Chapter 2

My heart had already gone numb, and when I spoke, my voice was so calm that it almost sounded indifferent.

"Yeah. I understand. It won't happen again."

Cameron looked at me, surprised by how easily I'd accepted his accusation. His tone softened as he tried to justify himself.

"Poppy's sick. I was worried something might happen to her, so I went along with what she wanted."

I clenched my fists beneath the seat, not saying another word.

Even if Poppy was sick, taking care of her was hardly his responsibility. Cameron had always treated me like a fool, hiding behind the same excuse every time.

At first, I'd believed him, thinking that he was simply a kindhearted man who couldn't bring himself to turn away someone who needed help.

But as I watched the familiar streets blur past outside the window, I felt the last of my love for him slowly slipping away.

For nine years, I'd been more than just Cameron's wife. As his secretary, I'd taken care of almost every detail of his life, from his schedule and business affairs to his meals.

His eating habits had always been terrible, so I'd spent years reminding him to eat on time and take better care of himself.

Once, my stomach had acted up so badly that I doubled over in pain, sweating through my clothes. Instead of asking if I was all right, Cameron had coldly knocked my medication out of my hand, his eyes filled with disgust.

"Seriously? Poppy's asthma is a condition she's had since birth. I've just looked after her a little, like an older brother would. Do you have to fake illness just to compete for my attention?"

I'd bent down to pick up the scattered pills one by one and swallow them through my tears. The pain in my stomach had been excruciating, yet somehow it still couldn't compare to the hurt his words had caused.

That was when I finally understood that Cameron wasn't looking after Poppy simply because he was kind.

It was more than that. He loved her.

...

"Yeah. I know," I replied.

While Cameron wasn't paying attention, I took out my phone and accepted the job offer I'd received from an international corporation.

The response came almost immediately.

"Welcome to the team. We've already arranged a place for you to stay. When are you planning to leave? I'll come pick you up."

"Tomorrow."

Back then, I'd given up my career just to stay beside Cameron. Now I was tired, and I didn't want this marriage anymore. From now on, I would live for myself.

Cameron noticed that I was quietly looking at my phone, and his expression hardened again.

"You caused Poppy's asthma attack, and you still have the nerve to sit there texting as if nothing happened?" he barked.

"I've already reserved a private hospital suite," I said without looking up. "Once you get there, you can check in directly."

By then, I had finished booking my flight. The wedding ring I'd once treasured more than anything was lying on the seat beside me, mocking me.

Cameron stared at me for several silent seconds, apparently realizing that he'd misunderstood. His expression turned awkward, and he offered to reimburse me for the expenses.

"Just be reasonable," he said, softening his tone. "Once Poppy's feeling better, we'll make our marriage public. There's no need to upset her right now."

Right there, he transferred 500 thousand dollars to me without hesitation. He really was generous.

"Okay." I didn't even bother accepting the money.

After all, our marriage was coming to an end.

When we got home, I went inside alone. The enormous house was as quiet as ever. I'd long since grown accustomed to that kind of silence.

While packing, I called my mother and told her to get ready for our flight tomorrow.

My jewelry box was filled with luxury watches and expensive accessories, but among all those things, the only item that had ever truly belonged to me was a tiny pair of gold stud earrings.

Ten years ago, when Cameron and I were dating, he'd been worried that my ears might react badly to cheap jewelry, so he'd spent every dollar of his savings on those earrings.

I'd been so touched by the gesture that I'd hugged him and cried. I had even turned down job offers from several major companies so I could stay by his side while he built his business from nothing.

I had been perfectly content to be his little secretary. But after that, I never received another gift from him.

For every major holiday, I would prepare an elaborate dinner and carefully choose a present for him, and our ninth wedding anniversary had been no different.