Christina Martell spent hours in the abbey, praying without pause from sunrise to sunset, desperate for a set of protective prayer beads for Kenneth Gilford, who lay bedridden after a car accident.

On her way back, she caught sight of Kenneth—supposed to be recovering in his hospital room—his arms wrapped intimately around the waist of a pregnant woman.

A moment later, Kenneth's parents approached from a distance and surrounded the woman, smiling happily.

"Allie, don't worry. Once you've had the baby, we'll make sure that woman is thrown out for good!"

Kenneth's brow furrowed, his grip instinctively tightening around the woman. He stayed silent for several seconds, but didn't deny a word.

Already exhausted to the bone, Christina staggered backward and collapsed to the ground.

Tears welled up, blurring her vision. In her daze, her thoughts drifted back to the Kenneth she once knew.

At 18, Kenneth was notorious as a troublemaker, but when Christina was bullied by students from another school, he stood up for her and got beaten bloody by a dozen guys for it.

The Martell and Gilford families had always been at odds. When their relationship came to light, Kenneth's mother, Farrah Gilford, locked him in the attic.

Determined to see Christina, Kenneth smashed a window and leapt from the fourth floor, rushing to her side without a second thought.

Back then, Christina was the center of Kenneth's world.

The boy who once risked his life to protect her and defied his parents for her now had his heart set on another woman.

Christina's phone rang, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She opened the message—it was from Kenneth.

"Babe, my secretary said you came home early. I'm feeling much better these past two days. I want to talk when you get back."

Christina drifted home in a daze.

She hadn't even stepped inside when she heard the lively chatter. Her eyes landed on the pregnant woman standing behind Kenneth.

A bitter smile tugged at Christina's lips.

He even brought that woman home...

Kenneth hurried over to greet Christina, taking her luggage from her hands.

"Babe, if it weren't for the accident, you wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble."

Christina ignored him and walked straight to the woman.

"Who is she?"

Instantly, the others blocked Christina's view, as if she were some kind of monster.

"Alice is Mom's late best friend's daughter. Her husband died in a car accident a while back. She's lived overseas her whole life. She's about to have a baby, and Mom's worried about her being alone."

Christina found their lame excuses simply laughable.

But she didn't plan to expose them.

She stared at Alice Schirmer for a moment, then finally realized why Alice looked familiar.

Two years ago, a brash heiress interned at her company, never respecting anyone, even offending their partners.

Christina had fired her, and Alice's cold, venomous glare was unforgettable.

Christina never imagined that Alice and Kenneth had been cheating all along—and now even had a child together.

"I'm tired. I'll go upstairs and rest," she said.

Sitting in the bedroom, Christina looked up at the wedding photo hanging on the wall. It felt like a cruel joke.

Pain twisted her heart again and again until she couldn't stand it any longer. She bolted out of the room.

A woman's muffled moans echoed down the empty hallway.

Step by step, Christina approached the study, its door left slightly ajar. The sight of tangled bodies hurt her even more.

Kenneth was always professional, never mixing personal affairs with work. He'd never allow anything this intimate in his office.

Yet now, he was embracing the pregnant Alice, moving passionately again and again!

Alice, sitting on the desk, noticed Christina's gaze. Her eyes were glazed, but a hint of provocation flickered there, as if she wanted Christina to hear every word.

Her fingers tangled in Kenneth's hair as she demanded, "Between me and your wife, who do you love more?"

Lost in the moment, Kenneth couldn't help himself, repeating over and over, "I love you! I love you! I love you!"

That kind of passion—Christina had never seen it before.

Even their last time together was three months ago, a drunken mistake.

Christina stood outside, torturing herself for what felt like an eternity.

When the noises finally stopped, voices drifted out.

"Seriously, I'm nine months pregnant and you still can't control yourself. What, your wife doesn't satisfy you?"

There was a pause, then Kenneth's voice rang out, hoarse and resigned. "Don't mention her."

He neither denied it nor defended her.

His three words stabbed deep into Christina's heart like sharp blades.

