Once they arrived at the villa, Jake showed Georgia the payment notice on his phone. The Douglas family had already transferred three million dollars for the treatment.

"I'll send the full amount to your account," he said.

Three million dollars wasn't a fortune, but it at least made their trip worthwhile.

He continued, "Are you still turning down that 100 million dollars? People with too much money don't come along every day, especially ones willing to spend it so carelessly. You paid 40 million dollars for this villa alone."

Over the years, Georgia had devoted herself to becoming Cayden's perfect wife and hadn't accepted any work. Purchasing the villa had drained almost all of her savings. It was time to begin earning money again and enjoy a more comfortable life.

"I'll accept the assignment if it won't put me in danger," Georgia said. "Before agreeing to anything for me, investigate every detail and make sure there are no hidden problems."

Jake knew what had made her so careful. Three years earlier, Georgia had saved someone's life during a job, but the rescue had damaged the interests of some dangerous people, who had hired assassins to eliminate her. Without her quick instincts and Jake's help, she might not have survived that attack.

"Understood. I'll meet with them first and find out what they really want," Jake replied.

After leaving Isabel at the hospital, Cayden drove to Celeste Estate, the home he had once shared with Georgia.

The darkness surrounding the villa reminded him that she no longer lived there.

Cayden remained inside his car and lit a cigarette. He smoked it to the end in silence before stepping out and entering the house.

As he looked around the living room, he somehow thought of how Georgia used to keep the lights on and wait for him to come home.

He had taken those quiet, warm moments for granted, but now they were gone. Their absence irritated him more than he wanted to admit. He approached the liquor cabinet, poured himself a drink, and swallowed it all at once.

He took out his phone and searched for Georgia's number before calling her. However, the number was no longer in service.

Cayden checked the number and confirmed that he hadn't made a mistake. Once he understood what Georgia had done, a short laugh escaped him without any real amusement.

He was surprised to realize that she had cut him off even more firmly than he had expected.

Throughout their three years together, she had remained quiet, gentle, and easy to control. Even when he asked for a divorce, the pain on her face had made it obvious that she wasn't ready to let him go.

Only a few days had passed, yet she had already canceled the number he knew.

Cayden called Ian and gave him a firm order. "Find Georgia."

...

The next day, Ian approached Cayden. "Mr. Marshall, I couldn't locate Ms. Campbell."

Back then, Georgia had entered Cayden's life without warning. He discovered that she was an orphan, and since he needed a wife who could satisfy his family, he chose her.

She had no powerful background or personal influence, which meant she couldn't threaten his position. Those qualities had made her the safest choice.

Cayden never imagined that the woman who accepted nothing from him would disappear so thoroughly after leaving. No one could tell him where she had gone.

"Continue searching!"

He refused to believe that Georgia could vanish without leaving a single clue.

Just then, Cayden received a call from the hospital.

"Mr. Marshall, the toxin has caused Ms. Brooks to suffer another episode. She's only partly conscious and keeps asking for you. She refuses to settle down until she sees you, so we had no choice but to call."

"Tell her I'm coming now." Cayden ended the call, rose from his seat, and hurried out.

Three years ago, Cayden's enemy had tricked and drugged him. While the drug threatened his life, he had become intimate with a woman he believed was Isabel.

Since that night had been her first time, guilt and sympathy led him to accept responsibility for her.

Even so, something had always felt wrong whenever Cayden spent time with Isabel. Instead, he had found himself more relaxed and at ease whenever he was with Georgia.

Thoughts of Georgia's sudden disappearance tightened Cayden's expression.

Shortly after Cayden entered the hospital, Georgia arrived wearing a baseball cap and a mask.

She rode the elevator upstairs and made a call after stepping into the hallway. "I've arrived. Where should I meet you?"

The directions led Georgia to the neurosurgery director's office.

"Benjamin!" she called out.

Benjamin Gordon, her former classmate, recognized the voice immediately. He turned around and pulled her into a tight hug. "You finally came back. Where have you been the last three years? You disappeared without giving me a single word."

"I got married," Georgia replied plainly.

Shock crossed Benjamin's face. "You got married? Who is your husband?"

He could hardly believe that someone had convinced a woman like Georgia to become his wife.

Georgia ignored the question and gave him a different answer. "I'm divorcing him."

Benjamin went quiet as uncertainty crossed his face. The congratulations he had nearly offered never left his mouth.

Georgia showed no concern as she sat down. "What made you reach out to me?"

"Our mentor has a longtime friend who requires surgery. The family came to me because they wanted my help, but the patient is elderly and the condition is difficult. I don't trust myself to handle the operation alone, so I hoped you would assist me."

Benjamin had contacted her without expecting much. Georgia had vanished for three years without a single message, so reaching her the previous night had come as a complete surprise.

One of Georgia's eyebrows rose. "I haven't entered an operating room in years. What if my skills have become rusty and I end up damaging your reputation?"

Benjamin refused to entertain the idea. "If a surgeon as skilled as you could fail, then I have no right to attempt the operation by myself."

"Alright. Show me the patient's scans first."

After reviewing the scans, Georgia rose from her chair. "Choose a time for the surgery and send me the details."

Another thought came to her and she added, "Find out which hospital room Isabel Brooks is in."

Benjamin asked without thinking, "Who is Isabel? Is she someone you know?"

"She's the love of my husband," Georgia said casually. "Our marriage is ending because of her."

Benjamin stared at her in shock and couldn't think of anything to say.

Georgia soon located Isabel's room and looked through the glass panel in the door. Isabel rested on the bed in striped hospital clothes. Her soft, innocent features were the kind that easily stirred a man's protective instincts. Still, Georgia found nothing especially beautiful about her. In fact, Isabel was not nearly as beautiful as she was.

Cayden must've been both blind and stupid to choose a woman like that. His taste was truly terrible.

Beyond the glass, Cayden peeled an orange with his own hands and fed Isabel one piece at a time. He spoke to her gently, and a soft smile occasionally appeared on his face.

Cayden had always treated Georgia properly throughout their marriage, but an unseen wall had kept them apart. Not once had he shown her the tenderness he now gave Isabel so freely.

Georgia refused to watch any longer and ruin her own mood, so she turned away.

Some instinct made Cayden raise his head at that exact moment. He then left his chair and hurried into the hallway, where he caught sight of a familiar figure disappearing around the corner.

The person looked very much like Georgia.

Cayden went after her but crossed paths with Ian, who had arrived to take him to the office.

"Mr. Marshall, is something wrong?" Ian asked.

Cayden stopped and asked him in a low voice, "Did you pass anyone on your way here?"