Chapter 1

This was the 99th time Harriet Jackman had called Spencer Patterson.

Each call had been answered by a young child of about four or five years old.

"Hello? Who is this? Are you looking for my dad? My mom is upset today and cried, so my dad is trying to make my mom happy. If you need anything, you can tell me.

"If you don't say anything soon, I'll go and do my homework instead."

…

"It's you again? Dad said to tell you not to call anymore. If he finds out, I'll get spanked."

"Pumpkin, it's time for dinner! Go wash your hands, then come see what presents your father brought home for you."

The voice seemed to conjure up an image of a family of three, happy and content.

The bright, gentle voice was like a knife that stabbed right into Harriet's heart. The phone in her hand fell helplessly to the ground, and the screen turned black.

The last bit of hope that Harriet had been holding onto was shattered. She had lost all hope.

A tear silently fell from the corner of her eye and rolled down her face.

Harriet lay on the hospital bed, as thin as a bag of bones. She had only wanted to hear his voice again before leaving this world, but now…

Now, there was nothing else for her to hold on to.

The nurse said to her, "I'm sorry, Ms. Jackman. We still haven't found a suitable donor heart for you. And the payment due date for your hospital fees is up. Do you have any other guardians?"

There was a hint of despair in Harriet's voice when she answered, "No… no, I don't.

"My father died a long time ago. The only person I could lean on, my husband, has already married another woman, and they even have a kid of their own. I… I have nothing left…"

When Harriet found out that her husband secretly had a child with another woman behind her back and had formed a new family, she lost her last hope to live.

Harriet had a congenital heart disease and had already undergone two heart transplants years ago.

When she had gotten divorced, she had been forced to leave the marriage with nothing, so she didn't have the money to find a suitable donor heart.

Six months ago, Harriet received a terminal diagnosis from the hospital. She had been informed that she was in end-stage heart failure.

That had also been the day Harriet found out that her husband of eight years had used his power and disregarded everything to force a woman to stay with him. And he had secretly kept this woman on the side for the past eight years as well.

They even had an adorable, bubbly child together.

He had situated her in a luxurious mansion with multiple stories and had employed dozens of household staff to look after her. There were even countless bodyguards placed both inside the mansion and out, as if he had been worried she'd make a run for it.

The woman was as pampered as the princesses in fairytales and enjoyed the love and affection that Harriet had never experienced before.

Spencer truly loved this other woman, so much so that it seemed like he wanted nothing more than to present all the wonders of the world at her feet.

Harriet, however, had never enjoyed this kind of treatment even though she was Mrs. Patterson. Instead, she had lived very pathetically.

She was like a thief in the night, or more appropriately, she was like a rat that hid in the sewers, not allowed to see the light of day. She could only secretly spy on the other woman's happiness and be jealous of everything that she had.

She had wanted to see what this woman that Spencer loved so much looked like.

After Harriet had found out about the other woman's existence, she developed severe depression. She had thought that as long as she could be an obedient, dutiful wife, Spencer would eventually return to her.

However, even on the verge of death, Spencer hadn't offered any explanation about the other woman's existence. Instead, he had just tossed divorce papers to her.

She had wanted to tell him that night that as long as he didn't leave, she could see past Regina Sadler's existence.

However, Spencer had just left with a slam of the door. The reason he had wanted a divorce was because Regina had found out about Harriet's existence and refused to accept that she was the mistress in this equation.

This was the only reason Spencer had wanted to divorce her. He had wanted to give Regina the title of "Mrs. Patterson."

That night, Harriet's heart had gone through too much, and she lost consciousness. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself already in the hospital.

Her illness was too severe.

At first, she had thought that once she got better, Spencer would change his mind, but alas, that never happened.

Harriet never signed those divorce papers.

In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed. Harriet grew thinner and thinner every day, and she knew that she wasn't going to recover.

The present-day her could only rely on machines to keep her alive while she lay in the hospital bed.

Truthfully, Harriet's end-stage heart failure meant that she was no longer suitable for a third heart transplant.

With her last breath, Harriet said to the nurse weakly, "When I die, don't tell anyone about it…"

The nurse said with a sniffle, "Don't worry. The hospital has the right to protect our patients' privacy. We won't disclose any patient information."

