Chapter 2
As dusk approached, I exited the hospital and drove away, feeling disoriented. Just after making a turn, an out–of–control truck came barreling toward me.
I yanked the steering wheel sharply, yet it was impossible to evade the collision. After a disorienting spin, I found myself trapped in the driver’s seat, unable to move.
I didn’t need to think much to know it was Mateo’s enemies seeking
revenge.
My phone was broken and refused to turn on.
Just then, a recognizable black Maybach cruised through the intersection.
It was Mateo’s vehicle!
“Mateo!” I yelled as loudly as I could, trying desperately to catch his attention.
The car briefly slowed, and my heart skipped a beat. He had noticed me.
However, in the very next moment, the car sped up again and left the intersection decisively.
Through the window, I watched as Mateo lifted his hand to shield Mandy’s eyes.
In a flash, I lost the strength to speak. Mandy was in the car–he wouldn’t stop. The thought of revenge and a crash scene filled me with dread. He couldn’t let Mandy witness any of it.
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The last of my energy slipped away, and my awareness wavered.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself gazing at the pristine white ceiling of a hospital room.
The door was slightly open, and I overheard one of Mateo’s men asking him, “Mr. Craige, what if Mrs. Craige finds out about Ms. Rastell? If she starts digging, we might not be able to keep it hidden.”
Mateo flicked his cigarette away and crushed it under his shoe.
“‘That’s not your concern. Your only job is to keep Mandy safe.
“She’s too pure–nothing like us.
“Lina’s got a lot of sneaky tactics. Mandy’s too naive. She can’t beat her.
“If it comes down to it, we can exploit Lina’s disabled brother. He’s her only family left. She can’t ignore that.”
I gripped the bedsheet firmly, biting down on the inside of my cheek.
When he proposed to me back then, he promised, “I’ll always protect you and never let you get hurt.”
Now, those protective instincts and words are directed toward Mandy. I, who was once kept safe and protected by him, am now considered the source of danger and dirtiness in his eyes.
As footsteps drew nearer, I shut my eyes once more before gradually opening them again.
“You’re awake? I had someone investigate. It was the Harlan family who was behind this.”
“Here’s a settlement agreement. Sign it, and they’ll give up on the land in the western part of the city.”
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He approached me. Our eyes locked, and I was left speechless.
I nearly lost my life, only to be used as leverage in his business negotiation.
My heart froze entirely.
“Mateo, when did you decide on this?”
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Was it when he witnessed my car accident, or when he learned that the Harlan family was planning to take action against me?
Mateo’s slight frown showed his dissatisfaction with my questioning.
I realized it was best not to press on. Explaining things wouldn’t benefit me at all.
To perhaps comfort me, Mateo spent the last two days working in my hospital room.
He constantly had earphones on, and occasionally, his lips curled into a familiar smile I used to know intimately.
Seizing the opportunity while he was on a call with Mandy, I directly gave him the divorce papers.
I assumed he’d notice, as they were quite obvious. However, he didn’t even look at them.
He simply turned to the last page and signed his name, his eyes never straying from the computer screen.
With shaking hands, I accepted it, my gaze fixed on his newly inked signature. In that moment, memories of our first encounter a decade ago flooded back.
He had been on the run from his enemies, lying bloodied beneath a
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deserted iron bridge. At 18, Mateo’s eyes blazed with the intensity of a hurt young lion.
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I was meant to be practicing the piano, but the instant our eyes locked, a surge of compassion compelled me. I turned and walked toward him, never imagining that this single step would plunge me into the depths of an abyss.
Later on, he was shot in the chest while trying to protect me. During those 18 tense hours in the operating room, I understood for the first time that in his world, innocence and kindness offered no protection.
For a decade, I transformed from a young girl who quaked at the sight of blood into Mrs. Craige, a woman who could tackle grim tasks without flinching.
I believed we could be equals, but he simply saw me as just as impure as everyone else.
I traced the calluses on my hands, a result of gripping guns. The thought of Mandy at the piano crossed my mind. In that moment, everything seemed meaningless. All the reluctance and bitterness in my heart felt like they were sinking into a cushion, soft and ineffective.
After leaving the hospital, Mateo used a business trip as a reason to stay away during the entire one–month divorce cooling–off period.
However, I never anticipated meeting Mandy.
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