Chapter 1

Joyce Campbell's husband, who had died in a car accident, came back to life. Yet, he stayed by his sister-in-law's side, wearing the identity of his twin brother, Julian Gray. The day she learned the truth, Joyce, pregnant, went to confront him. He was not home. Instead, she found out he had gone with his sister-in-law, Bianca Reed, for a prenatal checkup. She rushed to the hospital and saw Nathan Gray holding Bianca's ultrasound printout. They traced the outline of the baby's features together with a look of tender warmth. When Nathan spotted her, his expression shifted instantly, and he quickly pulled her into a corner. "My brother died protecting me. That's the only reason I'm still alive. Before he died, the one person he couldn't let go of was Bianca. He said he still owed her 100 wishes and asked me to fulfil them for him. "I was left with no other choice, Joyce. You understand that, don't you?" Later that night, as if to make it up to her, he slipped into her room, cornered her, and kissed her until her knees went weak. Necklaces, perfumes, and handbags—luxury items from around the globe piled up in front of her. After that, Nathan told her to wait. Once Bianca safely gave birth, they would be together again. So, Joyce gave in. … Less than a month later, a sharp pain tore through her abdomen. Bracing herself against the wall, she flagged down a car to take her to the hospital. On the way, she saw Nathan across the street, shopping with Bianca at a baby store. They stood there, beaming over a tiny onesie. Nathan even leaned down to kiss Bianca's forehead. At that moment, Joyce froze. Her heart felt as though it was splitting apart. That night, she sent him a message with trembling hands. "Did you fall for her?" Just because of that one text, Nathan drove through the night in the rain and came straight back to Joyce. He pressed her onto the bed and made love with desperate intensity. "None of this is real, Joyce. Just hold on a little longer. There are only three wishes left." But when Bianca called, he still left for her. After that, Nathan sent Joyce letters—stacked three feet high—each one filled with his longing over the past few months. Because of that, she believed him again. Yet, for the final wish, Joyce received an invitation to Nathan and Bianca's wedding. "Joyce, Julian always regretted not giving her a grand wedding. I owed him! When it's over, she'll be due soon. Then, we can go back to how we were." Joyce's fingertips burned against the invitation. The sight of their names on it seemed to sear straight into her heart. What did Nathan take her for? Through Joyce's entire pregnancy, he had been at Bianca's side, giving Joyce excuses again and again. After the baby was born, could they really go back to how it was? … On the wedding day, Joyce had barely stepped outside when her mother-in-law, Miranda Hall, dragged her to the venue. She stood and watched Nathan and Bianca exchange vows on stage, slip on rings for each other, and kiss. She witnessed every drop of their happiness. As tears clung to Joyce's lashes, Bianca handed her a glass of wine. "Joyce, I'll toast you with juice instead. After Nathan died, it must have been hard for you to be all alone." Joyce immediately turned to Nathan, but he avoided her gaze and said, "Your sister-in-law is offering you a toast. You should at least show some respect." At that moment, her fractured heart finally gave way. She tipped the glass back, drained it in one go, and turned to leave. But she had not taken two steps before someone cried out beside her, "Careful! Get out of the way!" Joyce looked up, only to see that the chandelier overhead was falling. However, Nathan's first reaction was to push her aside and shield Bianca. Joyce's mind went blank. The next thing she knew, she was on the floor, pain stabbing her leg so sharply she nearly blacked out. She instinctively reached for him. "Nathan, help me, and our—" He turned at the sound of her voice. But before he could move toward her, Bianca—who had been standing just fine a moment prior—was suddenly knocked to the ground. She clutched her stomach with a cry. "Babe, my stomach hurts!" One sentence, and Nathan turned away from Joyce without hesitation. Watching his retreating figure, Joyce felt nothing but numbness. She had seen him abandon her countless times, yet why did it still hurt? Thankfully, someone else brought her to the hospital. Through the haze of consciousness, she heard Nathan's voice from across the hall. "My wife's condition is critical. Get every doctor in the hospital here right now! What are you waiting for here?" Wife? Tears slipped down Joyce's face before she began to laugh. If Bianca were his wife, then what was she? His sister-in-law? The nurse beside her suddenly cried out, "The patient is hemorrhaging badly. She's going to die if we don't act now! To woman next door only has a scratch. Why are there so many doctors with her? Page them over!" Hurried footsteps followed, then a hesitant voice. "He said that if his wife doesn't wake up, not a single doctor is to leave. Otherwise, we'll pay for it." Joyce heard no more than that. In her final moment of consciousness, she only knew that between her and Joyce, Nathan had chosen to abandon her again. When she came to, she met Nathan's gaze, which held a complicated look. "Joyce, it was an emergency. Bianca's pregnant, so I could only ask you to bear with it. Tell me what you want, and I'll buy it for you." Joyce gave a weak smile and said nothing. Once the damage was done, what use were explanations? Before he could say more, Bianca called. He left again without another word. Alone, Joyce touched her now-flat belly and coughed. Halfway through, her breath caught. Maybe this child should never have existed in the first place. Maybe it was better this way. When the nurse handed her her proof of miscarriage, laughter drifted from the room across the hall. Through the crack in the door, Joyce saw Nathan with his ear pressed to Bianca's stomach. "Babe, the baby's so restless. What will we do once it's born? It's just a pity about Nathan. He died so young and never even left a child for Joyce." He had. Nathan had simply killed it with his own hands. "Don't say things like that. She's her, and you're you. You still have me." Joyce turned away before she could hear the rest. She picked up her phone and dialed a number she had once blocked. "I lost. Take me away!" "You were so proud when you married into that family back then. Are you regretting it already?" A cold laugh came down the line. Then, after her long silence, the voice softened. "If you want to live, you'll have to give up the name of Joyce Campbell and cut ties with the Gray family. "Ten days from now, stage an accident. I'll be back in the country with your death certificate to take you with me."