Chapter 4

Elliot's POV

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes again was the doctor's sympathetic expression.

"You've already had a tetanus shot, and we put in 17 stitches. You also have a mild concussion. The person who called the ambulance couldn't even tell us which floor you were on.

"If your neighbor hadn't come down to guide the paramedics, a delay of just a few more minutes could've left you with permanent complications."

For a long moment, I was in a daze, still recovering from the dizziness and shock.

When I finally picked up my phone, dozens of messages from Eva flooded the screen. There was no comfort or concern, only cold accusations.

"You went too far this time. Not only did you hurt Zach, but you also almost destroyed our seven years of hard work. The police have officially opened a case. Apologize to Zach in the company group chat, and I'll consider withdrawing the police report."

My fingers paused. Then, I opened the company group chat. Pinned to the top was an announcement already posted under my name.

"I, Elliot Young, sincerely apologize for trying to interfere in the relationship between Ms. Sinclair and Mr. Jones. I recognize that I'm no longer qualified to manage the company's overseas projects. As a gesture of goodwill, I recommend that Mr. Jones take over moving forward…"

The message had been posted two hours earlier, right when I was unconscious.

A second later, Zach tagged me in the chat, saying, "Elliot, since you've offered such a heartfelt apology, I'm willing to let this go. By the way, Ms. Sinclair covered the 300 dollars for your hospital bill. Don't forget to pay her back."

As if worried I might make trouble, Eva sent me a private message.

"Be good. It's only for appearances. Go along with Zach's PR plan, and I'll go with you to get married next week."

It felt as though a hole had opened in my chest, letting a cold draft in. My heart turned completely cold.

While I'd been unconscious, Eva had found time to write a public apology in my name and hand over the project I'd spent years building to Zach. Yet, she didn't have the time to direct the paramedics to me.

And to keep up appearances, she even expected me to reimburse the medical bill for my injury.

The last trace of warmth in my heart vanished. I closed my eyes, then transferred the money. I posted the transfer notice in the group chat.

"300 dollars—medical expenses."

The debt was settled. And so was our seven-year relationship.

I submitted my resignation. Then, I opened another conversation and typed, "Are you still there?"

Within seconds, I received a photo showing a new courthouse appointment slip, along with the reply, "I never left."

That morning, my appointment number was 103. The number on her slip was now 278. I didn't know how many hours she'd waited.

My eyes stung. I typed back immediately, "I'll be there soon."

After checking myself out of the hospital, I took a cab straight to the courthouse.

The moment the official seal came down on the certificate, everything between Eva and me ended. We officially had nothing to do with each other.

…

Third-Person POV

Meanwhile, Eva barely noticed Elliot's absence from work over the next few days. She simply assumed he was throwing a tantrum. But as the date she'd promised to marry him kept drawing closer, something felt off.

Normally, he would've sent dozens of messages, confirming every detail of their appointment. But this time, there was nothing.

Irritated, Eva opened their chat. The message she'd sent that morning remained unanswered.

"We'll get married tomorrow," it read.

For some reason, a faint sense of unease crept into her chest. Unable to shake it, she opened social media, trying to find any news about him.

That was when a post from a rival company caught her eye. Uploaded just a few minutes ago, the post read, "Congratulations to the newlyweds! Frost Group CEO, Emily Frost, is officially married and ready for the next chapter of her life."

Attached were photos of the marriage certificate and an elegant wedding invitation.

The wedding was to be held that night at 8:00 p.m. at the Garden Hotel. The bride was Emily Frost, while the groom was Elliot Young.