Chapter 2

2

"Hayes, do you think Chloe is hiding because she doesn't want to save me?" Seraphina asked.

She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Hayes gently rubbed her hair with an affectionate gaze.

"Don't be silly. It's just a little leukemia. Even if she doesn't do it, I'll search the whole country to find a match for you."

Seraphina pouted her lips slightly.

"But Chloe's marrow was perfect. My body didn't reject it at all."

"The doctors said they had never seen two people who were such a high match."

Hayes looked at the locked door with a determined expression.

"For you, I will find her even if I have to dig three feet into the ground!"

At that moment, my heart couldn't help but ache.

Looking at the two of them, memories from years ago flooded back.

Hayes and I were college sweethearts.

Back then, he was like the morning sun―warm, bright, and full of hope.

I was the one who fell first.

We started our lives together right after graduation.

I thought he was my savior and my entire world.

I helped him start his business and suffered through the hard times by his side.

He promised he would take care of me forever.

In the beginning, he truly did.

But dreams eventually crumble under the weight of reality.

During the early days of his startup, I often went with him to meet clients.

That was when I met Lucian, the heir to the massive Brightway Group.

Lucian was a spoiled rich kid who only worked to kill time.

From the moment he saw me, he followed me like a fly.

He even tried to touch me inappropriately while we were out drinking.

One night, Lucian tried to pull me into his lap while he was drunk.

Hayes didn't hesitate. He smashed a glass bottle over Lucian's head.

That one act changed everything.

We lost the contract with Brightway, and we had to give up all our savings to keep Hayes out of prison.

But the real price was much higher than just money.

That night, Hayes held me in his arms and apologized.

He promised me that once he became successful, no one would ever bully me again.

He kept half of that promise.

Once he became successful, no one else bullied me.

He was the only one who did.

I tried to stop the memories from coming.

I looked at his face―the face I hadn't seen in years, now colder and more ruthless.

The humid summer wind messed up his hair and deepened the frown on his face.

He looked like he was carrying a heavy burden.

He kept Seraphina in his arms, but his eyes were fixed on the tall weeds growing by the gate.

I supposedly "betrayed" Hayes during our second year of marriage.

At that time, I was about a month pregnant.

Neither of us knew it yet.

Hayes's business had finally started to take off and gained several investors.

Everything should have been stable, but suddenly, the company hit a wall.

Investors pulled out, and his products started having massive quality issues.

The bank revoked his loans and moved to seize his house, car, and factory.

During those days, Hayes couldn't eat or sleep.

To make matters worse, his mother was diagnosed with cancer and needed expensive treatment.

I used my connections to investigate the cause of his sudden downfall.

I discovered that the person sabotaging him was Lucian.

And then, Lucian came to me.

He told me he could make his family's firm invest in Hayes's company again.

He also offered to pay for Hayes's mother's medical bills.

I knew there was a catch.

The devil doesn't do charity work for free.

If he wasn't going to take a life, he was going to take something more important.

I asked him why he was doing this.

Lucian's face was filled with pure disdain.

"Because I can. There doesn't need to be a reason."

"I love watching people like you crawl while you're powerless to stop me."

"Besides, he broke my head open with a bottle. It's time he paid me back."

I didn't understand Lucian.

He had a hundred ways to ruin Hayes, but he chose to use me.

Years later, I still remember that scene clearly.

It was a dimly lit VIP room in a club.

Lucian had me sitting on his lap.

When Hayes walked in with a contract in his hand, he froze the moment he saw me.

His eyes were bloodshot as he whispered, "Why?"

I looked him in the eye and lied.

"You can't give me the life I want, Hayes. But Lucian can."

Lucian burst into a loud, mocking laugh.

He pinched my waist with his greasy hand.

I felt like my heart was being pierced by a thousand arrows.

But I forced myself to giggle and lean into him despite the humiliation.

"Hayes, look at the bright side. I get you the resources, and you sign the contract."

The light in Hayes's eyes died out, replaced by a deep, dark disappointment.

Yet, he still reached out his hand toward me.

"Chloe, come here! I don't need you to do this."

"The life you want... I'll work harder. I'll give it to you."

His voice was pleading, his expression so pathetic.

At that moment, I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"I don't have to sign the order today," he said. "Just come home with me."

This man, who was once so proud he'd smash a bottle over a billionaire's head, was now begging.

Lucian laughed even harder.

"See, Hayes? The woman you cherished is just like any other. I snapped my fingers, and she climbed into my bed."

"What was the point of hitting me back then? You lost anyway!"

Hayes ignored him and kept his eyes on me.

I wrapped my arms around Lucian's neck and smiled at Hayes.

"Come on, Hayes. Don't be so serious. Just take the deal."

I don't remember much of what happened after that.

I only remember him signing the contract with trembling hands.

He looked at me with eyes full of hate and said one thing.

"Chloe, for the rest of our lives, I will never let you go. We are done."

After that, he became obsessed with his career.

In just a few years, he turned his startup into a massive public company.

He became a titan of industry.

And I became the biggest stain on his perfect life.