Chapter 2

The moment I shut the door, I let the tears flow without restraint.

This was the only time I allowed myself to break down. After the crying ended, I would still be the untouchable Claire.

I would let all the betrayal stay in this night.

"Fire Carter first thing tomorrow morning." After calming down, I made the call.

He could stop loving me, but he had no right to play me for a fool.

I set my phone aside and stared at the photo of Andrew and me by the bed. Then I flipped it face down on the nightstand.

Andrew and I had known each other for twenty years.

All that time, and I still hadn't seen him clearly.

He had once said, gazing at me with tender eyes before adding solemnly, "Claire, I know you love your career.

"You can't always be home. I've decided. From now on, you work, and I'll take care of the house. You just focus on what you love. I'll be your rock."

The overflowing affection in his gaze had shaken me deeply.

I was still young then, too inexperienced to balance both career and family. When I got busy, half a month could pass without me seeing Andrew at all.

His decision had erased all my doubts. From that point on, my career soared, and Andrew cared for me without complaint.

Maybe back then, he did love me. Maybe the vows were sincere.

But behind my back, he had stopped loving me long ago.

The next morning, Evelyn and I brought breakfast to the hospital.

When Andrew saw me, his eyes lit up. "Claire, you're back. This time, stay a little longer with me, okay?"

I nodded, but quietly slipped my hand away from his.

He looked uneasy, scratching at words before asking, "Claire, the doctor said my body is ready. Well—"

He didn't finish, but I knew. He wanted me to give him my kidney.

If it had been before, I would've rushed to arrange the surgery.

But now? I wanted to see if, without my kidney, he could still take Carter and their son to that amusement park.

I sighed softly, pretending regret, "Sorry, that's a problem. I had some tests done two days ago. The doctor said I've been too exhausted lately, and my body's too weak for surgery right now."

"What?" Andrew blinked in confusion, but Evelyn, ladling soup, immediately cried out in shock.

"Mrs. Foster, you—" I spoke with feigned hurt.

Perhaps realizing her tone had been wrong, Evelyn quickly came over, grasped my hand, and apologized, "Claire, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It's just every night Andrew's in so much pain, and it breaks my heart. Please forgive me."

She then burst into tears and clung to me, soaking my expensive coat with her sobbing.

Once upon a time, that scene would've softened me instantly, made me fight tooth and nail to save Andrew as fast as possible.

But now, I let her cry against me.

I still cared, but I wouldn't let my sacrifice turn into their joke.

Seeing me unmoved, Evelyn grew anxious, her voice choked with desperation. "Claire, I'll take care of you for the rest of my life. Please save Andrew. All these years, he's done everything you asked. You won't just let him die, will you?"

So this was their strategy, using his supposed devotion as leverage.

He had done everything I asked?

For years, I had fed them and clothed them. Without me, Andrew would still be a mediocre employee barely scraping by.

After graduation, we both entered the workforce.

Unlike me, Andrew was painfully average and always complaining. "Claire, my manager is impossible. He dumps everything on me.

"My teammates are idiots. They keep making me look bad in front of the boss.

"Why do I have to handle planning again? They're all targeting me."

I had almost forgotten all that, but now the memories came back, sharp and vivid.

Andrew hadn't chosen to be a stay-at-home husband for me. He'd chosen it because he couldn't survive in the corporate world.

The words that once touched me had been nothing more than a shield for his pride.

I suddenly realized Andrew wasn't exceptional at all. My feelings for him had been the halo that made him glow.

Now the halo was gone, and he was nothing but ordinary and incompetent.

And yet they acted as if every so-called sacrifice Andrew made had been for me.

I pushed Evelyn's hands away and said coolly, "Mrs. Foster, I never said I wouldn't save Andrew. But right now, my body can't handle such a major surgery. Do you only care about Andrew, and not about me?"

"No, that's not what I meant, Claire. Please, believe me." Evelyn's eyes darted, panic flickering across her face before she could mask it.

Andrew coughed weakly and said, "Mom, I can endure it. Stop blaming Claire. We can wait until she's recovered. The surgery doesn't have to be rushed."

The second half of his words was clearly meant for me, paired with his pale face that made him look pitiful.

"You're so considerate, Andrew," I replied.

He blinked, clearly caught off guard by my response. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant.

Since they liked putting on a show, I would play my part too. It was the least I could do to repay all their efforts over the years.

The ward fell into silence. None of us spoke.

Bang.

The door burst open.

"Andrew, I was—" Carter froze the second she saw me, swallowing the rest of her words.

She clearly hadn't expected me to be there.

"Ms. Evans, you're back?" she mumbled, trying for a polite smile.

I sneered, "What's wrong? You don't look very happy that I came back."

"N-no, not at all," Carter stammered.