A Few Weeks Later.

Liora wiped off the lipstick from her lips and looked into the mirror.

The woman in the mirror was only twenty-seven years old, but her face was pale and sickly.

She looked at her reflection expressionlessly, picked up a pink lipstick to apply it to her lips, and then didn't glance at the mirror again. She grabbed her bag and went downstairs.

On the second floor leading to the first floor, the back wall was filled with oil paintings, most of which were painted by Leander. There were vibrant flower seas, colorful bird flocks against a bright blue sky, and receding crimson sea reefs.

At the very end, there was a painting inspired by the Hungarian painter Mihaly Von Zichy's work "Romantic Encounter." In the painting, a demon killed the bridegroom on the bride's wedding night and kissed her with lips covered in venom, causing her to die and ascend to heaven.

Liora didn't like the story of this painting, but Leander did. He said love was complicated, and emotions between people were even more complex and wonderful.

Liora's nose tingled, she took a deep breath and walked towards the kitchen.

The housekeeper Sable had already prepared the soup and kept it warm in a thermos on the dining table. Seeing her approach, she called out, "Ma'am, the soup is ready. Please have some food."

"No need," Liora held the soup, "I don't have much of an appetite."

"Ma'am, please eat a little. Hold on, eat something," Sable said, wiping away her tears, "Mr. Leander will be okay. He's still young."

"That's what everyone keeps saying but I am worried, I just want to come home to a bed of roses with him waiting for me with a smile on his face."

"Sir Leander is a fighter, he will overcome this, just trust him."

"I do, I am so scared because he is giving up, I don't want to lose him, he is my everything, my life has become meaningless ever since the incident." She was almost in tears again.

Everyone around her has been saying this these days. Liora almost felt numb. She said nothing, took the soup, and walked out.

She checked the person calling her phone, it was her mom, she refused to answer the call because she didn't need any negative energy that wanted her to leave her husband.

The driver saw her coming out and had already opened the rear car door. As soon as she got in, he closed the door and drove straight to the hospital. However, as soon as they arrived at the hospital entrance, they encountered her parents' car.

"Not again, can't they just let me breathe?" she murmured. She got out of the car and saw her parents. Pretending not to notice them, she lowered her head and walked towards the hospital lobby. Her mother Calista reached out, pulled her into their car, and immediately closed the door, asking her, "What are you thinking? Do you plan to endure with him forever or divorce him?"

"Liora, you must think it through!" Her father Tiberius looked extremely worried, "Leander's situation is not something that can be cured in a few years. His life is pretty much ruined. You are still young; you can divorce and remarry."

Liora looked exhausted, but her eyes were unusually determined: "I won't leave, give up already, I love my husband and he needs me the most.."

"You foolish child!" Tiberius her father pointed to the sixth floor of the hospital, his eyebrows furrowed deeply, "Do you plan to take care of him for the rest of your life? You are still so young, why should you live as a widow?"

"Liora, your father means well. He is just worried and feels sorry for you," Calista's eyes were also swollen, and her face was smeared with makeup. Since Leander's accident, she had been inquiring everywhere, and all she could do was accept fate. She couldn't change Leander's destiny, so she had to force her daughter to let go. "I know you can't accept it now, but listen to your mother. You have to think about yourself. You are still young. You can't end up childless when you are old, right?"

"Mom, let me ask you this, if dad was the one in this situation, would you leave him?"

"Liora!!! I!! I..." Calista was out of words.

"I knew it, the reason you won't be able to leave Dad is the same reason I won't be able to my husband, I have never disobeyed you both but now I am sorry."

Liora didn't want to hear these words. She opened the car door and got out, "I'll go up first, the soup will get cold."

Tiberius wanted to persuade her again, but Calista raised her hand to stop him, "Let her go. She chose her path, she knows what she's doing."

"What does she know? Can love fill one's stomach? She will regret it later!"

"Yes love is not enough but she kind of makes a point, let's go."

"You need to talk sense into her."

Liora didn't stop walking. She knew what she was doing; she couldn't leave Leander.

As soon as the elevator arrived, she saw her mother-in-law, Fiammetta, standing in the corridor talking on the phone, "He still wants to die... He asked me to let him die peacefully..."

