Chapter 3

3.

I was woken up by Zale.

"Quinn? Why are you sleeping on the couch?"

I opened my eyes and saw him standing over me.

His expression was as gentle as it had always been.

"Why didn't you come home last night?" I asked, my voice raspy.

"There was a crisis at the office. I worked late and crashed there."

He picked me up and placed me gently on the bed.

"I forgot to say goodnight. I'm sorry, honey."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead.

My heart trembled violently.

That was our promise. No matter where we were, we always said goodnight.

He had never forgotten until last night.

But the bright lipstick stain on his collar told a different story.

The scent of a strange perfume lingered on him.

It was a cruel reminder that he had changed.

I remembered telling Janet that the media was just making things up.

I had been so sure that Zale only had eyes for me.

Looking back, I was so incredibly foolish.

"Zale, let's get a divorce."

the smile on his face froze. "Quinn, what nonsense are you talking about?"

I played the recording of his conversation from the night before.

"Quinn is old and can't even have kids... if she leaves me, who else would want her?"

He was silent for a moment. Then his tone turned cold.

"Was I wrong?"

He admitted it without any remorse.

I felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion.

"Zale, do you even hear yourself?"

"Quinn, I just wanted some excitement. Men get bored sometimes."

"But you're still the one I love. If you just pretend you don't know, you'll still be Mrs. Sterling."

"We can go back to how things were."

"You want me to act like nothing happened? Who do you think I am?"

His face darkened. "Quinn, don't be ungrateful!"

"You lost your ability to have kids because of my brother. I'm the only one willing to keep you."

"Do you really think anyone else wants a broken, old woman?"

The disgust in his eyes pierced my soul.

My original target had been Xavier Sterling, Zale's older brother.

I had taken a knife for him, which caused my permanent injury.

Back then, Zale had held my hand with tears in his eyes.

He begged me to marry him and promised he would never care about the injury.

"Quinn, you're certain I won't leave you?" I asked him back then.

He gave a disdainful smirk. "Where would you go? Back to your original world?"

Once a mission is successful, the target receives a notification.

Zale knew exactly why I had approached him.

I thought I was just finishing a job, but I had softened.

When he begged me to stay years ago, I chose to remain in this world for him.

The metallic taste returned to my throat, and I forced myself to swallow it.

I saw his phone light up on the nightstand.

The lock screen was a photo of him and Chloe.

A message popped up: "Hubby, I'm so scared. A stalker is following me, what do I do?"

Zale stood up instantly. "Quinn, I have to go. Just rest."

I grabbed his sleeve, my hand shaking. "Zale..."

Blood began to trickle from the corner of my mouth.

He didn't even look back.

"Quinn, stop it. I don't have time for your little dramas right now."

I looked at the empty doorway and laughed at myself.

Zale, I'm really going to leave you this time.