Alice wouldn't let it go. "Why not? Tell me! Even with a baby in me, I still excite you more than she ever could, right?"

"Allie!"

Kenneth cut her off, his tone edged with annoyance.

But seeing Alice's wounded expression, he sighed, helpless and indulgent.

"Every time I'm close to her, I remember her taking a knife for me. All I feel is guilt—and how cowardly I was back then. I just can't bring myself to feel anything."

Christina couldn't bear to listen anymore. She retreated to her room, heartbroken.

So this so-called happy marriage was just her own fantasy. In Kenneth's eyes, she'd always been someone to pity.

After the agony peaked, all that remained was a dead calm.

She pulled out Kenneth's signed prenuptial agreement from the safe.

Back when he proposed, he had said, "If I ever cheat, you can sign this whenever you want, and I promise I'll let you go!"

Christina didn't hesitate. She signed her name and called her lawyer.

The lawyer told her there'd be a two-week cooling-off period before the agreement took effect.

"Alright."

Hanging up, Christina gazed at the wedding photo on the wall, whispering, "Kenneth, in two weeks, it'll all be over."

No sooner had the words left her lips than the door swung open without warning.

Alice walked in, carrying a steaming mug of soup.

"Christy, I made this myself. My husband always said he loved my cooking the most. Why don't you give it a try and see how it tastes?"

Staring into Alice's wide, innocent eyes, Christina didn't bother with pleasantries.

"The baby you're carrying—is it Kenneth's?"

Alice froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. "So you already knew. Saves me the trouble of pretending to be the innocent victim in front of you."

She stroked her belly. "Kenny said that once the baby's born, he'll divorce you. If I were you, I'd take the hint and leave quietly."

Christina was ready to end her marriage, but she'd never let someone like Alice threaten her.

She stepped forward, grabbed the mug from Alice's hands, and dumped the hot soup straight into the trash.

"Someone like you? You think you're worthy?"

Alice's eyes flashed with sudden malice. She gripped Christina's wrist tightly. "Let me tell you something—give it a few years, you'll be old and washed up. Do you really think Kenneth will still want you then?"

Christina's strength was spent; she couldn't withstand Alice's aggression. She shoved Alice away.

But Alice fell to the floor with exaggerated drama, wailing at the top of her lungs.

"I'm sorry, Christy! I was wrong! I shouldn't have come in and polluted the air in your home! It's all my fault!"

The door was kicked open with a bang.

Kenneth rushed to Alice's side, instantly shielding her.

"Allie, what happened? Is your belly okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Alice shook her head, eyes red, all traces of her earlier arrogance gone.

"I'm fine! I just didn't hold the mug steady. Please, check if Christy burned her hand!

"I'm sorry, I didn't know Christy was a clean freak. If I'd known, I never would've humiliated myself like this!"

Kenneth snapped, "Why are you still worried about her? You're pregnant! You're the one who matters most!"

He turned and glared fiercely at Christina.

"Christina, can you drop the spoiled princess act? Just because Allie lost her parents and has no one doesn't mean you get to bully her! She's pregnant! If anything happens, can you live with that?"

Christina could only laugh—it hit her then that maybe she'd never truly understood him.

After 12 years together, didn't Kenneth know who she was?

She held out her wrist in front of Kenneth. "These marks—she dug her nails in. I didn't lay a finger on her!"

But Kenneth didn't even glance her way. He shoved her aside.

Caught off guard, Christina fell to the floor, her prayer beads scattering across the hardwood.

Her hand pressed down on the beads, and in her mind echoed his old promise, "You'll always be the most important person in my heart."

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen, cold sweat breaking out across her forehead and down her spine.

Her voice trembled. "Kenneth... my stomach hurts..."

Kenneth hesitated, brow furrowed, his steps faltering.

"Kenny, put me down! Christy doesn't look well—go check on her," Alice urged.

He knew exactly what kind of troublemaker Alice used to be, and now, the more sensible she seemed, the more Kenneth pitied her.

