Right after Josephine Copeland kissed her husband Wilfred Hayden at their wedding, his adopted sister Helena Pollard slapped her.

Helena cried, demanding they split up.

Wilfred and his family didn't stop her from making a scene.

Instead, they told Josephine to put up with it.

Josephine agreed for the sake of her marriage.

Six years had passed since the wedding, and she gave birth to Belinda Hayden, her sweet little girl. She was pretty content with her life.

But two months ago, Helena returned from abroad.

Since then, she started to take care of Wilfred-handling both his work and personal life.

Every day, she picked out his outfit, cooked for him, and even took a walk with him hand in hand.

Josephine had been busy with the development of third-generation imaging chips in the past two months. So, she had barely come home.

She'd never doubted Wilfred-until she saw Helena on top of him, wearing nothing but a nightgown.

Wilfred's robe collar was half-open, his honey-toned chest peeking from under it.

Helena slid her hands inside, her voice light and teasing. "Get up, you lazy bones. Belinda's left for the kindergarten already, and you're still in bed..."

Wilfred gave a rare laugh. "That tickles. Stop it, Lena. I surrender, alright? I'm getting up now."

"Fred, admit it-I'm way sweeter and more considerate than Josephine, right?"

Josephine expected Wilfred to say no.

After all, he had rather cut all ties with his family six years ago just to marry her.

He even made a vow-"I'll burn in hell if I ever betray you, Josie."

The pain of his betrayal was so suffocating that she could barely breathe.

Helena buried her face in Wilfred's chest, looking upset.

"Fred, if only I could stay by your side forever."

Wilfred cooed, "What are you talking about, silly? This will always be your home."

Helena's home?

Josephine smiled bitterly. Had Wilfred forgotten that this manor belonged to her?

In five years, she had earned her bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. in semiconductor materials, and chip companies worldwide were vying for her.

Wilfred had built Rose Manor according to her liking, and she was so moved. Otherwise, she wouldn't have stayed in Vexford.

A cold glint flashed in Josephine's eyes as she turned and walked downstairs.

Zoey Dodson, the maid, greeted her, "Hello, Mrs. Hayden, you're back."

"Hi."

Josephine nodded but didn't slow her pace.

She knew Helena and Wilfred were aware she was home.

She'd be waiting for them in the living room.

***

Josephine pulled up the surveillance footage, finally realizing Helena had been putting on an act.

When she was at home, Helena played the part of the innocent, obedient sister.

But once she was gone, Helena would drink from Wilfred's glass, hug him from behind, and even sleep with her head on his arm.

Wilfred had never stopped her, showing no objection to her shameless oversteps.

On top of that, Helena had affected Belinda.

She kept encouraging Belinda to wear perfume and makeup, saying that was how a free, perfect childhood should be.

Now, in Belinda's eyes, Helena was the best, and Josphine was nothing compared to her.

"Josephine, let's go back to the room, and I'll explain everything to you, alright?"

Wilfred's deep, slightly cold voice rang out above Josephine's head.

She looked up and saw him in his bespoke suit.

At thirty, he remained the same tall, lean frame of his youth. His deep-set features, coupled with his always-calm, detached expression, gave his demeanor a certain charm.

Standing next to him, Helena seemed even more petite. Biting her lip, she looked at Josephine with her doe-like eyes, seemingly perfectly innocent.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Wilfred explained patiently, "Lena is my sister, and you're my wife. Don't get the wrong idea, Josephine."

"Fred's right, Josephine. We were just messing around."

"While you were on top of him?" Josephine sneered.

Helena pouted, looking aggrieved. "Josephine..."

"You don't get to say my name, you angelic bitch!"

"Josephine!" Wilfred's expression darkened.

"Don't go too far. Lena's family, and she's been through a lot. Don't you think we should be nice to her?"

"Cut it out, Wilfred. You just wanna build a damn harem!"

Josephine's jaw tightened.

"Wilfred, this is my home. If you want this marriage to last, get her out of my sight for good."

Wilfred had been responsible and loyal. Josephine would give him a chance if he could correct his mistakes in time.

To her disappointment, Wilfred snapped, "Lena's just come back, and she's got no one but me. Besides, she's only twenty-three. Where else could she go?"

Josephine spat, "A hotel, a shelter-anywhere! Better yet, she can get married and have her own home. Oh, if she can't survive out there, she might as well drop dead!"

With that, she drove back to the R&D Center of Novo Tech without even glancing at the two.

The logic and circuit diagrams for chip design needed software support.

Since she had to handle some personal affairs in the following days, she handed off the task of buying the licensed software to someone else.

At 4:30 p.m., Josephine went to the kindergarten to pick up Belinda.

Belinda was about to turn five years old.

Though Josephine had always been there for Belinda for the past few years, Belinda had never been close to her.

The reason was simple-her parenting style was completely different from the Hayden family's.

Wilfred put zero limits on Belinda's phone time.

His parents, Korbin Hayden and Yvonne Jordan, never said no to her.

Not to mention Helena.

Everyone in the family vied for Belinda's affection with indulgence.

Only Josephine enforced rules. And for that, Belinda resented her.

Belinda was very disappointed that it wasn't Helena who picked her up. So she stayed quiet the whole ride.

And when she found Helena wasn't home, she grew even more upset.

She punched Josephine hard in the leg and screamed, "Mommy, you drove Auntie Helena away, didn't you? She doesn't even dare to raise her voice whenever you're around. Why? Why did you come back? I want Auntie Helena! I want her back!"

Josephine's chest tightened painfully.

Though Belinda had never been affectionate, she had never been violent before. How could she raise a hand against her own mother?

She crouched down, trying to reason with Belinda.

But Belinda wouldn't listen, even sinking her teeth into Josephine's arm.

Wilfred strode into the room, scooped Belinda up, and carried her to her room to soothe her.

Irritated, Josephine snapped a cigarette between her lips and lit it by the window.

Wilfred saw her smoking as soon as he stepped out of Belinda's room.

She was like a walking corpse, her lifeless eyes devoid of any emotions.

