Chapter 5

Watching Arthur tie on an apron and move about the kitchen, I felt a lot of emotions stir up.

I planned to take Arthur out to eat to say thanks.

He said that after years abroad, unable to get used to the food there, he had picked up some solid cooking skills and wanted to show them off for me.

He bought all the ingredients I loved, the very dishes I could never bring myself to order back in the cafeteria at our college.

The rich aroma of crab drifted from the kitchen as Arthur brought out his signature dish, crab boil.

I hadn't had much of an appetite for months, but this really made me hungry.

As I wolfed down the food, I looked up and met Arthur's smiling eyes.

Feeling a little embarrassed, I slowed down.

He reached out and ruffled my hair, as if I were still the college girl seven years ago who liked trailing after him.

"So, this is how it felt, huh?" Arthur said with a gentle smile, his voice soft and clear.

With my mouth stuffed full of crab, I asked, "What do you mean?"

He didn't answer. He only smiled, glanced down at his watch, then stood up and put on his coat.

He said, "It's getting late. I should get going. You take care and get some rest."

After Arthur left, I couldn't help but stare at the table, covered with all my favorite dishes, feeling a bit lost.

Ryan still couldn't remember my preferences after seven years, but Arthur remembered them all.

After that, Arthur came over every now and then to cook for me, but he never stayed long. He'd leave right after.

Ryan kept calling, pestering me about where I was staying and if I'd cooled off yet.

I just said, "Sign the divorce papers, and then we can talk."

He just wouldn't give up, so he sent Bethany to talk me into backing down.

Honestly, during the three years I was married to Ryan, Bethany treated me well.

During my recovery after the miscarriage two years ago, she took care of me with genuine concern.

Whenever she mentioned the miscarriage after I fell in the rain, she would wipe away tears and say she felt sorry for all I'd endured with Ryan.

I couldn't bring myself to embarrass her, so I kept answering her calls, again and again.

Maybe Ryan thought there was still hope for us, so he never mentioned the miscarriage to Bethany.

Bethany often brought up the child, urging me to forgive Ryan for the baby's sake.

I didn't give in.

After a few attempts, when she saw how stubborn I was, she got frustrated.

The once kind and reasonable woman screamed at me over the phone, "That child belongs to the Cooper family. Do you want a divorce? Fine. Give birth to the child, and you can leave.

"You're not taking a single cent from my son."

It was only when I stood on the opposite side of her son that I saw how selfish the woman who once treated me well was.

I sneered and snapped, "You don't get to decide how much I take. And the baby? That's my call."

I hung up and blocked her number.

I could finally have some peace.

More than a month passed. I never expected that after Ryan and Bethany took turns coming at me, the one who showed up with the divorce papers would be Louisa.

She said she was here to handle the divorce talks for Ryan.

We met up at a café.

I showed up on time, mostly because I was curious how a mistress planned to negotiate a divorce with the wife.

She looked smug and triumphant, nothing like how weak and miserable she'd been at the hospital.

I crossed my arms and barely glanced at her.

Louisa just finished recovery and looked healthy and well cared for.

She picked up on how completely relaxed I was, almost lazy, with not a hint of heartbreak or misery she'd expect from a dumped wife.

She was all fired up with nowhere to aim it, and it clearly annoyed her.

"Ryan agreed to the divorce, but—" Louisa paused, her eyes full of disdain. "You've been living comfortably as a rich wife. And you seriously think you deserve half of the money he earned, huh? Isn't that greedy?"

Ryan was completely upfront with her; he even showed her our divorce agreement.

If I still cared about him at all, this would have driven me insane.

I just shrugged. "Then maybe we shouldn't divorce. That way, all his assets would be mine.

"And you can keep being his mistress. Funny thing is, he was calling me up in tears last night, begging me not to go."

Louisa was easily provoked. Her hands trembled with rage as she clenched the new agreement tightly.

She snapped, "The one who isn't loved is the real mistress. Vera, if I hadn't dumped Ryan back then, do you really think you'd have become his wife?

"That title means nothing. Even if I'm pregnant with another man's kid, he still loves me. Just leave him. You're so pathetic. Do you really think I can't do anything if you refuse to divorce?"

She raised an eyebrow, her voice full of contempt. "I heard you can't have children anymore. Guess what? I can. Even illegitimate children still get inheritance.

"Ryan and I will have many children. If you like, you can keep calling yourself his wife and die with this poor title."

I took a slow sip of my coffee and said casually, "Sounds like you don't really care about titles. What you love is Ryan's money, isn't it?"

Louisa scoffed, her voice full of disdain. "So what if I love his money? You're like me. If you don't want his money, why won't you let go of it?

"Ryan knows perfectly well. Without his current success, he'd never be good enough for me."

I listened quietly until she finished, then stopped the recording.

It would be such a shame if Ryan never got to hear these wonderful lines.