Break-up Songs Don’t Reignite Feelings

On the day of her daughter Nina’s funeral, before the pastor could finish the eulogy, Rosalind answered Samson’s phone call. “Change of plans. Let’s meet earlier. I’m on my way now.” Ethan held the small cremation urn in his arms. His knuckles turned white from gripping it too tightly. Nina had been critically ill with leukemia. Only Samson’s bone marrow matched hers. Driven to the brink, Ethan desperately begged Rosalind to go along with Samson’s request. She promised that she would only be playing pretend and would not fall for Samson. However, as time passed, she eventually fell for Samson and indulged him in every way. On the night when Nina needed the transplant the most, Ethan called her, frantic. However, she was unreachable because she was camping deep in the mountains. Ethan helplessly watched the three-year-old die in the emergency room. Later, Rosalind even protected Samson and let him stomp on Nina’s cross necklace. She even forcibly confined Ethan to a sanatorium and forced him to donate blood to Samson. It was not until Rosalind learned that Samson had deceived her from the very beginning that she felt piercing regret. She gave him fifty percent of her shares, knelt for hours at the cemetery, and tried to make amends wherever she could. However, no amount of regret could bring back the man she had deeply wounded. Chapter 1 On the day of the funeral for Rosalind Lourdes and Ethan Carey’s three-year-old daughter, Nina Carey, the pastor had not even finished the eulogy when Rosalind’s phone rang. It was a specific ringtone she had set for Samson Zeller, with the song titled “One and Only.” Ethan held the small cremation urn in his arms. His knuckles turned white, and he looked up at her. Rosalind glanced at him, answered the call without stepping away, and spoke with an unnerving softness. She hung up, turned to him, and said flatly, “Sam rescheduled our date. I’m leaving now.” He choked up with emotion as he said, “Today is Nina’s funeral.” His mother, Mabel, became furious. Unable to hold back, she rushed forward and slapped Rosalind across the face. “Rosalind! How can you live with yourself?! “You begged us to let Ethan marry you. You stayed outside our door through an entire thunderstorm, ran a fever, and refused to move until we said yes! “When you were pregnant, you had morning sickness so bad you couldn’t keep anything down. “Ethan dropped everything to stay with you for nine straight months. He made you breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day by himself. “You made one offhand comment about liking those flowers by the highway, and he drove all night, dug up a whole truckload of them, and filled your entire garden all because he wanted to see you happy. “But look at you now! We’re at your child’s funeral! You... I can’t even...” Rosalind’s head snapped to the side from the slap. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She wiped it with her thumb and frowned. She signaled to Alex, her assistant beside her, with a glance, indicating that the emotionally agitated Mabel should be held back. She turned her gaze back to Ethan and smiled mockingly. “Ethan, you’re the one who begged me to agree to that daily hour with Sam. Remember?” He trembled all over as his face went even paler. Yes, he did. How could he forget? Two months ago, Nina was diagnosed with acute leukemia. Every match attempt failed. The doctors had already issued a critical condition notice. As he was falling apart, he learned that Samson’s bone marrow was the only matching donor. However, Samson set one condition. Rosalind had to spend one hour with him every day, pretending to be his lover. Only then would he agree to the bone marrow transplant. Rosalind flew into a rage and refused on the spot. She called the demand completely absurd and said she would never give in. He did not agree with it either. She was his wife and the woman he loved. How could he willingly push her into another man’s arms? However, when he saw Nina lying in her hospital bed, he felt his heart break. Her tiny face was gaunt and hollow, and her breathing was shallow, The doctors had issued critical notices multiple times. Aside from Samson, there was no one else in the world who could save her. Nina was barely hanging on. He had no choice but to beg Rosalind to go along with Samson’s request. In the end, Rosalind looked at him. He was weeping uncontrollably when Rosalind said softly, “Fine. I’ll go along with it, but it’s all pretend. I won’t catch feelings, and I would never betray you or this family.” From that day on, however, Samson kept making excuses and repeatedly delayed going to the hospital for the matching test. Meanwhile, Rosalind broke her promise and developed genuine affection for Samson as