"Doctor, please save my baby!"

Tess Monroe lay deathly pale on the ambulance stretcher, fine beads of cold sweat oozing from her temples. Her skirt was already soaked through with blood, yet she clung to the doctor’s arm with the last of her strength.

"Please… you have to save him."

This baby was what she and Viktor Blight had prayed for three long years to conceive. She’d only just learned of the tiny life growing inside her—hadn’t even gotten the chance to tell Viktor he was finally going to be a father.

"Ma’am, stay calm. We’ll get you into surgery right away; there’s still time," the doctor soothed. Tess let out half a breath of relief, her fingertips brushing her abdomen—until a hand suddenly clamped down on her wrist.

"My sister’s pregnant—she’s the family’s greatest treasure. How could we let her get stuck with some shoddy surgery in this run-down hospital?"

Ophelia Monroe stood there in a white dress, her smile soft, but venom glinted in her eyes.

"How did you get in here! Don’t touch my baby!"

Tess curled up instantly as a searing pain exploded through her body, cold sweat soaking her back.

"Sister, this is Viktor’s child—why would I hurt you?" Ophelia lifted a hand. "Take her."

Bodyguards shoved the medical staff aside, grabbing Tess by the arms and yanking her off the stretcher into a car. *Bang*—the rear door slammed shut. She was thrown onto the icy metal floor, her abdomen slamming into a sharp edge.

Blood gushed out. The faint, fading pulse of her baby felt like shards of glass scraping against her eardrums.

"No…"

Tess crawled toward the hem of that white dress, her fingertips stained red. "Ophelia, let me have the surgery—he’ll die!"

"That bastard never should’ve been conceived."

Ophelia grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking so hard it felt like her scalp would tear off. "A lowlife like you thinks you can be Mrs. Blight? Let’s die together."

Through the agony, Tess felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. Her baby was gone.

"I’ll kill you—" she screamed, her vocal cords raw and bleeding.

A high heel came down, its tip grinding into her abdomen, twisting back and forth. The world narrowed to the coppery stench of blood.

"Grandpa Ben… help me."

She couldn’t die—not yet. Not before avenging her baby.

Ophelia leaned down, her laughter sickly sweet. "That old man? I sent him into a car crash. His brains were splattered everywhere—such a mess."

"You—"

Tess’s pupils dilated in horror, tears of blood streaming down her cheeks.

"Go join him."

The heel aimed for her eye and stomped down hard!

Darkness erupted around her. Her last whisper was a plea: "Viktor… save me…"

"Silly sister," Ophelia’s voice coiled like a snake in her ear. "This was all Viktor’s plan. He’s always loved *me*. Your bastard had to die."

Consciousness sank into a sea of blood. With her final strength, Tess clung to a scrap of that white dress. "If I’m reborn… I’ll make you suffer every bit of pain I’m feeling today!"

…

A blinding white light split through the darkness. Tess jolted upright, her fingers flying to her eye—still intact? She wasn’t blind?

"What’s with the panic attack? You losing your mind?"

A man’s voice, low and cold, laced with the laziness and irritation of just waking up.

Viktor Blight leaned against the edge of the bed, his shirt half-unbuttoned, his features sharp and frosty. Tess snatched her phone—the date read three years earlier, not long after their wedding.

She’d been reborn.

The tears she’d held back instantly turned to burning hatred. Ophelia, Viktor—they owed her a child, owed her a life. She’d make them pay for every last drop.

Tess’s knuckles whitened as she gripped the sheets, her gaze locking onto the man who’d once made her chase him like a moth to a flame.

In her past life… had he really been the one to kill their baby with his own hands?

Viktor frowned, catching the storm of grief and loathing in her eyes. His voice dropped, sharp as ice: "You have a problem with this?"

Tess Monroe pressed her lips together, her tone laced with sarcasm. “Viktor Blight, what made you finally decide to come home tonight?”

At this hour, the Viktor from her past life would have been MIA for days already.

And she knew why—Ophelia Monroe was back in the country.

A rare flicker of awkwardness crossed the man’s face, though his eyes were sharp with irritation. “You haven’t forgotten what we’re supposed to do during your ovulation, have you?”

Revulsion coiled in Tess’s gut. She threw back the covers and tried to get out of bed. “I’m not feeling—”

Her words died mid-sentence. Viktor’s tall frame loomed over her, pinning her back against the soft sheets before she could move.

“You don’t get to say no.” His gaze was icy. “This is your duty as Mrs. Blight.”

As the words left his mouth, he impassively flipped up the hem of her nightgown. His palm glided along her waistline, sending a jolt of uncomfortable shivers through her body.

Tess’s cheeks flushed scarlet. She fumbled to press her hand against his wrist, even through the fabric of his shirt.

But instead of stopping him, he pulled her closer—so close she could feel the heat of his palm as it settled over her lower abdomen, hot enough to burn.

“Eager, are we?” Viktor’s lips curved into a half-smirk, impossible to tell if it was mockery or teasing.

His eyes fixed on her lips, now even fuller with embarrassment, and before he knew what he was doing, he leaned down.

In the past, she’d been like a lamb waiting for the slaughter. Tonight? She was a rose with thorns.

That vivid, alive spark in her caught his eye—and for a split second, a faint glimmer appeared in his dark eyes, one he didn’t even notice himself.

