Chapter 2

Outside the study, my knuckles turned white as I gripped the tray holding his medicine.

Sebastian's words were heavy, like a dirty, wet rag being slapped onto my already battered heart.

The pain was suffocating yet sobering.

"I'm glad Olivia wasn't the one who married me during these five years I was in a coma. She's so gentle, and my mother is so domineering. She would have suffered greatly."

"I couldn't keep her by my side when I fell into a coma, but for the rest of my life, I can't let her down!"

Bang!

His brother, Lucas, had always been hot-tempered.

"Do you know what you're doing? It's called using someone and then discarding them! It's morally bankrupt! You want to have your cake and eat it too!"

"Evelyn took care of you for five years. We all saw it. She's an exceptional woman. And Olivia? She was selfish and reckless back then. After you fell into a coma because of her, she ran away!"

"Now that you're awake, she knows you're her brother-in-law, yet she's still flirting with you. You're hurting a woman who truly loves you for someone like her. Do you have any principles left?"

"Lucas, you can't force love. I never wanted Evelyn to marry me in the first place. If I could, I wish she had never come into my life. Olivia's reputation was ruined because of me. I need to give her a proper status."

The room fell silent.

After a moment, Lucas spoke, his voice muffled: "What about Evelyn? If you and Olivia are so in love, why don't you just divorce Evelyn and set her free?"

"She took care of me for five years. If I don't keep her around, it would look bad for Olivia if word got out."

"Lucas, I just love Olivia too much. I want to give her the best of everything. I know I'm wronging Evelyn, but I'll divorce her slowly, so she won't be too hurt. After the divorce, whatever compensation she wants, the Grant family can give her."

Hearing this, I could barely stand. It took all my strength to keep the medicine tray steady in my hands.

But the heart-wrenching pain surged uncontrollably towards my throat.

For five years, I had endured countless hardships, only to be told in the end that I was never wanted.

Olivia merely had rumors of an affair with him and it was considered ruining her reputation. What about me, who had been married to him for five years?

Could everything be erased with just a simple "you can't force love"?

I stepped back slowly.

Scenes from the past years flashed through my mind like a slideshow.

Originally, it was my half-sister Olivia who was engaged to Sebastian.

But when Sebastian fell into a coma after a car accident, Olivia refused to marry him and suffer. My father, not wanting to offend the Grant family, had me marry Sebastian in her place.

For five years, Sebastian's mother made my life difficult countless times, but I endured it all.

There were numerous times when Sebastian seemed like he wouldn't make it, but I cared for him tirelessly, not only out of duty but also to repay him for standing up for me when I was bullied years ago.

Finally, he slowly began to show signs of improvement.

He would tightly grip my hand when his mother scolded me.

He would smile when I read him news stories.

In the end, he would only let me near him. If it was anyone else, he would frown.

These reactions made me believe that after five years of care, he had finally developed feelings for me.

When he woke up, he solemnly told me that since I had married him, he would only recognize me as his wife for the rest of his life.

I believed him wholeheartedly, even when he asked me to give way to my half-sister at every turn, even when he gave Olivia million-dollar jewelry.

When he explained to me that it was just out of gratitude, I believed it all.

I thought he just couldn't remember what happened during his illness.

But he remembered everything, he knew everything.

He just didn't love me.