Till The Sun Was Gone

Five years ago, during the accident that saved Joslyn's life, Kade suffered injuries that left him unable to be intimate.

Whenever they were alone, Joslyn would try to rekindle their connection, seeking comfort in gentle embraces and quiet affection. They spent quiet evenings together-in the living room, the garden, even the hallway-searching for any trace of the connection they once shared.

Yet, no matter how gently she reached for him or how patiently she waited, Kade remained distant-his body unresponsive, his eyes full of sorrow.

Joslyn couldn't bear to meet Kade's regretful and self-blaming gaze.

She suggested they sleep in separate rooms-and quietly accepted that their marriage might never be what she once dreamed of.

However, Kade refused to give up. He held Joslyn's hand and vowed that he would persevere with the treatment for the sake of her happiness in the rest of her life, even though there was only a faint hope.

Kade was supposed to have a check-up that day.

Joslyn, as usual, waited for him in the underground parking lot, but she accidentally found his medical report left in the car.

On a whim, she picked up the report and suddenly noticed a familiar name in the attending physician's column.

It was Scarlett Stevens...

Tracing the elegant handwriting with her fingers, Joslyn felt a mix of emotions.

Scarlett was Kade's childhood sweetheart, whom he couldn't have when he was young.

If Scarlett hadn't insisted on studying abroad back then, Joslyn might not have had her chance of getting married to Kade.

For some reason, Joslyn suddenly felt nervous when she saw the name of her former rival in love.

Lost in thought, she was already making her way upstairs, medical records in hand.

The hallway was silent except for faint, intimate voices coming from the only room with light under the door. Embarrassed, Joslyn turned to leave-she had no wish to intrude on someone else's private moment.

But she suddenly stopped walking as she heard a familiar name mentioned.

"Kade, you keep using this excuse of a doctor's appointment to see me. Aren't you afraid Joslyn might follow you one day?" Scarlett teased Kade with a hint of jealousy.

Joslyn bit her lip hard enough to taste blood in her mouth. She stiffly peered through the crack in the door.

In the dim light, Kade held Scarlett close, their silhouettes entwined in an intimate embrace that left no doubt about their betrayal.

The scene struck Joslyn like lightning.

What was going on?

Kade hadn't lost that ability at all. Had he been deceiving her all along?

The successive shocks left Joslyn dizzy, but what Kade said next nearly caused Joslyn to collapse to the floor.

"Why should I be afraid?" Kade replied coldly. "I've been drugging her milk for years to keep her asleep. And honestly... part of me hopes she finds out."

Milk... sleeping pills...

Joslyn closed her eyes and struggled to hold back her tears.

Since Kade had scheduled check-ups two years ago, Kade had always handed her a bottle of milk. He told her to have a good rest in the car after having some milk, as he didn't want to keep her from getting bored while waiting for him.

Although she hated the taste of milk, she drank it all as she thought it was Kade's love for her.

But it felt like a slap in her face after she heard the truth.

If she hadn't brought him the medical report today and forgotten to drink the milk, she might have been completely fooled by that deceitful pair.

"But I still don't understand-why go to such lengths? Pretending you're broken, avoiding her completely... only to come to me like this. Why?" Scarlett's voice pulled Joslyn back to the moment, and she stared at Kade-his expression intense, almost unrecognizable-as if seeing a stranger.

Joslyn knew Kade well-and couldn't believe he'd shut her out so completely for all these years.

She clenched her fists, and her nails nearly dug into her palms. She held her breath and waited for Kade's answer. She desperately wanted to know why he lied to her.

"Because she's... tainted," Kade finally said, his voice hollow. "It's not that I'm incapable-I just can't stand the thought of being with her. After what happened back then, the very idea makes me sick. With you, Scarlett... I feel whole again. You're the only one I want."