Yvonne had always made excuses for Marcus, but now, she knew that he simply didn't care for her.

"I would like to thank the Cunningham Group for sponsoring tonight's auction. Now, let us begin," the auctioneer announced.

Rachel was hanging off Marcus' arm as they took their seats.

The first item was a gold bracelet carved with intricate patterns. Yvonne watched as Rachel whispered something to Marcus. He raised his paddle, raising the price from 100,000 dollars to a million dollars.

"Such generosity! As expected from Mr. Cunningham!" someone said. "I heard Rachel Sinclair was his first love, the one that got away. Now that she's back, it looks like he's determined to win her back!"

"But I heard Mr. Cunningham was engaged. Wouldn't that make Ms. Sinclair the mistress?" another whispered.

"Oh, stop it. Didn't you hear? She's his first love. She came first! Besides, I know that he only got engaged to his current fiancée because his family pressured him. I heard that she's deaf. How could she possibly be a good match for him?"

Around Yvonne, the patrons gossiped about Marcus and Rachel's love story, as if talking about it would allow them to join in the drama.

Every word stabbed at her heart. Unable to take it any longer, she left the hall and went to the exhibition area.

It was an auction, but some jewelry pieces were displayed for sale at fixed prices in the exhibition area. If anyone fancied an item, they could purchase it directly.

Even though there were a lot of people around, they weren't quite responsive to her. Yvonne kept getting brushed aside, which made her feel disheartened.

She paused in front of a pink diamond ring.

She looked at the price tag for a moment. Marcus had given her a pink diamond brooch that had a better quality stone than this ring. Maybe it could fetch a higher price.

"Miss, are you interested in this ring?" a voice asked suddenly.

Yvonne looked up and quickly shook her head. "No, I'm not."

Hearing this, the man waved over an attendant and indicated he wanted to buy the ring. "I saw you standing here for quite a long time, so I thought you were interested. I didn't want to buy it if you wanted it."

Yvonne's mind raced. "Oh, not at all. You seem generous, sir—would you be interested in taking a look at a pink diamond brooch I have?"

They exchanged numbers and arranged a time for him to inspect the brooch.

Later, Yvonne learned from Suzy that the man was Xavier Linden. He was a well-known jewelry collector.

Knowing that she was dressed too casually for the auction and shouldn't be lingering by the displays, she headed to the refreshment area to rest and scout for her next potential buyer.

Even the refreshment area was lavish, complete with a huge champagne tower.

"Ms. Chapman, even if Marcus doesn't love you, there's no need to dress so poorly. You look like a country bumpkin."

Yvonne turned to find Rachel scrutinizing her.

"I don't think that's any of your business, Ms. Sinclair," she replied.

"No, it's not," Rachel said. "I just wanted to give you a reminder, Ms. Chapman, that the class divide is still very much pertinent in our society. Even if you got lucky and managed to worm your way into the upper class, it doesn't mean that you actually belong in our circle."

Then, abruptly, her tone changed. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming, Yvonne?"

Yvonne knew immediately that Marcus was nearby. Rachel wouldn't have changed her tone otherwise.

She kept quiet, letting Rachel continue her act.

When Yvonne didn't play along, Rachel stepped closer and pretended to stumble into her. The wide hem of her dress caught on a nearby table, sending the plates and the large champagne tower crashing to the ground.

Both women fell, pinned beneath the shattered glasses.

Rachel's white dress was stained with wine, making the damage visible. Meanwhile, Yvonne's dress, being darker in color, looked fine. Underneath her dress, however, Yvonne had shards of glass piercing into her knee.

Rachel only sustained a superficial wound on her elbow.

Marcus saw the fall from a distance and quickly rushed over. He had lost all his usual composure as he scolded the waitstaff, "How could you place something so dangerous in such dim lighting?"

He quickly ran over to Rachel's side and asked in concern, "Are you hurt?"

Tears filling her eyes, Rachel grabbed his sleeve and said pitifully in defense of the poor waitstaff, "I'm fine."

What a show of kindness.

Yvonne laughed bitterly through her pain.

Finally, Marcus turned and saw her also on the floor. "What are you doing here?" he asked, frowning.

Yeah, what was she doing there? This auction was clearly held to please Rachel. Yvonne had no business being there.

Before Yvonne could answer, Rachel began groaning in pain.

Hearing that, Marcus quickly turned back to her and scooped her into his arms. Then, he turned and glanced at Yvonne, pausing only to instruct the waitstaff whom he had just berated, "Send her to the hospital."

He left without a second glance back. Rachel, leaning against his shoulder, flashed Yvonne a triumphant smile behind his back.

Marcus had made his choice without any hesitation. Yvonne's resolve to leave only hardened further.

He had only instructed the waitstaff to send her to the hospital out of courtesy. His true concern was reserved entirely for Rachel.

His love was weighed, and Yvonne was the one with the lighter share, if at all.

Just then, a jacket was draped over Yvonne's shoulders.

Even a stranger was kinder to Yvonne than Marcus.

Xavier, the man she'd just met, draped his jacket over her shoulders and helped her up. He offered to take her to the hospital.

