The day I found out I was pregnant, I received a video of my husband marrying another woman.

It came in an anonymous text.

In the clip, the groom was none other than my husband—Gabriel Hayes.

A voice offscreen asked, "Isn't Gabriel already married? Bigamy's illegal in Ireland."

Gabriel chuckled and replied, "It was just a fake certificate. I only needed it to fool Anna."

Anna Mitchell stood frozen in place, clutching her phone as her blood turned to ice.

She thought she'd heard wrong, but the next words in the video made her feel like she was falling into an icy pit.

"Rachel and I are in true love. Rachel is a wonderful, gentle girl. Years ago, she voluntarily donated a liter of blood to save Anna, and afterward, she was willing to live in Anna's shadow. Such a kind girl—I couldn't bear to see her lose.

"What Rachel wants is simple. She just wants to be with me forever. I'm willing to give that to her, and I can afford to."

Gabriel gently wrapped his arm around Rachel Davis's shoulder, speaking slowly and deliberately, each word carefully chosen.

On the other end of the phone, Anna staggered back two steps and nearly fell to the ground.

She stared at Rachel's mature, alluring face in the video, lost in a daze.

Five years ago, Anna had been in an accident. Rachel, who was just starting high school then, had rushed her to the hospital and donated blood to save her life.

Rachel's family wasn't well off. Her parents were divorced, and she lived alone with her seriously ill mother.

To thank Rachel, Anna, and Gabriel had covered all her expenses during school.

On top of that, they'd arranged for her to study and travel abroad, even buying her luxury items.

Gabriel had said that Rachel saved Anna's life, which meant she saved his, too.

So he was willing to give back, just to express his gratitude.

But Anna never imagined that Gabriel's way of showing gratitude included raising Rachel until she was old enough to marry and bring home as his wife.

What was even more ridiculous was that she hadn't noticed anything for five whole years.

Anna didn't even know that Gabriel's promises back then were all lies.

All that talk about only being able to marry once in a lifetime, about Ireland only having widowhood and no divorce—it was all just lies Gabriel had woven.

The video wasn't over yet. Someone asked curiously, "Gabriel, can you really keep this hidden? Aren't you afraid Anna will find out?"

Gabriel held Rachel even tighter.

He looked down, then smiled after a moment, his voice full of certainty. "I'll keep loving her just like always. She'll never find out for the rest of her life."

The guys exchanged glances, and Gabriel warned them, "All of you keep your mouths shut. Don't let Anna hear about this."

After saying that, Gabriel pulled out his phone and typed a text message to Anna.

She suddenly remembered that Gabriel had indeed sent her a message the day before. The content was so sweet that it had made her happy for a long time.

So this was the situation when he'd written it.

"Honey, I miss you. I don't want to be on this business trip at all. I just want to be with my wife.

"Every second without you is torture. I'll come back right away and try to get home by our anniversary. Love you."

Anna gripped her phone as a tear fell hard onto the screen.

In the video, Gabriel received Anna's reply and immediately smiled.

"See? I told you Anna would never find out."

No!

This absolutely wasn't her Gabriel!

Her Gabriel was the gentle, kind boy she'd grown up with.

The boy who would cheer her up and always put her first.

The boy who climbed to the top of a snowy mountain at 18 just to confess to her, swearing to love her forever and never lie to her.

The man who wrote 9,999 love letters by hand at 20 and made her a hundred different cakes to propose.

The man who personally planned a wedding of the century for her at 22, the man who clung to her day and night after marriage, never wanting to be apart...

This liar in the video, who said he loved her while marrying another woman, absolutely wasn't Gabriel!

At this moment, Anna's heart felt like it was being cut by knives as she bit her lip hard.

The video continued, but Anna didn't have the courage to keep watching.

At the same time, her phone vibrated again. Gabriel was calling.

She wanted to answer, but as her finger slid across the screen, she hesitated.

In the past, when Anna forgot her phone and Gabriel couldn't reach her for two hours, he would mobilize all the company employees to go out and find her, making sure she was safe.

The moment he found Anna, he didn't blame her. He was just panicked and heartbroken.

"Anna, I thought you were leaving me. I can't live without you."

After that, Anna never forgot her phone when going out, and she never failed to answer his calls.

But now, Anna didn't want to answer.

Gabriel, still at the wedding venue, immediately changed his expression. He gripped the phone nervously and called again.

Anna still didn't answer. Gabriel's heart lurched, and he interrupted everyone else's conversation.

"Stop talking, everyone. Why isn't my wife answering her phone?"

As soon as he said this, Rachel gave Gabriel a strange look.

