Chapter 1

"I've booked the 8:00 pm slot on December 25 for you at the crematorium. Don't worry, I've arranged everything properly, and your death will be successfully faked."

Winifred Jaeger's face was deathly pale. As they said, the deepest grief came when all hope had been lost.

"Thank you," she said.

She ended the call and then turned to look at the giant screen outside the shopping mall. Timothy Stringer, dressed in a nice-looking suit and exuding the air of a noble elite, was being interviewed by entertainment reporters.

"Rumors have it that your fiancée comes from an average family. Some say she's marrying above her station, and they're calling you a lovestruck fool. Do you agree with these comments, Mr. Stringer?"

Timothy was very displeased, but he still explained gently, "My fiancée and I have known each other since high school, and we can be considered childhood sweethearts. Even though she doesn't come from a wealthy background, she's still an exceptional woman who is rich in heart and soul.

"We're very well-matched, and I like her a lot. She chose to be with me, so I'll make sure she spends the rest of her life in bliss. Our wedding will be held on December 25th, and I hope everyone can attend."

He then chuckled before continuing, "There's nothing wrong with a man being a little lovestruck. After all, making the woman you love happy is the most worthwhile thing to do."

The reporters erupted into a frenzy. Even through the screen, one could feel how much they envied Timothy's fiancée.

Girls and women alike who were watching the interview were also squealing and stomping their feet in excitement. They were wondering what Timothy's fiancée had done for her to be able to meet a man as great as him.

Only Winifred stood there, eyes red-rimmed, breathing ragged, and heart dripping blood as she stared at the screen.

She was none other than the aforementioned fiancée.

No one knew that this man, who claimed to love her and promised her a life of comfort, was donating his sperm and having a child with another woman.

And it hadn't been a one-off occurrence either.

No woman could accept something like this.

As she walked despondently toward the roadside, a black SUV pulled up next to her, and the door opened.

The handsome-looking Timothy appeared before her, sitting in the back passenger seat. His dark suit showed off his tall height and long legs, and the masculine charm he exuded could be felt from outside the car.

Timothy gave her a warm smile. "You've wandered so far, babe. I nearly couldn't find you. Come, get in."

He extended his hand to her. As Winifred stared at those slender fingers, she couldn't help but think of the message she received.

"Timmy donated his sperm to me three times. I went with him to the sperm bank each time to give him a hand, and then we inserted the sample into my body."

When he was donating his sperm, did he use this hand to get himself off, or was it more of a joint operation?

This knowledge was seared into her heart like a hot brand, and she could no longer handle it. Her eyes stung, and tears spilled down.

Timothy was alarmed. He immediately scooped her into the SUV and sat her on his lap. He cupped her face and said tenderly, "Why are you crying? What happened? Come on, tell your hubby."

Winifred stared at his face from a close distance. While tears continued to stream down her face, memories of their past flashed through her mind.

He was a wealthy heir who had been the golden boy in school, too. On the other hand, she might have been the prettiest girl in school, but she came from a struggling family.

He had started pursuing her since they were in high school, and this lasted all the way to college. He had pursued her for seven whole years before she was so moved that she finally agreed to be his girlfriend.

On the day she graduated from college, he made such a grand spectacle of his proposal that everyone across the city heard about it.

The very next day, he secretly took her to the city hall and got their marriage certificate. He said he wanted to make it official and to give her a sense of security.

All her classmates knew that he was madly in love with her, and they would always gush about how she must've saved the galaxy in a previous life to be able to land a man as devoted and as loving as Timothy.

He had been the one who had pursued her relentlessly. He had been the one who had practically begged her to be his girlfriend. And now that she had fallen for him too, and deeply and irreversibly at that, he turned around and went to have a child with another woman.

Wind blew into the car, and each gust left her torn between the past and the present. And her soul, caught between the two, shattered.

She doubted he knew that she'd already found out what he had done. She wasn't going to expose him either.

