Yasmine made up her mind and took Emma’s hand.

“Ms. Larson, you’re right. I shouldn’t give up on my future.

“As for this resignation letter, please just pretend I never submitted it.”

Emma breathed a sigh of relief and patted her shoulder.

“I’m glad you came to your senses.

“Yasmine, you’re about the same age as my daughter. Forgive me for saying this, but giving up your career for a man is never the right choice.”

Yasmine nodded, though bitterness lingered in her heart.

In her last life, it had taken her a whole lifetime to understand that truth.

This time, she would not waste her love and devotion on the Quinton family, who had never shown her any kindness.

When she glanced at the list in Emma’s hand, she suddenly noticed a familiar name.

Emma noticed it and smiled. “Quill is doing very well now. He’s a top host at the central station. I recall he was your senior, right? Once you’re abroad, you two can look out for each other.

“I’ll contact him now. On the day of departure, you can take the special flight together.”

Yasmine thought of the man who had always been gentle and elegant back in school, and she felt a flicker of anticipation.

She had not seen Quill Jensen in years.

When she returned home from the station, she was about to push the door open when she heard Yara’s voice inside.

“Leo, back then, you married me for mine and Noah’s sake. You even hid it from Yasmine with a fake certificate. I know you’re injured, but I can’t resign to take care of you and Noah. Just pretend that you’re physically and mentally unstable and make her quit her job.

“You’ve done so much for me. I really don’t know how to thank you.”

Then, a man’s low, steady voice cut through, and every word pierced Yasmine’s heart like a knife.

“There is nothing to thank me for, Yara. We grew up together. Just because you chose my brother back then doesn’t mean there was nothing between us.

“Now that he is gone, it’s only right for me to take care of you and Noah. The Quinton family’s estate will go to Noah in the future.

“As for Yasmine… I do love her, and I do feel guilty. But she is someone who’s easily satisfied. She won’t care about money or reputation. One day, when we’re both gone, I will be buried next to her. That will be my way of making it up to her.”

Yara’s voice sounded again. “But if you treat her like this, won’t she leave you if she finds out the truth?”

Leo chuckled and said confidently, “Impossible! She has always been careless and naive. As long as we keep it under wraps, she will never know. Even if she does, she loves me too much to walk away.

“My companionship will be yours, but my love is hers. That is fair enough.”

Yasmine’s fingers tightened around the doorknob.

Leo was shameless and far too sure of himself.

He believed she would accept every humiliation just because she loved him.

But she was no longer the Yasmine who had loved him blindly in her last life.

She wiped her tears, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

The room fell silent at once.

A man in uniform with sharp brows and striking eyes sat in a wheelchair. His lips were faintly flushed.

It was clear what he and Yara had just been doing.

For an instant, panic shone in Leo’s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it under the same irritation he had shown these past few days.

“Yasmine, you came home this late? Do you want me to starve?”

Since the accident, his moods had become unpredictable. The gentle man he had once been was no longer present.

If Yasmine had not overheard his and Yara’s words, she would never have realized that it was all pretend.

He wanted her to feel guilty, give up her job, and stay by his side as nothing more than a caretaker.

When Yara noticed Yasmine’s face, she stepped forward at once.

“Leo, that’s enough! Yasmine already plans to quit her job and look after you. Maybe something held her up on her way home.”

The iciness in Leo’s face melted at once.

“Yara, don’t worry. I was only scolding her. She really doesn’t act properly sometimes.

“You’ve always had a weak stomach, and Noah’s still so young. I can’t let the two of you sit here hungry and wait for her to cook.”

Yara gave his wheelchair a light tap.

“It’s not that serious… Ahh!!!”

Her cry startled Leo so badly that he nearly rose from his chair.

“Yara, what happened?”

“It’s nothing. Just a splinter in my hand.”

Leo looked uneasy. He caught her hand and pulled her toward the bedroom.

“A woman’s hands are precious. How can this be nothing? Let’s put some ointment on it.”

The two of them were caught up in each other. The atmosphere between them was thick with intimacy.

Yasmine thought her heart had long turned to stone, but it still twisted in pain.

He said a woman’s hands were precious, but how many times had she told him her hands were cracked and raw from washing clothes and begged him for a simple jar of hand cream?

He had bought one but had given it to Yara instead.

He said, “Her work is more demanding. She needs it more than you.”

Yasmine never understood how a schoolteacher like Yara would need hand cream more than a TV host who always had to appear on the screen. She convinced herself that Leo was only showing appropriate concern for his widowed sister-in-law.

In this life, she finally understood.

He claimed that a woman’s hands were precious. It was not just any woman. For him, Yara’s hands were precious.

He had never cared about her. He cared more for Yara.

Luckily, in seven days, she would be on a plane flying across the ocean. She would be far from the Quinton family’s mess and would never return.

Yasmine quietly made dinner.

Her cooking was always delicious. The smell wafted into Noah’s room, and he came running out. When he saw her carrying a steaming bowl of seafood porridge, a wicked smile spread across his face.

He stuck out his leg, and Yasmine stumbled. The porridge spilled all over her, and the scalding heat made her cry out in pain.

But the very next moment, Noah’s loud sobs drowned her out.

“Auntie Yasmine, I know you don’t like me, but how could you burn me like this?

“Mom, it hurts!”

Yara and Leo rushed out at once.

Yara took Noah into her arms, and her eyes welled up with tears.

