"Honey, I need to have a baby for Leo Vance. He's terminally ill."

Leo Vance. Her first love, the one she never forgot.

My wife has a severe bleeding disorder. We’ve been married six years, and I’ve never touched her.

In my past life, I vehemently refused for her safety, forced her to get an abortion, and stayed by her side day and night.

After Leo died, she became strangely docile, caring for me meticulously.

But I never imagined she blamed me for Leo's death the entire time.

On our sixth anniversary, she stabbed me twenty times, doused me in gasoline, and burned me alive.

Flames roared around me as she screamed, her face contorted with hate.

"He was dying! All he wanted was a child! What was so wrong with that? It's all your fault!"

Reborn, I looked at my wife Lily’s pale face and smiled. "Just one? Why not give him two?"

…

"What nonsense are you talking? I know you don't like kids. I'll just have one to carry on his line, then I'll come right back."

Lily caressed her belly, trying to sweet-talk me. "I'm already three months along. Leo never wanted to interfere with us, Ethan. He always says good things about you. Once the baby's born, I won't have anything more to do with it, don't worry."

She wrinkled her nose playfully, placing my hand on her stomach. "You know my past, Ethan. I basically grew up bouncing between relatives and relying on neighbors. The Vances were the kindest to me. I can't let their family line end. You understand, right?"

I nodded, pulling her into a hug, but inside, I sneered.

It was the early 2000s. I was the only son for three generations in my family. I took all the pressure, just wanting her to be healthy.

Lily’s father killed her mother for insurance money. She suffered immensely growing up. I felt terrible for her. To make her feel secure, I put all my money and property in her name, giving her every safeguard.

Now, she leaned against me, praising the Vance family, while my mind reeled with the agony of being stabbed, collapsing to my knees before she burned me alive.

Lily pulled away, hesitant. "Didn't you used to hate Leo? Why agree all of a sudden? Are you being sarcastic? We haven't… done anything. It was IVF."

If I hadn't found traces of their lovemaking in the car and in our house, I might have actually believed her.

I smiled, stroking Lily’s head, soothing her gently. "Of course not. I'm mainly worried about your health. IVF must have been tough, right? Honestly, you didn't need to go through that trouble. As long as your heart is with me, that's all that matters."

Lily relaxed again, giving me a rare, tight hug and a quick kiss. "Then… can Leo come stay with us? You can take care of both of us. You're a doctor, you know best. He is the baby's father, after all."

"Once the baby is born, we'll be together properly, and I won't owe the Vances anything anymore."

Her eyes were probing. I pretended to hesitate, and a flash of triumph crossed her face before she pouted, feigning displeasure.

I quickly agreed, holding her close and murmuring sweet nothings.

She was overjoyed, oblivious that I was even happier.

This time, let her have the baby. No one could save her now.

She nestled against me for a moment before Leo called. She took the call in the bathroom.

I heard the faucet running loudly. She was scrubbing away where I had touched her, rubbing until her skin must have been raw. She complained to Leo, "Leo, honey, come over soon, I miss you like crazy! I talked to Ethan; he'll take care of you and our baby."

After a few minutes, she came out, dressed. Her eyes flickered. "Let's get the divorce finalized. Otherwise, it'll be hard to register the baby's birth certificate."

I replied casually, "Sure, okay."

Maybe I agreed too quickly. Lily seemed stunned. Perhaps she expected me to break down crying or fly into a rage like before. I added, "The baby isn't at fault. And Leo is sick, after all. I misunderstood him before. It was my bad. From now on, I support all your decisions. After all, if you love someone, you should love everything about them."

A high-end package of medicine peeked out from the cabinet. Lily asked what it was. I earnestly explained it was a holiday gift I was planning to give someone, but if she wanted it, she could take it first to boost her health.

Lily’s eyes lit up. She snuggled against my face again. "Oh, Ethan, you're the best! So generous and thoughtful! Don't worry, Leo won't affect your position. I only see him as a brother."

2

The sound of a key turning in the lock. Leo Vance walked in casually, holding a key. He looked at me, pretending to be weak, panting heavily. "Dr. Hayes, sorry to trouble you. This body of mine… who knows how many days I have left. Before I go, I just want to spend more time with Lily. Thanks for putting up with this."

He walked into the kitchen, put down some groceries, and insisted on cooking for Lily.

Lily was deeply moved. They shut the kitchen door, getting cozy inside.

I raised an eyebrow, noticing the muddy black footprints on the floor. That kind of dirt only comes from the hills outside town. Leo must have just come down from there. Guess he had to ditch his other girl for this.

I didn't barge in, worried about Lily being taken advantage of. Instead, I lay on the couch, letting my mind drift. Soon, three dishes and a soup were ready. I ate heartily.

Lily served Leo soup, her face full of nostalgia. "Your cooking tastes exactly like my mom's. Leo, thank you for being so good to me all these years."

