Karl sighed quietly, relieved. He'd been certain that Janice would eventually give in. She had no family to lean on. In his mind, he was the only person she had left.

With that certainty, he added, "Jani, don't be anxious. Nothing between us is going to change. I'll treat you even better than before."

Janice's body shook almost imperceptibly, a sharp ache squeezing her heart. How could he speak with such confidence, as though a wounded heart would remain unchanged forever?

Karl continued calmly, "My grandma's health hasn't been good lately. We can't let her find out about the temporary divorce. I don't want her to worry herself sick."

"You're keeping the divorce from her only because of the shares, right?" Janice sneered, eyes hardening.

Karl's grandmother had made her position clear. If they divorced, his shares in Brooks Group would be revoked without hesitation.

Karl's face darkened, and his voice turned firm. "I've never once considered divorcing you. Joyce and I are nothing more than friends. Stop throwing accusations my way."

A sharp sting rose in Janice's nose as she stared at the man in front of her. His looks were still striking—well-defined features, piercing eyes, and an air of elegance. Yet now, he suddenly felt strange and hypocritical.

The silence between them dragged on.

Finally, Janice shoved him away and said flatly, "We'll go to the courthouse tomorrow at nine and file for the divorce. Joyce won't be convinced by empty promises, will she?"

Karl froze for a brief moment. Then, after a pause, he realized she wasn't wrong. Trying to soothe her, he said, "Don't worry. It's only temporary. Once Joyce recovers, we'll get married again."

As Janice watched the hypocrisy on his face, her stomach churned wildly with nausea, her expression twisting. A wave of overwhelming pain followed swiftly.

She had been worn down from work and hadn't eaten a single proper meal all day. The stomach condition she had kept under control for so long flared up.

Janice clutched her abdomen, cold sweat beading across her forehead. Without warning, she doubled over and retched violently, coughing up a mouthful of blood. The vivid red splattered against the floor, shockingly bright.

Karl rushed forward and grabbed her arm. "Did you skip eating again? Is your stomach acting up?"

Janice pushed him away with every ounce of strength she had left, her voice rough and broken. "Don't touch me."

She couldn't bear to look at Karl's hypocritical expression for another second.

Yet, he didn't walk away. Instead, he bent down and scooped her into his arms. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

His embrace was firm—strong arms, a solid chest. There was a time when Janice loved resting against him, reading as she listened to his heartbeat, wrapped in a sense of safety.

But now, there was only distance and unease. Still, the sharp, relentless pain tearing through her abdomen left her with no strength to fight back. She had no choice but to let him carry her out in the car.

Karl sped down the road toward the hospital.

While driving, he kept his voice low. "Jani, just hold on a little longer. We're almost there."

Right then, his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and immediately pulled over to the side of the road. "Joyce? What happened? Don't panic. Slow down and tell me."

The moment Janice heard Joyce's name, her stomach twisted violently again. She doubled forward in the passenger seat, retching in pain.

After exchanging a few more words, Karl ended the call and turned toward Janice. "Joyce burned herself by accident while boiling water. You take a cab to the hospital yourself. I need to go check on her first."

Janice stared at him, shaken, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Karl, it's the middle of the night. You're really going to leave me here by myself?"

"Jani, don't make this difficult. The hospital's not far. Be good and take a cab." Karl leaned over, unbuckled her seat belt, and motioned for her to get out.

The moment she was pushed out of the car, Karl drove off without even a pause.

As the taillights vanished into the darkness, something inside Janice collapsed completely. Holding her stomach, she reached into her pockets to call for a cab, only to realize she hadn't brought her phone along when Karl had carried her out.

Bitterness flooded her chest, her eyes burning red. She loathed herself for throwing away three years of her life on a man who turned out to be nothing but trash. Tears welled up, blurring her vision.

Suddenly, a harsh glare of headlights lit her frail figure.

She turned instinctively, just in time to see a car charging straight toward her.

Janice's pupils shrank abruptly as shock locked her entire body in place.

The screech of brakes being slammed split the air.

The car door swung open, and a man stepped out, looking cold and commanding. He wore a sharply tailored suit that fit him flawlessly. He looked striking yet distant, his expression composed and aloof. Tall and lean, he walked toward her from against the glare of the headlights. In that moment, everything around them seemed to blur and fall away, leaving only him in focus.

"Miss, are you okay?" he asked.

