After years in the business world, Renee had become skilled at keeping her emotions hidden. She always carried herself with a calm, distant air, like nothing could touch her.

She calmly nodded. "Got it."

"Come on, let's go home," Adam said with a warm smile. He looked handsome and gentle, like someone out of a dream. "I was called away for work on our anniversary yesterday. To make it up to you, I'll cook dinner myself tonight."

Adam thoughtfully took her bag in one hand and held her hand gently with the other. Without giving her a chance to pull away, he led her out of the office. Unable to stand the thought of being close to him anymore, Renee tried to free her hand, but his grip was too tight.

As they walked away, a wave of gasps and whispers followed.

"Gosh, I'm so jealous! Mr. Graham treats his wife so well!"

"They're really a match made in heaven!"

"Mr. Graham is seriously handsome."

"Ms. Whitley is so lucky!"

"I'd die happy if I had a boyfriend like that."

"Ugh, now I believe in love again. No, wait! I need to watch a true crime documentary to calm down."

-

Renee and Adam had built the company together, and many people had watched their love story unfold. The same people had also been there when the couple got married.

Some even said, "If Mr. Graham and Ms. Whitley ever divorce, I'll never believe in love again."

As she listened to everyone's compliments and envy, Renee couldn't help but feel a sense of bitterness.

Adam smiled and made some small talk with the staff, then took Renee to the garage. When they reached his car, he opened the door for her like a gentleman and made a playful bow.

"Princess Renee, your chariot awaits."

Princess Renee?

Back when they were deeply in love, he used to call her that in his teasing, affectionate way. Now, hearing it again only reminded her of him calling Kayla in the same manner earlier.

Hah! Guess he had a whole kingdom of princesses, huh?

The thought made Renee feel sick, but she kept her face calm. She ducked into the car and closed her eyes, pretending to rest. Once they were both in, Adam's assistant, Cole Hill, started the engine and drove them out of the garage.

"You're still mad?" Adam asked. His patience was clearly wearing thin, the smile fading from his face. "Renee, you're not being very nice today."

Renee opened her eyes and met her husband's gaze, which held a trace of irritation now. She couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh.

So, this was what it felt like. When love faded, patience vanished too.

"Adam, I've been pouring everything into work these past few years. I feel like I've missed out on a lot. I'm tired. I want to quit," she said.

Adam didn't think much of it and smiled without hesitation. "Sure. From now on, I'll take care of you."

As he spoke, he leaned in like he was about to kiss her.

Seeing that, Renee quickly said, "I was up late working yesterday, so I'm a little sleepy. I'm just going to rest my eyes for a bit."

"You've been working too hard," he murmured, brushing his hand gently against the side of her head. "Here, sleep on my shoulder."

This time, Renee didn't pull away.

About 40 minutes later, the car pulled up to Camphor Manor. They got out, hand in hand, and a maid greeted them at the door.

"Welcome back, Mr. Graham, Mrs. Graham. Madam Irene is here."

Adam simply grunted in response.

In the living room, Irene Murray sat poised and composed on the couch, dressed in a black silk dress. It seemed as though she had been waiting a while.

"Why are you here?" Adam asked coldly.

Irene gave a sharp snort. "What, a mother can't come see her own son?"

"Of course you can," Adam replied with no real interest, brushing her off.

He turned to his wife, his voice instantly soft as he said, "Renee, sit and relax for a bit. I'll go make us dinner."

He gently pressed her down onto the couch, then picked up the large bouquet of roses. "Martha, find a vase and take care of these for me."

The housekeeper, Martha Evans, came forward and took the flowers with a smile. "What a beautiful bouquet."

Adam grinned proudly. "They're for my wife. Of course they're beautiful."

"Ah, you and the missus are such a loving couple," Martha praised.

Hearing that, Adam beamed with delight.

Renee watched the whole scene unfold. It was easy to see that Adam really was happy, just from that one compliment. But what about last night? What did all that passion with Kayla even mean, then?