She turned to me. "Ethan, let's go get it done later. You'll have to leave with nothing, but it's just a temporary measure. We'll divorce but still live together. Trust me."

Watching her lie so naturally, I hated that I couldn't just kill her right then. Suppressing my disgust, I nodded. "Okay. As long as the three of us can make things work, that's what matters most. Lily, as long as you're happy, nothing else is a problem."

I thought about Leo's debts and smiled inwardly.

When I proposed to Lily, she turned me down dozens of times, always saying she wasn't ready, that her mother's tragic death made it impossible for her to trust anyone.

Yet, faced with Leo's clumsy acting and obvious lies, she believed every word.

After dinner, Lily eagerly dragged me to get the divorce processed. The county clerk's office was almost empty. When I stated I was leaving the marriage with nothing, people looked at me with confusion.

"Hurry up, or the marriage license office will close, and Lily won't make it in time to register with Leo."

The looks turned to pity. Lily snatched the fresh divorce certificate, embarrassed, and hissed under her breath, "Don't say that! People who don't know the situation will think I'm some kind of… person!"

Playing the victim while acting the villain. I sneered internally but outwardly agreed. "Sorry, my bad. Lily is the best, kindest person. I understand."

Her expression softened slightly. She turned towards the marriage license counter. Just then, a colleague ran into us, shoving a handful of candies at me enthusiastically. "Dr. Hayes! What are you doing here? Didn't you and your wife get married ages ago? Hey, I even copied you with these candies – imported peanut brittle! Remember how envious everyone was of Mrs. Hayes back then?"

Lily froze. Peanut brittle was her favorite. She couldn't afford it as a kid, and by the time she could, the factory had closed down.

When I found out, I secretly bought the factory and had it produce only that peanut brittle. She cried, saying she didn't deserve it, but I firmly told her there was no such thing as deserving or not – I thought she was worth it.

Lily forced a smile, distractedly popping a piece of peanut brittle into her mouth.

In my previous life, I died horribly. The candy factory went bankrupt, my family was ruined, and a large number of workers lost their jobs.

Leo interrupted my thoughts, naturally wrapping an arm around Lily’s waist, his hand resting on her belly. "Is the baby kicking? Come on, let's go get registered."

My colleague stood there, dumbfounded, apologizing profusely to me. I waved it off, even explaining for Lily, "We just got divorced."

The colleague nodded, then turned to whisper to his wife, loud enough for me to hear, "Even a guy like Dr. Hayes gets cheated on? He's the Dean's son, you know, though not many people know it. That Leo Vance is a notorious bum. Tried his hand at business and lost everything. Imagine ditching a diamond for dog crap. Hilarious."

"Poor Dr. Hayes. Just last month he was bragging about his wife, and this month they're divorced. Baby's three months along… everyone knows what that means. That Lily isn't any good!"

I watched him spread the gossip, a slight smile playing on my lips.

3

We got everything done smoothly and went home. But Lily kept glancing at me, her thoughts unreadable. That night, she shut her door and didn't come out.

I didn't care. I went to my own room and went to sleep.

Just as I was drifting off, a cold body suddenly slipped into my arms.

My sleepiness vanished instantly. Lily looked at me, tears welling in her eyes. "Honey, don't you love me anymore? Why aren't you angry?"

What kind of drama was this in the middle of the night? I became wary, tucking her cold feet under the covers to warm them, speaking softly. "Did you run over here barefoot? Look how cold you are. What's wrong?"

Lily’s eyes shone in the darkness. "Someone talked about me today. Said I was shameless. Tomorrow, can you take me and Leo to the hospital cafeteria, host a little reception, and clear things up? Just say… say you can't have kids, that's why we divorced."

"The party will bring Leo some good luck too. If you don't agree, I… I might as well just die."

"And don't worry about my bleeding disorder. Leo brought me a folk remedy. He left town seven years ago specifically to find a cure for me."

She wouldn't trust me, a doctor with a bachelor's degree, but she'd believe in some folk remedy.

Her eyelashes fluttered against my face. I deliberately paused for a few moments before pretending to agree reluctantly. "As long as you're happy and don't hurt yourself, I'll do whatever you want."

"Oh, right. Remind Leo to take his medicine."

Leo wasn't sick, but I had prepared some… special things for him.

She happily slipped out of my arms, closed the door, and ran off.

The door didn't shut completely. Her excited voice drifted in intermittently. "He agreed! See? I told you he was a pushover. He agrees to whatever I say. And you said he didn't love me anymore? Impossible! He's paying for the reception too."

Leo, smoking, drawled lazily, "I'm still a bit short for this business deal. Get me some more cash. When I strike it rich, you'll be a wealthy wife. Forget one candy factory, honey, I'll open three for you!"

"And I want lots of clothes and bags! But take your medicine first."