they grew closer. She became ever more tender toward him. Ethan endured it all. He waited and lied to himself that everything could be fixed as long as Nina survived. Then, the day before yesterday, Nina’s condition worsened. She was sent to the operating room and stayed there for hours. He frantically tried to reach Samson and Rosalind, but neither of them answered. Unfortunately, they were spending their “one hour” together deep in the mountains. Ethan stayed outside the operating room and watched time slip away before his eyes. He watched the doctor walk out and slowly shake his head at him. “Give me an hour. I’ll come back and give Nina the best goodbye I can.” Rosalind’s mocking remark snapped Ethan back to reality. He looked at her with a completely hollow and bitter gaze. How ridiculous. Their daughter had passed away, yet she was still fixated on that ridiculous one-hour promise. She used to make those promises with such sincerity, but all that was left was a deep, cutting sense of betrayal and the sheer ridiculousness of the whole situation. She tried to take his hand, but Ethan pulled his hand back indifferently. “Don’t bother.” She was stunned for a moment. She frowned and left without saying another word. As she walked away, Mabel chased her down as she yelled, “Rosalind, stop right there!” However, Ethan firmly grabbed her wrist to hold her back. Mabel’s heart ached when she saw his ashen face. She broke down and wrapped her arms around his frail frame tightly. “Ethan, let’s get out of here. I’m taking you home. It breaks my heart to see you suffering like this.” He leaned into her embrace as his body trembled. He gently shook his head, then looked at the housekeeper beside him and instructed softly, “Take my mother home. Make sure she’s well looked after. Don’t let her worry.” Mabel clutched his hand desperately and refused to leave. “Ethan, what are you doing? You’re scaring me!” Ethan’s face was completely blank. He gently pulled her fingers loose and motioned for the housekeeper to lead her out as he said, “Mom, I’m okay. I just need some time alone with Nina.” At last, he was the only one left in the vast, silent cemetery. Then, his strength finally gave out. His legs went weak, and he crumbled to his knees in front of the cold headstone. He lowered his head and fixed his eyes on the urn. His lips trembled as he sobbed. After a long time, he murmured something that people around him barely heard. “Nina, you were hugging me and being your sweet, playful self two days ago. How did you end up in an urn this small? “We were supposed to go to an amusement park together. I never got to finish hearing about your day at school. I never, ever got to hold you long enough...” He started crying without realizing it. His tears fell onto the urn, leaving little wet marks that spread across the lid. He kept rubbing the cold surface with his thumb as if he could feel her through it. Then, it started raining heavily, soaking the headstone and drenching his clothes. Ethan reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone to send out a message. [Get the divorce agreement ready.] With that, whatever dim spark was left in his eyes flickered out for good. Chapter 2 By the time Ethan rushed home through the rain, he was already soaked through. When he pushed the door open, he saw that the entire room was filled with Nina’s little toys and picture books scattered all over the floor. His nose stung with bitterness, and he was unable to hold himself together anymore. He slid down against the door and broke down in tears. He had not been home for a couple of months, yet whenever he closed his eyes, he could still see Nina nestling in his arms and acting clingy. He could still see his little bundle of joy sitting on the carpet doing puzzles and calling him “Daddy” in her sweet, childish voice. Every fond memory felt like a dagger buried in his chest. His head pounded so fiercely that he could not tell if it was the fever from running in the rain, or simply a heart that had been battered into numbness. Just then, he heard a faint rustling sound from Nina’s room. He panicked, staggered to his feet, and rushed over to push open the door. His blood ran cold when he saw what was happening in there. On Nina’s little bed, Rosalind and Samson were disheveled and tangled up together. Rosalind was shocked. She instinctively sat up. Samson, however, adjusted his clothes nonchalantly and looked at Ethan provocatively. Before Ethan could lash out, Rosalind gave him a dark look and snapped with impatience, “Sam was nice enough to drive me over to pick up some of Nina’s favorite things. “We were getting ready to go see her at the cemetery later. What’s your problem?” Ethan trembled with rage. He was so furious that he could barely stand