"You look pathetic," Irene snapped, unable to stand the way her son fawned over Renee like a lovesick puppy. She rolled her eyes. "Spineless."

Adam didn't seem bothered. "Mom, you just don't get it. Pampering one's wife brings good luck."

"We already have money. What nonsense are you even talking about?" Irene huffed, clearly fuming.

Adam waved her off. "I'm not getting into this. I'm going to go cook."

Once he and Martha were out of sight, Irene turned to Renee. Her gaze turned sharper than before as she sneered.

"Have you no manners? Can't you greet me when you see me?"

It was clear now that Adam was gone, Irene couldn't even be bothered keeping up appearances.

She was in her fifties, but thanks to careful upkeep, she looked no older than forty. She still carried herself with elegance, but behind that polished appearance was a sharp, overbearing edge. Just sitting there, she exuded superiority, her expression full of disdain.

Renee knew her well. Compared to Irene's usual barbs, this was practically gentle.

"So, what wisdom will you impart on me today?" she asked, changing the subject.

In the past, even if the two didn't get along, Renee had always been respectful. But today, her indifference was obvious and out of character.

To Irene, that felt like a direct challenge.

Her eyes dropped to Renee's stomach. "Are you pregnant?"

Renee was absentmindedly scrolling through her phone when the question landed, and her fingers paused mid-swipe. After a moment, she looked up and met Irene's gaze, her eyes calm and cool.

"When we got married, Adam said he never wanted kids."

Years ago, one of Adam's close friends died from childbirth complications. It had shaken him badly. After that, he had vowed to live child-free for the rest of his life.

Back then, Adam had probably loved Renee genuinely. But love didn't always last.

"Never wanted kids?" Irene scoffed. "Only someone like you could make infertility sound like a lifestyle choice. In the end, you're just a useless woman who can't give him children. What, planning to cling to Adam forever?"

Renee's lips trembled slightly. She looked down at the cup of water on the table, then calmly picked it up and threw its contents straight at Irene's face.

"I can't have children because of you. And now you have the nerve to mock me? Have you forgotten how you begged me to keep it from Adam?" Renee said coldly.

Irene had never been humiliated in her life. Not like this!

Furious, she jumped up and stormed over. With her hand raised, she screamed, "You wretch! How dare you?!"

Smack!

The slap echoed through the living room.

However, it didn't land where Irene intended. Renee had caught the older woman's wrist and slapped her instead. The blow sent Irene stumbling backward. She collapsed onto the couch, holding her cheek in disbelief.

"You actually hit me! Have you completely lost your mind?!"

In contrast to Irene's angry outburst, Renee remained perfectly calm.

She flatly replied, "You can take the slap. What, did you really think I'd still cover for you like I used to?"

Back then, Adam had cut ties with the Graham family just to be with Renee.

She couldn't bear to see him lose his mother, so no matter how badly the cruel Irene treated her, she put up with it all just so Adam could be happy. Looking back now, every bit of suffering had been the price of loving too blindly.

"You—"

Irene was so angry she could barely speak.

But before she could finish her sentence, Renee calmly interrupted: "I'm planning to divorce Adam. But I want three billion in compensation."

For a second, Irene's eyes lit up with excitement. But when she heard the amount, she shot up from the couch in outrage. "Three billion? Even if you were made of solid gold, you wouldn't be worth that much! Who do you think you are?!"

Renee stayed seated, her voice cool and even as she said, "Fine. Then, we don't have to get divorced. Sooner or later, Adam's going to find out I can't have children anyway."

That shut Irene up. She knew exactly how much her son adored Renee. If he ever found out the truth, their bond as mother and son might never heal.

After a few tense seconds, Irene bit back her anger and said, "Three billion is out of the question. I'll give you one billion. That's my limit."

"Deal," Renee agreed without hesitation.

Having expected Irene to haggle, she had asked for more on purpose.

"Are you really going through with the divorce?" Irene asked, still looking suspicious.

"Once I get the money, I'll sign the papers within a month," Renee promised.

