Chapter 2

With what felt like the weight of the world on his shoulders, Tristan, along with several grim-faced staff members, slowly wheeled Ruby's body into the morgue.

He moved on autopilot as he finished all the paperwork, then contacted a funeral home to arrange for her cremation in three days. When everything was finally done, he walked out like a soulless shell and made his way back to the Grayson residence.

Claire's grandfather, Gordon Grayson, was sitting in the bright, spacious living room, his frail frame sunk into a large armchair. His eyes, clouded by age and years of hardship, kept drifting toward the front door.

Just then, Tristan walked in, each step heavy.

When Gordon saw him, his previously slumped posture snapped straight. He stood up so abruptly that the old armchair creaked in protest. His voice was tight with anxiety and fear. "Tristan, how's Ruby doing now?"

Tristan had endured more than his share of humiliation in this house, but Gordon had always treated him well, like he was his own grandson. On top of that, the old man had a serious heart condition and high blood pressure. His health was hanging by a thread.

So, when faced with that worried question, Tristan felt conflicted. He couldn't bring himself to tell Gordon, the only person in this household who genuinely cared for him, the cruel truth—that Ruby was gone. He knew all too well that with Gordon's condition, news like that could be fatal.

Tristan forced a stiff smile onto his face and answered as calmly as he could. "Don't worry, Grandpa. Ruby's doing fine right now. The doctor said that as long as she gets through this surgery, she'll make a full recovery soon. She just has to stay in the hospital for a few days."

Gordon's knitted brows eased a little. Then he asked, "What about Claire?"

"She's really busy with work. I don't want Ruby's situation to distract her," Tristan said, then quickly turned and headed upstairs. He was afraid Gordon would see the grief in his eyes.

The second he turned his back, the tears he'd been desperately holding in broke free, spilling down his cheeks and falling onto the cold marble floor. These tears were for the sudden, brutal loss of his daughter—and also his final goodbye to a marriage that was already in tatters.

Tristan had already made up his mind. Once Ruby's funeral was over, he was going to divorce Claire.

Back in his bedroom, Tristan picked up a photo of Ruby. She was laughing in it, carefree and full of life. It was his most precious memory, yet right now, it felt like the sharpest blade, slicing into a heart that was already shattered.

He pressed the photo tightly to his chest and cried in silence. After a while, he fumbled for his phone and dialed Claire's number, ready to tell her that Ruby was gone.

…

Meanwhile, Adrian reclined on a chair in the hospital's IV room, a clear IV line taped to his arm. Claire sat on a wooden chair beside him, her eyes full of concern and tenderness.

She held a mug in her hands, steam still rising from the water she'd just poured from a flask. She blew on the surface, tested the temperature, then carefully tipped the mug, letting the warm water slowly slide into Adrian's slightly parted lips.

He took a sip. The heat spread through him, chasing away the chill in his body. His gaze softened as he looked at Claire.

He murmured, "You've been here with me this whole time, Claire. I'm worried that Tristan will misunderstand you and get mad at you when you go home later."

Claire let out a soft, dismissive laugh, her lips curved with arrogance and unshakable confidence. "He wouldn't dare. He hasn't even raised his voice at me since we got married. And honestly, if he's gonna throw a fit just because I stayed to take care of a friend, that just means he's way too petty."

Adrian's lips curved with a hint of smugness as he said, "Do you wanna go check on Ruby? Maybe things are really bad this time. Tristan wouldn't be blowing up your phone otherwise."

Claire frowned and shook her head. "No, it's fine. I know her heart condition like the back of my hand. It's nothing serious. Every time she gets rushed to the hospital, they give her medicine and shots, and she's fine. Tristan's with her, anyway. She'll be okay.

"Oh, right. You just got back from overseas and don't even have a place to stay yet. Why don't you crash at our place for a while?"

At that, Adrian shook his head, looking a little awkward. "I don't think that's a great idea. I'm sure Tristan wouldn't be thrilled if I actually moved into your place."

Claire just snorted, looking dismissive as she said, "So what if he doesn't like it? He's just a useless piece of trash. Besides hovering around the stove all day, what else can he do? This family has survived because I've been out there grinding and working my ass off to keep everything afloat. What right does he have to complain?"

Over the past five years, under Claire's tight control and aggressive strategy, Grayson Group had gone from an unknown company to a sleek, top-tier firm making headlines.

What she didn't know was that without Tristan quietly pulling strings behind the scenes and leveraging his own powerful network, all those big-name corporations she thought she'd won over would never even have glanced her way, let alone signed partnership deals with her.

In Claire's eyes, getting Grayson Group to where it was now was 100% the result of her own brilliant leadership and business savvy.

Her gaze softened as it drifted back to Adrian's handsome face. She said gently, "Stop trying to talk me out of this, Adrian. I'm more worried about your health now than anything else. Close your eyes and get some rest. I'll stay here with you until you wake up."

Adrian's lips curved into a soft smile when he heard her caring words. The dimples in his cheeks showed, making him look even more striking, all clean-cut charm and effortless appeal.

He nodded, then slowly closed his eyes. His long lashes fanned down like two delicate brushes, casting a faint shadow over his cheeks and giving his face a quiet, almost angelic calm.

Just then, Claire's phone started buzzing. She glanced at the screen and saw Tristan calling.

Her brows pinched together. She declined the call without hesitation, thinking that he just didn't know when to quit. Worried Tristan would keep calling and disturb Adrian's rest, she turned off her phone.

Once that was done, she turned all her attention back to Adrian, her gaze fixed on his peaceful sleeping face. Her eyes were full of concern and something that looked like tenderness.