Chapter 1
Chapter 1
I had known since I was little that I was adopted. My adoptive parents never treated me kindly. They often left me without food for days, sometimes even weeks.
To survive, I had no choice but to beg for food and collect scraps.
Once, I was so hungry I collapsed on the street. A passing nun saw me and took pity.
She looked at me and said, “Everyone suffers, but you’re the only one I can’t ignore. If one day you can’t endure it anymore, come find me at Mount Shasta.”
Back then, I was too young to understand what she meant.
I finally got it when I turned 18. Right before my adoptive mother passed away, she drunkenly confessed that I was the real daughter of the Sullivan family.
I didn’t believe her at first, but I hoped to find my birth parents.
So, I went to them.
I didn’t know that would be the start of a nightmare.
When the fake daughter found out I was the real one, she broke down.
To ruin me, she paid a group of thugs to trap me in an alley and take turns. assaulting me.
I barely made it out alive, but I lost the ability to have children.
Even though the pain was unbearable, I kept identifying the attackers and
Chapter 1
worked closely with the police, hoping she’d face justice. But then I discovered that my birth parents had quietly signed a letter of
understanding behind my back.
When I hit rock bottom, my fiancé stepped forward. He proposed to me in public, saying he’d help me get back to a normal life and make sure Selena Sullivan got what she deserved.
I believed it and settled in to marry Colin Fernandez.
He also quickly handed me Selena’s verdict.
But three years later, I happened to see a video of him and Selena kissing on a foreign street.
That was when the truth hit me that he had always loved her.
He faked the verdict, sent her overseas, and gave her a free life.
At that moment, everything became clear.
I set down my phone, ran into the bathroom, and threw up.
I never imagined the man who shared my bed every night had been hiding an affair.
Still shaken, I heard Colin come into the room, talking on his phone
He probably thought I wasn’t home, so he spoke without holding back.
“Those thugs will be released soon. Make sure they keep quiet. If anyone talks nonsense in front of Naomi, I’ll make them pay!”
“Mr. Fernandez, Mrs. Fernandez’s condition hasn’t been good these past. three years. The doctor said any emotional blow could be dangerous. If she finds out it was you who funded Ms. Sullivan to hire those men, she
Chap 1
won’t be able to handle it.”
“She insisted on reclaiming her place as the real daughter and ruined Selena’s chance to marry me. I had no other choice.
“I still married her and made her my wife. She should be content!”
“But she lost the ability to have children, and her mental health is unstable…”
Colin snapped, cutting the man off.
“Enough! Selena’s expecting. I promised her that our baby would become my heir. After she gives birth, I’ll take the child back to America and let Naomi raise it. At least it gives her something to hold on to.
“As for Selena, once the baby’s born, I’ll cut ties with her. Naomi is my wife now. I’ll make it up to her eventually.”
After he ended the call, I heard his footsteps getting farther away.
I collapsed on the bathroom floor, covering my mouth to muffle my sobs.
So, he was the one behind it all.
And I was foolish enough to believe he was my only salvation.
I didn’t know how much time had passed before Colin called me.
His voice was as soft as ever. “Naomi, I’m going abroad for work for a few days. Don’t skip meals, sleep early, and wait for me to come home.”
I didn’t answer. I just held the phone and let the tears fall.
I couldn’t understand how he could speak so calmly.
Throughout our three–year marriage, he always had excuses to be away- sometimes for days, sometimes for weeks. I never noticed anything was
Wrong.
Maybe the long silence made him realize something was off.
“Are you thinking about the past again? Don’t overthink, silly girl. I’ll stay by your side. I believe love and time can fix anything.”
“Time might help with emotional scars. But what about my body, Colin? I can’t ever have children again.”
He paused on the other end, then spoke like nothing had happened.
“That’s okay, Naomi. If you’re feeling lonely, we could adopt. I know you’d be a great mom. I’d raise the child like my own.”
I sneered. Of course, he would–because that was his and Selena’s child.
Before I could say anything else, Colin cut me off hastily, “I’m about to get on the plane. Let’s talk when I return.”
When the call ended, I just sat there, still holding the phone. The doctor’s words from a few days ago replayed in my mind..
“Ms. Jackson, based on the scans, the tumor in your stomach is cancerous. It has already started to spread. Please check into the hospital. as soon as possible. If you receive timely treatment, you may have a chance to live a few more years.”
Pain gripped my stomach, and sweat trickled down my face.
I had been scared to tell Colin, unsure of how he’d react.
But now, it seemed pointless.
Anyway, I didn’t want to keep going anymore. It didn’t matter whether I had stomach cancer.
I chose to spend the rest of my days in Mount Shasta.
As for Colin. I just wished we’d never crossed paths again.
