I was twenty when I married Asher Blackwood, a man who was almost like a brother to my father, despite their age difference. He was eight years my senior, a notorious, ice-cold magnate in our circles. Ruthless in business, famously aloof with women, yet with me, he was impossibly gentle. He’d give orders to deliver multi-million-dollar jewels to me the very next day, just because I’d casually mentioned, “That necklace is pretty.” He’d drop multi-million-dollar deals to personally brew me ginger tea when my period cramps had me curled up in bed, patiently spoon-feeding it to me until it was all gone. In moments of passion, he’d grip my waist, his voice husky as he called me ‘baby,’ whispering how ‘good’ I was, how I drove him wild. Even all his social media handles were ‘For Elise.’ I always thought it was in memory of that day we first met, when I played that very piece on the piano. Until the day I found an old photo album in his study. The album was filled with pictures of the same girl, who looked seven parts like me, smiling by a piano. On the back of the photos, it read— “For Elise, my dearest Seraphina.” … After discovering the truth, I did only two things. First, I underwent an abortion for the five-month-old baby I carried. A five-month-old baby, who had already begun to kick inside me. On the operating table, I clenched my jaw, fighting back the tears, but when the nurse asked, “Would you like to see the baby?” I collapsed, shaking my head violently. Second, I drafted a divorce agreement. Then, I called Asher Blackwood. Before, he would answer my calls instantly, his voice soft as he asked, “What’s wrong, baby?” But this time, I had to call twenty-three times before he finally picked up. A cacophony of voices erupted from the other end, followed by his friends’ teasing: “How potent is a first love, really? The moment Seraphina came back, Asher just dumped his five-month pregnant wife at home.” “Well, what do you expect? She’s just a stand-in! You should’ve seen how much Asher loved Seraphina back then. He almost drank himself to death after they broke up and never forgot her. He just sweet-talked a young woman into being a replacement.” “And the girl was still clueless, clinging to Asher constantly. Last time I saw him kissing her, her clinginess was so intense it was almost sickeningly sweet. If I had a sweet, gentle woman like that at home, I’d have forgotten Seraphina long ago.” “Ugh, who knew Asher, cold as he seems, is actually a hopeless romantic? He only ever loved Seraphina. Look, Seraphina just casually complained her feet hurt in heels, and he’s already carrying her to buy flats…” I clutched my phone, tears silently streaming down my face. Then, the other end of the line suddenly fell silent. “Who picked up my call?” Asher Blackwood’s voice cut through the air. “Huh? No idea, probably pressed by accident…” Footsteps echoed from the other end, and soon the background noise returned to quiet. When he spoke again, Asher Blackwood’s dangerously gentle voice, the one I had drowned in, flowed through the receiver: “What’s wrong, baby? Can’t sleep because of the thunder?” “Daddy has a business dinner, I’ll be back later to tuck you and baby in, okay?” I took a deep breath: “I’m calling to ask you to sign the div—” Before I could finish, a woman’s voice chimed in: “Asher, my feet hurt…” He paused, then quickly said to me, “Be a good girl, go to sleep. Daddy will be back to be with you later.” Then, the call disconnected. I laughed, wiping away all my tears, and looked up at the table. Two “gifts” lay there, both for Asher Blackwood. A divorce agreement, and a gift box containing the baby they’d induced. Those who break honest hearts deserve to feel every shard of pain. I might be young, but I wouldn’t stand for such deceit. I would never keep someone who betrayed me. I love with my whole heart, and I can walk away when it’s broken. I don’t know how long I sat there, but I finally stood up, placing the gift box with the baby inside the refrigerator. Just then, sounds echoed from the villa’s main entrance. “Baby, why aren’t you asleep yet?” Asher Blackwood walked in, taking off his suit jacket, his tie loosely around his neck. “Looking for something in the fridge? Hungry?” I didn’t answer, just watched him silently. He seemed unaccustomed to my coldness. He pulled out an exquisite bento box from behind him, his eyes softening. “I scoured the entire city for these. Haven’t you been craving them lately?” He carefully arranged the pastries, one by one. They were all my favorites during my morning sickness