Chapter 16
Eugene shut his eyes, his heart torn apart after discovering the truth. He said brokenly, “Cassandra, you’re not the one who saved me six years ago.” Cassandra’s eyes widened, and she felt nervous. Back then, he’d believed she was the one who’d saved him. Why was he bringing this up again? Why had he suddenly decided she wasn’t his savior?
Still, she kept her calm and smiled gently, reaching for his hand. “What are you talking about, Gene?”
The helplessness Eugene had felt after Nerissa’s disappearance and the guilt upon learning the truth crashed down on him like a tidal wave. He felt suffocated.
He exploded and shook Cassandra off roughly, his eyes reddening as he shouted, “Nerissa is the one who saved me! She spent 20 years by my side, and she saved my life! Stop trying to lie to me—I already have proof of that! Why did you trick me?”
Cassandra watched him break down, knowing that she couldn’t keep the truth hidden any longer. Six years ago, she’d dropped by the hospital to visit a friend. When passing by Eugene’s bed, she’d been captivated by his good looks and had stopped for a brief moment.
She didn’t expect him to wake up at that moment and mistake her for his savior. For some reason, she didn’t correct him.
Her plan had been to use her identity as his “savior” to get close to him and make him his, but her family had suddenly sent her abroad to further her studies. Just like that, they’d lost contact.
Then, things had changed half a year ago, when she’d been diagnosed with cancer. Only then did she return home and reconnect with Eugene.
Cassandra explained urgently, “I just wanted to use that as an excuse to get close to you, Gene.”
Despair loomed over Eugene like a heavy storm cloud. He no longer wanted to argue with Cassandra over why she’d lied to him. He just wanted to sever ties with her and make it up to Nerissa, whom he’d hurt badly.
He said, “Get rid of the baby now.”
Cassandra panicked. The baby was something she wanted to leave for her family to comfort them. She couldn’t get rid of it!
She cried, “I can’t do that! The baby is a living and breathing creature, Gene. You’re the father! Can you bear to get rid of it? Besides, Nerissa already found out about my pregnancy two weeks ago!
“I’m guessing your wedding was called off. Think of it this way–once the baby is born, that means your family line will be continued, too. Isn’t that good news?”
Eugene had already turned to leave, but he stopped short when he heard her words. Two weeks ago?
Anguish spread through him as tears streamed down his face. It turned out Nerissa had long since known about him getting Cassandra pregnant. That was why she’d decided to leave him and why she’d been so calm over the past half a month. That was why she hadn’t been surprised at all at the hospital the other day…
Yet he hadn’t noticed any of this. His heart twisted painfully as he thought about how he’d broken Nerissa’s heart over an impostor like Cassandra.
He dried his tears, and his gaze turned resolute. He wouldn’t let Cassandra keep the child; he would find Nerissa and apologize to her. Then, he would make up for all the hurt he’d caused her and treat her as well as she had over the past 20 years. £15
Seeing that Eugene was about to leave, Cassandra dropped her fragile act and shot out of bed, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Gene, can you really admit that you don’t feel anything for me after spending the past six months with me?”
All Eugene could think about was Nerissa. He remembered her always being around him when they were younger, and he remembered how she cared fo him after they got together.
He couldn’t deny that he’d only agreed to be with her back then because he’d been curious. He wanted to know whether a person’s feelings for someon else could really last that long.
He hadn’t felt much for Nerissa at the time. But after the five years they’d spent together, he’d experienced firsthand how gentle and considerate she could be. He also realized that there really was someone in this world whose love for another person could remain as strong as it had been at the sta
He figured he’d probably fallen for Nerissa without even realizing it.
Eugene turned to look at Cassandra, his gaze now frosty and stoic. “I’ve never felt anything for you, and I won’t contact you anymore.”