"T-that's good…"

In the end, Harriet chose to discontinue her treatment. She stopped taking her medication and removed her respirator.

Before dying, she put on her makeup carefully and exquisitely, so she could leave a nice portrait behind. She didn't want to be overshadowed by that woman, even in death.

Harriet felt that since she was dying so young, her posthumous photo would likely look nicer than Regina's eventual one.

She had lost everything to that woman in this lifetime, so she wanted to end up on top just this once.

The next day, when the first ray of sunshine peeked through, Harriet felt her eyes were so heavy she could barely open them.

She slowly opened her eyes, blinked once, and with that one last glance, she never opened them again.

Harriet died at the age of 34.

…

While on the operating table at Mercy Hospital, a voice could be heard.

"Ms. Jackman, you lost too much blood in the car accident. We might not be able to save the baby, so please prepare yourself."

Who was speaking?

The words sounded a little blurry, so she couldn't quite hear what else the person had said. Her vision was fuzzy too.

After who knew how long, the anesthesia took effect, and Harriet fell into a deep sleep.

Once the surgery for the miscarriage was completed, she was wheeled into a ward.

Harriet didn't wake up until the third day at around midnight.

After the anesthesia wore off, Harriet vaguely caught a whiff of the unpleasant smell of disinfectant. She slowly opened her eyes and noticed the dim bedside lamp projecting a shadow onto the ceiling. She stared at the shadow in a slight daze.

A deep and familiar male voice sounded. "You're awake?"

Harriet slowly turned her head in that direction, then froze when she saw who it was.

"Spencer?"

Harriet couldn't quite tell what she was feeling when she called out that name.

"Hmm?" The man responded.

"I'm… I'm not dead?"

She had clearly died, so how… How was she still alive?

"You'll be fine."

Spencer had on a gray shirt, and there was a black coat draped over his arm. His presence was calm but with a hint of iciness, and he gave off an aloof air. As he stood next to her bed, his dark eyes stared at her without any warmth. Even when he spoke, it was as if he was speaking to a stranger.

That was because the man before her didn't love her at all!

The only person he loved was probably Regina.

Chapter 2

Otherwise, why would Spencer have been willing to go to such lengths just to have her?

In her past life, Harriet hadn't known much about Regina.

She had looked into the other woman, but because Spencer had protected her so well, she had only managed to find one photo.

When Harriet had seen the photo—one that she had only managed to get after much effort—she had nearly lost her mind.

The photo had been of the family of three in a high-end restaurant. Spencer was carrying their child in his arms, and the child could be seen making a wish in front of his birthday cake.

Every year, Spencer was there for the child's birthday; any time there was an important occasion, Spencer was there with the mother and child.

And yet, Spencer couldn't even remember their wedding anniversary.

In order to give Regina an actual, proper wedding, Spencer had thrown divorce papers at her.

Harriet had refused to divorce, and after a huge argument, he had walked out with a slam of the door and had never returned.

The last time she had seen him had been the night before she died.

But somehow, she now saw Spencer standing next to her bedside, all tall and statuesque.

Harriet's feeble form was shrouded by his presence.

Other than the smell of the hospital's disinfectant, she could also catch the faint scent of cigarette smoke—which didn't smell bad—and alcohol on him. There was even a trace of a woman's sweet perfume mixed in.

She stared at Spencer for a long while. Eventually, her mind started to clear, and she began to come back to her senses.

As Harriet continued to stare at the man from her bed, tears started to fall uncontrollably.

Spencer pressed his lips into a thin line, and tiredness could be seen etched onto his face. He reached his hand out to cradle her face and used his slightly calloused thumb to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"The child… We'll have more in the future," he consoled gently.

"Stay in the hospital and recuperate, and I'll find the person responsible for the accident. Don't worry about anything else."

Harriet didn't respond. Instead, she stared sullenly in the direction of the floor-to-ceiling windows, her mind lost in thought.

After a long time, she swatted his hand away in rejection and then turned her head away from him.

Spencer didn't say anything else on the matter when he saw her behaving like this. Instead, he merely said with the slightest hint of concern, "Rest well. I'll come see you again tomorrow."

