That sigh pierced my heart like an old, rusted knife, leaving behind a dull ache.
Even this unfamiliar doctor could sense the anguish I was enduring—yet those who had been my family for years remained indifferent.
I attempted to lift my hand, but it was held down by the cold needle.
As blood drained through the clear tube, it felt as if my heart and body were gradually losing their warmth.
In the fog of my diminishing awareness, I could almost hear Cassius’s voice. He spoke softly, with a calming tone, almost as if he were afraid of shattering me.
“Hazel, please be patient, just a little longer… I know you’ve suffered. Once Linnea is awake, I will make it up to you.”
Before I could gather my thoughts, I heard his urgent voice. “Doctor, is this blood quantity sufficient? Should we take more?”
At that moment, it felt like every drop of blood within me turned to ice.
For years, I stood by Cassius through his darkest hours, supporting his rise to the top of the Thorne family.
After all that effort, I finally received a glimmer of his affection. Yet, foolishly, the instant Linnea returned, I became insignificant.
Was this truly the man I had devoted myself to for so long?
I shut my eyes, the crushing pain in my chest and the searing agony in my back entwined, as if they were tearing me apart. Perhaps it would be for the best—there was nothing left for me to cling to. I had already completed my immigration paperwork. All that remained was to persuade Cassius to sign the divorce papers, and I would finally be free.
However, I understood that if I presented the divorce agreement directly to him, he would hesitate. For the sake of his alliance with the Bellamy Family, he would refuse to end our marriage.
After all, with Linnea now “gravely ill,” if he married her and she passed away, there would be no reason for the Thorne and Bellamy families to maintain their connection.
But I hadn’t anticipated that the opportunity to get Cassius to sign would arise so soon.
Before I even had time to recover, he came to compel me to attend the birthday celebration for both myself and Linnea.
Since my return to the Bellamy Family, our birthdays had become inextricably linked.
On stage, she was the one everyone admired, while I merely served as a background presence.
Initially, I resisted going. My body was frail and my spirit utterly drained. Yet Cassius yanked me from my bed, his tone frosty. “If it weren’t for Linnea wanting to mend fences with you, I wouldn’t bother taking you.”
Mend fences?