For some reason, his heart twitched hard.

Josephine had never smoked before. She had excellent academic performance, and combined with her pretty looks, she had always been the center of attention.

But her parents' death devastated her. She couldn't get over it, so she started smoking to cope.

He got it, but that didn't mean he could handle her turning so mean.

Helena was his only sister. It had just been two months since her return, and Josephine already wanted her gone?

She had become so unfeeling and heartless. Such a woman wasn't worthy of his pity at all.

He looked away and stepped into the room coldly.

Josphine saw the indifference on his face and smiled self-mockingly.

He was always that perfect husband in others' eyes. Only she knew how stubborn he was-he always gave her the silent treatment when angry.

Even when he did respond, it was because the "Josephine's always right" rule forced him to, and he'd always seem so reluctant.

The night fell.

Wilfred had intended to ignore Josephine all night, but then Belinda's request flashed across his mind.

So, he said to Josephine, his tone stern, "Birthdays should be celebrated on the actual day. Belinda said she doesn't wanna celebrate it in advance this year."

Josephine was stunned.

Belinda was born on a special date. According to her request, the celebration always came three days early.

And Josephine would always try her best to fulfill Belinda's birthday wishes.

On each of her birthdays, Belinda would give her those rare hugs and say with a sweet smile, "Thank you, Mommy. You're the best."

Suddenly, Belinda wanted something else this year?

Josephine said firmly, "Helena's behind this, right?"

"How can you always pin everything on Lena?" Wilfred snapped.

"I can't believe how unreasonable you are, Josephine. It's been five years since your parents passed away. Get over it already!"

Josephine clenched her fists tightly, the tightest in her chest suffocating her...

That night, she had a nightmare.

In the dream, she went back to that earthquake in Marisbury five years ago. To shield her, who was in her late-stage pregnancy, her mother died in the falling debris.

She woke up, sobbing.

There was nobody in the bed next to her.

Wilfred was on the phone, standing next to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"What's wrong, Lena? Don't cry. Are you in danger? Talk to me. Lena, where are you?"

Utterly worried, he rushed out, still dressed in his robe.

He left so hastily, completely oblivious to the tears on Josephine's face.

The sound of the door closing shattered the last shred of hope in Josephine's heart.

She took off the wedding ring and tossed it into the trash bin.

***

At dawn, Josephine went downstairs.

Having been waiting for her for a long time, Helena approached her with an exquisite tray of fruit in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Josephine. I know I shouldn't have come back, but I was ... just so worried about Fred and Belinda."

Josephine eyed her with contempt. "Drop the act, Helena. We both know you're really here for the hostess."

Since there was no one else around, Helena let the mask slip.

"You caught me, Josephine. Good for you. Are you gonna let me?"

Josephine's expression turned icy.

"Come on, Josephine. Don't be mad. It's just a joke. I feel bad for calling Fred away last night, so I made some pastries to say sorry."

Helena's hypocrisy disgusted Josephine.

She turned to leave.

Just then, Helena said, "It's rose macarons."

Immediately, Josephine froze.

Even her blood turned cold.

Before the earthquake, her mother had held her close, pouting and pleading with her for her homemade rose macarons. But she had refused.

Her father, ever indulgent, went out to buy some.

Then the earthquake struck.

Her mother shielded her from the falling debris, protecting her and her baby.

Though her body lay broken, her mother still tried her best to smile at her.

"Josephine, don't feel bad. I'll eat your rose macarons again in another lifetime..."

Josephine's eyes were brimming with tears.

From then on, she had never made any rose macarons.

And the roses planted in the manor had never bloomed again.

"Josephine, give it a go. See if you like the rose macarons I made," Helena smiled sweetly.

Josephine knew for sure-Helena was doing this on purpose.

It must have been Wilfred who told Helena about her deepest sorrow!

She snapped, gritting her teeth, "Scram!"

But Helena acted like she hadn't heard that.

She continued, "Josephine, I know your parents' death anniversary is around the corner. If you want, you can take these macarons to your mother's grave. Maybe that will fulfill her last wish."

Josephine was further enraged.

She immediately turned around and slapped Helena across her face hard.

Helena let out a sharp shriek.

She fell to the floor, the tray crashing down with her, and her left cheek instantly turned red and swollen.

Covering her cheek, she grinned, her face glowing with smug satisfaction.

Josephine glanced over.

Then she saw jasmine macarons.

Helena lied just to get under her skin.

She quickly calmed down. "You wanna set me up? I'm afraid you're gonna have to pay a heavier price."

Before Helena could figure out what she meant, she slapped Helena again-harder this time-the sharp smack ringing out.

Helena felt her right cheek burning.

Immediately, Josephine crouched down, picked up a jasmine macaron, and stuffed it into Helena's mouth.

"Didn't Wilfred teach you to respect the deceased? You're gonna pay for what you did."

Hearing the commotion, Wilfred strode downstairs while holding Belinda's hand.

"Josephine!"

His expression turned grim as he yanked Josephine back violently.

Caught off guard, Josephine slammed into a glass cabinet, frowning at the great pain.

"Fred..."

Tears streamed down Helena's doe-like eyes, and she looked so aggrieved.

Wilfred's hand hovered mid-air before touching her face. He didn't want to bring her any pain.

He turned around and glared at Josephine sternly. "Apologize!"

Enduring the pain, Josephine met his gaze, not flinching at all.

He was so hopelessly stupid.

How could he take Helena's side just like that without even hearing the full story?

She said with a sneer, "Yeah, not gonna happen."

Wilfred's expression turned glacial.

"Josephine, no matter how much I love you, I'll never let you bully Lena like this."

With that, he grabbed Helena's wrist in his left hand and raised it hard.

A loud smack rang out.

Five distinct finger marks immediately swelled on Josephine's right cheek.

The entire manor fell into dead silence.

At that precise moment, Josephine clearly heard the sound of her heart shattering. The last trace of her love for him was over for good.

She let out a low chuckle, giving off a sharp, dangerous aura.

