On the way home, I brought it up casually: "Oh right, I noticed my medicine seems a little off."

Derek's hand trembled on the steering wheel. "How so?"

"The color seems lighter." I tilted my head to look at him. "Did the doctor switch to a new one?"

"Maybe." His eyes flickered. "Did the doctor say anything?"

"No."

He let out a breath.

I knew he'd swapped my hemostatic medicine for vitamins. One more bleed, and I'd die from blood loss. Then he could take the policy and collect.

That night, Derek took a phone call. His face went ugly fast.

"What? Still need thirty thousand?" A pause. "Didn't I just pay it back last month?" Another pause. "Fine, fine, fine. I got it."

He hung up and viciously stubbed out his cigarette.

I pretended to ask casually, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He brushed it off.

"Are you short on money?" I hesitated. "How about... I ask my brother?"

Derek's eyes lit up. "Ryan? Hasn't he always been doing badly?"

"Recently he made some money in business," I said softly. "He mentioned taking me to invest—guaranteed profit, no loss."

"Invest?" Derek perked up immediately. "What kind of investment?"

"Some internal project. I don't really understand the details." I shook my head. "He said you need a large principal to get in."

"How much?"

"At least five hundred thousand to start."

A greedy light flashed in his eyes. He started pacing the room, obviously calculating.

I kept adding fuel: "He said the return rate is really high. It can double in a month."

"Double?" Derek swallowed.

"Yeah, but spots are limited." I sighed. "Too bad we don't have that kind of money."

He fell silent.

After a while, he suddenly asked, "That insurance policy—where'd you put it?"

I pretended not to catch his meaning. "In the drawer. Why?"

"Let me see."

He dug out the policy impatiently, scanning until he found the beneficiary section. Seeing his own name, the corner of his mouth lifted.

"Lexi." He turned around, his gaze complicated. "You're so good to me."

"You're my husband." I smiled sweetly. "As long as you're doing well, I'm willing to do anything."

Derek hugged me and murmured against my ear. "Lexi, you know... if—I mean if—something really happened to you..."

"Yeah?"

"This money, I'll use it well." His voice trembled slightly. "I'll invest it, make big money, and then..."

He didn't finish the sentence.

But I knew.

Then marry the woman carrying his child and live like a king.