He drove swiftly, all the while reassuring her, "Hold on a little longer. We're almost there."

Yvonne was trembling from the pain, huddled up on the seat to avoid staining it with blood.

Noticing her discomfort, Xavier joked, "Maybe you shouldn't have left the house today, Ms. Chapman."

"What?"

"I dabble a little in astrology. Mars is in retrograde lately, so it would affect some people's luck," he explained. "Maybe you're one of them."

Yvonne laughed, amused by the ridiculousness of his statement, and thanked him for trying to lighten the mood.

At the hospital, she insisted on going in alone, so Xavier had no choice but to let her.

At the entrance, Yvonne shuddered as the chilly wind swept over her. She had always dreaded going to the hospital.

She had watched her parents being wheeled into the hospital after a fatal car accident, their bodies drenched in blood. She had still been a child then, and she had knelt on the ground, praying fervently that they would be safe, but all she received in return was their cold, lifeless bodies.

Since then, no matter how unwell she was, she refused to go to a hospital. The last time she had braved a hospital and gotten surgery done was because of Marcus. She just didn't want him to continue being ridiculed just because she was deaf.

She never expected to return so soon. Suppressing her fear, Yvonne stepped through the entrance and made her way slowly to the doctor.

The doctor frowned as he extracted shard after shard of glass from her knee. He told her that her wounds were pretty serious and she would need to have an IV drip with anti-inflammatory medication.

Yvonne didn't want to stay any longer than necessary, but the doctor insisted.

In the ward, she lay on the bed, her pale complexion betrayed her weakness after a day without food. She was also running a slight fever.

While getting her IV drip, Suzy sent her a link to an article. The headline was stark, bolded against the white background. "The Truth Revealed: This Is Marcus Cunningham's Mysterious Fiancée!"

The accompanying photograph showed Marcus rushing through a crowd, holding Rachel in his arms. His worried expression spoke volumes about the nature of their relationship.

The Cunningham Group's official social media account even shared the article.

The blatant show of affection quickly became a hot topic on the Internet. Everyone praised the pair as a perfect match.

"Such a beautiful couple. They should get married soon!"

"No wonder Mr. Cunningham is still single. He's been waiting for her all this time!"

Yvonne stared at the post that the Cunningham Group had reposted. The company wouldn't have acted without Marcus' instruction.

After a while, she finally replied to Suzy's message.

However, the hand she was using to type out her message was trembling uncontrollably, and her phone fell to the floor. Not wanting to jostle the IV, she cautiously bent down to pick it up.

When she looked up, she heard a familiar voice outside.

"You'll have to make do with this small room for now. I've already requested a suite for you—they'll have it ready soon."

"There's no need for all that trouble."

Then, two familiar figures appeared at the door.

Marcus was carefully supporting Rachel, afraid that she might stumble. When Rachel leaned against his shoulder, he pinched her cheek fondly.

Then, he looked up and noticed Yvonne. The three of them stared at each other for a moment. "You're… you're here too?" Marcus asked awkwardly.

Bitterness welled up in Yvonne's heart. She was supposed to be his fiancée, but right now, she felt like the interloper in Rachel and Marcus' relationship.

"Rach was hurt badly, so I brought her here for a checkup," Marcus explained.

Yvonne smiled suddenly, all bitterness dissipating.

What a coincidence.

Without answering, she glanced at her IV bag, which was almost empty, and closed her eyes.

Rachel went up to her and took her hand. "Are you upset, Yvonne? It was my idea for Marcus to accompany me…"

Yvonne pulled her hand away. However, Rachel didn't let go. In the tussle, she fell to the floor.

Marcus immediately panicked. "Yvonne Chapman, watch yourself! She's already hurt. Can't you show a little compassion?"

His voice was so loud that several passersby stopped to stare.

Realizing his outburst, Marcus hesitated, but in the end, he didn't say anything else. He helped Rachel settle into her bed, carefully adjusting her pillows so that she could be comfortable, all the while complaining about the poor conditions of the regular ward.

Yvonne pulled the IV needle out of her arm. She didn't want to continue getting involved in the drama.

She left without looking back, but Marcus ran after her.

"How are you doing?"

Yvonne did not want to talk to him. "I've been seen to," she replied coldly.

When he hesitated, she knew instantly that he had more to say. "You… go and make some soup for Rachel and bring it over. She's badly hurt, so hurry up. I'll wait for you here."

It was late at night by now. The wind, though cold, didn't affect Yvonne—she was numb enough already.

Badly hurt? Yvonne knew very well that Rachel only got a small scratch. How did that translate to being badly hurt?

"You're heartless, Marcus Cunningham," she told him.

Marcus was furious by her defiance. "Rachel just got divorced. You know that! She's emotionally fragile right now. That's why I've been more attentive to her as her friend.

"Stop making such a fuss! I know you made her fall deliberately today. I'm not going to hold that against you, but why are you still throwing a tantrum?"

"I'm throwing a tantrum?"

All he needed to do was check the surveillance cameras to find out what really happened at the refreshment table, yet he chose to believe whatever Rachel told him.

