Episode 5

"Finally! There she is! How's it going? Did he say he would help?"

Ava was pacing in the hallway. When she spotted Rachel returning, she rushed over, her face full of worry.

"Yeah," Rachel managed to say, but her expression was far from cheerful.

"He didn’t really agree to help; he just told me to go home because it was getting late." Rachel turned to Ava quickly. "Do you think he’ll actually help?"

"Well, he didn’t act weird this time, so that’s a good sign," Ava started, but then her brow furrowed as she caught a whiff of tobacco. "OMG! Did you sleep with him?"

Rachel’s face went blank. She bit her lip and whispered, "If I just hooked my shoulder and played a few cards, does that count as sleeping with him?"

"Oh! Don’t stress about it. At least he remembers you, which I think is a good sign..."

"What good sign? How does that help? Ava, I might lose my womb in a few hours..." Rachel suddenly blurted out. She looked calm, but inside, she was a mess.

The thought of possibly losing her womb was really taking a toll on her.

How long could she keep this up, and how sure was she that Adam would come through for her?

"I know. That guy has money; you could tell from how he acted at the club that night. It’s been over six months since you two met. A rich guy like him meets tons of people every day. The fact that he remembers you means something, even if he didn’t say he’d help. A guy doesn’t just show kindness for no reason."

This thought sent a shiver down Rachel’s spine.

"So, you really think he’ll help?"

"Absolutely!" Ava nodded confidently, linking her arm with Rachel's.

"Come on, don’t overthink it," Ava said again.

"I’ll take you home. You’ve had a tough day, and you need to rest," she added.

Early the next morning

The sound of her phone beeping jolted Rachel awake.

"Mmmm," she groaned, reaching for her phone and accidentally knocking a few things off the table.

She blinked at the screen, her stomach twisting when she saw the message: "Grab your ID and head to the Civil Affairs Bureau. I’ll meet you there."

"No! No! Screw you, Lucas! Screw you!" Rachel shouted angrily. She slipped into a black gown, then grabbed a mouth spray from the table. After using it, she carefully set the spray back down and left the room.

Rachel arrived at the Bureau a bit early and sat in the waiting area, her eyes fixed on her marriage certificate.

In the photo, Lucas looked blank, while she was beaming with joy.

Sometimes, having feelings for someone could be so wild!

The first time she laid eyes on Lucas, it felt like a jolt of electricity shot through her. Suddenly, she was fully awake.

He was studying architecture and loved designing houses. She wasn’t into building but had lots of ideas for decorating.

He wanted to build a house to create a home for himself. After losing his mother at a young age and seeing his father remarry, he never really felt the warmth of a family.

She loved decorating because an empty house feels cold, but a home filled with furniture and warmth is inviting—a dream she clung to tightly.

Over the past few years, she worked hard to keep up with him. Every time they met, she tried her best to impress him and earn his affection.

They had shared many happy moments after getting married.

Now, it felt like she was stuck in love, making those memories seem more perfect than they really were.

At 9 a.m., Lucas walked in with a serious expression, accompanied by a plump lady who looked like a doctor.

He glanced at Rachel without much emotion. "After the divorce, Dr. Lisa will give you the paperwork to sign for your womb to be remove. After that, we won’t have any contact again."

Rachel's heart sank. Was he really that desperate to make her go through with this?

She felt like her world was crumbling.

Killing people and breaking their hearts feels just like this!

She glanced at the door, hoping against hope. She had sent a text to Adam, explaining everything.

Adam only replied: "On my way."

But now Lucas was here, and Adam was nowhere to be found.

"Why are you hesitating? This divorce has to happen. No one can stop me, and no one can help you..." Lucas shoved her against the counter, his voice low and cold.

Rachel’s hands trembled as she stared at the divorce papers.

Her phone rang, breaking the tense silence. It was her mom, telling her that her siblings were out of the police station.

"That’s good," Rachel said, forcing her voice to remain steady.

After hanging up, Lucas’s words cut through the air like a knife: "I’ve done everything you asked. Now it’s your turn to keep your end of the deal."

He turned her around and pushed her in front of Dr. Lisa.

"Ms., please sign the papers," Dr. Lisa said softly.

Rachel’s heart raced.

If Adam didn’t show up soon, she would really have to sign those papers and agree to have her womb remove.

Lucas stood by, his face completely blank, as if none of this affected him.

Just then, a man in his late 30s walked in with a smile and called out from a distance:

"Oh, Dr. Lisa. What are you doing here?"

They all knew each other. Dr. Lisa recognized Mr. James, a famous lawyer in New York City.

James looked at Lucas for a moment before taking Dr. Lisa aside.

When they returned, Dr. Lisa frowned as she picked up the agreement paper. "I’m sorry, Mr. Brown, but I can’t assist you."

Rachel instinctively glanced at Lucas, fearing an outburst.

Surprisingly, he remained calm, though his gaze darkened.

James walked in again, heading straight for Lucas with a broad grin. "Hey there, Mr. Brown! Great to see you again. Just a little tip? That one’s taken, so don’t cause her any trouble unless you want everyone to find out what really went down that rainy night on the highway."

Lucas’s lips curled into a cold smile. "Are you trying to threaten me, Mr. James?"

James shrugged, still beaming. "Threaten you? Not at all. Just offering some friendly advice."

As he turned to leave, he added, "Oh, and Mr. Brown, do try not to embarrass the Carter family any further."

With that, he flashed a knowing smile and walked out.

"Wait up!" Rachel yelled, running after him.

Lucas watched her chase after James, his expression hardening.

"Jerk. Scumbag," he muttered through clenched teeth.