Chapter 1

"Save the one on the left!"

The color drained from Elise Blake's face when she heard Samuel Holt's decisive voice.

"Mr. Holt… did you perhaps not hear me clearly?" the rescue captain asked cautiously. "There's another person on the right. If we move the stone slab on the left first, the middle slab will collapse and crush the one on the right…"

"Will that person die?" The man's voice was cold and unfeeling.

"Well…" The captain did his best to remain professional, but Samuel's standing in Jorvania was far too high for him to offend. "They won't die, but their right hand might be beyond saving…"

"In that case, save the one on the left," Samuel ordered. "I'll be sure to reward you handsomely."

Elise's heart instantly shattered into a thousand pieces.

Every month on the 15th, she would come to Harmony Chapel to pray for her husband, Samuel, and their son, Lucas Holt, as demanded by her mother-in-law, Lynette York.

The weather forecast had warned of a snowstorm, and she hadn't planned to come. However, Lynette had the bodyguards escort her here.

As she finished offering her prayers, the blizzard hit hard, and Harmony Church collapsed, burying her under the rubble. By sheer coincidence, Samuel's first love, Zara Yarwood, had just returned to the country and was trapped under the same ruins as her.

Elise had called him repeatedly, and he'd declined each call. Before her phone died, she received a curt message.

Samuel: "I'm busy right now."

Yet, when Zara called, he picked up right away. As soon as he learned that she was trapped, he deployed a rescue helicopter.

Samuel only had eyes for Zara. He didn't even look in Elise's direction. Even when the rescue team explained that saving the person on the right wouldn't affect the one on the left, he still insisted on rescuing the person on the left first.

"Samuel…" Elise looked up with teary eyes. Her fingers dug into her bloodied palms, and her whole body trembled. "Do you have any idea how important my right hand is?"

Samuel took one apathetic look at her, as if he didn't recognize her voice or simply didn't care, and told the rescue captain, "If you can't save her, I'll take over."

The sliver of hope in Elise's eyes died completely.

"Is that El?" Zara asked weakly. "Sam, since it's safe for me, save El first… Her right hand is important. I'm alright…" Before she could finish, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

"Zara!" Samuel immediately ordered her rescue. Then, he carried her out in his arms and left without a backward glance.

The moment he left, the slab in the middle gave way. Elise's pupils dilated. She had nowhere to run. Her right hand was crushed beneath it, and the excruciating pain made her black out.

…

When she came to, she found herself in a hospital. Her right hand was wrapped in thick bandages, and she couldn't feel a thing.

As soon as she thought of the suffocating feeling of being trapped under the rubble and how Samuel had walked away without sparing her a glance, she curled up on the hospital bed, trembling uncontrollably.

"Are you awake, Mom?"

Elise froze when she heard her son's voice. The storm inside her slowly quieted. Wiping her tears away, she found Lucas sitting by the coffee table, looking at her with wide, innocent eyes.

Elise sniffled and hastily got out of bed. She walked up to him and wrapped her left arm around him.

She no longer expected anything from Samuel. She had no one left in this world but Lucas, the only person bound to her by blood.

Elise wanted to find comfort in his presence, so she asked, "Did you know, Lucas? I went through something really dangerous today. My right hand—"

"Mom." He struggled and pushed her away. "Don't touch me. You're messing up my protection charm!"

That was when she noticed he was sitting there making a protection charm. Her heart softened. "Did you write that because you knew I was in danger, Lucas? Are you trying to protect me?"

"No," he responded. "It's for Zara. She just came back, and she's already injured. Maybe the guardian angel doesn't know her yet, so I'm making one for her. The guardian angel will protect her then!"

Elise's expression stiffened. She couldn't believe that her son was worried about Zara, not her.

"Oh, you always bring back protection charms you make yourself when you go to the chapel every month, right, Mom? Can you help me make one? I just can't get it right, and if it's not perfect, it won't work!"

With that, he shoved the pen into her right hand. Pain instantly shot through her arm, causing her to break out into a cold sweat.

"Can't you see my right hand is injured, Lucas?" Her voice trembled.

"I see it. Will your hand be all better today, Mom? I'm in a hurry!" he urged.

Elise's blood ran cold. She was at a loss for words, and she was in too much pain to reason with him.

"Are you alright, Mrs. Holt?" Wanda Reyes, the housekeeper, rushed in, helping Elise back to bed and calling for a doctor.

After inspecting her hand, the doctor advised, "You need to take very good care of your right hand. If it suffers another injury, you might struggle with even the simplest things."

Wanda thanked the doctor, but when she turned around, Lucas was gone, as was the thermos of chicken soup she'd left on the table. "I'll go find Mr. Lucas and be right back, Mrs. Holt!"