She seemed like she wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

The wedding venue fell quiet for a moment before someone spoke up to comfort him. "Don't worry, Gabriel. Maybe Anna just didn't see it."

"Just call one more time. Gabriel, you're just too nervous. It's normal for Anna to miss a call sometimes."

The guys laughed, but Gabriel suddenly shouted, "It's not normal! You don't understand the love between me and my wife!"

At this, everyone fell completely silent, not daring to say another word.

Gabriel felt a wave of unease, worry, and anxiety written all over his face.

He paced back and forth with his phone, calling her over and over again.

Anna watched Gabriel's calls come in one after another, finding it absurd.

Right now, he was probably holding Rachel, wasn't he? He should still be at the wedding venue.

He'd clearly fallen in love with someone else, yet he could still care about her so much.

Even with another woman in his arms, he could still brazenly contact her.

Could his heart really hold two people?

Anna felt annoyed and texted him back, "Taking a shower, will call you later."

His expression visibly returned to normal, even brightening with a smile.

"Honey, I can't live without you. Never leave me."

They'd been together for seven years, married for five. He constantly expressed his love for her in such direct language.

But in reality, he hadn't even given her a legal marriage.

Later that afternoon, Anna stayed at the villa to rest. Just a few hours later, Gabriel returned to the villa with everyone else.

Anna quickly hid, quietly observing the newlywed group.

Rachel wore a red high-slit, tight-fitting dress, her figure graceful, her face showing a seductive charm that didn't match her age.

Throughout it all, she kept clinging to Gabriel.

"Honey, does this dress look good on me?"

"Beautiful. My woman looks good in anything."

His gaze stayed on Rachel the entire time, completely unaware that there was anyone else in the room.

Anna's heart felt like it was being cut by a dull knife, the endless pain making her suffocate.

At this moment, she had to admit that Gabriel had truly fallen in love with another woman.

Nearly crying herself unconscious, Anna slowly stood up.

She would never accept him loving two women at the same time.

Since they were already legally married, she would let them have each other.

She would disappear completely from Gabriel's world.

Anna took a taxi to the airport and bought a ticket on the earliest flight back to the country.

The first thing she did after getting back was go to the hospital to schedule an ab0rtion.

Today was their wedding anniversary. Gabriel posted a heartfelt essay on his social media at midnight, really showing how much he loved and appreciated her.

In just a few hours, the post got over ten million likes and shares. Screens all over the city played a love video he made himself, letting everyone see how much he cared for her.

A big crowd showed up outside the villa without any warning, covering the path with 1,825 bouquets of roses. In the middle was a giant hollow crystal ring, filled with new clothes and handbags from major brands. On top was a little music box that played Gabriel's warm voice.

"Happy anniversary, my love. I love you."

Anna had a blank look on her face as she closed the bedroom door and buried herself under the quilt, like nothing around her mattered.

Gabriel called, his voice full of guilt. "Honey, there's a sudden issue with the collaboration. I can't be with you for our anniversary today, but I promise to make it up to you when I get back."

Hearing his clumsy excuse, Anna suddenly laughed, her voice trembling. "It's fine."

"You're upset, honey." Gabriel keenly sensed her odd tone. "I prepared so many surprises for you. I hope you'll like them."

"I'm not upset. Work is important. I don't feel well, so I'll take a nap." Anna hung up coldly.

She curled up into a ball, struggling to hold back the pain in her heart.

The hustle and bustle outside the villa kept going. Drones that Gabriel set up performed in the sky, making different shapes to show his love for Anna.

Lots of reporters rushed over, hoping to interview Anna and spread their love story even more.

Anna ignored them, as her phone kept ringing nonstop.

Looking at Gabriel's name on the screen, her vision got blurry again. She wanted to answer and ask why he broke his promise, why he fell for another woman.

But in the end, she quietly turned off her phone and buried her head in the quilt.

She didn't know how much time had passed when the quilt was suddenly thrown back, and a beam of strong light stabbed in, hurting Anna's eyes.

Against the light, she saw Gabriel looking worn out. His hair was messy, his face pale, his eyes full of worry and lingering fear.

The moment he felt Anna was upset, he rushed back right away, only to find her ignoring all his calls.

Seeing Anna, he hugged her tightly. His voice was hoarse and choked. "Thank god you're home! I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry."

Gabriel's eyes got red, and his body started shaking like he couldn't control it. "I'll never leave you home alone again. When you didn't answer my calls, it felt like my whole world fell apart.

"Nothing is more important than you. I'm here to spend our anniversary with you."

