Chapter 6

“Ma’am… are you alright?” Levia asked in a trembling voice as she helped me to my feet. Her cold hands rested on my shoulders, trying to steady me as my legs felt like they no longer belonged to the ground.

My vision blurred. A burning sensation spread across my cheek—the same cheek my husband had just struck—while the throbbing in my temples felt like a hammer relentlessly pounding against my nerves. The metallic taste of blood at the corner of my lips silently testified to how fierce the anger of the man I once adored had become.

“My head hurts so much, Levia. I want to go to the hospital,” I whispered weakly. My chest felt tight, not only from the physical blow but from the humiliation of having my dignity crushed in front of the woman who had destroyed my marriage.

Levia immediately guided me out of the company building, which now felt more like a luxurious prison. With swift efficiency, she drove me to the private hospital our family frequently used—the place where Bastian used to treat me like a queen in front of his colleagues. But this time, everything felt different. The pristine white corridors of the hospital felt cold and foreboding instead.

When we arrived, I walked unsteadily toward the registration desk. I signed myself in to have my injuries and worsening headache examined, hoping to receive at least some medical attention to ease the pain.

However, the administrative staff—who usually greeted me with warm smiles—now looked at me with hesitation and an unusual mix of pity and discomfort. She lowered her gaze to the computer screen for a moment, then took a deep breath as if gathering courage.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Casandra,” she said softly, almost in a whisper. “Mr. Bastian has given special instructions. He has ordered us—hospital staff—to escort you out immediately. Your name has been removed from the company family’s priority patient list.”

I froze. My heart seemed to stop beating for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“Mr. Bastian has already contacted the management, Ma’am. He stated that all of your medical expenses are no longer covered by him, and we are not allowed to provide you with any medical services at this facility,” she continued, her head bowed deeply.

Bastian—my husband—had even blocked me from his own hospital. He ordered security to throw me out while I came here injured because of him. Meanwhile, at the other end of the corridor, I saw a scene that made my soul go completely numb.

There, in the VIP waiting area, Bastian was kneeling in front of Vivian. With an expression full of overwhelming concern, he gently held Vivian’s cheek, which was only slightly red—a result of the cheap act she had staged back at the office. He blew softly on the fake injury as if she were suffering from something severe.

“Does it hurt, darling?” Bastian asked in a voice so gentle—the same voice that once belonged entirely to me. “Don’t worry, the best doctor will take care of you. I won’t let anyone hurt you again, especially not that rude woman.”

At that moment, the pain in my head disappeared, replaced by a vast emptiness. I realized one thing: this man was no longer the person I once knew. He had become a monster—one who could watch his own wife suffer without a trace of remorse.

“Very well then, I’ll take my leave,” I said firmly to the administrative staff. I turned around with what little strength I had left, refusing to give Bastian the satisfaction of seeing me beg for help in a place that once felt like mine.

Levia and I took our leave. My steps were steady, even though my heart was shattered into pieces. I walked past nurses and patients who had begun whispering among themselves, witnessing this humiliating scene.

Two nurses standing near the information desk looked stunned by what had just happened. They exchanged glances as they watched my figure slowly disappear from the main lobby.

“Is it right for a husband to abandon his wife like that? She looked seriously hurt,” one of them whispered with concern.

“I think Mr. Bastian no longer loves Mrs. Casandra,” the other replied, shaking her head. “Just look at how he treats his secretary. The world has truly turned upside down.”