In the fifth year of my marriage to Kevin Gray, he, a sailor, is reported dead during a mission at sea.

When his twin brother brings home his ashes, I break down and sob until I can barely breathe.

Nothing can stand in the way of our love—not even death... or so I think.

Grief consumes me. I cannot accept the reality of losing him. I try to end my life five times. Every time, Kevin's mother or his brother saves me.

They plead with me to let go, to live on. After all, Kevin's last wish was for me to find happiness in every day of the life I had left.

But in the third month of mourning, I discover the truth—he never died.

He lied to me.

He took his twin brother's identity and spent his days by Evelyn Stewart's side.

He told me he still loved me, that he couldn't live without me, and that everything he was doing had a reason. He said he'd explain everything after Evelyn gave birth.

To protect Evelyn and her unborn child, he asked me to move out for a while—just temporarily, until the baby was born. Then, he promised to bring me home again.

Kevin, don't bother coming to get me. I'm not coming back.

It was my fifth attempt at taking my own life, and once again, I was rescued against my will. That led to a complete breakdown. Kevin Gray, the love of my life, was gone. I felt like there was no meaning in life anymore.

That night, I went to the graveyard. I wanted to see him and spend some time with him.

As soon as I arrived at the entrance, I heard a voice that belonged to Marie Holt, my mother-in-law.

"Kevin, are you sure you want to keep up with this impersonation?" Marie asked.

"I have no choice, Mom. Evelyn just lost her husband, and her biggest wish has always been to have Kyle's baby. If she found out about his death, she wouldn't be able to take it. I'm sure she'd take her own life."

"But sooner or later, Judy will find out about this, too. What are you going to do then?" Marie queried.

Stunned, I came to a complete standstill.

What were they talking about? Wasn't Kevin dead? Who was impersonating whom?

"Evelyn just lost her husband, Mom! How can I not worry about her? Once Evelyn gives birth to a baby and has something to keep her going, I'll reveal the truth to Judy. I'm sure she'll understand me."

They were talking about Evelyn Stewart, the wife of Kevin's older brother, Kyle Gray.

Marie sounded a little helpless as she insisted, "Even so, you shouldn't have assumed Kyle's identity! Judy is devastated enough as it is. Have you considered how upset she'll be if she finds out that you, her husband, are not only alive but have been accompanying Evelyn while pretending to be Kyle?"

Pretending to be Kyle?

My mind went blank. Only then did I realize that Kyle was the one who died. For the last three months, Kevin had been pretending to be Kyle!

I felt chilled to the bone, as if I'd plunged into an icy lake.

Kevin and Kyle were twins. Ever since they were babies, they looked like carbon copies of each other. Even Marie mixed them up at times. Alas, never would it have ever occurred to me that Kevin would use that to fool me!

My heart squeezed in pain as I thought about how cold and distant Kevin had been with me the past three months, as well as how intimate he'd been with Evelyn.

Once upon a time, he'd been so gentle and devoted to me as well. From the day we first met, he showered me with nothing but the most thoughtful and meticulous care. Even after we'd gotten married, every single moment we spent together was filled with nothing but joy and love.

But now, he was doing this to me. He had been fooling me the whole time…

Feeling distraught, I returned to my room and slumped onto the floor like a deflated balloon.

I thought this was my home, but Kevin had just destroyed everything.

In the end, I called up my parents, Raymond Burton and Adeline Morris.

"How have you been, Judy? Have you been well?" Mom asked.

"Your mom and I miss you very much. When are you going to come and see us?" Dad added.

My eyes reddened with tears at the sound of their voices.

I grew up as an orphan. It was only two years ago that I found my birth parents again. However, I was too reluctant to leave Kevin, so I never told him I'd reconnected with them.

Who would've thought that Kevin would do this to me…

"Mom, Dad, I…" I started speaking, but I didn't know how to explain the entire situation to them. In the end, I choked out, "Mom, Dad, I miss you. I don't want to be an orphan without a family anymore. I want to come home."

Mom and Dad were thrilled. They immediately declared they would arrange for someone to come and get me.

Kevin and I met at college five years ago. At the time, I didn't want to get into a relationship. When he asked me out, I rejected him in annoyance. However, he didn't try to force the issue. Instead, in his own way, he quietly took care of me.

He brought me breakfast every day. He would always have a spare umbrella for me. Even when I was sick, he stayed by my side the whole time and tended to my every need.

Slowly, he won me over, and when he confessed his feelings to me once more, I agreed to go out with him.

When he found out I grew up as an orphan after going missing as a child, he held me tenderly and promised to give me a home. But now, this wasn't my home anymore.

Perhaps it was time for me to leave.

Suddenly, Kevin entered my room.

Frowning, he asked, "Who were you on the phone with just now, Judy? What's this I heard about a flight ticket? Where are you going?"

I took a deep breath to compose myself and push away the hurt I felt. "What do you mean? I didn't mention anything about a flight ticket. I'm not going anywhere. I just want to walk around for a bit to take my mind off things."

