He was still late. Madelynn's face turned pale as she tried to explain herself, but Andres didn't listen to a single word.

He stared at his empty hand. Then he rushed downstairs like a madman. When he saw Kaelyn lying in a pool of blood, he trembled uncontrollably.

He lifted Kaelyn in his arms and shouted in despair, "Get a doctor here now!"

He then turned to his bodyguards and roared, "What were you doing? Didn't I tell you to watch her?" I was gone for just one morning, and she ended up like this!"

The bodyguard hung his head and said in a low voice, "Mr. Warren, you sent all the bodyguards to protect Miss Dobson… We were shorthanded here and slipped up."

Kaelyn was barely conscious in his arms. She felt Andres's body suddenly stiffen before he held her even tighter.

"I'm sorry, Kaelyn… It's all my fault."

Madelynn had followed them down. She timidly stood a few steps away and said in a trembling voice, "I'm sorry, Andres. It's all my fault. I felt guilty ever since that day when my tantrum caused Sister Kaelyn to be hospitalized. I just wanted to apologize… But when I entered the hospital room, I saw her struggling through rehab. I was afraid she couldn't take it, so I tried to stop her. I didn't expect her to dislike me so much and keep pushing me away. Then she accidentally fell…"

She dared not get close, and her voice grew softer. She seemed to fear that she would anger Andres.

Hearing her words, Andres calmed down as his anger gradually dissipated.

He sighed, stood up, and walked over to Madelynn. He gently wiped the tears from her face and said, "I know you didn't do it on purpose. Don't cry anymore. I've always been afraid of your tears since we were little. Oh, I signed a contract today... Haven't you always wanted a private island? Now it's yours."

In the corner of his eye, Madelynn broke into a smile and threw herself into his arms.

Andres affectionately tousled her hair.

Kaelyn felt a chill throughout her body and closed her eyes. She thought she had become numb, but a tear still slipped from the corner of her eye.

Andres used the best medical resources in the city to save Kaelyn. Fortunately, the fall wasn't from a high floor, and some greenery cushioned the impact.

The lights in the operating room stayed on for three days and nights, and Kaelyn narrowly escaped from death.

That incident made Andres extremely vigilant. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Kaelyn again, so he brought her home and arranged for someone to care for her.

Kaelyn thought she could finally recover quietly. But then she saw Madelynn directing the servants to move luggage into the villa.

Kaelyn asked Andres what was going on and why Madelynn was moving in.

Andres dared not meet her eyes. "Madelynn feels responsible for your accident and wants to move in to take care of you as compensation."

He then seemed to have convinced himself, and his tone grew firm. "Kaelyn, I'm busy with work and can't always be there for you. With Madelynn here, I will worry about you less."

Kaelyn almost retorted instantly.

Madelyn had caused Kaelyn to be injured like that. If the latter moved in, it would only hasten the former's demise.

But the words stuck in Kaelyn's throat and went unspoken.

Andres wouldn't believe her words.

A strong sense of helplessness washed over her. She turned her head away and said nothing more.

The medication took effect, and Kaelyn drifted off into a hazy sleep. When she woke up again, it was already dark.

She was thirsty. She wanted to ask a servant for water, but her hoarse voice wouldn't come out. After a moment's hesitation, she pressed the call button by her bed.

Andres had installed the equipment for her, which was connected directly to all his communication devices. He promised that whenever she pressed it, he would come to her immediately.

The bell rang several times before it was connected. "Kaelyn, what's wrong?"

Before Andres could finish speaking, a voice from the background interrupted him. "Andres, look over here!"

Andres pretended to be annoyed. "Madelynn, why are you smearing cream on my face again?"

"Because you look so cute like that."

Kaelyn's gaze dimmed as she quietly stared at the ceiling and said nothing.

She knew Andres spent every important day with Madelynn.

It marked their twenty-fifth since they met.

Kaelyn recalled her own anniversaries with Andres.

On their first anniversary, they vacationed at a beautiful tourist attraction, but Madelynn threatened suicide over a limited-edition handbag, and Andres left Kaelyn alone at the hotel as he flew back to console Madelynn.

On their second anniversary, they planned a ski trip, but Madelynn was upset about not having anyone to accompany her to a concert, so Andres canceled the ski trip and stayed with Madelynn. Kaelyn saw the photo of him and Madelynn kissing on social media that very evening.

