Chapter 1 Betrayal

For three long years, Andrew Hudson and Kaelyn Reynolds had stayed together, yet not once had he crossed that final, intimate line with her.

At a lively gathering with friends, Kaelyn brought it up half-jokingly, insisting Andrew truly cared about her. To prove it, she made a bold bet.

Slipping into mischief, she disguised herself as a guy and fired off a teasing text to Andrew. "Hey, man. Kaelyn's too good for you-you're wasting her. Why not break things off and give me a shot? She's incredible, seriously."

Barely a heartbeat later, her phone lit up with an incoming call. Andrew's voice came through, tight and urgent. "Kay, where exactly are you right now? I've spent the last couple of days reaching out to specialists overseas about your restoration, so I haven't checked in like I should have. Send me your location-I'll come get you, alright?"

Through the phone, his voice carried a gentle, coaxing warmth.

A sly smile curled across Kaelyn's lips as she lifted her brows, shooting a triumphant look toward her friends. "There's no need. I'm with Erika right now. I'll head home later."

Once the call ended, she tilted her chin up, a hint of smug satisfaction in her eyes. "Well? Still think something's wrong?"

Leaning back with her arms folded, Erika Tucker frowned slightly, her gaze lingering with quiet suspicion. "Everything sounds normal on the surface. But it still doesn't sit right with me. Three years. A woman as striking as you. And he never once tried anything? Unbelievable."

She gave the man seated beside her a light nudge and murmured, "Would you have been able to resist?"

Snapped out of his thoughts, their friend Wilbur Dixon hesitated for a beat before shaking his head firmly. "No way," he said with a short laugh. "Not a chance."

"See?" Erika frowned and delivered her verdict. "Then something's definitely off about Andrew."

Whatever doubts they voiced, Kaelyn understood the truth better than anyone-through those three long years, Andrew had loved her with a steady, unwavering devotion.

Back then, a brutal car accident had nearly taken Kaelyn's left leg, shattering her world in an instant. Unable to accept that she could no longer walk properly, she had spiraled into sharp moods and unpredictable outbursts. Yet through every breakdown and bitter moment, Andrew had remained at her side, patient and gentle, caring for her without a hint of hesitation.

Even when she had collapsed into hysterics and shouted for him to get out, he had only stepped outside for a moment, drawn in a steady breath, then returned with that same gentle smile, murmuring, "I couldn't keep myself away from you, Kay."

More than just her personal doctor, Andrew had long since become the person she treasured most.

As that thought settled in, a quiet ache rose in Kaelyn's chest, and she found herself missing him far more than she expected.

"You two enjoy yourselves. I'm going to head back first," she said as she rose, gripping her bag.

The sleek black strap dress hugged her curves, and her long, straight legs looked flawless, save for the faint weakness in her left step as she walked.

As she drove back, Kaelyn paused to grab a bouquet along the way.

Andrew had passed her test earlier-she figured he deserved a reward.

With a thrill running through her, she lightened her footsteps on purpose as she neared the door, already picturing the look on Andrew's face when she surprised him.

Before she reached it, broken voices drifted out from inside.

At once, Kaelyn froze where she stood.

For a split second, she wondered whether someone had come to visit.

Inside, Kaelyn's father, Phillip Reynolds, cast Andrew an uneasy glance.

"I'm just a little confused, Mr. Hudson. If the one you really care about is my other daughter, Xenia, then why not tell her outright? Why stay by Kay's side for all these years? If you'd rather not answer, that's alright. I was only asking out of curiosity."

Circling the rim of his coffee cup with long, unhurried fingers, Andrew let a quiet beat pass before replying, "Mr. Reynolds, you're aware that Xenia grew up with her mother, scraping by on very little. She may look delicate, but underneath that, she's perceptive-and stubborn in her own way. With my background... a straightforward confession might overwhelm her. I'd rather take things step by step. So I'd appreciate it if you kept this between us."

Leaning back slightly, he added with a faint, almost teasing curve to his lips, "And in any case, I've looked after Kay quite well these past three years, wouldn't you agree?"

