He retreated to the far end of the corridor, deliberately turning his back to me before answering.

But there was a window in front of him.

And in that glass, clear as day, I watched his reflection transform.

The worry melted away. In its place: warmth. Tenderness. Adoration.

I knew that expression.

I'd seen it when he flew a thousand miles just to surprise me for one weekend.

When he stayed awake for three days straight, holding my hand through a fever.

When he knelt before me at our wedding, voice breaking as he promised me forever.

He used to look at me that way.

Now he was giving it to her.

The girl on the other end of that call.

A strange numbness settled over me.

Edward had a reputation in our circle—the devoted husband, the man who only had eyes for his wife.

Young, successful, handsome. Women threw themselves at him constantly. Even the hospital director's daughter had made her interest painfully obvious.

She'd even made it public—if Edward was willing to be with her, the entire hospital could bear his name.

But Edward hadn't wavered. Not once.

He'd offended her so thoroughly that the medical establishment nearly blacklisted him. Even then, he'd held my hands and told me with absolute conviction:

"I could lose the whole world, Celine Fox (the Other Celine). But I could never lose you."

So I had to wonder.

What kind of woman could make a man like Edward—a man who treated loyalty like religion—change his heart?

What kind of woman could make him willing to destroy the child we'd spent five years hoping for, just to see her smile?

I was still lost in thought when Edward ended his call and walked over to me. His expression was serious, attentive.

"Honey, have you made your decision? About the baby?"

I looked at him. Really looked.

Then I nodded.

"Yes. We'll do what you suggested."

Edward smiled and stroked my hair, satisfied.

"I'm glad you came around."

"Don't worry—I'll perform the procedure myself. I promise we'll have children later. When the time is right."

When the time is right.

The words dragged me back to the day I'd found out I was pregnant. He'd held me just like this, made promises just like this, his voice thick with emotion:

"Celine, I swear—I'll use every skill I've learned in medicine to keep you and our baby safe. No illness. No pain. Ever."

How laughable.