"Aaron Wyatt, please wake up..." Annabelle Linton’s voice broke, and she suddenly burst into tears, collapsing over the hospital bed.

She had sworn she wouldn’t hurt him again in this life, yet she had dragged him down with her all the same.

She didn’t understand why she always ended up hurting the people around her.

Leona Grant watched her cry, dazed, as everything from that dream suddenly came flooding back to him.

She had stabbed him twice, fatally, without a single trace of emotion on her face.

But Aaron Wyatt had only been shot twice, with one of the bullets just hitting his arm, and she was already this heartbroken...

’In the end, I was just being a glutton for punishment, wasn’t I...’

Heh.

’But damn it, I still don’t want to let her go, even if I’m just lying to myself.’

The corners of Leona Grant’s mouth lifted slightly. He turned calmly and slowly walked back the way he came.

Like a walking corpse.

His heart suddenly felt as if it had been viciously stabbed, then ripped out.

Annabelle Linton was his heart.

Leona Grant walked on as if he’d lost his soul. The light from the corridor lamps receded from his body bit by bit, leaving behind a faint, solitary shadow.

It was as if he’d never been there at all.

’Annabelle, once this started, there was no stopping it. I gave you my heart, so it no longer belongs to me. How am I supposed to let you go?’

...

Annabelle Linton sniffled, then coolly wiped away her tears.

She lifted her head and composed herself.

She glanced at the still-unconscious Aaron Wyatt on the bed, and the scene of Leona Grant shooting him that day couldn’t help but flash through her mind.

In her past life, she had hurt him deeply because of Leona Grant. It was a pain she could never put into words.

Staying by Leona Grant’s side was torture for her, and it was also a source of pain for those around her.

She didn’t care if she herself was truly happy, but none of the people around her were obligated to suffer unnecessary harm because of her.

She and Leona Grant were two parallel lines that should never cross. And if they did, they would only cause a fiery clash.

’If that’s the case, why should we torture each other?’

’Grandpa was already mentally prepared when I first brought up divorce. I don’t have another lifetime to squander; I’m just Annabelle Linton, an ordinary human being, not some kind of saint. A tragic death in one life is exchanged for a hardened heart in the next. People are individuals, first and foremost. Annabelle Linton, it’s time you started thinking for yourself.’

Annabelle Linton took a deep breath. From a drawer, she pulled out a small bottle of pills and the divorce agreement she had printed yesterday.

She gently twisted open the pill bottle, hesitated for a moment, then swallowed a pill. With the agreement in hand, she left the hospital room.

「In Leona Grant’s hospital room.」

Leona Grant sat on the bed, bare-chested. His wound had started to bleed through, and Chase was applying medicine and wrapping it with fresh gauze.

But he was expressionless, resting with his eyes closed.

His eyes were downcast, faint shadows pooling beneath them.

He seemed to have lost his usual domineering intensity, replaced by an air of helplessness and desolation.

Chase let out an almost imperceptible sigh.

’This morning, the Second Miss sent me to get Mrs. Grant. I told her that Mr. Grant was awake.’

’Mrs. Grant didn’t even glance at me. She just gave a cool "Mm" and hasn’t come to see Mr. Grant at all since.’

’It’s been the same for the past three days. Although they’re so close, she hasn’t come to see him even once.’

’Mrs. Grant is so heartless.’

’Then again, it was understandable.’

KNOCK, KNOCK—

A knock sounded at the door. Chase put down what he was holding and went to open it. Leona Grant kept his eyes lowered, showing no reaction.

The moment Chase opened the door and saw Annabelle Linton, his voice filled with delight and surprise. "Mrs. Grant!"