Chapter 3

I cut off what Mrs. Hudson was about to say.

" Mrs. Hudson, I'm fine."

The man before me had no reaction, only casually glancing at Mrs. Hudson.

His voice was cold: " Mrs. Hudson, remember clearly whose servant you are."

"Since she's divorced me, she's no longer Mrs. Chase."

Mrs. Hudson looked at me anxiously. I shook my head gently.

There was no point saying anything to him now.

He was no longer the Adrian Chase who would smile and lean down to listen carefully to what I said.

Adrian Chase nervously gripped Bianca Cole's trembling hand: "Did you hurt your hand?"

Bianca Cole shook her head with slight sobs: "It doesn't hurt... I just can't stand seeing someone bully you..."

The light illuminated the tenderness in his eyes when he looked at Bianca Cole: "Silly girl, it's okay if they bully me, but I can't let you be wronged."

Hearing this, Bianca Cole became smug immediately.

"That slap just now---I want to pay it back tenfold for you."

Seeing Adrian Chase didn't respond.

Bianca Cole shook his arm coquettishly: "You're CEO Chase. If word gets out that your ex-wife slapped you, how embarrassing!"

Adrian Chase still didn't agree.

Seeing this, Bianca Cole stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear.

Adrian Chase finally smiled with satisfaction.

He wrapped his arm around Bianca Cole's waist and kissed her lips lightly.

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

I stepped back in disbelief, staring at the two in shock.

The bodyguards immediately pushed Mrs. Hudson aside roughly and grabbed my wrists.

I began to struggle: "Adrian Chase! You..."

Bianca Cole sneered and delivered a quick, vicious slap to my face.

At the same time, sharp pain attacked from my abdomen and head, making me break out in cold sweat.

After ten slaps, I collapsed miserably on the floor.

Tears streamed down my face, disappearing into my hair.

I used all my strength to suppress the sob in my throat, keeping myself from crying out loud.

He didn't look at me once, taking Bianca Cole upstairs.

Before leaving, I heard Adrian Chase's low, magnetic voice: "Wear that hollow lace tonight?"

Bianca Cole blushed in his arms, looking at me lying on the floor with provocation.

After the door closed.

Mrs. Hudson helped me stand up.

But the dull pain in my abdomen didn't decrease---it only grew stronger.

I don't know how long I lay unconscious.

I only know that when I woke up, Adrian Chase sat in my hospital room with cold, indifferent eyes.

His voice held no emotion: " Mrs. Hudson told me you fainted. With such a weak body, don't make trouble for yourself. If you behave, I can relax too."

The lazy tone seemed casual, but every word cut deep.

"Jade, I've reached this level. Everyone around me plays with women. Your requirement for me to be faithful to one person for life is too demanding."

"I can't do it. Whether in life or business, everyone is pushing women toward me, openly or secretly."

"I've said before, this divorce is just an act. As long as you're obedient and give me some time, once I've had my fun, I'll return to the family. We'll have children and be even happier than before."

"But the premise is that I need to tire of playing around first."

He paused, only now lazily lifting his eyelids to glance at me.

The moment our eyes met.

I saw not a trace of guilt in him, only his certainty that I would give in.

"Jade, you really should learn to be more obedient."

Be more obedient?

But Adrian Chase wasn't like this before. He liked when I threw little tantrums at him.

He said obedient girls were mostly spineless, without character.

I looked down at the wedding ring on my hand.

Dense pain surged in my chest, like ten thousand arrows piercing my heart.

After a long silence, I spoke in a hoarse voice.

"I understand."

"In the bag I left on the sofa, there's something Bianca Cole wants. When she sees it, she'll be very happy."

My concession made Adrian Chase smile genuinely.

"The pigeon blood jewelry set from the auction? Jade, if you'd realized this earlier, things between us wouldn't have gotten this bad."

No, it's the hospital bill for my miscarriage surgery and post-procedure care instructions.

I silently answered his question in my heart.

We'll never have children again.

Adrian Chase took my silence as confirmation.

He left happily.

And I checked out of the hospital and moved into the presidential suite Adrian Chase had prepared for me.

I spent half a month liquidating all the jewelry Adrian Chase had given me over the years and transferring the money to a trust company.

After the money from the last piece of jewelry came through, I bought a plane ticket leaving North City.

As I left dragging my suitcase, the bodyguards asked where I was going.

I didn't answer.

They asked when I'd be back.

I thought about it.

"In a couple of days."

Later, two days became many more days, and I never came back.

A month later.

The first to realize I'd completely disappeared were those two bodyguards.

They tremblingly dialed Adrian Chase's number, saying I had vanished.