Chapter 5

Wendy lifted her gaze toward him. He looked as though he had rushed back at the fastest speed imaginable, his overcoat soaked through from the rain outside. He didn't seem to care; his entire face was a portrait of panic.

"How did you know?" she asked softly.

"It's all over the news," he replied, his tone tinged with desperation. "It's trending now."

Before she could respond, he pulled her into a tight embrace. His voice, trembling with fear, was barely audible in her ear. "Wendy, what are you doing? Why did you sell everything? Are you leaving me? Do you not want me anymore? What did I do wrong? Tell me, and I'll change. I'll fix it. Just… don't leave me."

His words cracked, carrying the weight of a sob, yet she remained still, her gaze distant. A faint, bitter smile curved her lips.

If he was so terrified of her leaving, why had he kept another woman on the side? Was it his arrogance, thinking he had concealed it so perfectly, or his assumption that she was too naïve to notice?

Now, merely sensing her slipping away, he was crumbling like this. She couldn't help but wonder how he would react on their wedding day, standing before her "corpse."

Gently, she pushed him away, her face serene and unreadable. "It's not what you think," she said evenly. "I just didn't like those things anymore, so I sold them. Besides, we're getting married soon. Why would I leave you out of the blue? Unless…" Her voice trailed off, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You've done something you shouldn't have?"

Grayson froze for a moment, the calmness in her question cutting deep. Relief flooded his expression at first, but the latter half of her words left him visibly unsettled. He grasped her hands tightly, his voice urgent. "No, baby, I swear. I haven't done anything to betray you. You know that. You know how much I love you."

She chuckled faintly, a smile tugging at her lips. "Then what's there to worry about? It's late. I'm gonna go get some rest."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.

Grayson stood rooted to the spot, his chest tightening with unease. Over and over, he reassured himself, 'We're getting married soon. She's mine. There won't be any surprises.'

But her recent actions had left him deeply shaken. That night, he stayed by her side, unable to sleep. The unease gnawed at him until dawn. When his phone buzzed, the faint light illuminated his face. He checked it and froze. The sleepiness in his eyes vanished instantly.

He glanced at Wendy who was sleeping beside him, kissed her gently on the forehead, and quietly slipped out of bed.

The moment the door clicked shut, Wendy opened her eyes. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand, her expression unchanging as she read the message that had just come through.

The agency she had contacted for her fake death had located a suitable corpse in a hospital morgue. They had already performed modifications to ensure an exact likeness to her. They were asking her to make a trip to check if all was in order and if there were any other requests on her part.

In the morgue, she stood over the lifeless body. The resemblance was eerie, down to the contours of the face. If she hadn't been standing there, she might have believed she was staring at her own corpse.

Perfect, she thought. Grayson wouldn't suspect a thing. Everything was ready now. She only needed to wait for the right moment.

After finalizing the details with the agency, she made her way out of the hospital. Passing the obstetrics department, a glance inside made her freeze mid-step.

Not far away, Grayson was carefully supporting Rita, her slightly rounded belly unmistakable. His movements were meticulous, his expression tender. A glow of pure joy radiated from him—the kind of joy only a man anticipating fatherhood could exude.

Rita was pregnant.

The child was Grayson's.

They were having a baby.

Her mind went blank as she stumbled back to the villa. She didn't know how she made it inside. The darkness swallowed the space, the faint glow of her phone the only light.

Just as the screen was about to dim, a new message appeared.

It was from Rita.

Attached was an ultrasound image and a link to a livestream with a caption that said: [I'm pregnant, three months along. The baby's father is overjoyed. Tonight, we're celebrating with a livestream for our fans. If you're happy for us too, feel free to join.]

Wendy's fingers trembled, the chill seeping from her fingertips into her heart. With mechanical precision, she tapped the link and hit the screen recording button.

In the livestream, Rita, dressed in a maternity dress, beamed as she held up the ultrasound photo. Her face glowed with maternal pride, and the chat filled with congratulatory messages from viewers.

Then, a hand appeared beside her. A hand Wendy knew all too well.