of my pregnancy, watched everything slip away.

I still remember that night—he reeked of alcohol, drunkenly resting his head on my chest, saying he wanted a child with me.

In the end, he took me to the hospital to have the IUD removed, which had become fused with my uterine wall, a painful and bloody ordeal.

He cried like a child, swearing he would treat me better from that moment on.

What he didn’t realize was that from the very beginning, my child was always meant to be a pawn to prolong the life of his beloved subordinate, Chesley.

Adam came back in the early hours.

There was a noticeable hickey on his neck and his body still carried the scent of Chesley.

It made me want to throw up.

Breathing heavily, he approached me and tried to kiss me, but I turned my head to avoid him.

"I'm pregnant," I said.

Adam dismissed it with a shrug. "You’re already eight months pregnant. If I’m gentle, it’ll be fine."

He tried to move closer again, but just then, Chesley’s ringtone blared.

Adam hurriedly ran to the balcony to answer the call.

The wind was howling loudly.

Yet, phrases like "I miss you" and "I love you" still slipped into my ears, one after another.

After hanging up the phone, Adam lit a cigarette and took slow drags, casually saying, "A colleague sent over some documents that need my signature. I’m going downstairs for a bit."

The thick smoke hit me and I couldn’t fight the urge to gag.

Adam’s brow tightened further and he finally snapped, "Can you stop being so dramatic? It’s just the smell of smoke. Is it really that hard to handle?"

"What's with the act?"

When I barely managed to say, "Secondhand smoke can harm the fetus," Adam quickly stubbed out the cigarette.

His expression faltered, uneasy.

"I’m going downstairs to take care of some work. You should get some rest," he said.

I let out a self-deprecating laugh. The difference between being loved and not being loved had never been more obvious.

I stood on the balcony, watching the car below sway all night. It wasn’t until the streetlights went out that Adam finally returned, carrying a flushed Chesley inside.

When I saw Chesley at the dining table the next morning, with the dark circles under my eyes from exhaustion, my heart no longer stirred.

I just ate slowly from my bowl.

Adam, ever thoughtful, poured me a glass of warm milk. "Mia, drink more. The baby needs to grow strong."

I responded lightly and didn’t say anything more.

Chesley, clearly jealous, spoke up. "Adam, I'm still growing, too. I’d like some warm milk as well."

Adam affectionately tapped her nose, smiling indulgently. "Of course, my little glutton."

After a moment, he quickly added an explanation.

"Chesley’s been interning with me recently," he said, "and I’m supposed to professor her thoroughly, so I brought her here for dinner. We’ll head to the hospital together later."

He then grinned and added, "Actually, since it’s New Year’s Eve, why not let her stay and have dinner with us? The more, the merrier, right?"

Chesley, smiling sweetly, linked her arm through Adam’s, her eyes full of playful challenge.

"Well then, thanks, 'madam.'"

"But Mia probably won’t mind if I come over every day for meals from now on, right?"

I simply muttered an "mm" and, with a casual "I’m full," retreated to my room.

It wasn't long before Adam stormed in after me. As soon as he stepped into the room, he pointed a finger at my face and erupted in anger.

“Mia, what are you throwing a tantrum for again? Chesley is a guest. You have the nerve to give her the cold shoulder?”

“I’m warning you, apologize to her right now, or this won’t be over between us!”

I pointed to the file folder on the table, which contained my cancer diagnosis. “Maybe you should take a look at what’s inside before you say anything to me?”

Adam sneered, not even lifting his eyelids as he tossed the file to the floor.

"What, are you trying to pull some pity act again? I really don’t understand why you always get so irrationally jealous."

I opened my mouth, but it felt like a thousand words were stuck in my throat and I couldn’t say a thing.

I turned my back to him, too exhausted to engage.

Realizing his outburst had gone too far, Adam quickly wrapped his arms around me from behind.

His soft breath on my neck made me feel oddly ticklish. "Mia, I’m sorry. I just lost control of my emotions for a moment. Please don’t be mad, okay?"

"Look, I even brought you a gift." He pulled out a necklace from his chest, presenting it like a treasure.

It matched the ring on my finger perfectly. In truth, it was the style I liked.

Seeing my expression soften, Adam quickly placed the necklace around my neck, his face lighting up with joy.

“I also got you your favorite red bean pastries. How about we go downstairs and enjoy them together?”

The memory played in my mind.

That winter during our third year, I was feeling low after a poor exam performance. To cheer me up, Adam braved the freezing wind and snow, queuing up in the early hours of the morning. He carefully tucked the pastries in his coat to keep them warm, then handed them to me with such tenderness.

Tears suddenly welled up in my eyes.

Before I could respond, he took my hand, eager to go downstairs together.

Feeling a bit awkward, I spoke up. "Adam, I’m a bit turned off, I just want to sleep."

I didn’t have the courage to tell him that it was the sight of him being affectionate with Chesley that made me feel sick.

Adam tried to stay calm and coax me. “Even if you’re not hungry, you have to eat for the baby.”

“If you don’t eat enough, how will you have a healthy baby?”

My expression instantly fell and I yanked my hand away.

That’s when I realized—he only cared about whether the umbilical cord blood from my baby could save Chesley.