"She got stabbed before and didn't complain this much."

With that, the two of them walked away.

Christina felt as though her heart was being shredded by a thousand hands, the pain in her body and soul piling up until she was drowning in despair.

"Kenneth, have you forgotten I took that knife for you...?"

But Kenneth was already gone, far out of earshot, never hearing her whispered words.

Kenneth didn't come home until the middle of the night.

He hadn't bothered to change clothes, still carrying the chill of the outside air with him.

He wrapped his arms around Christina from behind. "Babe, I'm sorry. I was just so anxious today. I was worried something might happen, and I wouldn't know how to explain it to Mom. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's fine. I'm not bothered by it," Christina replied, her voice cold as ice.

Kenneth immediately sensed something was wrong and forcefully turned Christina to face him.

She saw the tension in his trembling eyes—it didn't look fake.

Kenneth grabbed her hand and smacked it against his own cheek.

"I'm sorry, Babe. I made you sad. Do you really think I wouldn't notice how upset you are? Did you think you could hide it from me?" His voice caught, thick with emotion.

Christina's mind began to drift.

His expression reminded her of their high school days.

Back then, Christina was the student council president at their private school. Even though it was a prestigious academy, she never went easy on rule-breakers, earning the ire of plenty of rich kids. Eventually, she was cornered at the mouth of an alley.

Kenneth had charged into the crowd like a madman, taking on ten guys by himself and ending up battered and bruised, laid up in the hospital for two weeks. He'd looked at her with the same eyes back then.

The love she once thought was hers alone... turned out it could be shared with someone else.

She took a deep breath and changed the subject.

"Kenneth, do you regret that we never had a child?"

Kenneth's hand froze in midair, a flicker of panic flashing through his eyes.

He quickly composed himself, gazing at her with gentle sincerity. "Of course not, Babe. Didn't we always say it didn't matter? As long as we're together, that's enough."

Christina studied him quietly.

Kenneth seemed to finally make up his mind, resolve shining in his eyes. "If you really want a child, we can adopt Allie's baby. The kid would get a better education, and Allie could stay close. I'm sure she wouldn't refuse."

Christina felt her heart shatter, her body growing cold, even her eyelashes trembling uncontrollably.

"Okay."

Kenneth lit up like a child. "That's great! I—"

Before he could finish, his phone rang. It was Alice.

"Babe, Allie's fall was pretty bad. She's in a lot of pain tonight. I'm going to check on her. You get some rest. I'll be right back!"

Christina nodded, her face expressionless, but tears slid down her cheeks anyway.

"Kenneth, you liar. You always said you could tell when I was hurting."

Sometime during the night, rain began pouring outside the window.

Christina curled up at the edge of the bed, clutching her aching abdomen, as if it was the only way to keep the cold from seeping into her bones.

Kenneth, who'd promised he'd be right back, disappeared for an entire week.

None of Christina's texts received a single reply.

When he finally returned, Kenneth was holding a bouquet of Christina's favorite roses.

"Happy birthday, Babe."

Christina was stunned.

She'd been so busy packing her things and handling work affairs that she'd completely forgotten her own birthday.

"I made a reservation at your favorite French restaurant. Let's go."

That place—Christina had only mentioned it to Kenneth once in passing, and reservations had to be made six months in advance.

Seeing the stars in his eyes, she bit her lip and agreed, deciding this would be their last memory together.

Kenneth led her into a private VIP suite.

The moment the door swung open, Christina froze.

Inside, besides Kenneth's buddies, sat her in-laws—and Alice.

"Christy, you're finally here! Kenny said today's your birthday, so I cleared my schedule just to celebrate with you!"

"I heard Kenny went all out to book this place!"

"I'm telling you, nobody in San Francisco spoils his wife like Kenny does. Last month at Mr. Thornton's birthday party, some starlet tried to cozy up to him—he shut her down in front of everyone!"

Everyone exchanged glances and burst out laughing.

