Chapter 3

4.

When I woke up again, the hospital room door opened.

Caleb walked in. He was Silas's best friend since childhood.

"Elena, how are you feeling?"

"Better. I'll be checking out soon," I said softly.

Caleb froze, looking troubled. "Elena, you know Silas is busy with the... with his bride these next few days."

He paused, realizing he'd said something wrong, and quickly corrected himself.

"You know Silas is in a bad state. Don't go making a scene. Just stay here and recover."

The word "bride" stung like a physical blow.

In their world, Aria was the only wife Silas ever recognized.

"I won't make a scene," I said, closing my eyes in exhaustion.

Caleb blurted out, "No way. You love Silas way too much to let this go..."

He immediately regretted it. "I mean, just stay here. I own this hospital. You can stay as long as you need."

He fled the room as if escaping a fire, leaving me there to smile bitterly at the empty air.

I loved Silas. I had loved him for eight long years.

Ever since I fell for him at eighteen, he was the only thing in my world.

Who knew fate would be so cruel as to actually let me marry him?

The joke was that I entered the chapel with a heart full of love.

He entered it only to satisfy his family's business interests and his elders' demands.

In five years of marriage, he was always lukewarm at best.

I used to tell myself he was just naturally cold and didn't know how to express feelings.

"Elena, let's get a divorce. Aria needs a title."

I will never forget the light in his eyes when he said those words. It was a passion he had never shown me.

I looked at the delicate woman in his arms.

For the first time, I felt hatred. And for the first time, I hated my own powerlessness.

I swallowed the pain and asked calmly, "When?"

"The sooner, the better."

In that moment, it felt like my soul had been scooped out.