Chapter 2

"You're awake? Mandy, do you know how worried I was about you?"

When I regained consciousness, the first thing I saw was Jay’s exhausted face.

He still seemed to care for me as he always had, lowering his head to press his forehead against mine.

"You had severe bleeding during the surgery, honey. You nearly scared me to death—I thought I was really going to lose you."

His voice was warm, yet all I felt was an unbearable chill in my heart.

A man who claimed to care about me had disregarded my life just to eliminate any threat to the person he truly loved.

I didn’t dare to think about all the things he had told me before—what, if anything, had ever been real?

I turned my head away, avoiding his startled gaze.

"I'm a bit tired."

Jay smiled, pressing a kiss onto my forehead.

Though he was tall and strong, he insisted on squeezing into my hospital bed, curling up beside me, loosely wrapping his arms around my body.

"I'm tired too. Honey, I was really afraid something would happen to you. It’s such a relief that you're okay."

His voice gradually faded, his breathing becoming steady.

I turned my head and saw his sleeping face.

Picking up my phone, I turned it on, and immediately, a ton of messages started flashing on the screen.

I never expected them to be from Riley Bundred.

I didn’t know when she had added me on WhatsApp, but as soon as I opened the chat, I saw her and Jay’s wedding photos.

Along with them was her pregnancy diagnosis and numerous intimate pictures of the two of them.

"Jay still chose me, Mandy. You have no idea how much he loves this child! Today, he accompanied me for a prenatal checkup. When he saw the baby’s image, he cried and promised he would make it up to me and our child. If I were you, I would have stepped aside long ago so that Jay wouldn’t have to be in such a difficult position."

I saw Jay, eyes red, resting his head on Riley’s belly, listening to the baby’s movements.

I had once imagined having a child with him.

But he had rejected the idea, saying he didn’t want me to suffer.

It turned out, he just wanted to save that experience for the woman he truly loved.

I clicked on the link Riley had sent me.

It led to Jay’s secret social media account.

Five years and six months.

Every two weeks, without fail, Jay had gone on a business trip.

I had thought he was working hard for our future, but in reality, he had been traveling across half the world to visit the woman he truly loved.

For three years, we had been in a hidden marriage. He had told me it was to protect me from unnecessary trouble.

Yet, on his secret account, he had publicly shared their wedding photos, personally announcing their relationship.

Even his friends and subordinates all addressed Riley as "Mrs. Lawson".

Jay had never once explained.

I closed my eyes, tormenting myself by replaying everything I had just seen.

In my email inbox, an invitation from my brother was still waiting.

Ever since my family moved overseas, my brother had never stopped persuading me to join them.

"Mandy, Jay is not someone you can entrust your life to. If he truly loved you, he wouldn’t insist on a hidden marriage!"

Back then, I had stubbornly believed otherwise. Now, I realized my brother had been right all along.

I accepted my brother’s invitation and asked a friend to handle all my affairs in the country.

If I was going to leave, I would leave cleanly, without any lingering ties.

I stared at Jay for a long time, but in the end, I swallowed the urge to confront him, letting my tears fall silently.

When I woke up again, the first thing I saw was Jay’s red-rimmed eyes.

"Mandy, there’s something I’ve been keeping from you. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to accept it. You had severe bleeding when you fell, and in order to save your life, I had no choice but to agree to the doctors removing your womb. I know how much you love children, but I promise—we can adopt one in the future. You will always be my wife, and I will take care of you for the rest of my life."

He was lying!

Everything had been part of his plan, yet he could still lie so righteously.

But none of it mattered anymore.