Kevin eyed me doubtfully. "Are you telling me the truth? I know you're crushed by Kevin's death, but you need to take care of yourself. His dying wish was to hope that you would be well.

"If you want to go on a trip somewhere, I'll take you sometime when I'm free. Don't ever do something foolish like trying to end your life again."

I nodded in silence.

Kevin was about to continue speaking when Evelyn came over from her room, her face pale. Clutching her stomach, she cried out, "My stomach hurts, Kyle, and some blood came out…"

Immediately, Kevin tensed up. "What happened? I'll take you to the hospital at once!"

He scooped up Evelyn in his arms and started rushing out of the room. As he hurried past, he didn't even bother to look at me while saying, "Come with us, Judy. You can help take care of Evelyn."

I had no choice but to get up and follow them into the ambulance that Kevin called for. Along the way, he kept holding Evelyn with a look of concern.

As I watched my own husband fussing over another woman, I felt as if I were being stabbed in the heart.

Once we got to the hospital, Evelyn was taken in for a series of tests. At last, the doctor came back and said, "Congratulations, Mrs. Gray! You're one month pregnant. However, your body is a little weak, so some extra care is required to stabilize your condition."

Evelyn was pregnant?

While I stood frozen, Kevin jumped for joy. He clutched Evelyn's hand tightly and cried out, "That's wonderful! We finally have a child, Evelyn!"

Evelyn looked overjoyed too. "Thank you, Kyle."

My heart clenched in pain as I watched them share an intimate moment. Kevin had once lavished such deep devotion upon me as well, but now, he was giving all of that to another woman.

"There's one other thing," the doctor said. "The patient has a rather unique blood type, and I'm afraid the hospital doesn't have enough supply on hand. Do either of you have a Rh-negative blood type? It's best if you can donate your blood to the patient."

Hearing that, Kevin turned to me at once. "You have Rh-negative blood, Judy. Do help Evelyn with this."

I was startled. I didn't expect him to make such a request.

"I—"

Kevin interrupted me to say, "Judy, I know this is a lot to ask of you, but Evelyn is in frail health. If she doesn't get a blood transfusion in time, both she and the baby will be in danger. Save her, please! I'm begging you! I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

My heart filled with bitterness when I saw the desperate, pleading look in his eyes.

He had once cherished me with every fiber of his being, but now, he was demanding that I donate my blood for the sake of the child he was having with another woman. What a mockery this was!

But in the end, I agreed to do it. After all, a life was growing in Evelyn's womb. It wouldn't hurt me to donate a bit of my blood. The only thing that upset me was the way Kevin was treating me.

"Fine. I'll do it."

Kevin was taken aback. He didn't seem to think I would agree to it so easily.

"Thank you, Judy! You're such a kind-hearted person!"

He looked at me gratefully. I also detected a flicker of guilt in his eyes, but that didn't make a difference. I was utterly disappointed in him already.

I settled down on the hospital bed, and the doctor took my blood. My heart was cold as ice as I watched my blood trickling out of my body.

The last time I lay on a hospital bed was after a car accident. Kevin had frantically brought me to the hospital. Just before I went into surgery, he grasped my hand and said tearfully, "My love, I swear I will never let you suffer ever again."

Well, he had single-handedly broken his own promise.

After donating my blood, I went back to the house alone. The place was empty, save for me. Kevin was still at the hospital, accompanying Evelyn. It was as though he had forgotten entirely about me.

A few days later, Evelyn was discharged from the hospital. Kevin brought her back and took excellent care of her. He didn't even let her pour her own glass of water.

He also told all of our neighbors that he was going to become a father, relishing in the joy of upcoming fatherhood.

The sight of their bliss made my heart twist in anguish. I had often dreamed of having a child with Kevin and envisioned the happiness we would share as a family of three. That dream had gone up in flames now.

To thank me for donating my blood, Evelyn suggested treating me to a meal.

"Thank you so much, Judy. If it hadn't been for you, both the baby and I could've lost our lives," Evelyn said while clutching my hand.

She was wearing a bracelet that Kevin had made to please her.

Forcing out a smile, I replied, "It's fine. It was only right for me to do so."

When we got to the restaurant, Kevin took the menu and ordered a few things that Evelyn liked to eat. He spent the entire meal keeping her plate full. He had entirely forgotten about my presence. Not wanting to witness their loving display, I kept my head bowed and focused on eating.

All of a sudden, I felt a suffocating feeling. My entire body started itching, and I could barely breathe as I slumped onto the floor.

"Judy!"

As my vision went black, the taste of peanuts lingered on my tongue.

There were peanuts in the salad dressing. Kevin had ordered that specific salad because Evelyn liked it, all while forgetting that I had a peanut allergy.

After exclaiming in alarm, Kevin came over to help me.

However, Evelyn clutched her stomach and cried out, "Kyle! My stomach hurts…"

Hearing that, Kevin tossed me aside and quickly held her. "What's the matter, Evelyn? Do you feel any discomfort?"

He carried her in his arms and left without hesitation.

I watched as they left, my heart gripped with pain. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard the sound of an ambulance.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on a hospital bed. There was no one beside me. All I saw were the medical devices around me blinking in silence.

