Chapter 1

Celine Maynard learned she was a compatible kidney donor for her boyfriend, Stellan Layman, who was suffering from acute kidney failure. So, she decided to undergo early induction, despite being only seven months pregnant. This would allow her to donate a kidney to Stellan, whose condition had become critical. After the procedure, still groggy from anesthesia, Celine was too weak to open her eyes. Then, she caught the murmur of quiet voices nearby. "Mr. Layman, the baby made it... Should we move her to the incubator right away?" the doctor asked cautiously. Celine's fears melted away when she learned that her child was alive. But then, she heard Stellan's voice. She expected him to be confined to a hospital bed. Instead, she heard him say, "Throw it away." His words were merciless, without a hint of hesitation. Celine's mind went blank. Then she heard Stellan's close friend, Noel Glover, laugh. "You're something else, Stellan! To plan to take a child from Celine every year to avenge Lucia. That's truly vicious! But she deserves it! Three years ago, Lucia took her own life after falling into depression from losing to Celine in that pointless ceramics contest. "This is justice! Do you remember how Celine sobbed like a fool when she lost the last baby? Damn, that was hilarious! And she'd never guess that you orchestrated it all. "She actually believed that having your kids would secure her place in the Layman family. How delusional! She never even suspected that it was you who sent those thugs." Noel laughed, his voice rising, each word like a knife in Celine's heart. The pain was excruciating. "Mr. Layman, since your health isn't compromised, should we still proceed with removing Ms. Maynard's kidney?" The doctor's tone carried a hint of hesitation. Noel's malicious-filled voice cut through the air. "Remove it! Hell yes! Take it out and toss it to the dogs! And while you're at it, rip out her uterus, too. "Stellan will ruin her at their engagement ceremony in two weeks. She'll never carry his child again. So, there's no point in leaving it in!" The doctor looked at Stellan, who stayed silent before responding coolly, "Do as he said." Celine's heart sank into despair. As they wheeled her into the operating room, a single tear trailed down her cheek. Now she understood that none of it had been real. The love, the devotion, the promises—all of it was a lie. Stellan had never cared about her. He had only wanted revenge. In the darkness, her thoughts wandered back to that rainy night when she first met Stellan three years earlier. A group of thugs had dragged her into a dark alley. They beat her, forced drugs into her mouth, and ripped away every last stitch of her clothing. Just as despair threatened to swallow her whole, Stellan appeared, driving off the thugs and pulling her to safety. He took her away and spent the night tending to her, soothing the drug's effects with his warmth. The next morning, Stellan cradled Celine gently and murmured, "I'm Stellan Layman. Don't worry. I'll take care of you." His kindness disarmed Celine completely, and she fell for him without reservation. She believed she'd found love, never suspecting that it was all an elaborate ruse. That night had only been the first step in Stellan's revenge plan. And she, oblivious to the truth, had stepped willingly into his trap. Yet, the memory of that rain-lashed night never faded. Even now, she couldn't endure being alone in the dark. Later, Stellan mentioned that he wanted children and that the only way Celine could marry into the Layman family was by bearing his heir. So, she had conceived three times over three years. The first child was lost at three months. Celine had plunged into an icy crevasse while searching for Stellan after he vanished in the snowy mountains. The impact of her fall caused her to lose the baby. The second was taken in a car accident. When Stellan lost control of the vehicle, she threw herself over him, shielding him with her body. The collision ripped away another child. Now, it was the third. Stellan had orchestrated it all; each loss was another stroke of vengeance against her. Celine felt trapped in a waking nightmare. The man she once thought kind had revealed himself as a monster, his path paved with the bloodied, lifeless bodies of her three children. She opened her eyes slowly, the blurry figure before her gradually sharpening into Stellan. He clasped her hand, his features drawn with concern as he studied her. "Celine, you're awake! How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?" he asked. Celine met his worried gaze, feeling nothing but empty bitterness. "Where's my baby?" Stellan bowed his head. "I'm so sorry, Celine. This is my fault. The baby… didn't make it." An invisible fist seemed to crush Celine's heart, the anguish leaving her breathless. She turned her face away, shutting her eyes against the overwhelming sorrow. When she spoke, her voice was raw. "Take me to her." After a long silence, Stellan summoned a wheelchair and guided her to the morgue. Their infant daughter lay there, unmoving, as if caught in endless sleep. This was the child Celine had desperately wanted for three long years. Tears spilled over, tracing silent paths down her cheeks. She clenched her jaw so hard that her teeth pierced her skin, drawing blood, but she wouldn't make a sound. Stellan's forehead wrinkled slightly. He tenderly reached for Celine's hand and brushed away the trail of blood from her lips. "Celine, please stop. I can't bear to see you like this. I'll ensure that our daughter has a proper burial." Back in her hospital room, Celine dismissed Stellan with a pretext before making a call. The call she made was to the renowned overseas studio whose offer she'd turned down before. "I'll accept your offer, but on one condition…" Having laid out her terms, she determined that she would leave in exactly two weeks on the day of their engagement ceremony.