Chapter 1

A month before our wedding, a brutal hit-and-run on my way home from a party left me in a vegetative state.

The moment I finally opened my eyes, the first thing I heard was that my husband was marrying someone else.

Outside my hospital room door, my fiancé's best friend was questioning him.

"Now that Serena is awake, what are you going to do? Are you still going through with the wedding?"

"You're marrying the exact woman who almost killed her, Ethan. Aren't you afraid she'll hate you forever once she finds out?"

My fiancé defended himself without hesitation.

"Chloe didn't do it on purpose. She's lived in pure agony and guilt these past two years. She's been praying for Serena every single day."

"I hated her at first, too. But over time, I was touched by her kindness."

"As for Serena... yes, I'm marrying Chloe, but Serena and I legally registered our marriage before her accident. I didn't divorce her while she was comatose. I've done more than enough for her. She won't blame me."

I said nothing.

I simply reached for my old phone, which had been silent for two years, and dialed a number.

On the day of the wedding, countless helicopters circled the sky above the venue.

The guests all gasped, thinking it was a grand gesture prepared by the groom.

Only I curled my lips into a cold smile.

If you dare to run over the daughter of a New York Mafia boss, you'd better be prepared for a fate worse than death.

My hands clenched into tight fists under the bedsheets as the conversation outside continued to drift into my room.

"Even if Serena doesn't blame you, do you really think her family will let this slide?"

"The Vance family runs the New York underworld, Ethan. If they find out you married another woman behind her back, they will bury you alive."

It was Tyler Brooks speaking, Ethan's childhood friend. His voice was laced with genuine panic.

But Ethan didn't seem to care at all.

"Don't worry about them. The Vance family went through a massive internal power struggle two years ago. That's why they haven't even come to see Serena once. They're probably too busy trying to survive to care about her."

Tyler sighed, still deeply unsettled.

"So, what's your plan? Are you going to divorce Serena?"

There was a long pause before Ethan finally answered.

"Serena just woke up, and her health is fragile. Her family can't look after her right now. Who else is going to take care of her if she leaves me?"

"As for the divorce... if Chloe doesn't mind, I'll just buy Serena a separate house nearby. It's the least I can do to give her a home."

My body trembled. A wave of white-hot rage washed over me, making my head spin.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching the door. I quickly shut my eyes and pretended to be asleep.

A moment later, someone walked up to my bedside. As I felt a warm breath draw close to my face, I snapped my eyes open.

Ethan froze in surprise, but his face quickly melted into a mask of tender worry.

"Serena! You're finally awake! God, I was so scared you'd slip away again!"

My hands gripped the sheets tightly. If I hadn't just overheard his conversation, I might have actually believed this pathetic act.

I forced a faint smile and asked casually, "I forgot to ask earlier... what happened to the driver who hit me?"

Ethan's hand, which was holding mine, stiffened. A flash of panic crossed his features.

"The driver was arrested and sentenced to life in prison."

He couldn't even look me in the eye when he said it.

A cold sneer echoed in my mind. I pressed on, "Don't I need to go identify him? I saw the driver's face right before the crash."

Ethan snapped his head up, looking at me in shock.

But he quickly recovered his gentle demeanor. "Serena, you've been asleep for two whole years. Your memory might not be reliable."

"Don't stress yourself over this right now. You need to rest and recover first. We can talk about it when you're fully healed."

"I'll go find the doctor to check on you."

With that, Ethan hurriedly stood up and walked out, his steps noticeably rushed.

I gritted my teeth and pulled my phone out from the bedside drawer.

Luckily, once plugged in, it booted up. I immediately called my older brother, who was currently in Chicago.

The call rang for a long time before a familiar, beloved voice finally answered. Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Serena? Aren't you busy taking care of the baby? How do you finally have time to call your brother?"

My heart squeezed. "What baby?"

"My nephew, of course! Didn't you give birth to a healthy baby boy a year ago?"

"Ethan sent me the photos. Our family was dealing with a massive crisis, so Dad and I couldn't make it back to New York to see you. I'm so sorry, Serena."

My brother's words felt like a physical blow to my chest. A year-old baby? That meant Ethan had gotten that woman pregnant shortly after I fell into a coma.

"Serena? Are you there? Why aren't you speaking?"

"Did something happen? I'm coming back to New York right now!"

I took a deep breath, forcing my voice to remain steady. "No need, Leo. But I need you to do something for me."