steady. Samson said casually, “Ethan, what can I say? Rose and I just got carried away. But she still has feelings for you. Why else would she be thinking about Nina?” He paused for a moment, smiled, then added, “Besides, it’s just a bed. Nina won’t be coming back. What’s the point of hanging on to all this?” That was Ethan’s last straw. “Shut up!” Like a madman, he grabbed the picture books, the pen holder, and the toys within reach and hurled them at the two of them. “This is Nina’s room! You have no right to even mention her! You’ve contaminated her space!” He lunged forward, seized both of them by the arms, and dragged them toward the door with everything he had. “Get out! Get out of my house!” Samson ducked behind Rosalind. “Rose, you know I really didn’t receive any calls that day up on the mountain.” She frowned, shielded Samson, and said to Ethan harshly, “Ethan, that’s enough! Stop being so unreasonable!” Ignoring her, Ethan dragged Samson to the doorway and threw him out with brutal force. He did not spare Rosalind another glance. He turned, crouched down, and picked up Nina’s little plush toy as he sobbed uncontrollably. She became irritated and said sharply, “Ethan, it was an accident. No one wished for this to happen—” Before she could finish speaking, Ethan slammed the bedroom door shut. It shut her off completely on the other side. Her face darkened as she became furious. Samson held her back as something glinted in his eyes. “Rose, don’t be upset. If Nina were still around, I’d get tested for the bone marrow match without a second thought. I’d even give my life if that’s what it took. “These past two months, I’ve been more than grateful just to spend one hour with you each day.” He lowered his eyes. His obedience was so complete that it was moving. He averted his eyes. His meekness was enough to break her heart. Rosalind’s expression turned grim. She pulled him into a brief embrace and said softly, “Ethan’s just in shock. Give him time. He’ll come around eventually.” Just as the two of them turned to leave, the door behind them was yanked open. Ethan stood there with red-rimmed eyes, drenched from head to toe. His face was deathly pale. He was gripping a gleaming fruit knife in his trembling hand. “Samson, stop right there. “Hand it over.” Chapter 3 When Rosalind caught the glint of something unhinged in Ethan’s eyes, her chest tightened. Instinct took over. She rushed at him, reaching for the knife before he could hurt himself. Ethan flinched away and swung hard, accidentally hurting her. She winced but did not pull back. She grabbed his wrist and forcefully knocked the knife from his hand. It clattered onto the carpet. She kept her voice low and suppressed the turmoil in her chest as she said, “Nina is gone! Are you going to throw your life away too? What are you even doing?” Samson rushed over immediately. He stared at her wound, and his eyes turned teary. “Rose, you’re hurt!” He turned to Ethan and said in a sorrowful tone, “Ethan, Nina is gone, and Rose is hurting even more than you are. She hasn’t slept for days. Is Nina really more important than Rose?” Samson’s words wiped the last bit of warmth from Rosalind’s face. Any pity she had left for Ethan was gone. She looked at Ethan, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere. He stretched out a hand and said hoarsely, “Give me back Nina’s cross necklace.” Samson shook his head and put on an innocent look. “I didn’t take it. Why would I ever touch Nina’s belongings?” Ethan lunged forward and reached to search through his clothes. Rosalind could no longer bear to watch. She shoved him to the floor with force. He landed hard on the floor. A piercing pain shot through him when his elbow and arm struck the tea table. Rosalind frowned and said to him in a stern voice, “Enough of this. Nina is dead. We can always have more children.” Those words tore through him like shards of glass. He felt nothing but desolation. She paused, then added, “I’ve set up an appointment with a therapist for you tomorrow. As for him...” Her gaze swept over Samson beside her. Her voice grew heavier. “When you pull yourself together, I’ll cut him off for good.” Samson dropped his gaze and clung to her sleeve with a look of meek devotion. Beneath that submissive front, a flicker of smugness flickered in his eyes. Without looking at Ethan, she pulled Samson along and said coldly, “Let’s go.” The two turned and walked away. Ethan collapsed onto the floor, completely drained. Just then, Samson, who was lagging behind her, slowly turned his head and shot Ethan a contemptuous smirk. A moment later, he unclenched his palm, and a cross necklace dangled from his fingers. He let it fall. It hit the floor with a crisp, clear sound. Ethan’s eyes widened. That was the cross necklace he had