Chapter 2

Sienna's POV

Having said my piece, I turned and walked away without looking back to see Mary's expression.

Yet just as I rounded the corner at the end of the hallway, I saw Vivian Locke walking toward me.

The moment she saw me, Vivian paused mid-step, a clear look of awkwardness and anxiety flitting across her face.

"Ms. Stone... I heard Julian was hurt and is in surgery..." Vivian said cautiously. "I only wanted to come and check on him. If you mind, I'll go back right now."

In the past, I would have told her to get lost and banned her from taking a single step near Julian.

But now, I simply brushed past Vivian, my voice as faint as a breeze. "There's no need. You stay and take good care of him."

Vivian stood frozen on the spot, seemingly unable to believe her own ears.

By the time I stepped out of the hospital entrance, the sky outside had turned pitch black.

I didn't call the driver to pick me up, nor did I hail a taxi. I just walked aimlessly along the street.

I recalled the summer I first met Julian Vance.

Back then, I had just turned twenty. I went with my dad to attend the commendation ceremony for needy students funded by the Stone family.

The youth on the stage wore a faded white shirt. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, his features cold and aloof like the snow atop a mountain peak.

With just one look, I was hopelessly smitten.

I began to pursue him like crazy.

Yet when I sent him gifts, he returned them; when I invited him to dinner, he declined; when I blocked his path downstairs at his dorm to confess, he took a detour.

Since childhood, I had believed there was nothing in this world I couldn't have.

So I was never discouraged. I used my connections to find out that his mother was sick and urgently needed a massive sum of money for surgery.

And so, I had my father step in to tell him that if he married me, the Stone family would cover all medical expenses, fund his remaining studies, and provide him with the best platform for his career.

He remained silent for three whole days.

On the fourth day, he showed up in the living room of the Stone residence and said to me, "I agree to the marriage."

There was no proposal, no ring, and not a single word of affection.

Yet back then, I was happy as a fool, believing that as long as we were married, everything would turn out fine.

Over all these years, I truly did love him.

I loved him so much that I couldn't extricate myself, loved him so much that I forgot who I was, and loved him so much that I turned my own life into a laughingstock.

But no matter how much I loved him, it was time to let go.

I didn't know how long I had been walking, but by the time I snapped out of it, I was standing before the gates of the Stone family villa.

The lights in the living room were still on.

I pushed the door open and walked in. My parents were talking, and when they saw me standing at the door looking such a disheveled mess, both of them stood up in shock.

"Sienna? What on earth happened to you..." My mother quickly approached, and the moment she spotted the slap mark on my face, her voice cracked. "Who hit you? Where is Julian? Why isn't he looking after you?"

My father also stood up with a dark expression. "I'll call him right now!"

"There's no need," I stopped my father. "Dad, Mom, I'm getting a divorce."

The living room fell into sudden silence.

My mother was the first to react, her eyes instantly turning red. "Your father and I have seen all the grievances you've suffered in the Vance family these past years. We wanted to ask you to come home, but we were afraid you wouldn't be able to let Julian go, and that you wouldn't be happy even if you did return..."

My father remained silent for a long time before he finally asked, "Have you truly made up your mind?"

"Yes."

"Then divorce him," my father said, patting my shoulder. "My precious girl deserves the absolute best in this world. Since Julian is too blind to see your worth, let him regret it in the future!"

My nose stung, and tears nearly spilled from my eyes.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted documents spread out on the coffee table. I bent down to pick them up and flipped through them.

They were the company's quarterly reports and several cooperation agreements.

The further down I read, the colder my fingers grew.

Several core projects had been snatched away, the cash flow was visibly strained, and one of the agreements was a letter of intent for cooperation with the Vance Group, with terms so harsh they bordered on extortion.

I said in disbelief, "Julian is deliberately making things difficult for the Stone family's company?"

"It's nothing," my father smiled, feigning a lighthearted tone. "It's just a small matter. Your dad can handle it."

But those dense rows of numbers and clauses pricked at my eyes like needles.

When we got married, Julian was still a penniless, needy student. Everyone said he was marrying above his station.

Later, when he graduated, instead of utilizing the platform the Stone family had paved for him, he chose to start from scratch and build his own business.

Fearing they would hurt his pride, my parents had spent all these years quietly aiding his business behind the scenes.

Now that the Vance Group was flourishing and his wings had grown strong, he had turned around to devour the Stone family's businesses.

Yet my parents hadn't breathed a single word of this to me.

I didn't need to think twice to know why. My parents didn't want to put me in a difficult position in the middle.

After all, everyone knew how deeply infatuated I was with Julian.

Looking at the gray hair at my father's temples and the fine lines around my mother's eyes, I could see they silently spoke of all the storms they had weathered on my behalf over the years.

My eyes burned with tears, and my throat tightened with emotion. "Dad, Mom, I'm sorry. I was too foolish and immature in the past."

My mother embraced me. "It's fine. None of that matters. The only wish your father and I have is for you to be happy and healthy forever."

My eyes grew even redder. "Dad, Mom, once I divorce Julian, let's move to a different city."

This city with Julian is just too awful. I don't want to stay here anymore.

My father hesitated for less than three seconds before nodding with determination. "Alright! Once you get divorced, wherever you want to go, the three of us will go!"

Two days later, news came that Julian had been transferred to a general ward.

I took the drafted divorce agreement and headed to the hospital.