Anna didn't say anything. Seeing her silence as leftover anger, Gabriel got down on one knee and begged, "Promise me you'll never ignore my calls or shut me out again. It would kill me."

His tense and scared look seemed real—he really did love her.

"You came back quick," Anna said, tugging at the corner of her mouth. Gabriel's face changed, a flicker of guilt crossing it.

"Haven't you eaten all day? Let me take you to the revolving restaurant," Gabriel said, changing the subject and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"No," Anna shook her head.

Panic rose in Gabriel. "Then get some rest. I'll go downstairs and cook for you."

"Okay," Anna nodded coldly, turning her back to him.

Thinking she was still mad, he took a deep breath and left the room.

About ten minutes later, a bunch of noise started coming from downstairs.

Anna went downstairs and saw the villa's living room packed with Gabriel's friends, busy hanging up freshly developed photos on the walls.

When they saw Anna, they all started talking at once, trying to explain to Gabriel.

"Anna, Gabriel was totally freaked out! I've never seen him so stressed."

"Next time you're upset, just let us know. We've got your back. Stop trashing photos and turning off your phone. Gabriel can't handle it."

"If we couldn't find you, Gabriel would've lost it."

"Honestly, he passed out when he saw the empty walls and even tried to dig through the trash."

***

"Everyone shut up," Gabriel said sharply, stepping out of the kitchen in an apron, his face red with irritation. "This is my fault. I made my wife sad, and she has every right to punish me."

"Gabriel's such a total wife-pampering freak. He'd give up all his dignity for you, Anna. You're so lucky," Rachel said, pushing through the crowd with an envious smile.

Gabriel kept his cool, wearing a tender grin. "Of course I dote on my wife."

Anna felt a chill run through her, thinking he was completely fake.

But she didn't want to call him out.

"Stop hanging the photos. I want to repaint the walls," Anna said in a flat tone.

Gabriel moved closer to her, putting an arm around her waist. "Stop now. My wife has spoken."

"Gabriel's such a henpecked husband," someone joked, but he didn't care.

He led Anna to the couch, then went back to the kitchen to finish cooking.

Even though Gabriel made all her favorite dishes, Anna thought they tasted bland.

As he picked food for her with one hand, the other secretly held Rachel's hand under the table.

Anna suddenly felt totally drained, desperate to get away. She wanted to leave this place and leave Gabriel.

After the meal, Gabriel didn't give her a chance to say no. He knelt to put on her shoes and socks, then carried her out as their friends whistled.

Rachel joined in the teasing with a smile, but Anna saw a flash of resentment and jealousy in her eyes.

Gabriel had set up a special fireworks show over the sea for Anna, even bringing in the band she loved to play.

When the show was halfway done, Gabriel said he needed to use the restroom and left his seat.

On a whim, Anna followed him.

In the VIP lounge, Rachel threw herself into Gabriel's arms, tilting her face to kiss him.

"Gabriel, I miss you so much. Just let me kiss you for a bit."

Gabriel wrapped one arm around her waist and pressed the other hand against the back of her head, kissing her passionately as the room's temperature seemed to rise.

After a long moment, Rachel pushed him away, her face flushed and breathing heavily. "Okay, go back to Anna now."

"Are you sure?" Gabriel's eyes darkened with desire as his thumb rubbed against her red lips.

Rachel dropped her gaze. "No, but I don't want Anna to be upset. She's ignoring your calls because of me. I can wait, come to me after you're done with her."

"Your thoughtfulness breaks my heart. I can't bear to part with you either. Be good, don't think of others now. Just enjoy the pleasure your husband brings you." Gabriel kissed her lips, trailing down to her neck and chest.

Rachel's moans of pleasure filled the room as her nails dug into Gabriel's back. "Gabriel, don't kiss there. I can't take it."

"Sweetheart, isn't this exactly what you love?"

The room was thick with passion, but Anna felt like she'd been thrown into a freezer.

She bit her hand so hard it almost bled, forcing back sobs. Even though she thought her heart couldn't break anymore, the sight shredded her.

Gabriel had completely betrayed her body and soul.

A burning feeling rose in her stomach, making her want to throw up. She ran to the restroom and threw up violently, her stomach aching.

Her hand shook over her belly, tears blurring her vision.

"I'm sorry, baby.

"You saw how bad your father is. Forgive me for not being able to bring you into this world."

Anna came out of the restroom looking pale and walking unsteadily. The deck was lively, but Gabriel and Rachel were still missing.

It wasn't until the fireworks show ended that Gabriel and Rachel came back, one after the other. Rachel returned with a big smile, clearly pleased with herself.

