Chapter 5

The next morning, David and I left the house early.

Natasha stood at the door, smiling, waving us off.

The night before, after David had fallen asleep, I had quietly packed my ID, Emily's documents, and our bank cards into my backpack.

When we arrived at the courthouse, a few couples were already ahead of us, and the lobby was scattered with people sitting in silence.

It was the middle of summer, and one woman stood out immediately.

She was visibly pregnant, and her eyes locked onto us the moment we walked through the door.

I knew right away she had to be David's mistress. They really couldn't wait.

I looked up from the paperwork and glanced in her direction.

She was in her early twenties, wearing a bright maternity dress, young and radiant. Even at six months along, she hadn't gained an ounce anywhere else.

In my past life, I had never even noticed her. But of course I hadn't. Back then, David was the only thing in my world, and I'd been too blind to see what was right in front of me.

The divorce was processed quickly. The moment David got his copy of the papers, the tension visibly drained from his face.

I kept my expression the same as always, calm and unbothered.

I took his arm and headed for the door.

David stopped walking.

He turned to me and said, "Sarah, I need to head to the office. They just called an emergency meeting."

I smiled at him. "Oh, really? Okay, I'll go home on my own then."

I walked out of the Courthouse with a spring in my step, but instead of heading to the parking lot, I slipped behind the row of trees near the back.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, David walked out with a visibly pregnant woman on his arm.

She looked up at him, and the two of them wore matching expressions of pure happiness.

I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo of them together.

I waited until they drove off before I called a cab to the hospital.

In my previous life, I had been diagnosed with cancer a year ago. I needed to get checked out and find out where things stood with my body this time around.

The doctor reviewed my test results and asked casually, "Do you experience frequent pain or tenderness in your chest?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do."

He glanced back at the report and said, "Everything looks fine. You have a few small nodules, but nothing to worry about. Just come back for regular checkups."

I leaned forward and asked, "Doctor, what if someone went through something traumatic and stayed depressed for a long time? Could that cause the nodules to turn cancerous?"

I needed to know what had made me sick in my last life.

The doctor paused for a moment, then said, "It's possible. Nodules are closely linked to emotional health. As long as you keep your stress levels down, stay active, and come in for follow-ups, you should be fine."

So my illness really had been tied to the devastation I felt after learning the truth.

But this time, I wasn't going to let it destroy me. A cheating man was like a pair of worn-out shoes. Once you tossed them, there was nothing to miss.

I thanked the doctor and walked out of the hospital.

My first stop was my parents' house.

I needed to see Richard, Wendy, and Emily. I missed them so much it ached.

After going through life and death, it felt like centuries had passed since I last saw them.

I held onto Wendy and refused to let go. Emily was circling around us, tugging at my sleeve.

"Mommy! Mommy! I want a hug too!" she whined.

Wendy laughed and pushed my arms away. "What's gotten into you? You're a grown woman acting like a little kid!"

I crouched down and scooped Emily up, burying my face in her hair so Wendy wouldn't see my red eyes.

Richard grabbed his keys and headed for the door. "You two catch up. I'll run to the store and pick up some groceries. Let's do lunch here. I'll make your favorite barbecue ribs!"

I stepped in front of him. "Dad, Mom, hold on. I need to tell you both something."