"You're awake? Mandy, do you know how worried I was about you?"

When I regained consciousness, the first thing I saw was Jay’s exhausted face.

He still seemed to care for me as he always had, lowering his head to press his forehead against mine.

"You had severe bleeding during the surgery, honey. You nearly scared me to death—I thought I was really going to lose you."

His voice was warm, yet all I felt was an unbearable chill in my heart.

A man who claimed to care about me had disregarded my life just to eliminate any threat to the person he truly loved.

I didn’t dare to think about all the things he had told me before—what, if anything, had ever been real?

I turned my head away, avoiding his startled gaze.

"I'm a bit tired."

Jay smiled, pressing a kiss onto my forehead.

Though he was tall and strong, he insisted on squeezing into my hospital bed, curling up beside me, loosely wrapping his arms around my body.

"I'm tired too. Honey, I was really afraid something would happen to you. It’s such a relief that you're okay."

His voice gradually faded, his breathing becoming steady.

I turned my head and saw his sleeping face.

Picking up my phone, I turned it on, and immediately, a ton of messages started flashing on the screen.

I never expected them to be from Riley Bundred.

I didn’t know when she had added me on WhatsApp, but as soon as I opened the chat, I saw her and Jay’s wedding photos.

Along with them was her pregnancy diagnosis and numerous intimate pictures of the two of them.

"Jay still chose me, Mandy. You have no idea how much he loves this child! Today, he accompanied me for a prenatal checkup. When he saw the baby’s image, he cried and promised he would make it up to me and our child. If I were you, I would have stepped aside long ago so that Jay wouldn’t have to be in such a difficult position."

I saw Jay, eyes red, resting his head on Riley’s belly, listening to the baby’s movements.

I had once imagined having a child with him.

But he had rejected the idea, saying he didn’t want me to suffer.

It turned out, he just wanted to save that experience for the woman he truly loved.

I clicked on the link Riley had sent me.

It led to Jay’s secret social media account.

Five years and six months.

Every two weeks, without fail, Jay had gone on a business trip.

I had thought he was working hard for our future, but in reality, he had been traveling across half the world to visit the woman he truly loved.

For three years, we had been in a hidden marriage. He had told me it was to protect me from unnecessary trouble.

Yet, on his secret account, he had publicly shared their wedding photos, personally announcing their relationship.

Even his friends and subordinates all addressed Riley as "Mrs. Lawson".

Jay had never once explained.

I closed my eyes, tormenting myself by replaying everything I had just seen.

In my email inbox, an invitation from my brother was still waiting.

Ever since my family moved overseas, my brother had never stopped persuading me to join them.

"Mandy, Jay is not someone you can entrust your life to. If he truly loved you, he wouldn’t insist on a hidden marriage!"

Back then, I had stubbornly believed otherwise. Now, I realized my brother had been right all along.

I accepted my brother’s invitation and asked a friend to handle all my affairs in the country.

If I was going to leave, I would leave cleanly, without any lingering ties.

I stared at Jay for a long time, but in the end, I swallowed the urge to confront him, letting my tears fall silently.

When I woke up again, the first thing I saw was Jay’s red-rimmed eyes.

"Mandy, there’s something I’ve been keeping from you. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to accept it. You had severe bleeding when you fell, and in order to save your life, I had no choice but to agree to the doctors removing your womb. I know how much you love children, but I promise—we can adopt one in the future. You will always be my wife, and I will take care of you for the rest of my life."

He was lying!

Everything had been part of his plan, yet he could still lie so righteously.

But none of it mattered anymore.

I pursed my lips and closed my eyes.

"I understand."

Jay hadn’t expected me to be so calm. He knelt on my bed, his hands gripping mine tightly, pressing them against his heart.

"Believe me, no matter what happens between us, I will always stay by your side. We will only adopt one child, and in the future, everything I have will be given to them. After that, I will accompany you around the world, okay?"

Beneath my hands was supposed to be his heart.

I truly wanted to see if he really had a heart.

His phone rang twice. Jay’s expression changed slightly as he carefully watched me.

"Mandy, it's a banquet hosted by one of our business partners. This time, both husband and wife are required to attend, so I... "

"I’m fine. Since our marriage is a secret and no one knows about our relationship, you can just bring another date."

Originally, he had promised to make our relationship public at this event.

But now, it no longer mattered.

Jay let out a sigh of relief, though he still didn’t seem to understand why I had agreed so easily.

"Mandy, this is only temporary. Once you recover..."

Just then, a friend sent me a document for an electronic signature.

Jay barely read the beginning before he reached out in an attempt to take my phone.

"A transfer contract? What are you selling, Mandy?"

Instinctively, I turned off the screen and pretended to be indifferent. "It’s just a small company that’s been in a deficit. You said yourself that I need to focus on my recovery."

A trace of guilt flashed across Jay’s face. He didn’t press the matter and instead let out a sigh.

"I was just too worried about you. From now on, you can stay home and be Mrs. Lawson. I will take care of you for the rest of your life."

Seizing the moment, I asked to be discharged from the hospital, but Jay immediately refused.