The Abernathy family was extensive, and their business was even more intricate. To avoid affecting the group's interests, they completely suppressed the news of Leander's car accident. Leander's elder brother, Dashiell Abernathy, had only visited once. When he heard about Leander's high-level spinal cord injury, he didn't say a word and just left. Dashiell is the opposite of his brother Leander.

Liora knew that, to Leander's family, he was now useless, and the subsequent medical expenses were exorbitant. Fiammetta had no real power in the group. If she agreed to let Leander die peacefully, Dashiell would remove all life-support equipment.

Fiammetta had been sleepless for a week. She could only rest a few hours each day with sleeping pills. When she woke up, her face was still full of exhaustion. Rubbing her sore eyes, she said into the phone, "He's at least your brother. Can't you come and persuade him?"

No one could persuade Leander, who was determined to die.

Yes, such a proud child of heaven, facing such a huge change at the peak of his life, would spend his whole life paralyzed in a hospital bed. He would never walk again, run, or even eat and drink like an ordinary person.

The biggest difference between him and a vegetable was that he was conscious. He would suffer from all of this for the rest of his life.

Liora put down the soup. Fiammetta hung up the phone and saw her. Without saying anything, she sat back on the bench, staring blankly at the shadows cast on the ground outside the window for a long time before saying, "Liora, can you help me persuade him? Persuade him to live well. If he promises to live well, I will cure him. I really can't accept... my son gives up on himself..."

As Fiammetta spoke, she covered her face.

Although her two sons were very successful, the one she loved the most was her youngest son, Leander. Perhaps it was because she didn't raise the eldest, Dashiell, when he was young, which made him cold and indifferent. Therefore, after giving birth to her youngest son, she always kept him by her side and taught him herself.

With Leander's accident, although Fiammetta didn't shed a tear, she looked like she had lost her soul, often standing outside the intensive care unit all day.

"Mom, stop worrying, my husband is going to live, leave everything to me, I am going to talk to him."

"I am so lucky to have a daughter-in-law like you, I am so certain if it were to be some ladies, they would run away but you choose to stay beside him, it shows you love him."

"I love your son more than my life, that's why I am ready to do whatever it takes to make sure he lives, have some soup before it gets cold."

Fiammetta hugged her and thanked her.

Liora looked at Leander through the protective observation window. He was rarely awake, and when he was, he refused to open his eyes.

He didn't want to see anyone.

Suddenly, the door of the operating room at the end of the corridor opened. Liora looked up and saw doctors and nurses pushing a bed out. The person on the bed was covered with a white cloth. The family members waiting outside the operating room rushed over, crying and hugging the body.

Liora's fingers unconsciously tightened. Just imagining Leander lying there one day made her feel suffocated and unable to breathe.

She rushed to the restroom and got consumed in sorrow, "Please lord, I won't be able to breathe if he dies."

A few moments later, she tried to get herself together and looked in the mirror, "I never wanted it to get to this extent but right now my husband needs a reason to live, I guess I have to do it, I am out of options, this is the only way." She took a deep breath and remembered the memories he had together before the incident.

As long as he is alive, there is hope,

she will rekindle his hope of living.

"Liora,are you okay?" Saskia,her friend who also works as a nurse in the hospital also came in to use the restroom when she noticed her friend looking at a particular spot.

"Saskia,how long have you been standing here?"

"Not quite long,I know you are worried about him but trust me,he is going to get better."

"I am trying but he is giving up,how do you expect me to be fine? He wants death,I have tried a lot of means to encourage him not to give up but none is working."

"Then try again,Liora I know you as someone that never gives up,not now,your husband truly needs you and I understand he is so worried about you that's why he thinks dying as the best option to set you free."

"He made a vow to me Saskia,how can he just forget so quickly and choose to leave me alone?"

"Then persuade him to choose life,give him a reason to live." She said to Liora.

Liora couldn't sleep throughout the night,she remained awake thinking about the only solution she has now to keep her husband alive,she needs to deceive him,she has no choice.

They have been married for two years and have been trying to conceive for six months, but there has been no news of pregnancy. Liora knows that Leander has been looking forward to her being pregnant, and he even picked out names for a boy and a girl.

Unfortunately, she has not been able to conceive.

She sits in the bathroom, looking at the pregnancy test in her hand. Fifteen minutes have passed, but the test still shows a single red line.

It seems like God hasn't heard her prayers.