driven all night to get for Nina. She had worn it every single day and kept it close to her chest. Before he could even react, Samson raised his foot and stomped on the necklace lying on the floor. It made a sharp, brittle sound. The cross necklace, the one that carried all of Ethan’s love and longing for Nina, shattered beneath Samson’s shoe. It could never be put back together again. Panic surged through him as he lurched forward and scrambled toward it. “No!” His voice broke as he cried out. Rosalind did not slow down. She kept walking and pulled Samson with her straight to the elevator. As the elevator doors slid shut behind them, Ethan collapsed to his knees. His fingers shook as he gathered the broken fragments. Every piece cut into his palm. Scenes of Nina wearing that cross necklace and beaming with a radiant smile flashed through his mind over and over. He sobbed until he could hardly breathe. Only then did the tears finally stop. Raising his head, he walked to the desk and sat down. The computer hummed to life as he powered it on. His fingers moved stiffly over the keyboard. He composed an email and sent it to Samson’s university. Chapter 4 Three days later, word got out that Samson had been forced to withdraw from university. He went to Rosalind in tears as he said, “Rose, I’m done for! My education is over. My reputation is destroyed. Everyone is condemning me.” He sobbed as he clutched at her sleeves. “Ethan agreed to it back then. Why is he trying to ruin me now?” She looked at his wretched and helpless state. As she recalled Ethan’s deranged behavior that day with the knife, waves of anger surged through her. She should have known this earlier. After losing Nina, he was no longer as calm and gentle as he used to be. She had been too soft-hearted. That was why she had indulged him time and again. That same afternoon, she went straight back to the villa. She burst through the door and looked at Ethan coldly, saying, “You did this.” Without looking at her, he responded, “Yes. What of it? He hurt Nina. He destroyed everything I had. I’m just implementing a little justice.” She was so angry that she could barely catch her breath. “Justice?” she scoffed. “Ethan, have you completely lost it?” She raised her hand. The bodyguards behind her stepped forward. “From today on, you’re staying in a sanatorium. I’ll only let you come home when you come to your senses.” Ethan’s head snapped up. His face was ashen. “Rosalind, you wouldn’t dare.” “Try me.” The bodyguards stepped in and hauled the weakened Ethan by his arms. He thrashed, screamed, and kicked, but every effort was useless. They forced him into a car and drove him out to the most isolated sanatorium on the city’s outskirts. Life over there was bleak and hopeless. At first, Ethan fought back with all his might. He ranted and raged, telling people there that he was not sick. No one listened. Instead, they pumped him with sedatives, bound him with restraints, and gave him even colder treatment. They underfed him and deprived him of proper sleep. During the day, he was shoved around and berated. At night, he was locked in a frigid, pitch-black room. Each day brought fresh bruises and new wounds. On the seventh day, Rosalind finally came. She wore a long black coat. She carried a hint of exhaustion that was almost imperceptible in her eyes. She froze the moment she saw him. He sat slumped in the corner, hair disheveled and face drained of color. Red marks from the restraints still circled his wrists. “Are you ready to admit you were wrong?” Ethan slowly lifted his hollow gaze to look at her. “I have nothing to admit.” She frowned and said in an icy tone, “Ethan, stop being so stubborn. You were the one who asked me to be with Sam in the first place. You gave me up to save Nina. “Now, you turn around and ruin his education and his future. Isn’t that burning the bridge after you’ve crossed it?” Every word she said cut him to the core. She seemed to have forgotten that it was Samson who had used the bone marrow match as leverage. She was the one who had fallen deeper in love with Samson and forgotten her family. Then, she forgot her child and him. In the end, he was the one blamed. Ethan let out a bitter laugh. It was so cold and empty that tears streamed down his cheeks. In the next instant, he raised his hand. He put every last bit of his strength into it, striking Rosalind hard across the face. She stood frozen. Her cheek stung with a fiery burn. Ethan lowered his hand and said, “The only thing I did wrong was not seeing you for who you really are.” He said nothing more and never looked back. He steadied himself against his worn and aching body and slowly pushed himself to his feet. The past week spent in suffocating darkness and unending agony had wrung him dry. Each