Kenneth slipped his arm around her waist, leaning in to whisper, "It's been too long since we all got together. Don't mind those guys, they're just messing around. So, what do you think? Do you like this restaurant? Allie mentioned it's famous—I figured you'd love it."

Christina felt as if she'd stepped into an icebox.

So it was just wishful thinking on her part... Kenneth wasn't the man who remembered a passing remark for years anymore.

Alice stood up at just the right moment and walked over.

"Happy birthday, Christy! My family's fallen on hard times, so I couldn't afford anything fancy. I made this dessert myself—try it!"

Everyone's eyes landed on Christina, and she had no choice but to take a bite. Instantly, the taste of peanuts flooded her mouth.

She spat it out immediately.

Alice's expression shifted. "Christy, did I make it that badly?"

Kenneth's face darkened, his tone accusatory. "Christy, was that really necessary? Are you trying to embarrass Allie because of what happened the other day?"

Christina stared at Kenneth, enunciating each word. "There are peanuts in this, Kenneth. I'm allergic."

Kenneth's voice was full of regret. "I'm sorry, Babe, I didn't know! I'll take you to the hospital right now!"

Christina stopped him. "No, it's fine. I'll get some fresh air in the garden. You all go ahead and eat."

When Christina had composed herself and was about to re-enter, she overheard voices from inside.

"Kenny, that was ruthless! You had Allie make a peanut dessert just to mess with Christy. Did you see her face?"

Christina's blood ran cold, her nails digging into her palms.

"Don't say that! It was an accident!" Kenneth's voice held a warning edge.

One of his buddies laughed, "Come on, Kenny, Christy's not here—it's just us. You said yourself the other day that Christy pushed Allie and deserved a lesson. We all remember."

Kenneth didn't deny it anymore.

Christina's knees buckled, and she had to brace herself against the wall just to stay upright.

She remembered when she was 20, rushed to the ER after eating a peanut butter sandwich by mistake. Kenneth had been in the middle of a pitch to investors, but he'd dropped everything and raced to the hospital.

Now, knowing full well about her allergy, he used it as a way to "punish" her.

"Kenneth, how did you change so completely in just ten years?

"If you stopped loving me, why not say it sooner?

"Why did you have to torment me like this, over and over again?" she thought bitterly.

Christina drifted back inside, dazed.

The room fell silent, everyone's faces suddenly full of concern.

Alice, clearly the guilty party, acted like the victim. "I'm so sorry, Christy. It's all my fault—hit me if you want!"

Farrah rushed over in a panic.

"Don't be ridiculous! Allie's pregnant, she's our top priority. No one's going to hurt you! If your mother found out, I'd never hear the end of it, even in the afterlife!"

Christina hadn't done a thing, yet she was already the scapegoat.

She stood there, feeling like an intruder.

Kenneth finally seemed to notice her discomfort. "Babe, cheer up. It's a double celebration today—you should be happy."

"Double celebration?"

Christina glanced at the table and saw two different cakes.

"Allie's birthday is the same day as yours, so we're celebrating together."

Scanning the room, Christina felt like a fool—stripped bare and mocked by everyone.

"Kenneth, let's get a divorce."

She took off her ring, set it on the table, and looked Kenneth straight in the eye as she spoke.

The once noisy room fell into a suffocating silence.

Alice's face was lit up with a triumphant smile.

"Christina, are you really making such a scene just because I wanted you and Allie to celebrate your birthdays together?

"All my friends are here, my parents are here, and you keep picking fights! Ever since Allie moved into our home, you haven't stopped causing trouble! Is it because you can't have children that you take out your anger on innocent people?"

Smack!

Christina slapped Kenneth hard.

Everyone gasped. Farrah rushed straight over and shoved Christina forcefully.

Christina staggered backward, her lower back slamming into the sharp edge of the table. The jolt of pain made it impossible for her to stand up straight.

"Christina, what are you trying to do? Kenny was right! You can't even bear a child! How dare you hit my son? We are so unlucky to have a daughter-in-law like you!"

Christina gave a dazzling smile, her voice as soft as a feather drifting to the ground.