She stares blankly at the pregnancy test. It has been seventeen days since her husband's accident. She hasn't slept well, haunted by nightmares every night. Either she dreams of him crying and pleading for death or she dreams of doctors declaring him dead.

Her heart has become numb.

But there is a string in her mind pulling her, not allowing her to give up any chance.

"I guess I am doing this if I want my husband to live."

She takes a deep breath and picks up her phone to call her friend at the hospital, Saskia, "Saskia, I need a favor."

"Okay,I am all ears."

Saskia agreed to help her and she got dressed and headed to the hospital.

Visiting hours for Leander are only from 4:00 to 4:30 in the afternoon. Only one family member can visit, and Fiammetta is resting on a bench, giving today's visiting opportunity to Liora.

Liora puts on a sterile suit, mask, and cap. She puts the fake ultrasound slip provided by Saskia into a sterile bag.

"Thank you so much Saskia,I'm in your debt."

"What are friends for? Stop thanking me but are you sure about this? Won't you regret it?"

"It's the only way."

"You are so young and it hurts me seeing you going through all this pain,soon all these will be over."

"I hope so too,I miss him so much." She held herself from crying.

She was led by a nurse, enters the ICU. Leander is lying on the bed, still unconscious. A small hole has been made at the back of his neck, and a plastic tube has been inserted, with the other end connected to a ventilator. He has seven stitches on his head, and the wound is healing well. After the nurse checks the equipment and changes his medicine, she leaves, giving Liora the space.

Liora stands outside the ICU observation window, watching Leander helplessly and despairingly with tears streaming down his face. The nurse hands him a tissue to wipe his tears, but he doesn't even have the strength to move away.

She holds his hand, still warm and dry, though he has lost a lot of weight, and his skin has become dry. She leans in and gently rubs her face against his.

Leander doesn't respond, still deeply asleep.

Liora whispers, "Leander, I'm pregnant."

"Haven't you always wanted our child?" She strokes his hand slowly, "Do you think it will be a boy or a girl? Don't you want to see our child born? Promise me, stay with me and watch our child be born, okay?"

The golden recovery period for high-level paraplegia is six months.

She needs to fight for those six months. If she can, there is hope for Leander's treatment, even if the chances of success are low. She will try her best.

There is hope as long as he is alive.

"Will you?" She kisses his hand, tears silently falling into her mask. She's about to wipe them away when she hears Leander's hoarse voice say, "Okay."

Liora turns her head to look. Leander has awakened at some point and is staring at her with red eyes.

"It...will...be...hard." His speech is slow and weak, and Liora needs to get close to hear him clearly.

After saying these four words, he can't say anything more. He tries to speak but doesn't have the strength, just looking at her with increasing redness in his eyes. Liora understands what he means. Without this child, she could find another man after a divorce, to start a new relationship and find a new love, but she doesn't want to.

She leans down to kiss his cheek, her voice soft and heavy, "I love you, Leander."

This is her answer to all the voices from the outside world.

She took out the ultrasound report to show him, told him the expected due date, advised him to rest well, and was about to say something more when a nurse came in to inform her that her time was up. Liora squeezed his hand once more before getting up to leave.

As she walked out the door, she looked back and saw Leander crying, tears streaming down his face.

Fiammetta was almost in tears upon learning of Liora's pregnancy.

"Is it true? You are carrying Leander child?"

"Yes mom."

"Thank you heavenly father,I feel so happy hearing this news,so finally I will become a grandma!!" She opened her arms for Liora to dive in.

This child came just in time.

She clasped her hands in gratitude to the heavens, then thanked Liora and sent a driver to take her home. She also called the housekeeper to hire a family nutritionist to specially prepared Liora's meals.

Once back home, Liora locked herself in the bathroom. For the first time, she told a massive lie, feeling extremely uneasy, fearing that her mother-in-law might find out, worried that Leander might discover, and even more fearful of the unknown. But she had no way out now.

If Leander doesn't recover, he would never get a chance to be a father.

She had to get pregnant now to fulfill Leander's wish to become a father.

The success rate of artificial insemination is only between thirty to fifty percent. Time-wise, Liora couldn't afford to wait. There's screening to be done, and the embryo needs to develop before implantation. If the child has any chromosomal abnormalities, the baby could be born deformed.

She couldn't take any risks.

The only option left, which she was reluctant but had to accept, was to find a man to have sex with and let him ejaculate inside her.

