Chapter 2

Winona's expression darkened, but her voice softened as she comforted Hendrick. "Don't worry. I'm here. He can't cause any real trouble."

When she turned to face me, her gaze grew cold and vicious. She snatched the divorce papers from the table and tore them to shreds in a few violent motions. "So are you planning to use a divorce to paint Henry as some homewrecker and destroy him completely? Is that it?"

Her hand shot up, aiming a slap straight at my face. Through gritted teeth, she spat, "You want a divorce? Over my dead body!"

I caught her wrist mid-swing and flung her hand away, letting out a scornful laugh. "How dare you raise your hand at me, Winona? You're quite something now, aren't you? Why don't you find out what your precious, innocent Hendrick gets up to when you're not around?"

I pulled out my phone and played a recording. Hendrick's smug, lecherous voice filled the room.

"She'd rather enjoy my fake junk that's been enhanced nine times over than ever touch your real thing even once…"

Hendrick's face went pale as he watched Winona's expression flicker between shock and uncertainty.

Then, he immediately clutched her arm tightly, his eyes reddening as he whispered, "Winnie, I… I only said those things because I'm so in love with you! I just wanted to boast a little! And look at him—he's so scheming! He even recorded our conversation! He must have been plotting against us all along!"

I nearly laughed out loud at his absurdity.

But to my astonishment, Winona actually seemed soothed by his words. When she lifted her gaze to me again, the disgust in her eyes was almost tangible. She clenched her jaw, each word deliberate and sharp. "What good exactly does it do you to go to such lengths to set him up, Jeffrey?"

I stared at her for a second before I broke out laughing. I was so thoroughly and utterly enraged that a genuinely helpless laugh escaped me.

I had always known Winona's love for Hendrick had no bottom. I just hadn't realized it had already twisted her this far beyond reason.

Strangely though, the realization brought me some sort of relief. Since this was the person she truly was, then I would just take it that the past few years of my life had all been wasted on someone unworthy.

When I looked at her again, my smile dripped with bitter mockery. "Winona, had I really wanted to ruin Hendrick, he would've been long dead by now. Even with you and the Grahm family shielding him, it wouldn't have changed a thing! This recording is simply evidence of your infidelity. All I want is a divorce—"

"Enough!" Winona roared, cutting me off. "Jeffrey, you've clearly lost your mind. You're just so jealous of Henry that you'll say anything against him, aren't you?"

Hendrick's smug expression returned in full force. He pointed straight at me. "Exactly! You're just some broke doctor! How dare you act so high and mighty? Winnie could snap her fingers and have you driven out of that hospital forever!"

My smile didn't waver in the least. "Is that so? Then have her try."

My apparent calmness seemed to provoke Winona further. She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Mr. Windham? It's Winona Grahm. Dr. Jeffrey Yard at your hospital has serious ethical violations. I don't want to see him working there anymore."

She ended the call and looked at me with a self-satisfied stare.

Sure enough, my phone buzzed moments later. It was a message from the hospital HR informing me of my immediate termination.

That was quickly followed by an official announcement in the hospital's group chat. Not only had I been fired, but the security guards who had helped me escort Hendrick out were also facing consequences.

For the first time, I truly saw just how utterly and incomprehensibly unreasonable the woman I once loved was.

When I looked at her again, she was wearing a cold smirk. "Jeffrey, get on your knees and apologize to Henry right now. Maybe if I'm feeling generous, I'll let you keep your job."

In that moment, whatever was left of my heart died completely.