Chapter 1

On the day of my wedding, while three months pregnant, I was caught in a severe car accident.

My husband, Spencer Marshall, spent a fortune replacing my heart with an artificial one, saving my life.

Though I tragically lost the baby, Spencer doted on me dearly after we married.

But in the third year of our marriage, I overheard Spencer and his beloved Kiara Church talking outside his office by chance.

"Spencer, do you still blame me because that car accident back then caused your wife to miscarry?" Kiara asked.

Spencer fell silent for a moment, then affectionately patted Kiara's head.

He said, "Silly girl, I had someone crash into her wedding car to use her heart and save your life.

"We can have another child if we want. Your safety matters more than anything."

Clutching the pregnancy test report in my hand, the artificial heart in my chest pounded wildly.

It turned out this entire marriage was nothing but a carefully crafted deception by Spencer to save Kiara.

*****

Kiara stood there with a pout and a look of wrong on her face.

Spencer reached out and pinched her cheek, his tone soft. "How many times do I have to tell you before you finally believe me?

"Besides, I've already compensated her—she's got everything she could ever need and can live worry-free. But you've suffered so much, and I haven't been able to stay by your side often."

It turned out that Spencer thought taking my heart could be made up for just by giving me a roof over my head and food on the table.

No wonder his reaction was so eerily calm when he found out I had lost the baby.

Turns out, the only one he ever really worried about was Kiara—the girl with a failing heart, clinging to life every single day.

"You've done so much for me, even marrying someone you never cared about. I really shouldn't keep overthinking things," Kiara murmured.

Kiara looped her arm through Spencer's, laying her head lightly against his arm.

Seeing the two of them so close, my heart throbbed with sharp, stabbing pain.

I stumbled out of the company, barely able to stay on my feet.

For three years after we got married, Spencer was always talking about how he wanted us to have a child.

But after receiving an artificial heart and suffering a miscarriage, trying to get pregnant again was nearly impossible for me.

This baby didn't come easy—I went through so much pain and hardship just to carry it.

When I got home, I threw myself onto the couch and completely lost it, sobbing my heart out until I could barely breathe.

My mind shattered, my body drained—I cried until everything went numb, and somehow, I ended up falling into a deep, exhausted sleep right there.

Spencer didn't come home until late. He found me curled up and fast asleep on the couch, then tried to gently scoop me into his arms and carry me to bed.

As I woke up and realized it was him, I instinctively recoiled, my body tensing without thinking.

Seeing the tear-stained tracks on my face, Spencer's eyes softened with worry. He reached out and gently wiped away the wet streaks still glimmering on my cheeks.

"Honey, why are you crying?" Spencer asked in a quiet, tender voice.

"Was it the ovulation shot at the hospital today? Did it hurt too much? We don't have to do this anymore if it's too hard for you," he said.

"Even if we never have a child, I'll still love you," Spencer whispered, his voice all soft and tender, like I was the only thing that mattered to him.

Listening to his gentle tone, for a second, I almost wanted to believe him.

But those harsh words he had said earlier kept echoing in my mind. It was like some twisted dream I couldn't escape.

"It's all my fault—I was so caught up at work today that I couldn't get away. I should have gone to the hospital with you and noticed your unhappiness right away," Spencer said, his voice full of regret.

My heart turned cold.

Spencer wasn't busy with work at all—he was just spending all his time with Kiara at the office.

Just as he moved to wrap his arms around me, my eyes instinctively caught a faint lipstick stain on his collar.

Who else could it be but Kiara's mark—I was certain of it.

I shoved him away abruptly, and before I even realized it, the prenatal checkup report spilled out of my bag onto the floor.

Spencer glanced at the report and picked it up in delight.

"Honey, you're pregnant! No wonder you've been acting a little moody—how could I not be by your side for such an important moment?" he said.

Then Spencer swept me up, twirling me around the room like a kid celebrating the best news ever.

My face was ghostly pale, and he immediately assumed it was my heart acting up again.

After all, that artificial heart had left me so weak, my health was barely holding on.

Spencer quickly set me down, worry written all over his face.