Chapter 1 Chapter 1

When Hendrick Sam got Xena Carter’s call, I had just come out of coronary bypass surgery. The doctor told me my health was in critical condition, and things might not turn out so well next time. He advised me to avoid any kind of stress. Without even looking up, Hendrick turned and walked out of the room. I lay in bed, quietly listening to the nurse’s instructions and her complaints about Hendrick. It felt like a knife was twisting in my heart. I had chased after him for a year before we got married, and we had been married for two. I always knew Hendrick had someone he had loved for many years, his one true love. Three years ago, Hendrick fell critically ill and was hospitalized. The hospital issued several critical condition notices and Xena had left the country. To prevent the Sam family from being left without an heir, his parents turned to me, the one who had been pursuing him relentlessly. With his true love gone, his condition worsening, and his parents’ constant persuasion, Hendrick agreed to marry me that very day. Fortunately, the day after our wedding, Hendrick’s surgery was a success. He gradually returned to a normal state. Everyone believed I was Hendrick’s good luck charm. Even his parents said so, urging him to treat me better. But he stayed distant and indifferent. I lay in bed from morning till night as the nurse changed my IV three times, but Hendrick still had not come back. When the anesthesia wore off, the pain in my surgical wound was excruciating, like it was being torn apart. “Can I get a pain pump, please? The wound really hurts.” I had always been afraid of pain. “Your body’s too weak right now, so a pain pump isn’t an option. “I’ll get you some painkillers. If it gets unbearable, take one.” Next to me, the husband of a young woman who just had a C-section, brought in some food and a bouquet of fresh flowers. She complained that he always bought unnecessary things and said it would be better to save the money for their daughter. But she accepted the flowers with a playful pout, unable to hide the smile at the corners of her mouth. The man just grinned sheepishly. Once she took the bouquet, he gently said, “No matter what, even with our daughter here, you’re still the one I love the most. “I promised you, even after marriage, I’d make it feel like we’re still dating.” They laughed and joked as they opened the container, filling the room with the delicious aroma of chicken noodle soup. It wasn’t until I caught the scent that I realized I hadn’t eaten all day. I turned on my phone, which had been off the entire time, only to see an empty screen. There wasn’t a single message from Hendrick. I dialed the number I had memorized long ago. It rang for what felt like forever before someone finally answered. “Hendrick, can you come and be with me? I’m in so much pain.” I wanted to say, “Hendrick, it’s so cold in this hospital. The wound hurts so much. My body can’t handle the long-term pain anymore. Everyone else has their loved ones by their side. But I’m always alone. Hendrick, could you stay with me? Just this once.”“If it hurts, call the doctor. I’m busy. Don’t call me unless it’s urgent.” His cold response cut off everything I wanted to say. Just before he hung up, I heard a faint woman’s voice in the background.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

“Didn’t you promise to keep me company? Who are you talking to?” It was Xena. Her voice was sweet and gentle. She pretended to be upset in that playful way only she could pull off. Hendrick always fell for it. I opened my social media feed and saw that Xena had posted a new update. “Some people have company late at night, while others are left gazing at the sea.” The photo showed the back of a man, tall and well-built, wearing a warm camel-colored wool coat. Above him was a sky full of stars and beside him was the vast blue sea. There were two slightly overlapping figures, clearly a man and a woman. The image was blurry, yet suggestive. Beneath the post, her friends’ comments were filled with envy and teasing. It was their private circle. That coat was a birthday gift I had given him. Just a few days ago, Hendrick wore it to a friend’s birthday party. Everyone had complimented my taste, saying that Hendrick looked great in it. Even Hendrick himself often wore it. I sta

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

“I’ll talk to him. Hendrick is so clueless.” Xena's innocent expression and the subtle hints in her words were all too clear. She was obviously showing off. Pulling me further into the room, she dug her sharp nails deep into the arm that still had the IV mark. I held back a cry, trying desperately to pull my arm away. Just as I managed to free myself, Xena suddenly staggered backward, knocking over a glass on the table as she fell. Hendrick rushed to her side in an instant, his face full of concern. Meanwhile, I lost my balance and hit my forehead hard against the corner of the table. Blood trickled down, bright red against my pale skin, making the scene even more startling. Hendrick turned around angrily, but when he saw my face covered in blood, he froze. His brows furrowed, and a flicker of worry crossed his eyes. “How could you be so careless? Didn’t the doctor say your health is fragile and you need to be more careful? “I’ll take you to the hospital.” I was stunned f

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

A sense of foreboding kept growing stronger and stronger. As we rounded a corner, a truck suddenly veered out of control, heading straight for us. Xena screamed in terror, and Hendrick reached across the seat to shield her, gently reassuring her, “It’s okay. I’m here. Don’t be scared, Xena.” When shards of the car flew toward Hendrick, I did not hesitate for a second and threw myself in front of him. The moment the metal pierced into me, the pain was excruciating, but I couldn’t worry about that. My vision quickly blurred, and just before I blacked out, I saw the worry and fear overflowing in Hendrick’s eyes. And his lips were forming a blurred word. He was calling out, “Chloe.” ...... I had a dream. I dreamed of the one person I had always longed to see again. Felix Scott and I grew up in the same orphanage. I was two years older than him, and when we were kids, he used to follow me around, calling me “Sis.” Felix was lucky. He got adopted less than a year after he arriv