I coldly replied, “I need to rest.”

Feeling mocked, Adam immediately snapped at me. “You’re impossible to deal with!”

He then angrily smashed the vase onto the floor, the loud crash causing Chesley to smile in satisfaction.

Just as his emotions were about to peak, Chesley calmly walked upstairs and gently patted his back.

"Adam, don’t be angry. Mia is probably just suffering from prenatal depression. Let me talk to her and help her through this."

"You can go now," she added.

Adam’s expression softened at her words. "Chesley, you're so thoughtful. I wish Mia could be half as understanding as you."

With that, he discreetly pinched Chesley’s backside before leaving the room.

Once Adam was gone, Chesley dropped the act. "Mia, looks like your baby is growing quite well, but unfortunately, he won’t live long."

"However, since he’ll help extend my life, I’ll make sure to arrange for an expert to perform a proper blessing for him."

I glared at Chesley, my eyes bloodshot with rage and snapped, "Destroying relationships, taking lives... with all the evil you’ve done, don’t you fear retribution?"

Chesley laughed as if she had just heard the funniest joke, her laughter wild and uncontrollable.

"Retribution?" she scoffed. "In any relationship, it's the one who isn’t loved who’s the third party."

She smirked. "Even the ring and necklace you're wearing? Those are things I rejected. What right do you have to say anything to me?"

"I'm liberating you and the bastard in your belly. What retribution could I possibly face?"

As I watched her manic expression, it became clear—she had completely lost her mind.

"Aren’t you afraid I might just kill the baby inside me?"

Chesley chuckled dismissively, her eyes filled with disdain. "You’re already a caged bird in the Sims family. Do you really think you’ll ever have a chance to get rid of this baby?"

I fell silent, feeling not only sorrow for my situation but also a deep sense of despair.

"Though, what you did last time—having an abortion without consent—really gave me a headache."

When I woke up again, the harsh glare of the surgical lights made my eyes water uncontrollably.

I tried to move, but every part of my body felt like it had been shattered, the pain unbearable.

"Dr. Sims, everything is ready. We can begin the cesarean now."

Seeing Adam approach with a serious look on his face, the fear in my heart was magnified instantly.

"Adam, let me go!"

He didn’t respond. Instead, he ordered his assistant to stuff a cloth in my mouth.

"Don’t administer any anesthesia to Mia," Adam ordered coldly. "Make sure to gag her tightly. I don’t want her making any noise that could disrupt the surgery."

The anesthesiologist hesitated, cautiously asking, "A cesarean? That might not be a good idea... The last time something like this happened, it was..."

Before he could finish, Adam snapped, "Shut up! Do you need me to teach you how to do your job?"

I struggled to break free, but when my eyes met Adam's, filled with unbridled hatred, it was as if all my strength had drained away. I stopped fighting.

Adam leaned close to my ear, his voice a devilish whisper, "What does it matter if it’s a cesarean to take the child?"

"Even if you’re tortured to death, it won’t hurt me as much as a single strand of hair being pulled from Chesley."

The sharp surgical knife immediately sliced into my abdomen, creating a gaping, bloody wound. The agony of feeling my skin tear open, as the premature baby was forcibly yanked from my womb, overwhelmed me. Helpless, I could only whimper and cry.

"Dr. Sims, the baby’s premature and has no heartbeat," a voice said.

Adam paused for a moment, but his tone was completely indifferent.

"As long as the cord blood is usable, that's all that matters."

"I’ll go perform surgery on Chesley," he continued. "You handle the rest."

Outside the window, fireworks soared into the sky. The new year had arrived.

Amidst the cheers and blessings of those around, my child, who hadn’t even had the chance to open their eyes and see the world, quietly slipped away.

The nurses stitched up my abdomen, but I felt nothing—just a numb emptiness. My tears had long since dried.

Then, suddenly, the operating room door was forcefully pushed open.

"If I hadn’t learned of this immediately, you might have really gotten away with it," a voice rang out.

"Since that’s the case, I’ll have to take the first move."

Before I could react, Chesley grabbed my hand and, with force, threw me to the ground.

My scream immediately caught Adam's attention.

As he rushed into the room, the sight before him was one of blood spilling across the floor. My water had broken.

"Adam, I just tried to comfort Mia, but she grabbed me and we both fell to the ground," Chesley cried out, her voice full of pain.

"My stomach hurts so much... am I going to die?"

Seeing this, Adam quickly scooped Chesley into his arms.

Tears were brimming in my eyes.

"Chesley, don't be afraid. I'm here, nothing will happen to you."

As Adam turned to leave, I gathered every ounce of strength I had and clung to his leg, my voice trembling with desperation.

"Adam, my stomach hurts so much."

Instead of responding with concern, he scoffed and then kicked me hard in the stomach.

The intense pain nearly made me pass out.

"It's just a worthless little bastard! If it weren't for Chesley's kidney failure needing umbilical cord blood treatment, I would never have let you carry my child."

"You better pray that this baby is safely delivered, or I'll make you pay with your life!"

Watching Adam walk away without looking back, Chesley took the opportunity to stick his tongue out at me.

I felt as though my whole body had turned into a feather, floating weightlessly into an icy abyss.

So cold.