Chapter 1

The night before my wedding, I was kidnapped and tortured for three days.

When I was finally rescued, my fiancé had already married someone else.

In my despair, Vincent stayed by my side and married me.

For three years of marriage, I thought he was my salvation.

But on our anniversary, I overheard his conversation with friends.

"Vincent, are you really never going to tell Elara the truth?"

"Why would I? Isn't everything fine as it is? Sienna likes Elara's fiancé, so I had to help Sienna get him. As for Elara, I'll treat her well."

"You're really something, Vincent! Three years ago, you had her kidnapped, made her infertile, and now she's still grateful to you!"

The cake in my hands fell to the floor.

So the person who ruined my life had been by my side all along...

"What was that sound? Is someone outside?"

Footsteps from inside the private room drew closer. I instinctively retreated several steps and hid behind a pillar.

The person who opened the door looked left and right but didn't notice the cake on the floor before retreating back inside.

The surroundings were noisy, yet all I could hear was my heart pounding violently in my chest.

My ears rang as Vincent's voice echoed endlessly in my mind.

My phone vibrated in my pocket.

It was a message from Vincent.

[Sorry Elara, I'm still in a meeting. I'll have to come home late today.]

[Don't wait up for me, just get some rest. When things settle down, I'll take you on a trip to make up for it, okay?]

Vincent's tone was as gentle as always.

He was busy with work and often missed our anniversaries and Valentine's Day.

But he always compensated me afterward.

He complied with almost all my requests.

I had reflected more than once that fate had been somewhat merciful to me.

Although I experienced that terrible incident before my wedding, at least I met Vincent.

I met someone in this world who truly cared about me.

He picked up my broken pieces one by one, carefully protecting me, using tenderness and love to open my heart.

But only now did I realize how laughable everything I believed had been.

Before I could reply to Vincent's message, I caught sight of a familiar figure approaching from the corner of my eye.

Instinctively, I turned my head and let my long hair cover my face, but I could still see who it was.

Sienna, my own sister.

She got lost as a child and only returned home at eighteen, deeply cherished by our parents.

Three years ago, the night before my wedding, I was kidnapped and humiliated.

After being rescued, the first news I learned was that she had married my fiancé, Ethan.

Those were the darkest days of my life.

Sienna knelt by my hospital bed, crying and begging me to forgive her.

Ethan held my hand, begging me to fulfill their love.

Mom and Dad frowned at me, blaming me for everything that happened.

Ethan and I grew up together. For over twenty years, I had dreamed of becoming his wife.

But in just three days, everything changed.

"Hey, Sienna's here! Beautiful as always."

The man's compliment snapped me back to attention.

I walked to the door again and listened carefully to what was happening inside.

Sienna laughed. "Still so smooth-tongued after just a few days."

"No wonder so many young women fall for you."

Sienna's tone sounded very familiar.

I couldn't help but think that in the three years we'd been married, I still knew nothing about Vincent's friends.

He always said his friends weren't easy to get along with.

That he worried I might remember the past.

I thought he was thinking of me.

But I forgot—if Vincent truly loved me, how could he allow his friends to slander me?

My nails dug into my palms as I listened to the laughter inside the private room.

I caught Vincent's voice among them.

"Coming out this late, won't Ethan worry?"

"Don't worry, he's been busy with work lately. He hasn't even left the office yet."

"Vincent, I'm here because of something else..."

Through the gap, I saw Sienna sitting next to Vincent, her hand resting on his thigh.

Vincent had mild germaphobia. Even at home, he only let me handle his personal clothing.

But now, facing Sienna's intimacy, he showed no sign of displeasure.

"What is it? Whatever you ask, I'll agree to it."

"Ethan and I have been married for three years, but I still haven't gotten pregnant... He's been much colder to me lately. Vincent, I want a child. Can you give me one?"