Chapter 3

The next day, I went to work at the mall as usual.

I hadn't slept all night. My head felt heavy, and waves of nausea rolled through my stomach.

I'd barely taken my position at the counter when a familiar figure approached.

Lillian wore a loose silk dress and carried the limited edition handbag Nathan had bought her yesterday. She stopped in front of me with a smile.

"Frost, Nathan told me your counter has great skincare. He asked me to come pick out a few sets."

I suppressed the nausea and handed her a product catalog with a blank expression. "Choose whatever you want, Ms. Reed."

But Lillian didn't take it. Instead, she extended her pale wrist. "I'm pregnant. My skin is sensitive. You should test it for me."

I bit my lip and took out a bottle of serum. I dropped some on the back of my hand, preparing to apply it to Lillian's wrist.

Lillian suddenly leaned in close and laughed quietly, her voice low enough that only we could hear. "Frost, do you know? Last night when Nathan was in the guest room, he was actually on the phone with me the whole time. He said your marriage has been an empty shell for a long time. He never loved you."

My hand went rigid.

"He also said that once I have the baby, he'll give you some money and let you leave with dignity." Lillian's tone was full of a victor's pride.

My head buzzed. My fingers trembled. The glass bottle slipped from my hand and shattered against the glass counter with a crash, fragments scattering everywhere.

"Ah!" Lillian suddenly screamed and clutched her hand, stumbling backward. Her eyes instantly reddened. "Frost, even if you're angry at me, you can't cut me with broken glass!"

I froze. I hadn't touched Lillian at all.

Before I could explain, a cold voice cut through the crowd. "What's going on?"

Nathan appeared in a custom-tailored suit, striding toward us surrounded by a group of mall executives.

He was here to inspect the World Trade Center today.

The crowd automatically parted.

Nathan's eyes immediately found Lillian clutching her hand with tears streaming down her face. His expression changed drastically. He rushed over and pulled her into his arms.

"Nathan, it hurts..." Lillian leaned against his chest and showed him her hand.

There was indeed a small red mark on the back of her hand. Whether it came from glass fragments or she'd pinched herself, I couldn't tell.

Nathan's eyes turned ice cold. He whipped his head toward me, his voice suppressing fury. "Frost, what did I warn you about last night?"

His low roar drew attention from everyone around us. All my coworkers looked at this scene in confusion.

"I didn't touch her." I straightened and looked directly into his eyes. My voice was hoarse.

"If you didn't touch her, how did she get hurt?" Nathan didn't believe me. His eyes were full of disappointment and disgust.

"You usually act out at home, fine. But now you're hurting customers at work? Frost, when did you become so vicious?!"

The onlookers gasped. This didn't sound like a manager reprimanding an employee!

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.

When I ate instant noodles with him, when we lived in a basement apartment, he'd said I was the kindest woman in the world.

Now that he was successful, one tear from his first love and I'd become a vicious, jealous wife...

Nathan, who'd never publicly acknowledged my identity in five years, was now losing control in public over a scratch on Lillian's hand, letting strangers speculate about our relationship.

It felt like being slapped across the face. My cheeks burned.

"Mr. Blackwell, this might be a misunderstanding..." My manager stepped forward, trying to smooth things over.

"A misunderstanding?" Nathan laughed coldly, his eyes boring into me. "Apologize."

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. "I told you. I didn't do it. I won't apologize."

"Frost, don't make me humiliate you in public."

Nathan stepped closer and lowered his voice so only I could hear. "If you don't apologize, you're leaving the World Trade Center today. And that brother of yours in the hospital? He won't be able to use any of my resources again."

My whole body shook. I looked at him in disbelief.

He was threatening me with my brother's life!

For Lillian, he was willing to push me to the brink!

My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. The pain made it hard to breathe.

All around me, coworkers and customers watched like it was a show. Their whispered conversations rose like a tide, drowning me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

When I opened them again, the light in my eyes had completely died.

I bent at the waist and bowed deeply to Lillian. My voice was wooden. "I'm sorry, Ms. Reed. It was my carelessness."

Lillian hid in Nathan's arms, a barely perceptible smile playing at her lips. But her voice remained aggrieved. "It's fine. You didn't mean it. Nathan, let's go. My stomach feels a little off."

Nathan immediately grew concerned. He wrapped his arm around Lillian's waist and turned to leave without giving me a single extra glance.

I maintained my bowed position until their figures completely disappeared from view.

I slowly straightened. My stomach churned. I covered my mouth and rushed to the restroom.

Leaning over the sink, I dry-heaved for a long time but couldn't bring anything up.

I looked up at the pale, disheveled woman in the mirror. She suddenly seemed like a complete stranger.

I took out my phone and called the hospital. "Dr. Stevens, how much more do we need for my brother's medical bills?"

After hanging up, I leaned against the cold tile wall and slowly slid to the floor.

Nathan, since you're this heartless, there's nothing left between us worth holding onto.