Chapter 3

"Oh, Cody, you're such a sweet boy. Do you want to be my grandson?"

Before I even opened the door to the hospital room, I heard Leo's mother's voice.

Through the small window, I saw my son holding her hand. "Yes, Grandma," he said乖巧地. "I want to be your grandson. I really like Uncle Leo. I'm happy when I'm with him."

Leo's mother glanced at Cora. "Cora, dear, I'm so grateful to you for saving my life. If you ever want to be my daughter-in-law, my door is always open."

"Auntie..." Cora blushed.

Leo pulled her into his arms. "You know how I feel about you, Cora. If you'll have me, I'll give you the wedding of your dreams."

"Really?" Cora's eyes lit up.

It was a look I had never seen before.

In our five years of marriage, she spent most of her days shopping and having fun with her friends.

I worked myself to the bone, and when I came home, there was never even a hot meal waiting for me.

I remember one Valentine's Day, I came home with a bouquet of roses, only to find her having a candlelit dinner with Leo.

The roses fell from my hand. I demanded to know what was going on.

"Leo doesn't have a girlfriend," she said, her voice casual. "He wanted to celebrate Valentine's Day, so I kept him company. We're just friends. Don't be so dramatic."

Cody was there too. "It's true, Dad. Mommy and Uncle Leo didn't do anything."

And I believed them.

"Leo," Cora was saying now, in the hospital room, "I've never forgotten you either. I'll be with you. I'll ask Declan for a divorce."

My thoughts snapped back to the present.

Her voice was full of a soft affection I had never heard before. "But can you just wait a little longer? Declan has a big project at his company that's about to finish. It's a huge bonus. After we get the money, we can get married."

Her words shattered what was left of my heart.

I had never been anything but good to her.

When we got married, I didn't have much money, but I wanted to give her the wedding she deserved. I took out loans. I had a one-of-a-kind dress made for her. A ring that cost a fortune, shoes that were worth more than my car, a fleet of 33 luxury cars to bring her to the ceremony.

I was broke, but I gave her the best of everything.

She was the woman I loved, the woman I was going to spend my life with.

She was so moved. On our wedding day, she held my hand and said, "Declan, no one has ever treated me this well. I love you."

I couldn't understand it. How could she betray me like this?

That project… I had poured my heart and soul into it for two years. And now, just as it was about to pay off, she was planning to give the money to someone else.

In that moment, my heart stopped beating for her.

Watching them in that hospital room, so happy together, my hand fell away from the doorknob.

Our five-year marriage had been dead for a long time. I just hadn't seen it. I had been lying to myself, telling myself she couldn't possibly not love me.