Chapter 3

"Yeah, Ms. Whitman just got a tiny scrape, and the whole hospital's top doctors swarmed to check on her. Isn't that a bit much?"

"Definitely! This morning, she said she wanted pastries from that famous pastry shop, and Mr. Tanner drove there himself—just like that. You know how hard it is to get anything from that place."

"Ugh… poor Mrs. Tanner. If she hadn't been lucky, she would've died in that fire. Mr. Tanner used to be crazy about her, but the moment something happened, it's like she didn't even exist anymore. What a shame."

Their voices faded down the hallway.

I let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

I had been waiting—waiting for Aaron to come see me. To tell me in person that he'd fallen in love with someone else. To tell me he wanted a divorce. Or maybe just to give me a reason.

A reason for why the man who once made vows to love me forever had drifted away… and how he ended up entangled with Grace.

But I never imagined that instead of explanations, he would simply forget about me entirely—out shopping for pastries for his beloved Grace.

So be it.

If someone had to let go, it might as well be me.

I called for Quentin. "Draw up a detailed divorce agreement," I said. "Tell Aaron I want a divorce."

His eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded. "Understood."

Not long after, I got a call from one of Aaron's assistants.

He greeted me politely, then relayed the message.

"Mrs. Tanner, Mr. Tanner asked me to explain—Grace is the daughter of a major client. He's fulfilling an obligation. Naturally, company interests must come first. He hopes you won't overreact about him helping her, and… he'd prefer you didn't mention divorce.

"Yesterday, he had intended to talk to you directly, but you weren't in the office, so he had to prioritize other matters.

"Today, he's tied up with other important negotiations, so he's asked you to continue overseeing operations. Once everything settles, he'll come to apologize in person."

I hung up the phone and laughed, half in disbelief.

He didn't even know I'd been injured.

He had no idea that I was in the hospital, that I'd barely made it through emergency surgery.

Worse, he thought I was just being petty. That I was playing some jealous wife card just to get his attention.

It was so absurd, I couldn't even speak.

And yet, even in the absurdity, my heart couldn't stop aching. The tears came without warning.

This time, I was done.

The doctor had warned me that if I didn't rest and recover properly, I might face long-term damage—or worse.

And I wanted to live. I still wanted a life.

Thankfully, I had an old family remedy—a rare herb passed down through generations, known for its restorative power.

Just as I began to feel a flicker of hope, Aaron's assistant showed up again. This time, his eyes fell on the bundle of herbs in my hand.

"Mrs. Tanner… I'm really in a difficult position. Mr. Tanner said… whatever Grace wants, she gets. She's not in good health and wants the herb to strengthen her body."

Grace had become so important to him.

I had nearly lost my life. I was still hanging by a thread. But none of that mattered to him. He wanted to take what I needed—to hand it over to Grace, like it was nothing.

With all his resources, he could have anything. Anything but this. And yet he still wanted to take it from me.

I looked at the assistant, my voice cold. "I need it to recover. If he wants it, let him come get it himself."

The assistant gave a nod and left quietly.

Moments later, Grace pushed open the door to my hospital room.

She wore a loose hospital gown that made her look delicate and fragile. Pitiful, even.

But her words were anything but gentle. "Audrey, Mr. Tanner told me to come. Hand it over. I need it to recover."

I stared at her.

"This is mine. Why should I give it to you?"