Chapter 6

The moment the accident occurred, Sylvie instinctively moved forward to protect Joshua.

Hayden opened his drowsy eyes and saw what was happening. He crashed heavily against the car window, and the sharp glass cut his forehead.

He was in so much pain that his face crumpled up while his whole body trembled. Painful cries for help escaped his throat.

Blood streamed down, staining his eyes red, and his vision became increasingly blurry.

Before completely losing consciousness, he saw Sylvie lift Joshua.

The door opened and closed, and the two disappeared, leaving only the orange-yellow flames still jumping in his sight...

When he woke up again, Hayden found himself in the hospital. He took a deep breath, and his brain felt like it was being torn apart.

The nurse patted his chest, changing the bandages while lecturing, "You nearly bled to death and couldn't be saved. Your girlfriend was frantic and called every hospital in the city. She also donated a lot of blood to save your life."

Hayden was slightly stunned to hear this.

Just as he was lost in thought, Sylvie walked in. Her expression remained as deadpanned as ever, and her tone contained no hint of concern. "You're awake? Should I call for a doctor?"

Seeing her indifference, Hayden struggled to believe she was the same person the nurse had described.

His parched lips parted, his voice raspy. "The nurse said you donated a lot of blood to save me?"

A flicker of unease crossed Sylvie's eyes, though her voice remained cold. "If I hadn't, you'd be dead, wouldn't you? It was just a way to repay the money you've spent on me over the years. Don't read too much into it."

‘She did it just to repay me. No wonder.’

Hayden replied in acknowledgment, "In that case, we're even now. Let's wipe the slate clean."

The clear intent in his voice to draw a definitive line between them left Sylvie feeling inexplicably flustered.

Watching his frail state, she recalled the things he had said while drunk outside the bar, and her expression darkened.

"Wiping the slate clean? I saved your life, so that settles the debt I owed you. But what about all the suffering you've inflicted on me over these years? How do we settle that?"

Hayden found Sylvie increasingly difficult to understand.

On one hand, she had tried to escape their marriage to break free from his control. On the other, she began demanding a reckoning when he suggested an amicable parting.

He carefully retraced the events of the past four years, struggling to pinpoint any tangible harm he might have caused her beyond the initial proposal of the "kept woman" arrangement and the recurring blow to her self-esteem every time he gave her money.

Could it be that she held a grudge because he tore her and Joshua apart, forcing them to be separated?

After thinking it over, this was the only plausible reason he could come up with.

Just as he decided to make it clear that he intended to call off the wedding and set her free, Joshua walked in to apologize, aggrieved.

"Mr. Gillman, I'm sorry. It was my distraction behind the wheel that caused your accident. This has nothing to do with Sylvie. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

Sylvie, who had worn a stern expression a moment before, softened the instant she saw him. "It's not your fault. I'll take care of everything."

She then glanced back at Hayden, her tone shifting. "Joshua only got his driver's license a few months ago. I was the one who gave him the keys because I didn't want to drive under the influence. He's quite severely hurt too.

“If you feel any resentment, take it out on me. Don't pick on him."

Watching her protectiveness, Hayden remained silent for a long moment before he could not help but ask for clarification. "When have I ever picked on him?"