Elena returned to the room in a daze. Her ears buzzed.

’I secretly took her signature on the divorce papers. Tessa is the one I love. She is my legal wife.’

Those words circled in loops in her mind.

She sagged onto the bed, all strength draining from her body.

’You divorced me already. Yet you pretended to hold a wedding with me.’

The pain burned her chest. She dug her nails into the edge of the mattress.

"You could have just told me. Why did you have to kill our baby?"

Sobs wrecked her body.

The nurse came in with a bowl of soup in her hand. Worry clouded her eyes as she saw her crying.

"Why are you crying?"

Elena looked away, wiping her tears sneakily.

"I know you are hurt," the nurse added. "But don’t keep crying."

She held out the bowl. "Look, I brought you vegetable soup."

Elena didn’t even look at it. She lay down. "I don’t feel like eating."

"But you said you were hungry."

Elena was tired of speaking. She simply turned her head aside, refusing to speak.

"Okay, you eat whenever you feel like it. I’ll leave it here."

The nurse put the bowl on the side table. "Call me if you need anything."

She left.

Elena silently shed her tears.

The door opened yet again, and footsteps echoed, breaking the silence.

Elena didn’t open her eyes. She didn’t turn to check who had entered. She didn’t have to. Because she knew it was Noah.

A sharp ache spread through her chest. She clasped the pillow, struggling with her tears.

"Elena," he called softly.

Elena stiffened slightly.

"I am sorry. I couldn’t save our baby." He stepped toward the bed slowly.

Elena finally turned toward him.

Noah smiled a little. "You are awake."

He reached out to hold her hand. But she pulled her hand back instantly and turned her head aside.

Noah’s smile disappeared right away. He looked at his empty hand. "I know you are upset," he said quietly, "and in pain. We can have more children later."

Elena looked at him. Her gaze was not cold or sharp. It was deep, as if she were staring at his very soul.

Noah felt uncomfortable. He felt exposed. For a moment, he thought she knew everything.

"That driver," he started, his voice faltering slightly. "I already filed a complaint against him. The cops are looking into this."

He gently brushed his fingers over the gauze wrapping around her forehead. "I won’t let him escape without being punished."

Bitterness filled her chest. He was the one behind the accident. He had caused her miscarriage deliberately. Maybe he had paid that driver. And now, he was pretending to seek justice for her.

She felt sick to her stomach.

Noah’s gaze moved to the bowl of soup. "Why is the soup untouched? You should finish it when it’s still warm. Let me feed you."

Before he could reach the bowl, she said, "I don’t want to have it."

He paused and looked back at her. "Alright." He mustered a smile. "What do you want to eat? Tell me. I’ll bring it for you."

Elena kept staring at him silently. Part of her was stunned.

’This is how he acted all the time, pretending to be a loving and caring husband,’ she thought bitterly. ’And I foolishly believed him.’

If she had not heard everything he had said today, she would have still thought that he loved her. But her illusion had shattered. She wouldn’t let him deceive her again. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"I don’t want anything," she said blankly. "I want to stay alone. Leave."

Noah stared at her back. He hesitated for a moment. Then he thought it was good.

’I can stay with Tessa.’

He rose to his feet. "Rest well. Recuperate here for a few days. I’ll come and pick you up once you are discharged."

He paused and then added, "You always wanted to see the northern lights. I’ll take you there when you recover. Okay?"

His gaze lingered on her for a minute longer before he finally left the room.

Elena clasped the pillow tightly, tears slipping through the corners of her eyes.

’You lied to me all these years. You married another woman while keeping me in the dark. And you even killed our baby. Now, you expect me to go with you to enjoy the Northern Lights. Noah, you are capable.’

Her lips trembled. The pain was unbearable. Her whole body burned. She wanted to scream, curse at him, and demand why he had treated her like that. But she chose silence.

She wiped her tears away. Something shifted in her eyes.

"Since you chose someone else, I’ll leave you for good."

She took her phone and dialed a number.

After a few rings, the call was logged in.

"Hello. Mr. Rowan. It’s Elena Hart." She hesitated for a moment and then asked, "Is your offer still valid?"

"What is it, Miss Hart? Didn’t you say you were getting married?"

Elena chewed the insides of her mouth, a lump rising to her throat, threatening to suffocate her. She swallowed hard.

"The wedding is canceled," she replied. "I’m breaking up with him."

"Well, that’s great," came the man’s cheerful voice. "My grandson will be here in a few days. I’ll arrange your meeting with him."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few days passed.

Elena was finally discharged. But Noah had not come to pick her up as he had promised earlier. Instead, he had sent her a message three days ago.

’Sorry, Elena. I won’t be able to visit you for the next few days. I have to leave on a business trip. When I’m back, I’ll make it up to you.’

Elena didn’t care. She picked up her bag and headed out of her room. Her steps slowed. Instead of going out, she turned and walked in the opposite direction.

She stopped outside Tessa’s room. Through the glass panel, she peered in.

As expected, Noah sat beside the bed, holding a bowl and feeding Tessa. He was gentle and careful.

Elena thought that kind of softness was hers, but he was showing it to another woman.

She had expected to see him here and told herself she wouldn’t feel anything. Yet her chest tightened painfully.

She had been in the same hospital, and he had not come to see her even once. Instead, he had lied to her. He had not cared about her or the loss of their baby.

For him, only Tessa mattered.

She slowly took out her phone and called him.

His phone buzzed on the side table. Noah glanced at the screen and ignored it. He simply turned back to Tessa and continued feeding her.

Elena’s grip tightened on the phone. She had expected he would make an excuse, say another lie, to avoid coming to her. But this cold indifference hurt her the most.

She felt an unbearable pain crashing through her.

Tessa saw the name on the screen. "Elena is calling. Don’t you want to speak with her?"

"She will be fine," he replied with a smile. "Finish it fast."

When the ring ended, Elena lowered the phone. She told herself she wouldn’t cry, but tears still pooled in her eyes.

The reality hit her hard. She was nothing to him.

’This is what happens when someone doesn’t love you.’

She turned and walked away.

Her phone vibrated in her hand. She glanced down and saw Noah’s message.

’I’ll be back tonight. Wait for me at home. I have a surprise for you.’

Elena stared at the screen blankly. A hollow laugh escaped her mouth. ’I no longer wait for you.’

She shoved the phone inside her bag and strode out of the hospital.