Chapter 2

The car drove off in a cloud of dust, leaving me standing there in a daze for a long time.

Eight years—it felt like I was seeing Daniel clearly for the first time.

Even the heavens seemed to be mocking me. I'd only walked a few steps when the rain began pouring down.

Daniel's car was still at the traffic light. One second, two seconds, three seconds—the car started up and sped away without a moment's hesitation.

He claimed to be worried about my illness, yet he could still abandon his sick fiancée in the rain for a single word from Georgina.

When he left, he didn't even think to leave me an umbrella.

The journey home felt endless.

I don't know how I made it back. All I knew was that Daniel and I were truly over.

When I reached the door of what was supposed to be our marital home, I heard a man and woman laughing inside through the half-open door.

As I pushed the door open, Daniel and Georgina both turned around simultaneously.

Daniel said nothing, just frowned at my drenched appearance.

Georgina exclaimed, "Elliot, what happened to you?"

"You can't get caught in the rain with your condition! If you get a fever, you won't be able to have the surgery the day after tomorrow..."

So the surgery was scheduled for the day after tomorrow.

Coincidentally, my flight was also the day after tomorrow.

Hearing this, Daniel panicked.

He hurriedly grabbed a towel and hairdryer, pulled me over, and pressed me down onto the sofa.

"What are you doing!"

"Didn't I tell you to take a cab home?"

"If you delay Georgina's surgery, I'm telling you—I won't marry you!"

The hairdryer roared. Daniel's words pierced my heart like needles.

It hurt.

My health wasn't important. What mattered was Georgina's surgery.

In Daniel's eyes, my breast was Georgina's ticket to stay at State Hospital, her only chance.

"Go take a hot shower quickly. Don't catch a cold."

"These next few days, take care of yourself. No colds, no fevers."

Daniel gave me a push. Georgina smiled beside him, adding quite a few pre-surgery precautions.

"Daniel, I'm hungry..."

"I want to eat your red wine steak."

Georgina's coquettish voice came from behind me, along with Daniel's indulgent response.

My feet felt like they were filled with lead.

In our eight years together, I'd only learned that Daniel could cook after Georgina came back.

The day Georgina returned to the country, Daniel brought her to our home.

I'd thoughtfully made restaurant reservations, but Georgina said she wanted to eat Daniel's home cooking, so he immediately went into the kitchen.

He spent three hours making eight dishes. The last dish was red wine steak.

"I've missed your cooking all these years abroad."

"Daniel, you haven't forgotten what you promised me, have you?"

Daniel took off his apron and wiped his hands.

"How would I dare forget what the princess said? I've never cooked for anyone else. If you don't believe me, ask Elliot—she didn't even know I could cook!"

The two of them laughed. Daniel gently ruffled Georgina's hair.

At the dining table, I sat across from Georgina, so embarrassed I wanted to crawl into a hole.

That day they chatted happily while I couldn't get a word in.

When I came out after my shower, the greasy smell of food hit me.

"Elliot, come over here."

Georgina was sitting next to Daniel, calling me over to eat.

I glanced at their shoulders pressed together and gave a slight smile.

Where was there a place for me at that table?