Then, without any hesitation, Spencer stood up and walked out of the room.

When Harriet heard the door close, she turned to stare at it for the longest time.

After Spencer left Harriet's room, he remained on the tenth floor and gazed at the night sky with his deep, dark eyes.

His assistant, Neil Zimmer, stepped out of the elevator with a report in hand and walked up to Spencer.

"This is Ms. Jackman's medical report."

Without even glancing over or reaching for the report, Spencer instructed coldly, "Go on."

"The report states that she has a comminuted fracture in her leg, a mild concussion, and also severe internal injuries. Also, Ms. Jackman has a congenital heart disease and will likely find it very difficult to conceive in the future."

In other words, it was a miracle that Harriet had even survived.

"The driver responsible for the accident three days ago has fled, and the police all across the city are on the lookout. Ms. Jackman is the only one who survived that multi-car pile-up."

"Hmm." Spencer's voice was cold, and an indecipherable flash of sadness crossed his eyes.

There weren't any hints of concern in his voice. Instead, he gave off the impression that he was somehow regretful because Harriet had managed to survive the accident.

She was his wife, and yet, there was only coldness in his eyes, as if she were someone insignificant to him.

"What's the situation over at Abloom Abode?" Spencer asked abruptly.

"Everything's well. Ms. Sadler has already started eating," Neil answered.

With large steps, Spencer strode away from the door to Harriet's ward, as if he couldn't stand to be there for even a moment longer.

"I'll be going on a business trip to Havershem for the coming week."

"Havershem? But Mr. Patterson, your schedule for this week—"

Then, as if something had crossed his mind, Neil immediately fell silent.

…

Neil took his place in the driver's seat of the luxury car. He looked into the rearview mirror and asked, "Mr. Patterson, are we going back to Floral Cove or…"

"Abloom Abode."

"Yes, sir."

Back on the tenth floor, the nurse watched as the car drove off before walking over to Harriet's bedside to tell her, "Ms. Jackman, the car has driven off. It turned left."

"Okay, thank you."

There was the faintest smile on Harriet's pale face. She had thought that she didn't care anymore, but after hearing that answer, her heart still broke into a million pieces that could no longer be put back together.

"You're welcome."

The nurse shut the door behind her, and soon, Harriet was the only person left in the cold hospital room.

She had asked the nurse to see which direction Spencer's car had gone, and just as she had expected, he was headed to Regina's mansion.

That was the castle that Spencer had built for Regina, with her living inside and enjoying life like a princess.

That night, Harriet was haunted by nightmares, drowning in her own pain and sorrows.

When a nurse came to check in on her around midnight, she found Harriet running a high fever of 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

A doctor who had rushed over frowned as he gave Harriet an injection to bring her fever down. "This patient's family is so irresponsible. She's already in such a state, and yet no one's here with her.

"You! Go call one of her family members and ask them to come over."

The nurse answered nervously, "We've already tried, but the number is out of the service area."

"Is there anyone else?"

The nurse shook her head. "She didn't give us any other numbers aside from that man's."

In the end, the doctor had no choice but to assign a nurse to watch over Harriet temporarily.

She wasn't out of the woods yet, so they had to be extra careful with her.

When Harriet woke up again, it was already the next morning, and her fever had thankfully broken.

She slowly opened her heavy eyelids and stared at the white ceiling.

Not long after, she heard the soft footsteps of someone approaching.

"Ms. Jackman, you're awake?

"Are you feeling okay? If there's any discomfort anywhere, please tell me. I'll go get the doctor for you."

Harriet's swollen eyes felt dry, so she shook her head. "I'm okay. What about my dad? Does he know about my accident?"

"He still doesn't know. It was Mr. Patterson's assistant who called me and asked me to look after you. Mr. Patterson is going to Havershem on a business trip for a week. He said you should stay in the hospital to recuperate. He also advised you to listen to the doctor's orders.

"Although Mr. Patterson seems aloof and indifferent, he still cares about you. He's worried you'd overthink things, so he had me come without letting your father know."

The person speaking was none other than Letitia Hamplie, the Jackman family's housekeeper. She had basically raised Harriet and was the person closest to her other than her own family.