Then she grabbed Wilfred's arm, stepped forward, and pivoted low.

With an over-the-shoulder throw, she slammed him hard onto the floor.

Terrified, Belinda burst into tears at once.

"Bad Mommy! You hit Auntie Helena, and now Daddy? Go away! Leave! Get out of my home! I don't wanna see you again!"

Josephine's chest heaved, her eyes bloodshot.

She looked down at Wilfred at her feet. "Wilfred, let's get a divorce."

Josephine asked Belinda, "Are you sure you wanna celebrate your birthday on the day we mourn Grandma and Grandpa?"

Belinda said with hatred, "Yes. Blame yourself for giving birth to me on that day."

"I see. Then I won't celebrate your birthday for you, Belinda. A week later, I'll be back from Marisbury, and I'll divorce Wilfred. Think carefully about who you want to stay with," Josephine said.

Belinda blurted out, "I'll stay with Daddy! No way I'm gonna go with you. You're such a bad Mommy. I want Auntie Helena to be my mommy!"

All color leached from Josephine's face.

After quite a while, she said with difficulty, "Fine. It's up to you."

Helena, who was standing on the second floor, curved her lips slightly.

It turned out those slaps were worth it-Josephine wanted a divorce.

She went to the bedroom to sound Wilfred out.

Upon entering the door, she said in a sobbing voice, tears streaming down her red and swollen cheeks, "Fred, Josephine went to Marisbury."

Wilfred's back was killing him, and he was still furious.

"Good. She'd better not come back."

Helena secretly beamed.

Having been coddled and buttered up since birth, Wilfred had old-money arrogance clinging to him like a birthmark. Being thrown to the floor like that was definitely humiliating for him.

"But, Fred, I'm worried. What if she wants to break up with you in the heat of the moment?"

Hearing this, Wilfred arched an eyebrow, seeming surprised.

But in the next second, he regained calmness. "Whatever. She wants a divorce? Fine by me."

Belinda and he were Josephine's only family.

Just hearing them cough would break her heart.

There was no way she'd want a divorce.

***

Josephine had already arrived at the airport, but she still hadn't calmed down.

She wanted to smoke but couldn't find any designated area.

So, she bit the cigarette and took deep breaths.

During her six-year marriage to Wilfred, she had developed two generations of imaging chips for Novo Tech.

One of them-namely X2+ Chip-drove record-breaking sales of the flagship smartphones, and it also made them inseparable stakeholders.

If she wanted a divorce, dividing shared assets would be a real headache.

She pondered for a long time.

Then she texted her assistant, "You have a week to find out Wilfred's debts, assets, and all his financial transactions with Helena."

"Ma'am, you can't smoke here."

Josephine felt someone tugging at the hem of her clothes.

Lowering her head, she saw a neatly dressed little girl looking up at her.

The girl's double eyelids framed her eyes, which weren't exactly large but were sparkling bright.

Josephine frowned, plucked the unlit cigarette from her lips, and held it between her fingers.

"Kiddo, meddling may get you trouble. Got it?"

"Yeah, but that's OK. I'm not afraid."

The girl's smile was dazzling.

Then she took out a piece of candy and gave it to Josephine.

"Daddy says I can only have one candy every day. Ma'am, you can have this one. After you eat it, your face will hurt less."

Josephine was slightly stunned. Seeing the sincere look on the girl's face, she took it before realizing it.

The sweet little girl and the piece of candy made her day.

Perhaps today wasn't so bad after all.

At Marisbury Cemetery.

Wearing a mask, Josephine was between her parents' graves. It made her feel she was sitting between them.

But she couldn't find her father's body.

The ground had split open during the earthquake, swallowing many lives.

Her father was one of the unlucky ones.

Kneeling on the ground, she wiped their tombstones clean.

The cemetery caretaker walked over. "Josie, why are you here alone? Mr. Hayden didn't come with you this year?"

She said concisely, "He's busy."

He was busy taking care of and soothing Helena, his cute, pitiful sister.

Sister? More like his secret lover.

He had raised Helena up and didn't want to see her with another man. Though he wanted to be with Helena, he struggled with his ethical boundaries.

Even the thought of the despicable duo disgusted her.

After saying bye to her parents, she walked toward the exit together with the cemetery caretaker.

A large number of tombstones were opposite her.

She stared at them, her eyes filled with unreadable emotions.

"Dr. Harrington's family still hasn't shown up?" she asked the cemetery caretaker.

The caretaker shook his head. "No. I've had someone keep an eye on it."

Hearing this, Josephine nodded heavily.

She had been barely alive when being carried out of the rubble.

Claire Harrington, a doctor, had performed an emergency C-section and even donated blood to keep her alive.

Sadly, Claire had lost her life during an aftershock while sending a dead mother's baby for rescue.

Josephine had asked Wilfred to track down Claire's family, wanting to help in any way she could.

After pulling strings, all Wilfred could find was that Claire was born in Vexford and that her husband was also a doctor.

Straightening her clothes, Josephine bowed solemnly in front of Claire's grave, paying her respect.

The anniversary of Josephine's parents' death arrived, but Belinda and Wilfred still couldn't reach her.

Patricia Dorsey, a close friend of Josephine, sent her a couple of messages to cheer her up.

At night, the Marisbury government organized a public memorial ceremony at the cemetery, and people honored the victims of the earthquake by lighting candles.

The glow from candles illuminated the night sky, carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken griefs.

Many people cried out loud.

Josephine's eyes turned red as she murmured, "Dad, Mom, I hope you live a long, happy life in another lifetime. And I hope I get to be your daughter again..."

She lit up the candle in her hands, its flames trembling gently in the evening breeze.

Just then, Helena sent her a video.

It was recorded in a hotel under Novo Tech's name.

Being surrounded by a large crowd, Belinda squealed happily, "It's great celebrating my birthday on the actual day!

"I hope this will be the way it is every year from now on. Dad, Auntie Helena, I want both of you to be here with me."

Helena and Wilfred gazed at each other and smiled, their fingers interlacing.