On their third anniversary, Andres took Kaelyn to Northern Europe, where he had planned to propose to her in a chapel. But Madelynn secretly followed them and called him. She told him that she was lost. Once again, Andres left Kaelyn alone.

Kaelyn suddenly realized that whenever Andres needed to choose between her and Madelynn, he always chose Madelynn.

All she received were apologies and attempts at compensation afterward.

Kaelyn quietly hung up the call and struggled to get out of bed. She poured herself a glass of water.

In her heart, she kept reminding herself that she would leave three days later and that she shouldn't hold any more expectations on Andres.

In the early morning the next day, Kaelyn got up to use the bathroom. As she passed the guest room, she heard intimate noises inside.

"Please be gentle, Andres… Why does she want to hurt me like this?"

"Bear with it, Madelynn. Otherwise, the drug still works." He seemed to warn Kaelyn as he continued, "I'm just doing this to help you. After all, it's Kaelyn's fault."

Kaelyn paused in her tracks.

Through the crack in the door, she saw Andres and Madelynn making love on the bed.

At least in his heart, he still considered Kaelyn his girlfriend. He still held onto that last boundary.

But the scene Kaelyn just witnessed shattered the last hope in Kaelyn's heart.

The next morning, Andres saw Kaelyn packing her belongings downstairs. His eyes widened in surprise as he quickly walked over. "Kaelyn, where are you going?"

When Kaelyn saw the fresh red love bites on his neck and caught a whiff of unfamiliar perfume, she was so calm.

"I'm going out for a trip to relax." She didn't mention anything about what had happened yesterday evening.

Andres sighed in relief. He then recalled that she had mentioned that she wanted to visit Bali a long time ago.

He softened his tone. "Once you're feeling better, we can plan a trip together. What do you think?"

She looked at the hand clasped around her wrist. There was a faint mark where a ring used to be.

Andres had once sworn that if he took off that ring, he would lose the most important thing in his life.

He had probably forgotten that by now.

She didn't want to ask further. She only wanted to take back her hand.

Sensing her resistance, Andres was about to speak when light footsteps drifted from the stairs.

"Andres, why are you up so early?" Madelynn came closer. "I woke up, and you weren't on the bed already."

The air suddenly froze.

Andres's face changed. He tried to say something, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Kaelyn said nothing. She dragged her suitcase and said, "I'll leave my luggage downstairs."

Andres instinctively wanted to help, but Madelynn's words distracted him.

During breakfast, Kaelyn held her knife and fork for a long time without eating anything.

The doctor had repeatedly told her to avoid seafood.

Yet the salmon on her plate would inflame her wounds, and the peanut butter could cause her a severe allergic reaction.

Andres knew her health well, but he forgot even that.

Madelynn nestled close to him, and a cold smile flashed in her eyes.

Kaelyn asked softly, "Andres, do you remember what I'm allergic to?"

He froze and turned his gaze away.

Kaelyn stood up and was about to leave. But Madelynn apologized with sobs. "I'm sorry. I didn't remember Kaelyn's preferences completely. But I don't make breakfast often…"

Andres's expression became firm. He held Kaelyn back and said, "You suffered such severe injuries before, and I saved you successfully. It's just a little peanut butter. If you have an allergic reaction, I'll find the best doctor for you."

Kaelyn still shook her head.

He had likely forgotten that her allergic reaction almost caused her to die in the ICU last time.

Andres finally lost patience after being rejected repeatedly. "Why are you being so unreasonable? It's just one breakfast. Can't you endure it?"

Andres had never let her suffer even the slightest grievance in the past. But he expected her to endure repeatedly for Madelynn.

Kaelyn looked at him with disillusionment. "Am I unreasonable? You had sex with her, and I stayed silent. How much more am I supposed to endure?"

"You… you saw everything yesterday evening?" Andres's face turned sharply, but he quickly found an excuse for himself. "Wasn't that because you messed with Madelynn's hangover remedy? I was just cleaning up your mess!"

Kaelyn couldn't believe that he thought she did such a thing. She asked incredulously, "You think I drugged her? Did she say that to you? Did you see it yourself?"

But Andres didn't listen to a single word. He only tried to smooth things over.