She sat down next to Anna on purpose, opened a velvet jewelry box, and grinned. "Anna, this is a gift for you. I made it myself.

"Thank you, and Gabriel, for taking care of me. It wasn't me who saved you five years ago. You saved me. I wish your marriage a long and happy life." Inside the box was a bright green bracelet.

Anna stared at her, her face blank, and twitched the corner of her mouth. "Keep it. I don't like it."

Rachel's hand shook, and her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Gabriel.

Gabriel seemed to ignore her and just looked gently at Anna, like she was the only person in his world. "If my wife doesn't like it, take it back."

Rachel took back the gift with a hurt look. "Then may I toast you, Anna? I hope you're always happy."

Anna didn't say no again. She took the drink Rachel gave her and took a sip.

Rachel's smile came back as she turned to leave, but for a second, her eyes looked really mean when she spun around.

She tripped on a chair and screamed as she fell to the ground, holding her stomach in pain.

"It hurts."

Everyone got scared, and people nearby rushed to help her up. They gasped when they saw red stains on her skirt.

Everyone looked at Gabriel, and Anna looked at him too.

He stayed calm, and when he saw Anna looking, he smiled gently at her. He took her hand and said to the others, "Take her to the hospital. I'll stay with my wife until the show ends."

As people helped Rachel off the boat, Gabriel kept holding Anna's hand and listened to the band play.

If Anna didn't know the truth about them, she might have believed his act.

Anna's heart got colder, and the pain in her stomach got worse.

Just as she was about to say she wanted to go home, Gabriel's phone rang.

"Mr. Hayes, you rushed out this morning. The contract issue still isn't sorted out. Can you come to the company?" His assistant's urgent voice came through.

Gabriel frowned, paused for a few seconds, then hung up. When he looked at Anna, his eyes had a hint of guilt. "Honey, I need to go to the company. Wait here, and I'll have the driver pick you up, okay?"

Anna rolled her eyes inwardly. "Fine, go ahead."

As Gabriel stood up to kiss her forehead, she pretended to cough and turned away.

He didn't have time to think twice and left in a hurry.

Anna knew he was heading to the hospital, and the pain in her heart had eased up.

She waited for half an hour, but the driver never showed up.

A sharp cramp hit her stomach, making her double over. Glancing at the shattered wine glass on the floor, a crazy thought flashed through her mind.

Rachel had poisoned the drink.

Anna struggled to stand up and picked up the broken pieces of the cup that were still wet with liquid, putting them away.

The pain in her stomach got worse, spreading from her stomach to her lower belly. She could feel something tearing inside her abdomen, and warm blood started to drip out.

She tried calling Gabriel, but he didn't pick up.

The driver's phone was also out of reach.

With the last bit of strength she had, Anna called the emergency number...

When Anna opened her eyes again, she was in a hospital room, feeling dazed.

Her hand went to her flat stomach, and a sharp pain hit her heart—the baby was gone.

"Bed 23, where is your family? We need more payment. You were poisoned by heavy metals and need to cooperate with the police. I'm sorry, but we couldn't save the baby," the nurse said, explaining her condition as soon as she saw Anna was awake.

Anna's fingers shook as she picked up her phone to call Gabriel. The line was turned off.

She managed a bitter smile. After he left last night, he hadn't answered her calls or even tried to find her.

He had promised to be there the moment she needed him.

Now, he was ignoring her to stay with Rachel.

"No family here. I'll handle the payment," Anna replied weakly.

"You can't get out of bed. Let me help you with the paperwork—just rest," the nurse said kindly, stopping her.

As she left the ward after writing down the details, the nurse sighed. "All women, but such different fates. There's another patient with a threatened miscariage—her husband was so frantic he booked the entire VIP floor and flew in a top medical team from abroad overnight to save the pregnancy."

The nurse looked back at Anna. "This poor woman was poisoned and lost her baby, but she doesn't have any family here."

Anna heard the nurse and knew she was talking about Gabriel and Rachel, but her heart didn't budge.

She moved herself to a VIP ward. While she was in the hospital, she had the leftover stuff on the glass shards tested to find out who had poisoned her.

Gabriel never reached out to her, even after she left the hospital.

She went straight to the Mitchell family villa, took the ring her mom had left, and put her special keepsakes in a permanent safe.

She planned to sell the villa and never go back.

Next, she went to the civil registry office to change her name. She was determined to make sure Gabriel would never find her.

Anna got home to see Rachel all curled up on the couch, wrapped in her blanket, and watching TV with snacks in hand.

Her eyebrows furrowed a bit. Before she could say anything, Rachel jumped up from the couch.