The flickering lights caught the heat in their locked stares, and they looked no different from a couple in love.

Josephine clutched the phone so tightly that her knuckles turned pale.

She walked away from the crowd, took off her mask, and gulped for air.

Suddenly, a little girl's voice crying for help rang out not far away from her.

She immediately turned to look.

Then she spotted a man in white, walking quickly with a girl tucked under his arm.

Not sure if he was a kidnapper, Josephine didn't make a move at once. She said loudly, "Stop right there! And put the girl down!"

Hearing her voice, the little girl looked up and exclaimed in surprise, "Ma'am, it's me! Me! From the airport!"

It was the little girl who had given her the candy at the airport. No longer hesitating, Josephine clenched her fist and swung it at the back of the man's neck.

Sensing a gust of wind, he dodged nimbly and struck back.

His attack was quick and neat. Once being hit, Josephine would have no chance to fight back.

She dodged barely in time and met his eyes.

He was tall, lean, and composed.

Under the streetlight, the silver-rimmed glasses perched on his nose glinted coldly, sharpening his intimidating presence.

But as he saw her, razor-edged demeanor was immediately replaced by gentleness.

"You?"

The man's word was baffling indeed, but Josephine didn't dwell on it.

She looked at him seriously. "Put the girl down."

But he didn't move.

Trained in combat since childhood, Josephine had once defeated five combat champions consecutively.

Not afraid of him at all, she tried to punch him again.

But this time, he had become much more gentlemanly, only blocking her attack with one hand and not striking back.

She spotted an opening and aimed a kick straight at his groin.

Just then, the little girl shouted nervously, "Ma'am, he's my daddy."

Hearing this, Josephine hastily pulled back her leg and stumbled a few steps before steadying herself.

Footsteps rang out. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a pair of premium-quality casual sneakers.

Then the man said, his voice gentle and soothing, "Are you OK?"

Instead of answering, Josephine looked at the little girl. "Is he really your daddy? Then why did you cry for help?"

The little girl nodded, looking a bit embarrassed.

"I wanna light a candle, but Daddy said no."

Only then did Josephine turn to look at him.

He seemed of her age, but there was something complicated in his aura.

Though he struck with cruelty and swiftness, right now, the gentle smile touching his lips only accentuated his refined temperament.

Adjusting his glasses elegantly, he explained unhurriedly, "There were so many people. I didn't want her to get lost."

"I won't get lost, OK? Daddy, compared to me, you're the worrying one."

The little girl leaned closer to Josephine.

Then she lowered her voice and whispered, "Ma'am, my daddy seems like a badass, right? You know what? In fact, he's just hopeless with directions. He can't even read a GPS."

Josephine was genuinely surprised.

Could someone be this ... challenged?

The man glared at the little girl, seeming to want to protest.

But when Josephine looked at him, he nodded calmly, showing no objection to being mocked at all.

"Yes, I'm lost. Could you lead us out of the cemetery?" he said to Josephine.

She nodded, not saying anything else.

Skipping along in Josephine's shadow, the little girl introduced themselves with a grin, "Ma'am, my name is Natalia Maynard.

"And my daddy is Zachery Maynard. You can call him Zachery."

Josephine tilted her head and sized Zachery up.

They were still in the cemetery, and she was still grieving, yet somehow, a word popped up in her mind-ascetic.

The crisp white shirt accentuated his razor-sharp precision, whereas his black trousers added a touch of steadiness and calmness to his temperament. Together, they created perfect harmony.

With his hands behind his back, he looked down at the ground, his expressionlessness reminded her of the word again.

But she knew it wasn't true.

How could any man who was ascetic have a daughter?

Maybe her gaze was too blunt-Zachery sensed something and looked up at her.

He said to her naturally, as if chatting with an old friend, "You've got great fighting skills.

"I hope you don't mind me asking you this-what happened to your face?"

She answered straightforwardly, "Isn't it obvious? Someone hit me."

"Who?" he asked.

Glancing at him, she said, "Now that's a question I indeed mind.

"The exit is just ahead. Bye."

After saying this, she walked into the darkness, not glancing back again.

Therefore, she missed the complex emotions flashing in Zachery's gentle eyes.

At Vexford Airport.

Just as Josephine got off the plane, she received a call from her assistant, Matilda Tate.

"Boss, I've emailed you the financial records of Mr. Hayden's assets and all his transaction history with Ms. Pollard over the past six years," Matilda reported.

"Alright. Make sure you pay the PI well."

After checking the documents Matilda had sent, Josephine called Wilfred, restraining her emotions.

"Where are you?"

"Home. Dad and Mom came back from Eophia," Wilfred said deadpan before hanging up.

Opposite him, Helena was pleading with Korbin in the main seat pitifully.

"Korbin, Josephine didn't mean to hurt me and Fred. Now that she has finally calmed down and wants to come back, please, just let this slide, alright? Don't hold this against her."

Korbin slammed his teacup down heavily.

"She's gone too far! How could she hit you both? She's such a disgrace to our family!"

Saying this, he glared at Wilfred. "You've always spoiled her. This is all on you."

"Why is Wilfred getting blamed for Josephine's fault?"

Yvonne shielded Wilfred, pinning all the blame on Josephine.

"She thinks she can act however she wants because Wilfred dotes on her too much. We'll make sure she learns her lesson when she gets back."

Hearing their conversation, Belinda walked over to Wilfred. "Daddy, is Mommy coming back?"

He ruffled her hair gently and asked Zoey to take her upstairs to play.

Belinda pouted, extremely frustrated. She didn't want Josephine to come back at all-it'd only upset everyone.

Besides, Josephine would go back to her old ways, not letting her do anything. Just thinking about it annoyed her a lot.

Wilfred was irked, too.

He had kept his distance from women after marrying Josephine, and Lena was the only one he cared about. After all, he was the only one Lena could lean on. Why did Josephine have to be jealous?

Hadn't he given her enough sense of security?

All his friends kept mistresses-more than one, actually. They all called him weird.