these past few months. Before, I would have thrown myself into his arms and kissed him. But now, I only felt a bitter irony. “Why are you standing there silently? Is the baby bothering you again?” As he spoke, his hand reached for my stomach. I blocked his hand, offering him a document: “Sign it.” He froze, about to open it, when his phone suddenly rang. I saw the caller ID: Seraphina. He answered. After a few words from the other end, his expression subtly changed. He hung up the phone without another glance at me, quickly signing the document. Then, he grabbed his car keys, ready to leave. “Baby, I have an urgent matter to handle. Get some sleep.” At the door, he added gently, “From now on, just buy whatever you want directly. No need to ask me to sign. We’re husband and wife; what’s mine is yours.” I clutched the signed divorce agreement, a faint, bitter smile touching my lips. “Asher Blackwood, we won’t be husband and wife for much longer.” That night, I had a very long dream. In it, I was seeing Asher Blackwood for the first time. I was eighteen that year, accompanying my father to the Blackwood family’s gala. He stood by the piano in a crisp black suit, long fingers holding a champagne flute, his features etched like a painting. It was love at first sight. Later, I boldly stole a kiss. He paused, then chuckled softly. “Little girl, that’s not how you kiss.” Then he cupped the back of my head, showing me what a real kiss felt like. That kiss was so long, so utterly consuming, that I couldn’t breathe. Even now, remembering it felt like a fleeting, beautiful dream. When I woke up, my pillow was soaked. Daylight had broken. After a long while, I picked up my phone and called my dad. “Dad, I’m divorced,” my voice was hoarse. “Once I get the divorce certificate, I’ll come abroad to be with you and Mom.” “Did Asher Blackwood bully you?” My dad’s voice immediately rose. “No,” I gazed out at the brightening sky. “I just don’t love him anymore.” In truth, Asher Blackwood never loved me. And I, I wouldn’t love him anymore either. I didn’t voice that thought, feeling like I’d swallowed a piece of shattered glass, letting it carve through my heart until it bled. After hanging up, a friend request popped up on SnapChat. On a whim, I accepted. The person immediately sent a video. In the clip, Asher Blackwood was dozing on a sofa, his brows furrowed, murmuring a name: “Seraphina…” Following the video, a long message arrived: “I’m Seraphina, Asher’s first love. I can’t believe that after all these years, even after he got married, he still hasn’t forgotten me. When I came back today, I noticed he still has my nickname tattooed on his inner wrist. All our old photos, his diaries, they’re perfectly preserved. See, he’s still calling my name in his sleep, probably dreaming of our past. After all, those were his unforgettable first love memories.” I stared at the long message, my heart aching to the point of numbness. I only replied with one sentence: “What do you want?” It took a long time for her to reply: “Nothing. Just want to take back what’s mine. He’s about to wake up. Don’t you believe me? If I just say I had a nightmare, he’ll stay with me for the next five days and won’t contact you once?” I didn’t reply again. Ten minutes later, Asher Blackwood’s message came through: “Baby, I have an urgent project that requires a five-day business trip. My assistant will stay with you; call him if you need anything. Take good care of yourself and the baby.” I stared at the screen and suddenly laughed. I laughed and laughed until tears splashed onto my phone screen. For the next five days, Asher Blackwood was indeed out of contact. But Seraphina’s messages kept coming. Asher Blackwood walking with her on the beach, taking her to watch the sunset from a mountaintop, driving her around the countryside… Seraphina messaged: “These are all places we used to visit when we were dating.” I read every single message, and then I suddenly remembered Asher Blackwood had taken me to those same places. Back then, I thought he was being romantic. Now I understood he was just revisiting old haunts, seeing another woman through my reflection. On the evening of the fifth day, I started packing. The jewelry Asher Blackwood had given me, the bags, the clothes… Everything connected to him was packed into cardboard boxes and tossed into the storage room. When Asher Blackwood finally rushed home, dusty and tired, he saw a wardrobe half empty. He visibly froze. “Baby, what are you doing?” I didn’t even look up. “Nothing. Just throwing away some useless