Neither Kevin nor Evelyn came to see me. It was as if I didn't even exist.

I discharged myself from the hospital. As soon as I got to the hospital entrance, I saw Kevin. He was supporting Evelyn as she walked, his expression gentle.

When he saw me, his face flashed with awkwardness, but he soon regained his composure and asked, "Have you been discharged from the hospital, Judy?"

I nodded without speaking.

He glanced at me briefly before looking back at Evelyn.

"Be careful, Evelyn. Don't trip."

I felt a jolt of pain when I caught the tender, caring tone of his voice. He once cared for me like that, but right now, Evelyn was the only person he cared about.

Not wanting to see them anymore, I turned to leave.

When I got home, I passed some of our neighbors and overheard their conversation.

"Evelyn has such a wonderful husband. Ever since she got pregnant, Kyle has been doting on her in every way!"

"I pity Judy. She became a widow at such a young age. She doesn't even have anyone to look after her, even though she got hospitalized."

My nose prickled as I nearly started crying.

They were right. I lost my husband the moment Kevin decided to lie to me.

That evening, Kevin abruptly came back. He set some health supplements on the table and said, "Here, Judy. I got these for you."

I thanked him curtly, but my heart remained still. I no longer needed his concern.

All of a sudden, I felt a wave of dizziness and ended up fainting due to my low blood sugar levels. I wasn't sure how long I'd been unconscious. When I woke up, I was back at the hospital again.

Kevin looked immensely relieved. He dashed over and hugged me tightly, exclaiming, "Judy! You're finally awake! I'm so glad!"

His voice was agitated. It sounded as if he had been worried sick the whole time. I could sense that his body was trembling too.

Just as I was about to speak, he suddenly cupped my face to kiss me. I shoved him away and eyed him coldly, saying, "Watch it, Kyle."

Freezing up, he asked, "What did you call me?"

His eyes flickered with panic as he continued, "I'm sorry, Judy. I… I was mistaken. I mistook you for Evelyn."

The moment he finished speaking, he hurried out of the room.

I knew he hadn't mistaken me for anyone else, of course. He was just pretending. As I watched the way he fled, the last trace of hope left in me vanished for good. The man I once loved dearly was now a total stranger to me.

…

After returning to the house, I got in bed and stared dazedly at the ceiling.

Out of the blue, my phone started ringing. Mom was calling me.

"Judy, I'll send someone to pick you up in three days. Have you settled everything yet?" Mom asked caringly. "We've prepared your room as well. All that's left is for you to come back."

I nearly burst into tears. "I miss you guys a lot, too. Yeah, I'm almost done. I can leave in three days."

As soon as I got off the call, the bedroom door abruptly opened.

Kevin came in with a scowl on his face. "What's this about you leaving? Where are you going?"

Frowning, I ignored him, but he snatched my phone and demanded, "Were you talking to those friends of yours again? How many times must I tell you not to hang out with sketchy people?"

After seizing my phone back, I couldn't resist shouting back, "What gives you the right to boss me around? I'm not your possession! I'm my own person! Ever since I got back from the hospital, you've been keeping me locked up in the house. You refuse to let me work, and you won't even let me see my friends! Just how far must you push me before you're satisfied?"

Kevin was startled. His eyes flickered with panic, but he quickly regained his composure. "I'm doing this for your own good, Judy. You haven't fully recovered yet. What if you end up fainting somewhere?"

With an icy glare, I shot back, "You don't have to worry about me. You should be worrying about Evelyn instead. As for me, my husband's dead, and I have every right to dictate my own life!"

Kevin fixed his eyes on me, his gaze seemingly both torn and disappointed. After a long pause, he left.

I crumpled onto the floor and began weeping in silence.

…

That night, I tossed and turned in bed without being able to fall asleep.

All of a sudden, my bedroom door flew open, and a large figure stumbled in—Kevin. He reeked of alcohol. Clearly, he was drunk.

Fumbling over to the bed, he gripped my hand tightly and said, "I love you, Judy. I really do. Don't leave me, okay?"

His voice was choked. I could feel the warmth of his hand. However, I yanked my hand back and eyed him coldly, saying, "You're drunk."

He shook his head, his eyes bleary. "No, I'm not drunk. Do you know how much I love you, Judy? From the moment I left home for the maritime assignment, I missed you constantly. Every day, all I wanted to do was see you.

"But my hands are tied. Evelyn is pregnant. I can't just abandon her. Can you forgive me, Judy, please? Once she delivers the baby, I'll…"

Pausing mid-sentence, he started closing in to try and kiss me.

I pushed him away, shouting, "Kev—Kyle! Snap out of it! I'm Judy! I'm not Evelyn!"

Just then, I heard footsteps at the door, and Evelyn came in. The moment she saw Kevin and me, her expression turned nasty.

I quickly composed myself and explained, "Kyle's drunk, Evelyn, and I think he mistook me for you. You should take him back to your room."

Evelyn didn't speak. She threw an icy glare at me before ushering Kyle away.