"Kenneth, whose fault is it that I can't get pregnant?"

Kenneth seemed to finally wake up to a shred of conscience and rushed to Christina's side.

His voice trembled as he spoke. "Babe, let me explain! I lost my head for a second—I didn't mean what I said!"

Christina tried to push him away, but the world spun and then went black as she collapsed.

The scene shifted, and those cruel words drowned her once again.

"No... please, no!" she screamed, bolting upright in bed.

"Babe, where does it hurt? I'll call the doctor right now!"

The concern in Kenneth's eyes only made Christina feel bitterly ironic.

"Kenneth, do you remember what I told you? I want a divorce."

"No way! I told you I'd be with you for life."

Kenneth's stubbornness was no surprise to Christina. It was exactly why she'd delayed asking for a divorce.

"Kenny, I've got the test results," Alice's voice cut in.

Kenneth instantly let go of Christina, as if she were the one he wasn't supposed to be close to.

Alice walked to the bedside. "Christy, congratulations—you're pregnant!"

"Pregnant?"

Christina snatched the report. The words were clear: pregnancy test positive, the doctor's signature unmistakable.

"Christy, this is wonderful! We have our own child now!" Kenneth's voice was so excited that it nearly broke.

Christina was still reeling from the shock when Alice suddenly doubled over, clutching her belly.

"Kenny... my stomach... it hurts..."

In an instant, Kenneth released Christina's hand and rushed to Alice's side.

He shouted hysterically, "Doctor! Where's the doctor?"

A crowd swept out of the room, leaving it silent once more.

Christina curled her fingers, as if Kenneth's warmth still lingered on her skin.

She touched her flat belly, tears of anguish falling.

"Baby, why did you have to come at a time like this?" she thought.

Suddenly, chaos erupted outside the hospital room.

Kenneth, frantic and shaking uncontrollably, rushed to Christina's bedside.

She'd only ever seen that look on his face once before—on the day he was stabbed.

"Babe, you have to help Allie! She's hemorrhaging, she's dying! The blood bank doesn't have any Rh-negative blood—only you can save her!"

Christina had never considered herself a saint, especially after everything Alice had done to hurt her.

She yanked her hand away coldly. "Kenneth, I'm pregnant. If I give Alice my blood, what about our baby?"

Kenneth seemed to collapse in on himself, sinking to the floor as if all his strength had drained away.

Outside, a frenzy had broken out, staff desperately calling hospitals in neighboring cities for help.

Phones rang, and Alice's agonized screams echoed through the hallway, "Kenny, save our baby! Please, save our baby!"

Kenneth looked up at Christina again. "Babe, that's two lives! Not just her baby—Allie could die, too! How can you be so heartless?"

"What about me? I finally have a child of my own, and you want me to sacrifice my baby to save hers. You're asking me to kill my own child!"

Kenneth's expression hardened, his voice gentle but merciless. "Babe, I've already heard the baby's heartbeat. I can't give him up."

He didn't give Christina a chance to refuse.

The doctors strapped her tightly to the bed with restraints, ignoring her hysterical screams as they wheeled her into the operating room.

The test results came back quickly, and a doctor rushed up to Kenneth.

"Mr. Gilford! Mrs. Gilford's tests show she isn't pregnant. Where did you get the idea she was?"

Kenneth was stunned. "Just now," he said, producing the test report.

The doctor immediately led Kenneth to the office of the physician who'd signed the report. When they arrived, the doctor's eyes darted nervously.

"What's going on here?"

The man's knees buckled, his voice trembling with forced regret.

"Mr. Gilford, Mrs. Gilford asked me to falsify the report! I lost my head and took her money—I was just confused for a moment!"

Kenneth's pupils contracted sharply. "Christina!" His voice brimmed with bitter disappointment and disgust.

Inside the operating room, Christina's face was ghostly pale.

A needle was already inserted into her wrist, and red blood was slowly flowing through the tube.

On the bed beside her, a newborn baby wailed loudly—no sign of hemorrhaging anywhere.