His baseless accusations made Yvonne feel suffocated.

The wounds on her knees, aggravated by her movements, had started bleeding again, darkening the fabric of her dress.

However, Marcus didn't seem to notice. He was too busy instructing a passing nurse to hurry and prepare a private room for Rachel, too worried that she might be inconvenienced by the regular ward.

That was the final straw for Yvonne. All of her grievances and anger vanished in that moment.

All she wanted was to end this farce of an engagement as quickly as possible.

Following Suzy's advice, Yvonne found herself a tutor.

Though absurd, it turned out to be the quickest solution.

After moving out of Waterfront Bay, she managed to find a college student majoring in Anderian who needed a part-time job. He was fluent in the language and taught her well. He had even spent some time studying abroad, but due to financial difficulties at home, he was in urgent need of money.

Combined with Yvonne's own diligence, her speaking skills improved by leaps and bounds. Soon, she would have no problem moving abroad.

For a whole month, she focused on studying, ignoring everyone but Suzy.

She also managed to sell the pink diamond brooch.

Xavier was the perfect buyer. Yvonne was quite satisfied with dealing with him, as he hadn't haggled and paid promptly.

However, she did notice that his intentions weren't entirely pure, so she didn't respond to his messages after the deal was done.

To her surprise, Marcus began sending her multiple messages daily. In the past, it was Yvonne who used to send him long, heartfelt messages, only to be met with silence. Now, their roles were reversed.

Among those messages was an attempt to smooth things over. "I'm sorry about that day, Yvonne. I'll come see you once Rachel recovers."

See her? If he wanted to, he would've come long ago. With his resources, finding someone in Yondale would've been effortless.

In the past, Yvonne would've eagerly reconciled with him when she saw that message.

Now, though, it no longer stirred any emotions within her.

Marcus knew that Yvonne was upset, but he didn't want to lower his pride to coax her. After all, he thought that Yvonne couldn't leave him or the Cunningham family. Moreover, he was busy with work, so he thought there was no harm in addressing her issues later.

It wasn't like she would run away.

However, he did notice that Yvonne was making a bigger fuss than usual. Had he been too lenient with her lately, and she felt it was okay to defy him? Something felt wrong.

However, that thought was only fleeting. He pushed it aside when he got a call from Rachel.

…

The day Yvonne received her visa, she bought a one-way ticket abroad. She didn't bother returning to Waterfront Bay to say goodbye; there was nothing else in the villa that belonged to her. She wasn't greedy—the money she had gotten from selling the pink diamond brooch was enough.

Dressed in a simple button-down shirt and jeans, she made a quick trip to the Cunningham residence to say goodbye to Andrew, who had once supported her financially.

Unfortunately, she ran into Quinn.

"You've finally grown some sense, dumbo. Marcus and Rachel's relationship is going well. You should break off the engagement as soon as possible!" Quinn taunted.

In the past, Yvonne would've argued back, unhappy with her words. But now, since she was leaving, she found that there was no need to entertain her.

With that thought, she walked away.

However, Quinn refused to back off. She grabbed Yvonne and continued, "Do you know why Marcus agreed to get engaged to you in the first place? Did you really think it was because you saved his life?

"He proposed to you in a fit of anger because Rachel had just gotten married. He just wanted to make her jealous!

"As for why he's kept the engagement going for so long, it's because he's devastated that he's not marrying Rachel. He no longer cares who he married. Do you get it now?"

Yvonne smiled at Quinn. "I know."

She knew all this.

She tossed the engagement termination agreement at Quinn. "Take this to them. I don't have anything to do with the Cunninghams anymore."

It was only then that Quinn noticed Yvonne wasn't wearing her hearing aids, yet she could still hear.

"You're… You're not deaf anymore? When did that happen?"

"That has nothing to do with you."

It had nothing to do with the Cunninghams, either. Not anymore.

"Stop pretending. This is just one of your little tricks, isn't it? You acted innocent to fool Grandpa and acted like you were in love with Marcus so he'd be stuck with you. It won't work on me!" Quinn said. "Don't tell me you're leaving. You can't leave us or my family's wealth!"

Yvonne couldn't be bothered to explain things to Quinn. She left the Cunningham residence with a newfound lightness in her heart.

The leaves rustled in the wind—it sounded like freedom to her.

Quinn was left standing in shock.

Had Yvonne really just left?

Quinn had always detested Yvonne. A deaf woman shouldn't be dreaming of marrying Marcus.

Over the years, she had used every tactic she could think of—attacking her physically, crushing her self-esteem, and more—but no matter what she did, Yvonne had never faltered. Her devotion to Marcus was apparent.

But now, she was really leaving.

…

At the airport, Yvonne ended her call with Andrew, ignoring all other phone calls. Calling Andrew was the very last thing she did before leaving the country.

From then on, she would go far, far away, and never see them again.

Marcus was calling her incessantly, but she didn't pick up any of them. As the boarding announcement echoed through the terminal, she removed the SIM card from her phone and tossed it into a nearby trash can, cutting all ties she had in this city.

With her suitcase in hand, she boarded the plane without looking back.