They also warned him not to be too nice to Josephine, or she'd push her luck and end up walking all over him.

He now realized they were right.

***

Josephine soon came back to Rose Manor.

Gazing at the exquisite building, she remembered-this was where Wilfred had proposed to her.

"Josephine, the day I first saw you at the campus recruitment, I swore to myself I'd marry you in the future. I'll love you forever."

It had only been six years.

Yet everything had changed after Helana came back.

She had reasons to believe Helena had always been the love of Wilfred's life.

But Helena was his sister in name only. She wasn't of age yet when he wanted to get married, so instead, he had used Josephine as a placeholder.

Her eyes turned icy.

She put her suitcase at the door before stepping in. Just then, someone hurled a teacup at her.

She tilted her head and dodged in time.

The teacup shattered on the floor, but the scalding water all splashed onto her arm, causing blisters right away.

Wilfred seemed worried and frowned. He wanted to stand up, but then he thought of something and sat back down.

Josephine's forehead was covered in cold sweat due to the great pain. She looked around, her gaze razor-sharp.

Wilfred seemed indifferent, Korbin was sipping tea leisurely, Helena smiled complacently, and Yvonne let out a cold sneer.

"Josephine, consider this a warning. We won't put up with your nonsense. Now, apologize to Lena and Fred..."

Before Yvonne could finish speaking, Josephine had already bent down, picked up a shard of the broken teacup, and hurled it at Wilfred's head.

Wilfred didn't see it coming at all. The shard sliced his forehead, drawing blood at once.

Josephine said while looking at Yvonne, "Since you hurt me, Wilfred's gotta pay the price."

No matter what, Wilfred was Josephine's husband, and the blood trickling down his forehead made her heart ache.

But the fact remained-he and his family had hurt her first. Of course, she'd show them no mercy, not even to him, the man she once loved.

"How dare you!" Korbin slammed the table while standing up. Before he could give Josephine a hard time, a dull thud rang out, and Yvonne slumped to the floor like a shot bird.

The scene became chaotic at once.

Wilfred stormed toward Josephine, gripped her by the neck, and pressed her against the wall. He used so much strength that even the veins were bulging on his arm.

"Josephine, this is all because of you."

Josephine had returned to discuss the divorce with Wilfred, not expecting to see Yvonne end up in a life-threatening situation.

As Yvonne was overwhelmed by rage, her blood pressure rose in a short time. Her blood vessels hardened and ruptured, causing a cerebral hemorrhage.

Due to extensive bleeding, chances were, she might become a vegetable after the surgery.

Fearing the Hayden family's influence, the doctors were worried they might be blamed after doing everything they could, so they all refused to treat Yvonne.

Hendrix Freeman, the director of Jovitas General Hospital, recommended Zachery to Wilfred.

Hendrix said Zachery was a medical professor who'd recently returned from abroad, though he wouldn't officially start until tomorrow.

He gave Wilfred Zachery's number so that Wilfred could reach out.

Wilfred came back to the ward an hour later. The frustration on his face was a first.

Zachery was indeed gentle, but he was also a peculiar one.

Wilfred called him, telling him what the call was about and offering him huge rewards.

But Zachery said flatly, "Sorry, Mr. Hayden. I'm afraid I can't help."

Then Wilfred personally visited him using the address Hendrix provided.

Staring at his wounded forehead for a while, Zachery asked, as if pondering something, "Who did this to you?"

Why did Zachery care? This had nothing to do with Yvonne's surgery.

Wilfred didn't answer, and then Zachery turned him down again.

Watching the closed door, Wilfred had a feeling-Zachery was hostile toward him, though he didn't know why.

Korbin said, leaving no room for discussion, "Dr. Maynard must be the one who performs this surgery."

He then glanced over at Josephine, his gaze filled with menace.

"Get him to agree. I don't care what you do. If anything happens to Yvonne... Think about Good Samaritan Shelter in Marisbury."

Wilfred and Josephine had built Good Samaritan Shelter under the name of Novo Tech.

It was home to disabled people who required care after the earthquake.

Since Korbin was Novo Tech's chairman, he had every right to deal with Good Samaritan Shelter as he wanted.

Clenching her fists, Josephine was so furious, but there was nothing she could do.

After saying this, Korbin left. Without shooting Josephine a glance, Wilfred turned around, intending to ask Hendrix to get another doctor to operate on Yvonne.

He didn't believe for a second that Josephine could change Zachery's mind.

After all, Zachery wasn't even slightly interested in those priceless collectibles he had brought.

Clutching her scalded arm, Josephine called out to him as he walked toward Hendrix's office.

He turned around, his face devoid of any warmth.

She said, "I have one condition. If I can get Dr. Maynard to perform the surgery, you must agree to divorce. No delays, no excuses."

Wilfred's jawline tightened obviously. "We'll talk after you get him here."

She had gotten so carried away.

He was the only man in the world who put up with all her nonsense.

But that stopped now. From now on, he'd never put up with her again.

***

Gazing at Zachery's number, Josephine sighed heavily.

If she had known she'd ask for his help, she would have been nicer to him yesterday in Marisbury.

But, at this point, regretting it was useless. She could only brace herself and give it a go.

She dialed the number.

While she was waiting for him to pick up, her heartbeat, which had been steady all these years, actually turned erratic.

Zachery picked up just as the call was about to drop.

His voice, as gentle as ever, seemed to be slightly trembling.

"Zachery speaking. Who's this?"

He was so polite. For a moment, Josephine actually didn't know what to say.

"J-Josephine."

Realizing he didn't know her name, she quickly added, "We met last night in Marisbury.

"I guided you and Natalia out of the cemetery."

"I remember," Zachery said.

Josephine carefully chose her words. "I'm sorry to call you so abruptly. I ... have a favor to ask. My mother-in-law has a cerebral hemorrhage, and she's now hospitalized at Jovitas General Hospital..."

"Be right there," Zachery interrupted her right away.

"Huh?" She was stunned. Did she mishear?

He explained, "I'll be there within fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, well... OK..."

She was still dazed after hanging up.

