After signing the divorce papers, I pulled myself together and decided to return to the medical research team.

Yasmine had always been better at winning people over—even our parents showed her more affection, even though I was also their daughter. Every time I went home for the holidays, their faces would stiffen the moment they saw me.

Eventually, I stopped feeling much for that family.

Before I got involved with Arnold, I had planned to further my studies in medical research. I gave up my career for him.

Now, it was time to start over.

As it happened, my mentor was preparing a classified project in Alpene. I applied and was quickly accepted into the team.

In three days, I would be heading to a secret base for closed-door research work.

It also meant I'd be leaving Arnold and starting a new chapter in my life.

However, just two days before my departure, Arnold unexpectedly returned home. He looked at my packed suitcases in confusion.

"Juniper, where are you going?" His voice carried a trace of panic.

I lowered my head, avoiding his eyes. "I... I'm going on a trip with some friends. It'll be a short one."

"No!" He cut me off sharply, standing up. "It's too dangerous out there. Stay home. I'll protect you."

With a small frown, I was about to explain when he took my hand and started toward the door.

"Stop thinking about going so far away from me, Juniper. Just stay by my side. Come with me, I've got a surprise for you."

Before I could say no, he had already stuffed me into the car.

The whole ride, he held my hand tightly, as if afraid I'd disappear at any moment.

…

Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a rose garden.

It was the same place we'd once visited. While it was just an overgrown patch of land back then, Arnold had transformed it into a beautiful sea of roses.

"Juniper, I know you've always loved roses, so I planted all of these for you."

His gaze was tender, full of deep affection.

However, just then, a familiar figure appeared in my sight.

It was Yasmine. Dressed in a flowing white dress, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, she strolled toward us with a smile.

"Junie, Arnold," she greeted us warmly.

That was when I realized that Yasmine had called Arnold's name in that sickly sweet tone since the start.

Arnold's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly composed himself.

"Yasmine's just here to help us take some photos. She just won first place in a photography competition. I know you don't like her, but she'll leave after the shoot."

He tried to explain, but I'd already caught the smug look on Yasmine's face.

…

In the rose garden, she found an excuse to send Arnold away, leaving just the two of us.

"Arnold, can you get Junie and me some water?"

Once he was gone, her innocent mask dropped, and her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Junie, you really are a coward. You came all the way to the wedding but didn't even dare to show your face."

"Oh, right." She sneered. "How about we make a little bet?"

"Back home, Mom and Dad always liked me more. Now, let's see who Arnold prefers."

"What are you talking about?" I frowned. "Whatever game you're playing, I'm not in the mood. I'm done competing for affection."

I turned to leave, but Yasmine shamelessly followed me back to the house.

"Junie, how about this—if the two of us were in danger at the same time, who do you think Arnold would save?"

She gave me a wicked grin and pulled out a remote from her pocket to press the button.

I didn't even have time to react before a loud explosion shook the ground.

Yasmine had detonated the explosives she planted in the house!

All I saw was a blinding flash of fire before everything collapsed around me.

Heavy debris crushed my legs, and a steel rod pierced through my shoulder. The pain was so intense I nearly passed out.

However, even in that state, I gritted my teeth and screamed, "Arnold! Help me!"

But the only thing I got was his retreating back.

I saw him scoop Yasmine into his arms and run toward safety through the flames. He didn't even hear my cries for help.

In that moment, something inside me died.

…

When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. There was only one day left before I was supposed to leave.

Arnold sat at my bedside, looking at me with pain written all over his face.

"Juniper, you're finally awake!" He gripped my hand tightly, his eyes filled with remorse. "I never imagined you'd be in the house. I thought you were still in the garden! I would've saved you first otherwise…"

I quietly pulled my hand back and turned my face away. "I understand. You don't need to explain."

He let out a long sigh, then added, "Yasmine is still a child. Whether in terms of emotion or reason, I had to save her first. I know you've always disliked Yasmine because your parents favored her over you. Still, she's your sister.

