Chapter 2

"Ms. Whitaker, the abdominal injury you suffered in the car accident was quite severe. The fact that you're even able to conceive is a miracle. "If you choose not to keep this baby, it may be very difficult for you to get pregnant again in the future. You should think it over, maybe talk it through with your husband." The doctor looked at Naomi with a troubled expression. Naomi's fingers curled slightly as a pang of sadness shot through her heart. Cassian had never shared any of this with her. Every time the Hartwell and Whitaker families urged them to have children, he always took the blame upon himself. He said he wasn't ready to give up their time together as a couple, and he didn't want a child to disrupt their life. Naomi's eyes grew misty. He had always been thinking of her, afraid she'd be upset. But no matter how good he had been to her, it didn't change the fact that he had betrayed her. "Thank you, doctor. I'll think about it." Naomi walked out of the consultation room in a daze, only to unexpectedly run into Cassian and Rayna in the hallway. They had already returned. Cassian was carefully helping Rayna out of the ultrasound room, a look of nervousness written all over his face. His gentle, doting gaze was fixed on her, unwilling to stray for even a second. "Cassian, you don't have to be so tense. I'm pregnant, not sick," Rayna said with a bright smile. She had known him since she was young, and the way she spoke to him had never changed. Cassian smiled, unable to hide his joy. "Of course, I'm nervous. This is our first child. I want to take good care of you both." Naomi clutched the appointment slip tightly in her hand as the warmth slowly drained from her body. It felt as if she could hear the sound of her heart breaking. Her eyes ached, yet no tears would fall. This was what it truly meant to experience pain so profound that even crying seemed impossible. Cassian guided Rayna into the elevator. Behind them, Naomi slowly unfolded the slip in her hand and walked back into the consultation room to schedule the surgery for the day after tomorrow. She wouldn't allow her child to be born into a world built on lies. She also couldn't bear for him to come into this world without a father. It was as if the universe were playing a cruel joke on her. Naomi ran into Cassian and Rayna again in the underground parking lot. On impulse, she got into her car and followed them. Cassian took Rayna to the revolving restaurant. Upon seeing this, Naomi's heart sank. He personally designed and built the restaurant for her as a birthday gift last year. He once told her that she was the only one deserving to dine there. Yet now, he was the one taking another woman inside with him. Inside the revolving restaurant, Rayna was seated in Naomi's favorite spot. A plate of desserts sat on the table in front of her. Not far away, Cassian appeared, wheeling in a serving cart. With practiced grace, he removed the flower from his lapel and handed it to Rayna. Hanging beneath it was a diamond-studded necklace. "Congratulations to my princess on becoming a mom-to-be." "Cassian… thank you. I'm so happy. You even cooked for me yourself." Rayna sobbed. "Come on. Let me feed you a bite. Once you eat, I'll leave. I've kept you to myself for days. You should go back to Naomi," she said, blinking hard and forcing out a couple of tears. Cassian pulled her into his arms, his expression full of tenderness. "Silly girl, I'm not going anywhere today. I'm staying right here with you." "But… what about Naomi? Tomorrow's your wedding anniversary. If you don't go back, she'll be sad." "I've already taken care of everything. You don't need to worry about her. You're my wife now. From now on, I'll make more time for you and the baby," Cassian said, gently brushing her hair before fastening the necklace around her neck. Around the corner, Naomi took two steps back, her body pressing against the cold wall behind her. The chill seeped into her bones, and she began to tremble. He was right. Rayna was his lawful wife. And she… she was just a fool, with nothing to her name. She still remembered the first time Cassian brought her to the revolving restaurant. He had prepared a diamond necklace for her then, too. To cook for her himself, he had secretly spent a month learning from a renowned chef. "Honey, try my cooking. From now on, I'll take care of all your meals every single day. I'll love you for the rest of my life. Only you," he whispered as he fastened the necklace around her neck, his vow brushing against her ear. Now, Cassian had taken all the love and tenderness he once gave her and handed a copy of it to Rayna. A dull, aching pain settled in Naomi's chest. His everlasting love was tragically brief. She turned and fled in a panic, tears streaming down her face by the time she left the restaurant. Afterward, she immediately visited a law firm and asked a lawyer to evaluate her assets, wanting to return everything related to Cassian. The inheritance from her parents—Desmond Whitaker and Elena Brown—was more than enough to last her several lifetimes. Money was never the issue. She just wanted to cut ties with Cassian as quickly and completely as possible. By the time she finished everything and drove home, dusk had already fallen. The villa was quiet and empty, with only a single light left on by the maid. Naomi wearily sat on the couch, gazing at the numerous photos of her and Cassian scattered around the house. A weighty stone seemed to cave her chest in, with every heartbeat unleashing a new surge of agony. She rubbed her temples and then stood up, beginning to take down the photo frames that covered an entire wall. In their first childhood photo together, she donned a lovely pink dress, and he referred to her as the most beautiful princess. There was a photo from their first dance that showed him gently holding her waist as he told her she could only dance with him. A photo from their first date showed him spinning her around in his arms, laughing and saying he was the happiest man in the world. ... She pulled the photos from their frames, one after another, feeding them into the shredder. Every memory between them was torn to pieces, ground down into nothing. All night long, she repeated the motion again and again, methodically erasing every trace of the sweetness they once shared. By the time morning light spilled into the room, her arms were numb with exhaustion. Yet, Cassian still hadn't come home. Today was their wedding anniversary.