Chapter 5

Ever since Sterling began to hate Nanette, he would wire money to her every time they ended up in bed. He was quite generous, and it was certainly quite a sum for her family.

Nanette's family struggled financially. Her father fell into a vegetative state three years earlier due to a car accident, and her brother had cerebral palsy. Hence, both of them required her mother's care.

Naturally, the weight of her family's burdens fell onto her shoulders, and at that time, she was still taking her master's in medicine.

Nanette clearly remembered the night after her father's accident when the hospital pressed her for payment again. The exorbitant medical fees made it hard for her to breathe, but she could not give up on her father.

After all, he had given Nanette profound and sincere paternal love when she was growing up.

That night, while she was squatting at the hospital entrance and crying in despair, Sterling appeared. She could never forget the sight of him standing before her.

The man, standing tall at six feet two, reached out his hand to her. At that moment, she thought he had been sent by the heavens to save her.

"Nanette, don't cry." Those simple words seemed to carry an enchanting power.

With tears clouding her vision, she slowly raised her hand and allowed Sterling to help her into the car.

They were high school classmates and university alumni. They had known each other for years without interacting much, yet it felt like fate had brought them together at that moment.

Sterling was willing to help her resolve her family's difficulties, but the condition was that she had to marry him, which would put an end to his family's plans to set him up with someone else.

After they got married, their personalities somewhat clicked. They surprisingly developed feelings for each other and even enjoyed a sweet period together.

Sterling pampered her, arranging the best doctors for her father and sending her brother to a rehabilitation hospital. All this led Nanette to believe he loved her deeply.

Then, everything suddenly changed, leading to the current situation.

The glaring humiliation served as a constant reminder to Nanette that she was nothing more than a bird kept in a cage by Sterling.

Thinking back on the past, Nanette sighed helplessly.

She stood by the window, gazing out at the chilly morning as her heart felt sour and bitter; she thought her heart had grown tough, yet he still managed to break it again.

Now that Sterling would not relent, what was going to happen to Harley? The medical office stated clearly that Harley needed to apologize, and only then could she return to her post.

Asking Harley to apologize to Sterling? How was that possible?

Nanette felt she had lost enough dignity. She could not break Harley's pride as well.

After much contemplation, Nanette gathered her emotions and sent a simple message to Ivanka: [I agree!]

...

Harley arrived at the hospital early in the morning. She immediately grew anxious when she found Nanette was not there. She quickly took out her phone to call her.

"Nanette, are you crazy? With your condition, you need to stay in the hospital for at least three days. It has barely been two days, but you're already running around!"

On the other end of the line, Nanette calmly reassured her, "Harley, I'll be at the hospital soon."

A few minutes later, Nanette returned to the hospital, and Harley rushed over to support her.

"Did you go back to look for Sterling because of me? Nanette, that bastard is just waiting for you to beg him to let you move back in. Even if I get fired, you shouldn't have to beg him. You've finally gotten out, so don't go back because of me."

"Stop talking nonsense. Have you forgotten how long we've studied to get here? I can't drag you into this mess."

Just as Nanette settled onto her hospital bed, Ivanka's call came through, asking her to come over in the afternoon.

The reason was painfully obvious.

However, with Harley around, Nanette knew she could not leave today. Hence, she planned to go after being discharged the next afternoon.

"Why did your mother-in-law suddenly ask to meet with you?"

"I've agreed to divorce Sterling, so she probably wants me to sign the divorce papers." Nanette smiled faintly.

"Netty..."

Harley knew Nanette was hurting but did not know how to comfort her.

Nanette patted her arm. "There's no need to comfort me. I'm not foolish. It's not worth betting my entire life on a man."

Others might not understand, but Harley knew how difficult this decision was for her.

...

The next day at 3:00 pm, Nanette drove alone back to the Hanson estate.

The grand courtyard stood solemn and imposing, but Nanette found the place very unfamiliar. After all, she had only been there three times.

The first time was when she and Sterling went to get their marriage license, and he brought her along. Upon learning that they had gotten married, Sterling's grandfather, Tobias Hanson, was furious. He even slammed his cane against Sterling's thigh, and just like that, their first visit ended in discord.

The second time, which was the last time, Ivanka called her back to persuade her to leave Sterling.

This would make it the third time.

After three years of marriage and only three visits, it was clear how unwelcome she was as a daughter-in-law of the Hanson family!

Nanette sat in the living room for a while, and soon, the elegantly dressed Ivanka descended the stairs while holding a few thin sheets of paper.

She glanced at Nanette with her striking eyes that were filled with disdain. Even her voice carried an undertone of disgust.

"I suppose you still know your place. Have a look. Everything I promised you is written inside. After three years of supporting your family, you're still getting such good compensation. It's not a loss for you!"

Nanette bit her lip. "That's not necessary. I trust you."

After saying that, she took the pen and papers from Ivanka's hands. She quickly flipped to the last page, where she signed her name.

A trace of a smile finally appeared on Ivanka's face when she saw Nanette sign so readily.

"Truthfully, you're not half-bad, but Sterling's wife just can't be you."

Nanette took a deep breath and replied calmly, "Thank you. Once Sterling signs, I can handle the formalities at any time. But there's one more thing I hope you can help me with."

"What is it? Do you want to negotiate?" Ivanka looked at her dismissively, her expression growing more contemptuous.

"Sterling lodged a complaint about my friend yesterday, and the hospital suspended her. You know how hard it was for us to get through medical school, and we have to work that much harder to stay in the program. Sterling, he... Well, I have no choice but to ask you for help with this."

Nanette spoke earnestly, stirring a twinge of guilt in Ivanka.

If there was one thing she found incomprehensible over the past two years, it was her son. He had once treated Nanette like a treasure, but he suddenly turned and disappeared for months.

"I'll speak with the hospital director, but you can't let his grandmother know about your divorce from Sterling for now. Otherwise, you won't get anything."

Nanette nodded and pursed her lips as she handed the divorce papers to Ivanka.

"Don't worry, I have a conscience. Please get Sterling to sign the papers as soon as possible."

Just after Nanette returned home from the Hanson estate, Harley's call came through. "Netty, I just received a call from the medical office. I can return to work next Monday, and this week counts as my vacation."

Nanette had not expected Ivanka to act so quickly. The moment she returned home, the problem was already resolved!

Even so, knowing that Harley could return to her position brought her some peace.

"That's great! I plan to take a few days off, so I might not be there on Monday. Remember to buy breakfast for yourself."

"That's no problem! It's your birthday this weekend, and I'll celebrate it with you. You need to rest well these next couple of days. Your health is important."

Harley knew that her issue could only be resolved so quickly due to the Hansons' connections with the hospital. The Hansons had invested significantly in the hospital, so the director had to be courteous in front of Sterling.

If it were not for the Hansons' intervention, who else would dare offend Sterling?

Even though she knew this, Harley knew Nanette's temperament as well. Nanette would not feel at ease until she returned to her post.

It seemed that Nanette's return to the Hanson estate must have satisfied Ivanka.

She understood Nanette's pain, so it was best not to ask any questions at that moment.