chapter two

Liliana POV

I held out my hand in a daze. The snowflakes landed in my palm, but soon melted into droplets of water.

A man’s intimate, joyful voice suddenly echoed in my mind: “The first snow falling from the sky—holding the first snow in your arms is the greatest joy in life!”

That was Finnley Vauxhall five years ago.

We had been in love since high school. From campus to marriage, our relationship has always been as sweet as ever. At that time, Finnley Vauxhall was gentle and considerate, spoiling me to the bone. He wouldn’t even let me touch cold water.

I was picky with food, and as a young master from a wealthy family, he studied cooking in his own home kitchen. I loved excitement, and despite his fear of heights, he accompanied me through bungee jumping and parachuting. I was willful, and he would fulfill all my unreasonable demands. Even the warm winter villa was designed and supervised by Finnley himself as our wedding home. We moved in that winter when the villa was completed.

When the first snow fell, Finnley Vauxhall held me on the sofa on the balcony as we watched the snow together. He pampered me and teased me, saying, “The first snow in the cold winter is hidden. It suits you well—it’s warm just to hear about it.”

Then we kissed, lingered, and spent that winter night wrapped in each other’s warmth beneath the falling snow.

At that time, our love was so deep we almost wished to drown in each other. Every day felt like a sweet dream.

When did everything begin to change?

I clenched the droplet in my hand, trying to hold on to it. But the tighter I held, the more hopeless I felt.

Perhaps because the Finnley of the past had been too good to me, I was unwilling to let go so easily, enduring everything without giving up.

But I understood better than anyone—people change. Once they do, they are no longer the same.

Not long after we got married, the Vauxhall Group launched a resort development project. One day, my father asked Finnley to meet and discuss matters. But that same night, news came that both of them had been sent to the hospital for emergency rescue.

My father’s resuscitation failed and he passed away, while Finnleyl fell into a coma, his life hanging in the balance.

For me then, the sky collapsed overnight.

However, the police soon released their investigation results, stating that my father’s investment in the resort project had failed, pushing him toward bankruptcy. From that, they concluded he deliberately murdered Finnley in order to seize the Vauxhall family’s assets.

But how could that be possible?

My father had cherished me all my life. Even for my happiness, he would never have done something like that.

Before I could uncover the truth, I was arrested by the police. A large quantity of illegal drugs was found in Finnley's body, and at that time, a similar item was missing from the department where I worked at the hospital.

The truth of that day was never clarified, and I was sent to prison as an accomplice.

In prison, I discovered that I was pregnant. A year later, due to insufficient evidence, my newborn child and I were finally released—but my world had already collapsed completely.

The Vauxhall Group had gone bankrupt, and I was dismissed from the hospital. Even worse, Finnley Vauxhall, whom I had not seen for a year, had become a tyrant driven by anger and revenge.

He hated me so deeply that he once threw a teacup at my forehead. Blood covered my face, and my heart felt as though it was pierced by countless steel needles.

Finnley had grabbed my throat so tightly I thought I would die on the spot. Grinding his teeth, he said, “Liliana Vauxhall, I wish I could kill you.”

Only then did I realize how much had happened during the year I was in prison.

He said Grandpa Vauxhall, who had raised him, died from anger because of this. He said he nearly lost his leg after falling off a cliff and spent a full year recovering. He said, “Liliana Vauxhall, you’re not even worth a single hair of Sabrina. You vicious woman—I was truly blind before.”

Yes. During the year he lost his family and struggled through disability, a nurse named Sabrina stayed by his side, encouraging him like sunlight entering his life.

Finally, Finnley Vauxhall coldly pointed at the child in my arms and said she was unnecessary.

That was my daughter—the child I fought to protect with my life in prison—yet she was already hated by her own father the moment she was born.

Finnley wanted a divorce. From then on, he only intended to cherish Sabrina as his only treasure.

But I refused. I wanted to remain in the Vauxhall family to uncover the truth. I wanted to watch Millie grow up. And I also wanted to… save Finnley Vauxhall.

No matter how much he pressured me, I refused to sign the divorce papers.

In the end, Finnley gave up. He sneered darkly and said, “Fine, Liliana. You can stay here and stone.”

And so began endless torment.

Then today, I received the news that I had cancer.

My life and love felt like a cruel joke. The first half of my life had been filled with indulgence, while the second half was filled with despair—and even death felt painful.

My chest grew heavy, and a wave of nausea surged from my stomach to my throat. I have barely been able to eat recently. I retched a few times, spitting out only some bitter red fluid.

Then a sharp pain pierced my brain again. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to endure it, but the intensity made it difficult to resist. A metallic taste filled my mouth.

My once straight back finally bent under the weight of endless pain and despair. I really couldn’t hold on any longer.

I hugged my head and curled up in the snow. My eyes, which I thought had dried out, grew faintly warm. A trail of hot tears fell into my hair and disappeared.

“Finnley … I’m in pain…”

I was exhausted and hurting. Every second of the past five years felt like drowning in a valley of despair.

Wouldn’t it be better to just fall asleep like this?

In a daze, a pair of men’s shoes appeared in my vision. A faint trace of hope rose in my heart. I struggled and grabbed the man’s trouser leg. “Finnley …”

“You didn’t die.” A mocking voice sounded above me.

The man stepped back, and my hand fell weakly to the ground. I lifted my head with difficulty and saw Finnley looking down at me. His eyes were cold and filled with contempt.

“Liliana Vauxhall, when did you learn to pretend to be this sick?” he said, word by word.

I only let out a bitter smile. The intense pain in my body finally began to ease slightly. I took a breath and slowly pushed myself upright.

Finnley said coldly, “Who allowed you to get up? Keep kneeling.”

I looked up at him quietly. “Finnley, do you really want me dead?”

“Of course.” Finnley did not hesitate at all. He looked at me with absolute coldness. “You’d better sign the papers and disappear now. Don’t stand in the way of me marrying Sabrina.”