Chapter 1 The Child

"Ms. Wright, your husband's frozen sperm was taken from the hospital five years ago and donated to Ms. Bailey. Didn't he tell you?" The smile on Annabelle Wright's face instantly stiffened at the mention of that name. "Is it possible there's been a mistake? My husband's name is Samuel Felton," Annabelle asked again, unwilling to believe what she had heard. The doctor typed on the keyboard a few more times. After confirming the information, he said, "There's no mistake. When Ms. Bailey's child was born, Mr. Felton even sent the hospital a grand flower wreath in appreciation." At the doctor's words, Annabelle's hands slipped weakly from the wheelchair's armrests as her mind buzzed with shock. Five years ago, she and Samuel Felton had just gotten married. Back then, Samuel had told her he didn't want her to suffer through pregnancy, so he had voluntarily undergone a vasectomy. Annabelle had been deeply moved by the gesture. However, she was afraid he might regret it, so she persuaded him to freeze his sperm at the hospital before the vasectomy, just to keep a backup plan for the future. Lately, Samuel had been talking more and more about having a child. Thinking he'd finally changed his mind, Annabelle went to the hospital without telling him, hoping to surprise him with the news once she got pregnant. But to her shock, he surprised her first. The name "Elise Bailey" hit her like a slap to the face. Elise was once Samuel's next-door neighbor, whom he had secretly loved for 15 years. Before she left the country, he had prepared an elaborate confession, which she ultimately rejected. It was during that low point in his life that Annabelle stayed by his side. With her warm personality, she helped him heal. Eventually, they got married. Annabelle had truly believed that he had fallen in love with her and let go of Elise. Only now did she realize that he had never let go of Elise. Annabelle was nothing more than a cruel joke in the story. Seeing the color drain from her face, the doctor asked if she was okay. Forcing a smile, Annabelle said she was fine and quietly wheeled herself home. She entered absentmindedly, thinking the house was empty, but then she heard the clinking of wine glasses coming from the balcony. "Sam, are you really going through with the divorce? Belle's been with you for five years. Don't you care about her at all?" Samuel's voice drifted in from the balcony. "Back then, Elise needed me to get married so her relationship would appear stable. Now that she doesn't need that anymore, I don't want to keep stringing Belle along. I only married her out of guilt." "Does she know that you and Elise have a child together? She loves you so much. She'd never agree to a divorce. If you actually go through with it, I'm sure she'll leave without a word. You won't even be able to find her after, and you'll regret it." Samuel laughed like it didn't matter. "She doesn't need to know about the kid. I told her the company's going through a crisis and we might need to stage a fake divorce. Once she's used to the idea, I'll tell her the truth. She'll understand. Besides, with her legs like that, where's she gonna go?" Annabelle felt a ringing in her ears. Did he just mention a fake divorce? She had believed him when he said the company was in trouble. She had even handed over her personal savings to help. Annabelle felt a lump rise in her throat at this moment, and her chest ached like it was being pierced by countless tiny needles. She had been planning a future with Samuel. She had thought about how to surprise him on their anniversary with the news of a baby. However, he had already erased her from his life. He dismissed her ten years of unspoken love and five years of marriage with a single word—guilt. She had truly believed she had finally gotten everything she ever wanted. But in the end, she was nothing more than a bystander in someone else's love story. Looking down at her temporarily paralyzed legs and thinking about the pain she had endured to save Samuel, she realized just how foolish she had been. Annabelle broke down, hitting her legs in a frenzy as tears fell uncontrollably onto her thighs. The voices on the balcony suddenly fell silent. Annabelle froze, unsure of how to face them. After a brief pause, she quietly turned her wheelchair and headed toward the front door. A moment later, Samuel came over. His expression was full of surprise, and his tone was so gentle that it felt overly eager. "Belle, when did you get back? Why didn't you call me? I could've picked you up. What did the doctor say?" Annabelle looked into his eyes, which were brimming with affection, and her own eyes turned red again. Samuel immediately panicked and reached out to wipe away her tears. "What's wrong? It's okay. If you don't get better, I'll take care of you for the rest of your life." Annabelle stared at him, trying to see if there was even a trace of genuine love in his eyes. But in the end, she didn't have the courage to look any deeper. She glanced away reluctantly. She sniffled and asked casually as she turned her wheelchair, "Samuel, I've been thinking about having a baby with you. It's a good thing we froze your sperm back then. When will you have time to come with me to the hospital?" Samuel's expression shifted immediately. He stayed silent for a moment, then brushed her off and changed the subject. "Why are you suddenly bringing this up? I don't want you to go through that kind of pain. It would break my heart. Didn't we say we'd travel the world together? How would we do that with a child?" Noticing the hint of discomfort on his face, Annabelle quietly closed her eyes. The answer was clear to her. She told Samuel she was tired and asked him to carry her back to the bedroom. Once he was gone, Annabelle picked up her phone. "Aunt Lexi, I've made up my mind. I want to go to Elsington with you." Lexi Wright's voice rang with delight on the other end, but the excitement didn't last long before she asked, "How long are you staying this time? Don't tell me you'll head back after two days just to be with your husband again." Annabelle's chest tightened. She opened her mouth and replied softly, "Permanently." Lexi paused for a moment, but she didn't press. Instead, she happily said she would start preparing the immigration paperwork right away. After ending the call, Annabelle contacted her lawyer to begin discussing the divorce. She had finally realized that no matter how warm or sincere her love was, it would never be enough to melt Samuel's heart. If he truly wanted a divorce, then she would give him exactly what he wanted.