"Anna, you're back! Have you eaten? Gabriel went out to get some cake. Want me to grab you a slice of chocolate one?" Rachel smiled, her eyes full of undisguised triumph.

"Who said you could touch my stuff?" Anna's face got cold as she looked at the messy coffee table, feeling a tightness in her chest.

She never liked people touching her things, let alone messing up her home.

Gabriel knew her habits—he hardly ever brought people over, and when he did, he always cleaned up right away.

Now, he was letting Rachel hang out in her spot, use her blanket, and eat her snacks.

"Are you upset, Anna? I'll give them back." Rachel tossed the potato chips right onto Anna's lap, raising an eyebrow. "Better pick them up."

Anna was taken aback, about to speak, when Rachel dropped to her knees to clean up the mess on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Anna. I was starving and almost fainted, so I ate your snacks. Please don't be angry. I'll clean it up right now." Rachel's eyes welled up, tears hanging precariously.

"Honey, what's going on here?"

Anna was too stunned by the sudden shift in Rachel's demeanor to react. It wasn't until she heard Gabriel's voice behind her that she understood the charade.

Turning around, Anna caught him looking at Rachel on the floor, clearly seeing a flash of pity in his eyes.

"I shouldn't have touched Anna's things without permission," Rachel choked out, head lowered.

"Right. My wife dislikes others touching her belongings. Why did you make the living room so messy?" Gabriel frowned. "Take your cake and go home. Don't come here again."

Rachel froze, then slowly stood to take the cake from Gabriel.

But the next moment, as she rose, Rachel pretended to lose her balance and crashed directly into Anna. Thrown off-balance, Anna fell backward along with Rachel.

In just a second, Gabriel rushed over and picked Rachel up in his arms.

Anna fell backward hard, her head hitting the shoe cabinet. Blood came out right away, and she felt really dizzy. The last thing she saw was Gabriel holding Rachel tightly.

Anna slept for a long time. When she woke up groggy and thirsty, the room was completely dark.

She forced herself to sit up and reached for the nightstand—Gabriel always used to leave a glass of warm water there every night.

But it was empty tonight.

A hollow feeling hit Anna, followed by a self-deprecating smile. Since Rachel got pregnant, even Gabriel's pretend love couldn't go back to what it used to be.

She got up and went downstairs. Passing the guest room, she heard Gabriel's voice and stopped.

"It's my fault Anna got hurt. I shouldn't have acted so carelessly," Rachel sobbed.

"You can't go hungry while pregnant. Anna's just overreacting. It's all my fault for spoiling her. Don't cry, sweetheart. My heart breaks when you cry." Gabriel held her, stroking the top of her head. "You're becoming such a crybaby lately."

"Don't make fun of me," Rachel cooed, pouting with a look of grievance on her face, which was incredibly alluring.

Gabriel gulped and looked away. The incident on the ship had been too intense, nearly causing Rachel to miscarry. He didn't dare act carelessly now.

"Do you miss me, Gabriel? Too bad Anna's hurt. She can't satisfy you now."

"Even if she wasn't hurt, she's not as tempting as you, sweetheart. I can wait. Once the baby stabilizes, I won't hold back," Gabriel smirked.

"I can help you, Gabriel." Rachel slid downward as she spoke, kneeling between his legs.

The contrast between her seductive expression and innocent tone, combined with her movements, made Gabriel groan involuntarily.

"Hmm, you little slvt. You're amazing."

***

Seeing this scene again, Anna felt nothing in her heart. She numbly continued downstairs for water.

Due to her head injury, she had slept exceptionally deeply, only waking the next evening.

Gabriel rushed to explain, his eyes flickering. "Honey, I tried to save you, but you fell too fast. I couldn't catch you."

Anna looked at him, too tired to call out his lies, and just asked, "Where's Rachel?"

"If you need someone to blame, blame me. The girl is just clumsy. She didn't mean to crash into you. She could have gotten hurt herself," Gabriel defended Rachel.

"I see," Anna said, her voice flat and her emotions hard to read. "Tomorrow is the anniversary of my parents' deaths. Will you come with me?"

"Of course," Gabriel said, relieved that Anna didn't seem angry, but then he looked at her again.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was different. She seemed to love him less when she looked at him.

Before Gabriel could ask, Anna had closed her eyes.

She stayed groggy all night, stuck in a daze. Gabriel tried talking to her a few times, but she didn't respond.

The next day was the anniversary of Henry and Maria Mitchell's death—Anna's parents. She woke up early, got cleaned up, changed into a black casual outfit, and left in Gabriel's car.