The doctor held up two large bags of blood. "Ms. Schirmer, that's 400 milliliters. Should we—?"

Alice toyed with the blood bags, sneering. "Keep going!"

The staff exchanged uneasy glances, but none dared defy her.

Alice jabbed the blood bags with a needle and, right in front of Christina, dumped them all into the trash.

Christina's body grew heavier, her consciousness fading.

Five hundred... six hundred... eight hundred milliliters.

"Ms. Schirmer, any more and this could turn dangerous!"

Alice, still unsatisfied, slapped Christina's cheek. "Christina, this is what happens when you cross me. If you'd just divorced sooner, you wouldn't have had to suffer like this."

Christina opened her mouth, but couldn't get a word out before she slipped into unconsciousness.

The first thing she sensed as she came to was the sharp smell of antiseptic.

Christina forced her tired eyes open, staring up at the stark white ceiling. Her body felt utterly drained—she didn't even have the strength to turn her head.

A doctor entered, adjusting her IV drip and sighing.

"You've been in a coma from hypovolemic shock for three days. If the head nurse hadn't intervened, you might not have made it..."

Christina bit her lip hard. "Is my baby... gone?"

"You were never pregnant."

"That's impossible!"

Before the doctor could explain, the door swung open and in walked Alice and Kenneth.

Alice cradled the baby in her arms, looking every bit the picture of a happy family.

"Christy, thank you. If it weren't for your blood, Chris and I might not have made it—"

"Don't say that! You and Chris are both going to be just fine!" Kenneth said.

"Chris?" Christina was confused.

Kenneth explained, "If you hadn't donated blood, the baby might not have survived.

"So we named him Christian Gilford—after you. It's our way of thanking you."

The way they played off each other made Christina's stomach turn.

"Get out."

Her voice was quiet, but it sent Alice scurrying behind Kenneth in fear.

Kenneth frowned. "You already know Allie's baby is mine. Since you saved them both, I won't pursue the fact that you lied about being pregnant. From now on, the three of us will live together and make the best of things."

A bitter taste rose in Christina's throat, blood threatening to spill. She never imagined Kenneth could say something so shameless.

"Get out! You took 800 milliliters of my blood and nearly killed me on the operating table. Christian? Kenneth, who are you trying to disgust? Get out, all of you!"

Christina had never lost control so completely. She screamed, nearly hysterical, and hurled the cup at them.

The baby burst into terrified cries.

Kenneth stepped protectively in front of Alice and the child, his voice cold and unfamiliar. "Christina, you really have lost your mind! You need to calm down and be alone for a while."

Not until they had left did the doctor pull a USB drive from his pocket and place it on the table.

"Ms. Martell, this is all I can do for you. It's the deleted surveillance footage from the operating room."

He paused at the door, then turned to look at her, speaking deliberately.

"Ms. Schirmer didn't have a premature birth; she carried to full term. I secretly tested the baby's DNA against Mr. Gilford's. They're not related."

Christina's eyes widened in disbelief, but she couldn't help but ask.

"Why are you helping me?"

The doctor gave a wistful smile. "I've known your brother for years. I couldn't just stand by and watch his little sister get hurt like this."

Glancing at her name badge—Briony Colby—Christina murmured a quiet thank you.

The day before leaving San Francisco, Christina was finally discharged and returned home.

Standing on the second floor, she looked down at the rose garden. Every flower had been planted and tended by Kenneth's own hands.

Now, no one cared for them. The storm battered their delicate petals without mercy.

"What are you looking at?" Alice appeared behind her, holding the baby.

Christina didn't want to argue. She pulled out the signed divorce papers and handed them over.

"I've already signed. As for Kenneth's part, you'll have to figure that out yourself."

A flash of malice crossed Alice's eyes.

Noticing the change, Christina explained, "Alice, Kenneth is yours now. I won't expose your child's true parentage. But if you ever come after me again, I swear I'll drag you down with me."

"So you found out... You forced me into this!"

