Chapter 4

Over at Paramount Hospital, Carina stepped out of the ward looking exhausted. It had taken her a long time to calm Jonah down.

"Romina, Jonah's injuries are rather serious. He'll need to be hospitalized for a few days. Please take care of him…"

"Why would I take care of that piece of trash? He disgusts me."

"What did you say?" Carina stared at Romina in disbelief. "Did you just say Jonah is disgusting? Have you forgotten that he's our childhood friend? He finally came back from abroad this time just to see us. He even came to help at our company. How can you say that about him?"

"So you think he's more important than Allen, is that it?" Romina shot back.

Carina felt drained. What had she done wrong? In a single day, both Allen and Romina—two of the people closest to her—were taking turns accusing her.

"I don't have time to argue with you… Where's Allen? Did you two come to the hotel together just now?"

"How should I know?" Romina retorted. "He probably ran off because you pissed him off."

"Why, you… Oh, forget it. I'm too tired to bicker with you." Sighing, Carina pulled out her phone to get herself a cab home.

Romina was sorely disappointed by Carina's reaction.

She had seen everything Allen had done for their family over the years. When the debt collectors came to the door, he had chased them off with a bat in hand. If not for him, Romina would never have been able to focus on her SATs and getting into medical school.

The Simpsons were broke then. It was Allen who paid her college tuition. That was how she finished university and successfully entered Paramount Hospital.

Over the years, Allen had silently contributed and sacrificed everything for the family. Not only did he pay off the family's debts, but he also changed the family's fate, helping them achieve great success.

For the first three years of college, Romina ate at the cafeteria every meal, rotated between the same five outfits, bought all her study materials secondhand, and even applied for financial aid.

But during her fourth year, a Lamborghini had pulled up beneath her dorm building to pick her up. The news instantly went viral on the campus forum, and she'd been too scared to return to her dorm for a week.

Her dormmates had been stunned, thinking she was secretly a wealthy heiress who was just trying to experience the hardships of ordinary people for three years.

Romina knew that this huge change in her life was all credited to Allen. She could never repay that kindness.

So when Sophie fell ill and was hospitalized, Romina had taken on the responsibility of caring for her without hesitation. She tended to Sophie meticulously, just so Allen could be a little happier.

But now, Carina had infuriated Allen and driven him to the point of divorce just for the sake of some guy they'd played with as kids!

Even on the drive to the hospital, Carina had complained nonstop about how "innocent" her relationship with Jonah was and how Allen had a bad temper. It had nearly made Romina sick.

Who did Carina think gave her the life she was living now?

If not for Allen, Carina couldn't even have her own apartment, let alone a fancy villa! Did she think she could pay off the debt of a few million dollars herself?

Sure, for the massive Simpson Group now, a few million dollars was nothing. But for the Simpson family back then, it was like a prison that kept them locked up for their entire lives.

Carina wouldn't be able to live such a comfortable life if it hadn't been for Allen. Her charm would've long faded under the weight of life's hardships. Would Jonah even look at her then?

She didn't know a good man when she had one. What an ungrateful fool!

Thinking of what Allen had searched earlier, Romina felt as if a boulder were pressing down on her chest.

"If I were the one with Allen, I'd never let him feel hurt…" she mumbled to herself.

Three seconds later, she realized what she had just said, and her face flushed red instantly. What was she even thinking? Allen was her brother-in-law!

But… if her sister really drove Allen away, it wasn't impossible for her to be with Allen, right?

Carina and Romina were similar in both looks and figure. Romina was also five years younger than Carina.

"My ride's almost here. Stay at the hospital and take care of Jonah. I'm going back to talk to Allen. He went too far this time. I can't believe he actually hit someone!" Carina snapped.

"I'm too busy to take care of him," Romina retorted frostily.

"Huh? Aren't you already taking care of your brother-in-law's sister, Sophie, who's also at the hospital? Just split your attention in half and take care of Jonah, too," Carina instructed.

"Oh? So you do remember that Allen is my brother-in-law?" Romina remarked, her expression dark as she continued in a solemn tone. "Carina, can't you just focus on having a happy marriage with Allen?"

Carina was confused by Romina's sudden question.

"My relationship with him is none of your business, you brat," she reprimanded angrily before going around Romina and marching off.

"If you refuse to be good to Allen…" Romina watched Carina's retreating back, her gaze shadowed. "I don't mind taking him away from you."

…

About half an hour later, Carina arrived home. "Honey, it's so dark. Turn on the lights."

Nothing but silence answered her.

She fumbled along the wall for a moment before realizing she didn't even know where the switch was.

In the past, no matter how late she came home, she would always open the door to a brightly lit living room and see Allen smiling at her with a bowl of warm oatmeal he had prepared for her. He would wait on her attentively, feeding her the oatmeal and helping her wash up before getting ready for bed.

But today, all of what she used to have was gone.

Carina stomped her foot in anger. What gave Allen the right to be angry anyway? If he hadn't stuck his foot in, she would've boarded her flight once she came out of the shower and would've landed abroad by now.

But thanks to the scene he'd caused, she not only had to stay with Jonah until this late, but she even had to push back the important business trip.

If the board found out about this, they would start insinuating that she was bad at her job and only got to be the CEO because of her capable husband again.

But he was the one who'd dragged her down this time!

Yet, here he was, throwing a tantrum. How old was he anyway? Why was he acting like some petulant child?

"Let's get a divorce."

Carina sighed when she remembered what Allen had said earlier. She decided to just drop it and placate him a bit. Since he was so in love with her, there was no way he'd be willing to actually divorce her.

With that in mind, she washed up and opened the door to the master bedroom, only to find the bed empty.

"Where is he?"

Carina's heart lurched uneasily. No longer feeling sleepy, she began searching the entire villa for Allen. At last, she found him in the study.