With a wobbly voice, she grumbled playfully, "We haven't even had the wedding. You're not my husband yet."

Timothy chuckled helplessly and kissed her on the forehead affectionately. "We've already registered our marriage, and the wedding's only a month away. How am I not your husband, huh?"

Winifred bit her lip as she shook her head.

Timothy caressed her flushed cheeks and coaxed, "Don't cry. Tell me what happened. Did someone hurt you? You've got me. I'll always have your back."

Winifred gave an excuse. "It's nothing. I just saw your interview, and I was touched."

Timothy believed her, and he pulled her into his arms with a chuckle. He ruffled her hair lovingly and said, "Silly. I pursued you for so long, so of course I'll love you."

Was that so? If he truly loved her, then he wouldn't have betrayed her.

He nuzzled against her neck and said, "Let's go home, and I'll catch up on your favorite TV shows with you, okay?"

Winifred nodded blankly, "Okay."

Just then, Timothy's phone buzzed. He fished it out and pressed Winifred's head against his chest before unlocking it with his fingerprint.

It was a message from Selena Wentworth.

"Tim, I'm still not pregnant, and my dad's getting worse. His biggest wish is for me to have a child. What am I supposed to do? Will I have to let him die with regrets?"

Timothy replied, "You won't. Don't panic. We'll keep trying."

Soon, Selena sent him a photo of herself freshly showered and sprawled out on the floor. A towel barely covered her, and it was clear that there was nothing underneath the towel, not even underwear.

She sent him a crying emoji along with the message, "Tim, I twisted my ankle and can't get up. Can you come help me?"

The moment Tim saw the photo, his eyes darkened, and a rush of heat surged to his lower abdomen.

He sent Winifred home first, then said gently, "Something came up at work, so I can't watch your shows with you. I'll be back later, okay?"

A woman's sixth sense told Winifred that he wasn't leaving for work.

Still, she nodded understandingly and answered, "Alright. Come home early, and don't overwork yourself."

"You're such a good wife," Timothy said sweetly while ruffling her hair.

Then, he was out the door before he sped off in his car.

Winifred grabbed a tissue to dab away the wetness leaking from her eyes. She then took a deep breath and told herself not to be sad.

There was only a month left till they'd go their separate ways. She was going to make sure he never found her again, so she needed to get used to life without him.

After a while, her phone buzzed.

Selena had sent her an address along with the words, "Want to come and have a look?"

Then, without knowing why, Winifred actually found herself heading toward the location.

On the way there, Selena continued to send her messages.

"So what if he pursued you for seven years, or that you've officially been together for one? All his attention is on me now anyway. We've known each other since we were kids, so how can he let me go?"

Winifred didn't answer.

When she arrived at the hotel, she lost the nerve to go upstairs. She was afraid of finding them in the heat of things, and afraid of seeing Timothy's gentle and handsome face twist in panic. She had always been afraid of confrontation.

Thus, she stayed by the bushes, lost and helpless.

Soon, Selena sent her a voice message.

"Does this still hurt like this, Selena?"

She heard Timothy's hoarse but concerned voice.

Even though she didn't actually see anything, her brain still conjured up images of them in the throes of passion.

Her heart constricted painfully, and it felt as if oxygen was cut off from her brain. Even her lower abdomen cramped, and soon, she was in so much pain she couldn't even stand up.

Cold sweat beaded across her forehead as she curled up on the ground, spasming and nearly losing consciousness.

Two women who happened to pass by immediately took her to the hospital.

The doctor was quick to give his diagnosis. "You're pregnant, miss. Give your husband a call so he can come take care of you and the baby."

Pregnant?

A burst of joy erupted in her, only to be drowned out by heart-wrenching grief the next second.

The father of her baby was very likely busy making another baby with a different woman at the moment.

Though it pained her, she still said, "I don't have a husband, and I don't want the baby. Please schedule me for an abortion."