Before Christina could react, Alice suddenly shrieked, rushed to the balcony, and threw the baby off.

"Help! Murder! Christina killed the baby!"

Alice screamed, tearing at her hair and clawing bloody scratches down her neck.

Christina froze, her body moving before her mind could catch up, racing toward the balcony—only to be shoved aside by Kenneth, who had heard the commotion.

"What happened, Allie?!"

"Go save our baby! Kenny, hurry! Christina threw Chris off the balcony—I couldn't stop her!"

Kenneth spun around and looked at Christina, then bolted downstairs.

A newborn falling from that height couldn't possibly survive.

The scene below was nothing but blood and broken flesh.

Alice was helped to the sofa, sobbing in anguish, though a faint, almost invisible smile played at her lips.

But only Christina saw it.

"Kneel!"

Kenneth's voice sounded as if it came from the depths of hell.

He was still wearing the same blood-stained suit, standing beside the tiny coffin. Alice, her eyes swollen and red from crying, looked barely alive at his side.

It took Kenneth just three hours to go from Christian's death to accepting reality.

He didn't call the police. Instead, he gathered the whole family and led them to the abbey to arrange his child's funeral.

"I told you, it was Alice who threw the baby—nothing to do with me—"

A slap cut her off mid-sentence.

Kenneth's eyes were bloodshot as he jabbed his finger at her face. "Christina, even now, you're trying to escape responsibility? Allie killed her own baby? Ha... do you even believe what you're saying?"

The next moment, Christina was forced down by the bodyguards, her knees slamming hard against the floor, the pain sharp enough to make her gasp.

Kenneth yanked her head back by the hair. "Does that hurt? When the baby was thrown from the building, it hurt a thousand times more than this!"

"Kenneth, aren't you going to check the security footage? That child wasn't even yours!"

"Shut up!"

Alice clung to Kenneth's sleeve, her voice trembling. "Enough, Kenny. Chris wouldn't want you to suffer like this."

The more sensible Alice acted, the more Kenneth's heart ached.

"Chris died because of you! You're going to stay here and pray for his soul, help him find peace!"

Christina was locked inside the chapel during the raging storm, with bodyguards stationed on either side to watch her.

The violent rain lashed against her exhausted body. If she so much as bent her back, a guard would strike her with a baton.

The storm raged all night.

Christina developed a fever; her mind grew foggy. She didn't know how she endured it. Her knees were numb, but her lips kept moving, mechanically reciting prayers.

Kenneth entered with Alice.

Alice's eyes were puffy from crying, but she couldn't hide the triumph glinting underneath.

"Christina, are you ready to admit you were wrong?"

Alice pretended to plead for mercy on Christina's behalf.

"Kenny, let it go..."

Christina stubbornly lifted her eyelids, her voice hoarse. "I already told you—it wasn't me."

"Fine! Christina, you're something else! Twelve years! We've known each other for 12 years, and I'm only now realizing I never truly understood you. You're more vicious than I ever imagined!

"You'll keep vigil here for Chris, praying for him for seven days!"

As if his anger hadn't yet run its course, Kenneth dragged her outside to the steps of the chapel.

"Kneel and crawl down! Bow your head and confess with every step!"

Suddenly, Christina remembered—it was also in this abbey she'd kneeled and prayed and discovered Kenneth's affair.

She repeated the motions mechanically, blood mixing with rainwater and blurring her vision.

Watching Kenneth and Alice huddled together, Christina suddenly laughed.

"Kenneth, the thing I regret most in my life is ever meeting you, ever believing in your promises of forever.

"Forever..." she whispered mockingly, her mind growing hazy, her vision fading, and the two of them disappearing from sight.

Just as she was about to slip into darkness, a pair of warm arms enveloped her.

The unfamiliar comfort made Christina instinctively struggle.

The man's grip tightened. "Don't move. I'm here to take you home."

Under the crushing weight of physical and emotional pain, when Christina heard the word "home," hot tears finally spilled down her cheeks.

"Home...

"I never want to come back here again..."