I saw Clayton lift Verity and walk away into the crowd. I breathed in deeply and, holding my belly, was ready to head back to pack my things and get ready to go.

But right when I turned around, a loud alarm suddenly echoed from above the shopping center, and right after that came many sharp cries.

“Fire!”

“Run! There is a fire!”

The calm mall quickly turned into a mess.

Heavy smoke quickly spread from an unknown place, the strong smell of something burning rushed toward us, and the people, like frightened animals, wildly pushed toward the exits.

Without thinking, I covered my belly, my heart jumping up into my throat.

I noticed Clayton not far away, his expression suddenly changing. Almost by instinct, he pulled Verity tightly into his arms, one hand shielding the back of her head, the other forcing a path through the crowd as he pulled her toward the closest exit.

At such a risky time, as his wife, he did not even look back at me once.

I was pushed by the crowd until I could barely keep my balance. My back hit hard against the rail, and a tight, dropping pain in my stomach instantly made my face go pale.

“Move aside…”

My voice shook. “I am pregnant…”

But nobody was able to catch my words.

Right when I was close to falling, Clayton suddenly looked back and noticed me.

Our eyes met for a short second in the chaos.

At a time between living and dying, people were weak. I formed a foolish hope, hoping Clayton would pull me to safety.

But in the very next moment, Clayton strongly shoved my heavy body ahead.

“Go ahead, do not block the path!”

His voice sounded rushed. “Wife, let me bring Verity outside first; her body cannot hold on. Any compensation you ask for, I will hand it to you later!”

I was roughly pushed ahead by the crowd, my body losing control, my belly hard hitting the line of people in front.

Severe pain burst out from my lower belly.

Sadness, hurt, anger, breakdown… many mixed feelings rushed hard through my chest.

I truly wanted to question Clayton if he even had a heart at all?!

Clayton held her close, almost using his own body to take every hit for her.

His choice was already very clear. What else could I still hope for?

As my awareness slowly grew unclear, I suddenly thought of many past events.

Five years earlier, I suddenly got a very high fever and was taken to the hospital, needing a blood transfusion.

I lay on the hospital bed, burning up and not fully awake. The doctor said my blood type was rare, and matching blood could not be found at that time.

I was extremely scared, gripping Clayton’s hand and shaking without stopping.

But he did not even crease his brows, simply pushing up his sleeve and telling the doctor, “Use mine.”

When the needle went into his arm, his face clearly paled, yet he still bent down near me and gently spoke to calm me.

“Wife, do not worry. I am here.”

Back then, I truly believed he would forever shield me in this way.

But now?

Ten years of love, all the time together, and the promises, in the fire and heavy smoke, were burned clean.

No, or maybe from the start, it was only my own wishful thinking.

The rescue personnel finally arrived, and the people were forced to evacuate.

I was no longer able to endure. My entire body dropped onto the floor, the ache in my belly feeling like it would tear me open.

The last image that stayed in my sight was Clayton lifting Verity and taking her out of the mall.

She only had small scratches, yet he looked so worried as if he had lost everything.

He gently set her onto the stretcher, again and again asking if she felt unwell, until the doctor nodded and said she was alright. Only then did he seem to lose all power and sway a little.

At that moment, somebody finally saw that his lower back had been burned by the fire, his clothes ripped, and his skin red and torn.

Even like that, he still would not let go of Verity’s hand.

I lay on the ground, my eyes hurting, feeling only bitterness. I slowly closed my eyes and, in my heart, took away one of the last two so-called “life-saving chances.”

When I woke up again, my nose was filled with the scent of disinfectant.

My whole body felt like it had been pulled apart and put back together; every part was so heavy it did not seem like mine.

Later, I found out that when I was rushed into the emergency room, the baby’s condition was already very unstable. To keep the child safe, the doctor used the strongest method to protect the baby, and I lay passed out on the hospital bed for three whole days.

On the night of the third day, while I was half asleep and half awake, I suddenly felt someone tightly gripping my hand.

The hold was very tight, as if scared that once it let go, I would vanish.

I forced myself to open my eyes. My sight stayed unclear for a long time before slowly becoming clear.

It was Clayton.

He sat beside the bed, his hair in a mess, light beard growing on his chin, eyes red, lips moving again and again as he softly said, “Wife, you have to wake up… please open your eyes…”

If I had gone through nothing, maybe I truly would have been fooled by the way he looked.

The doctor quickly walked in to examine my state and informed him that both the parent and the baby were safe, and I was out of danger.

It was like someone suddenly let go of the tight string inside him. His entire body clearly loosened, his eyes at once turning red for no clear reason, almost speaking unclearly as he held the physician to show thanks.