Harriet leaned against the headboard and lowered her gaze. When she stayed still and quiet, her exquisite features and cascading, shiny, black hair made her look like a beautiful painting. Her beauty was one that would make people remember her with a single glance. It was a striking kind of beauty, just like the thorns on those gorgeous roses.

Now, however, Harriet was like a rose without thorns—still gorgeous, but also delicate and fragile.

The Jackman family was one of the largest jewelers in Aethelburg, and she was the heiress to said jeweler.

When Letitia noticed that Harriet remained quiet, she said to her softly, "Ms. Jackman, if you miss Mr. Patterson, then you can give him a call."

Chapter 3

"Mr. Patterson shouldn't be busy anymore at this hour," said Letitia.

She then handed the phone over to Harriet, but to her surprise, not only did the younger woman not take the phone, she even outright refused it.

"There's no need. I don't want to disturb him."

Letitia chuckled. "You've become more considerate now, Ms. Jackman. You used to love clinging to Mr. Patterson and even continued doing so after you got married."

Harriet didn't respond and only gave a faint smile. Indeed, she had.

She and Spencer had met on the ski slopes of a snow-covered mountain. An avalanche had occurred then, and it was Spencer who had pulled her out and saved her from under the snow.

They were trapped on the mountain for three days, and it was also Spencer who helped her survive.

Since then, Harriet went to his office every day to see him. She latched onto him and hardly ever left his side.

Spencer had been willing to marry her largely because of the pressure her father, Ethan Jackman, had placed on him.

Harriet was Ethan's only daughter, and for the company's sake, he wanted to train a successor.

Before Harriet had even met Spencer, Ethan already had the intention of matchmaking the two of them.

Despite his family background, Spencer's capabilities were not outdone by anyone at the company.

Harriet herself realized that she had never truly gotten to know Spencer.

She had looked into his background, but she only found out that his parents had both died when he was very young. Thus, he grew up in an orphanage. There was nothing more beyond that.

Harriet had been willing to be with him because not only did he possess the unique charm that came with being a mature man, but he was also very capable and could take on the role of the successor.

Thus, Harriet had given him everything.

Marrying Harriet had been Spencer's best bet for him to take control over Jackman Jewelry Group. Even if he hadn't been willing to marry her, Ethan would've still put pressure on him, so Spencer hadn't had much of a choice.

…

One and a half months later, when Spencer left Abloom Abode, he had already changed into a dark shirt with the buttons fastened all the way to the top. There was a visible scratch mark on his neck just beneath his collar.

He sat in the back seat, and his sharp facial features and deep-set eyes were frosty.

Spencer shut his eyes. "No news these days?"

"Ms. Jackman hasn't called even once. Should I give her a call, Mr. Patterson?"

It was all rather odd. Harriet was very possessive when it came to Spencer, always wanting to know his whereabouts at all times.

She would even ask detailed questions when he attended social events, as she was always worried that there would be women with ill intentions trying to sink their claws into him.

She was always paranoid and would always call between ten to 20 times a day. Yet, she hadn't called even once lately.

"No need," answered Spencer in his cold but magnetic voice.

Neil averted his gaze from the rearview mirror and continued to focus on driving.

The woman living in Abloom Abode had the exact same temperament as Harriet.

Spencer's phone was filled with information about clients and other important documents, and even Harriet wasn't allowed to touch it haphazardly.

Regina, however, had tossed it aside without even an ounce of hesitation. As for Spencer, well, he hadn't even frowned when it happened.

Neil drove the Bentley SUV all the way to Mercy Hospital.

For the past month, Spencer's phone had been damaged, so he couldn't be contacted.

Neil felt truly afraid of Harriet as she could be very willful and unreasonable. He couldn't imagine how angry she would be when they arrived at the hospital.

After all, everyone in the company knew how possessive she was over Spencer.

In order to soothe Harriet's temper, the Bentley had stopped at a flower shop along the way. Spencer had stayed in the car while Neil had gone into the shop to pick out a bouquet of roses.

When they walked into the VIP room at the hospital, they found the originally occupied room now completely empty. Only the strong smell of disinfectant lingered.

Neil turned to look at Spencer in surprise, but the latter showed no expression other than his usual indifferent self.