step he took sent a jolt of pain through his bones. The red marks on his wrists still pulsed with a dull ache. As Rosalind stared at his gaunt, stubborn frame, her heart tightened unexpectedly. She was angry and frustrated, but seeing him in such a sorry state, she could not bring herself to lash out. The frustration only made her feel more suffocated and unsettled. She suppressed those emotions and said coldly, “Get in.” Ethan quietly settled into the back seat. His eyes widened when he saw who was sitting in the passenger seat. It was Samson. Samson could barely conceal the smugness in his gaze as he toyed with his phone. The screen glowed brightly, displaying a social media page. When Ethan focused on it, one look was all he needed to fully understand what was on the screen. Samson’s image was completely turned around. He was playing the victim card. He painted Ethan as a deranged guy who lost his kid and was out for blood. The netizens bombarded Ethan with hate comments, blaming him for being the “crazy one.” He did not need to think twice. He knew Rosalind was behind it all. As she drove, she glanced at Ethan in the rearview mirror. His hair was a mess, and his face was pale as a ghost. He looked nothing like his usual self. She frowned at his pathetic state as she said, “What happened to you? You look terrible. I specifically told them to look after you. “Stop obsessing over Nina and dragging this out. Look where it’s gotten you. Was it really worth it?” Ethan closed his eyes. He could not be bothered to look at them or talk to them anymore. He simply turned his head toward the window and stared out blankly. Seeing him remain silent, Rosalind felt an inexplicable restlessness stir within her. She was irritated. She instinctively turned her head, about to say something else. Then, out of nowhere, blinding headlights washed over them. The deafening blast of a horn followed. A massive truck came charging straight at them. Chapter 5 Ethan fell into a long and gentle dream. In the dream, Nina was still alive. His tiny bundle of joy was wrapped in soft swaddling clothes, resting peacefully in his arms. She was delicate and flawless, like a little doll carved from porcelain. She would also frequently smack her tiny lips. Rosalind sat beside him, gently pulling the blanket up to his chin. Her fingertips brushed his forehead with such tenderness that it made his heart ache. Then, the raw, grinding pain throughout his body ripped him violently from the dream and slammed him back into the waking world. He slowly opened his eyes. The smell of disinfectant hit his nose and made his eyes burn. His entire body ached, like every bone had been broken and reassembled. Even moving a little sent a sharp jolt of pain through him, forcing a gasp out of his throat. He struggled to turn his neck and glanced at the bed next to him. It was empty. The hospital room door was pushed open gently. A nurse walked in carrying a medical chart. When she noticed that he was awake, she spoke in a tone that was polite but tinged with sympathy. “Glad to see you’re awake. You’ve been unconscious for three days straight. How do you feel?” His throat was too dry to produce any sound. He could only shake his head. He mustered all his strength to force out a few words. “The others... how are they?” The nurse took notes as she said casually, “You got the worst of it in this accident. You suffered from multiple bruises and a mild concussion. Ms. Lourdes and the guy with her are okay. They were just a little rattled. “The truck slammed into the spot between the front passenger seat and the back. Since you were in the back, you took the full force of the impact.” His heart sank heavily. His fingertips gripped the bedsheet until they turned white. He asked in a hoarse voice, “Where is Rosalind?” The nurse paused for a moment, then looked up at him and said, “Ms. Lourdes is in the VIP ward.” He froze and panicked a little. “What happened to her?” “She’s pregnant. About four weeks along. The accident gave her quite a scare. She’s a bit anemic, and her condition is unstable. “Mr. Zeller has been really worried. He’s been looking after her the whole time.” Pregnant, huh? Nina had only been gone for a short while. Ethan slowly closed his eyes as tears streamed down the sides of his face. He sobbed silently as his tears soaked into the pillowcase. Only his shoulders trembled uncontrollably. Rosalind visited him later that night. She walked over to the hospital bed and reached out gently, placing her hand on his pale face. Ethan flinched instinctively. His entire being recoiled in repulsion. Rosalind, however, seemed completely unaware. She said apologetically, “Ethan, I’m sorry that I haven’t come to see you these past few days. “I’m pregnant.” She paused and looked at him. Her