If she's lucky, it might happen in one go.

She stepped out from the bathroom and rested on the bed with her husband's picture,"I am so sorry I went that far but trust me,I did this for you,I want you to live so please forgive me."

Liora needs to get pregnant by all means to back up her lies,she didn't want to just meet any male and have sex but ever since this idea came to her mind, she had someone in mind – and that person was none other than Leander's older brother, Dashiell.

The two of them share some resemblance in appearance, especially their eyes. Dashiell's eyes are colder, while Leander's always appear gentle and warm.

If it's Dashiell, the child would surely bear some resemblance to Leander.

She was so restless and walked back to the bathroom, immediately she finished washing her face, she stared at herself in the mirror for a while. After taking a deep breath, she took out her phone and messaged Dashiell: [Brother, do you have some time? I need your help with something.] "I can't believe I will be doing this,there is no going back now."

The Abernathy family started their business with jewelry in Spain and later moved to Italy, establishing a chain of jewelry stores. When Dashiell took over, the first thing he did was to create a unique brand 'marry me'. They even got a popular actor to endorse it, making it instantly recognizable nationwide.

Currently, 'marry me' has over two hundred stores in major cities. Every time Liora passes through the city center, she sees the advertisement on the scrolling screen: [Love one person, be loyal to one person.]

Would the person who created such a loyal brand agree to such an absurd request?

Liora was uncertain.

She had almost no bargaining chips.

She could only gamble – gamble on Dashiell's brotherly love for Leander and hope he wouldn't turn a blind eye.

Just before six in the evening, Dashiell finally called. His voice was indifferent, "What's the matter?"

"I... want to talk to you in person,it's really important." Hearing his voice, Liora immediately thought of his usual cold demeanor at home, with eyes that often looked indifferent. If you accidentally made eye contact, you'd feel an unprecedented sense of oppression.

"I'll wait for you in your office. After you're done with your work, it won't take too much of your time."

Dashiell responded with a simple "okay" and hung up. Liora was dazed for a while before snapping back to reality.

"I hope he doesn't decline,if he loves his brother,he will agree to have sex with me to get me pregnant,gosh what kind of a woman am I becoming?"

TBC

Sitting on the bed, she found her fingers trembling. Without giving herself a chance to overthink, she grabbed some fresh clothes, headed to the bathroom, took a shower, blow-dried her hair, changed her clothes, and left the house.

Sable was in the kitchen with the newly hired family nutritionist preparing dinner. Seeing Liora rushing out, she followed, "Mrs. Liora, where are you going? Dinner isn't ready yet!"

"I'm not hungry yet, I'll eat when I get back."

"But it isn't right for you to step out on an empty stomach."

"Like I said,when I return,I am going to eat."

Liora got into the car and told the driver, "Go to the office."

The driver was personally chosen by Dashiell, a man of few words. Upon hearing the address Liora gave, he started the car without a second word and drove directly into the underground parking lot of the company.

The elevator to the CEO's office required fingerprint access. Liora took the staff elevator, checked in at the reception desk first, probably as instructed by Dashiell and his assistant. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, a familiar male assistant was waiting by the elevator door.

"Welcome Mrs Liora,come with me please!"

"Thank you."

He respectfully led her into the special elevator for the leaders on the left, scanned his fingerprint, and the elevator went straight up, stopping at the 26th floor.

The top floor of the building.

"Thank you once more," Liora said politely.

"You're welcome." The assistant's name was Calix. Apart from him, there was a personal assistant named Gideon and a special assistant named Finlo. Outside the CEO's office, there were also two female secretaries responsible for answering internal calls and printing documents.

Outside the CEO's office was a semi-circular working area. The two female secretaries were busy working. After greeting Liora, they immediately lowered their heads to continue their work. The phone rang incessantly, but they were organized and efficient.

The pantry was spacious, with the aroma of coffee permeating the entire office floor. Next to the pantry were two lounges. What stood out from other companies was the lack of any green plants here.

"What would you like to drink?" Calix handed Liora a tablet, took her bag, and led her towards the office. "Please choose, I'll bring it to you shortly."

"Just warm water is fine, thank you." Liora glanced at the tablet. It listed over a dozen rare and precious teas on the market, each costing tens of thousands for just ten grams.