Gabriel thoughtfully prepared breakfast and some items for the memorial. Seeing her pale face, he felt bad and assumed she was really upset, so he tried to make small talk during the drive.

Anna stayed uninterested, giving short answers.

As soon as the car reached the cemetery, Gabriel got a phone call that made him look worried. He slammed on the brakes, stopping suddenly by the roadside.

Anna was thrown forward unexpectedly, her shoulder turning red from the seatbelt. She couldn't help asking, "What's wrong?"

"Honey, there's an emergency at the company I need to handle," Gabriel said with a really upset face, unable to hide how tense and worried he was. "Go pay your respects to Mom and Dad first. I'll be back soon."

Anna nodded "thoughtfully" and stepped out of the car. Before she could steady herself, Gabriel sped off in a hurry, nearly pulling her over.

Watching the dust kicked up by the tires, Anna smiled. Gabriel seemed to have forgotten his phone was connected to Bluetooth. She'd clearly seen the caller ID marked as Rae.

Rachel must have gotten hurt and called to cry to Gabriel, who didn't hesitate to abandon Anna for her.

But Anna didn't care anymore.

She no longer loved Gabriel, and it seemed even her resentment toward him had faded.

Anna bowed three times in front of her parents' graves. "Mom, Dad, Gabriel has fallen in love with another woman. I'm leaving him, and I'm also leaving this place.

"He's been waiting for Rachel to grow up for five years, and I was kept in the dark. They're married in a way that can never be dissolved.

"Don't worry about me. I'll take care of myself. Forgive your daughter for not being able to take you with me. I'll visit when I've settled down."

Anna's voice stayed steady, having come to terms with Gabriel's betrayal. But the thought of leaving her parents behind made her tears flow.

Gabriel never showed up that entire day.

The cemetery was remote, requiring a walk along a path to hail a cab. After saying goodbye to her parents, Anna slowly made her way toward the main road.

She'd only gone a short distance when she sensed someone following her. Quickening her pace, she took out her phone to call the police.

Before she could even dial, someone caught up from behind and pressed a handkerchief over her mouth.

Anna fought back hard, but her vision went dark as she was knocked out by chloroform.

A sharp chill woke her up when a bucket of ice water was thrown over her.

Tied to a pillar, her hands bound behind her back, a black cloth over her eyes, she couldn't stop shivering from the cold.

"Who are you? Why are you kidnapping me?" Anna shouted, trembling with fear.

"Answer me! Who are you?"

"Do you want money? I have money—plenty of it. Give me a bank account, and I'll transfer it now."

Blindfolded and desperate, Anna got only silence in return.

Her clothes were soaked, and every gust of wind sent stinging chills through her. Panic rising, she thrashed against her bonds.

"Let me go! Who the hel are you?"

A sudden cry of pain escaped her as a bat struck her stomach with brutal force.

"You don't need to know who I am—just pay for what you did." The person raised the bat and hit her stomach again, making her feel like her insides were being crushed. The pain brought tears to her eyes.

"I don't get what you're talking about."

The attacker didn't say anything, then started hitting her stomach over and over again. Each hit landed brutally, like he was trying to break her from the inside. She passed out from the pain, but the constant agony woke her up again.

In the end, she was numb from the pain. Blood from her lower body soaked through her pants, and the blood dripping from her mouth stained her clothes.

The attacker seemed exhausted and dropped the bat as he untied her. She fell to the ground like a rag doll, her blood quickly pooling on the floor as she lost consciousness completely.

When she woke up again, the place was empty. She took off the blindfold and saw a projector set up in front of her.

In the video, Gabriel was holding Rachel, kissing her forehead over and over to calm her down. "Baby, don't cry. You're safe now."

"Gabriel, I can't believe it. Anna would never hurt me on purpose! She's so kind. How could she send someone after me just because I accidentally pushed her?" Rachel was crying, her face covered in tears.

"People change, sometimes," Gabriel said, a flash of pain in his eyes. "The evidence is clear. Anna hired someone to attack you. If you hadn't called the police in time, things could have been really bad."

"Even so, you shouldn't get back at her or hurt her!"

"After all that, you're still sticking up for her? Don't worry. I'll only teach a lesson to whoever touched you. As for Anna, I'll find a chance to warn her."

Gabriel's eyes were filled with disappointment. He had already convinced himself that Anna had ordered the attack on Rachel.

Anna fell to the ground, her body shaking with pain. She stared at the faces on the screen, feeling like her heart had been ripped out and was bleeding.

The Gabriel who used to trust her completely now let Rachel make up false charges against her and had others hurt her.

