Chapter 2

Three days after I started secretly spitting out the pills, my body began to revolt.

First came a low fever that wouldn't break. Then my joints ached like someone was hammering them with a mallet.

At its worst, I couldn't even grip a glass of water.

But I never let Alexander see any of it.

He came to the hospital every day, bringing me chestnut cake from that bakery across town I loved.

"Natalie, did the baby kick today?"

He pressed his hand to my belly, feeling for movement.

His palm rested right over the place where the extra heart was growing.

I watched the smile crinkle at the corners of his eyes. It felt like a knife carving into my chest.

"Alexander." My voice came out soft as a breath. "If something goes wrong during the delivery, will you take care of our baby?"

His hand froze mid-slice on the apple. The knife slipped and cut his finger. Blood welled up.

"Natalie, what's wrong? Why do you keep saying things like that?"

He grabbed a tissue, pressed it carelessly to the wound, then came over and took my hand.

His voice softened.

"I told you, as long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you. I already booked the postnatal care center."

"Stop worrying. When this is all over, I'll take you traveling. You've always wanted to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, right?"

What a cheap promise. I lowered my gaze to hide the storm inside me.

He was so greedy.

He wanted to use my body to save his precious first love, and he still wanted me safe and sound, bearing his children, playing the dutiful wife.

Did he really think he was playing God, deciding who lives and who dies?

Just then, his phone rang.

A special ringtone. One I'd never heard for anyone else.

Alexander glanced at the screen. His expression changed instantly.

"Okay. I'll be right there."

He hung up and grabbed his coat.

"Natalie, something urgent came up at work. I need to handle it. Get some rest."

He didn't even wait for my answer before he was out the door.

I didn't ask where he was going. I just walked to the window and looked down.

His car didn't leave the hospital grounds.

It drove toward the VIP building at the back—the one with security so tight even senior doctors needed special clearance.

I changed into regular clothes, put on a mask, and slipped past the nurses.

I followed him.

Sixth floor of the VIP wing. The door at the end of the hall was slightly ajar.

A weak female voice drifted out.

"Alex, don't worry about me..."

"I won't live much longer anyway. If saving me hurts Natalie, I'll never forgive myself."

Alexander's voice came next. Nothing but tenderness.

"Lily, don't talk like that. You're not going to die."

"The medical team is ready. The cloned heart is perfect."

"Just five more days, and you'll be able to live like a normal person."

"But Natalie, she—"

"She'll be fine."

Alexander cut her off. His voice was certain.

"I'm using the best medication. The risk is minimal. And even if, worst case scenario—"

He paused. His voice dropped.

"I owe you this. If you hadn't saved me back then, you wouldn't have ended up with heart failure."

"Lily, as long as you survive. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to Natalie."

I stood outside that door, biting down on my lip until I tasted blood.

Make it up to me? That’s pure bullshit.

All this time, I thought he loved me.

Clearly, Lily mattered more to him than me or our child ever would.