Chapter 4

Kyle was taking the gift box out of his bag when the emergency doctor came out and asked, "Are you Sarah Langdon's family? Come with me. I need to go over the medical instructions with you."

Jack glanced at the gift box, realizing now wasn't a good time to open it. "Handle the discharge procedures for my wife first."

Kyle put the gift box away, nodded, and walked into the doctor's office.

As Sarah was preparing to leave, she met Jack's cold eyes.

The man stood at the door of the ward solemnly and said, his voice flat, "Let's go home."

Leaving Haley to come to the hospital had clearly displeased him.

She suddenly remembered the car accident over two years ago.

When she woke up, the first person she saw was him.

She learned from the police officers and medical staff that he had called the cops and carried her into the ambulance.

He had saved her life.

When she first regained consciousness after being rescued, the violent impact had left her with a concussion, and she had even temporarily lost her sight.

She had been living with her mother since she was a kid, but her mother was in poor health and couldn't care for her, and she didn't want to worry her mother.

Nancy had just changed majors and was extremely busy, and she didn't want to trouble her either.

During that time, Jack's companionship gave her comfort. He helped her slowly overcome the shadow of the accident and recover her health.

Gradually, through days of being together, her gratitude had unknowingly turned into love. Though his personality was cold, he had responded to her feelings.

She thought he loved her too.

Later, she learned that the Cole family and the Ferrell family had a marriage arrangement, so the two naturally got married.

They had shared sweet moments, but later, he got busier and became increasingly cold toward her.

Perhaps that was when his feelings shifted to someone else.

Thinking of this, she actually felt a little better.

At least his true love with Haley hadn't started before they got together.

It wasn't unresolved old feelings or a rekindled romance.

She wasn't merely a prop in their love story.

He had simply fallen in love with someone else and had stopped loving her.

But when Sarah thought of how he loved Haley yet refused to divorce her and let her go, her gentle eyes turned to frost.

She didn't want to return to that house and live under the same roof as him, but thinking of her belongings, she nodded.

Jack approached her.

She smelled the gardenia perfume on him and felt a surge of disgust. It was Haley's favorite perfume.

She walked ahead, putting distance between herself and the man.

In the SUV, he suddenly took her hand with the band-aid.

She turned to him in surprise. A cool emerald bracelet with a soft sheen slid over the band-aid and onto her wrist.

His expression remained cold as he withdrew his hands.

Kyle in the driver's seat explained, "Happy second anniversary, Mrs. Ferrell."

Sarah gave Kyle a faint smile and gently rubbed the slight pain on the back of her hand.

How could she have been so foolish back then? Nobody repays a life-saving grace with marriage anymore nowadays.

He seemed like a thoughtful man at first. She received a gift from him on every anniversary.

But he had never truly put any thought into it.

If he had paid even the slightest attention to her, he would have noticed the IV needle mark beneath the band-aid.

Even more ironically, the bracelet was a matching set with Haley's emerald necklace.

He cared nothing about her.

The gifts were clearly bought by Kyle.

When they arrived at the mansion, Sarah got out of the car. When she opened the front door, she was stunned to see Haley sprawled on the black couch.

Haley was wearing Sarah's face mask and was dressed in her white bathrobe with the collar pulled loose and the ankle-length hem that was normally modest split open to her thighs, alluringly exposing her chest, peach-shaped bottom, and long legs...

"Jack, Sarah, you guys are back. I was so tired of waiting I almost fell asleep."

Haley approached under Sarah's angry gaze, her hand touching the lace edge of the collar, appearing docile but actually provocative.

"Sarah, I didn't bring any clothes, and we're about the same size, so… You don't mind, right?

Before Sarah could say anything, Jack responded gently behind her.

"Of course your sister won't mind. Go to bed."

Haley obediently went into the first-floor guest room.

Once the door closed, Jack said coldly, "There are reporters downstairs at her place, so she'll stay at our house for a couple of days until this whole thing dies down."