When Neil saw a nurse pass by, he stopped her and asked, "Excuse me. Where has the lady in this room gone?"

The nurse studied them before answering, "Ms. Jackman has already been discharged."

Neil nodded. "Thank you."

He wondered if Harriet had done this because she couldn't get in touch with Mr. Patterson. Her injuries from the car accident were severe, but she just upped and left by herself, before fully recuperating.

But that couldn't be it either. Harriet had his number. If she had wanted to get in touch with Spencer, she just needed to give him a call. There was no reason for her to put herself in harm's way just out of spite.

Neil suddenly found himself unable to comprehend what games Harriet was up to.

Spencer's eyes remained cold, showing no other emotion.

When they left the hospital, Neil turned to Spencer. "Are we going to Floral Cove, Mr. Patterson?"

"Back to the office," answered Spencer.

Meanwhile, a sanitation worker had found a perfectly fresh bouquet of roses discarded in the bin near the hospital. Finding it to be a pity, he picked them up and took them with him.

As for the person who had bought the flowers, he had already gotten into his car and was already long gone.

…

Harriet returned to her and Spencer's marital home of one year.

Floral Cove was an upscale residential complex. The building was mostly occupied by society's elites, and the surrounding area was a good neighbourhood as well.

Spencer had spent nearly all of his savings to buy the condominium for them after they got married.

It couldn't compare to the mansion the Jackmans lived in, but to Harriet, as long as she could be with Spencer, she didn't mind even if she had to lead a life of suffering.

She had never cared about Spencer's background or status. As long as she liked him, that was enough.

Letitia pushed the wheelchair-bound Harriet out of the elevator and up to her unit, then used her fingerprint to unlock the front door. When they opened the door, a stench immediately hit them.

Letitia quickly covered her nose with her hand. She was shocked to see the messy state the living room was in.

"Is… Is this place still inhabitable?"

There were two candles that were melted down completely on the table in the living room, with the wax spilling over. Next to them was a bouquet of wilted roses.

Truth be told, Harriet had never really liked roses. Every time she smelled them, she would feel a discomfort in her heart.

Harriet had undergone a heart transplant before, and she also had a congenital heart condition. Whenever she felt unwell, she would have to take medication.

All across the floor were smashed plates and scattered food, which were rotten by then, emanating a foul odor.

While Harriet continued to stare at the chaos in front of her, she didn't feel any particular emotions.

The day of the car accident a month ago had been her and Spencer's wedding anniversary.

That would have been their first anniversary they were going to spend together.

Harriet had prepared a surprise as well as gifts for him. Though she had never cooked before, she even prepared dinner for him.

Then, she proceeded to wait for him that whole night. Spencer hadn't returned, not even after midnight.

And it had been when she drove to his office in search of him that she had gotten into the accident.

That night, he had been at Abloom Abode with Regina.

…

Harriet went to stay at a five-star hotel in the meantime, with Letitia staying by her side to take care of her.

By the third day, the unit at Floral Cove had been cleaned and tidied, and the furniture had all been replaced as well.

Harriet didn't initiate contact with Spencer, and Spencer hadn't even sent a single message to her either.

Harriet even deleted the contact she had saved as "Hubby."

In this past month after being reborn, her days without Spencer hadn't been as unsurvivable as she had originally assumed.

Chapter 4

After staying in her room for the past few days, Harriet finally decided to step out and have a meal at the hotel restaurant.

She sat by herself in a corner by the window. Wearing a light-colored cotton dress, her waist-length hair was pinned up to the back of her head with a crystal flower hairpin.

Harriet sat there quietly, elegant and demure.

The scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling windows complemented her beauty, and the image was as beautiful as a painting. Her jaw had the most beautiful curve, and her fair and supple skin seemed to glow under the sunlight as well.

Harriet's features were of the glamorous type. Even at first glance, she had such a luxurious elegance about her that even a single strand of her hair seemed precious.

It was a beauty that made people think that staring at her for too long would be sacrilegious. Her beauty could steal anyone's soul with just one glance.

After she finished her meal, Harriet, with the help of the waitress, went to the restroom.