Zachery agreed just like that?

It must be because she had "saved" Natalia last night.

Who knew? Kindness brought one surprise and good luck indeed.

***

Since Josephine skipped lunch, her stomach was aching dully.

Zachery's voice rang out above her head as she pressed a hand to it. "You got injured again?"

She looked up slowly, only to see him stare at the blisters on her arm.

He had chiseled, stunning features, exuding elegance and refinement.

"Dr. Maynard." She stood up, about to tell him about Yvonne's condition.

But he cut her off, saying, "I'll deal with your wounds first."

His voice was as gentle as the spring breeze.

"That won't be necessary. You've got a more critical patient waiting," she said, shaking her head.

He mused, "First come, first served. This is how I work. I find it hard to treat someone else unless I deal with your wounds first."

She arched an eyebrow, slightly surprised.

"Alright." Then she nodded.

They walked ahead, maintaining a careful distance.

Around the corner, a male doctor greeted Zachery, "Hey, Zach. I thought you'd start tomorrow. Why are you here?"

As his gaze fell upon Josephine, his eyes lit up with amazement.

"Hey, isn't this..."

Zachery immediately said, cutting him off, "Dr. Castro, I'm about to treat a patient. Don't let me keep you from your business."

Dalton Castro caught his drift and nodded meaningfully, drawling, "Oh... Sure."

As Josephine sat down in the ER, she tucked her shoulder-length curls behind her ear, revealing her delicate earlobe.

Smiling had never been her custom, least of all today. The frigid atmosphere in the room accentuated her distant, detached temperament.

Yet Zachery was chatty. He struck up a conversation, chatted with her casually, as if they had been old friends, and even asked her if her injuries had something to do with her husband.

Not comfortable sharing her private life with people she barely knew, she changed the subject.

"Dr. Maynard, my mother-in-law has been suffering from unstable blood pressure for years. She got agitated, which triggered a cerebral hemorrhage. It'll be greatly appreciated if you could do your best to treat her. It's best if there are no aftereffects. It's very important to me."

Zachery paused while applying ointment to her arm. "Are you close to your mother-in-law?"

"No. It's quite the opposite.

"Anyway... I'm counting on you."

Zachery stared at her intently.

Though her appearance hadn't changed much, the look in her eyes... She wasn't as gentle as she used to be.

Had she been unhappy these years?

He gripped her wrist. "Fancy a drink tonight?"

After stepping out of Hendrix's office, Wilfred called Helena, who was at home.

He knew her well-she was so timid. What had happened must have terrified her.

Sure enough, she was still crying while answering. "Fred, how's Yvonne doing? Are you still bleeding? I'm worried sick. Is Josephine still there? I wanna go to the hospital so much, but I don't wanna upset her..."

However, Wilfred didn't respond. He saw Zachery and Josephine in the ER.

They were so close to each other. What were they talking about?

"I've been busy these days. Next time, maybe," Josephine said, though she indeed fancied a drink. These days had been tormenting.

Zachery shrugged, seeming disappointed. Then he looked at her, gently reminding her, "Use cling film to wrap your arm before taking a shower. And don't pop the blisters. Or there'll be scars."

She nodded. As she stood up, her hair brushed against his chin.

The scent of her hair wafted to her, mingling with the warm, sun-infused aroma of his clothes.

Her heart skipped a beat as she realized they were too close to each other. She instinctively moved slightly aside.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his fists clenching and unclenching by his sides. Maybe he was a bit flustered, too.

Her heartbeat raced as he added, "Oh, and don't rub or press the wound. Get proper rest, and make sure you have a balanced diet, and load up on proteins and vitamins."

She frowned.

Noticing this, Zachery stopped talking at once.

Did she find him nagging?

Was he? But there was so much more he wanted to say...

She smiled, "Dr. Maynard, do you usually spend so much time instructing your patients? If so, they're probably all gonna end up in the morgue."

He answered truthfully, "I just wanna spend more time with you."

"Maybe next time, Dr. Maynard. I'm off. See you..." Someone grabbed Josephine's right wrist before she could finish speaking.

Wilfred forcibly dragged her out while glancing at Zachery, his gaze razor-sharp.

Failing to break free, she turned her head around and said to Zachery, "Bye, Dr. Maynard."

Once out of the ER, she shook Wilfred's hand away hard.

Wilfred's expression was extremely grim. "What's Dr. Maynard doing here?"

She didn't want to talk to him at all unless it was about the divorce.

She turned to leave, but he dragged her back again furiously. "Didn't you hear my question?"

"I don't wanna answer. Let go!" Her breathing became rapid.

They had attracted some onlookers' attention, who even started taking photos and recording.

Realizing arguing with Wilfred now would drag Zachery into the mess, she explained, her tone lukewarm, "I met him at Marisbury Cemetery yesterday. I saved his daughter."

Wilfred's expression softened slightly.

Now he knew why Josephine could invite Zachery over. He had thought there was something going on between them.

"Fred, what happened? Is Josephine there?"

Just then, Helena's voice rang out.

Josephine lowered her head to look at Wilfred's left hand.

His phone screen was lit, the word "Lena" stinging her eyes. It turned out he had been on the phone with Helena all along.

She sneered and left decisively, not disturbing the little moment of the so-called siblings.

Wilfred placed the phone next to his ear, still a bit distracted as he stared at Josephine's back.

She was heading toward the hospital's cafeteria.

It suddenly occurred to him that she hated airplane food. So, she'd probably had nothing since morning.

He had always prepared food she liked whenever he picked her up in the past.

And she'd hug him before eating, saying the feeling of being cared about was so good.

She must have been so upset, now that he had started to ignore her.

"Don't worry. Mom and I are fine. After dinner, get with Belinda early."

He said to Helena on the phone, sounding so gentle, as if coaxing a little girl.

Meanwhile, his gaze was still fixed on the cafeteria.

He decided to keep ignoring Josephine. Once she knew what it was like to be unloved, she'd be more understanding and accept Helena.

At the cafeteria of Jovitas General Hospital.

