Chapter 3

When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed.

The smell of antiseptic filled my nostrils, and my head pounded heavily.

The moment I opened my eyes, I saw Everett holding a bowl of warm porridge, gently blowing on a spoonful before bringing it to my lips.

“You’re a grown woman, Rosa. How did you not even realize you had a high fever?”

His voice carried a scolding tone, but his eyes were brimming with genuine worry.

For a brief second, I felt disoriented. Maybe everything was just a nightmare, maybe there was no Kelsey Finch, and maybe I was still his one and only.

Right then, the door swung open, shattering my delusion.

A young woman walked in, her wavy chestnut hair resting loosely on her shoulders.

She held a massive bouquet of bright roses, and her smile bore an uncanny resemblance to how I looked back in college.

She stepped right up to my bed and set the flowers down with practiced ease.

I didn’t need an introduction to know she was Kelsey Finch.

Not just because of her familiar facial features, but because of the distinct, sweet scent of mangoes that even the heavy floral perfume couldn’t mask.

She beamed at me. “Hi, Miss Mercer. I’m Mr. Hayes’s new executive assistant. I heard you were sick, so I dropped by to check on you.”

Everett had always kept his professional life strictly clean, and his previous assistant had been a loyal man who worked with him for years.

I shifted my gaze deliberately to Everett. “I didn’t know you hired a new assistant.”

For the first time, I saw a fierce, menacing glare on Everett’s face, though it vanished the second he turned back to me.

“It was a recent change. I forgot to mention it.”

“So she was the one who hung up on me yesterday?” I pressed.

Everett clearly didn’t expect me to bring it up. Before he could make an excuse, Kelsey cut in proudly.

She crossed her arms with a smug grin. “Yes, I did. Mr. Hayes is extremely busy running the company. As his girlfriend, you should be considerate instead of interrupting his meetings.”

My voice remained calm. “Fiancée. And I don’t like roses anymore, so take them with you.”

Kelsey choked on her words and looked at Everett for support.

Everett shifted uncomfortably. “Rosa, she’s just an assistant. You don’t need to be so aggressive.”

I never thought I would hear the word “aggressive” come from Everett’s mouth, especially directed at me.

My breath hitched in my throat for a second.

Kelsey turned to Everett and chimed in softly. “Mr. Hayes, where I come from, we have a saying that eating canned fruit helps a fever go down faster.”

I hated canned fruit and had never heard of such nonsense, but Everett immediately got up to buy some.

He dragged Kelsey out with him without even glancing back at me.

I wondered what kind of canned fruit required two people to purchase together.

So, I silently followed them out.

Around the corner of the hallway, Everett suddenly spun around, his eyes dark with fury as his hand gripped Kelsey’s throat.

“What the hell are you trying to pull?”

Kelsey blinked up at him, tears welling in her eyes as she whimpered, “I missed you.”

A single tear fell onto Everett’s hand.

The rage in his eyes instantly morphed into raw lust, and he leaned in, crushing his lips against hers.

His large hands wandered boldly all over her body.

I stood in the dim corridor, watching the entire scene in silence.

Even though I had prepared myself, my heart still seized with a sharp, stabbing ache.