“Thank you, truly thank you…”

“As long as she is alright, any sum of money is acceptable…”

I rested on the clinic bed, hearing all this, feeling nothing but something ridiculous.

If someone did not know the facts, they might truly believe he had risked himself in the fire to shield the baby and me.

But in my thoughts, without control, the scene played over and over, him carrying Verity in the shopping center, not even giving me one look back.

I suddenly pulled my hand away.

Clayton clearly froze for a second, then at once bent closer, his voice turning careful.

“Celestine, you are awake? Do you feel any discomfort? The doctor said you must not become too emotional now. Do not move.”

While speaking, his eyes became red again.

“You have no idea how afraid I have been these few days. If anything had happened to you and the baby, I truly would not know how to continue living by myself.”

Seeing his pretended concern, I felt nothing but disgust.

The nurse came to take out my needle. While doing it, she smiled and said, “Your husband hasn’t properly rested these days. He’s been watching over you the whole time. You’re really blessed.”

I turned my head aside without answering.

After everything was over, what meaning was there in playing the loving husband?

When life and death were truly on the line, he had already shown his real decision.

Clayton seemed about to speak again, but the ward door was suddenly pushed open.

Verity rushed inside.

Her face was pale, her eyes red. As soon as she entered, she cried so hard she could barely stand. Breaking away from Clayton’s attempt to stop her, she dropped to her knees beside my hospital bed.

“Sister-in-law, I’m sorry. This is all because of me…”

“If my heart hadn’t suddenly felt unwell, Clayton wouldn’t have focused only on me at the fire scene and nearly caused you and the baby to be in danger…”

She cried until she was out of breath, her voice broken and barely complete.

“I truly didn’t expect things to become like this… I really blame myself…”

Clayton looked extremely worried and quickly moved to help her up, his voice anxious. “Don’t do this, stand up quickly. The doctor said you can’t be emotionally upset.”

He turned toward me, his tone clearly urging. “Celestine, say something now. Don’t let Verity kneel. She didn’t mean it. Her heart condition isn’t good; it wasn’t intentional.”

I looked at them, feeling only a sharp throbbing at my temples.

“If you want to perform, go outside and do it.”

I said coldly, “I don’t have time to watch.”

Verity’s face froze immediately.

Clayton’s expression darkened. “Celestine, why do you talk like that? She came sincerely to apologize. She just hopes to have a good relationship with you. Why are you always so harsh and sarcastic?”

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, my hand unconsciously covering my lower belly.

It still hurts faintly.

“Clayton, if that day the baby and I had truly died in the fire, would you have regretted for even a second not saving me?”

The ward became silent.

He parted his lips but did not answer right away.

That single moment of hesitation had answered everything.

Verity sobbed softly at the side. “Sister-in-law, don’t put brother in that position. He feels awful too…”

I had already heard enough.

I leaned on the bed to sit up, pressed the nurse’s call button, and said calmly, “Please help me apply for a transfer to a VIP room.”

If Clayton genuinely cared about me, he would not have neglected to arrange a VIP ward from the start.

In the past, whenever Verity was admitted for heart discomfort, he would immediately secure the finest ward and the best doctor for her.

I had just risen from the bed and reached the doorway when I was halted.

Verity moved to block me, her eyes reddened, and her voice lowered greatly.

“Sister-in-law, what must I do for you to stop being angry?”

I felt uneasy at once. Just as I was about to step around her, she leaned toward me and whispered into my ear, “I really can’t stand your arrogant expression.”

My heart jolted, and I instinctively stepped back.

But it was too late.

She grabbed my wrist abruptly, then suddenly let go, her body leaning backward as she crashed heavily to the floor.

“Ah!”

Before I could even react, I saw a bright red stain quickly spreading beneath her.

That sight at once broke all my senses; a loud ringing filled my ears, and everything before my eyes shook.

And Clayton almost rushed forward and dragged Verity into his chest, his voice shaking, “Verity? Verity, what happened to you?!”

Verity’s face was deathly pale as she softly leaned against him, tears dropping without stopping.

“Brother, I am pregnant…”

Her voice was so soft it could hardly be heard. “I planned to tell you after the baby became steady… I am sorry, brother…”

She lifted her face to look at me, her eyes full of hurt and shock.

“Sister-in-law, what did I do to upset you? Why did you shove me?”

That patch of blood made my ears buzz, and my head turn; my mind became empty, and I did not speak back right away.

In the next second, Clayton had already lifted her and hurried outside.

“Doctor! Doctor!”

His voice had never sounded so panicked, much more real than when he had just been sitting by my bed.

