Chapter 2

My voice was damaged ten years ago.

That should have been the best year of my life. My family was still alive and well, my career was thriving, and interview requests from within my field poured in.

It was also the year Vincent came up with a one-of-a-kind underwater proposal.

Beside a dazzling coral reef, he tenderly lowered his head and slipped a butterflyfish ring onto my finger. It symbolized lifelong devotion.

All around us, the lights on dozens of submarines flashed the same message.

[Lena, I, Vincent Felker, will love you faithfully until the day I die.]

Unfortunately, the grand proposal went awry when Hannah, who was still a salt worker back then, fell into the water. After rescuing her, I took her to the lounge to help her change.

Back then, Hannah was deeply tanned and petite. She always seemed a little insecure around others.

With my heart going out for her, I began treating her like a sister. I would care for her and help her whenever I could. I gave her a job and brought her into both my academic research and personal life.

Hannah eagerly absorbed everything I taught her and even copied my mannerisms until she had them down perfectly.

At times, even Vincent would stare at her in a daze before his brows formed a deep frown.

"I don't need you to do pointless things for me, like ironing my shirts or bringing me something for a hangover. Besides, you shouldn't copy everything Lena does. You're not her. Do you understand?"

Hannah would shrink behind me in fear and tearfully say that she only wanted to repay me.

In the past, I devoted myself to protecting her. But in return, she turned my celebration banquet into her own family-recognition ceremony.

How ridiculous. The person I had trusted as my closest friend turned out to be Dad's illegitimate daughter.

Overnight, I lost my loving and reliable father. Meanwhile, Mom was so enraged that she suffered a heart attack and became bedridden.

I could not accept that I had been the one to bring Hannah into our lives and cause Mom so much pain. Guilt and self-blame consumed me, and I cried beside Mom's hospital bed night after night.

During that dark period, Vincent stayed by my side. He told me none of it was my fault and promised that he would never betray me. He said that he would always be there for me.

I trusted him completely and drew on his support to pull myself together.

However, when I returned from my three-month underwater research expedition, I found Vincent and Hannah passionately entangled on our bed.

I practically broke down then and there. When I came to my senses, I was clutching Hannah's hair in a death grip and choking out a demand for an explanation.

Hannah stood before me with tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry, Lena. Don't be mad at Vincent. He missed you so much that, after having too much to drink, he mistook me for you."

Yet, the fresh and fading hickeys covering her body proved this was not a drunken mistake. Each mark tore another piece out of my heart.

I screamed and hurled everything within reach at Hannah, but Vincent stepped between us to shield her.

He looked at me with a conflicted expression.

"Lena, while you were away these past three months, I received a phone call from the future. The caller told me that I would fall in love with Hannah. I tried to ignore the prophecy, but I failed."

When I asked him why, Vincent sighed as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Just think of it as me needing someone who'll fuss over me and depend on me. Lena, you've always been too strong-willed. Hannah's different. She's like you, but she loves me more."

I stood there, and my eyes widened with shock.

This boy had once encouraged me to pursue my ideals. I never imagined that he would become a man who faulted me for being too strong and not delicate enough.

I laughed bitterly. At that time, I was not willing to admit that after losing the love of my family, I could not even hold on to my partner.

So, I pulled out my pregnancy test results. Taking Vincent's hand, I pressed it against my lower abdomen.

Inside me, a tiny life had been growing for three months.