Chapter 2

Everyone in this hospital knows that I was the one who delivered the babies of all my husband's lovers. I had long since become the subject of everyone's gossip whenever they had a break.

Was this love? The Mr. Young she referred to wasn't Lucas, but his assistant.

Lucas was always so considerate, thinking of everything.

Even when his lover was having a baby, he'd have someone send me flowers, as if that would make it all better for his wife.

Before the nurse could respond, I shoved the flowers into her hands. "Toss them. I'm allergic to pollen."

The nurse's expression shifted, and she grabbed the flowers, hurrying away.

The next second, I saw a text from Lucas: [Did you get today's flowers? I picked them out for you.]

My fingers paused over the screen, and suddenly I remembered the day Lucas proposed, how the entire venue was covered in fresh flowers.

He had painstakingly removed the pollen from every single bloom.

When he slipped the ring onto her finger, I noticed his hands were covered in tiny cuts and scratches. The sight made my eyes sting with tears.

But Lucas brushed it off with a lazy grin. "So, what do you think? I promised you a proposal you'd never forget. Not bad, huh? Guess I wasn't exaggerating."

I had seen Lucas at his best, when he truly loved me, so I knew better than anyone how cold and indifferent he could be when he stopped caring.

But back then, I stubbornly forced myself to stay, watching helplessly as he messed around and fathered one illegitimate child after another with other women. I couldn't bring myself to let go.

Now, I was exhausted. He could have as many kids as he liked with whoever he wanted. None of it concerned me any longer.

I didn't reply to Lucas's message. For once, I managed to fall asleep without tossing and turning all night, only to be haunted by nightmares as usual.

When I woke up that afternoon, Lucas was sitting right beside my hospital bed.

He was gripping my phone, a deep frown etched on his face. "Why did you change your password?"

I ignored his question and asked, "What are you doing here?"

He carried that sticky-sweet scent of baby formula, and I instinctively turned my head away.

Lucas noticed my disdain and frowned.

But he didn't lose his temper. "You didn't reply to my message." There was a hint of disappointment in his tone.

I stared at him steadily, recalling our old promise. No matter when we saw each other's messages, we would reply as soon as we could.

But somewhere along the way, our chat had turned into me talking to myself.

If I remembered right, the last time he actually replied to her was a whole month ago. And even then, he'd used an alt account.

I replied offhandedly, "I was asleep. I didn't see your message."

Lucas looked like he wanted to say something, but hesitated. But in the end, he spoke up. "Victoria wants a wedding. Scarlett, would you let her have the wedding you planned for yourself?"

I was stunned. We had been married for seven years, but because his family never approved, there was never a wedding.

Lucas had promised me that on our seventh anniversary, he'd finally give me a wedding. I had spent so long preparing for that day.

But the seventh anniversary was long past, and he kept postponing the wedding, over and over.

The first time he delayed it, he lied about having a business trip. But he was actually with his first lover, taking her to a prenatal appointment. And that was three months after we'd lost our first child.

It was also when the doctor told us our genes didn't match that we'd never be able to have a healthy child together. And right then, Lucas cheated on me.

The second time, his three kept women all showed up pregnant and caused chaos, ruining the wedding and making me the laughingstock of our entire social circle.

The third time, I unexpectedly got pregnant with our second child. But on the night before the wedding, he forced me to deliver the babies for the women he kept outside.

By the time I walked out of the delivery room, I was covered in blood.

After that, he kept sending pregnant women my way.

Every day was filled with shouting and fighting. It became our new normal.

Neither of us ever brought up the wedding again. It was like an unspoken agreement.

Victoria easily got the wedding I waited ten years for and never got.

All those years I spent tangled up, hesitating, unable to let go, felt like a bad joke now.

I blinked, fighting back tears, and forced a bitter smile. "Sure."

Lucas was taken aback, clearly not expecting me to agree so easily.

He held my hand gently, his voice soft. "Scarlett, I'm sorry for making you go through this. I swear, one day, I'll give you the wedding you deserve."

I subtly withdrew my hand. "I'm tired."

I closed my eyes to rest, ignoring him completely.

Maybe he was feeling guilty. For once, he didn't scowl at me.

Instead, he tucked the blanket around me and said softly, "Go to sleep. I'll be right here with you all night."

I didn't say a word.

But barely five minutes later, a sudden ringtone shattered the silence.

Lucas instantly stood up and said in a gentle voice, "Hello, Victoria."

I felt the rush of air as he left. I opened my eyes and watched him walk away.

I stared at my phone, reading the taunting messages from Victoria.

[Since you're divorced, pack your stuff and leave already. Stop mooching off my place.]

[Seriously, you washed-up old witch, still playing the victim and trying to steal someone else's man after the divorce?]

[Don't believe me? One call and Lucas will come crawling back to me in a heartbeat.]

I watched Lucas walk away, a wry smile playing at her lips. I knew he wouldn't be back tonight.

Victoria updated her feed. The photo showed Lucas down on one knee, actually washing her feet.

She was flaunting it, all smug and proud. [Since I can't bend over, I guess I have to make Mr. Young do it for me.]

And of course, she made sure to tag me.

In the comments, Lucas's friends were all greeting Victoria with warmth and affection.

I knew every single account that liked or commented.

It turned out that Lucas had already taken Victoria around and made sure she met his family and friends, but I was the one kept on the outside.

If this were the old me, I would've totally lost it.