The bedsprings creaked rhythmically, accompanied by sounds of flirting. I yawned and drifted off to sleep.

I dreamed of Leo's death scene from my past life. Debt collectors had hung him from a rooftop all day. When he called Lily, he was surrounded by heavily tattooed men, leering as they said if he could lure the woman over, she'd be worth a hundred bucks off his debt.

Lily never got that nightmare call. Leo was violated, humiliated in the worst way, and died shamefully on that rooftop.

The scene shifted. Gasoline drenched me again. I was burning alive in front of Leo's memorial photo.

The workers from the candy factory heard I had died. Many came to see me. They sent Lily to prison and arranged my parents' funerals and memorials for me.

I sat up in the darkness, covering my eyes, crying silently.

4

At the crack of dawn, I went to the hospital. I arranged the food, instructed the workers to help me hang decorations – red banners everywhere, especially making sure Leo Vance's name was prominent at the entrance.

At lunchtime, everyone flocked to the cafeteria, curious about the sea of red. "Is Leo Vance getting married? To who?"

Someone in the know answered, "Lily."

"That's not even the half of it. The real shocker is Dr. Hayes is throwing the party for them!"

A wave of stunned silence, then murmurs erupted.

My dad is the hospital Dean, my mom an OB/GYN. They heard the news and looked at me, astonished. My mom smacked my arm. "How could you get divorced! What is going on?"

My parents are good people. They never looked down on Lily for being an orphan; instead, they urged me to treat her well. Six years without children earned my parents endless ridicule and cold shoulders, but they still protected her.

Leo's parents, who worked at the boiler plant next door, showed up, probably called by Leo. They sat down and dug in immediately.

Under the weight of confused, mocking, and curious stares, I stood on the small stage, holding Lily's hand in one and Leo's in the other (though he wasn't physically there yet). I began the toast: "Let's wish them happiness. From this day forward, these two are husband and wife. But mainly, this banquet is to celebrate me rejoining the ranks of the single."

Lily stared at me, aghast. Before she could question me, a group of men with full tattoo sleeves burst through the door.

"Leo Vance! You're pretty good at hiding! Let's see where you run now! Pay up!"

Leo instinctively thought Lily had exposed him. Furious, he shoved her away, yelling, "Was it you?! You damn bitch, you dared to sell me out!"

Lily fell to the ground, wincing in pain, but still shook her head. "It wasn't me! I didn't say anything!"

Leo roared, "Don't grab me! I'll give you this broad! She's got money!"

Then he bolted towards the exit.

Lily stared in disbelief as Leo ran off, while the tattooed thugs grabbed her.

"Leo Vance? Where are you going?! I'm pregnant with your child! You bastard!"

I walked over, looking down at her.

She instinctively pleaded with me. "Help me, Ethan! Please, explain! I don't know anything about this! What debt? I don't have any money! What's going on? Honey, help me! Talk to them for Leo, please! They aren't going to kill him, are they?!"

She was frantic, her words tumbling out incoherently. I walked past her, a smirk playing on my lips as I addressed the lead thug. "Buddy, the woman and the kid are both Leo Vance's. You hold onto her, Leo won't get far."

Lily froze, stunned. Two lines of tears streamed down her face as she stared at me. "What?"

"What is happening, Ethan! It's me, Lily!"

"Leo and I were just pretending to get married! Once the baby's born, I was going to divorce him! I was just repaying a debt! Ethan, didn't we talk about this? What's wrong with you?"

Bored, I sat back down to eat, ignoring Lily’s cries.

My mom sat beside me, nudging me. "What do you mean she's pregnant and the baby isn't yours? What on earth is going on?!"

Leo's mother, Brenda Vance, who had been hiding nearby, started screeching, "Ethan Hayes! Save them! Give them money! You useless piece of trash!"

"Mom! Don't yell at Ethan!" Lily cried out towards Mrs. Vance. "You give them money! Save me! The baby in my belly can't take this stress!"

Leo, agile as a cat, leaped out a window and fled, showing no sign of illness. Seeing her son was safe, Brenda Vance turned to Lily with fake helplessness. "No money! Gave it all to Leo for his debts! Go ask your in-laws! Old Mr. Hayes and Dr. Hayes are still here."

My parents exchanged glances.

My mother, as if waking from a dream, erupted in fury. "Brenda Vance! My son made it perfectly clear just now – they are divorced! She calls you 'Mom,' not me! The baby in her belly is your family's business, nothing to do with us!"

Since walking in, Lily hadn't acknowledged my parents once, yet she had been overly affectionate with Leo's parents.

I wiped my mouth, stood up, ushered the crowd out, and closed the door. Behind me, Lily screamed, "Honey! Ethan, don't go! You can't leave me like this!!"

I walked back to look at her. "You and Leo Vance are legally married. Don't call me that. From now on, you can repay your debt to the Vance family forever."