It wasn't just tea they were drinking; it was a display of wealth.

Liora stared at the warm water cups on the coffee table. The transparent glass cups were engraved with vintage patterns. She traced the patterns with her thumb. From the moment she entered the office, her heart was in turmoil.

She feared rejection, but she feared acceptance even more.

Regardless of the outcome, she wasn't willing.

"This was a mistake,I shouldn't be doing this!" She stood on her feet and planned to leave after spending an unknown amount of time but the sound of the door opening came from the entrance. Liora looked up and saw Dashiell just entering, making eye contact with her.

"I guess this is a sign for me to stay and do it,I can do this!!" She kept encouraging herself and returned to her sitting position maintaining a straight face.

Dashie was dressed in a black suit, with broad shoulders and long legs, exuding a dominating presence. The profile of his face was sharp as a knife, his eyes and eyebrows pitch black, and his lips were pursed straight, showing no extra emotion. He swept a glance back after lowering his eyelids, and the assistant understood, promptly closing the door behind him and leaving.

After the door closed, he finally walked towards her with long strides.

The familiar sense of oppression followed closely, and Liora's heart suddenly races.

Her ears buzzed, and all she could hear was the intense sound of her heart beating.

First came the cold scent of cedar, followed by the lingering smell of tobacco on Dashiell, probably from a client or from him spending a long time outside. The smell was faint and not overpowering.

Liora lifted her eyes slightly. Dashiell had already sat on the other side of the sofa. He unfastened his cufflinks, turned his face slightly, his eyelids slightly raised, waiting for her to speak first.

The words she had prepared so many times felt stuck in her throat. She fidgeted with the glass in her hand, swallowed hard, and said, "I..."

Dashiell unfastened his second cufflink, didn't look at her, just checked his wristwatch, a silent hint.

It was as if he was indicating his patience was running out.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me despite your busy schedule!!" She said politely avoiding his eyes but getting no answers from him made her a bit uncomfortable.

"I want to ask for your help..." She finally forced herself to look directly into his eyes. The pounding of her heart was too loud, and she could barely hear herself speak, repeating the same words, "I know it might sound crazy but I need a child."

Dashiell's face showed no emotion, just a slight furrowing of his brow, his pitch-black eyes staring at her, his tone calm, "A child? What does a child have to do with me? Stop beating around the bush and cut to the chase,stop wasting my time,time is precious to me."

"I need you to give me a child!!" Thinking of Leander, Liora suddenly calmed down, "You know, Leander is desperate to die, his will to live is weak. The doctors say that this is not good for his recovery, he needs to adjust his mindset as soon as possible... I lied to him that I am pregnant, so he has the motivation to live."

"I know, even if he recovers, he won't be able to become a father."

"He has always hoped to have a child. I want to fulfill his wish." Thinking of Leander crying on the hospital bed, her heart ached unbearably. With a pleading tone mixed with indescribable bitterness, she said, "So, I came to you, hoping you could help me."

Silence filled the air.

Dashiell stared at her without saying a word.

His eyes were very dark, the brow ridge descended straight down from his brow bone without any curves, giving off an overwhelming sense of pressure. His features were more refined than Leander's, with a sharp and elegant appearance in his suit. The aura he emitted was aloof and proud, his expression always cold, appearing indifferent.

Just like now.

Liora wasn't afraid of him, but she couldn't communicate with him calmly. Even if they were sitting at the same table for a meal, she would try to avoid eye contact with him.

Some people naturally exude a strong presence, even their peripheral vision carries a sense of aggression, just like Dashiell.

He just raised his eyes, and his dominating aura filled the room, "Enough of your narration,this is not an orphanage,how do you expect me to give you one? This is a total waste of time"

She hesitated for a moment, blinked her eyes in disbelief, opened her mouth slightly but made no sound.

"It's just..." She took a deep breath, plucked up her courage, and said, "Be with me..."

She couldn't bring herself to say that word, her face turned red with embarrassment, and she lowered her head.

"What??" He stood up with rage and she felt it in his aura,but she wasn't willing to give up.

"It's your younger brother we are talking about here so please do this favor for us,I beg you."

"I see you have lost your senses,I will pretend I didn't hear anything from you and we never met today so leave at once!!!"

"Brother, please,you are the only hope I have right now,I don't want to lose him please!! Just this one once!!" She went on her knees pleading.