When the heart changed, everything else changed too.

She laughed, with tears running down her face.

She thought, "Gabriel, if you ever find out the truth... will you feel bad about it?"

The projector kept playing scenes of Gabriel and Rachel over and over, each time hurting Anna more as Gabriel's doubt about her became clearer.

A new clip showed up. Gabriel was cooking for Rachel, his earlier toughness gone as he smiled warmly.

The way he looked at Rachel with tenderness and love was exactly how he used to look at Anna.

"Anna, when can I finally call you my wife?"

"Annie, I love you so much. Please say yes to my proposal."

"Gabriel loves Anna for all eternity. Anyone who dares to bully her will have to answer to me."

"Honey, my cooking is excellent. Let me take care of your three meals. You're the only one in the world worthy of eating my food—not even my parents!"

"Honey, Rachel saved you, which means she saved my life, too. She's an orphan after all... let's take care of her."

"Of course, my feelings for Rachel are real. She just wants a lasting marriage, and I can give her that."

***

Gabriel's words kept echoing in her ears—his promises, confessions, and lies—each one stinging like a needle.

The man she remembered loving slowly became different from the Gabriel on the screen, slipping away from her heart piece by piece.

As night fell completely, she fell helplessly to the ground, letting the darkness and cold take over.

When she came to, she moved forward slowly, leaving a trail of dried blood across the floor with each step.

Her stomach felt numb, but she forced herself to stand and stumble outside.

Warm sunlight poured down, but it couldn't warm her frozen heart and body.

She finally collapsed by the roadside and was taken to the hospital.

"Ms. Mitchell, your stomach took a real beating, and it caused a tear in your uterus. We need to operate to take out the leftover tissue," the doctor said.

Anna didn't show much emotion when she heard the news. After losing the baby, she had already accepted that she couldn't have kids anymore.

So be it...

At least she was alive and could get away from Gabriel.

The surgery went well. After resting in the hospital for about four to five hours, Anna checked herself out.

She got a new phone and called the maid, finding out that Gabriel wasn't at the villa. She rushed back to pack her things.

She only took her mom's heirlooms and some new documents, then made up an excuse to send the maid away.

She then grabbed a baseball bat and smashed the Lego set they had built together. Then, the couch they had picked out together, the TV they had ordered together.

With her last bit of strength, Anna destroyed everything in the living room. Looking at the mess, she laughed—a bitter, sorrowful laugh.

Anna dropped the baseball bat and used lipstick to write two lines on the wall.

"Gabriel, you once said those who betray true love must swallow ten thousand needles. Do you remember?

"Gabriel, from now on, there is no more 'we'."

Without looking back, Anna left the villa, leaving behind all the memories she and Gabriel had shared in the wreckage.

She bought tickets for all flights departing at the same time, but instead went to the long-distance bus station.

She would make sure Gabriel could never find her.

Through thick and thin, Anna and Gabriel would never meet again!

Gabriel received a call from Rachel, left Anna at the cemetery, and hurried to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city.

Rachel cowered timidly among the clutter, trembling with fear. Her cheeks were swollen, her skirt stained with a hint of red, and her body covered in mud. She tightly covered her mouth with both hands, tears rolling down one after another.

At the sight of her, Gabriel's heart ached, and he quickly ran to Rachel's side, pulling her into his arms.

"Gabriel, I'm so scared, Rachel finally couldn't help but cry out loud, her shoulders shaking with sobs."

Gabriel kept kissing her forehead and carried her to the hospital.

Fortunately, she was just scared, and the baby in her belly was unharmed.

"What's going on? Who dared to touch you? Gabriel's face darkened, surrounded by a fierce aura."

Rachel bit her lip and said nothing, ordering someone to investigate.

He didn't know that the person he sent out had already been bribed by Rachel, who pushed everything onto Anna.

Anna wanted to teach Rachel a lesson. She found out somehow that Rachel was pregnant and cruelly decided to have the baby ab0rted.

Gabriel fell into a brief silence, seemingly unable to believe it all.

Looking at the irrefutable evidence in front of him, he had no choice but to believe.

He ordered someone to take away the person who had laid hands on Rachel, and gave him a severe lesson, wanting to give Anna a warning.

Gabriel carried Rachel home, unaware that it was Anna who had been beaten, and unaware that his every word and action was being recorded by Rachel and played back to Anna.

After calming Rachel down and feeding her by hand, Gabriel finally had a moment to himself and took out his phone to contact Anna.

"Wife, are you home? Rachel had an accident, she asked me for help, I couldn't bear to see her in trouble, so I brought her to the hospital."