"Stop arguing. Madelynn doesn't even mind. Why are you making a fuss now? You have to have this breakfast."

He gestured to the servants to step forward, and they force-fed her the hot food.

Kaelyn became desperate.

In less than five minutes, Kaelyn's whole body itched, and her skin became red and swollen.

The servants screamed in fright.

Before losing consciousness, she saw Andres rushing toward her, panic-stricken.

When she awoke, it was already late at night.

Andres sat by the bed and tightly held her hand. He said in a hoarse voice, "Kaelyn, I'm sorry… I shouldn't have forced you. It was my fault for not controlling my temper."

He pressed her hand gently against his face and said softly, "The doctor says you're fine. But the allergy medicine conflicted with the other medications. You need to be allergic for a few days. You might swell a bit. Try to bear with it, okay?"

Kaelyn withdrew her hand and turned away. "Leave me alone. I want to sleep."

Andres's hand fell slowly, and disappointment flickered in his eyes.

He looked at Kaelyn's frail back and said nothing. He just gently closed the door as he left.

In the following days, Kaelyn remained silent.

Andres canceled all his work to devote his time to lifting her spirits. He even took her to the top auction house in Astrofleah.

Kaelyn couldn't refuse him and found herself half an hour later in the backseat of the Bentley.

Once inside the auction house, many people walked up and greeted Andres. He held Kaelyn's hand tightly and introduced her to everyone. "This is my fiancée."

Even though he gave Kaelyn the title openly, her face remained emotionless.

What he did meant little compared to the hurt he'd caused.

During the auction, Andres frequently raised his paddle. He acquired a lot of luxury jewels and presented them to her. Her behavior drew the eyes of the entire room.

But Kaelyn remained composed until the auctioneer announced the final highlight. "The Morley Group."

Kaelyn's face turned pale. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Although the Morley Group wasn't as prosperous as it once was, it was far from bankruptcy.

It was her father's hard work. It couldn't be treated like a commodity for others to pick and choose.

Andres also sensed something was amiss and called his secretary to ask what was going on.

The secretary lowered his voice. "Miss Dobson added it to the auction list at the last minute."

"Remove it."

"Miss Dobson... disagrees."

Andres frowned as he called Madelynn. He only heard a voice tinged with grievance on the other end.

He looked helpless, but his gaze softened. After hanging up, he explained to Kaelyn, saying, "Madelyne is an outstanding graduate from a top university. She had some experts evaluate the Morley Group and concluded that it has limited potential. So a merger is the best option now. Kaelyn, you have to trust her. Besides, even if the Morley Group is sold out, you still have me."

Kaelyn shook her head, and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

Before her father went into surgery, he had entrusted her with only one task. That was to protect the Morley Group.

She couldn't let others be the boss of the Morley Group.

She grasped Andres's hand and asked in a trembling voice, "I don't want anything else. Please... help me take the Morley Group, will you?"

Andres's heart stirred.

It had been a long time since Kaelyn showed such vulnerability.

He tightened his grip on her hand and said, "Alright. I'll make sure to get it for you."

Kaelyn nodded and felt slightly reassured.

The auction began with a starting bid of ninety million dollars.

Kaelyn nervously looked at Andres, but he suddenly stood up to answer a call. He looked anxious. "Don't worry. I'll be right there."

After hanging up, he hesitated for a moment and then handed her the bidding paddle. "Madelynn's in trouble. I have to go. Just keep bidding. No matter how much it is, I'll cover it."

Before Kaelyn could respond, he hurried out.

The bidding continued.

Kaelyn forced herself to remain calm. She consistently offered slightly higher bids each round.

Ultimately, she secured the Morley Group at three hundred million dollars.

She was secretly relieved. When she followed the staff member to complete the payment, she handed over the bank card Andres had given her.

A moment later, the staff member returned the bank card with an apologetic look. "Ma'am, this card is not valid. Do you have another method of payment?"

Kaelyn's heart sank.

How could it be?

Even if Andres didn't care about Kaelyn, he wouldn't give her a useless card to embarrass her publicly.

"Could it be a machine error?" she asked, trying to maintain her composure. "Could you please try again?"

The staff member nodded and attempted several more times, but the result was the same.

Kaelyn's fingers trembled as she called Andres.

He picked up quickly, and she said in a low voice, "Andres, the bank card you gave me doesn't work."

