Survived His Betrayal, He Tried to Own Me Again

Chapter 5 Public Breakdown

The door clicked shut. And just like that, the apartment went dead quiet.

Cathy slid down against the cabinet and sat there on the floor all night long. By sunrise, she still hadn't moved.

Broken glass and shattered decorations were scattered everywhere. Not that it mattered anymore. The things that had really fallen apart were the last twenty years of her life.

Brian's words kept looping in her head. "You're like a puppet with no soul."

So that was how he saw her. All the love, devotion, and years she'd spent by his side meant nothing to him after all.

Then what had all those years of relying on each other meant? What about those late nights spent holding each other, or all the times he'd told her, "I can't live without you"?

Cathy didn't know whether she'd passed out or simply cried herself to sleep. In her dreams were nothing but memories of their younger days, Brian holding her hand, repeating his promises to her over and over again.

She had once believed their love would last forever, only to realize that nothing lasts forever.

Cathy took time off work and left the apartment untouched, drifting between sleep and wakefulness for an entire week.

During that time, Brian came back once. He offered no explanation, only leaving her with a quiet, "Take some time to calm down," before walking out again.

But Cathy never calmed down. The anger inside her only spread and grew, along with a fierce urge to destroy something buried deep within her heart.

A few days later, protesters appeared outside the hospital where Brian worked, holding large signs for everyone passing by to see.

"Dr. Brian Woods Cheated With His Adoptive Sister and Drove His Wife to Suicide!"

Cathy stood beneath the cameras and flashing lights, her face pale, her eyes filled with the kind of desperation that came from having nothing left to lose.

People stopped immediately. Whispers spread through the crowd.

Within minutes, hospital security rushed outside along with several administrators. Brian showed up too. The second he saw the banner, his face went dark.

"Cathy," he said through clenched teeth, "what the hell are you doing?"

Cathy laughed softly and looked straight at him. "What am I doing? I'm letting everyone see who their perfect Dr. Woods really is."

The crowd instantly got louder.

Brian closed his eyes briefly, like he was exhausted by all of this. When he opened them again, his expression had already settled back into calm professionalism.

He turned toward the surrounding staff with a helpless sigh. "I'm sorry, everyone. She's been going through a really hard time lately, and she hasn't been in the best mental state. She's struggled with depression before, and I should've been there for her more."

"I'm not depressed! He's lying!" Cathy screamed.

But Brian only spoke more softly, almost like he was soothing an irrational child. "Can someone take her to psych for now? I'll head over after I finish here."

Then he paused deliberately before adding, "She... always wanted children. But after finding out pregnancy would be difficult for her, she's been under a lot of emotional stress."

The atmosphere changed instantly. Just like that, the crowd's looks turned from shock to pity.

A woman who couldn't have children and finally snapped.

"No! That's not true!" Cathy screamed. "He's making this up!"

But nobody listened. Two nurses and security guards grabbed her arms and dragged her away while people stared.

After all, Brian was a rising star in the medical field and one of the hospital's most respected doctors. Of course, people chose to believe him instead of the crazy woman causing a scene outside the hospital.

They took Cathy to the psychiatric department, and before long, she was handed an official diagnosis declaring her mentally ill.

With Brian's status and influence, crushing her couldn't be easier. Every attempt she made to fight back only seemed pathetic and powerless in the end.

So Cathy went to Doris's university instead, only to be stopped downstairs outside the research building.

"Sorry, ma'am. Dr. Woods specifically instructed us not to let you near Professor Ward."

The words hit her like ice water poured over her head.

Brian had gone this far to protect Doris, surrounding her so completely that Cathy didn't even have the right to get close to the woman who had destroyed her marriage.