Tess, though, froze in shock.

Viktor had never kissed her before. In their bed, they’d always been nothing more than machines, going through the motions to conceive—no warmth, no tenderness, just a task.

And now? He was actually going to kiss her?

Their lips were barely a hair’s breadth apart, their hot breaths mingling—

When a shrill phone ring sliced through the tension like a knife.

Tess’s pupils contracted sharply, hatred surging in her chest. That was Ophelia’s special ringtone—no one else used it.

The dazed look in Viktor’s eyes vanished instantly. He pulled away, grabbing his phone off the nightstand. “I need to take this.”

Tess’s heart skipped a beat as he turned toward the balcony. He actually *told her* where he was going? That had never happened before.

But the next second, her eyes turned cold as ice. No matter what role Viktor had played in her past life, Ophelia was the one who’d killed her baby.

She wasn’t going to let that woman get away with it.

First step: take down Ophelia.

……

It didn’t take long for Viktor to return to the bedroom, grabbing his clothes. His tone was cold again. “Something came up at the company. I have to go.”

When he looked up, he met Tess’s eyes—calm, no hint of emotion—and an odd tightness formed in his chest.

Just as he reached the door, he paused and turned around, something he’d never done before. “Go to sleep. Don’t wait up for me.”

“Mm.” Tess pulled the covers up and lay down, not even glancing his way—let alone rushing to see him off like she had in her past life.

Viktor’s expression darkened further. For a second, he wanted to storm back, yank her out of bed, and demand an explanation—but then he thought better of it. He slammed the door shut and left.

Once he was in his car, he forced himself to calm down—but his mind kept replaying Tess’s strange behavior.

He’d never done anything to betray her in their marriage. And since they were husband and wife, he’d always intended to do his part to make it work.

His eyes darkened. He hit the gas, and the car vanished into the night.

……

The next morning, Tess did her makeup and headed to work. Viktor hadn’t come home all night, but she didn’t bat an eye. She even ignored the sympathetic, unspoken questions in the maids’ glances.

As soon as she walked into the office, she saw Ophelia sitting at her desk, grinning like she owned the place. “There you are, Assistant Tess! I’ve been waiting ages. If you’d taken any longer, the whole company would’ve been off work already.”

Tess forced down the hatred boiling inside her, lowering her eyes to hide the murderous glint in them. “I’m not late. And even if I were, the company has rules—none of which involve you butting in.”

“Relax, it was just a joke!” Ophelia’s eyes flashed with anger, but when she spotted the crowd gathering by the door, she switched to a sickly sweet tone. “I need to talk to you about something. Let’s grab a coffee and chat, okay?”

She picked up a steaming cup of coffee and held it out to Tess with a bright smile, acting like she was about to feed her by hand.

They were inches apart when Ophelia deliberately twisted her wrist—sending the scalding coffee straight toward Tess’s face.

But the next second, her triumphant grin froze.

Tess tilted her head and lifted her hand, sending the entire cup crashing to the floor. The coffee splattered everywhere, soaking Ophelia’s light-colored chiffon dress and leaving ugly stains all over it.

“Tess! You did that on purpose!” Ophelia jumped back, clutching her dress.

Tess let out a cold laugh, grabbing Ophelia’s wrist and yanking her forward step by step. “Miss Ophelia, this is Blight Group. I’m giving you respect—you’d better not waste it. Try another stunt like that, and next time, the coffee goes straight on your face.”

“You—!” Ophelia stared at her in shock. Was this really the same spineless doormat who’d let everyone walk all over her? “How dare you talk to me like that!”

“An eye for an eye. You’re the one who taught me all these little tricks, remember?” Murderous intent flickered in Tess’s eyes as her fingers tightened around Ophelia’s wrist. “I’m busy. If you don’t have anything important to say—stay out of my way.”

She grabbed Ophelia like she was lifting a small chicken, ready to toss her aside. But Ophelia’s eyes darted to something behind Tess, and in an instant, she went limp, collapsing to the side.

Right into Viktor’s arms.

“Tess, what the hell is wrong with you?” Viktor caught Ophelia, his brows furrowing deeply. “Your sister just got back after being sick. She’s still weak, and you’re attacking her?”

“Viktor, don’t blame Tess.” Ophelia looked up at him, her eyes wide and tearful. “I shouldn’t have bothered you two. It’s all my fault.”

Viktor’s expression was unreadable as he said softly, “Ophelia.”

He was about to comfort her when Tess’s cold voice cut in. “She’s right—it *is* her fault. Running around clinging to a married man? That’s called being a homewrecker.”

“Enough! Both of you!” Viktor’s voice was sharp with frustration, his face darkening. “Ophelia, come here.”

A triumphant glint flashed in Ophelia’s eyes as she shot Tess a mocking look.

“Viktor, don’t forget—we’re still legally married.” Tess’s gaze fixed on his arm, which was wrapped around Ophelia’s waist. She let out a bitter laugh. “Even Ophelia knows better than to pester a married man. Don’t you understand what ‘marital infidelity’ means?”

With that, she turned and slammed the office door behind her. Her chest heaved with anger, but her eyes grew colder than ever.

For the first time in his life, Viktor looked caught off guard—even a little guilty.