things.” Asher Blackwood didn’t think much of it, just smiled and handed me a gift—a limited-edition illustrated book set. Last month, I’d casually mentioned wanting to collect them; I hadn’t expected him to remember. “Baby,” he naturally pulled me into his arms, his large hand stroking my belly. “Are your morning sickness symptoms still severe? Tomorrow’s your prenatal check-up, I’ll go with you.” “No need,” I pulled away from his embrace. “No need, ever again.” Asher Blackwood finally sensed something was wrong. “What do you mean, no need? Are you feeling unwell lately?” A maid interjected, “Madam hasn’t had much appetite these past few days, she’s barely eaten anything.” Asher Blackwood immediately loosened his tie. “I’ll go buy groceries and cook for you. All your favorites. Come on, sweetie, you have to eat a little.” As he turned, he didn’t forget to instruct, “Make sure to take good care of my wife. Don’t let anything happen to her.” The maids whispered enviously, “Sir is so good to Madam…” “You should find a husband who’s older and knows how to dote on you…” I listened quietly, a flicker of self-mockery in my eyes. I once believed I had found the best love in the world. But now I understood it was nothing more than a meticulously crafted stand-in game. No sooner had Asher Blackwood left than the doorbell rang. I opened the door to find a woman standing there, holding an exquisite pastry box. “Hello, I’m Seraphina, the Seraphina who sent you messages.” Seraphina smiled, a gentle yet challenging glint in her eyes. “Asher has been taking such good care of me lately, so I made some pastries to thank him. A guest at your door, surely you wouldn’t turn me away?” Before I could answer, she walked in uninvited and began to tour the house. Passing through the garden, Seraphina stopped. “These roses are all my favorite varieties. I can’t believe Asher is still growing them.” My fingertips trembled. I remembered Asher Blackwood personally tending to these flowers every morning, never letting anyone else touch them. I had once thought it was his charming eccentricity. By the pond, several turtles basked lazily in the sun. “Oh, they’re still alive!” Seraphina exclaimed, surprised. “I raised these when I was little. I left them when I went abroad and thought they’d be long dead by now.” I remembered Asher Blackwood’s unwavering routine of feeding those turtles like clockwork, and my chest tightened. In the living room, Seraphina’s gaze swept over the dolls in the display cabinet. “These are all my favorite collectibles.” Then she looked around. “The furniture style is also my preferred Scandinavian minimalist.” I followed behind her, each step feeling like I was walking on razor blades. This house, where I had lived for two years, suddenly felt utterly foreign. In the bedroom, Seraphina ran her hand over the suits and ties in the closet. “These were all gifts from me. He’s kept them so perfectly.” I remembered ironing these clothes with my own hands every day, and my throat felt like it was blocked. It turned out he never let me touch them, not because he was a neat freak, but because they were all Seraphina’s memories. Finally, Seraphina stopped in front of our wedding photos. “What a coincidence,” she said, tilting her head with a smile. “Asher and I used to talk about taking three themed sets: desert, ocean, forest. I can’t believe you chose those three too.” My face instantly went pale. During our wedding shoot, Asher Blackwood had insisted on these three themes. I had thought it was because he loved the romance of nature. “What are you doing here?” Asher Blackwood’s voice suddenly came from the doorway. He strode in quickly, his expression displeased. Seraphina immediately put on a sweet smile. “I made some pastries and came to bring you some. Your lovely wife so enthusiastically invited me in as a guest and even said she’d keep me for dinner.” Asher Blackwood’s brow relaxed slightly. He turned to me. “This is Seraphina, my childhood neighbor, we grew up like siblings. I was abroad before, and she just returned recently, so you haven’t met her.” I watched him silently. Childhood neighbor? Like siblings? He had kept their relationship so well hidden. And Seraphina played along. “Yes, Asher always looked after me since we were little. When I was a picky eater, he specifically learned to cook for me. His legendary beef wellington, the exquisite seafood risotto, the perfectly roasted lamb… all my absolute favorites.” My fingers dug into my palms. These were all the dishes Asher Blackwood cooked most often. I had