Chapter 3

Derek's voice woke me from my nightmare.

When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed. Derek was wiping the cold sweat from my forehead with a towel.

For once, I saw a trace of genuine guilt in his eyes.

"Chloe... I can explain about the kid."

"After you went to prison, Serena cried every single day, saying she ruined your life. The doctor said her heart couldn't take the stress. I had to stay with her day and night to keep her from doing something reckless."

"One night, I got drunk... and things happened. That's how we had Adam."

Derek sounded incredibly defensive, but I listened quietly.

I was no longer a naive girl who would fall for such a ridiculous excuse.

I pushed his hand away and turned my head to look at him.

"And the one in her belly right now? Was that another 'accident'?"

Derek rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Adam kept asking for a little sister, so..."

I let out a dry, bitter laugh.

"Derek, do you even believe your own words?"

He suddenly stood up, his gaze turning intense.

"Chloe, I promise you, once Serena gives birth, I will cut all ties with her."

"I will marry you. I will fulfill the promise I made three years ago."

"Please believe me, this is just temporary."

"Three years ago, I didn't mean to push you to take the fall. And today, it wasn't that I didn't want to help you. It's just that Serena is too fragile to handle any shock. But you're different, Chloe. You're strong. Words can't hurt you."

I would never believe him again, nor did I have the time to.

Three years ago, Derek pushed me into prison without hesitation. Three years later, he would do the same.

In Derek's heart, Serena was the irreplaceable one.

They were the childhood sweethearts, and I was just the outsider who interrupted their story.

The hospital door pushed open, and Serena walked in with a sweet smile on her face.

"The doctor said Chloe is just severely malnourished. She's fine."

While I was unconscious, I had already heard what the doctor whispered to my brother. I had ten days left at most.

I didn't bother to expose Serena's lie. I just stared quietly out the window.

Derek let out a long sigh of relief.

"I knew it. Chloe's body is made of steel. She could easily do another ten years in there."

When I was discharged, the doctor prescribed a mountain of medication.

While Derek went to get the car from the garage, Serena grabbed the bags of medicine and threw them straight into the trash can.

"Chloe, let's not waste time with these pills. They won't save you anyway."

"I'll discard them for you."

"Stop dreaming about Derek coming back to you. We already have two kids together."

"Don't worry. Once you die, I'll buy you a decent grave."