Chapter 1

On the day the field medical team was evacuated, Vanessa Reed and I were kidnapped by militants.

My boyfriend infiltrated enemy territory and found evidence of what they were doing to me.

But when he finally launched a rescue, Vanessa was the only one he brought back.

Not long afterward, the two of them got married.

No one came for me.

For seven days and seven nights, I endured unspeakable humiliation. Before my captors were done with me, they severed the tendons in my hands.

When I was finally dumped outside the camp, I was barely clothed and covered in blood.

Everyone said the once-brilliant surgeon was finished—that I was useless now, ruined beyond repair.

When I had nowhere left to turn, Ethan Carter proposed to me in front of everyone.

After we married, he cherished me as if I were the most precious thing in his life.

However, on the day I successfully conceived through IVF, he spoke in a foreign language with a terrorist leader who had undergone plastic surgery, right in front of me.

They spoke right in front of me, certain I couldn't understand a word.

"Mr. Carter, you ordered us to assault Sophia in front of her ex-boyfriend. But why did you specifically tell us to sever the tendons in her hands?"

Ethan toyed with the pen between his fingers, his expression utterly indifferent.

"For a surgeon, her hands were everything. Once Sophia Bennett lost the ability to operate, Vanessa no longer had a rival in the medical field."

He paused, then added calmly, "A woman can't rely on marriage alone. She needs a career if she wants a voice in her husband's family."

I stood rooted to the spot.

For one terrifying second, my heart seemed to stop.

All this time, the man who shared my bed had been the devil who personally pushed me into hell.

I quietly tucked the pregnancy report and the other document in my hand out of sight.

……

Memories of those seven days and nights crashed over me—the endless humiliation, the unbearable agony of having my tendons severed.

Every nerve in my body seemed to remember the pain.

But if I could no longer threaten Vanessa's position in the medical field, why had Ethan pretended to love me?

Why had he proposed to me when I was at my lowest?

I had mistaken the monster who condemned me to purgatory for a savior who had come to show me mercy.

He even reminded me to take folic acid every day.

He told me again and again that he wanted a child with me more than anything.

Why?

The commander's voice sounded again.

"Mr. Carter, the doses of the experimental drug you've been giving Mrs. Carter are already far above the recommended limit."

"That compound was developed from an ancient virus strain. It hasn't even undergone animal testing, yet you're already using it on a human subject. It could cause severe neurological damage—even cerebral palsy."

"Didn't you marry her because you felt guilty about what happened? How can you bear to use her as a test subject?"

Ethan was completely certain that I couldn't understand their conversation.

He let out a quiet chuckle.

"I married Sophia to keep her away from Vanessa's husband. Besides, Sophia has an extremely rare blood type. She's essential to Vanessa's research."

His lips curved into a self-mocking smile.

"I can never have a child with Vanessa. Helping her complete this research is the closest we'll ever come to creating something together."

The commander fell silent.

Ethan continued, "I heard the institute is putting a lot of pressure on Vanessa's project. I'll raise the dosage again over the next few days and get her the trial data as soon as possible."

"Mr. Carter, the human body cannot withstand excessive doses for this long. If you continue, the consequences could be disastrous."

Each word struck the same wounded place inside me, one after another, until I could barely breathe.

They hadn't just stolen my career from me.

Now they intended to sacrifice my life to build Vanessa's.

No matter how hard I tried to hide my emotions, my body wouldn't stop trembling.

The commander noticed.

His expression changed slightly.

"Mr. Carter, she couldn't have—"

I wrapped my arms tightly around myself and forced my voice to remain steady.

"Honey, I'm a little cold. I want to go back to our room and change."