"Don’t be ridiculous! You need proper rest and recovery!"

But I forced my eyes to redden, gazing at him with a fragile, broken expression.

"But I don’t want to stay here anymore. Every time I open my eyes, I think of the child who never got to be born. Jay, I want to go home."

A flicker of guilt flashed in Jay’s eyes. After I kept bringing up the child, he finally agreed reluctantly.

Even so, before I was discharged, he still followed through with his original plan—bringing the child to me.

"Mandy, look! We found this little baby abandoned outside the hospital room. Maybe… maybe it’s fate, tying him to us!"

His face was filled with feigned surprise, but the way he held the baby was far too practiced.

It was obvious he had rehearsed many times before.

He called it an abandoned baby, yet the child was dressed in designer clothing and wrapped in expensive blankets.

I had also wanted to give my child the best of everything, so I recognized these brands immediately.

Perhaps convinced that I would accept the child, Jay didn’t bother hiding the tenderness on his face anymore.

But I, Mandy White, was not someone who turned a blind eye to deceit.

Not only would I refuse to accept this child— I would also abandon Jay.

"Mandy, come and hold him!"

Jay reluctantly placed the baby in my arms, but just as he was about to let go, the child started crying loudly.

He immediately picked the baby back up, his heart aching as he coaxed him for a long time before finally remembering me.

"It must be fate that brought this child to us! Mandy, maybe he is the reincarnation of our own child?"

I felt nothing but mockery in my heart.

Such a lie—only a fool would believe it.

I reached out my hand.

"Let me hold him. Look at his features—he looks just like you."

Jay stiffened, but he still tried to cover up his reaction.

"All babies look the same."

"Do they? What a coincidence, then. Just after my miscarriage, a child like this conveniently appears. Jay, I also think he and we are deeply connected."

The baby seemed unfamiliar with me and started crying even louder the moment I touched him.

Jay looked at the baby’s red, tear-streaked face with obvious distress. He shot me a displeased look.

"Don’t let him cry too much. Since he seems to like you so much, you should take care of him for now!"

After hesitating for a moment, Jay picked the baby up again.

"I’ll take him to see a doctor first. Mandy, wait here for me. I’ll be back soon!"

I watched him leave, then immediately changed out of my hospital gown.

This entire floor consisted of VIP wards. Following behind him, I saw him enter the VIP maternity suite next door.

Just then, two nurses walked out, pushing a cart.

I hid near the door and listened to their hushed conversation.

"Same father, different fates. Even though both are Mr. Lawson’s children, one is born into wealth, while the other never even got the chance to be born."

"I heard that Ms. Bundred is his true love. When she came for her check-ups, Mr. Lawson stayed by her side every step of the way. And they say he plans to give all his assets to this child!"

Pain stabbed through my heart, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Walking up to their hospital room, I peeked through the slightly open door and saw their intertwined shadows.

"Jay, our little one is still so tiny. I really can’t bear to leave him."

"I know, Riley. Don’t worry. I will bring him to see you often. Even if we can’t be together, I will always protect you."

Jay’s voice was gentle and filled with regret.

"I will cherish our child and take good care of him. You don’t have to worry. Mandy is a soft-hearted person—she will definitely treat him as her own. This is a property deed, my compensation to you."

Riley gazed at him through misty eyes, gently pounding him with her hand.

"Why are you giving me this? You know I never care about these things. But you—if Mandy finds out, she will definitely misunderstand us again."

Yet, the smile in her eyes was unmistakable.

Jay held both the baby and Riley, looking completely content.

At that moment, the doctor arrived for routine check-ups. Seeing me at the door, he called out, "Ms. White."

The two inside immediately pulled apart.

Jay quickly set the baby down and rushed toward me, guilt flickering in his eyes as he avoided my gaze.

"You’re still unwell. Why didn’t you wait for me? By the way, Riley happened to be hospitalized due to illness. Since I have no experience taking care of a baby, I came to ask for her advice."

Riley cradled the baby, her face overflowing with happiness.

"Mandy, don’t blame Jay. He is just being a responsible father and doesn’t want the child to suffer."

I looked at their happy little family, swallowed my pain, and forced myself to appear magnanimous.

"Then I’ll leave it to you. I won’t intrude."

I turned to leave, but Jay grabbed my wrist.

"Mandy, listen to me. Riley used to be a nurse at this hospital. I was just afraid I wouldn’t take good care of you and the baby, so I asked her for advice. If you don’t like it, I won’t contact her again!"

I looked at his anxious expression and found it utterly ridiculous.

The baby was Riley’s.

To make room for their child, he had even gone as far as having my womb removed.

When would he ever tell me the truth?

"I’m not mad. You’re right. Given my current condition, I’m not fit to care for a child. Learn well from her and strive to be a good father."

Jay lifted me into his arms and carefully carried me downstairs.

Even with my eyes closed, I could hear the whispers around us.

They were all laughing at my foolishness.

But I had never been clearer-headed than now.

Everything had been settled as quickly as possible.

It was time to leave.