Chapter 4

I averted my gaze as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion washed over me. "Henry, you're so childish. You can't compare to Yves in that regard."

The moment my words landed, Henry suddenly rushed over and shoved me hard. Caught off guard, I slammed into the doorframe, my vision going black from the pain.

His pupils contracted, and he took half a step forward when Rebecca let out a soft moan and wrapped her arms around his neck. Their kiss deepened as her hands slipped into his bathrobe.

Henry closed his eyes and didn't look at me again.

I tried to push myself up from the floor, but the wedding dress had tangled around my feet, making it hard to stand.

Rebecca pushed Henry onto the bed, then turned around and smiled at me. "Are you watching this? I'm going to start the lesson. If you don't learn from me, maybe your next husband will become mine too."

Henry opened his eyes, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Helena, you will never divorce me. After all, no man will be willing to accept a two-time divorcee like you."

Every word he said felt like a nail driven into my heart. I pressed a hand to my dizzy head and turned to leave, but the footsteps behind me quickened.

"Don't you dare walk away!" Henry threw Rebecca onto the bed, then strode over and grabbed my arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" His fingers dug into me. "Don't tell me you're going to meet Yves. Did you forget how he treated you? Did he even spare you a glance when you knelt in the rain, begging him to come back while he was with Rebecca?"

I was freezing, forcing down the tremble in my voice as I said, "What about you? Didn't you sleep with Rebecca too? Didn't you leave me out in the rain too? How are you any better than him?"

Henry stared at me, his eyes gradually turning red. He forced his words through gritted teeth. "I'm only doing this to get back at him. Looks like you still love Yves more than me!"

He suddenly grabbed the hem of my dress and tore it hard. I screamed and stumbled backward, but he grabbed me around the waist and threw me onto the bed. Henry loomed over me, his eyes glinting with madness. "How am I lesser than him?" His voice broke as he leaned over me.

I turned my head away, tears running down my cheeks and into my hair. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him, his eyes bloodshot. "Tell me."

I said nothing.

The light in his eyes gradually dimmed. "I found a donor heart for your dad. I initially wanted to give it to you as our wedding gift. But now…"

He took a step back, pulled Rebecca toward him, and wrapped an arm around her waist as he settled into the couch. "If you can stay in this room for one whole night, I'll give it to you."

He slipped his fingers beneath Rebecca's shirt and undid two buttons. His name—Henry—was tattooed across her chest, and it rose and fell every few seconds.

They were at it for a very long time, long enough for my nails to dig into my palms hard enough to break the skin.

When they finished, Henry stood up and lit a cigarette. Rebecca scooted close and traced circles on his chest. "What about the thing you promised me?"

He didn't say anything, glancing at me.

The flash suddenly went off. I instinctively raised a hand to cover my face. Half my wedding dress had been torn open, and a chill crawled up my spine.

"Don't cover your face. Weren't you pretty good at taking it just now?" Henry blew out a puff of smoke. "A bet's a bet. If you'd just say you don't love Yves anymore, I'd cherish you like the most precious thing in the world."

He paused. "Too bad. You've lost the bet."

Rebecca quickly posted the video online. "So many people have seen my photos. To be fair, you have to make the headlines too."

Henry flicked the ash from his cigarette, as if savoring the moment. "Don't worry, okay? I'll tell everyone that the photos were AI-generated. You're still my wife."

A hint of jealousy flashed across Rebecca's eyes. She put her arm through Henry's and asked him in a soft voice, "Are you really satisfied now? Should we do it again?"

Henry laughed. "You know me best."

I pushed myself up, but my legs were so weak I could barely stand. There was only one thought in my mind—I had to get out of this hell.

I didn't know how far I'd run before I suddenly felt a warm rush between my legs.

Henry's phone rang, but he turned it face down on the nightstand and rolled over to pull Rebecca into his arms. "Ignore her."

After a long while, the phone rang again. Henry picked up this time, looking completely satisfied. "Do you know your mistake now?"

A frantic voice came through the phone. "Are you Mr. Tate? Your wife is bleeding heavily. She is fighting for her life at the hospital. Please come as soon as you can to donate blood."

Henry froze. "Who?"

The call suddenly went dead, and he shot up in bed, unlocking his phone again. That was when Henry saw all the missed calls and messages from his mom, Emilia Vaughn.

"Henry, where are you? Helena had a miscarriage. Come to the hospital quickly."

He stared at the screen, his fingers frozen above it.