"And I'm older than Yasmine—how could I just leave her behind?"

"Alright," I replied with a calm, serious tone. "I understand completely."

Judging by how Arnold was taken aback, he clearly was not expecting me to be so reasonable. After all, any time the topic of Yasmine came up in the past, I'd always urged him to stay away from her. We'd even fought over it.

He never thought I'd be acting so differently today.

The next second, he grasped my hand again and promised me sincerely, "Juniper, you have to believe me when I tell you I love you. If I could, I'd trade my life for yours."

Just then, a message alert popped up on my phone. It was from Yasmine.

"Junie, Arnold chose to save me when danger struck. You were the one he forgot. Same as with Mom and Dad, I'm also Arnold's favorite. All I have to do is crook a finger, and he'll come running to my side. Do you still think he loves you? If you do, you're wrong. Keep watching."

The very next moment, one of Arnold's men rushed in anxiously.

"Bad news, Mr. Willowstream—Ms. Yasmine has gone missing!"

Arnold's expression instantly changed. He jumped to his feet, ready to rush out the door.

I held back my tears and asked with a trembling voice, "Arnold, where are you going? My shoulder hurts so much. Did you know a steel bar went right through my bone?"

He hesitated, then forced himself to sit back down beside me. "My love, I'm not going anywhere."

Then, he turned to his subordinate with a frown. "Did you not find anything at the scene?"

The man stammered, "N-No, sir. Only a bloodied shoe that belonged to Ms. Yasmine."

Arnold's face turned ghostly pale. This time, he couldn't hold back any longer. He suddenly stood again.

"Juniper, I—"

I could see the struggle and panic in his eyes. My heart felt nothing but coldness. With a calmness that I didn't feel, I said, "Go find her. Yasmine might be in danger."

He looked as if he'd finally been released from a heavy burden. Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the room.

"Find her! I don't care what it takes. Search the whole damn world if you have to!"

Lying in the hospital bed, I watched his back disappear once more.

All hope in my heart was gone.

No matter how much I had done, no matter how hard I tried, what we had was never coming back.

Even so, I felt strangely calm.

In just three hours, I would board a plane out of this city that had brought me nothing but heartbreak for good.

Fighting through the pain of my wounds, I checked myself out of the hospital and took a cab back to the house that once echoed with laughter and love.

Now, it was cold and empty. It was just me.

I walked into the bedroom and silently began packing my things.

Just then, my phone buzzed again. I received a photo from Yasmine.

Arnold sat beside her, eyes filled with concern, gently blowing on a bowl of mushroom soup in his hands.

Under it were a few lines of text that stung my eyes.

"Junie, see this? I'm the one in Arnold's heart. Even when you were seriously injured and in the hospital, he still left you behind to come find me. Who do you think you are? You're just some woman past your prime who clung to him for a few years. If you know what's good for you, get lost. Don't come back and disturb our peace again."

I clutched the phone so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

Yasmine's words cut like knives, stabbing into my heart repeatedly.

But this time, I didn't cry.

I took off the ruby necklace around my neck and gently set it on the coffee table. Inside the item was a micro-camera that had recorded every cruel word and provocation Yasmine had ever thrown at me.

Arnold would see it. And when he did, he would know the truth.

But to me, it didn't matter anymore.

…

Meanwhile, Arnold was growing increasingly uneasy as a deep panic filled his chest. He wanted to return to the hospital to find me.

However, Yasmine clung to him tightly.

I, on the other hand, picked up the plane ticket I had prepared long ago, grabbed my suitcase, and strode toward the door.

One minute before boarding, I sent him a message.

"Arnold, the two copies of our divorce agreement are now in effect. From this moment on, we are nothing to each other. Let's not meet again."

The moment he saw the message, Arnold's expression changed. He shoved Yasmine aside and bolted out the door.