Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Just as I walked out of the hospital, I ran right into Jolene and Gavin, who were just getting out of a car.

They got out together, so close and cozy that you'd think they were the married couple.

The moment Jolene saw me, she came over warmly. “Aurora, I'm so sorry about yesterday. I had no idea yesterday was your anniversary with Mr. Cole. I made him stay at the hotel with me all night sorting files. I'm really sorry.”

Her voice was full of apology, but when she said the word “hotel,” her eyes couldn't hide the arrogance and glee.

Sure enough, Gavin fell for it.

Before I could even answer, he jumped in to defend her. “Jolene, you don't need to apologize to her. We were just doing company business. What's there to apologize for?”

He locked eyes with me, and I saw the mockery he always had ready. “What, are you going to fake being sick to fool me again?”

In the past, to fight Jolene for Gavin, I had faked illness more than once to win his sympathy.

That became his favorite excuse to mock me for the rest of our marriage.

My body was weak after the procedure. I had no energy to deal with them. I just wanted to leave as fast as I could.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the Band-Aid on Jolene's hand.

She noticed at once and lowered her head with a shy smile. “It's all my fault. I cut my hand slicing fruit. I told Mr. Cole it was nothing, but he was afraid it would scar and insisted on driving me to the hospital.”

A sarcastic smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

When the glass cut my leg, Gavin didn't care at all and called me clumsy. When Jolene nicked her finger, he was so worried he rushed her to the hospital.

Watching them show off right in front of me like that, I couldn't hold back a gag.

I sped up and walked away from those two disgusting people.

Maybe because the roads around the hospital were all under construction, I stood at the entrance for almost ten minutes without a single cab stopping.

I was about to walk out of the construction zone to try again when a familiar car pulled up in front of me and blocked my way.

The window rolled down, and Gavin's cold face came into view. “Why would you come to the hospital of all places, and now you can't even get out? You're such an airhead.”

I had heard this kind of ugly talk for years. Whenever I couldn't handle some small thing perfectly, he never hid his disgust for me.

“It'll take you at least half an hour to walk out of here. Wait until I drop Jolene off, then I'll come back to pick you up.”

A flicker of something almost like guilt crossed his face. It was an expression I hadn't seen in a long time.

My weak body didn't give me the strength to refuse, so I quietly said yes and watched his car drive away.