Elise sat on the bed stiffly, her face ashen and her gaze unfocused. After Wanda left, she rose to her feet, walked to the coffee table, picked up the pen, and followed after them.

When she rounded a corner, she heard Wanda's voice. "Where are you going, Mr. Lucas? You should be with your mother."

"I'm taking this soup to Zara."

"But I made that for your mother." Wanda took his hand. "Come on, let's go back."

"I don't want to!" Lucas clutched the thermos. "If my dad hadn't made me come here, I would've been with Zara right now. He said if I didn't come, my mom would hate her. That's the only reason I came. Now that she's awake, I'm going to see Zara!"

With that, he took off. Worried, Wanda had no choice but to chase after him.

Elise let out a derisive chuckle and clenched her left hand, crushing the protection charm in her palm. She could still use that hand—though not as well as her right, but still well enough to make a protection charm.

Elise had gone after Lucas with it because she was afraid he would throw a tantrum, and she'd wanted to coax him. However, it seemed as though that wasn't necessary anymore. She spun on her heel, tossed the protection charm into the trash, and walked back to her ward.

Then, she heard Zara's gentle voice. "Have you checked on El, Sam? Is her right hand alright?"

It came from her phone, which was charging on the nightstand.

When she approached it, she realized it was connected to a call with Lucas. His smartwatch was linked to her phone and set to auto-answer in case she was too busy to pick up.

Samuel's low, magnetic voice came through the speaker. Yet, the words that rolled out of his tongue pierced straight through her heart.

"Her right hand isn't important."

Elise's face blanched. Of course…

She'd spent the last six years at Hilltop Manor, making her life revolve around her husband and son. In his eyes, there was nothing she needed her right hand for.

All of a sudden, she burst out laughing, though it didn't reach her eyes. This was the man she'd loved for ten years and the son she'd almost died of an amniotic embolism delivering. She'd even lost her uterus to bring him into the world.

This was just perfect. Wiping her tears, she made up her mind and went straight to Zara's ward.

"Fly away, little butterfly…"

Zara was playing a game with Lucas while Samuel sat on the couch across from them and watched. The three of them looked like a happy family. Meanwhile, Elise was an intruder.

Elise tightened her grip on the doorknob until her knuckles turned white. Still, her voice was calm and firm.

"Let's get a divorce, Samuel."

Chapter 2

The ward fell silent, and an unsettling tension permeated the air.

Wanda walked over. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the right words. If she were in Elise's shoes, she wouldn't be able to stay calm either.

Elise might've been patient and forgiving, but she wasn't an emotionless robot.

All Wanda could do was advise her, "You're still injured, Mrs. Holt. Perhaps you should focus on getting better first."

Elise ignored Wanda and stared straight at Samuel instead.

The man sat on the couch with his legs crossed, looking calm and composed, as if divorce were nothing of importance. He looked at her apathetically and asked, "Is this because I didn't save you first?"

To be honest, it wasn't merely because of that, but she didn't feel like explaining herself anymore. The only thing that mattered was getting what she wanted.

"Yes."

Samuel let out a low, mocking chuckle. "How petty."

"What does 'divorce' mean, Zara? Does it mean she won't be my mom anymore?" Lucas inquired.

Zara quietly explained, "No, it just means your mom and dad won't be husband and wife anymore. Don't worry, she's still your mom."

Lucas' eyes lit up. "Does that mean you can marry my dad then, Zara?"

Zara gently patted his head. "Your dad and I are siblings."

Right after saying that, she looked up at Elise and smiled. "That's what I want to tell you as well, El. Sam and I are just siblings. I asked him to save you first back at the chapel, but I fainted. Don't blame Sam. If I'm the reason your marriage ends, I won't be able to forgive myself. I would rather have died under that rubble!"

"Nonsense!"

"You're not allowed to die, Zara!"

Samuel and Lucas spoke in unison, both concerned for Zara.

Yet, neither of them had asked Elise if she'd been scared or if her hand hurt.

She told herself not to mind them. She didn't want them anymore anyway.

"I'll sign the divorce papers. If there's anything you wish to modify, let me know, Mr. Holt."

From the day they'd tied the knot, Elise had always addressed Samuel as "Mr. Holt" because that was what he wanted. It served as a constant reminder that their relationship was much like that of an employer and his employee. It was a contract that could be terminated at any time.

He'd never seen her as his wife. For six years, she'd tried to change that. Yet, nothing ever did. Hence, she decided to let him go and free herself in the process.

"Don't do anything rash, El—"

Ignoring Zara, Elise left after saying her piece. Before the door to the ward closed, she heard Samuel's gentle voice. "Get some rest. She'll calm down on her own."

