Chapter 1

Every night, she took bubbling herbal brews until midnight.

Her back was bruised blue from acupuncture.

Each round of egg retrieval felt like stepping into the grave.

Even her husband, Michael, couldn't bear it anymore. He pulled her close, his voice thick with emotion.

"As long as I have you, that's enough. A baby... let's just leave it to fate."

Chloe stubbornly blamed her own body.

Now, the doctor gave her the truth. She wasn't infertile. Someone had secretly inserted an IUD inside her.

"Do you want me to remove it?" the doctor asked.

Chloe bit her lip until the tang of copper filled her mouth. "Remove it."

When the instruments entered again, pain racked her body. She clenched her teeth, holding completely still.

The doctor frowned during the procedure.

"No matter how tight money is, you shouldn't neglect your health. This cheap iron coil is completely rusted through! It can cause cancer!"

A cheap iron coil. Rusted through.

Chloe stared at the white ceiling, tears slipping into her hairline.

She remembered how Sarah held her after every checkup, whispering comforting words.

"Chloe, your body is healing well. It's just bad timing.

"We've been best friends for years. I want this for you more than anyone. Stop punishing yourself."

She had trusted Sarah completely.

Today, Chloe was just scared. She feared her humiliating symptoms meant some terrible infection, so she had secretly gone to a different clinic.

What had she done wrong to be ruined so quietly by the person she trusted most?

---

When the procedure ended, Chloe sat up and stared at the removed device.

Torn tissue and blood clung to the rusty edges.

She stumbled off the examination table and practically dragged herself out of the clinic.

She needed to find Michael. She had to tell him about this nightmare.

---

Reaching home, before her hand could touch the door handle, loud laughter floated out from inside.

"Congrats, Michael! Who would've thought you and Sarah would actually get back together?"

It was Michael's childhood friend, Mark Fraser, sounding thrilled.

"A top finance guy and a brilliant doctor. Your kid's going to be a genius!"

Another voice joined in.

"Exactly. Sarah said she went abroad to study, but she actually went to have a baby. What a secret! Even Chloe doesn't know, right?"

In the living room, Michael gently stroked an infant's cheek with his finger.

"All right, cut it out," Michael said calmly. "Keep your mouths shut. Above all... not a word to Chloe."

Sarah stood up abruptly, her face pale. She pushed Michael's hand off her shoulder, eyes glistening with tears.

"I don't want to hide it anymore!

"Michael, Chloe truly considers me her best friend...

"I'm going to tell her. Even if she hates me or hits me, I'll take it."

Michael's expression hardened. He grabbed her hand tightly.

"Tell her what? That you were my first love and you dumped me?

"Or that I courted Chloe like a fool, even married her, just to spite you?"

---

Outside the door, Chloe froze. She slammed a hand over her mouth as an agonizing pain tore through her chest.

So that was why.

That explained why Michael had seemed to fall in love with her at first sight at that party three years earlier and had pursued her so relentlessly.

She stumbled backward, nausea surging in her throat. Trembling, she pulled out her phone.

Her finger hovered over Maya George's name. Her former college roommate was now a leading divorce lawyer.

"Hey, Maya... I need some legal advice about a divorce."