It wasn't a discussion. It was a notice.

He strode upstairs on his long, elegant legs and entered the study without waiting for her reply.

Their house?

She couldn't stand being in this house for even a minute longer.

She returned to the second-floor master bedroom and began packing. She would take her laptop, research materials, and the dowry her mother had given her when she got married.

She remembered the photo with her mother that was in the first-floor study.

She had just walked down the stairs when she heard the sound of shattering glass from the study.

She rushed into the study and saw shattered glass all over the floor.

"Sorry, Sarah, my hand slipped."

Haley's tone held not a trace of guilt, only provocation.

Sarah walked up to Haley with bloodshot eyes and slapped her on the face.

Haley immediately wanted to slap Sarah back, but before her palm reached Sarah's face, it suddenly changed direction and covered her own reddening cheek instead.

Tears instantly welled up in her eyes as she said pitifully, "Sarah, I already apologized. How could you still hit me? You're so petty."

Sarah frowned as she heard Jack's heavy footsteps approaching. His unjust reprimand came instantly. "She's your sister. Can't you talk things out properly? Do you really need to hit her?"

Haley truly was a master at playing the victim, no doubt taught by her mother.

Sarah lowered her gaze and was surprised to see her wedding photo beneath the broken glass. Images of her newlywed days flashed through her mind. Their intimacy back then seemed even more ridiculous now.

She was sad but refused to dwell on it. The photo with her mother was still on the desk. She picked it up, held it to her chest, and turned to leave.

Jack watched Haley crouch down to clean up the wedding photo, listened to her guilty muttering, and looked at Sarah walking away.

She had been angry enough to hit Haley, but after seeing that it was their wedding photo, she didn't seem to care at all.

He comforted Haley, then went upstairs to find Sarah packing.

'She's leaving?'

The two times Sarah had mentioned divorce flashed through Jack's mind.

Did she really intend to divorce him?

No way.

Two years ago, in order to marry him, she had been willing to acknowledge herself as a member of the Cole family even though she hated her father.

Besides, didn't she marry him precisely to take revenge on Haley and her mother?

How could she possibly leave him?

Watching her efficient movements, Jack approached her with unreadable eyes.

Sarah put the photo and research materials into her suitcase and went into the walk-in closet. The closet was enormous, filled with jewelry, designer bags, and clothes Jack had given her, though all of them were bought by Kyle.

She didn't want to take any of these things.

She opened a drawer containing the jewelry her mother had given her when she got married.

Her mother hadn't approved of her marrying Jack. She despised homewreckers, and Jack happened to be an illegitimate son.

Her mother had been certain of his flawed character and said the marriage wouldn't last.

After the wedding, her mother grew increasingly distant. It had been a long time since they had seen each other.

She wondered if her mother would ever forgive her stubbornness...

As she was lost in thought, a sudden heat pressed against her from behind. Jack's large hands hugged her slender waist as he buried his warm face in the back of her neck.

Her heart trembled. She pressed down on his hands and said, "Let go."

"You threw a tantrum for two whole days. Isn't this what you want?"

His voice was cold, without a trace of warmth. His hot breath fanned against her ear, carrying intense physical desire.

Jack had once been very attractive to her.

Even though their relationship had deteriorated in recent months, with interactions between them reduced to the bedroom, it had still been harmonious.

Now, hearing his condescending tone, she realized he saw her as nothing but an outlet.

He'd just climbed out of Haley's bed last night, and tonight he wanted to get into hers?

She looked at the band-aid on the back of her hand. She hadn't even recovered yet.

He used to cherish her so much, but now...

Sarah's eyes grew moist. She turned to push him away but was pinned against the cabinet. Her wrist slammed against the jewelry cabinet with a loud crack.

The emeralds on the bracelet shattered, and the shards cut her wrist. She winced in pain and looked coldly at Jack.