Keira Gomez sat motionless, clutching her brand-new marriage certificate, her mind numb as the hours ticked by.
Jordan Woods hadn't come home.
Her fingers were so stiff from the cold that her phone slipped from her grasp multiple times before she finally managed to dial his number. When the call connected, the voice on the other end was cold and indifferent.
"What do you want?" Jordan's tone was curt.
Keira's throat felt tight, her voice barely a whisper as she said, "Mr. Woods, may I... request some time off?"
Jordan let out a sarcastic laugh, as if the idea amused him. "In a hurry to do what?"
Keira's heart ached as she clenched her fists, forcing out each word with quiet determination. "My daughter... Sh-she had surgery all night. I need to make sure she's okay."
Her plea hung in the air, a stark contrast to the coldness on the other end of the line.
Before Jordan could reply, a faint female voice echoed from his side. Then, the call abruptly ended.
Keira stared at her phone in stunned silence, the cold emptiness of his dismissal settling in. After a few moments, she took a deep breath, grabbed the coat she had worn earlier, and rushed out the door. She was headed straight to the hospital.
Jaslyn, her daughter, was already in the ward.
The doctor greeted her with a reassuring smile. "The surgery was very successful. Congratulations."
Relief washed over Keira, and the color returned to her pale cheeks. In that moment, she felt a surge of hope—perhaps all the sacrifices she had made were worth it.
To cover the enormous medical bills, she had taken a desperate gamble and married Jordan, the sole heir of the Woods family. But as she stood by her daughter's side, she wondered if the price she'd paid was too high.
People whispered behind her back, claiming she was grasping at stars far beyond her reach—a woman with a child out of wedlock. They sneered, saying that if it weren't for the child she carried, Jordan wouldn't give her a second glance, even if he were blind. To them, she was nothing more than a piece of trash.
Others speculated that she was merely riding the coattails of her sister’s good fortune. Everyone knew that Kaley Gomez was the love of Jordan's life. But when illness struck Kaley down, she graciously stepped aside, offering her place to Keira in an act of selfless sacrifice.
Or so they said.
But Keira knew the truth was far more complicated, and far more painful than anyone could ever imagine.
Keira then brought herself back to reality and walked into the ward. She gently caressed her sleeping daughter.
Keira smiled with satisfaction, savoring the moment of relief. But she knew she couldn't stay longer.
She wasn't just Keira anymore—she was Mrs. Woods now, and that role came with its own set of obligations. Hence, she had to leave now.
After giving careful instructions to the hospital staff to look after Jaslyn, Keira turned to leave.
As she walked down the hallway, her steps faltered when she passed the VIP ward of the Cardiology Department. The door was slightly ajar, offering a fleeting glimpse inside.
There, lying in the bed, was her frail and sickly sister, Kaley.
And the man who was tenderly holding her, his every gesture filled with care and affection, was unmistakably Jordan.
In that moment, Keira felt the weight of her reality—trapped in a marriage that was nothing more than a transaction, bound by a love that was never hers to begin with.
Recalling the love she had once clung to, a love she had foolishly believed in, Keira felt a sudden, painful tug at her heart. The realization hit her with a force that sent shivers down her spine.
Her unrequited love for Jordan spanned many years, and it was a pairing that was doomed for its unworthiness. Three years ago, a twist of fate had made her the unintentional savior of this man, a moment that quickly turned into a nightmare when she was taken by force.
The consequences of that night left her with a child, a reminder of her unsuitability in the eyes of society and, more painfully, in the eyes of the man she was now bound to. What should have been a moment of destiny became a chain that anchored her to a life of bitterness and regret.
Moreover, the only person in Jordan's heart was Kaley, what good would it do even if she was innocent? It was futile.
Kaley's soft voice drifted faintly to her ears, "You ended up marrying Keira."
"Hmm, we're only husband and wife, nothing more."
"No, after my death, she needs to love you well on my behalf."
"You won't die." Jordan's voice was extraordinarily firm."
"Indeed, she won't die," Keira thought to herself. If Jordan could save their daughter, why couldn't he save Kaley?
Unable to bear witnessing their deep affection, Keira left hastily.
Not long after, Jordan also stepped out of the ward. As the door closed, he queried his assistant, "Are you sure that Keira's blood group matches Kaley's?"
Chester replied, "Rest assured, sir. They are biological sisters, there will be no error."
Jordan said, "Let's go."
As soon as he got in the car, he glimpsed at the hospital entrance where Keira hurriedly rushed out.
The winter in Andonville was exceptionally gloomy, with constant drizzling rain.
Keira stood at the side of the road hailing a taxi, and she was shivering from the cold. Her coat was damp, forming dirty mottled patches.
She looked disheveled and cheap, just like her very self.
Chester commented, "Sir, that's Keira, your … newlywed wife."
Narrowing his deep blue eyes, Jordan coldly replied, "No need to remind me."
He rolled up the car window, utterly hiding the sternness in his eyes.
