Chapter 3

A noise from the living room broke my train of thought.

Liam was back.

I stayed quietly in the staff quarters on the first floor.

In two years of marriage, I was only allowed upstairs when he brought Chloe back.

Even then, they'd be in their room, and I was expected to guard the door.

After Chloe left, I would replace her as Liam's convenience for the night.

I stared down at the cuts on my arm for a long time, my eyes downcast.

At some point, he appeared behind me, frowning as he looked at me.

"Why are you so pale? Did you catch a chill?"

He reached out to touch my forehead, but I flinched away.

"Why my face looks like this? Don't you know? Are you here to make me watch your romance again? Give me a minute, I'll be right there."

I stood up, walked past him, but he grabbed my arm.

Something was pressed into my hand.

I looked down. It was a jewelry box.

"I bought this for you. Dress yourself up properly from now on; don't embarrass me."

I stared at the jewelry box for a few seconds, then without hesitation, threw it out the window.

Just like I had done years ago, throwing the necklace he gave me into the river right in front of him.

As expected, Liam's face instantly turned ashen, and he glared at me, his eyes filled with fury.

"Elara!"

I tilted my head back, my smile bright. "I'm helping you. If your 'other woman' finds out you bought me a necklace, she'll fight with you."

He suddenly laughed.

He pressed me onto the bed, kissing my face repeatedly, his eyes bloodshot.

"Elara, are you jealous? Don't you know I've been waiting for you to come back all these years? I waited for you to give me an explanation. Don't you know that if you just played nice, if you just apologized and acted a little spoiled, we could go back to how we were?"

A wave of nausea hit me, and the pain in my body made me want to cry.

Liam, I've seen how you loved me.

The way you pretend to love me now, when you clearly don't, is truly sickening.

I looked up.

"Liam, we can go back to how we were, but you have to promise me one thing. Ruin the Chloe family, and throw Chloe in jail. Then, I'll give you a reasonable explanation. How about it?"

Liam reached out and touched my forehead.

It was a tender gesture, but his expression was utterly cold and distant.

"You can ask for anything else, but you can't bully her anymore."

I pushed his hand away with force, countering, "If you truly love her, then let's get a divorce soon, so I can make room for her."

His expression changed, his gaze instantly turning savage. "Elara, I forbid you from mentioning divorce again! Don't forget, you owe me this!"

Yes, I owed him. But I was tired of this pain.

"So, between Chloe and me, who do you choose?"

I didn't get his answer.

Because his phone rang.

It was his best friend calling.

"Liam, Chloe's in trouble…"

I could clearly feel Liam's body stiffen, and a flicker of panic in his eyes.

But he merely hung up, his voice cold. "Alright, I know."

In that moment, I felt my wrist squeezed so hard it hurt.

I turned to look at Liam.

His eyes were distant, his tightly furrowed brows betraying his worry.

The next second, he stood up.

I instinctively grabbed his sleeve, my voice firm. "Don't go!"

He stared at me for a few seconds, moving his lips as if to say something.

But I spoke first. "If you walk out that door today, we're over for good."

Liam didn't hesitate. "I'm sorry, it's a matter of life and death. I have to go. I'll explain when I get back."