Irene was fuming but held it in. "Fine. I'll have the lawyers draft the papers."

She grabbed her purse and headed for the door, but not without a final warning: "If you're lying to me, Renee… You know exactly what I'm capable of."

And with that, she stormed out.

This was the first time Renee had ever stood up to her mother-in-law. In the past, even a small mistake would have led to Irene running straight to Adam, crying and trying to stir up trouble between the couple. But this time, even after being slapped across the face, Irene didn't breathe a word to her son.

And the reason? It was because she was thrilled! She was delighted that Renee had finally agreed to walk away from her son.

Forty minutes later, Adam came out of the kitchen carrying a few plates of food.

"Dinner's ready," he called.

When he didn't see his mother in the living room, he figured she had already left. He didn't even ask why.

In the dining room, the table was beautifully set with various dishes. Still wearing an apron, Adam looked every bit the ideal husband. If one could ignore his cheating, he really did come across as the perfect man. But all of that was just a cover-up for the guilt he carried inside.

The last time Adam cooked for his wife was almost a year ago.

"Renee, this is your favorite mushroom soup. Let me get you a bowl."

Adam was about to serve her when his phone suddenly rang in his pocket. He set the bowl down in front of her and pulled out his phone. When he saw the caller ID, something flickered in his eyes.

"I'm gonna take this real quick."

He used to answer calls right in front of her, never hiding anything.

Renee could guess who it was—probably Kayla.

"Go ahead," she said, picking up her cutlery like nothing was wrong.

Adam stepped out of the dining room and answered the call. Renee couldn't hear what he said, but when he came back, he was already taking off his apron, looking anxious.

"Renee, a friend of mine got into a car accident. I need to go check on him."

"Who?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent. "I know all your friends. I'll go with you."

Adam froze for half a second. "Didn't you say you were tired? Stay here and rest. I'll be back soon."

"Alright," she said softly.

She already knew the truth but didn't feel like pushing it.

Sensing her disappointment, Adam walked over and kissed her on the cheek. "Sorry, we'll have dinner together next time."

And then, he rushed out the door.

Renee sat still, listening to the sound of his footsteps getting farther and farther away. It felt like her happiness was leaving with him, slipping through the cracks until all that remained was silence and the hollow ache of betrayal.

The villa felt too big, too empty. The air felt thinner, like she couldn't breathe. She needed to get away from it all.

Having lost her appetite, she quietly went upstairs to their bedroom, where she pulled out a stack of photo albums. There were about seven, maybe eight of them. Inside were hundreds of pictures capturing five years of love and memories.

She flipped through them slowly, and somewhere between the pages, sleep pulled her under. When she woke up, she didn't know how much time had passed. She curled up on the bed, clutching her stomach in pain.

The years of late-night drinking and corporate dinners with Adam had left her with chronic stomach issues. She hadn't eaten properly today, thanks to him, and now the pain was back, sharp and relentless.

Sweat poured down her face as she forced herself upright, then stumbled to the medicine cabinet. But when she opened it, there was no medication left.

Barely able to think, Renee grabbed her phone and called Adam. The line rang, and then someone picked up.

"Adam, I…" she called out weakly, ready to ask for help.

But a sweet voice came through the other end: "Ms. Whitley? Adam's in the shower right now. He can't come to the phone. But if there's something urgent, you can tell me and I'll let him kno—"

Renee hung up without another word. She didn't want to hear Kayla's voice.

So, Adam's so-called "emergency" was just him spending the night with Kayla.

Of course it was.

Wondering when her husband's heart started to change, Renee's heart ached, but her stomach hurt even worse. The pain was one she had never felt before.

She glanced at her phone and saw that it was one in the morning. At this hour, Martha would already be asleep. Even if she were awake, she couldn't drive.

Left with no choice, Renee forced herself to her feet despite the pain, headed downstairs, and got into the car, intending to drive herself to the hospital. As the villa was far away from the city, waiting for an ambulance would take too long.

