“From now on, I’ll give Brandon three chances.”

After three tries, I would also fulfil my promise to leave Brandon for good. He would never be able to find me again.

I took a deep breath and opened the door to the private room.

Brandon immediately walked over.

He wrapped his arm around my waist gently. The decisive businessman let down his guard before me.

“You’re finally here. I waited for you for so long.”

“Rhea, if you take any longer, Brandon is going to turn into stone.”

“Quick, Rhea, these are all the things Brandon prepared for you. He knows that you love them. He didn’t leave any for us.”

His friends were blabbering about how much he loved me.

However, true love did not need others to prove it.

It was something Brandon had taught me when he was seventeen. However, he had forgotten about it at twenty-seven years old.

I smiled mockingly. Then, I looked at someone who was staring at me intently. It was Anna. She looked pretty as always.

She looked seductive and indeed seemed capable enough to seduce Brandon.

When she met my gaze, she purposely protruded her abdomen and stood up while putting a hand behind her waist.

She raised a glass and looked at me tauntingly.

“Ah, so you’re Rhea! It’s our first time meeting. I’m sorry I can’t toast to you. I can only have tea now. I hope you don’t mind.”

Anna stressed that it was our first time meeting.

After all, she had sent me numerous photos and videos of her and Brandon over text messages.

Those photos used to hurt me a lot.

The only difference was that both Brandon and she were fully dressed at this moment.

Brandon’s expression fell when he saw the glass of wine being passed to me.

He shielded me and sounded cold. “My wife doesn’t like to drink wine.”

Brandon’s blatant favoritism did not upset Anna. Instead, her smile widened.

“Why are you so nervous?”

She spoke in Spanish and swept her gaze over me.

“It’s only polite for me to toast to her, since she’s your wife.

“Isn’t it fine for me to try to build a good relationship with her?”

“That’s right, Brandon,” his friend said. “It’s good for your wife and lover to get along.

“Rhea doesn’t know anything anyway. Just simply make up a reason and get her to take a sip…”

I did not understand what everyone was saying, but I could feel their blatant malice through their mocking gazes.

Brandon wanted to reject out of habit, but everyone was looking at him expectantly. His ego made him hesitate.

A hint of struggle flickered in his eyes. He then looked at me and asked hesitantly, “How about…”

I interrupted him, “Do you want me to drink?”

The seventeen-year-old Brandon had been so anxious about me drinking alcohol. “Rhea, you’re allergic to alcohol. You can’t drink!”

However, twenty-seven-year-old Brandon hesitated, then nodded.

I smiled and raised my glass toward the younger Brandon.

“First.”

The liquid tasted slightly bitter, and I teared up from the burning sensation down my throat.

Young Brandon’s anxiousness would have immediately turned into pain. He would feel forever guilty.

Older Brandon did not know why I had said, “First.”

He hugged me gently.

“Rhea, I promise you, this will be the first and last time you’ll ever have to drink alcohol.”

I lowered my gaze.

Seventeen-year-old Brandon knew that I was allergic to alcohol.

Hence, even during our wedding ceremony, he did all the drinking for me.

However, other women had occupied his mind. He had long forgotten about that.

Brandon still had two more chances.

My face was very soon covered in rashes. I felt extremely dizzy.

Brandon finally recalled that I had an allergy.

He was frantic, and his eyes were filled with guilt.

“Rhea, let me take you to the hospital.”

I used to feel moved by his care.

However, it was no longer the case. Instead, I felt disgusted.

I flung his hand aside and said, “It’s fine. I’ll head home and eat some medicine. Enjoy yourself.”

“No, you’re my wife! How can I let you go alone?”

Brandon sounded anxious.

He immediately stood up and quickly threw a jacket over my shoulders.

“Let’s go to the hospital. If not, I’ll be too worried.”

After that, he ignored everyone’s shocked gazes and Anna’s disgruntled expression.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the private room.

When we reached the hospital, Brandon rushed to the registration counter, accompanied me to see a doctor, and then retrieved my medications for me.

He rushed and muttered, “Rhea, just hold on a little longer. You’ll feel better soon.”

It was not until he heard the doctor say that I was fine that his anxious face relaxed a little.

As I lay on the hospital bed, he grabbed my hand and stared intently into my eyes.