She was just about to exit the stall to wash her hands when a 20-something innocent-looking young lady in a white dress rushed into the restroom looking panicked. She was breathing heavily, and she kept sneaking glances out into the corridor as if someone was after her.

Harriet had noticed her through the gaps in the stalls.

Not long after, two bodyguards barged in and dragged the lady out of the restroom.

Immediately, loud voices could be heard arguing by the door.

The young lady shouted, "Let go! Let me go! What do you need me to do for you to let me go, Spencer!

"I've already told you! I have a boyfriend, so I won't like you! And I definitely won't be with a man that's already married!"

A man appeared from around the corner, dressed in a suit and leather shoes. He was tall and slender, and his presence carried a sense of cold, domineering power.

"Why didn't you just behave and stay at the mansion? If you needed anything, you could've just called me.

"Now, you have two choices. One, you can go back to college, finish your studies, go home on time every day, and cut all ties with that so-called boyfriend of yours.

"Or, option two, you can be locked up in Abloom Abode without going anywhere."

Tears started rolling down Regina's face.

She was restrained by the bodyguards, so Spencer raised his hand to carefully wipe away the tears from her face.

"Have you decided which option you're going to choose?" His tone was gentle, but there was a forcefulness to it that didn't allow anyone to refuse.

"I choose neither, you bastard! Just die already!"

Despite Regina's struggles, she couldn't break free from the bodyguards' grips.

Spencer's deep-set eyes narrowed. Emotions swirled in them, carrying a hint of displeasure. This was a sign that he was getting angry.

"You still haven't learnt to behave even after so long. I'll guess you'll just have to stay at home, without permission to leave."

Regina seemingly lost her mind and screamed at him in anguish, "Fine! You said you were only putting up an act with your wife. So if you're really so capable, go divorce her and marry me instead!

"Then, I'll consider being with you. But I'm warning you, Spencer, I'll never be the mistress, even if I die trying!"

Spencer's face darkened as he instructed impassively, "Send her back to Abloom Abode."

Regina hadn't expected him to find her so quickly. She had only managed to escape from Abloom Abode after much effort.

"Aren't you worried I'll spill everything to her if you treat me like this?"

Spencer was clear on who this "her" referred to.

"Take her away," said Spencer, his gaze cold.

"Yes, sir," answered the bodyguards.

After Regina was forcibly escorted away, Spencer's phone buzzed. He took a quick glance at it before putting it back into his pocket.

Divorce?

An unidentifiable flash of ruthlessness crossed his dark eyes. He turned around, then glanced toward the area bathed in a dim yellow light.

Coincidentally, Neil walked over right then.

"Clean this up," Spencer instructed.

"Yes, sir," Neil answered with a nod.

Only after they had finished cleaning things up outside did the waitress wheel Harriet out of the restroom.

Harriet pushed down the suffocating pain in her heart and gave a faint smile. "Send me back to my room."

"Okay, Ms. Jackman."

They had just made it to the exit when someone suddenly appeared in front of them.

Neil's eyes bulged wide. "Ms. Jackman? What is she doing here? Isn't she supposed to be at Floral Cove? Did she see everything that happened earlier?" he thought to himself.

Neil was someone who usually remained calm even during the most chaotic of times, and yet, even he was starting to feel uneasy right then.

He could not imagine the kind of bloodshed that would happen later.

Compared to Neil's shock, Harriet appeared more indifferent. She didn't even spare him a glance and pretended not to recognize him while going right past him.

Neil was still frozen to the spot when he heard Harriet speak up in an emotionless tone. "I'll pretend none of that happened just now. Don't tell him about me."

The waitress who was pushing Harriet's wheelchair thought those words were directed at her, so she answered, "Yes, Ms. Jackman."

However, Neil was well aware of who those words were meant for. Yet, he still found it hard to believe that those words had come from Harriet's mouth.

Shouldn't Harriet have immediately made herself known after witnessing that scene and thrown a huge tantrum? But here she was, behaving oddly calm. There was something off about her, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

Not long after Harriet went back to her room to pack her things, Letitia arrived to bring her back to Floral Cove. The things there had more or less been taken care of.

…

The air-conditioning was blasting in the Bentley, dispelling some of the heat.

