Chapter 4

But just then, the door swung open.

Nicole stood in the doorway, still wearing the white coat stained with Conrad's blood.

"Andre, what have you been saying to the nurse?" she demanded.

She looked exhausted, but there was still irritation in her eyes.

"Conrad heard that you wanted a divorce, and he got so worked up that his heart nearly stopped.

"He needs plenty of rest right now. Can you stop upsetting him like this?"

I looked at her, and suddenly, the faint ache still lingering in my chest felt sharper than the pain of losing my leg.

Even now, the first thing she cared about wasn't how I was doing. It was whether Conrad would be upset because I wanted a divorce.

"Nicole," I began calmly. "I've already signed the divorce papers."

Nicole's expression changed.

"What did you say?"

"I said I wanted a divorce."

She strode to my bedside and snatched the documents off the nightstand. When she reached the final page, she frowned.

"Andre, what the hell are you doing?" she chided. "All I did was give Conrad the antivenom. Do you really have to be this dramatic?"

I glanced at her clenched fists and said quietly, "It's not about the antivenom. It's about finally realizing that to you, I'm worth less than his dream of dancing."

"Do you really have to put it like that?" Nicole shot back, her expression darkening. "Conrad's a dance instructor. If he loses his leg, his entire life is over."

"And what about me?"

I pointed to the empty space beneath the blanket.

"I lost a leg, and what? Am I just supposed to walk a little less now?"

"Andre, stop being ridiculous!" she snapped, slamming the divorce papers down on the table. "I'm not signing them."

I met her gaze and smiled.

"You don't have to. From now on, I'll let the court decide."

Anger flashed in Nicole's eyes.

"Where do you think you'll go without me? Your own family has already disowned you," she spat. "Without me backing you, you're nothing."

I lowered my gaze to the divorce papers.

Five years ago, I had given up my position as heir to the Garrett family just to marry her. Yet now, she was using that very same thing to threaten me.

What she didn't know was that Astrid was already on her way, and my family had never truly abandoned me.

"Nicole, you'll find out soon enough," I said, finally looking her in the eye for once. "You'll find out exactly who I am without you."

The moment the words left my mouth, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hospital room.

Then Astrid's cold voice rang out.

"Nicole, who gave you the right to lay a hand on my brother?"