Renee's car moved steadily forward along the quiet road, but her vision was blurring fast, her face pale with pain.

At an intersection, a car suddenly sped toward her, leaving her with no time to react.

Bam!

The impact jolted the airbags open, tossing Renee around so badly she felt dizzy and disoriented. Relying on what little strength she had left, she managed to open the car door and stumble out.

Everything was hazy, and her vision was going dark around the edges. Through the blur, she saw a man in a deep red shirt standing near the other car. She staggered toward him and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Help… me…"

Then, she collapsed straight into his arms.

"Holy shit! What the hell happened? Is that Sadako?" another man exclaimed.

Luke Sanders, the man who spoke, had just stepped out of the front passenger's side. He froze, staring at the woman slumped against his boss, Jasper Zeller. With her long, white silk dress, her dark hair falling loosely over her shoulders, and streaks of blood staining her face, she looked like something straight out of a horror movie.

Jasper looked down at the woman in his arms. Even with blood across her cheek, he recognized her instantly.

"It's her?"

Luke blinked in confusion. "Who?"

Jasper glanced at him. "Sadako."

Without another word, he scooped Renee up and carried her to the car. He climbed into the driver's seat and reversed the damaged vehicle away from the crash scene.

Before leaving, he called out, "Stay here and deal with this."

When Renee woke up the next morning, she was at Metro General Hospital. Feeling groggy and disoriented, she opened her eyes to a sea of white, the sterile scent of disinfectant filling the air. Immediately, she knew she was at a hospital.

"Are you awake?" a nurse asked as she walked over with an IV bag. "Perfect timing. I was just about to hook this up."

Renee blinked slowly. The pain in her stomach was gone, probably thanks to last night's IV. But now, her head felt heavy.

Shifting slightly on the bed, she asked, "Do you know who brought me here yesterday?"

The nurse adjusted the drip and smiled. "I think it was your husband. He's very handsome, by the way. And very considerate too. He stayed with you through the whole IV. Only left after taking a phone call."

"My… husband?" Renee smiled, more bitter than amused.

That was impossible. Adam was the last person who would show up.

The nurse finished setting up the IV and left the room. With Renee's phone having been in her car, she couldn't contact anyone now. So, she couldn't do anything else but lie in bed and wait for the IV drip to finish.

Just then, someone knocked on her room door, and a man in a sleek suit stepped inside.

"Ms. Whitley?"

Renee looked up, surprised to see a completely unfamiliar man. "Yes, and you are?"

The man walked closer and replied, "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Luke Sanders. We were in a car accident yesterday; your car has been towed and sent for repairs. My boss asked me to drop off your belongings."

Renee carefully sat up and weakly said, "Thank you for bringing me to the hospital. I—"

Luke quickly waved his hand, not daring to take credit for the deed. "Hold up, that wasn't me. It was my boss who brought you. I just work for him."

"Your boss?" Renee repeated. It wasn't like she knew who Luke's boss was, so she asked, "What's his name? And do you mind giving me his number? I'd like to call and thank him."

Luke scratched the back of his head, suddenly wary. Over the years, many women had tried all sorts of tricks to approach Jasper. Luke was worried Renee was the same.

"He said there's no need to thank him. Just call him a Good Samaritan," Luke replied with a polite smile, then set her handbag on the table. "Get well soon, Ms. Whitley. I'll be going now."

Just like that, he was gone.

By the time Renee thought to ask more, he was already out the door.

She sighed softly. Good Samaritan, huh? She couldn't help but laugh. In this day and age, people like that were rare.

She opened her bag and pulled out her phone. It was already eight in the morning, yet there were no missed calls or text messages. Renee stared blankly at her phone. If she hadn't called Adam yesterday for help, would she still be alive now? Or would she be dead? The thought made her shiver, and it made her more grateful for the stranger who had saved her life.

After a long while, her phone started buzzing on the bedside table.

It was Adam.

Renee stared at the screen, the contact name "Honey" mocking her. She didn't answer the call, but didn't reject it either. She simply flipped the phone over, face down on the table, and let it ring.

