When Alexander had first met Elise, her condition had been visibly alarming. On the surface, she appeared calm. Her emotions were controlled, her thoughts organized, and her speech measured. Yet there had been no color in her face, and her eyes had carried a lifeless emptiness that was impossible to ignore.

Looking at her back then, Alexander had been able to imagine the kind of suffering she endured when no one was watching.

Even then, he had reached one conclusion.

Elise was the type of woman who hid her pain exceptionally well.

Over the following encounters, he gradually noticed her improving. Little by little, life had begun returning to her eyes. The change wasn’t dramatic, but it was there.

He suspected the child she carried had given her a reason to keep moving forward.

Madeline had told him about everything Elise had been through, and because of that, he wholeheartedly supported her decision to keep the baby.

Tonight, she wore only light makeup, but she looked far healthier than before. Without the shadows of exhaustion weighing her down, her natural beauty had finally begun to emerge.

Alexander found himself staring.

His heartbeat accelerated unexpectedly.

The unfamiliar sensation caught him off guard.

Frowning slightly, he couldn’t help wondering what Elise would have been like if none of this had happened. If there had been no marriage. No betrayal. No loss of those two children.

Madeline had once told him that Elise had always been exceptional. Intelligent, talented, and accomplished, she had been one of the most outstanding young women among North City’s elite families.

Had she not chosen Dylan all those years ago, her beauty, intelligence, and family background alone would have attracted endless suitors. The doors of the Harper family estate would likely have been worn down by the constant stream of wealthy heirs seeking her hand.

Such an extraordinary woman, yet she had fallen in love with the wrong man.

Her marriage had crumbled. She had lost her children. How could anyone hear her story and not feel sympathy?

"Mr. Hayes?" Elise’s voice pulled him abruptly from his thoughts.

Alexander blinked and looked up, meeting her puzzled gaze.

"What were you saying? Sorry, I didn’t catch that."

Elise couldn’t help laughing.

"I asked whether Lily has been doing well lately. You stared into space for half a minute without responding."

Concern flickered across her face. "Are you alright?"

A trace of embarrassment crossed Alexander’s features. He curled a fist lightly against his lips and cleared his throat.

"Sorry. I got distracted."

His expression softened when he mentioned the little girl.

"Lily’s doing well. She keeps asking when she’s going to see you again, but I explained that you’ve been busy recently. She’s old enough to understand."

A guilty smile appeared on Elise’s face.

"I’ve actually been meaning to visit her. I promised I’d bring her a gift last time, but things have been so hectic that I never found the time."

"I know. It’s fine." Alexander smiled. "Lily is a very thoughtful child. She understands."

"That’s exactly why I feel bad." Elise shook her head. "She’s too considerate for a child."

After thinking for a moment, she said, "How about this? If you’re free tomorrow, bring her out. I’ll take her shopping, buy her some clothes and toys, and we can have a meal together."

Alexander hesitated.

"Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?"

Elise immediately frowned. Feigning offense, she said, "Mr. Hayes, have you forgotten that I’m Lily’s godmother?"

The serious expression on her face made him laugh.

"Alright." His smile widened. "Then it’s settled."

He could already imagine the excitement on the little girl’s face.

"Lily is going to be thrilled."

At the mention of her goddaughter, Elise found herself picturing Lily’s chubby cheeks and bright smile.

Warmth spread through her chest. Her hand unconsciously drifted to her abdomen. A gentle smile curved her lips.

The gala was nearing its conclusion. The host invited all the guests to gather on stage for a commemorative group photo. There were simply too many people.

Considering her pregnancy, Elise had no desire to squeeze into a packed crowd.

After informing one of the organizers that she wasn’t feeling well, she quietly excused herself and prepared to leave early.

When Alexander heard she was leaving, he immediately offered to accompany her.

Elise nodded.

Together, they headed toward the exit.

They had barely taken a few steps when a shrill alarm suddenly erupted throughout the venue.

Both of them stopped. Then someone screamed.

"Fire!"

Another voice joined in. "There’s a fire!"

Panic exploded instantly. The orderly crowd transformed into chaos.

Guests who had been patiently waiting for photographs moments earlier suddenly surged toward the exits in a desperate rush.

People shouted. Pushed. Ran.

Fear spread like wildfire through the ballroom.

Amid the moving crowd, Elise spotted Dylan. And at the same moment, Dylan saw her too.

For a brief second, time seemed to fold backward.

She remembered the first year of their marriage.

