Chapter 3

Naturally, my problems no longer mattered to her.

Maybe it was for the best. Elena had been so heartless, and there was nothing left for me to hold on to.

At the same time, I was glad that I could leave her without hesitation.

My old injury was in bad shape, and I needed surgery.

While waiting to be called into the operating room, I scrolled through my phone to pass the time.

That was when I came across Ivan's latest Instagram post.

The caption read, "Broke my leg slipping in the rain. Thanks to Ms. Coleman, I'm recovering well!"

In the photo, Ivan grinned and flashed a peace sign while Elena stood behind him, smiling at him.

There was so much love in the way she looked at him.

I had seen that look before, as Elena used to look at me the same way.

But now, she was looking at someone else like that, and it made me sick.

I quietly put my phone away and went into the operating room alone.

The surgery went more smoothly than I had expected, but it hurt a lot.

As the cold surgical instruments entered my body, I told myself this would be the last time I would ever get hurt because of Elena, and that I would make her pay a hundred times over for the pain I had endured today.

After surgery, I was resting in bed when a call from an unknown number interrupted my peace.

It was Elena.

She just wouldn't leave me alone. How revolting.

"Are you still mad at me? Is that why you blocked my number?"

She sighed, her voice full of affection, as if I was a kid making a fuss.

"Come on, don't be mad. I'll bring you something delicious when I get home tonight."

I had no idea what was going through Elena's mind.

What made her think she could make up for cheating on me with a single meal?

In her eyes, it was probably no big deal, and I should just be the bigger person and forgive her.

"Ms. Coleman, stop chatting and come eat!"

Ivan's voice came through the phone again.

Those two were so lovey-dovey that they were practically joined at the hip.

"Where are you?"

Perhaps my tone had been too cold, because Elena suddenly stammered.

"I-I'm at Ivan's place."

Then, as if afraid I would get the wrong idea, she quickly added, "Don't overthink it. He just wanted to thank me."

I was so exhausted after surgery that I barely had the strength to keep questioning her.

I simply listened in silence, wondering what other excuses she could come up with.

When I didn't respond, she grew anxious.

"Julian, there's really nothing going on between us. Don't get the wrong idea. He just wanted to cook something for me to thank me for taking care of him. Please, don't—"

Ivan's cheerful voice interrupted her explanation. "What are you doing, Ms. Coleman? Come on, hurry up!"

Elena lowered her voice and quickly added, “I have to go. Wait for me at home, okay?”

Then she hung up.

I let out a bitter laugh.

Elena had been so busy explaining herself that she hadn't noticed how weak I sounded.

She was asking me to wait for her at home again, but she and I no longer had a home together.

No one would wait for her forever.

After hanging up, I called my lawyer.

"She has already signed the papers. Yes, the agreement clearly states that she'll walk away with nothing."

"Please take care of everything over the next few days and sell the house we're living in now. I'm disgusted by it."

"Yes, don't leave her with anything.”

After ending the call with my lawyer, I wanted to burst out laughing.

But I was afraid of hurting my wound, so I only chuckled a couple of times.

I wasn't the kind of person who would let people walk all over me.

After everything Elena had put me through, I was going to make sure she learned her lesson too.

I wondered if Elena still remembered her promise.

Before we got married, I had warned her, "Don't even think about cheating on me. I'll know immediately if you ever do."

Back then, Elena had looked at me affectionately and teased me. "Really? You have superpowers now?"

I really did have some special powers, but she just didn't know it.

I had never told her that I could read minds.

"Anyway, I'm making this clear right now. If you ever cheat on me, I'll make sure you walk away from this marriage with nothing."

Elena had burst out laughing before giving me a salute.

"Yes, sir!"

Back then, we had thought it was nothing more than a joke.

After all, we both knew that Elena only had eyes for me back when she was twenty-five.

I never thought my words would come true, but they did.

I didn't care what Elena thought anymore or whether she still remembered our promise.

I was going to take back everything that was mine!