Chapter 2

I lay in the hospital for three days after the surgery, and during those three days, Faye didn't send a single message.

However, Soren constantly updated his whereabouts on his social media.

On the day I entered the hospital, he was holding hands with a woman, smiling sweetly. The caption read: "Ending my single life this year, no more bad romances please. My partner's possessiveness is off the charts!"

I instantly recognized Faye by the matching ring on the woman's ring finger.

Wearing the wedding ring I personally chose while fooling around with another man... A bitter smile crept onto my lips. What am I even to her?

I watched as she took Soren to high-end restaurants for candlelit dinners, to luxury tailors for custom-made suits. In the photos, Soren beamed radiantly, the new diamond ring on his hand sparkling brilliantly.

It was as if they were preparing for a wedding.

After viewing all nine pictures, I quietly hit the like button. Then Soren called, crying:

"Brother, I didn't mean it that way. Ms. Stratton was just acting with me. She said we had to go all out for the performance, so we..."

My tone was flat, "All out? You mean all the way to the bedroom?"

Soren seemed utterly wronged, sobbing, "Brother, how could you say such horrible things? I wouldn't be able to show my face if that got out. I know Ms. Stratton was a married woman, and had never dreamed of replacing your position.

"It's your body that's off-putting. I've heard some men, when properly trained, can be even more alluring to women. Asher, why are you so useless? I'm just trying to help take some worries off your hands, and now you're blaming me for it."

I caught my breath, but before I could speak, Faye's angry voice came through the phone.

"Asher, what are you up to now? Soren came here in good faith to apologize, and you made him cry? First the fake hospitalization, now you're picking fights on purpose. Can't you just rest for once?"

"How many times do I have to tell you, Soren is just my personal assistant? This time, he's only pretending to be my boyfriend to fend off unwanted romances back home. If you don't believe me, that's on you, but why do you keep giving Soren a hard time? I never realized you could be so petty."

Faye's voice oozed with impatience, but suddenly turned gentle when addressing the male secretary.

"Soren, don't waste your breath on him anymore. Don't cry, don't cry. How about I take you shopping?"

As I listened to the final notes before the call was cut off, my hollow heart felt like it had been shredded to pieces by scissors, bleeding with pain.

So, the woman who once claimed to love me to the bone, proclaiming it to the world, had changed long ago. I then reflected on the chat logs I scrolled through on her phone last month.

She claimed to be working overtime, but was actually unlocking new positions with Soren in the office.

When she said she had a last-minute meeting and couldn't accompany me to my hospital check-up, she was actually going eight rounds with him in a five-star hotel.

Soren asked her with a grin, "Babe, who makes you feel better - me or your husband?"

Faye replied with disgust, "Him? He can't compare to you. He used to be a model, but after getting married he turned into an ordinary guy - ugly and lazy like the rest. I have to take a deep breath every time I kiss him. How could he compare to you, all soft and sweet?"

As I flipped through page after page, my heart felt like the depths of winter.

A chill ran through my entire body, making me tremble.

I thought about confronting her, but the words got stuck in my throat.

When someone's heart has changed, anything I say is pointless.

This way, leaving will be much simpler.