Chapter 2

2.

Near dawn, a heavy pair of arms wrapped around my waist, bringing with them a suffocating stench of alcohol.

Gavin buried his face into the crook of my neck, his voice tender and dripping with manufactured affection.

“Babe, are you still upset? Why did you hang up earlier? I tried calling back, but you didn’t answer.”

The cloying scent of cheap women’s perfume radiating from him made my stomach churn with disgust.

Turning my head slightly, I caught sight of the dark red marks scattered across his collarbone, and nausea threatened to overwhelm me.

I shoved him away with all my strength, shifting toward the far edge of the bed and turning my back to him in silence.

Gavin blinked in surprise for a second before sitting up with a frown, letting out an annoyed sigh as he reached for me again.

“Come on, don’t be mad anymore, okay? There were so many business partners there. If I didn’t play along with the dare, I would have lost face.”

A cold, mocking sneer slipped past my lips as I turned to stare at him.

“You know the real reason better than anyone.”

Seeing me dodge his touch again, his patience instantly snapped, and he swung his legs off the mattress.

A moment later, he tossed a tube of ointment onto the sheets, his expression darkening into a scowl.

“Aren’t you just sulking because of the fire at the plaza? I specifically bought you imported burn cream, so stop throwing a tantrum.”

“Besides, you can’t blame anyone else for that. Who knew you’d be stupid enough to fall for an obvious line like that?”

I gripped the bedsheets until my knuckles turned white, glaring at him through tear-filled eyes while choking back my sobs.

“Gavin Yates! I charged into that blazing building because I thought your life was in danger!”

He crossed his arms and clicked his tongue in annoyance, but noticing my genuine fury, he forced a shallow, dismissive grin.

“Fine, fine, it’s all my fault. I’ll rub the cream on you, happy now?”

Without waiting for my reply, he walked back over, squeezed out a dollop of ointment, and pulled up the hem of my shirt.

The moment his eyes landed on the massive, jagged burn scars spanning across my back, his hands froze completely.

In the heavy silence that followed, I saw raw, undisguised revulsion flash across his face.

He tossed the tube down by my feet and stepped back, his voice turning icy and detached.

“Rub it in yourself. I bought the medicine, so I don’t owe you anything anymore.”

He turned and strode out of the bedroom, as though fleeing from something utterly repulsive.

My entire body trembled uncontrollably, a suffocating ache squeezing my heart until I could barely breathe.

Catching sight of the faint, dime-sized burn mark on the back of my hand, I finally broke down into loud, desperate sobs.

Even Gavin had forgotten that years ago, I accidentally burned my hand while cooking dinner for him.

It was just a tiny mark, yet he held me tight and wept for hours in guilt.

He bought stacks of expensive scar treatments, apologizing over and over, blaming himself for failing to protect me.

He called every specialist in town just to ask how to erase that small blemish from my skin.

From that day on, Gavin banned me from ever stepping into the kitchen again.

He insisted on doing every single chore himself.

He said he never wanted to see me get hurt again because it broke his heart.

Yet now, when my entire back was permanently scarred from trying to rescue him from a fire, he looked at me with nothing but utter disgust.

After that morning, Gavin didn’t come home, nor did he show up at his company.

I called his assistant twice, but both times the man stammered nervously, claiming Mr. Yates was tied up with urgent matters.

As for what he was actually busy with, Rhea’s social media feed provided all the answers.

Gavin had taken her to an exclusive rooftop to watch a private drone fireworks display.

He took her skydiving, his arms wrapped securely around her waist as he planted a passionate kiss on her forehead thousands of feet in the air.

Every single one of those experiences was a promise he had once made to me.

Now, every single vow was being fulfilled on Rhea Larson instead.

Seeing the deep tenderness in his eyes on her posts reminded me of the day Rhea first joined his firm.

Back then, Gavin lost his temper at her constantly during meetings.

Once, he even threw her files onto the floor in front of the entire staff and ordered her to pack her desk and get out.

It was me who took pity on Rhea because she was a fresh graduate from a struggling family, convincing her to stay.

I comforted her, telling her that Gavin wasn't as heartless as he seemed.

After I persuaded her to stay, Rhea began asking me all about Gavin’s habits, favorite foods, and personal preferences.

She claimed she wanted to take notes so she would never upset him again.

I held nothing back, sharing every detail in the hope of making her work life a little easier.

I even put in good words for her in front of Gavin, asking him to treat her more gently.

I let out a self-deprecating laugh in the empty room.

My boundless goodwill had done nothing but pave the path for them to crawl into bed together.

My attorney sent over the completed electronic divorce agreement. After thanking him, I signed my name and forwarded the document to Gavin’s private email.

I attached only four cold words:

[Sign and divorce.]