Chapter 6

Anathea felt like she had a long dream.

In that dream, she walked arm in arm with Gregory, stepping onto a flower-strewn path with their friends and family watching.

Her face was lit up with joy. At that moment, she believed she was the luckiest woman in the world. She could finally marry the man she'd secretly loved for years.

But suddenly, everything around her turned blood red. The flowers beneath her feet withered into rotting, foul-smelling twigs.

Before she could make sense of what was happening, Gregory let go of her hand without hesitation. His voice, cold and sharp, echoed in her ears like a curse.

"Anathea, I'll never love a scheming woman like you."

Anathea's eyes flew open. A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

What met her eyes was a white ceiling. It wasn't the dark, endless corridor, and there was no rolling thunder and pounding rain.

Outside, sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows. The beauty of it all made her heart ache.

How did she end up here?

"You're awake?" A calm voice broke the silence.

Anathea turned to her side and froze when she saw Gregory sitting by her bed. Had everything she'd just experienced been a dream?

However, the sharp sting on her face when she moved her lips told her that every bit of it had been real. Her husband despised her, and her son rejected her. All of it was real.

Anathea lowered her eyes and clenched her fingers.

"Mom! Are you okay?" Just then, Xander ran up to her bedside. His voice was unusually concerned.

He'd been shocked when he'd seen Gregory carrying Anathea out, her face covered in blood.

Natalie had told him it was just a game—Anathea's kidnapping was a test to see if he could stay calm. If he did well, Natalie would take him to the amusement park.

But as he looked at Anathea now, bruised and battered, a strange, uneasy feeling settled in his chest.

"Mom…" Xander hesitated before reaching out to hold Anathea's hand.

Usually, if he made the first move, Anathea's face would light up with joy. But this time, she quietly withdrew her hand before he could touch her.

Xander froze for a moment, blinking in confusion, unsure of what to do.

"Your mom's still shaken up. She needs rest. Go back to your room," Gregory said coldly.

Upon hearing that, Xander glanced at Anathea with a hint of reluctance. But as soon as he remembered that Natalie would be taking him to the amusement park later, his hesitation vanished.

"Okay."

Once Xander was gone, silence settled over the room.

Gregory was the first to break it. "What were you doing there?" he asked, frowning.

If he hadn't been sure he'd heard Anathea's voice and turned back at the last second, she would've already been sold off to some stranger.

The thought made his irritation flare. "Aren't you sick? Why the hell were you running around?"

Anathea didn't answer. She didn't even look at him. Her gaze stayed on her hands.

From his words, it sounded like he had nothing to do with her getting abducted or sold off. But even if it hadn't been him, he was the root of everything.

"Anathea, are you even listening?" Seeing her unresponsive, Gregory suddenly approached her. He gripped her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Or do you think this pathetic act will make me feel sorry for you? You really don't get tired of playing the victim, do you?"

Anathea looked at his angry expression and found it almost amusing. "So, in your eyes, my suffering is just some kind of performance?"

She'd gotten hurt, yet in his mind, she was putting on an act?

"So that's what you really think of me."

Her indifferent tone rubbed Gregory the wrong way. He let out a cold chuckle. "Did you forget how you used this same trick to beg me to spare your dad?"

His words took her straight back to five years ago.

She'd been seven months pregnant with Xander when Gregory had suddenly come for Adam.

The once-powerful government official had suddenly been brought down by unfounded corruption charges, condemned as a public disgrace, and sentenced to death.

When Anathea had received the news, the shock had sent her into premature labor, but she'd still forced herself to face Gregory.

The once proud and unyielding woman had knelt before him, her voice trembling as she'd pleaded, "Gregory, please… spare my dad."

Gregory had barely spared her a glance. He'd simply ordered his driver to take her home.

In the end, Anathea had clung desperately to his leg, refusing to let go. Blood had pooled beneath her. Only then had Gregory finally relented and spared Adam's life.

And because of that, she'd had a difficult time giving birth. She'd hemorrhaged so badly that they'd had to replace nearly all the blood in her body before finally bringing Xander into the world.

But to Gregory, her desperate plea had just been another one of her pathetic acts of playing the victim.

Anathea wanted to laugh, but even the slightest movement sent a sharp pain shooting through her swollen face.

She gave up. "I'm tired. If you have nothing else to say, get out."

Gregory's gaze lingered on her swollen face, taking in the stark contrast of the angry red handprints against her once-fair skin. The sight was jarring, and a shadow gradually darkened his eyes.

No matter how he felt about her, no one else had the right to lay a hand on her.

"I'll deal with them," he said.

Anathea looked up at him. If this had been before, she would've been overwhelmed with gratitude. But now, she remained calm.

She didn't like waiting for things. If she needed something and couldn't get it, then she simply stopped wanting it.

Gregory didn't get an answer from her. He said nothing more and turned to leave.

The moment the door closed behind him, Anathea finally let her tense body relax against the bed. She stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Mrs. Sinclair." Jenny walked in, carrying a tray of medicine bottles and ointments. "Mr. Sinclair told the doctor to use only the best medication for your injuries."

Anathea didn't react.

"And while you were unconscious these past two days, Mr. Sinclair never went to the office. He worked from home instead. He kept checking on you." Jenny tried to offer some kind of comfort. "He still cares about you."

Where had that care been before?

Oh, right. He'd been too busy drowning in Natalie's arms.

Anathea let out a silent scoff. Then, as if just remembering something, she asked, "Has Natalie been staying here these past two days?"

Jenny hesitated before nodding. "Yes… Ms. Whitman is in the process of moving. She had nowhere else to stay, and since Mr. Xander is very attached to her, Mr. Sinclair let her stay here for a few days."

Of course. Natalie had moved in.

"But Mr. Sinclair only arranged a guest room for her on the second floor. He didn't let her stay upstairs."

Jenny wanted to explain, but Anathea didn't care. Today it was the guest room on the second floor. Next time, it would be the one next to the master bedroom, and eventually, the master bedroom itself.

Anathea pressed a hand to her chest and found that it didn't hurt as much anymore. So this was what it felt like to stop loving Gregory.

It felt good.

She lowered her gaze. Since Natalie would soon take her place, it was only wise for her to start packing early.

After sending Jenny away, Anathea opened her laptop and typed "Divorce Agreement" on a blank document.