expression was hard to read. Then, she said something that made his blood run cold. “I know you’re still holding on to Nina. I miss her too. Maybe this baby is Nina’s way of staying with us, like she’s come back to us. “When the baby comes, he’ll be yours too. We’ll raise him like Nina, giving him all our love. We can go back to how we used to be.” How absurd! Ethan’s eyes snapped open. His gaze was filled with disbelief. It was also filled with intense revulsion and disappointment. How could she say something so twisted? How could she trivialize Nina’s memory and brush off his pain like it meant nothing? He started to speak, ready to unleash his fury. However, Samson’s shouting from the next VIP ward cut him off. Rosalind’s expression faltered. She rushed out without another word. Ethan’s fingers trembled as he reached for his phone. He called his mother. “Mom, pass the divorce agreement to Rosalind’s mom and let her deal with it. I’m going through with this divorce, no matter what.” Just as he ended the call and set the phone down, Rosalind and her two bodyguards burst through the door. Her expression was dark and grim. Before he could react, she said coldly, “The doctor said Sam needs an emergency transfusion. You’re a match. Come with me.” Ethan pushed himself up into a sitting position. He refused in a stern voice, “I won’t donate. There is no way I’ll ever give him my blood.” Samson, who followed after her, stepped forward and took Rosalind’s arm. He then turned to Ethan with teary eyes as he said, “Ethan, I know you can’t stand me, but Rose is pregnant with my baby. That baby deserves to have a dad. Can’t you do it for the baby, please?” Ethan trembled with fury. “Shut up! You don’t get the right to say that!” He struggled, but the bodyguards behind him moved in. They pinned his shoulders down and shoved him into the transfusion room chair. The cold needle pierced into his vein. Bright red blood flowed slowly out through the tube. In the chair, his face grew paler by the second. His lips were completely drained of color. His vision gradually blurred as his entire body trembled with cold. Dizziness overwhelmed him. When the transfusion ended, he was completely drained of strength. He staggered up from the chair. His legs went limp, and he could barely stand. Rosalind, however, did not spare him a single glance. She carefully helped Samson, whose complexion had slightly improved. Her gaze was filled with nothing but concern for him. She turned and walked into the VIP ward. The door slammed shut behind her. Just then, Ethan’s phone rang. The caller ID showed that Rosalind’s mother, Julie Lourdes, was calling. His hand trembled as he answered the call. Chapter 6 Julie’s voice cut through the phone, sharp and contemptuous. “Ethan, I will find a way to make Rose sign the papers tonight. “After she gave birth to Nina, I never had any intention of letting you stay by her side. I only tolerated you for that child’s sake, and nothing more. “Now that Nina is gone, do yourself a favor and get lost. No one wants you here anymore.” Before he could respond, she slammed the phone down hard. Only the dial tone echoed in his ear. His fingertips, which were still gripping the phone, turned pale. A heavy weight pressed down on his chest, making it hard to breathe. Rosalind stepped out of the adjacent VIP ward and spotted Ethan standing there in a daze with his phone in hand. She had caught fragments of her mother’s words from the call, and her face tensed. She strode over to him with a frown and said, “Where do you think you’re going? What are you plotting this time?” He simply glanced at her and turned to head back to his own ward. She refused to let it go. She fixed her gaze on him, carrying the cold resentment that had been building up over the past two months. “You were the one who pushed me into his arms and made me feel like I meant nothing to you. I was so completely disappointed in you that I ended up falling for him.” Her words hurt him to the core. “Listen, the baby I’m carrying could very well be Nina’s little brother. “If you truly care about Nina and know what’s good for you, then drop this obsession with Sam. Stay put in the hospital and focus on getting better.” Without sparing him another glance, she added, “My mother wants me to come home. She has something to discuss. Just stay put in the hospital and don’t cause any more trouble.” With that, she turned and walked away. He lay back down to rest. As he drifted in and out of sleep, he heard a familiar cautious and hesitant voice from the VIP ward next door. His heart stopped for a second. He must be imagining things. Still, he got up and found himself walking toward the door. Then, he nudged it open just a bit. The moment he saw what was inside, his eyes instantly