naively believed it was because I liked them. I couldn’t force a smile, so I excused myself, claiming to feel unwell, and went upstairs. But soon after, Seraphina knocked, holding a bowl of medicine. “Asher brewed this prenatal tonic and asked me to bring it up,” she said with an innocent smile. “Drink it while it’s warm.” I took the bowl. The herbal smell was pungent. “Oh, by the way…” Seraphina suddenly asked, “Are your baby’s names also, by chance, Jashua for a boy and Nia for a girl? Those are the names Asher and I had decided on before.” My hand trembled, nearly spilling the bowl. Those were the exact names Asher Blackwood had chosen when I first got pregnant. So, even our child was to be a remembrance for Seraphina? My heart suddenly gave a violent wrench. Before I could even react— “Oops!” Seraphina suddenly “accidentally” knocked over the bowl. The scalding liquid splashed onto my arm, instantly turning it red and blistering. I gasped in pain, ignoring Seraphina’s apologies, my face pale as I prepared to go downstairs for ointment. But as I passed the staircase, I was suddenly shoved hard from behind. “Ah!” I tumbled down the stairs, landing heavily on the first-floor landing. Blood spread from beneath me, staining the beige carpet. The next second, Seraphina tumbled down after me. In the kitchen, Asher Blackwood was just about to open the refrigerator. Hearing the noise, he immediately rushed out. Seeing the scene, his pupils instantly constricted. “Seraphina!” He flew to catch the stumbling Seraphina, anxiously checking her ankle. “Are you okay?” “I… I’m fine,” Seraphina said weakly. “Quick, check on Willow…” Asher Blackwood finally looked at me, lying in a pool of blood, but Seraphina suddenly “fainted” in his arms. “Seraphina!” His usually steady voice was laced with frantic urgency. He scooped Seraphina up, striding quickly out, not even sparing me another glance. I watched their retreating figures, my consciousness gradually blurring. In the last moment before darkness consumed me, I thought I saw the refrigerator door slightly ajar, revealing a corner of the “gift” box inside… When I woke again, the harsh white light made me squint uncomfortably. A doctor was examining me. Asher Blackwood stood beside her, his expression grim. “How’s the baby?” he asked the doctor. The doctor looked up, surprised. “Baby? Ms. Hayes’s baby wasn’t… wasn’t it aborted already?” I quickly knocked over the water glass on the bedside table. The sound of shattering glass instantly drew Asher Blackwood’s attention. He ignored the doctor, hurrying to my bedside, his brows etched with worry and tenderness. “Baby, you’re awake? Are you hurting anywhere?” I gently shook my head, my gaze flicking over his shoulder to see the doctor’s hesitant expression. Asher Blackwood finally relaxed, then turned to the doctor. “Doctor, what did you just say? I didn’t hear you clearly.” He felt as though he had missed something important. The doctor was about to speak, but I gave a barely perceptible shake of my head. The doctor understood, sighing and simply saying, “The patient needs more rest,” before leaving the VIP room. Suddenly, only Asher Blackwood and I remained in the VIP room. Asher Blackwood’s eyes were full of heartache. He reached out to touch my face, but I turned my head away. He seemed to understand, immediately coaxing and apologizing. “I’m so sorry, Willow. It’s my fault. I didn’t realize you also fell down the stairs. I thought…” “Thank goodness you and the baby are both okay. Otherwise, I would never forgive myself.” “I promise this will never happen again. Please don’t be mad at me, okay, hmm?” I looked into his eyes, and they held what appeared to be genuine remorse. In that moment, I found it incredibly ironic. Every word he spoke was so sweet, but which of them was true, and which a lie? “I’m tired.” I pulled my hand away, closing my eyes, unwilling to play this tiresome game with him. During my hospitalization, Asher Blackwood stayed by my side constantly. He personally炖汤 (stewed soup) for me, spoon-feeding me every mouthful; he accompanied me to every check-up, noting every one of the doctor’s instructions; if I stirred slightly in the night, he would immediately wake to ask what I needed. Even the nurses said they’d never seen such a caring husband. But I remained silent, often staring out the window in a daze. Asher Blackwood thought it was prenatal hormone changes causing my low mood and became even more meticulous in his care. On the day I was discharged, Asher Blackwood had prepared a grand surprise. He took me to