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!"

"If Adam's mom loves you that much, why don't you just marry her? Forget about being her daughter-in-law. Wouldn't it be better to be her wife instead?" Renee said coolly.

Her tone was calm, her words smooth and unhurried. But somehow, every syllable hit like a slap.

Kayla's face flashed through a mix of emotions—from shock to anger. She hadn't expected Renee to be so sharp-tongued.

"Y-you're just jealous!" Kayla snapped. "You know Adam loves me, that's why you won't divorce him. You're just trying to get under my skin!"

Renee didn't even flinch. Instead, she pulled out her phone and sent a message to her assistant, asking for a change of clothes.

Then, she looked up, gave Kayla a mock thumbs-up, and spoke in a sugary tone like she was talking to a clueless toddler: "Wow, Princess Kayla is so smart. Good job."

"You… you witch!"

Kayla was fuming. But no matter how angry she got, she couldn't win. Not against Renee. Frustrated and furious, Kayla stormed out of the room.

A few minutes later, Adam returned. Just as Renee opened her mouth to ask about the discharge papers, he cut her off with a scolding.

"Renee, did you bully Kayla?"

She blinked, stunned. So, Kayla had run off crying and played the victim.

"I didn't," Renee said flatly, shaking her head.

Adam's voice rose as he retorted, "Don't lie to me. I saw her leaving the hospital in tears! I told you, she's Julian's little sister. I've known her since she was a kid! She's like family to me! Can you stop acting like this? How do you expect me to explain to her brother if you keep treating her this way?"

Every word hit like a punch to the chest.

Renee leaned back against the pillows. Her long lashes lifted slightly as she looked at Adam, the man she had known so well. Too well. But right now, this version of him didn't feel like the man she remembered.

This wasn't the gentle, thoughtful man who used to love her so deeply he couldn't even raise his voice at her. Now, he was yelling at her. And for someone else at that.

Though her heart sank deeper and her throat tightened, Renee managed to ask, "Have you finished the discharge paperwork?"

Knowing that Adam wouldn't believe her even if she explained, she changed the subject on purpose.

"You seem totally fine to me, so why don't you go do it yourself?" he snapped.

With that, he turned and stormed out. The door slammed behind him.

Renee sat there, staring at the empty space where he once stood. Her beautiful eyes, once bright and full of light, now looked dull. She felt like a wounded deer deep in the forest, left to lick her own wounds in silence.

She looked down and laughed bitterly. From the worried look on Adam's face when he first arrived, to the angry way he stormed out just an hour later, it was clear who really mattered to him.

His "Princess Kayla" came first, always.

In the end, Renee had no choice but to go downstairs alone to handle the discharge paperwork.

The hospital was crowded, so she had to wait in line.

When it was finally her turn to handle the paperwork, she was surprised to find out she had a refund of over four thousand dollars waiting. She explained her situation briefly to the staff and asked for the phone number of the kind person who had helped her.

Back in her hospital room, Renee's assistant had already brought her clothes. She changed quickly and went straight home. As expected, Adam wasn't there.

Upstairs in the bedroom, memories of all the sweet moments she had shared with him flooded her mind—the laughter, the gentle touches, the happiness. For a moment, she let herself get lost in the fading warmth of those memories.

Outside, a bird sang on a tree branch, its clear call pulling Renee back to reality. She shook her head, then started packing her things. The designer bags in her closet and the sparkling jewelry in her jewelry box were gifts Adam had painstakingly chosen for every little occasion.

He used to care about her so deeply. Now, his cold indifference was such a sharp contrast that Renee still couldn't quite get used to it.

She spent the entire morning packing up the bags and jewelry, then drove to a luxury resale shop to sell everything all at once. She made 25 million, which she planned to use for charity.

After she was done, she sat in the car and called her best friend, Alison Zeller. The phone rang for a while before she answered.

"Hey, you silly goose! Did you finally remember me?"

Renee sighed. "Alison, I want to rent a place."

"Did you have a fight with your jerk husband?" Alison asked, quickly realizing that something was wrong.

"Sort of," Renee said quietly. She didn't want to spoil her friend's vacation abroad, so she kept it simple. "Just a little fight. I just want to get away for a while and calm down."

"That scoundrel! If he's hurting you, I swear I'll tear him apart when I get back!" Alison said fiercely. Then, she added, "But hey, forget renting. I've got a place at Platinum Heights. You can just move in there. It's been empty anyway. Doesn't matter if you stay for a little while or even a couple of years."

After they finished chatting, Alison sent Renee the building number and the security code. Since Renee had nothing else to do today, she decided to drive to the place.

Platinum Heights was an upscale riverside residence nestled in one of Harbor City’s most prestigious neighborhoods. Land here was precious, and every home was decorated with luxury and style. It was a place where rich people gathered.

Renee had always known Alison was wealthy, but even though they had been best friends for years, Alison never talked about her family's wealth, and Renee never asked.

As Alison had already spoken to the security guards, Renee got into the neighborhood easily and headed towards Building A, Unit 2. While waiting for the elevator, she replied to some important work messages on her phone.

Ding.

When the elevator doors opened, Renee stepped inside without looking up.

"Ugh!"

Suddenly, she bumped right into a solid chest. The impact made her nose sting, and her eyes watered from the surprise.

"Ow…" Renee covered her nose and gasped.

Through her blurry, watery vision, she saw a man wearing a deep red shirt and a silver necklace. His strong chest was clearly visible beneath the fabric. Looking up, she saw a face with sharp, defined features. The elevator lights cast a soft golden glow around him, making his features look almost magical. Even through her tear-filled eyes, she could see how incredibly handsome he was.

Wait… his clothes looked a lot like the man who had saved her yesterday.

Even with that thought running through her mind, Renee hurriedly apologized, "I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going."

As Jasper looked at the woman standing so close to him, surprise flashed in his eyes.

Her again?

His gaze settled on Renee. Her long hair was pinned up casually with a claw clip, soft bangs framing a beautiful face—rosy lips, pearly white teeth, perfectly shaped brows, and captivating eyes.

She wore a loose off-shoulder denim dress that made her fair skin look even whiter. Her long, graceful neck and delicate collarbones were both sexy and elegant. Without a trace of makeup, she still carried herself with effortless elegance, a beauty that could turn heads.

Even the small bandage on her forehead didn't take away from her beauty. But those tear-filled eyes made her look fragile and helpless, someone one couldn't help but want to protect.

Why was it that every time Jasper ran into this woman, she always looked so lost and vulnerable?