"How could that be?" Andres replied, puzzled. Then he comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, Kaelyn, I'm on my way back now."

Before he could finish, a soft, aggrieved female voice was faintly heard on the other end of the line.

Kaelyn couldn't make out what Madelynn said, but she knew Andres's mind instantly changed.

"Sorry, Kaelyn. Something urgent came up here, and I can't leave now. I'll call you later, alright?"

Before she could respond, the call ended abruptly.

Kaelyn stared at the darkened phone screen, and her heart grew cold.

She couldn't just watch as the Morley Group was bought by someone else. Desperately, she dialed Andres's number repeatedly, but only the cold, busy signal responded.

Others settling their own transactions noticed her predicament. Some whispered mockingly, "Isn't that Andres's fiancée? She looked so arrogant earlier, yet she can't even pay for an auction item?"

"If she can't pay, let others have a chance. Or... maybe if she offers something in return, I'll consider buying it for her." They laughed loudly.

Kaelyn's eyes reddened as she hoarsely retorted, "It has nothing to do with you."

Their laughter grew more brazen, and their words became increasingly offensive.

The staff member was helpless and bowed slightly. "I'm sorry, ma'am."

Then the staff member indicated that the Morley Group would pass to the next highest bidder.

Meanwhile, due to her prolonged presence in the settlement area and the disturbance, two staff members politely but firmly asked her to leave.

Kaelyn tried to explain, but her influence was insufficient. Amidst the struggle, she was escorted out.

Before the door closed, she heard the auctioneer's hammer fall. Two hundred and fifty million. Sold!"

Kaelyn froze, feeling a chill spread through her body.

She hadn't managed to hold onto even one thing.

She didn't know how long she stood there in a daze before she got up and found Madelynn blocking her path with a smirk. "How does it feel to be thrown out? You'd better leave Andres as soon as possible. Stop embarrassing him."

Kaelyn's eyes were blank as she tried to walk past.

Madelynn grabbed Kaelyn's hair and said, "I'm talking to you."

They tussled by the roadside, oblivious to the red light. A truck barreled towards them.

"Kaelyn!" Andres's shout jolted her.

She looked up, only to be blinded by the truck's headlights.

With a deafening crash, Kaelyn was flung several meters away. Pain seared through her body, and warm liquid pooled between her legs.

Andres knelt nearby and examined Madelynn's scraped arm. He looked so nervous.

At that moment, Kaelyn's hope was gone completely.

By the time Andres rushed over, Kaelyn had already lost consciousness.

Outside the emergency room, the doctor was there.

"Miss Dobson is currently stable, but there's a slight detachment of the uterine lining. We need further tests to assess the situation..."

Before the doctor could finish, Madelynn burst into tears, "Andres, I don't want to lose my uterus. You have to save me. Kaelyn's uterus is fine. Can't you transplant hers to me?"

Andres hesitated. He then looked at the doctor and hoped for a solution that wouldn't compromise either of them.

The doctor looked serious as he said, "Mr. Warren, Miss Morley's condition is very weak right now. She can't undergo transplant surgery. If you insist on having her undergo the surgery, she will be in danger. Miss Dobson's uterus isn't damaged severely enough to need a transplant..."

Madelynn's cries intensified. "Andres, you promised my parents that you'd take care of me. How can you break your promise? If it weren't for Kaelyn, I wouldn't have been in an accident. Just surgery to transplant her uterus to me, and I'll forgive her."

Ultimately, Andres made his decision. "Proceed with the surgery to transplant the uterus. Kaelyn's health isn't a concern, but Madelynn loves children so much. She needs a healthy uterus."

He turned to Kaelyn, who was unconscious, and softened his voice with guilt, "Kaelyn, we can build a family together through adoption. I'll always be with you."

He still thought about Madelynn at that moment.

Kaelyn was wheeled into the operating room, and the surgical light shone overhead.

She struggled with all her might and tried to escape. But she was weak. She merely watched helplessly as the anesthetist approached with a needle.

She was despairing and closed her eyes.

Just then, the operating room door burst open.

A tall man rushed in. His gaze locked onto Kaelyn on the table, and his pupils contracted sharply. "Stop. I dare anyone to touch her!"

The doctor turned and gasped in shock. "Mr. Saunders..."