Chapter 2

On the drive to the hospital, I sat in the passenger seat and took a long look around the car.

Everything had changed.

Sitting right on the center console was an intimate photo of Scarlett leaning closely against Hans, both beaming with genuine smiles.

Even the passenger seat I was sitting in had been adjusted differently, pushed unusually far back.

A suffocating weight settled on my chest, choking the breath right out of me.

Scarlett noticed where my eyes had landed.

Panic flickered in her eyes, and she scrambled to explain. "Babe, my firm has a few joint ventures with Hans's company. That photo was just PR material from a charity gala. Don't read into it."

Listening to her pathetic excuse, I merely gave a quiet nod. "Yeah, I get it. Just business."

A bitter, self-deprecating smile pulled at the corner of my lips.

She had always told me my health was too delicate to handle work. She wanted me safe at home while she provided.

For three years, I became a househusband, cooking, cleaning, and revolving my entire existence around her.

If it weren't for hearing her conversation today, I would have died in the dark.

"I knew you'd understand," she breathed, relaxing. "I love you so much."

She sped to the hospital. The ER doctor confirmed I had suffered no broken bones, but Scarlett insisted on checking me into an inpatient suite for observation.

"Babe, I have an amazing surprise for you," she whispered, leaning over my bed. "The hospital found a perfect bone marrow match for you!"

"Your body is so weak, but this transplant will finally fix your immune system. You'll be normal again."

"Aren't you happy? I'm signing the consent forms tomorrow morning."

Looking at her beaming smile, I couldn't utter a single word.

To save her beloved Hans, she was ready to drill into my bones again, completely indifferent to whether I lived or died.

Only this time, she wouldn't get what she wanted.

Seeing my silence, she assumed I was simply overwhelmed with joy.

"Once you recover, we'll travel the world together, Julian!"

She clasped my hand, staying by my bedside through the night with simulated devotion.

When I opened my eyes the next morning, she was gone.

Needing some air, I walked down the hall toward the restroom. A familiar voice drifted out from an VIP suite down the corridor.

I peered through the glass.

Scarlett was sitting beside Hans Parker's bed, gently blowing on a spoonful of soup before feeding him, looking every bit like a devoted wife.

"Scarlett, you've gone to so much trouble for me. But... Julian won't find out, will he?"

Scarlett gripped Hans's hand tightly, her expression fierce and determined. "Don't worry about Julian. It'll be just like three years ago. All you need to do is rest, get through the surgery, and live a long, healthy life."

"Thank you, Scarlett. My wife has been searching abroad for a match, but now she can finally rest. Once I'm healed, I'm going to take her on a cruise around the world."

Scarlett forced a tight smile, though her voice dripped with unspoken longing. "Is that so? She's a very lucky woman."

A cold scoff formed in my throat.

Every ounce of kindness Scarlett had ever shown me was merely an overflow of her obsession with Hans.

If my bone marrow hadn't been a match for him, she wouldn't have looked at me twice.

As Scarlett turned to wipe a stray tear from her cheek, her eyes collided with mine through the doorway.

Her pupils shrank instantly. Her tender smile vanished, replaced by sheer, naked terror.

"Julian?! What are you doing out of bed? It's—it's not what you think! Hans just happened to be admitted here, so I stopped by to check on him as a friend!"

Hans, reclining against his pillows, shot me a mocking smirk. "Small world, Julian. What a coincidence."

I clenched my fists, swallowing down the bitter bile rising in my throat.

"I just came out for some fresh air. Don't let me interrupt."

I turned to walk away, but Scarlett abandoned Hans and sprinted after me, grabbing my sleeve in a panic.

"Julian... how long were you standing there?"

She wasn't worried about my feelings. She was terrified that I had heard the truth and would run, leaving Hans without his donor.

"Just got here," I lied evenly. "You saw me the second I walked up."

A visible wave of relief washed over her features.

"Good. The prep for your procedure starts soon. You need to rest in bed."

She escorted me back to my private room and glued herself to my side.

When lunchtime came, she stepped out to pick up a specialized meal for me.

Through the window, I noticed she ordered a security guard and a nurse to stand guard outside my room. She was terrified I would slip away.

I stared at her retreating back, dead inside, and pulled out my phone.

There was only one day left until my faked death.

*Goodbye forever, Scarlett.*