Chapter 1: Caught in the Act
“Miss Carter, your test results are out. You have blood cancer.” The doctor’s expression was grave. “Your body can’t handle any bleeding right now. I strongly recommend immediate hospitalization.”
Hazel’s face went pale. “Doctor, could there be a mistake?”
The doctor shook his head regretfully. “I’m sorry, but the diagnosis is accurate.”
Hazel clenched her fists. Her sister Vivian had blood cancer too-she’d witnessed Vivian’s agony during flare-ups since childhood. She never imagined it would happen to her as well.
Suddenly, hope flashed in her eyes: “My husband’s a hematology specialist. He’s been treating my sister-he can definitely cure me too.”
Hazel left the hospital room on unsteady legs, frantically dialing Sebastian’s number.
“Ring, ring, ring… The number you have dialed is not answering…”
Hazel’s fingers trembled with cold. Pick up, please pick up.
Finally, a deep male voice came through: “Hey, babe.”
Hearing his voice, Hazel’s eyes immediately welled up. “Honey, I need to tell you something. I…”
“Mm.” The man suddenly let out a muffled grunt.
Hazel paused. “What’s wrong?”
Sebastian was silent for a few seconds: “It’s nothing, honey. I just got a little hurt and need to bandage the wound. I’ll call you back later.”
Before Hazel could ask about his injury, she heard a thud, followed by the man’s heavy breathing: “Biting that hard? Are you doing this on purpose?”
A woman scoffed, “That’s what you get for taking my sister’s call while you’re inside me.”
The man chuckled. “You little slut.”
“Spread your legs. Hook tighter.”
A chill ran down Hazel’s spine.
She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Was this really coming from her husband, the man who was always so composed, so gentle, so principled?
Sebastian had cheated!
And the woman he cheated with… was her own sister!
Hazel’s mind went blank. She slammed on the gas pedal, running several red lights as she sped back to Carter Villa.
This was the house Sebastian bought specifically when he married her, named after her. Now she had no heart to appreciate these past tender
gestures.
“Beep-” She entered her fingerprint and pushed open the door, instinctively looking toward the entryway.
No women’s shoes.
The living room was eerily quiet.
Hazel rushed toward the bedroom.
Just as she raised her hand, the door opened from inside. Her husband stood there, looking at her with his usual gentle eyes. “You’re back, honey.”
Hazel stared at his calm and composed expression. Her eyes drifted past him into the room, but she didn’t see any sign of another woman.
Just as she started to doubt herself, she caught sight of a scratch mark on his neck.
Her face instantly turned deathly pale, and her heart felt like it had been ripped apart.
Sebastian didn’t notice anything unusual. He gently pulled her into his arms. “Why are you looking at me like that? Miss me too much?”
Hazel keenly smelled it-beneath the body wash fragrance was Vivian’s distinctive perfume scent, making her stomach churn immediately.
“Don’t touch me!” She violently pushed him away.
Sebastian was startled. “What’s wrong, honey? You look so pale. Are you feeling unwell?”
Hazel clenched her fists, her sharp nails digging into her palms.
For the first time, she looked at him with disappointment.
“I told you this morning I wasn’t feeling well and had scheduled a hospital checkup, but you…”
But you forgot everything, not only ignoring me all day but also being busy sleeping with my sister when I was panicked and helpless.
Seven years. She had been with him since she was eighteen, and only now did she finally see how fake his tenderness really was.
Sebastian felt inexplicably panicked under her gaze. He gripped her cold hands tightly. “I’m sorry, honey. Let me take you to the hospital now.”
He pulled her toward the door, but just as they reached it, his phone suddenly rang.
Sebastian frowned at the screen. “Babe, let me take this call.”
Watching him deliberately walk away to answer, Hazel felt nothing but mockery in her heart.
He used to be completely open with her-she could read his messages and listen to his calls without a problem.
When had he started hiding things?
Moments later, Sebastian returned, looking apologetic and anxious. “Honey, I’m sorry. A patient has a medical emergency-I have to go immediately.”
“Let Ray take you to the hospital, okay?”
He cupped her face with guilt and kissed her on the forehead.
Hazel watched him leave with cold indifference. Her instincts told her-this wasn’t about a patient.
She grabbed her car keys and followed him.
Hazel trailed him carefully, watching as Sebastian pulled into Goldencrest Heights, a newly developed complex.
As soon as he parked, a woman in a revealing nightdress ran out of the house and threw herself into his arms. Sebastian wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her deeply
Hazel’s pupils contracted. Her mind froze.
Witnessing her husband’s affair with her own sister firsthand, her heart felt like it was being sliced by knives, so painful she could barely breathe.
Hazel raised her phone with trembling hands, zoomed in, and took a photo.
Their faces were crystal clear. No room for denial.
Hazel finally broke. Her tears blurred her vision, fat drops falling onto the phone screen-along with blood.
12-06
By the time she covered her nose, it was already too late. Blood flowed more and more, completely out of control.
She was so scared her mind went blank. She wanted to call out to Sebastian for help, but her vision kept going dark, leaving her powerless.
Before losing consciousness, her mind flashed back to Sebastian holding her and making passionate promises: “No matter what happens to you in the future, I’ll always be the first person to appear. I’ll always be by your side.”
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