Spencer held his phone in his hand as though waiting for something, and his eyes were closed in thought. "How's she doing lately?"

He had already switched to a new phone, and the majority of his important files and data had been transferred over.

However, he had lost some photos—photos that were basically selfies that Harriet had taken with his phone. They took up storage space, and there was no need to keep them, so he didn't ask them to recover the data.

The question caused Neil's heart to thump loudly in his chest. He gripped the steering wheel tightly and answered, "Ms. Jackman should be resting at home."

Unbeknownst to him, a bead of sweat had already formed on his forehead.

Spencer had started out as an entry-level employee before getting promoted to sales manager in his second year. That was when Neil had become his assistant. Eventually, Spencer became the general manager of Jackman Jewelry Group, and Neil followed him all the way to the top as well.

Neil had witnessed all kinds of ruthless business-related wars and battles while working for Spencer. And yet, never once had he felt as tormented as he did now.

In the end, he still chose to lie to Spencer.

Spencer didn't respond, but there was an indescribable feeling bubbling in his heart. He just as quickly pushed that odd feeling back down.

Spencer arrived at Floral Cove before Harriet. When they got to the underground parking, Spencer frowned when he noticed that Harriet's Porsche was not there.

He unlocked the front door with his fingerprint and entered the marital home that he had not visited for a long while, only to find that everything inside was brand new.

The furniture had all been replaced with new ones, and the living room, which had once been filled with Harriet's things, was now emptied out. Even the portraits of her that used to hang on the wall were now removed, reverting the area back to its original dreary state.

Spencer headed to the master bedroom, where he found their wedding photos still hanging on the wall. When he peered into the open closet, however, the only things left were the handful of shirts and coats of his that were hanging in the corner.

Harriet always loved to shop, and she would often buy all sorts of clothing and had already filled the closet to the brim. Now, all her clothes had been cleared out.

Spencer had just closed the closet door when he heard the front door opening.

Chapter 5

Letitia wheeled Harriet into the living room.

"If Dad calls within these few days, tell him I'm away on a holiday. I don't want him to worry about the accident."

"I'll keep this a secret from Mr. Jackman. You need to take care of yourself too," replied Letitia.

Harriet hummed softly in response.

Letitia was about to get Harriet some water to take her medication with when she saw Spencer walking out of the bedroom.

"Mr. Patterson?"

Hearing this, Harriet lifted her head, and her eyes met Spencer's before she averted her gaze.

"Letitia, you can go take care of other things."

Letitia could read the room. The couple clearly had some issues, so she hastily left.

Spencer walked up to Harriet and lifted her out of the wheelchair, only to find that she barely weighed anything.

They had been married for a year, but the silence between them was that of strangers.

Spencer had always been one of little words, and Harriet had generally been the one to take the initiative in most things.

In the end, it was Harriet who broke the awkward silence. "I know you're busy with work these few days. My body isn't fully healed yet, so I'll go stay in the guest room for now."

Spencer hummed softly in response.

He placed Harriet gently down on the couch, then went to pour her a glass of warm water.

Truth be told, Harriet really enjoyed watching him run around for her. Only then did she feel like he loved her.

Spencer studied the labels on the medication bottles carefully, then tipped out the number of pills according to the prescribed dosage and handed them to her.

When Harriet saw him reaching for the last small white bottle, she said, "That's my heart medication. The doctor said that I can't take them together with the rest.

"Spencer, let's get a divorce."

"I'll go get you some more water," said Spencer, dismissing what she had said.

Harriet had never told Spencer about her congenital heart condition, nor that she had only been able to survive past the age of ten because she had gotten a heart transplant.

This was her biggest physical flaw, and she felt insecure because of it. She was worried he would feel disdain toward her, and thus, she had kept this from him.

Luckily, her heart hadn't had issues these past years. The only time she had been at death's door again was when she nearly died on the operating table after the car accident.

For the past year since they had gotten married, other than the fact that they kept their marriage a secret, Spencer could be considered a great husband.

He remembered all her preferences and habits.

Harriet truly believed that if it weren't for Regina, Spencer's love would have remained focused on her.

Letitia returned from her grocery shopping and made dinner.