Right. That was what she'd done for the past six years—swallowed her emotions and kept orbiting around them.

"Mrs. Holt…" Wanda chased after her. "Please don't do anything rash…"

"That's enough from you, Wanda." Elise stopped her. "I know what I'm doing."

Wanda stood rooted to the spot and sighed repeatedly. "What a mess," she thought.

…

Elise returned to Hilltop Manor and printed two copies of the divorce papers. She didn't want custody of Lucas; she only wanted what was rightfully hers.

After signing her name, she placed the papers on the coffee table, along with the credit card for household expenses, the keys for the car she used to pick Lucas up, and her wedding ring. Then, she went to the guest room to pack her belongings.

They didn't even fill out her small suitcase. It was the same one she'd brought with her when she first moved in. It felt like a fitting way to close the chapter.

Elise walked out, closed the door behind her, and didn't look back.

…

Before her mother, Evelyn Whitmore, passed away, she'd left Elise a small two-bedroom apartment measuring approximately 860 square feet in the outskirts of the city.

It couldn't compare to even a bathroom at Hilltop Manor, but it was more than enough for her. Since she often dropped by to clean, the place was spotless.

After setting her suitcase down in the bedroom, she sat on the couch. She was about to dial a number she hadn't called in ages when a knock sounded at the door.

Elise froze for a moment before getting up to answer it. When she saw who it was, she was taken aback.

"What are you doing here?"

"Is that what matters right now? What are you doing here? Why aren't you resting in the hospital?" Henry Grayson reached out to grasp her arm. Yet, when he noticed the bandages on her right hand, he withdrew his hand.

"Come on, we're leaving! No 'buts'."

Elise had no choice but to follow him into the car. She climbed into the passenger seat and tried to pull the seatbelt across with her left hand, but she couldn't. Then, she heard him curse under his breath before he snatched it from her hand and clicked it in place.

"Damn it!" While starting the engine, he fumed, "Do you have any idea how important your hands are? Did you seriously have to call him for help in that situation? Couldn't you have called the rescue team instead?"

Henry was two years younger than her. He'd skipped a grade and eventually become her lab partner. Elise had always seen him as her younger brother, but the two of them worked well together.

The only time they'd ever argued was when she'd decided to abandon her research to marry Samuel. They hadn't spoken since. Elise hadn't thought he'd find out so soon, much less show up at the apartment Evelyn had left her.

"I'm getting a divorce."

"You're getting a—what?" Henry was caught off guard.

"I'm serious," she said.

He chuckled dryly. "I didn't think a hopeless romantic like you would ever come to your senses."

Elise took a look at her right hand. Her gaze was bleak as she responded, "Maybe it's because the problem's shifted elsewhere. I'm cured of my obsession with Samuel, but I lost my right hand."

Henry swore under his breath again, his heart sinking. "You're going to be okay."

Elise fell silent. She wanted to believe him, yet she couldn't bring herself to.

…

40 minutes later, the two arrived at Centrux Hospital. Henry had made arrangements for her to see a doctor.

"When did you find out?" Elise inquired. It had been too fast.

He crossed his arms and snorted. "I'm not like a certain someone I know who can go six years without checking in on their lab partner."

Elise felt a lump in her throat. She really had failed him. She couldn't even bring herself to tell him that she'd planned to call him earlier.

"Let's get you admitted first," the doctor, Ben Quinton, said. "I've reviewed your report from Brookfield Hospital. I'll consult the other specialists tomorrow, and we'll proceed with the surgery."

Elise wanted to ask if her hand could be saved, but she was afraid of disappointment. In the end, she simply nodded.

After seeing Ben off, Henry asked, "Have you eaten?"

Elise didn't want to trouble him any more than she already had, so she said she'd eaten. However, right after she said that, her stomach growled. She was mortified.

"Wait here!" Henry gave her a pointed look before storming off to get her something to eat.

Chapter 3

At Brookfield Hospital, Samuel waited until Zara fell asleep before carrying Lucas, who was also fast asleep, back to Hilltop Manor. Wanda trailed after him with their belongings.

Samuel went upstairs, laid Lucas in bed, and headed to the master bedroom to shower and change.

Right then, Wanda rushed up the stairs. "Mr. Holt!"

His brows knitted. "Have you forgotten your manners?"

Wanda handed him the divorce papers. While loosening his tie, Samuel took a look at it.

Divorce papers?

He scoffed. "Throw it away."

Wanda hesitated. "But Mrs. Holt…"

He shot her a sharp look. "Know your place. Also, I don't want this to reach my grandmother's ears."

