Chapter 2

William glanced at the message, then looked at Charlotte.

When she didn’t react, he quickly typed a reply and turned off his phone screen.

He seemed distracted. “Go to sleep,” he said quietly.

Charlotte couldn’t. She lay there with her eyes closed, her mind filled with the image of William holding his son in one arm and his first love in the other, smiling like a perfect family.

Anger told her to grab his phone and confront him right then and there.

Reason reminded her that Julia had just undergone heart surgery and was still in the hospital. This wasn’t the time to start a divorce.

At three in the morning, William’s phone lit up again.

Ten minutes later, he left the house.

When Charlotte heard the car engine start in the driveway, she slowly opened her eyes.

One text message, and he was willing to rush out in the middle of the night. That was the power his first love had over him.

Charlotte wanted to break down and scream, but she didn’t have an ounce of strength left in her body. Other than breathing, she didn’t even have the energy to speak.

*

The next morning, she forced herself to get up and bring breakfast to her parents at the hospital.

Her pale face startled them both.

Julia lay weakly on the bed, still connected to IV tubes. “Charlotte, what’s wrong, sweetheart?” she asked softly.

Charlotte quickly forced a smile. “I’m fine, Mom. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

Frank peeled half an apple and handed it to her. “The doctor just came by,” he said gently. “Your mom’s recovery is going well. No complications. If everything stays stable, she’ll be discharged in a week.”

Hearing that, Charlotte finally let out a breath of relief.

After helping Julia finish breakfast, she stopped by Julia’s doctor’s office to discuss the next steps.

On her way back past the payment counter, she unexpectedly ran into William.

Even in a crowd, his tall frame and sharp, handsome features stood out. That cool, commanding presence made it impossible not to notice him.

Their eyes met. William frowned slightly, then started walking toward her.

Charlotte noticed the stack of receipts in his hand but said nothing.

It was Wednesday morning, around nine. At this hour, he should have been in a board meeting at Harris Corporation’s headquarters.

Seeing him here, she could easily guess why.

She wanted to ask, but she didn’t dare.

She was afraid she would lose control and start yelling like a madwoman.

She was afraid her parents might see.

And most of all, she was afraid she would break down before anything was solved.

Holding back the pain tearing through her chest, she stood still and waited.

She didn’t speak. Neither did he.

When William finally stepped closer, he reached out to take the document from her hand.

At that moment, his phone rang again.

He pulled his hand back and glanced at the screen.

“I need to take this call. You go ahead,” he said, turning away.

He walked quickly toward the elevator, lowering his voice as he answered. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Be good, okay?”

That gentle, coaxing tone felt like a knife to Charlotte’s heart.

She couldn’t hold it in any longer. She rushed into the bathroom and broke down, sobbing until she could barely breathe.

So he could be patient. He could be gentle. He could comfort someone with that soft voice.

She had known William for twenty-five years, yet he had never once spoken to her that way.

It took a long time for Charlotte to calm down enough to leave the bathroom. She touched up her makeup and returned to Julia’s hospital room.

Julia immediately noticed something was wrong. She quietly sent Frank out of the room, then reached for Charlotte’s hand.

When Charlotte stepped closer, Julia asked weakly, “Charlotte, did you have a fight with William?”

Charlotte lowered her eyes and shook her head. “No, Mom. We’re fine.”

As soon as she spoke, Frank came back in with William.

Julia smiled when she saw him. “William, you’re always so busy. You don’t have to come all the way here.”

William set down the bag of supplements in his hand. “Mom, I arranged for a top cardiologist to do a full checkup once you’re discharged.”

Frank’s eyes filled with pride as he looked at William. “You always think of everything. We’ve really been lucky to have you all these years.”

William stepped closer to the bed, his gaze briefly falling on Charlotte’s red, swollen eyes. “Dad, we’re family. Please don’t say things like that.”

Charlotte stood up to give him her seat, but he pressed her back down gently. “It’s fine. I’ll stand.”

She sat on the edge of the bed, watching him chat easily with her parents. The warmth of the scene made her look away.

Three years ago, the York family had gone bankrupt and fallen deep into debt.

William had faced immense public pressure yet still stepped in to help. He cleared their debts, arranged care for her parents, sent her younger brother, Caleb York, to an elite school, and fulfilled the marriage agreement by marrying her.

Back then, she had foolishly believed that maybe he felt something for her.

One evening after their wedding, Charlotte had accidentally overheard William speaking with his father, Steven Harris. That was when she finally understood that William had married her for practical reasons, not love.

William had told Steven that in business, character and integrity were everything. He said that by helping the struggling York family, he could gain both reputation and profit.

He had a sharp eye for opportunity.

After they got married, his integrity became the best advertisement for the Harris Corporation.

It was also then that she realized he had never let go of the woman he truly loved.

He had married her only as a second choice, out of necessity and compromise.

So the moment his first love returned to the country, he couldn’t wait to reunite with her. He was overjoyed that she had given him a son and completely forgot that he still had a wife waiting at home.

Charlotte’s face turned truly pale. Julia felt sorry for her and told William to take her home to rest.

They left the room in silence. Neither of them said a word as they walked toward the elevator.

When they reached the doors, William caught her wrist. “You don’t look well. Did you not sleep last night?”

Charlotte gave a faint, bitter smile.

He had missed their third anniversary because he was with his first love and their child.

Now, seeing her pale and exhausted, he simply assumed she hadn’t slept enough.

That was when she finally understood what love and indifference looked like, revealed in the smallest details. She had only been fooling herself.

Keeping her expression neutral, Charlotte pulled her hand away. “Go back to work. I’ll take a walk.”

When the elevator doors opened, she turned toward the one on the opposite side.

William caught her arm and pulled her into the elevator with him. “I made a reservation for tonight,” he said. “It’s at your favorite restaurant.”

Charlotte gave a quiet “okay,” but there was no trace of interest in her voice.

As more people entered the elevator, William pulled her a little closer, his arm resting loosely around her shoulders. He looked down at her small, silent figure and frowned.

From the moment he met her, she had always been lively and persistent. She used to find every reason to be near him, calling his name with a bright smile and never giving him a moment’s peace.

Now she stood quietly in his arms, like a puppet whose soul had been taken away.

When the elevator doors opened again, Charlotte stepped out and refused his offer to drive her home.

After they parted, she went straight to a law firm.

She paid two hundred dollars an hour to have an attorney draft a divorce agreement.