"Anna, was it you who arranged for Rachel to be attacked? She saved your life, why would you hurt her?"

"Wait until she is feeling better, then you can clear up the misunderstanding face to face. I don't want similar things to happen again."

Gabriel's consecutive messages were all inquiries and warnings, without realizing that his heart had unknowingly started to lean towards Rachel.

The message was like a stone sinking into the sea. He felt a little uneasy, but then he remembered that Anna had been in a bad mood recently, always refusing to answer the phone. This ignited a sense of irritation in his heart.

It was him who spoiled Anna, making her feel confident and free to act recklessly in front of him.

This time, Anna was way out of line. He wouldn't rush back to appease her like he did before. Ultimately, she needed to realize her mistake.

Gabriel put down his phone and returned to Rachel's side, looking at her pale face. In front of him, Anna's face inexplicably appeared.

Recently, Anna's complexion has been very poor, lacking any color in her face.

His heart sank heavily, as if something had been overlooked by him, but he couldn't think of it at the moment.

"Gabriel, what's wrong with you? Rachel slowly opened her eyes and saw the uneasy expression on his face, speaking with confusion."

Gabriel came to his senses and instinctively asked, "Rachel, have you noticed that Anna has been acting a bit strange lately?"

Rachel was taken aback, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes. "She's been blaming Gabriel for neglecting her on their wedding anniversary, and she's still angry."

"You rest first, I'll go back and check on her. Gabriel just couldn't let go of Anna, he got up and was about to leave."

"Gabriel, I hurt."

Rachel suddenly spoke with a sob in her voice, causing Gabriel to pause in his tracks.

Gabriel hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose Anna. He patted Rachel's head to comfort her, "Rae, be good. I'll go take a look and be back soon to be with you."

"Gabriel... Rachel clutched at Gabriel's sleeve, looking at him with longing."

"Baby, be good and listen, Gabriel said in a gentle tone with a hint of barely noticeable annoyance."

Rachel reluctantly let go of Anna, feeling resentful towards her in her heart, but speaking up for her, "Gabriel, remember not to be mean to Anna."

"Fool, think more about yourself, I will be back soon."

Gabriel hurried back to the villa, feeling inexplicably anxious all the way, as if something important was disappearing from his life.

While waiting for the red light, he called Anna, and a mechanical female voice answered.

"The phone you dialed is switched off."

At that moment, he was even more anxious than ever before when he heard the alert tone. He inexplicably accelerated the speed of his car, not even realizing that he was speeding and running red lights consecutively.

Gabriel just wanted to see Anna as soon as possible.

Finally back at the villa, his heart was beating faster and faster.

The moment the door opened, Gabriel was struck as if by lightning, his feet feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds and unable to take a step.

The entire villa was lifeless, without a hint of vitality, and the living room resembled a ruin.

"Wife? He opened his mouth, his throat feeling dry, his heart hanging in his chest, a mixture of unease and panic enveloping him."

He struggled to move his feet through the mess on the floor and hurriedly opened the bedroom door.

The bedroom was neat and tidy, everything of Anna's was there, except for her presence.

Gabriel ran back to the study to search, and everything in the study was just as it had been before.

His heart sank suddenly as he kept calling Anna, but her phone was switched off the whole time.

He dialed his assistant's phone number and said, "Madam is missing. Go find her quickly. I want to know the news within an hour."

Gabriel seemed to remember something, he quickly opened the safe, and Anna's documents were missing, including the fake marriage certificate.

Could it be that...

Gabriel dared not think of the worst, he stumbled down the stairs and reached the last step. His footsteps suddenly came to a halt.

The wall, which was originally covered with photos, had two lines of words written on it.

"Gabriel, do you remember when you said that those who betray someone's sincerity should swallow ten thousand needles?"

"Gabriel, from now on, we no longer have each other."

Gabriel's body suddenly shook, his eyes blurred in an instant, and his heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed by a large hand, causing him to almost suffocate.

His hands clenched involuntarily as Anna's face appeared in his mind.

Since he came back from Andorra, she never showed a smile again, never called him "husband" affectionately, she even tore up all their photos...

Every time he lied to her because of Rachel, her reaction was surprisingly calm.

Did she already know?

She found out about his relationship with Rachel...

Gabriel couldn't bear the thought, and he sat down heavily on the ground, his palms pressed into the pile of broken shards, piercing his flesh. He didn't feel the pain, his mind filled with Anna.

"Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes has changed her identity information and we can't find any trace of her, the assistant said hesitantly over the phone. "She also sold the Mitchell family mansion for ten percent below market value."