Chapter 2
He said, said, "You've blamed Harlow for years. Next time, why not apologize to her face-to-face?"
Apologize to my enemy?
I clenched my teeth, then whispered, "Sure."
Satisfied, he added, "Alisha, I just want you to let go of the past. Hatred isn't good for your health."
I agreed to his request. After he left, I took the evidence I'd collected over the years and went straight to the police handling the case, then filed for divorce at the court.
According to the process timeline, Garrett would receive the divorce papers within a week.
Coincidentally, on my way back, I ran into the nurse from those years. She sighed.
"Your father was pitiful. Harlow used the Pate family's protection to turn him into her experiment."
I stood there in shock. The revelation hit me like a knife to the heart.
My father, who had raised me with such love, had been treated as a mere test subject.
And Garrett allowed it all to happen.
How absurd. For five years, he accompanied me every time I visited my father's grave.
Each time, he sighed that my father had passed away too soon, lamenting that he never had the chance to fulfill his filial duty.
Garrett was really a master of deception.
I wandered home in a daze and looked up at the wall covered in jewelry.
Every piece here was a gift from him.
I packed all the jewelry into a box.
Just then, Garrett came home, looking a bit confused.
"Alisha, what are you doing?"
While tidying up, I responded coldly.
"It's a bit messy. I'm cleaning the room."
Hearing this, Garrett relaxed and didn't ask further.
After I finished organizing, I found a private collector. The other person's expression turned odd after seeing the jewelry.
"Ms. Brown, all these items are fake. I can't take them.
"Ms. Brown, these are all fakes. I can't take them. But I've seen Miss Mosley wearing the genuine pieces."
In an instant, I understood. A man's heart lay where his money went.
I closed my eyes, forced a smile, and turned to leave.
Three days until the court summons reached him. After five years of marriage, it was finally ending.
Back home, Garrett noticed my gloom and grew nervous.
"Alisha, ever since you packed up the jewelry, you've seemed unhappy. What's wrong?"
Seeing his guilty expression, I could only find it absurd.
"Someone said the jewelry you gave me is fake."
Garrett's face tightened as he immediately retorted.
"Nonsense! How could anything I give you be fake? With my status, would I ever do such a thing?"
After speaking, he tapped my nose playfully and said dotingly.
"You're jealous again, aren't you? Always about Harlow. Tomorrow I'll send you new pieces—better than anything she has."
His lies came so easily, as seamless as silk.
The more he acted this way, the more fake he seemed to me.
I pretended to be amused by him and played along.
Seeing that I had completely let my guard down, Garrett cupped my face and gazed at me tenderly.
That night, Garrett wanted to get intimate with me, but I declined, saying I wasn't feeling well.
The next morning, Garrett finished breakfast and left for the office, leaving me alone at home.
As soon as I went downstairs, I saw Harlow standing in the living room, mocking me.
"Oh, I thought you'd died young just like your father. I didn't expect you to still be alive.
"Back then, after I hit you and called Garrett, he told me to finish the job and avoid future trouble. So I gathered the courage to run you over a second time. You survived, though—just lost the use of your legs."
The truth struck me like lightning. Garrett had been involved in that incident all along.
Seeing I was speechless for a long time, Harlow became even more brazen.
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had to hide abroad for five years. The Brown family always brings bad luck and seems intent on ruining me. Still, with Garrett backing me, it's no big deal.
"When I think about how you've loved Garrett for five years, I find it absurd."
After speaking, Harlow actually burst out laughing.
Her laughter rang sharp, stabbing into my heart.
Mad with grief, I grabbed a porcelain vase and hurled it at her.
Not only did Harlow not dodge, she even moved toward it.
As blood streamed down her cheek, Garrett suddenly returned and witnessed the whole scene.
"Alisha, have you lost your mind? Harlow came here especially to see you, and this is how you treat a guest?" he shouted.
I gritted my teeth and replied.