Chapter 3

03

I woke up in a hospital bed.

My wrist was wrapped in thick, white bandages.

I stared at the wound.

The skin would heal, but the scars on my soul never would.

The nurse informed the family I was awake.

Everett rushed in, followed by Noah and Lydia.

He tried to pull me into his arms.

His voice was thick with lingering fear.

"Vivian, why didn't you just apologize? You almost died in there!"

I pushed him away with whatever strength I had left.

The scent of Lydia's rose perfume on his clothes made me sick.

"I did apologize. Lydia wouldn't let me out."

Everett looked between me and Lydia, his eyes narrowing.

Lydia's tears began to flow instantly.

"Mrs. Sterling, I know you hate me, but how can you lie like this? I endured your insults and your hatred, but why would you frame me?"

She looked so fragile that Everett and Noah immediately rushed to comfort her.

Everett looked at me with pure exhaustion and annoyance.

"Vivian, when are you going to stop with these cheap tricks? Why can't you just accept them?"

I wasn't the one who couldn't accept them.

Everett was the one whose heart was so full of them that there was no room for me.

"Don't think hurting yourself will stop me from claiming Noah. The party is tomorrow, and we are going."

He put his arms around Lydia and Noah.

A perfect family man with his wife and child.

I, the legal wife he once swore to love, was just a monster in the way.

I let out a raspy, broken laugh.

Everett took that as my silent agreement.

"Make sure you're ready for the party tomorrow."

I watched them leave the room without saying a word.

The second the door closed, I picked up my phone and booked a one-way flight for tomorrow night.

I discharged myself from the hospital that evening.

Before I even entered the penthouse, I heard laughter coming from inside.

The scene I had dreamed of for years was finally happening―but I wasn't part of it.

Noah was sitting on Everett's lap, and Lydia was smiling, feeding him spoonfuls of dinner.

My entrance was like a cold wind that ruined their perfect moment.

I walked straight to the guest room, only to find my things scattered everywhere.

My dresses were covered in muddy footprints.

There was a yellow stain of urine on the bed.

I picked up the only clean corner of the sheet and walked back into the living room.

Noah looked at me with a look of pure provocation.

Everett looked down and frowned.

"Noah, why did you do that to Auntie Vivian's bed?"

Lydia gave him a soft tap on his bottom.

"Noah, apologize to Auntie Vivian right now!"

Noah apologized with a smirk, his eyes showing zero remorse.

Everett just shrugged. "Don't do it again, buddy."

He was a doting father to this boy, while he had forced me to give up seven lives.

The irony was sickening.

I didn't argue. I simply walked over to Noah's favorite toy on the table.

I threw it onto the floor and crushed it under my heel.

Noah broke into a wail, and Lydia scrambled to comfort him.

Everett's brow furrowed deeply as he lit a cigarette.

"Vivian, you really don't learn, do you? Who gave you the right to treat him like that?"

He stormed over and grabbed me by the throat, pinning me against the wall.

He squeezed so hard I thought my neck would snap.

My breathing became shallow and jagged, but I didn't beg.

I just looked into his eyes with absolute deadness.

As he stared at me, I managed to choke out a few words.

"Everett… you're just… like my father."

He recoiled as if he had been burned, his grip loosening instantly.

His pupils dilated in shock.

I slumped against the wall, gasping for air, but I didn't look at him again.

I just sat there, tears streaming down my face, laughing like a madwoman.

That night, I was forced to sleep on the sofa.

In the middle of the night, I woke up to find Everett's hands all over me.

His eyes were dark with a hunger I knew all too well.

He tried to kiss me, but I slapped him across the face.

"Don't touch me," I said, my voice cold. "You're disgusting."

Everett let out a harsh laugh.

"Vivian, do you really think you're the only woman I have? One word from me, and plenty of girls would throw themselves at me."

To prove his point, he didn't even try to hide it.

Suddenly, Lydia's loud, exaggerated moans echoed from the master bedroom.

"Oh, Everett… be gentle… don't wake Noah…"

The sounds of their passion filled the apartment for half the night.

But for the first time in seven years, my heart didn't ache at all.