Janice had just parted her lips to answer when a fresh wave of pain crashed over her. Her vision darkened instantly, and her body tipped backward, weak and heavy.

The man's firm arm hooked firmly around her narrow waist, his warm body heat enveloping her.

His handsome face drew closer, and he said in a voice brimming with concern, "Don't be scared. I'll get you to the hospital right away."

Janice felt herself being lifted effortlessly into his arms. His strength was undeniable, and strangely, it was that very firmness that gave her an unexpected sense of reassurance.

Her lips parted faintly, and consciousness slipped away.

When Janice woke again, daylight had already crept in through the windows. She was lying on a hospital bed.

The pain that had wracked her body earlier was gone. A small puncture mark was visible on the back of her hand, evidence of an IV.

The sound of footsteps drew closer.

"You're awake?" A nurse came over, handing her some medication along with a cup of water. "You had gastric bleeding. Luckily, your boyfriend got you here in time. Otherwise, it could've been very dangerous."

Janice stiffened, her face going pale instantly. Boyfriend? That had to be the man from last night. She had been incredibly lucky to encounter someone so kind. Otherwise, she might have collapsed by the roadside and never been found.

The nurse continued cheerfully, "Your boyfriend is wonderful. He stayed with you the entire night. Tall, handsome, and so attentive. I really envy you."

Janice was stunned. He stayed all night? Her voice came out weak as she asked, "Where is he now?"

"He left not long ago. Guess he had to take care of something urgent," the nurse replied.

Janice nodded slowly. He truly seemed to be a good person. She hoped that one day, she might have the chance to see him again.

As she lifted the blanket, she noticed a man's suit jacket resting over her. It carried a faint, clean woody scent. Had that man forgotten to take his jacket? She didn't even have his contact details and had no idea how she was supposed to return it.

Just then, Janice's phone vibrated twice. It was a message from Karl, urging her to hurry up and complete the divorce. She scoffed. The jerk really couldn't wait.

Without wasting another second, she got a cab and headed straight for the courthouse.

Outside the courthouse, Karl had already been waiting for a while. The morning sun fell neatly across his handsome face.

He approached Janice and passed her a cup of coffee. "Did you eat this morning? I stopped by specially to get this for you."

Janice glanced at the cup only briefly. "You don't need to."

She had always liked the coffee from that café. But someone with a stomach issue shouldn't be drinking coffee.

Karl's expression faltered for a second. "I tried calling you last night, but you didn't answer…"

"Don't drag this out. Let's go inside." Janice sneered inwardly and turned away, walking into the courthouse ahead of him.

The divorce process moved swiftly. Forms were reviewed, signatures collected, and stamps pressed into place. Before long, the two of them stepped back outside.

Karl asked, putting on a show of consideration, "Do you want me to take you home?"

Janice made to reply when the passenger door of Karl's car opened, and Joyce stepped out.

"Karl, did you two really get a divorce? You didn't have to do something this drastic for me…" Joyce said softly, her face a mask of self-blame and innocence.

Janice looked at her and let out a short, derisive laugh. "Drop the act. You got exactly what you wanted. Karl belongs to you now."

Joyce stiffened, fury flashing briefly in her eyes before tears rushed in to replace it. "Karl, that's not what I meant…"

Karl lifted a hand and gently patted Joyce's shoulder, his voice steady. "The divorce was my choice. It has nothing to do with you."

Joyce lowered her face, a trace of smug satisfaction flickering beneath her carefully maintained innocence. "Even if you two are divorced now, you can still stay friends. Karl reserved a table at the most famous restaurant in town. Janice, how about we share a meal?"

Janice declined outright. "I'll pass. Sharing a meal with you might upset my stomach."

"Then let us give you a ride. It's hard to find a cab at this time," Joyce said, dropping the pretense entirely as she slipped her arm through Karl's.

Janice gave a faint smile. "That won't be necessary. Someone's coming to pick me up."

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, a limited-edition Bugatti pulled up in front of the courthouse.

Janice immediately recognized the license plate Cristian had sent her earlier. She raised a hand and waved lightly. "My ride is here. I'll be leaving now."

Seeing the stunned expressions on Karl's and Joyce's faces, Janice finally felt a long-suppressed weight lift off her chest. She opened the door and slid straight into the passenger seat.

But the moment she shut the door and turned her head, her pupils shrank sharply. The man inside wasn't her brother.

