The elevator doors opened.
A woman stepped out.
A white coat.
Long hair tied neatly behind her head.
A cold expression that instantly silenced the chaotic hallway.
She looked directly at Thẩm Ngọc Trân’s hand, which was reaching toward my stomach.
Her voice was icy.
—Try touching her one more time.
—I guarantee you won’t be able to leave this floor today.
Thẩm Ngọc Trân froze.
She immediately pulled her hand back.
—Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?
The woman ignored her.
She walked straight toward me.
—Are you Hua Thanh Hoa?
I nodded.
She looked at my pale face, then at my stomach.
Her expression immediately became serious.
—You’re pregnant?
Before I could answer…
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên stepped forward.
—She is my wife.
One sentence.
The entire hallway fell silent.
I turned to look at him.
Wife?
Those two words again.
In my previous life…
He had said them too.
But when he had to choose…
He never chose me.
The woman looked at Bùi Cảnh Xuyên.
—Doctor Bùi.
Her voice carried no respect.
—You just said she was your wife?
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên remained silent.
She smiled coldly.
—But just now, on the surgery consent form, you wrote that the patient, Thẩm Nhược Du, is your lover.
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên’s expression changed instantly.
I looked at him.
For the first time, I saw panic in his eyes.
Not because he was losing me.
Because his secret had been exposed.
Thẩm Ngọc Trân immediately stepped forward.
—This is a misunderstanding!
—Cảnh Xuyên only wrote that because he needed to save her.
The woman looked at her.
—A misunderstanding?
—Do you know that a surgical consent form is a legal document?
—The relationship between the signer and the patient carries responsibility.
She spoke coldly:
—This is not a place where people can casually write down romantic relationships.
I lowered my eyes.
My heart was strangely calm.
In my previous life…
I had stood here too.
I had signed.
I had sacrificed.
I had believed that if I loved Bùi Cảnh Xuyên enough…
One day he would finally see me.
But what happened?
He saved countless lives.
He became a doctor admired by everyone.
And me…
I lay on a hospital bed.
Alone.
Nine phone calls.
Not once did he answer.
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên looked at me.
—Thanh Hoa.
I raised my head.
—Let me explain.
I laughed softly.
—Explain what?
He was speechless.
—Today’s situation isn’t what you think.
I looked at him.
—Then what is it?
—You signed as her lover.
—You told everyone I was your wife.
—You let her mother push me.
—You forced me to sign her surgery papers.
I paused.
—But what about my child?
His face instantly turned pale.
At that moment.
The emergency room door opened.
A nurse rushed out.
—Doctor Bùi!
Everyone turned.
—The patient woke up.
—But she refuses to let anyone else treat her.
—She wants to see you.
Thẩm Ngọc Trân immediately relaxed.
—See?
—Duong Duong only trusts Cảnh Xuyên.
I looked at her.
I said nothing.
But inside, I already understood.
Thẩm Nhược Du was still the most important person to him.
She always had been.
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên walked a few steps.
Then stopped.
He turned back to me.
—Thanh Hoa.
I didn’t answer.
His voice lowered.
—Wait for me.
I looked at his back.
A familiar sentence.
In my previous life…
He had said:
“Wait another ten minutes.”
Those ten minutes…
I lost my child.
Those ten minutes…
I lost myself.
This time…
I would not wait anymore.
I turned to the doctor beside me.
—I want to be admitted for pregnancy observation.
She nodded.
—Okay.
I looked down at my stomach.
My hand gently rested there.
This child…
Was the second chance life had given me.
I would protect it.
Even if I had to fight everyone.
Inside the operating room.
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên looked at Thẩm Nhược Du.
She weakly opened her eyes.
—Cảnh Xuyên…
He walked closer.
But this time…
He didn’t feel relieved.
Because outside the glass door…
The woman who once waited for him forever…
Had already turned away.
One hour later.
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên rushed to the obstetrics department.
But my bed was empty.
The nurse only handed him a letter.
The name written on it:
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên.
His hands trembled as he opened it.
Inside were only a few lines.
“In my previous life, I signed for you.”
“I used my own life to help you save the person you wanted to save.”
“But no one saved me.”
“This time, I don’t owe you anything anymore.”
Bùi Cảnh Xuyên stood frozen.
For the first time in his life…
He felt fear.
Not fear of losing a patient.
Not fear of losing his reputation.
But fear of losing the woman who once loved him more than her own life.
And he didn’t know…
Somewhere else…
I was looking at my latest ultrasound result.
On the screen.
A tiny life was beating.
The doctor smiled.
—The baby is very healthy.
I placed my hand over my stomach.
And whispered:
—My child.
—This time, Mommy will protect you.
—And I will protect myself too.
Because I once died for loving someone.
I would not die a second time.
In my previous life, I chose Bùi Cảnh Xuyên.
This time… I choose myself.
