Those few words instantly shattered the hardened shell Zayn had formed over the years. He held Cadence in his arms tightly and rushed to the car at top speed.
Inside the enclosed space, the small sparks of desire turned into a blazing inferno of passion. They only had eyes for each other—nothing else in the world mattered.
"Take it easy…" Cadence winced from the pain.
Zayn paused slightly, then his movements became incredibly gentle. "Alright. Don't be afraid. Leave everything to me."
...
Cadence had no idea how long their lovemaking had lasted. When she woke up, she found herself back home, lying on the same bed with Zayn.
Both of them were completely naked, and Zayn's arm was still wrapped around her waist. His body was pressed closely against her back.
Countless women had also slept in this bed. Those women had awoken in his arms just as she did now.
Following that realization, a bitter ache filled Cadence's heart. She felt a sharp cramp in her stomach. Then only she remembered that she hadn't eaten in days.
In the next second, she rolled over and began vomiting violently.
"Cadence, what's wrong?" Zayn asked in concern, having been startled awake.
After Cadence finally showed her vulnerability and gave in to him for the first time last night, Zayn felt nothing but tenderness for her.
But to his surprise, Cadence shoved him away.
"Stay… away from me."
Her tone was chilly. It was as if what had happened last night had been nothing more than a dream.
Zayn's initially euphoric mood instantly sank to rock bottom. His expression became gloomy as well. He thought she must have felt disgusted by him. That was probably why she was throwing up so hard.
He climbed out of bed with a frosty expression and made a call. "Get the car ready. Take Cadence to the hospital."
Watching his back as he walked away, Cadence felt a bitter ache in her chest. She knew he had misunderstood, but she didn't feel like explaining.
What had happened last night was a mistake to begin with. It was a lapse in her own willpower when she craved for a fleeting moment of tenderness.
But upon waking, they were still begrudging lovers who were now worlds apart. There was simply no chance of reconciliation between them.
After arriving at the hospital, a female doctor named Penny Nielsen conducted a full examination on Cadence.
With the report in her hand, the experienced Penny frowned and called Zayn into the room as well.
She said solemnly, "Sir, your wife's condition is quite…"
But before she could finish her sentence, Zayn's phone suddenly rang.
As soon as he picked up, Cassidy's tearful voice came through. "Zayn, I was in a car accident…"
Zayn's face tensed instantly. "Wait for me. I'll be right there!"
He hung up and said to Penny, "We'll talk about Cadence's condition later. I have something urgent to attend to."
Right after saying that, he left the hospital without a backward glance.
Watching his retreating figure, Cadence let out a quiet sigh and turned back to Penny. "Dr. Nielsen, don't mind him. Just tell me about my condition."
Penny adjusted her thick glasses and sighed. "Ms. Lacroix, your body was already weak. After being submerged in water for so long and spending an entire night exerting yourself while running a high fever, your condition has worsened significantly.
"If this continues… I'm sorry to say that you likely won't live more than six months. You've completely lost your sense of taste, and your stomach has lost over 80 percent of its digestive function. From now on, you can only sustain your body through nutrition injections."
Cadence took in the news calmly as she accepted the syringe from Penny.
In the following days, Zayn was constantly by Cassidy's side. She claimed the kidnapping had left her traumatized and that she would have nightmares every night. So, she insisted that Zayn stay with her at all times.
Zayn felt sorry for her and doted on her. He even took her along on work errands.
Everyone at the company knew that their respected CEO, Zayn, loved his wife dearly. At the same time, they all thought his wife's name was Cassidy.
Soon, it was three days before the euthanasia program. Cadence went to the hospital for one final checkup.
Penny looked at the results with a somewhat complicated expression. "You're pregnant, Ms. Lacroix. We recommend you cancel the euthanasia and organ donation plans for now."
Cadence was stunned. She asked in disbelief, "I… I'm pregnant?"
A flood of emotions swept through her heart as she touched her belly absentmindedly.
Just the thought of a life growing inside her made her heart tremble. She felt elated but also weighed down at the same time. This was a tender moment, but it was weighed down by inexplicable bitterness due to her current circumstances.
Penny nodded. "That's right. If you want to keep the baby, you'll need to stay on bed rest and use medical equipment to support the pregnancy. You might make it until the baby is born. But you can't proceed with the organ donation anymore."
Cadence hesitated and said, "Please give me a few more days to think about it."
With a heavy heart, she left the examination room and prepared to head home. But as she reached the elevator in front of the OB-GYN department, she ran into two people she hadn't expected to see there.
Zayn was carefully supporting Cassidy, who had a shy smile on her face as she touched her belly.
When he noticed Cadence, he frowned. His voice was cold as he asked, "Are you sick again?"
He had just brought her to the hospital not too long ago. Why was she back now?
Cadence didn't respond. She wasn't sure if she should tell Zayn about her pregnancy.
This wasn't just her child. It was his too. He had a right to know.
But Cassidy stepped forward excitedly to disrupt her moment of contemplation. "Cadence, I'm so glad you're here! I was just about to tell you some good news. Listen… I'm pregnant!"
She beamed with happiness, looking every bit the blissful, rightful wife.
Cassidy pulled Cadence toward the staircase.
Once they were out of Zayn's sight, Cassidy whispered, "You shouldn't have come here, Cadence. Say, if something happened to both of us, who do you think Zayn would save first?"
Before Cadence could answer, Cassidy suddenly reached out. She cried out and dragged Cadence down with her, making sure both of them toppled down the stairs.
"Ah!"