Before stepping out, Clayton suddenly turned his head to look at me, his eyes terribly cold.

“If anything happens to Verity and her baby.”

He clenched his teeth while speaking, “I will absolutely not let you off!”

I stood still, my fists tight, as if I had been slapped hard several times.

The mistress was pregnant, yet Clayton felt no guilt and could still threaten me without mercy.

At that moment, the last bit of feeling in my heart broke completely.

Soon, the ward was empty except for me. I sat on the bed and numbly opened my phone to buy a plane ticket.

I had no more ties to this place or this house.

Just after I finished paying, the ward door was pushed open.

Clayton’s eyes were red, his face full of worry, the veins on his temples clear. He rushed over and seized my wrist.

“Come with me. Immediately.”

He dragged me so hard that I staggered, pain shooting through my wrist. I struggled at once.

“What are you doing?”

“Verity has lost too much blood!”

He almost shouted. “She’s in serious danger. You have to give her a blood transfusion!”

I froze for a moment and looked at his arm.

His sleeve was not fully down. On his skin was a fresh needle mark, with bruises around it.

He had already donated blood.

“Are you insane?”

My voice shook, not from fear but from shock. “Clayton, I’m pregnant! You want me to give blood to someone else?”

At that moment, Clayton’s face turned hard.

“Can your child compare to hers?”

He could not hide his anger. “Verity’s health was already weak. If she loses this child, who knows if she can ever get pregnant again in her life!”

“Celestine, you almost destroyed a woman’s future. Now you won’t even give a little blood to make up for it. How can you be so heartless?!”

I trembled in anger, almost ready to pull away their last cover and reveal everything between him and Verity.

But as soon as I opened my mouth, Clayton changed his tone.

“Celestine, have you forgotten? When you lost your memory, who stayed by your side for twenty-one days?”

“And five years ago, when you were sick and needed blood, who gave it to you without hesitation?”

“I’ve saved you again and again. Now it’s time for you to repay me; you can’t be so heartless.”

Each word he spoke felt like a blunt knife, stabbing into my heart again and again.

I felt the blood in my body turn cold little by little.

Even though I had decided to leave and no longer expected anything from him, when he calmly said, “You should repay me,” my heart still hurt.

In his heart, the time he stayed with me, the care he gave, the things I once treasured, were all debts.

Only then did I understand that if I did not repay this debt, I would never truly be free from him.

I took a deep breath, looked up at him, and answered calmly.

“Fine. I’ll give her blood.”

Clayton clearly breathed out in relief.

I continued, “Think of it as repayment for you saving me before. After this, we owe each other nothing.”

Verity was still in the treatment room, her condition unclear. Clayton did not have time to think and only nodded without thinking.

“Okay.”

He said, “As long as you save her, we can discuss the rest later.”

I did not fight anymore.

As the doctor advised me, I simply said quietly, “Take only the smallest amount of blood that is safe.”

Then I shut my eyes.

When the needle entered my vein, there was no pain.

I only felt my body grow lighter bit by bit, as if something left me with the blood.

Clayton stood beside me, finally at ease, his voice much softer.

“Wife, we’ll have the wedding in a few days. After that, I’ll help you recover well. You’ve been wronged lately.”

I did not want to listen to his promises anymore, and I would not trust them again.

After the blood was taken, Clayton said a few simple words and then left in a hurry once the surgery ended to check on Verity.

I remained in the hospital for two additional days.

During that time, he stayed beside Verity the whole time, watching her carefully, afraid she might have any problem.

He never returned to my ward, as if waiting for me to lower my head and apologize first.

In my heart, Clayton had always been a gentle man who rarely showed anger or a cold face. But once he was upset, he would disappear for days and leave me waiting.

Before, I was always afraid of him being unhappy. So when he showed even a little displeasure, I would lower my head first.

Because of this, Clayton believed he had full control over me. He thought that within three days, I would coax him and say sorry.

He never expected that on the third day, instead of apologizing, I received a message from the lawyer.

[The divorce process has been completed.]

I looked at that sentence. In my heart, there was only calm relief.

I completed the discharge steps, went home to pack one suitcase, and got on the plane.

On the plane, I removed the SIM card from my phone and threw it into the trash without care.

From that moment on, Clayton and I had no connection.

The debt was paid, the feelings were over.

And my child would not have a father named Clayton.

In the hospital, Clayton’s heart suddenly jumped. He looked at his phone by instinct and saw an unread message.

He smiled slightly, thinking it was my apology. But what he saw was.

[Mr. Clayton, your divorce registration with Ms. Celestine Grimes has been approved and was completed on March 1, 2026.]