||Liliana||

What Liliana saw right now was the snow falling from the dark winter sky.

The white flecks slowly turned blurry as her eyes glazed with tears. A drop slid down her right eye, falling to the ground where she lay.

The cold seeped deep into the bones, clashing with the piercing pain that radiated from her lower abdomen before flaring out to the rest of her body.

Liliana was lying stiff on the snowy ground. Her body shivered from the ache and the cold. Her long dark hair spread on the snow, creating a stark contrast of black on white.

"...hurry! A woman fell!"

"How could he! Damn that snatcher!"

"Miss! Are you alright? Can you hear us?"

There were noises around her—hurried footsteps coming in her direction and shouts blaring in the air. Their urgency was palpable but could not reach her through her despair.

In the opposing senses of pain and cold, Liliana perceived a probing ache coming from her lower abdomen. The realization of what had happened crushed her already shattered heart.

"...sorry... I'm sorry..."

Clinging on to the last bit of her weakening strength and consciousness, Liliana's trembling hands barely touched her lower abdomen. More tears rolled down from her eyes and onto the white snow.

"Miss! You're bleeding!" A frantic voice cut through Liliana's fear.

Through her blurred gaze, Liliana saw a young man kneeling on the ground. He grasped her shoulders before carefully lifting her upper body from the ground. She leaned weakly against the stranger.

Other faces appeared in Liliana's foggy field of vision. More gasps followed.

"She's bleeding! Call the ambulance!"

"I have! And the police!"

"...but, the snatch thief has run away."

Liliana could only focus on the man who was supporting her. Her eyelids felt so heavy. It was getting almost impossible to keep fighting the ache.

The stranger's face was a blur... how she wished the man was actually him!

The one that occupied her heart since her sixteenth spring.

The one that she eventually married but had yet to successfully melt the frosty cold heart of.

"Asher... I'm sorry..."

Liliana sank into the abyss of loss and misery. The fragments of the past slowly caught up to her, accompanying her during the fall.

**********

<.Two weeks ago.>

"Haven't we talked about this? This is not yet the time to have a child."

The husky voice was dangerously low. Followed by how stern the man appeared right now, it was enough to cut through anyone's joy.

The air inside the study room grew more stifling as seconds kept ticking. Only the sound of their breathing echoed faintly in the air.

Liliana swallowed. Her initial joy was shattered by her husband's frosty cold voice.

Asher's gaze on his wife remained sharp. He couldn't believe what she had just conveyed to him.

"Since it has already happened ... shouldn't we just accept it? Dear, it's fate! We've been married for four years. Why do you still think it's not a good time for us to have a child?"

Asher clenched his jaw. He tightly grasped the end of the armrests. Tilting his head down, he growled, "Are you set on keeping that child?"

Liliana unconsciously put a hand over her lower abdomen. With hope lighting up her eyes, she nodded, "Yes! After all, this is our child. Dear, let's pray for the best for our child, eh?"

Asher scrunched up his sword-like brows. Not wanting to be disturbed by this matter anymore, he gestured at the door with a lift of his chin.

"Suit yourself. Tell the maids if you need anything. Now, go. I need to work."

Liliana flinched. Disappointment layered in her gaze. In a low voice, she murmured, "...I understand. Please don't overwork yourself, dear. Good night..."

Asher just hummed quietly.

Without giving his wife one last look or even a faint smile, his focus was redirected to the laptop screen. He took his silver-rimmed round glasses and put them on his high nose bridge.

Liliana pursed her lower lip. She took a step back before turning around.

When Liliana walked down the hallway, an image caught her eyes. Pausing her steps, Liliana lifted her gaze until it settled on what was displayed on the huge wall.

"...our wedding photo."

Liliana's initially sullen mood perked up. She fondly stared at the photo that decorated the wall.

This photo, taken during their wedding four years ago, showed her holding hands with her husband during their reception.

Liliana wore an off-shoulder white wedding dress. Her silky black hair had been styled into an elaborate chignon. Pure delight sparkled in her almond-shaped eyes.

Her groom was one of the most sought-after bachelors in the city, Asher Shen. The devilishly handsome young man was twenty-seven when he married her, then only twenty-two.

Asher was the heir of Shen Corporation, one of the leading conglomerates in the country. Despite being lowkey even when attending social functions, his fame had spread all over high society.

Their engagement rocked high society because of her status as an illegitimate child. But, no one dared to question it because Old Madam Shen firmly supported the marriage. She even personally came to the Xin family home to meet Liliana.

Liliana was overjoyed. She had long borne feelings toward Asher.

On a spring day ten years ago, unknown to the young man in a white shirt, he had snatched her maiden heart.

Liliana remained standing in front of the portrait. Lowering her head, she smiled while looking at her still flat stomach.

"Baby, Mom and Dad will surely welcome you well. We'll be happy together, eh?"

She dearly loved him.

But...

Even after four years, it seemed like she was still a stranger who knocked on his heart, timidly waiting to be let in.

That night, Liliana went to bed, alone as usual. Asher tended to work until late. He wouldn't come to bed until the witching hour.

Curling up under the thick yet comforting blanket, Liliana dreamed of her happy family of three. She also hoped to see Asher smiling sincerely at her.

Her wish was for her husband to finally accept her feelings and love her in return. She wanted to be cradled under such warmth.

Only then could she push down the unpleasant moments they shared during their marriage.

The next morning, Liliana woke up, alone as usual. It was a quarter past eight. Asher had gone to the office.

Still lying under the blanket, Liliana reached out a hand and gently patted the other side of the bed. Then, she took the pillow and brought it to her arms.

The earthy and sensual scent of sandalwood swirled to the tip of her nose. Her beloved's scent. Pulling one hand away from the pillow, Liliana put a palm over her lower abdomen.

"...it's fine. Everything will be fine."

Liliana silently chanted the words, the same ones she always spoke to herself whenever her heart and mind were dreading emptiness.

Asher had never loved her, but Liliana hoped that he would soften with the arrival of the child.

At the beginning of their marriage, Asher had made it clear that he didn't desire a child, saying that they weren't ready for one yet. Both of them were on birth control even though he rarely touched her.

During those nights, Liliana deluded herself that Asher had at least a flicker of affection for her. But, her hope shattered every time Asher quickly left the bed after their union ended.

The child was a miracle to her.

"Everything will be okay. Yes, everything..."

Unfortunately, it seemed like the heavens were against her being happy.

She lost the child.