Back then, Bennett Group had been embroiled in an internal power struggle. One executive who had sided with the wrong faction had been dismissed. Consumed by resentment, the man had charged at Elise with a knife.

And Dylan had stepped in front of her without hesitation.

The memory flashed through her mind. Her body reacted before reason could intervene.

One hand instinctively protected her stomach while the other pushed through the panicked crowd.

She moved toward him, step by step, ignoring the screams around her, ignoring the confusion. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Dylan!" Her voice trembled. "Dylan!"

Across the room, Dylan was moving toward her as well.

His expression was tense. His lips were moving––he seemed to be shouting something, but the noise was overwhelming.

She couldn’t hear a word.

Then suddenly... Elise froze.

In her line of sight, Dylan reached Quinn and without hesitation, he pulled her into his arms.

The movement was swift and somewhat instinctive, as though he had just recovered something precious that he couldn’t bear to lose again.

Everything inside Elise went still.

The noise vanished. The crowd disappeared. The world fell silent.

Elise—!

A man’s frantic shout echoed from deep within her memories.

Strong arms wrapped around her.

A blade pierced flesh.

Warm blood sprayed across her face.

Years ago, Dylan had taken a knife for her and that had been the moment she truly believed he loved her.

She had convinced herself that he simply wasn’t good at expressing affection. That his coldness was part of his nature.

But now everything had changed.

Another crisis. Another dangerous moment.

He had seen her. He had known she was there.

Yet when she instinctively ran toward him, he chose another woman. The woman he wanted to protect was no longer her. The man who had once shielded her from a knife was slowly crumbling apart in her memories.

At last, she understood. There was no going back for sure.

"Elise!"

A hand suddenly grabbed her arm. Before she could react, someone pulled her into a firm embrace.

A panicked guest stumbled toward them and nearly crashed into her.

Alexander quickly pushed the person aside while keeping one arm protectively around her.

Elise finally snapped back to reality.

The first thing she did was cover her stomach.

Alexander’s voice was urgent.

"I’ll protect you." His grip tightened. "We need to get outside first."

Elise nodded. In a situation like this, there was no room for embarrassment or hesitation.

Alexander wrapped an arm around her shoulders and carefully guided her through the crowd.

The crush of bodies pressed in from all directions.

People were screaming.

Somewhere nearby, a horrified voice shrieked, "Someone’s hurt!"

Another voice followed.

"Oh my God—there’s blood! Why is there so much blood?"

The already chaotic scene descended into even greater panic.

The piercing alarm continued blaring overhead like a death knell. Several times Elise nearly lost her footing. Several times people slammed into her.

But Alexander never loosened his hold.

Shielding her with his own body, he fought through the crowd until they finally made it outside.

The fire department had already arrived. The blaze was quickly brought under control.

Investigators were still determining the cause.

Considering the number of wealthy and influential guests in attendance, authorities became involved almost immediately.

The organizers cooperated fully, and injured guests were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Fortunately, Elise and Alexander had been far from the source of the fire and had escaped early enough to avoid injury.

After giving statements and confirming they were unharmed, they were cleared to leave.

Even then, Alexander still looked concerned.

"Should I take you to the hospital for a checkup?"

Elise laughed softly.

"Pregnant women aren’t quite that fragile." She smiled reassuringly. "Besides, you protected me the entire time. I’m really fine."

Only then did Alexander relax.

"Alright." He nodded. "But keep an eye on yourself tonight. If you feel even a little unwell, go straight to the hospital."

"I will." Elise smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Hayes."

After glancing at the time, she added, "It’s getting late. You should head home. Lily is probably waiting for you."

Alexander’s expression softened immediately.

"You’re probably right." A fond smile appeared on his face. "She’ll be waiting for her bedtime story."

Before he could finish speaking, his phone began vibrating in his pocket.

The call was from Lily’s nanny. Alexander answered immediately.

"Ms. Fisher, what’s wrong?"

The nanny sounded panicked.

"Lily has a fever!" Her voice shook. "It’s already thirty-nine degrees. She’s lethargic and not looking well. I was worried about delaying treatment, so I called a taxi. We’re on our way to the hospital now."

Alexander’s face changed instantly. The warmth disappeared from his expression.

"I understand." He was already moving. "I’m heading there right now."

The moment Elise heard that Lily had been rushed to the hospital with a high fever, her own concern immediately surged.

Without hesitation, she accompanied Alexander and headed to the hospital with him.