filled with rage. Sure enough, Mabel was there, standing in the ward with a heavy insulated food container. Samson lounged on the hospital bed, looking full of himself. He shot her a look of pure contempt. “What is this trash that you brought me? Are you trying to ruin my appetite?” He then raised his hand and struck the container in Mabel’s hands, sending it flying across the room with a loud crash. The insulated food container hit the floor. The scalding chicken soup splattered everywhere and spilled all over Mabel’s face and body. Mabel let out a muffled groan of pain. She did not dare to lash out when she thought of Rosalind’s threat. She simply scrambled to clean up the mess on the floor. “Mom!” Ethan’s eyes were wide with fury. He rushed in, grabbed Mabel, and shoved her protectively behind him. He saw the burn marks on her face, and they hit him like a punch to the chest. He was trembling, and his eyes were stinging with tears. Even so, Samson stayed unrepentant. He let out a derisive snort. “What are you crying about? Rose told me Mabel makes the most amazing chicken soup. “She had her bring it here for me, but look at the garbage she made. She obviously made it out of spite!” Ethan reached over and took the remaining soup in the food container from Mabel’s hands and hurled it straight into Samson’s face without a second thought. With the soup dripping down his hair and cheeks, he let out a pathetic, bloodcurdling shriek. His face went pale. Just then, the hospital room door swung open. Rosalind was back, just in time to see it all. The moment he spotted her, Samson slumped against the bed. He sobbed loudly as he stretched out a hand toward her. “Rose, you’re finally back. I got hurt while drinking the soup.” Her face darkened. She hurried forward and carefully lifted the blanket off him. She shot an icy glare at Ethan and Mabel. “If anything happens to Sam, I’ll make you both pay!” With that, she turned to rush Samson to the emergency room. Before she left, she gave a sharp order to the bodyguards stationed at the door. “Watch them! Don’t let them take one step! If anything happens to Sam, I don’t care that they’re my mother-in-law and my husband; I’ll have them locked up for life!” The bodyguards stepped forward and blocked Mabel, who was just trying to get up. Ethan clutched her hand as he watched Rosalind hurry off. His chest throbbed with a dull ache. Just then, his phone vibrated. It was a message from Julie. [The divorce agreement has been signed. I’ve asked someone to send it over. Don’t you dare plot another scheme.] He called Julie back immediately. The moment the call went through, Julie’s impatient voice came through. “What now? Didn’t I already tell you I’m sending the agreement over?” He responded in a calm voice, “Your daughter’s bodyguards are holding me here. I can’t get out. Tell them to let us go.” Julie paused and sighed heavily, clearly frustrated and disappointed. “She has always been so stubborn. I’ve never understood what she sees in you. Look what it has gotten her into. Her life is a mess.” Without saying anything more, she told him to hand the phone to the bodyguards. Ethan handed the phone to one of the bodyguards. The bodyguard took it and listened for a moment. Then, his expression shifted. He then returned the phone with a respectful nod and stepped aside. Ethan pocketed the phone and took Mabel’s hand. She walked beside him, studying his pale, gaunt profile, and said softly, “Ethan, are you sure you want to go through with this?” Ethan paused for a moment. A trace of bitterness flickered in his eyes. He simply tightened his grip on Mabel’s hand and let out a firm “Mm-hmm.” There was no point in looking back. Ethan and Mabel walked out of the inpatient building together. As expected, a car sent by Julie was waiting at the hospital entrance. The driver stepped out as they approached and handed over the signed divorce agreement. After that, the car pulled away slowly and disappeared from view. Ethan stood there, holding the thin stack of papers. A black sedan then stopped in front of them. The window rolled down, revealing a familiar, gentle face. Meanwhile, Rosalind leaned against the wall by the emergency room window on the fourth floor. She was frowning, agitated. She instinctively glanced down toward the hospital entrance. In a daze, she seemed to catch a glimpse of Ethan’s figure. There was also an unfamiliar woman supporting him. She peered down for another look, but the entrance was crowded with people coming and going. There was no longer any sign of him anywhere. She chuckled bitterly at herself, thinking she was imagining things. The bodyguards were still holding him. He could not possibly have left. However, a second later, the bodyguard’s voice came from behind her. “Ms. Lourdes.”