Chapter 3

3 While I was stuck in the hospital， I hired a nurse to take care of me.

Sarah was out having fun with Mikey every day.

Mikey kept sending me photos of them.

The beach， snorkeling， looking at the stars.

Making out in front of tourist traps.

Looking at those photos， I didn't feel anything.

I was busy working with a friend to get a biotech research company off the ground.

For the past eight years， I had been doing product research and development with my friend when I had time.

My friend had always wanted me to open a studio with him， but I never agreed.

Many friends said that I wasted eight years of my life in a contract.

But I don't regret it either.

For me at that time， nothing was more important than my mother.

Now that my agreement with Sarah is over， I am free.

The day I got out of the hospital， Sarah called me， which was very unusual.

"When are you coming back? The house is a mess."

"Aren't you out of the hospital yet?"

I gave a small laugh and asked her sarcastically，"Don't the servants at home work?"

Sarah said impatiently，"You know I don't like other people touching my things."

"I need you to organize some company documents， too."

I looked at the time， just wanted to say I was busy when the nurse came to the door of the ward and told me to pay the bill and leave the hospital.

Sarah happened to hear her and urged me to go back quickly.

I ignored her， paid the bill， and got into my friend's car.

My friend， Jack， asked me if I was free.

I gave a weak smile and said in relief，"It's all over."

"Leave after the divorce is finalized."

Jack was even more excited than I was.

"Let's go! Sign the contract and go eat hot pot!"

I nodded.

Sarah called while Jack and I were discussing the contract details.

I glanced at the phone screen， then covered the phone and let Jack continue.

He whistled at me.

"Really not in love anymore?"

Jack was the only one who knew I had feelings for Sarah.

But those feelings were worn away by Sarah's repeated injuries to me.

I stared at the phone blankly and said lightly，"Some people just don't belong in the same world."

Jack agreed and nodded.

After signing the contract， we went to our usual hot pot restaurant.

When the first bite of spicy beef entered my mouth， tears welled up in my eyes.

Jack laughed at me， asking if it was so delicious that I wanted to cry.

I smiled and didn't answer.

Since I was with Sarah， I haven't touched such smelly food.

Because she said that being covered in the smell of hot pot would embarrass the Armstrong family.

Besides eating hot pot， there were many other things that were embarrassing.

In public， you can't laugh loudly， or speak loudly…

For eight years， I seemed to have become an emotionless tool.

Now， I seemed to smell a hint of impending freedom， and my eyes were a little sore.

It was already ten o'clock in the evening when I went back after eating hot pot.

When I pushed open the door， I saw Sarah sitting in the living room with a gloomy look on her face.

She had made more than a dozen calls today， but I didn't answer them.

"Where did you go?"

I changed my shoes， washed my hands， and said coldly，"I had dinner with a friend."

Sarah walked up to me.

Her face looked even worse when she smelled the smell of hot pot on me.

"Didn't I tell you not to eat hot pot? It smells so bad."

I smiled at her and asked in confusion，"Doesn't it matter when Jack eats it?"

Sarah's expression of disgust became even more obvious.

"How can you compare to Jack? Besides， he isn't a member of the Armstrong family."

I didn't speak.

He wasn't now， but he would be soon.

After all， everyone could see how special Jack was to her.

Jack flew abroad the second day after signing the contract to deal with studio affairs.

I contacted a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement.

I looked at the words"leaving the house" and signed my name below.

Just then， Jack sent me a video.

The video was of a lavishly decorated hotel lobby.

A sign on the stage read，"Welcome to Sarah and Jack's engagement ceremony."

Sarah was telling the hotel manager about the engagement date.

"She would hold this engagement ceremony for me regardless of secular views as long as I said I wanted to get engaged."

"The ceremony will be held in two days， you are welcome to attend."

Two days later was my thirtieth birthday and the day I booked my plane ticket to leave.

I blacklisted Jack's number， too.

I looked around the room of less than ten square meters.

I began to pack my things.

I haven't bought a single item in the Armstrong family for eight years.

I came in with a suitcase.

Now after packing my things， I still only have a suitcase.

I put my suitcase aside， and Sarah pushed the door open and came in.

"Make me some seafood porridge."

Hearing her commanding tone， I thought this would be the last time.

So I didn't refuse.

When I put the seafood porridge on the table， Sarah looked at me strangely.

"Why haven't you been talking lately?"

I used to have different topics to talk about with her every day.

Even though Sarah rarely paid attention to me.

I casually said，"My throat hasn't been feeling well lately， and I don't want to talk."

Sarah tutted in disgust， picked up the packed seafood porridge， and left.

She didn't come back until the day she got engaged to Jack.

I put the agreement from eight years ago， along with the divorce agreement， on the table.

Dragging my suitcase， I took one last look at the house where I had lived for eight years， and went straight to the airport without looking back.

Just before I got on the plane， Sarah suddenly called me.

I hung up without hesitation and threw the phone card into the trash can.

From today on， I will run toward my future with big strides.