Elena's POV

When I opened my eyes, I was staring at a white hospital ceiling.

My advisor had rushed over the moment she got the call. Apart from her, the room was empty.

She watched me scan the room and just shook her head, letting out a quiet sigh.

"You're pregnant, Elena."

She handed me the ultrasound printout. I stared at the tiny image, trying to imagine how small the life inside me was, and managed a tired smile.

This baby had terrible timing.

Legally speaking, by now, I was already divorced from the child's father.

"And you're smiling! Your vampire husband's phone was working just fine — they told him you'd collapsed and were in the hospital. And where is he? Not a soul in sight! What are you going to do?"

I pressed the papers flat against my palm and sighed.

Part of me was relieved Lucien hadn't shown up. If he found out I was carrying his child, divorced or not, he'd never let me leave.

But another part of me ached. So he really was that cold. That indifferent. He'd been told I was in the hospital — alone, with no one to lean on — and he couldn't even be bothered to check on me.

"I'm keeping the baby. And I don't want my ex-husband to know."

This was a life. Even if the relationship with the father was beyond repair, I couldn't be the one to end it.

"Professor — please. I need you to keep this between us."

She looked like she wanted to argue, but then her gaze traveled over my thin arms and my pale, exhausted frame in the hospital bed, and her voice softened.

"The professors there respect your work. I'll arrange for an extended stay — you can settle in, take it easy, do some light research while you carry the baby. It'll be fine."

I nodded gratefully and tried to sit up to take her hand, but she gently pushed me back under the covers and tucked me in tight.

"But you're not quitting medicine. After the baby's born, you owe me a few publications in top-tier journals. Consider it repayment."

She grinned. "And when you win an award, don't you dare forget to thank your beloved mentor."

After she left, I felt well enough to check myself out that afternoon. Most of the interns and residents at Central Hospital were classmates of mine. While I was processing the paperwork, a few of them had a moment free and came over to chat.

"Elena, did you hear about that vampire aristocrat? Blackthorne, or something?"

My pen stopped mid-signature. A bad feeling settled in my stomach.

"He came in today with his wife for a checkup. She'd barely nicked her hand — you'd think it was a state emergency, the fuss they made. Vampires heal before they even get through the door."

In four years of marriage, Lucien had never publicly acknowledged me. To avoid complications, only my advisor at school knew who my husband was.

The "wife" they were talking about had to be Seraphina.

So he had been at the hospital today.

Just not for me.

I managed a stiff smile, but my classmate was too excited to notice.

"But I guess it was a good thing they came in — turns out Mrs. Blackthorne is two months pregnant! They've already booked the top-floor suite, moving in next week for prenatal care."

She nudged me with her elbow, eyes wide with envy. "Elena, how many lifetimes would it take for us to live like that? It's not fair."

Two months ago.

That was the exact day Seraphina came back to find Lucien.

I let out a bitter laugh. Somehow, I wasn't even surprised.

If they wanted to be together, fine. Let them. Vampire affairs were no business of a human like me.

All I wanted now was to get as far away as possible — and vanish from Lucien's world for good.

Elena's POV

Fate has a way of finding the worst possible moment to twist the knife.

At the elevator, I ran straight into the two people I never wanted to see again.

Seraphina was nestled against Lucien's chest, glowing, with an ultrasound report in her hand.

Lucien saw me and went rigid. For a split second, he seemed to push Seraphina away — but stopped halfway.

He wanted to explain. I could see it on his face. But I just stared at the floor numbers ticking by on the display, giving him nothing.

They had pressed the button for the upper floors. Probably going to preview the birthing suite.

"Elena! What a coincidence, running into you here."

Seraphina bounced over, bright and cheery, her smile radiant.

"I know the doctor already checked, but I'm still a little worried. Would you mind taking a look?"

She held out the ultrasound report.

Lucien clearly knew this was out of line. His expression darkened, and he opened his mouth to stop her.

But I took the report. Calmly. Read every word.

The estimated date of implantation was circled on the page.

It was the day I first met Seraphina.

Our wedding anniversary. The day I sat alone on that sofa, waiting for hours.

"Congratulations. The baby looks perfectly healthy."

I said it with a faint smile. But instead of handing the report back to Seraphina, I gave it to Lucien.

My expression, my posture, my composure — all of it borrowed from four years of watching him. His coldness and restraint had taught me, in the end, how to hold myself together when everything was falling apart.

We were divorced now. If he wanted to have a child with another woman, it was none of my business. And I certainly had no right to feel hurt about it.

For four years, my eyes had followed him everywhere.

Only now did I realize — if you can't even manage a smile when you look at someone, how could you ever call it love?

My detachment irritated Lucien. He watched my indifference, and his voice dropped.

"Elena. Let me explain."

There it was again — that commanding tone that had no place between two people who were supposed to be equals.

"We're divorced. There's nothing to explain."

I was done listening.

The down elevator arrived. I stepped inside, smiled at him. "I wish you both a lifetime of happiness. Goodbye."

Lucien stared at the expression on my face — an expression he'd never seen before — and for once, he had nothing to say. He stood frozen, utterly at a loss.

The cold steel doors closed between us.

I thought that would be the last time I'd ever see him.