Adam called over and over, but Renee didn't pick up at all. After calling three times, he stopped.

An hour passed.

Bang!

Suddenly, the hospital room door flew open, the sudden noise making Renee jump. Adam rushed in, looking completely flustered.

He pulled her into his arms. "Renee! Are you okay? What happened? I heard you got into a car accident! Why didn't you call me?!"

He held her too tightly, leaving her barely able to breathe. The scent on his clothes and neck wasn't his usual cologne. It was perfume. More specifically, the same one Kayla had worn the night before.

"Adam, I can't breathe," Renee said, patting his arm.

Releasing her, he cupped her cheeks and looked her over, scanning her from head to toe for injuries. When his gaze finally landed on the bandage on her forehead, his expression twisted in concern.

"The auto shop called me about the crash. I tried calling you, but you didn't answer. I was so scared. I thought something terrible had happened."

It was obvious that the worry in his eyes was real. But to Renee, his concern meant nothing now.

"I called you last night. You didn't pick up either," she calmly replied.

Her tone was flat, and she had always acted indifferent, even when angry. That made it hard for Adam to tell if she was actually upset.

"I… I was at a friend's place last night. I guess I must've been too tired and fell asleep," Adam said, stumbling through a half-hearted excuse. "My phone died, and I only managed to charge it when I got to the office this morning. That's when I got the call from the auto shop and found out what happened."

He let out a long sigh, pulling his wife into his arms. "Renee, I'm so glad you're okay. If anything had happened to you, I don't think I'd ever forgive myself."

Renee slowly pushed him away. "Forgive yourself for what? You were with your friend, not cheating. Nothing to feel guilty about, right?"

There was a weak smile on her face as she spoke, and she made it sound teasing. However, every word made Adam's heart race, leaving him shaken and sending a chill down his spine. He frowned, a deep, unreadable glint shining in his eyes behind the gleaming lenses of his glasses.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. They both turned to look as Kayla stepped inside. Smiling brightly, she held a bouquet of fresh flowers.

"Ms. Whitley, I heard you were in an accident. I was so worried that I came right away to see if you were okay."

She set the flowers down on the table, then walked over to the bed. "Oh no, your pretty face is hurt. Ugh, whoever hit you must've been blind. Seriously, they deserve jail time."

The fake sympathy in Kayla's voice was thick and overly sweet. It was so fake it made Renee feel sick.

She leaned back against the headboard and cooly said, "That's very thoughtful of you, Ms. Spencer. You sure got the news fast."

It sounded like a harmless comment, but the words clearly hinted at something else.

Adam shot Kayla a quick warning look, his eyes cold. Then, he turned to Renee and spoke gently, as if smoothing things over.

"Julian's out of town, so I've been keeping Kayla company these past couple of days. She called me this morning, and I just happened to mention what happened to you."

"I see."

Renee looked straight into the eyes of a man who could lie so easily, like it was nothing. She didn't even bother arguing.

Instead, her voice turned cold as she said, "Help me with the discharge paperwork."

Adam tried to convince her to stay for more observation, but Renee wouldn't hear of it. She was done. Left with no choice, he nodded and stepped out to handle the discharge.

Now, it was just the two of them—Renee and Kayla. Alone. They locked eyes.

Kayla didn't even pretend to be polite this time. She smirked, rolled her eyes, and flopped onto the couch.

"Honestly, I wouldn't have come if Adam hadn't insisted on seeing you," she said, flipping her hair. "Hospitals are such a drag."

Renee smiled coldly. "Really? This is what you call a drag? I'd think sleeping with a man someone else has been with for five years would be worse. But I guess that kind of secondhand trash suits you."

"What did you say?!" Kayla jumped to her feet, furious, her face flushed bright red. "If you already know Adam slept with me, then why don't you do the smart thing and file for divorce? Step aside and let me be his wife already! Irene told me herself that she adores me. Her biggest wish is for me to become her daughter-in-law!"