Chapter 4

Jennifer POV

I became Sarah's official private caregiver.

On the first day, Sarah pointed to a plate of lobster, sweetly complaining her fingers might get hurt, and demanded I peel out the whole lobster meat with my bare hands.

I silently complied.

Lobster shells are hard and sharp, and my fingers were soon raw and bleeding.

I peeled one after another until my fingertips were numb with pain.

When Kevin pushed the door open, I instinctively hid my hands behind my back.

He didn't notice, walking straight to the bed to pick up a bowl of soup, spooning it gently into Sarah's mouth.

The sight was like a needle piercing my heart, yet no blood flowed.

The next day, Sarah deliberately dropped a diamond earring into the hospital garden's frozen pond.

"Oh dear, it slipped," she feigned panic. "Jennifer, could you please find it for me? Kevin gave it to me."

It was deep winter, and the water was covered with thin ice.

Without a word, I stripped off my coat and jumped into the pond.

The icy water made me shiver, my teeth chattering uncontrollably.

I dived repeatedly, searching, occasionally surfacing for air. From the hospital room window, I could see Kevin massaging Sarah's shoulders, both of them laughing and chatting.

It wasn't until dusk that I found the earring in the pond's muddy bottom.

When I crawled ashore, my hands and feet were numb with cold, and my lips were purple.

On the third day, Sarah had someone bring in a valuable long-haired cat.

I am severely allergic to cat fur.

Sarah pretended not to know, pointing to the luxurious cat tree in the corner, covered in fur.

"Jennifer, the cat tree is filthy. Would you mind cleaning it, please?" she asked with a smile.

I said nothing, and walked over.

In the enclosed space, fine fur particles floated everywhere.

Soon, I began to have difficulty breathing. My skin became red and itchy, my eyes bloodshot and tearing. I felt like I'd been thrown into boiling water.

I fought the suffocating sensation, determined to clean the cat house until it was spotless.

When I stumbled back into the hospital room, Kevin was sitting on the sofa.

He saw the red rash on my face and my nearly swollen-shut eyes. His brows furrowed.

I thought he might show a little pity.

But he didn't.

He just spoke coldly, his voice laced with disgust, "Go clean yourself up. Don't scare Sarah."

Those words cut deeper than any knife.

As I turned to leave, I heard Sarah and her friends' barely suppressed laughter behind me.

"Look at her, she's a mess! So funny."

"She's got the life of a maid, yet she dreams of being a billionaire's wife."

"I bet Kevin will get bored and dump her soon, then get back with Sarah."

Kevin didn't reply.

His silence, surprisingly, made me feel a little better.

At least he hadn't confirmed it himself.

The day Sarah was discharged, the sky opened up, unleashing a torrent.

Before getting into the car, Sarah suddenly grabbed Kevin's arm, pointing at me. "Kevin, I don't want to ride in the same car as her."

Kevin didn't even look at me, simply commanded, "You take a taxi back."

With that, he closed the car door, and the black Bentley sped away from me, splashing mud.

I stood in the pouring rain, soaked to the bone in an instant.

I stretched out my hand, but couldn't hail a single cab.

Finally, I had no choice but to walk back in the rain, step by arduous step.

Three hours.

When I finally reached the empty mansion, I looked like I'd been pulled from the water; not a single spot on me was dry.

The days of exhaustion, torment, and this downpour utterly broke my body.

I fell ill, burning with a high fever that wouldn't break.

In my feverish sleep, I seemed to return to my own world, seeing the person I longed for day and night.

William was holding me tenderly, his warm hand stroking my forehead.

"William..."

I couldn't hold back anymore. Ten years of accumulated grievances and longing burst forth.

I clutched his sleeve, like a helpless child, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I miss you so much... I hurt so much... I almost couldn't go on..."

"Jennifer."

A cold, hard voice ripped me from my dream.

I painstakingly opened my eyes. Through my fever-blurred vision, a tall figure sat by my bed.

It was Kevin.

His face darkened, his eyes churning with an anger and a scrutiny I couldn't decipher.

He stared at me, demanding, word by word.

"Who is William?"