“Rhea, it’s my fault. If something happens to you because of that glass of wine, I’ll never forgive myself!”

I stared at him and felt conflicted.

I had never doubted Brandon’s feelings for me.

He indeed loved me, which was why he treated me so well and cared so much about me.

However, his love was worthless.

Someone else got the same thing without lifting a finger.

I looked away.

I saw the seventeen-year-old Brandon tearing up next to me.

He seemed like he wanted to speak but decided against it.

I suddenly felt really tired from the physical discomfort and mental exhaustion. I just really wanted to sleep.

I said to Brandon, “I’m going to sleep.”

He carefully tucked me in and pushed my hair away from my face.

He looked at me with gentle eyes. “Just sleep. I’ll be here.”

I nodded and ignored him.

Just when I was about to fall asleep, Brandon’s cell phone started to ring.

I could feel his gaze temporarily shifting away from me in hesitation.

Then, he took his phone with him as he quietly exited the ward.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling for a really long time. However, Brandon did not return.

His seventeen-year-old self reappeared.

He lowered his head and dodged my gaze.

“Did Anna ask him to leave?”

Brandon did not speak. Instead, he bit his bottom lip and clenched his fists.

I smiled mockingly.

“Where did he go?”

Brandon was silent for a really long time before he forced himself to speak.

“The car park.”

I unplugged the IV on my hand and got out of bed.

Brandon stopped me and sounded anxious.

“Rhea, maybe he has something to do. Please don’t go, please!”

He was almost begging me at the end.

I stared at him stubbornly as tears welled up in my eyes.

He was also staring at me, then he finally took a step aside.

It was easy to locate Brandon’s car.

After all, it was very late at night. It was rare for people to be so risque in a hospital parking lot.

He must be in a rush. He did not even shut the car door properly.

The torn silk stockings were hanging out of the car. I could hear a woman’s breathless moans.

“Brandon, would Rhea do this with you in a car? Do you like her or me?”

I could hear the man’s familiar panting voice clearly in the empty parking lot.

“In this car, I like you the most.”

Those intimate and vulgar words pierced through mine and seventeen-year-old Brandon’s hearts like sharp daggers.

Young Brandon looked pained. He stared at me and said in a trembling voice, “Rhea, just cry if you feel like it.”

I shook my head. “I’m not going to cry.”

I looked away. Even though I was hurt, I was expressionless.

“Brandon, this is your second chance.”

I stood there quietly for a really long time.

Brandon finally got out of the car with a satisfied face.

His tie was undone, and there were lipstick stains on his collar.

He smiled in satisfaction when he looked up and met my gaze.

Then, Brandon’s face went pale.

“Rhea? Why are you here?”

I did not answer. Instead, I stared at Anna, who was standing behind him.

Her face was flushed, and she could not stand straight.

My silence made Brandon even more flustered.

He rushed forward and wanted to stop me. But I took a step back and dodged his hand.

“Rhea, listen to me. It’s not like how it looks. I…”

“Enough!” I stopped him. I looked at him, “I don’t want to listen to this.”

Brandon’s hand froze midair. His lips trembled as though he wanted to say something. However, Anna walked toward me.

With teary eyes, she said pitifully, “Rhea, I can’t hold back my feelings for Brandon. It’s all my fault! You can blame me if you want to… Ah!”

Anna suddenly gasped. It was as if someone had pushed her. She stared at me in shock.

“Rhea, I just wanted to apologize to you. Why? Why did you push me?”

She held her abdomen and cried in pain, “Brandon, my tummy hurts. My tummy hurts a lot…”

Brandon looked worried. He did not look at me when he turned around to help Anna up.

“Anna, are you alright? Hold on, I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Anna grabbed his sleeve. “No, just ignore me. Rhea must be angry. Go and talk to her.”

Upon hearing that, Brandon stared at me in conflict.

“Rhea…”

“I did not push her,” I said calmly.

“Anna is pregnant…”

Before Brandon could finish talking, those words shattered my heart into a million pieces.

He was implying that Anna was a mother. No mother would risk her child’s life.

I smiled and stepped aside so he could access the elevator easily.

“Are you going to leave because of her?”

Brandon looked hurt.

“Rhea, I swear my feelings for you have never changed.”

He sounded confident, as though he wanted to convince me to believe in his love for me.

“But Anna is in critical condition now, I can’t leave her here.”