Chapter 2

I wandered out of the Richardson family residence like a walking corpse.

After my mother's death, Lucas stayed with me day and night in the funeral hall, gradually helping me emerge from the grief of losing her. When I said I did not want children, he did not even blink before getting a vasectomy.

Despite all this, it seemed that our six years of marriage had been nothing but an elaborate charade that left me completely fooled!

What exactly did he take me for?

The successive mental blows made my vision blur, and I could barely see the road ahead. Sharp braking sounds pierced the air, and I suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar license plate.

I struggled to see clearly, but ultimately could not fight off the drowsiness and lost consciousness.

...

When I opened my eyes again, Lucas’ haggard face filled my vision. Seeing that I was awake, his eyes lit up with relief and joy.

He held me tightly in his arms, murmuring in a muffled voice, "I almost lost you."

My shoulder felt damp. This man who was always strategizing in the business world was actually crying, which moved my heart.

Perhaps everything I had heard before was just a nightmare?

That was why I did not refuse when he fed me soup. However, soon, a phone call completely shattered the final vestiges of my fantasy.

An unfamiliar number flashed on the screen as Lucas answered the phone.

"Mr. Richardson, Ms. Clarke woke up and didn't see you. She was crying and wanted to come find you, but now she's gone missing! Our people have already searched the entire facility, but we still haven't found her."

Lucas shot up from his seat, his face turning ashen. "There's something happening at the company. I need to go handle it."

He only gave me a perfunctory excuse, grabbed his coat from the hospital bed, and then rushed off to leave. At the same time, the coat knocked over the scalding hot soup, spilling it all over my hands.

The burning pain made me cry out involuntarily, but though his departing footsteps paused, he ultimately disappeared through the doorway.

The tender moments we had just shared seemed like nothing more than a foolish delusion. The physical pain could not compare to the pain in my heart, and I wearily closed my eyes.

"You've got blisters. Where's your family?" The nurse who came to change my dressing quickly helped me clean my hospital gown, and then applied medication.

I thanked them gratefully, then called my secretary, Anna Hanson.

"Help me prepare the paperwork for a legal name change. I want to completely change my identity."

The person on the other end was silent for a few seconds, then responded hesitantly, "Ms. Newman, changing your legal identity is a complex process that's very difficult to reverse. Are you sure about this?"

I laughed bitterly. "Of course I'm sure."

I was not just changing my name. I was going to completely reinvent myself so he could never find me.

Shortly after hanging up, Anna sent me a message. "The process will take about a week."

I did not reply. After changing into my own clothes, I went downstairs to discharge myself.

...

Just a few steps after settling the bill, I saw Lucas in the hospital garden. I was about to go over and ask him to take me home when I saw him suddenly open his arms.

Only then did I notice a girl in the distance, fluttering toward Lucas like a light butterfly and diving into his embrace. The smile on his face radiated a happiness I had never seen when he was with me.

Even though the force of their collision sent them both tumbling into the grass, he was not angry. Instead, he cupped Vivian's chin and began kissing her in the secluded corner.

"Lucas, I love you. Don't abandon me."

"I won't," Lucas said tenderly as he helped her up. "I'll always love you."

Vivian broke into a smile through her tears and threw her arms around him, her gaze seemingly sweeping over where I was hiding. "Then can you promise to love only me?"

His tightened embrace was her answer. "I promise I'll love only you."

My heart clenched painfully, and I trembled as I stepped back.

It was fine, I consoled myself. After this week was over, I would no longer have to see such disgusting scenes.