Chapter 3

Pearle’s POV

On my seventh day in the hospital, Zachary finally called.

“How much longer are you going to keep this up? They only took a patch of skin. Are you planning to stay in the hospital forever? Vivian’s already gone home. Aren’t you coming back?”

I gave a cold laugh.

“Home? Zachary Shaw, that isn’t my home anymore.”

At that, some of the irritation faded from his voice.

“Pearle Foster, will you stop this? This is your home. It’s the home we’re going to share.”

I had no interest in listening to his nonsense, so I hung up.

A second later, he called right back, his voice full of disbelief.

“Pearle Foster, did you just hang up on me?!”

“If there’s nothing else, I’m going to sleep.”

With that, I was about to hang up again.

But his furious voice came through the phone.

“If you dare hang up, I’ll withdraw all funding right now! Try me.”

My expression darkened at once.

“Zachary Shaw, have you gotten addicted to threatening me with that?”

There was a brief silence on the other end.

“You’re the one who refuses to have a proper conversation with me.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, forcing down the anger in my voice.

“What exactly do you want?”

“There’s an auction the day after tomorrow. I’ll send you an invitation. You have to come.”

Before I could speak, he hurriedly added:

“Consider it… consider it my way of making it up to you.”

My face filled with contempt at those words.

But I knew I couldn’t afford to anger Zachary yet.

A collapse in cash flow would bring the entire Foster family business crashing down.

“Fine. Can I hang up now?”

Zachary seemed to want to say more, but then I heard Vivian Sullivan calling him in the background.

The line immediately went dead. Zachary had hung up.

I hid the self-mockery in my eyes and turned off my phone.

Two days later, Zachary had someone deliver a dress to the hospital.

I stared for a moment at the white tulle dress they’d brought.

Once they left, I picked up a pair of scissors, cut the dress to pieces, and threw it in the trash.

Then I called and had a strapless red dress delivered.

After putting on bold makeup, I got into the car taking me to the auction.

Sitting in the car, I studied my reflection in the mirror, thoroughly pleased.

Ever since I’d gotten together with Zachary, I’d worn nothing but light colors. Even my makeup had always been subtle.

But I didn’t like light colors or subtle makeup.

Now that I’d decided to leave Zachary, there was no reason to keep pretending.

My appearance drew everyone’s attention. No one had ever seen me looking so glamorous.

Even the man beside Zachary was stunned. He shook Zachary’s arm.

“Zachary… look over there. Is that Pearle Foster? Why is she dressed like that?”

Zachary tore his gaze away from Vivian Sullivan, whom he’d been flirting with, and looked in the direction the man indicated.

The moment he saw how much of my chest was exposed, he froze.

I knew he’d told people more than once that I was the most conservative woman he’d ever met.

“Zachary, did you and Pearle break up? If you did, maybe I should ask her out. She’s absolutely gorgeous.”

Zachary’s expression darkened, and he gave a disdainful laugh.

“We haven’t broken up. She’s probably jealous because Vivian and I have been so close lately. This is just her way of trying to win me back.”

Zachary picked up his glass and drained it, but that still wasn’t enough.

Just as he was about to have a second drink, the man beside him exclaimed.

“Zachary, go help Pearle. Some guy seems to be bothering her.”

He looked up and saw that a man was indeed grabbing at me.

His brows drew together, and he immediately started toward me.

But just then, his phone rang. It was Vivian Sullivan.

He stopped in his tracks.

“I’m so scared…”

Zachary immediately turned and headed in the opposite direction.

Of course, I saw it all. But I’d never expected him to help me in the first place.

I shot a cold glance at the man beside me, who was still trying to take the opportunity to grope me, then grabbed a nearby wine bottle and smashed it against him.

Watching him fall to the floor screaming, I felt a flicker of disgust.

“Consider that a warning. Touch me again, and it’ll be much worse.”

After having security drag him away, I picked up my glass and began networking.

After more drinks than I could count, my head began to swim, and I hurried to the women’s restroom.

The moment I stepped inside, I heard the unmistakable sounds of intimacy.

I recognized the voices immediately.

So this was what Zachary Shaw had been in such a hurry to abandon me for.

I calmly washed my hands.

At first, it might have broken my heart. Now, all that remained in that barren place inside my chest was a cold numbness.

The auction was almost over, and I still had no idea why Zachary Shaw had asked me to come.

But looking at the bag full of business contracts, I smiled in satisfaction.

After telling the driver to wait in the parking garage, I took the elevator down to the first basement level.

The moment I stepped out, my vision went black, and I lost consciousness.