“Yasmine, if you’re upset about quitting your job, take it out on me. Don’t pick on Noah!”

Yasmine was about to explain, but Leo pushed her away.

She staggered back and slammed into the cabinet. The pain in her waist nearly doubled her over.

Leo looked at her with disgust, as if he could not see her pain at all. “Yasmine, Noah is just a child! He’s my brother’s only son! How can you be so cruel?”

Yasmine lifted her head and glanced at Noah’s arm. His so-called burn was no bigger than a fingernail, while her own arms were covered in blisters. The sight was almost laughable.

Such a tiny scratch, and yet he had managed to pin such a serious accusation on her.

Such a tiny scratch, yet Leo’s heart ached so much he insisted on rushing Noah to the hospital.

As they were leaving, Noah peeked over Leo’s shoulder and made a face at her.

The look reminded Yasmine of another time, when he had been running a high fever.

Yara had been nowhere to be found, and Leo was away on duty. Yasmine had come home from work to find Noah burning up.

With no buses running and no rides to the hospital, she had staggered down the dark streets, carrying him on her back the whole way. She then spent two nights in the hospital, watching over him as he received his IV.

She had truly cared for Noah like her own child.

In her past life, she had never had children of her own, so she poured all her love into him.

She had barely used any of her parents’ inheritance for herself. Instead, she bought Noah a car and a house.

But what did she get in return?

That boastful phone call before her death and the boy’s cruel smirk today, made her realize just how worthless her loyalty and devotion had been.

There was no guarantee that true affection could get genuine care in return. Noah was already twisted at such a young age. She would not waste her love on him again.

She went back to her room to tend to her wounds.

The blisters on her arms were so large that they made her tremble in pain. Gritting her teeth, she held a needle to the flame, pricked the blisters, and applied some ointment to them. The pain was unbearable.

To distract herself from the pain, she packed her belongings.

After half a day of sorting out her things, she had only managed to fill a small bundle.

It was almost laughable. After all these years with Leo, all she owned were a few sets of clothes and some shoes.

The only jewelry she had was those her parents had left her.

The Quinton family was not poor. Leo’s parents were retired soldiers, and Leo himself had been a regimental commander. His monthly allowance was several thousand dollars.

But when she thought about it, Yasmine realized she had never taken a single penny from him. Instead, she had used her own salary to support the household and never dared to spend it on herself.

Yet Yara, a primary school teacher earning only a few dozen dollars a month, somehow had gold necklaces and bracelets.

Once again, Yasmine felt the sting of Leo’s favoritism. It was like a needle pricking at her heart.

She continued packing and finally pulled out the two marriage certificates she had once guarded so carefully from the bottom of a drawer.

She remembered the day Leo had brought them home. His face shone with guilt.

“My brother just passed away. We can’t have a big wedding. Yasmine, I’m so sorry.

“But from now on, you’re the lady of the Quinton family. I’ll treat you well.”

Looking back, what had he really felt guilty about? Was it really because they could not hold a grand wedding?

Every word he had said back then had been a lie.

He had tricked her for half a lifetime, and the pain of it had nearly ruined her.

With tears stinging her eyes, Yasmine ripped the worthless papers to shreds.

When Leo came back from the hospital with Yara and Noah, Yasmine was already in bed.

The wounds on her hands hurt so much that she could not sleep well.

The moment Leo opened the door, she woke up.

Hearing the sound of the wheelchair getting closer, her heart raced.

She hated him.

The thought of sharing a bed with him made her feel sick.

Fortunately, Leo stopped when Yara’s soft voice sounded from the doorway.

“Leo, Noah seems to be having a nightmare.”

With that, Leo turned and left without hesitation.

Silence filled the room again. A little while later, strange sounds emerged from the next room.

Yasmine wanted to shut them out, but the night was too quiet and her hearing too sharp. She heard Yara’s moans mixed with Leo’s heavy grunting.

“Leo, slow down. Aren’t you afraid Yasmine will hear us?”

“Then, be quieter, Yara. Knowing she’s next door makes it feel even better, doesn’t it?”

“You’re so annoying! Stop saying my name, honey.”

“You want me to call you babe instead? You really are something.”

“You’re the one who said Yasmine just lies there in bed like a dead fish. Don’t you prefer me this way?”

“I do. I love you, baby.”

Each filthy word pierced Yasmine’s heart.

She could not believe she had become part of their twisted game. From the way they spoke, it was clear that this was not the first time they were doing this.

Leo had sworn he was only looking after Yara. What a joke!

Taking care of his widowed sister-in-law all the way into her bed. He really was not afraid of his brother coming to haunt him in the middle of the night.

Who knew how many times they had used Noah as an excuse to get into bed together? Yasmine’s stomach churned. She jumped up and ran to the bathroom to vomit.

The sound gave her away. Leo came out of Yara’s room quickly.

His eyes were still clouded with desire, though his tone was gentle.

“Yasmine, are you alright? Did you not eat tonight? Is your stomach acting up?”

He stepped closer and patted her back, as if he had not shoved her away earlier. He acted as though he had not been in bed with Yara just moments ago.

That was what Leo always did.

He always treated her sweetly after hurting her.

He always mistreated her, then made her think he cared for her.

This time, she only felt sick. She gagged until bile burned her throat.

Her stomach was empty, and a strange pain spread through her lower belly.

She tried to stand and move away from him, but just as she rose, the world went dark.

The last thing she heard was Leo’s panicked voice.

“Yasmine, wake up!”