“I’m sorry, miss… you’ve missed the best time for the surgery.”

You stood frozen, clutching the medical report that confirmed your uterine cancer diagnosis. After a long silence, you called Ethan’s secretary, Daniel Hayes.

The phone rang for a while before he finally answered, his tone as indifferent as ever. “Ma’am, do you need something?”

Your fingers tightened, trembling. “Where is Ethan? I need to speak with him.”

Daniel replied flatly, “Mr. Carter is busy right now and can’t take your call.”

Your voice softened, almost pleading. “Could you just… ask him to speak with me for a moment?”

But before Daniel could respond, you heard a soft, feminine voice from the other end: “Ethan, what surprise are you hiding from me that you’re acting so secretive?”

Then came his voice—deep, familiar to your very core—yet filled with a tenderness you had never received: “Lift your head.”

In the next second, the call was cut off without hesitation.

At that very moment—

Boom—

An explosion echoed from the direction of the harbor. You lifted your pale face.

Fireworks burst into the night sky, dazzling and intertwined, their brilliant colors painting the deep blue darkness like something out of a legend.

Outside the hospital, people were murmuring excitedly: “Did you hear? Those fireworks were set off by Mr. Ethan Carter from Blue Horizon Group for his girlfriend’s birthday! It cost over two million dollars in a single night!” “It’s Olivia Bennett! A PhD graduate from Caltech, top talent that major companies are competing for—smart, beautiful, from a prestigious family. And her boyfriend? Handsome and powerful!” “No wonder Mr. Carter loves her so much. A girlfriend like that is a source of pride!”

You stared at the extravagant display for a long time… until your grip loosened, and the medical report slipped from your hand onto the ground.

Then you turned… and walked away.

In the early hours of dawn, Ethan returned home to find you sitting in the living room, the lights still off.

He reached out and switched on the lamp, frowning. “Why are you still awake?”

You looked up at him. He held his jacket over his arm, his deep black eyes fixed on you with that familiar coldness.

Once, you thought his nature was simply distant… but today, you realized that the ice lying beside you every night was nothing more than a flame burning for someone else.

You spoke softly, “I couldn’t sleep… I went to the hospital today.”

He tossed his jacket onto the couch carelessly. “And what did the doctor say?”

You had been feeling pain in your lower abdomen for some time. He had promised to accompany you for a check-up—but always postponed.

Once, it was because of a multi-million deal. Another time, because of a complicated project issue. Even yesterday, he had promised again… but when he found out Olivia had hidden her birthday from him, he rushed to find her instead—leaving only enough time to arrange fireworks.

For you… he had none.

You lowered your head and said calmly, “It’s nothing serious. Just need to wait a little, and everything will be fine… but why did you come home tonight?”

Ethan paused for a moment, then walked toward you.

He pulled you into his arms. His warm breath brushed against your neck, his voice low: “These days are your ovulation period.”

Then, coldly, he added: “You asked me before. We agreed to be together during this time every month… to have an heir for the Carter family. Or did you forget?”

A faint trace of a woman’s perfume clung to him—like a bullet tearing through the last shred of dignity you were holding onto.

He wasn’t wrong.

Three years of marriage—he had always been distant, only approaching you out of obligation, under pressure from his family to produce an heir.

Your thoughts drifted.

A child?

That was no longer possible.

You had always been quiet, compliant… but tonight, you couldn’t endure it anymore.

Your voice turned sharp: “Ethan… aren’t you afraid your girlfriend will get jealous if you come to sleep with me?”