"Of course," Phillip replied quickly, nodding as he straightened in his seat. "As the distinguished heir of the Hudson family in Stellens, the fact that you've humbled yourself to serve as Kay's personal doctor... that alone is a blessing she's fortunate to have."

A faint, unreadable smile tugged at Andrew's lips, and he offered no denial.

In an even tone, he said, "I've already secured the overseas transplant specialists."

Hope sparked in Phillip's eyes as he leaned forward. "You mean that?" he asked, barely containing his excitement.

"I do." A darker depth settled in Andrew's gaze as his voice turned steady and decisive. "I've spoken with Kaelyn. In about two weeks, we'll head to Andtol for her leg restoration surgery. While we're there, I'll make arrangements to transfer her heart valve to Xenia as well."

"That's incredible news!" A surge of relief lit up Phillip's face, but it faltered just as quickly as doubt crept in-after all, Kaelyn was his daughter too. He hesitated, voice tight. "Would that put Kay at any risk, though?"

Calm assurance settled into Andrew's tone, steady and unshaken. "You have my word, Mr. Reynolds. I won't allow anything to happen to her. The newest generation of mechanical heart valves in Andtol has reached a highly advanced stage. For the past two years, I've been carefully stabilizing Kaelyn's condition, keeping everything under strict control. She's strong enough to handle the procedure. Xenia, however... doesn't have the luxury of time."

Silence hung heavy between them before Phillip finally sighed, the sound weighed down by guilt, "I've failed Xenia in too many ways. If there's a chance to save her, then no matter the cost... I'll try."

With an easy, almost careless drawl, Andrew said, "I heard the Murray and Reynolds families arranged a marriage pact years ago. Lately, the Murrays have been pushing hard to make it official, haven't they? Mr. Reynolds, when the time comes, you can just marry Kaelyn off. She has an injured leg, and her fiancé can't see-they fit perfectly, don't they?"

Kaelyn stood frozen outside the door, reeling from what she'd just heard.

Their next words faded into meaningless noise-her mind was blank.

Slowly, her fingers slipped from the cold metal handle, her entire body trembling as if the strength had been drained from her bones.

One man inside was her own father, while the other was the man she'd believed loved her with all his heart...

The truth crashed down on her. It seemed they had been plotting behind her back, all to rip out her heart valve and hand it over to her half-sister, Xenia Reynolds.

At the thought of Xenia, Kaelyn's fingers curled into tight fists.

Why was the mistress's daughter the one who got every ounce of Phillip's affection?

Then there was Andrew...

Drawing in a shaky breath, Kaelyn forced herself to steady down. She pulled out her phone and, with trembling fingers, typed his name into the search bar.

The Wikipedia page surfaced almost immediately. Andrew was the heir to Stellens's Hudson Group, a secretive, low-profile man whose page didn't even include a single photo.

A cold laugh slipped from Kaelyn's lips. For Xenia's sake, the dignified young heir of the Hudson family had humbled himself enough to stay by Kaelyn's side as her personal doctor. What devotion. What a noble sacrifice.

Kaelyn shut her eyes, pushing the pain down. When she opened them again, she yanked the car door open and climbed inside.

Anxious to escape, she refused to linger there even a heartbeat longer.

After checking into a hotel, she slipped into a hot bath, letting the steam and water gradually soothe the chaos churning inside her.

Among high society, Kaelyn was famed for her breathtaking beauty-yet just as widely feared for the cold, vengeful edge beneath it.

Since Phillip and Andrew were so determined to save Xenia-so eager to trade her future away to the Murray family-then fine, she would give them exactly what they wanted.

Yet compliance didn't mean surrender; she would make sure it came at a cost they hadn't anticipated.

Resting against the cushioned headboard, she stayed silent for a long while, eyes dark with thought before finally dialing a number. When the call connected, her voice came out steady and composed. "Mr. Murray, I've decided to accept your earlier proposal-I'll marry your grandson, Theodore. But there's one condition."