Chapter 2

Jenny said, "Enough. You can't even survive out there anymore. Why act like you still get to be picky? Just take care of the kid and stop making a scene. You need to know your place. Don't worry. There's still a room in my house that can be set aside for you."

The moment she finished speaking, people around us broke into snickering laughter.

"Peter, see how considerate Jen is. She's worried you might suffer out there, so she's even arranged both food and lodging for you."

"It's just helping Ronald look after his kid. Surely that is better than the poor life you are living now. You should thank Jen."

Ronald touched his watch and put on a show of concern. "Don't worry, Peter. If my daughter misbehaves, I'll discipline her myself. I won't let her give you a hard time."

Jenny snorted and shot me a sideways look. "Give him a hard time? He vanished over something trivial back then. Now that he can't survive out there, he comes crawling back. It's only right that he endures a little."

My heart skipped a beat when I heard her say it. Did she still believe that marrying Ronald had been a trivial thing?

The Jenny who once loved me was already gone.

She was no longer the woman covered in injuries, sobbing as she took me halfway across the city in search of treatment.

She was no longer the woman who had nothing to her name, yet swore out loud that she'd love me and stay with me for life.

She was no longer the woman who achieved success, yet was still willing to cook for me.

Still, it was better this way. Those things were already behind us, and there was no need to bring them up again.

After all, Ellie was already carrying our second child.

I pushed the thoughts down. Arguing with them here would be pointless.

I met Jenny's eyes and spoke evenly. "Aren't you here to pick me up? Let's go."

The group fell silent for a moment. Then they exchanged looks and burst out laughing.

Ronald gave a dismissive snort. "Pick you up? Who do you think you are?"

He pointed at the sign. "Read it carefully. We are waiting for Pierre. Do you even know who that is?"

It was my Elnish name. Of course, I knew.

"He's the husband of the Olsen family's eldest daughter, the man behind Olsen Group."

"Ms. Olsen is known for her sharp decisions in business, but she's deeply devoted to her husband. It's said she refused to marry for years because she was waiting for Pierre."

"Everyone in the circle knows this. If you want to get on Ms. Olsen's good side, you're better off pleasing Pierre. She does whatever her husband wants."

Listening to them talk over one another, a quiet smile crept onto my lips.

In the three years since we got married, Ellie's business had only grown bigger. At the same time, her reputation for doting on her husband had spread just as fast.

Ronald had always wanted to outdo me. He took the opportunity to put on a show.

"Back then, Ms. Olsen bought a watch at an auction to please Pierre. It was called Eternal Devotion, and it cost 20 million dollars. Pierre became the man every other man envied."

He paused before pointing at my wrist and shouting, "This is the one!"

The place went dead quiet as everyone turned their attention to the watch on my wrist.

Jenny suddenly grabbed my hand and gave it a quick look. Then she sneered. "Pretty convincing for a fake. Which waiter scraped together the money to buy this for you? Giving replicas as gifts. How pathetic."

I yanked my hand free and smirked, my fingers brushing over the watch.

The moment Jenny caught the happy look on my face, her eyes widened. She seized my wrist and ripped the watch off with a violent tug.

I didn't see it coming, and she succeeded before I could react.