The dining area was quiet and soothing.

Eating fish soup, Josephine was lost in thought.

Claire's husband was born in Vexford, and he was a doctor... And she ran into Zachery last night at Marisbury Cemetery.

Could it be ... Zachery was Claire's husband?

She put down the spoon, wiped her mouth, and went to the operating room.

Helena was here, talking to Wilfred with tears in her eyes.

Cupping her face, Wilfred gazed at her, the affection and distress in his eyes undisguised.

Wilfred, ever the cold, proud man, had said to Josephine when courting her back then, "Josephine, if I'm lucky enough to be with you, I swear I'll never get close to any other woman again."

She still remembered how quickly her heart had raced back then. Yet now, seeing him caressing another woman's face, she actually felt nothing.

She found a comfortable seat to sit down.

Spotting her, Helena walked over. "Where were you, Josephine?"

She said coldly, "Stay away from me, unless you're looking for a beating."

"Don't be mad, Josephine. I just think it's a pity that you didn't get to see Yvonne before the surgery."

"Why? It's not like she's gonna die on the operating table."

"Josephine, how could you say this?" Helena's eyes turned bloodshot with anger.

Wilfred strode over, glanced at Josephine in disgust, and sat far away from her while wrapping his arm around Helena's shoulders.

Josephine shrugged. It was just what she wanted.

The surgery stretched into what felt like ages.

While waiting, Josephine texted Matilda, "Sell all the jewelry in my safe at Rose Manor. If my wedding ring is still in the trash bin in the bedroom, sell it, too. And list Rose Manor for 150 million dollars ASAP."

Matilda was born in Marisbury, too. Her grandfather was her only family, who lived in Good Samaritan Shelter currently.

Having been Josephine's right hand since graduation five years ago, Matilda was now her most trusted assistant.

The operating room light flickered off, and Zachery, dressed in olive-green scrubs, stepped out first.

Wilfred immediately walked forward, followed by Helena, "Dr. Maynard, how's my mom?"

However, Zachery didn't look at them, much less respond. His calm eyes behind those silver-rimmed glasses rested on a figure in the distant corner.

Josephine stood up, looking at him, inquiring silently.

He took off his surgical mask.

"The surgery was successful. Since the patient was saved within the six-hour golden window, the risk of lasting effects is extremely low."

After saying this, he joined the other surgeons exiting the OR, discussing procedural details as they walked away.

Thrilled, Helena jumped up, wrapping her arms around Wilfred's neck.

"I knew it, Fred! I knew Yvonne would be fine!"

He smiled, holding her in his arms.

"Yes, Lena. It's all thanks to you-you've been praying for her."

Josephine's gaze upon them was filled with mockery.

A jerk and an angelic bitch were indeed a perfect match. She genuinely wished they'd stick and rot together.

She turned her head around to look at Zachery's retreating figure.

He was so tall, his shadow stretching long on the white wall.

After some thought, she still caught up to him. "Dr. Maynard."

Zachery stopped in his tracks, and other surgeons stepped into the locker room.

He tilted his body slightly, waiting for her to continue.

She walked closer to him, asking curiously, "May I ask you something? You were from Vexford, right? So, what were you doing with Natalia at Marisbury Cemetery?"

A bit surprised, Zachery adjusted his glasses, arching an eyebrow. "I thought you were gonna thank me."

Josephine's cheeks heated in embarrassment as she pursed her lips. "I will. Later."

If not for her request, Zachery could have had the day off.

"Don't tell me you've got some fancy gifts for me."

His gentle, deep voice was tinged with amusement. "We can't accept bribes. You're not trying to get me fired, are you?"

"You're overthinking it," she said, tugging at her lips.

She had wanted to give him money, actually.

Compared to fancy gifts, cash was more direct and practical.

Zachery keenly noticed the fleeting smile flashing across her eyes.

With the bruises on her face gone, her slightly upturned eyes seemed brighter and even more charming.

She said, "Let me know if there's anything I can help you with in the future, Dr. Maynard."

He asked, "Can we exchange WhatsApp contacts?"

"Sure." She nodded and took out her phone.

Then she saw his WhatsApp name-"1107".

It happened to be her birthday.

Snapping out of it, she realized he hadn't answered her question.

Just as she was about to ask him again, she saw Hendrix walking toward them.

She nodded at Hendrix, greeting him.

After her figure completely vanished from Zachery's sight, he lowered his head, his gaze falling upon her WhatsApp profile. Then he saved her contact as "Her".

***

Josephine stopped by the R&D Center of Novo Tech before heading back to Rose Manor.

The purchase of the licensed software went smoothly-well, mostly.

Though the software could be used after paying, it was just the old version they bought, and only until it expired.

In other words, they couldn't get any updates or technical support at all.

Once again, she wanted to replace it with domestic software.

She had brought this up to Wilfred more than once already.

But he had always thought it was a waste of money, since domestic software wasn't as functional.

She shifted her work direction, stopping designing X3 Chip entirely and started to upgrade X2+ Chip instead.

It was already 9:00 p.m. when she came back to Rose Manor.

Zoey was coaxing Belinda to sleep.

Belinda pouted. "I wanna wait till Daddy and Auntie Helena get back."

Upon seeing Josephine, Zoey said to her with a smile, "Mrs. Hayden's back.

"Ms. Hayden, would you like her to tuck you in tonight?"

Belinda immediately pulled a long face.

"Mommy's divorcing Daddy. She won't be my mommy soon."

Josephine hadn't seen Belinda in a week, and she missed Belinda.

But Belinda's words chilled her to the core.

She changed into her slippers and went to the study, not even glancing at Belinda.

Looking at Belinda, Zoey said with pity for Josephine, "Ms. Hayden, Mrs. Hayden nearly died delivering you. She was rescued in Marisbury for a month before finally pulling through."

Admiring her own reflection in the mirror, Belinda adjusted the red wig and shrugged.

"Blame the earthquake, not me. Of all days, why did she have to have me during the earthquake?"

Zoey parted her lips but didn't know what to say.