While eating, Spencer's phone rang, and he stepped out onto the balcony to answer it.

"Something came up at work. I need to go back to the office," Spencer said when he returned.

He grabbed his suit coat that was draped over the couch and left without another glance.

The sound of the door locking weighed heavily on Harriet's chest.

She finished up half a bowl of soup before returning to her room. Letitia helped her out of the wheelchair to lie on the bed before she left.

Harriet then grabbed her phone and dialed a number.

The person on the other end of the call asked, "Hello, ma'am. How can I help you?"

Harriet's face was a little pale as she stared unfeelingly at the wall. Her tone was cold when she started, "My husband is cheating on me. I need you to help me find evidence of his cheating."

"Sure, ma'am. We'll need you to pay a deposit of 30 thousand dollars. Once the payment is received, you'll get an email requesting details about your husband. And once the final payment is made, someone will be in touch with you."

"How long would it take for you guys to collect the evidence?"

"That depends on how often your husband meets up with the mistress. If they meet up frequently or go to hotels regularly, then that evidence will be enough for you to file for divorce with the court."

"I understand."

After Harriet ended the call, she soon received an email and quickly filled in details about Spencer.

She knew that it wouldn't be long before she got what she wanted.

"Just as you wished, Spencer. Our relationship will soon be over," she thought to herself.

That night, Spencer headed from Abloom Abode to Floral Cove at around 11:30 pm. The road was dark except for the streetlights on both sides, and there were barely any cars on the road.

Neil looked again at the cab in the rearview mirror. "Mr. Patterson, we're being followed."

Spencer's fingers continued tapping across his work laptop. "Ignore it."

Spencer had personally selected Neil as his assistant, so if he couldn't even deal with something like this, then he needn't occupy the position any further.

Once they got off the highway, the cab went in the other direction. Spencer's dark eyes stared as it disappeared into the horizon.

It was already 1:00 am, but Harriet still couldn't fall asleep because her body ached. It was one of the after-effects of the accident.

Unable to bear it any longer, Harriet tossed her covers aside and tried to reach for the bottle of painkillers on the bedside table.

However, just as her fingers were about to grab it, she fell out of the bed with the covers twisted around her.

Pain surged through her entire body, and she hurt so much that she couldn't even manage to make a sound. Instead, she could only curl in on herself in agony.

Mere minutes later, Harriet found herself drenched in cold sweat.

By the time she managed to prop herself up and try for the bottle of painkillers again, she heard her heart give a loud thud.

Her heart suddenly started racing, and her hand flew to clutch her chest before her vision abruptly went dark. Then, she collapsed onto the floor and passed out.

Spencer had seen everything from outside the bedroom. He had watched as she struggled in pain, on the verge of death.

By the time Harriet woke up again, she found herself staring at the ceiling in a daze. The lights in the room were turned on, and she was already back on the bed.

Harriet heavily gasped for breath. If it weren't for the intense pain in her chest, she would've assumed that everything that had happened earlier had been a dream.

Letitia, dressed in her pajamas, rushed in with a glass of water. "Ms. Jackman, you're finally awake! You nearly scared us to death earlier. You just had to call for me if you needed to take your medication. If Mr. Patterson hadn't noticed in time, who knows what could've happened.

"How would I be able to explain it to Mr. Jackman then!"

Harriet propped herself up on the bed with much difficulty, and Letitia kindly placed a pillow behind her as support.

Harriet rubbed her temples, feeling groggy. "Did Spencer come back?"

Letitia nodded. "Mr. Patterson came to grab a folder, then left again. Before he left, he instructed that you call him once you're awake."

Harriet had intended not to bother him anymore, but when Letitia handed the phone over, she still gave him a call.

When the call was connected, both parties waited for the other person to speak first.

Harriet was well aware that he was never one to take the initiative.

Spencer started, "Are you feeling better? There are some problems here at work, so I need to stay late. I might not be able to stay with you tonight."

Harriet was quite surprised to hear this, but she quickly gathered her composure. "That's okay. You've put a lot of effort into Dad's company all this time."

Spencer hummed in response.

"I've ordered some chicken noodle soup for you for supper. Remember to have it while it's still hot. And… come back early tomorrow."