She recognized that same striking face instantly—the same man who had carried her to the hospital last night. "How… is it you?"

Janice stiffened instantly. There was no way she could be mistaken. The man sitting behind the wheel was impossibly striking.

His looks were striking and well-defined, his side profile crisp and handsome. The custom-fitted suit traced a slim, toned frame, while the cufflinks at his wrists gleamed sharply. An epitome of elegance, he carried himself with the effortless confidence of someone born into privilege.

The man lifted the corner of his lips and smiled faintly at her.

Now, with a clear head, Janice recognized him. He was one of the most talked-about golden boys in the business world. The head of Gilbert Group. A name synonymous with flawless investments and relentless success. In just a handful of years, he had risen to dominate the entire business circle, his personal fortune rumored to rival national treasuries.

She had caught glimpses of him before, standing at a distance during banquets she attended with Karl. No matter where he appeared, he always commanded the room without trying.

Janice snapped out of her stupor and blurted out, "I'm sorry… I think I got into the wrong car."

She reached for the car door, ready to leave, but he reacted swiftly. His hand closed gently around her wrist, stopping her.

The warmth of his touch surprised her. Against her cold skin, the heat radiating from him felt almost overwhelming.

"You're in the right car," he said calmly. "Your brother asked me to come get you."

Janice froze. "You're… my brother's friend?"

"Yeah. We're very close. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Declan Gilbert."

He let go of her wrist and straightened, taking her hand instead in a polite handshake.

Thinking back to the night before, Janice spoke with genuine emotion. "Thank you for everything you did last night."

Last night, the temperature had been brutally low. If Declan hadn't shown up when he did, she didn't dare imagine what might have happened to her. As a doctor, she had seen too many cases of unconscious people dying of hypothermia.

Declan's deep-set eyes lingered on her delicate face. "Shouldn't thanks come with something more concrete?"

"Huh?" Janice blinked, caught off guard by his words. Did he intend to milk a large sum of money from her or something else?

Declan let out a soft laugh. "How about treating me to a meal?"

Realizing she had overthought, Janice gave an awkward smile. He had saved her life and even handled her medical bills. Buying him a meal was hardly enough to repay that debt.

It was only then that she realized Declan was still holding her hand. She quickly withdrew her hand. "Of course. That's only right."

Declan pulled his hand back, smiling lightly. "Then we'll decide on a time later."

Not long after, the car pulled up in front of the Reed family home.

The moment Janice stepped out, she noticed the whole family gathered at the entrance, waiting for her arrival.

Her mother, Madalyn Reed, excitedly took her by the hand and guided her into the living room. "Jani, why don't you move in and live with us? From now on, we won't let you endure any more hardship."

After finally finding her daughter back after so many years, Madalyn's only wish was to keep her close and protect her.

Janice nodded gently. "All right. Sounds good to me. Living together allows me to spend more time with you and Dad."

Her father, Kenneth Reed, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, a concerned look in his eyes. "Cristian told me about your divorce. That jerk Karl… I won't let him off the hook easily."

A shadow crossed Janice's clear eyes as she answered calmly, "No need to dwell on him. He and I are done."

Kenneth gave a small nod. "I'm relieved you are unfazed by the divorce. Rest assured, I'll make sure you find someone better."

A faint blush crept up Janice's cheeks. "Dad, I'm not ready to start a new relationship yet."

"We don't mean to rush you. Maybe you can just start by meeting someone new."

Madalyn grinned. "What do you think of Declan?"

"He's a good person. He seems kind," Janice responded. After all, Declan had saved her life.

Kenneth smiled approvingly. "That's good to hear. Actually, there's something we haven't told you yet. Our family and the Gilbert family have been close for generations, and even before you were born, an engagement was arranged."

"What?" Janice raised her voice, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Madalyn remarked, "Declan is essentially your fiancé. If you hadn't gone missing when you were a child, you would have married him long ago."

Janice's tone turned firm. "I'm not considering a new relationship right now. Besides, I don't have feelings for him, and I won't marry someone I barely know."

Worried that her parents would continue pressing the issue, Janice quickly excused herself and headed upstairs.

Just outside the doorway, Declan had not yet left. Every word Janice had said reached him clearly. He watched her retreating figure, a dark look in his eyes.

Noticing this, Madalyn hurried to reassure him. "Declan, just give Jani some time. She's just come out of a difficult relationship."

Declan nodded. "Our paths will cross again."