Chapter 2
850 Words
Early the next morning, I went to the hospital alone for the procedure. When I woke up from the anesthesia, I realized I had still overestimated myself. Deep down, I couldn’t stop the sadness from creeping in.
There wasn’t a single message on my phone. Lucas had broken his promise again. But I didn’t feel much anymore.
He was always busy with work, often working overtime until dawn. He had never once fulfilled any promise he made to me.
Fortunately, I had already given up on expecting anything from him.
But at the very next second, the entire hospital ward suddenly burst into excitement. People pointed outside the window and cheered.
"The CEO of Bennett Group is setting off fireworks across the entire city for the woman he loves! They spent millions on this. We’re so lucky to witness it!"
Sophia updated her social media story with a photo of her and Lucas holding hands tightly.
This is the best birthday gift I’ve ever received. Thank you, Lucas. Thank you for always standing by my side without hesitation.
Countless people immediately flooded the comments with envy and admiration.
At that moment, one of the nurses pointed at me and deliberately lowered her voice.
"Keep it down. That’s Mr. Bennett’s fiancée. The fireworks were for his sister-in-law, not for her."
"Oh my God, that’s insane. Doesn’t even care about his own fiancée? That’s pathetic. No wonder she came here alone for surgery. She was probably abandoned."
In an instant, countless sympathetic and pitying gazes landed on me. But I simply closed my eyes and pretended not to hear anything.
Under my parents’ careful care, I was discharged from the hospital on the third day. During those few days, I ignored every single call from Lucas.
Instead, I took a cab directly to his house. Back when we were dating, I had left many of my belongings there. Many of them were expensive and carried sentimental value.
But when I arrived, Sophia deliberately refused to open the door.
With a troubled expression, she said, "Lucas isn’t home. I can’t let you take your things away." She smugly assumed I would leave in humiliation.
But in the next second, I entered the password and walked straight inside.
Sophia’s face instantly darkened. She grabbed my hair and slapped me hard. "You b***h! Who gave you permission to walk into this house?" Her tone clearly carried the arrogance of a mistress of the house.
A vicious hatred flashed through her eyes, exactly the same expression she wore in my previous life when she pushed me down the stairs.
I was just about to fight back when, suddenly, the sound of movement came from the entrance hallway.
Sophia immediately let go of me and deliberately threw herself down the staircase from halfway up the stairs.
"Ah!" She let out a shrill scream.
Lucas froze for a split second before rushing over and pulling Sophia into his arms. He glared at me with bloodshot eyes, his pale lips trembling with rage.
Tears streamed endlessly down Sophia’s face as she helplessly clutched Lucas' collar. "I only wanted to apologize to Rachel. I know I’ve become a burden between the two of you, but she attacked me the moment she came in and even pushed me down the stairs..."
I watched her performance coldly, disgust surging in my chest.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Clearly—"
"Shut up!" Lucas interrupted me in near fury. In just a few strides, he stood up and grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the door.
During the struggle, he pressed against my wound, and the sharp pain made me bend over and curl up.
Lucas froze, and a trace of concern flashed through his eyes.
But the very next second, Sophia’s cries pulled his attention back to her.
He shoved me straight outside. He seemed slightly reluctant and avoided looking at my face.
His voice remained cold as he said, "Don’t come looking for me these next few days. Reflect on yourself properly. Otherwise, I’ll have to reconsider whether this marriage should even happen."
I sneered inwardly. Even now, he still dreamed that I would marry him.
"Lucas, we—" Halfway through my sentence, my pupils suddenly constricted.
Over his shoulder, I saw Sophia smiling as she set my dress on fire. It was the gift my grandmother gave me for my eighteenth birthday.
The blood in my entire body instantly ran cold. Furious, I rushed over and slapped her hard across the face.
But the next moment, Lucas struck me back with a slap of his own. A sharp ringing filled my ears, and loose strands of hair fell across my face.
For a moment, Lucas’ expression faltered, and the hand he used to hit me trembled slightly. "R-Rachel… you…"
I clutched the dress my grandmother had given me, but it had already burned completely to ashes, no longer resembling its original form.
My heart hurt so badly that I could barely breathe.
I raised my bloodshot eyes and said word by word, "I truly hate both of you."
- Writer
