Chapter 2

It was as if I had caught her red-handed in her obvious favoritism and double standards. Out of fear that I would make a scene or give people a reason to gossip, she reluctantly agreed to make an exception for me. However…

“I don’t need it anymore.” I looked at Stella and said, my voice flat, “You should save it for those you truly care about.”

Ignoring her ugly expression, I hailed a cab and went home myself.

On the way back, I stopped by the real estate agency and canceled the lease on the house Stella and I were renting. We had originally planned to purchase the house on our fifth anniversary.

“Mr. Collins, are you truly sure you want to give up on this property?” the agent asked. “You risked your life to secure it…”

I stared at the bright, exquisite architectural model on display.

The house was located right in the center of the neighborhood, with great wind and incredible sunlight. It had the best layout and view in the entire area, and most importantly, it was right next to Stella’s hospital.

Back then, the homeowner refused to let go of the property, so I set up a dinner meeting specifically to negotiate the terms. Throughout the meal, I kept pouring and downing drinks. It wasn’t until I drank myself into alcohol poisoning with that final glass that the homeowner finally nodded in agreement.

That night, I called Stella over ten times, but none went through. When she finally called back, she claimed she was tied up with a surgery and told me to get to the hospital on my own.

I endured the agonizing pain and didn’t think too much of it at the time. It wasn’t until later, when I scrolled through Eric’s Instagram feed, that I found out the truth.

She didn’t have any surgery that night at all. Instead, she spent the entire evening accompanying Eric in the lab, helping him with organizing specimens.

What stunned me even more was learning that behind my back, she had secretly lent all our savings—money we had saved over five years to buy a house—to Eric, claiming it was for his mother’s medical treatment.

The day I found out, I lost it and got into a huge fight with her. For the very first time, in a fit of rage, I brought up breaking up.

Stella panicked and explained to me with eyes full of earnest urgency. “Eric lost his father at a young age, and his mother is all he has. As his mentor, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.”

She also assured me repeatedly, “He’ll pay us back, and it definitely won’t interfere with our plans to buy a house.”

She spent the entire night reassuring me. Over and over, she kissed my hand, humbly begging me not to give up on our five-year relationship so easily. At that time, my heart softened, and I chose to give her another chance.

Snapping back to reality, I nodded firmly. “Yeah, cancel it. You can keep the deposit as compensation for breach of contract.”

Upon returning home alone, I pulled out the first-aid kit to treat my own wound.

Just then, Stella walked in. Instead of standing at the entryway waiting for me to take her coat and her bag like she used to, she walked straight to the bathroom to wash her hands, then approached me and snatched the antiseptic cotton pad right out of my hand.

Her movements were hasty, yet her assertiveness left no room for refusal. It reminded me of when I gave up my full-time job as a journalist in my city and followed her to this city.

Back then, she had only had eyes for me. Twenty-four hours a day, she showered me with warmth and care. Whenever my injuries flared up, she would always crouch down in front of me.

While carefully applying antiseptic to my wound, she lectured me gently. “How can you be so careless? You know you’re injured, yet you still don’t take care of yourself. If you keep this up, I’m really going to get mad! Does it hurt?”

Stella checked out my wound before speaking up in a hurry. “Eric is an intern assigned to me. Nothing is going on between us.

“Besides, our department is currently in a critical phase for promotion. Everyone in the hospital has their eyes on my position. I can’t have people gossiping about me combining my personal life with work.”

The last time I braved a downpour to deliver urgent documents to her, I ended up drenched to the bone, causing my condition to flare up. When the pain became unbearable, I gave her name and was brought into the emergency room.

Instead, she reprimanded me harshly. “Can’t you follow the rules for once? This is a hospital, not a place for you to ask for special favors or pull strings! Abusing my identity to cut in line is a waste of medical resources. What about the other patients waiting in line?”

To keep from putting her in a difficult position, I endured the pain and waited for two full hours. In the end, my condition flared up so badly that I nearly went into shock.

Yet that very night, I saw her supporting Eric, who only had a mild cold, as she sent him to the emergency room. Unable to contain myself any longer, I dragged my IV bag along and confronted her.

She used the same excuse back then, too.

“Eric is just my intern. My care for him is strictly professional. Daniel, you’re the only one who has my heart. Can you stop making a mountain out of a molehill?”

“Here you go!”

Stella pulled a black gift bag out of her purse and tossed it in front of me.

“It’s Bally. Didn’t you used to love this brand? Consider this making up for what happened earlier.”

Her tone was perfunctory, as if she were brushing off a child throwing a tantrum.

If this had happened in the past, seeing the Bally belt would have instantly defused my anger. I might have even foolishly believed that, deep down, she still cared about me.

I would have believed all her excuses about keeping work and personal life separate. I would have believed that her care for Eric was strictly professional. Yet now, I found it ironic.

Just half an hour ago, I had scrolled past Eric’s Instagram post. He had posted a picture of an authentic belt from the same brand, complete with a neat, exquisite boutique gift box, leather care instructions, and an official certificate of authenticity.

It was a genuine leather belt purchased at full price.