Chapter 1

"Ms. Lockwood, why did you have the abortion back then? That was your own flesh and blood!"

My wife, Noelle Lockwood, pinched the bridge of her nose. "I love Ev. If it isn't his child, I don't want to give birth to it."

Her assistant, Elaine Robertson, inquired, "Ms. Lockwood, since the man you love is Mr. Lockwood, why did you marry Mr. Greene in the first place?"

Noelle gave a bitter smile. "Had I not found out Dominic's bone marrow could save Ev, I never would have pursued him. Besides, if I can't marry Ev, it doesn't matter who I marry."

Elaine sighed. "Mr. Greene will be devastated when he finds out. Also, he's injured right now. Drawing his bone marrow could put his life at risk."

"I have no choice but to do it. I promised Ev I'd protect him for the rest of his life, even if he's already married another woman. As for Dominic… I'll make it up to him when that day arrives."

Lying on the operating table, I felt my whole body tremble uncontrollably. So, her miscarriage wasn't an accident; she got rid of our baby on purpose.

Four years ago, my ex-girlfriend, Rosalie Bloom, betrayed me. She called off our wedding at the altar and made me the laughingstock of the town.

Then, Noelle appeared out of nowhere with a ring, begging me to marry her. Moved by her apparent devotion, I nodded in agreement.

Ever since we got married, she'd been gentle and considerate toward me. I had believed I was the love of her life. I never imagined that she had merely seen me as a walking bone marrow bank.

So, her devotion was all an act. To save her stepbrother, Evan Lockwood, she had gone so far as to sacrifice her own happiness and marry me. Worst of all, she even killed our baby for him. Just how much did she love Evan?

As I watched the doctor approach me, I wanted to stop him, but I had been injected with anesthetic, and I couldn't move a single muscle. And just like that, my bone marrow was extracted and given to Evan.

After I came to, I sat on the hospital bed, staring into the distance blankly. Every time I thought of our dead baby, I was consumed by grief.

Looking at me, Noelle's eyes glistened with heartache. "Thank goodness you're okay, darling! If anything happened to you, I wouldn't know how I'd go on."

I met her red-rimmed eyes and wished oh so badly that she would come clean of her own accord.

"Did you really miscarry because you accidentally fell?" I asked quietly.

Noelle fell silent for a long while. "I'm sorry, darling. I was too careless. I failed to protect our baby!"

The last shred of hope I held for her shattered. I closed my eyes and let the tears roll down my cheeks.

That was our baby. How could she be so indifferent?

Noelle was well aware that I was in poor health and that it had been incredibly difficult for me to get her pregnant. How could she be so cruel?

Seeing me cry, she hurriedly bent over and kissed my tears away. Holding my hand, she comforted me. "Don't cry, darling. I know how devastated you are because of my miscarriage, but you still have me. I'll always love you!"

Her small hands were warm, yet I felt a chill spread through my entire body.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and one of our housekeepers walked in with a thermos flask.

Noelle took it, unscrewed the lid, and poured out a bowl of soup. "This is mutton soup I had our family chef brew specifically for you. It'll help nourish your body."

Right after saying that, she brought a spoonful of it to my lips. I dodged it by turning my face away. "Leave it there. I don't want to drink it right now."

Sensing that I was in a bad mood, she was about to comfort me when her phone chimed.