the most exclusive restaurant, booking out an entire floor just so I could dine in peace. After dinner, he accompanied me to every luxury store. Anything I glanced at for too long, he immediately bought. As night fell, brilliant fireworks suddenly erupted over the river, forming the words “I LOVE YOU.” “Do you like it?” Asher Blackwood wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my head. “I prepared this especially for you.” Gazing at the fireworks painting the sky, I was momentarily transported back to how things used to be. Back then, Asher Blackwood would also go to such lengths to make me happy, making me feel like the most fortunate person in the world. But as my hand unconsciously brushed my flat stomach, all illusions shattered instantly. “What’s wrong?” Asher Blackwood sensed my stiffness and turned me to face him. “You’ve been unhappy lately, and I’m worried.” He cupped my face, his thumb gently stroking my cheek. “Should we get a therapist to see you? Prenatal depression is common; you don’t have to carry this alone. You can tell me anything on your mind.” I looked into his sincere eyes and suddenly asked, “If I’m willing to be completely honest with you, can you be one hundred percent honest with me?” Asher Blackwood paused, then chuckled. “Of course, baby. We’re husband and wife; honesty is natural between us.” I took a deep breath. “Then tell me, I heard you had a first love you really adored, and you never really got over her for many years after you broke up.” I stared directly into his eyes: “Have you let her go now?” Asher Blackwood’s expression instantly froze. His fingers tightened, knuckles turning white, but in an instant, he recovered, offering me a gentle smile. “I let her go ages ago. We cut off contact after the breakup, and we won’t be seeing each other again.” A bitter taste filled my mouth. He lied so skillfully, without even a flicker in his expression. He reached out to touch my face, and I instinctively turned my head away. The gesture made his brows furrow slightly. This wasn’t the first time I’d refused his touch. “Who told you all this?” His tone suddenly grew serious. “Is this why you’ve been unhappy lately?” I was about to speak when his phone’s piercing ringtone suddenly sounded. Asher Blackwood glanced at the caller ID, paused for a few seconds, then still chose to answer. As soon as he picked up, Seraphina’s tearful voice came through the receiver: “Asher! There are some thugs following me, I’m so scared…” Asher Blackwood’s face drastically changed. “Send me your location.” He grabbed his jacket, ready to leave, without even a glance at me. “Baby, something important at work came up. You can take a taxi home later.” I didn’t go home. On a whim, I hailed a taxi and followed him. In a dimly lit alley, I saw Asher Blackwood shielding Seraphina behind him, facing four or five thugs armed with sticks alone. He was like a changed man, striking fiercely, every punch landing hard, completely unlike his usual composed and restrained demeanor. One thug, bleeding from his head, suddenly pulled out a knife and lunged at Seraphina— “Seraphina!” Asher Blackwood lunged forward without hesitation, using his body to shield Seraphina. The blade plunged into his chest, blood instantly staining his white shirt. “Asher!” Seraphina clung to him as he fell, crying hysterically. “Don’t be scared…” he whispered weakly but gently in Seraphina’s arms. “I promised… I’d protect you forever… I meant it…” I stood at the alley entrance, my heart feeling as if a piece had been brutally carved out. Outside the operating room, Seraphina was crying her eyes out, a picture of absolute devastation. “He used to be like this… he almost died racing for me once… when I got into a car accident, he gave me so much blood he passed out…” I leaned against the wall, listening silently. So, a man as calm and steady as Asher Blackwood could also go mad for love, to the point of risking his life. It just was never for me. “The knife was just a millimeter away from his heart,” the nurse said, pushing open the door. “Is Ms. Seraphina here? We need a family member to sign for the surgery.” Seraphina shook her head, crying. “I’m not family… his wife is over there.” The nurse looked at me in surprise. “But the patient kept calling ‘Seraphina.’ And when he dictated his will just now, he said all his assets should go to Ms. Seraphina…” The nurse realized her slip and stopped awkwardly. I smiled. Under the nurse’s pitying gaze, I signed the papers and turned to leave.
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