Chapter 2

After they left, the housekeeper hurried over and helped me up, her eyes full of pity. "Ma'am, you're burning up. You really need to see a doctor."

I let out a bitter, self-deprecating chuckle.

"Lily is crying. She must be having trouble falling asleep. Just bring me two fever pills. I need to take care of her."

I swallowed the medicine, gathered whatever strength I had left, and went upstairs to pick up Lily.

It wasn't until late into the night that my baby girl finally fell asleep in my arms.

The moment I laid her down in her crib, I clamped a hand over my mouth, sobbing uncontrollably.

My C-section scar throbbed with a searing pain, but the ache tore straight into my chest, ripping my heart to shreds.

I had labored for an entire day and night before an emergency C-section, emerging from the delivery room ghostly pale and completely drained.

Back then, Damian—a man who never showed vulnerability—had broken down in tears in front of everyone, swearing on his life that he would protect our daughter and me forever.

It had only been three months.

Now, his eyes held nothing but Tiffany.

There was no longer any room for us.

Suddenly, a warm pair of arms wrapped around my shivering back.

Damian pulled me against his chest, smelling cleanly of fresh soap.

"Silly girl. Why didn't you tell me you had a fever? How could you take care of the baby when you're so sick? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Worried?

If he was so worried, why did he leave me behind? Why did he kiss Tiffany?

My chest felt heavy, drowned in bitterness.

I looked up into his handsome face. "Damian, do you still remember our wedding vows?"

"Of course I do. Clara is the most important person in my life. I promised to put you first, to give you everything, and to make you the happiest woman in the world."

"Clara, I swear I've never forgotten that promise. Nothing will change that until the day I die."

"You and Lily mean more to me than my own life."

He leaned down, gently kissing the tears off my cheeks, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I know this has been hard on you. But I’ve already spoken with the clinic. They'll admit Tiffany for specialized treatment in a week at most."

"Just hold on for seven more days. She's mentally unstable right now. Nothing she does is real."

Really?

If none of it was real, why did he rush to wash her scent off his body?

I stared down at our sleeping daughter and kept silent. The autumn chill seemed to seep straight into my bones, freezing me from the inside out.