Belinda must have said this under Helena's influence.

Josephine was Belinda's birth mother. Yet, Helena had poisoned Belinda's mind so badly that she didn't feel grateful to Josephine at all. How scheming and hateful Helena was!

Soon, Helena and Wilfred came back.

Helena went upstairs to draw a bath for him.

Seeing Josephine's shoes in the doorway, Wilfred asked Zoey, "Where's Josephine?"

"She's in the study," Zoey answered.

At first, Wilfred wanted to ignore Josephine. But when he heard the sound of typing, he couldn't help but turn around.

He had to admit she was indeed pretty.

It wasn't about her outfit or makeup-it was that natural aura she carried.

She could be either as bright and passionate as the sun or as cold and untouchable as the moon. Wherever she went, she always stood out effortlessly.

Every time he took her to a banquet, Patricia was the only one who stood beside her.

Because no one else wanted to be outshone.

Spotting him at the door, Josephine pushed over a printed document.

"You're back. Great. Take a look at this."

Noticing her ring finger, he pulled a long face.

"Where's your wedding ring?" he asked.

"I threw it away. You may wanna do the same. We're getting a divorce anyway."

Her tone was flat, as if she were commenting on something trivial like the weather.

As he saw the words "Divorce Agreement", he tore the papers into pieces at once.

He snapped, "You want a divorce? On what grounds?"

Looking at him, she said calmly, "Dr. Maynard performed on Yvonne."

"I didn't agree to it!"

"Fine. Then let's take this to court. You want the subpoena sent to the front desk at Novo Edifice?"

He raised his voice, getting all worked up. "I dare you! Josephine, I've been way too nice to you over the past six years, never saying no to you at all. You've always had your way, and I'm always the one who caved every time we argued. Have you realized how condescending you are? And you even forced me to drive Lena away, never thinking how she was supposed to make it out there alone. She got bullied and came back, only to be slapped by you twice. But she still pleaded for you in front of Mom for the sake of the family. And don't get me started on my mom! She just wanted to remind you to behave yourself, and she ended up in the ICU! You're seriously proposing a divorce? Josephine, you don't get to!"

Josephine looked at him in a daze.

He had single eyelids, a straight nose, and thin lips.

She'd seen his face show affection, joy, even coldness, but never before had she seen it twist with such raw anger.

An explicable dull pain in her heart struck her, leaving her suffocating.

"Stop twisting the facts, Wilfred. You and I both know what the truth was over the years. Yes, you did cave, but you always caved unwillingly after I offered to patch things up with you. Remember everything I did to reconcile? I brought you sliced fruit, gave you shoulder massages, ironed your shirts, and so on... And I admit I have my pride, but I'm never condescending. I slapped Helena because she totally asked for it. Even if Yvonne dies, she totally had it coming. And the same goes for you, Wilfred. All of you-you deserve it!"

Helena was standing at the door to the study in a beige silk dress. She murmured, "Yeah, that's right-go ahead and fight. I can't wait to see what's gonna happen next."

With her last shred of hope in Wilfred gone, Josephine remained utterly calm-not even his hysteria could flicker her expression.

A sense of powerlessness and frustration overwhelmed him. In a fit of anger, he stormed out and went for a drink with Shane Decker.

They grew up together.

Shane was a famous lawyer in Vexford and the legal counsel for Novo Tech. He had never lost a case.

Hearing Josephine want a divorce, he laughed dismissively.

"What did I tell you? Don't indulge her. See? She's completely carried away, making a scene over you and your sister."

Leaning against the bar counter, Shane lit up a cigarette lazily, exuding a roguish charm.

"Stop looking so grim. You do know you've got plenty of options, right? You've been with Josephine for six years already. Just dump her already."

Wilfred gulped down the wine and said, his voice muffled, "She thinks she gets to have a divorce just like that? What does that make me?"

"Oh? So, you don't want a divorce? That's easy."

Hearing this, Wilfred looked at Shane, waiting for him to continue.

Shane blew out a smoke ring, smiling wickedly.

"As long as you refuse to get a divorce, litigation will be her only option. If so, you can challenge the jurisdiction to miss hearings or keep filing for delays. Then you get to drag out the divorce process forever."

Staring at the wine, Wilfred was lost in thought.

Nudging him, Shane asked, "Wilfred, I'm a bit curious. Who's more important to you now? Josephine? Or Lena?"

After quite a long time, Wilfred said, "Anyway, I won't abandon Lena again. Josephine must cave."

***

Josephine was exhausted both physically and mentally. She locked the bedroom door and slept lightly for a few hours.

After she woke up, she could finally think about the divorce more clearly.

Legally, as long as either spouse refused to divorce, the process would become much trickier. The entire thing might drag on for at least several months.

Realizing this, she went out and consulted a lawyer, wanting to know the fastest way of getting a divorce.

The lawyer told her, "You should be prepared-first divorce petitions mostly end up in failure.

"I suggest separating immediately right after the ruling takes effect and document the separation. After a year, file again."

She paid the consultation fee and stepped out of the law firm.

Taking out a cigarette, she held it between her slender, fair fingers and took a shallow drag, exhaling after a long time.

Just then, Matilda called her.

"Bad news, Boss!"

How bad could it be?

Soon, Matilda sent her a viral video.

Her attention was caught by the bold headline before she could click on it-"Men who dote on women always end up a joke!"

Whoever came up with this headline was vicious enough, weaponizing gender conflict to the utmost.

She clicked on the play button.

The background music ached with the agony of unrequited love, and Wilfred's angry roar had been altered into choked sobs.

"You've always had your way, and I'm always the one who caved every time we argued. All I asked was for Lena to live with us. You know she's my sister. Yet you forced me to drive her away, never thinking how she was supposed to make it out there alone. She got bullied and came back, only to be slapped by you twice... And my mom just wanted to remind you to behave yourself, and she ended up in the ICU! Why? Josephine, why are you doing this to me? Tell me..."

When Josephine talked, the background music started to surge violently, and her voice had been edited to a shrew's shrill scream.