It seemed Rachel understood the gravity of the situation and wasn't hiding anything. I shot her a grateful glance before answering Samuel's question.

"Yes. There's never been anyone but you."


Afraid he might misunderstand my intentions, I quickly added:

"This pregnancy doesn't change our divorce plans. I'll raise the child myself. If you want to provide child support, that's your choice."

Samuel took slow, deliberate steps toward me, his hand outstretched.


"May I?" he asked softly.

It was an intimate gesture he'd never attempted before. I instinctively flinched before remembering he was this child's father.


My family's influence had waned, and my inheritance was modest. Having the Wilson name behind my child would provide security I couldn't offer alone.

Samuel placed his palm gently against my abdomen.

His touch was unexpectedly tender.

The golden sunset illuminated his chiseled profile.

For a moment, I was transported back to my school days, watching him from afar with a heart full of unrequited love.

Perhaps this child could be our new beginning.

The fantasy shattered in an instant.

A violent shove sent me sprawling to the ground.

Samuel's eyes blazed with fury as he glared down at me.

"Even on our last day together, you're still spinning lies to manipulate me!"

Stunned, I instinctively covered my stomach with both hands, shaking my head in disbelief.

"I'm not lying! Your infertility had nothing to do with my parents—it was from your accident. I have proof!"

"What proof?" he demanded.

"I gave it to Rachel…"

The realization hit me as I caught Rachel's smug smile behind Samuel. She had never delivered Rose's statement to him.

Thankfully, I hadn't fully trusted her. I reached into my bag and pulled out a voice recorder.

"I recorded everything Rose told me. And—"

Samuel's shove had been brutal. A sharp pain radiated through my lower abdomen.

Fear for my baby made my voice quaver.

"You may have lost your memory, but others remember. Anyone could verify what happened with minimal effort."

Samuel crouched down and roughly tilted my chin up, as if I'd told an amusing joke.

"Oh, I've investigated thoroughly," he said coldly.

"Your womb is completely empty."

What?!

In disbelief, I watched as Rachel triumphantly dropped a medical report at my feet.

It was an ultrasound report with my name on it, clearly stating: "No pregnancy detected."

"See how desperate she is?" Rachel purred. "Claiming to want divorce while doing everything to trap you."

Rachel draped herself over Samuel's shoulder, giggling.

"What should we do with her now?"

A high-pitched ringing filled my ears, drowning out Rachel's words.

This couldn't be happening. Why would a nurse with no connection to me lie about my pregnancy?

And yet…

The cramping pain in my abdomen was unmistakable—sharp and insistent. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I felt a warm wetness between my legs.

"What are you waiting for?" Rachel pressed. "Sign the papers and be done with her."

"She's faking everything. You should have heard the ridiculous story she concocted earlier—anything to keep her claws in you…"

No, this wasn't right. I wasn't lying.

With tremendous effort, I lifted my head and extended a trembling hand toward Samuel.

"Please," I whispered. "Save our baby…"

Rachel viciously kicked my hand aside.

"Enough! The report proves you're not pregnant! Samuel couldn't possibly have fathered a child anyway…"

No. A mother knows. Something was happening inside me. I didn't understand what was wrong, but Rachel was lying.

Growing impatient, Rachel grabbed my hand and tried forcing my fingerprint onto the divorce papers.

My husband stood watching, his face a mask of indifference, as if this scene had nothing to do with him.

The bright red ink blurred through my tears as three years of pain finally erupted.

"Marrying you was the worst mistake of my life!" I screamed.

Warmth flooded between my legs as blood began to pool beneath me…