Chapter 2

When I arrived, Bob accused me of taking too long.

"But you're here, aren't you?"

"I'm not a doctor. What did you expect me to do?"

Bob said disappointedly, "You're Anderson's wife. How can you be so indifferent? If I'd known..."

He suddenly stopped.

I gave a cold laugh and finished his sentence for him.

"If you'd known, you wouldn't have persuaded Anderson to return to his family. Now he'd still have someone who knows when he's cold or warm."

I'd heard this from Bob too many times.

He was the one who urged Anderson to cut ties with Rachel and return to the family. He was also the one who now thought my care didn't measure up to Rachel's.

From initial relief to repeatedly complaining about me to Anderson.

Fortunately, I no longer cared about Anderson's friends' attitudes like before. They could say whatever they wanted.

Anderson probably thought the same way.

So every time Bob spoke up, he never stopped him, just looked at me with complicated eyes.

Anderson wanted me to know what he'd given up for me.

Everyone knew Rachel was the one he truly loved.

I was the villain who interfered, possessing him but not knowing gratitude.

"Get out. This is between Alice and me."

Anderson slowly woke up.

Bob, disappointed in him, wanted to say more but froze at Anderson's next words.

"Rachel, I regret it. Don't leave me. Don't marry another man."

Anderson drunkenly grabbed my sleeve.

"I can't do it. I can't watch you have children with another man..."

This was the first time Anderson cried like this in front of me. His suppressed sobs were like a broken old violin.

Only intermittent, trembling muffled sounds remained, stuck in his throat, unable to come out.

He'd mistaken me for Rachel.

When Anderson was still with Rachel, people around them often called Rachel "Mrs. Anderson."

After he returned to the family, I never heard it mentioned again. Apparently to avoid touching a sore spot.

Bob looked at me with pity.

"Are you satisfied now?"

"Using your dead child to tie Anderson to your side, now neither of you is happy. Is this the life you wanted?"

I smiled politely. "Yes, this is what I wanted. Seeing them both unhappy makes me satisfied."

"You should have died on that hospital bed with that child!"

Bob left in anger. Only Anderson and I remained in the room.

Anderson gripped me tightly.

Following this position, I sat on the edge of his bed and slapped him hard across the face.

"Are you sober now?"

They all wanted me dead. I was determined to live well, better than all of them.

Anderson's face swelled red. "Alice, how did I end up in the hospital?"

"Rachel's getting married. You were upset, drank with Bob, and ended up here with a gastric hemorrhage."

I pulled out my phone and played his drunken words, including how Bob had provoked me.

"You still can't forget her."

Anderson's face went pale. "Why don't you care about my health anymore?"

"Before when I was sick, even in pouring rain, you insisted on carrying me to the hospital. You rubbed your heels bloody."

I didn't expect that would be his first thought.

That was long ago, back when Rachel hadn't yet interfered in our relationship.

"That's why I was so stupid back then. If I couldn't get a cab, I should have just waited longer like today. Why suffer so much?"

Anderson bowed his head guiltily.

"I really don't like her anymore. Tonight I just remembered the past and felt a bit melancholy."

"I didn't know Bob was talking about you like that behind your back. I won't associate with him anymore."

I interrupted his next words.

"Sign this purchase contract."

"You've already wronged me emotionally. You can't shortchange me financially too."

Anderson took the paper and pen as if it were routine, pausing slightly as he signed, the pen pressing hard through the paper.

"Is this all we talk about now?"

Since he returned to the family, I said nothing but quietly moved my things to the guest bedroom.

His study was full of gifts from Rachel too. I never asked about it.

We were like strangers living under the same roof, staying out of each other's way.

I only showed him a pleasant face when I needed him to spend money.

"Why won't you forgive me after everything I've done? What do I have to do for you to be like before?"

I nodded. "If you can hear that on our anniversary, I drank myself into the hospital because my mistress got married, and you can stay as calm as I am, then I'll forgive you."

"...I'm sorry."

I looked with satisfaction at the signature on the contract, unable to say "it's okay."

Anderson pushed his luck, placing his hand on mine, his eyes pleading.

"Let's have a child too. Bob's wife already had their second."

I gave a mocking laugh. Why bring it up now of all times?

It was only because Rachel was going to have children with another man that he wanted a child.

I brushed off his hand. "Forget it."

"I can't be as heartless as you. You may not remember, but I'll never forget that child. No matter how many children we have, none will be him."

"And I could never give you children. If you want children..."

"No more children. Just the two of us is fine. We'll always be together."

Anderson panicked and held me, as if afraid I'd leave.