"Understood…" Wanda was merely a housekeeper. There wasn't much she could do.

After throwing the divorce papers into the trash, she carefully set aside the wedding ring on the coffee table and placed the credit card and car keys in a small drawer.

Wanda, like Samuel, didn't believe Elise would seriously go through with the divorce. After all, everyone in the manor had seen how deeply she loved him these past six years.

Samuel walked into the bathroom with his pajamas and noticed that the bathroom counter seemed emptier than usual. When he'd grabbed his pajamas earlier, there had seemed to be fewer clothes than before.

However, he didn't think much of it. He was certain Elise would come back sooner or later.

…

Meanwhile, at Centrux Hospital, Elise finished her food and noticed Henry was still around. So, she asked, "Are you staying the night?"

He lounged on the couch with his long legs stretched out on the coffee table. "You didn't have a problem when we crashed on the chairs in the lab," he responded with his eyes closed.

That was different. However, she was exhausted, so she didn't bother arguing with him. She closed her eyes and dozed off.

Her body had been conditioned to wake up at 5:00 am. Even when she was exhausted, she'd get up at that hour to iron Samuel's suit and make Lucas' special breakfast.

Lucas was a picky eater. His meals had to be creative, or he wouldn't touch them. So, it was always time-consuming.

That morning, Elise woke up as usual but closed her eyes again. She didn't have to do any of that anymore. From now on, she would live for herself.

…

Lucas was woken up by Wanda, who helped him get dressed and wash up. Initially, he didn't think much of it. He assumed Elise was in the kitchen preparing his breakfast.

However, when he arrived downstairs, sat at the dining table, and noticed his special breakfast wasn't there, he pouted. "I don't want to eat this, Mom!"

Yet, Elise didn't emerge from the kitchen.

"Your mother is still in the hospital, Mr. Lucas."

Lucas refused to listen to reason. He called Elise.

Elise was having breakfast when the call automatically connected. After everything that had happened the day before, she was still sorting through her emotions and had forgotten to unpair her smartwatch.

Before she could hang up on him, Lucas' voice came through. "Why didn't you come home to make me breakfast, Mom?"

Elise had mixed feelings about Lucas. After all, he was the child she'd almost died giving birth to.

Lucas hadn't always behaved like this. Before he'd turned two, he would cling to her, say he loved her, and promise to give her all the best things in the world. After turning two and spending more time with Samuel, he'd gradually changed—especially after he met Zara abroad.

Up until yesterday, Elise had still been trying to help him fix his ways. After all, he was just a child who was incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong. However, she no longer wanted to look after him.

"I won't be making your breakfast anymore. You're five now—you can't keep being picky. You'll eat whatever Wanda makes for you."

Lucas was displeased. "You're so mean, Mom! I know you're mad at me just because I went to see Zara yesterday!"

Elise still felt a pang in her chest. However, she calmed down as soon as she heard Zara's name.

"Don't say that, Mr. Lucas. Mrs. Holt's right hand is injured, remember?" Wanda reminded him.

"So what?" he fumed. "Doesn't she still have another hand? Besides, you always help her cook anyway, Wanda! Why can't she make it today?"

"What's wrong?"

Elise was about to hang up. Knowing Lucas, he'd throw a fit when things didn't go his way. She wasn't in the mood to deal with his tantrums that day.

Just then, she heard Samuel's voice.

"Dad!" Lucas whined, his small face flushed with anger. "Mom said she's never making breakfast for me again! You were right; she's mad at me because I went to see Zara! Mom's so petty!"

Assuming Elise was still upset about her injured hand, Samuel handed Lucas his phone.

Lucas immediately broke into a smile when he spotted Zara. "Good morning, Zara!"

"Would you like to have breakfast with me?" she asked gently.

"Sure!" he chirped.

"I only have hospital food, though. It's pretty bland. Are you okay with that?"

Lucas ran off with Samuel's phone. "I'll eat anything as long as I get to eat with you!"

He left his smartwatch on the dining table. Wanda hurriedly picked it up, chased after Lucas, and strapped it back on his wrist.

Elise had told her never to let Lucas leave without it. The watch had a tracking alert. If someone kidnapped him and left the watch behind, Elise would receive an alert on her phone once he was more than 33 feet away.

After making sure it was secure, Wanda hesitated for a moment before reminding Samuel, "Mr. Samuel, when you go to the hospital, maybe you should take Mr. Lucas to see Mrs. Holt, too. She only asked for a divorce because she's upset—"

"I'm craving the pumpkin pie from the east side of town, Sam. Can you bring me some?" Zara's voice rang out.

"Of course." Ignoring Wanda, Samuel ordered the driver to start the car.

…

Elise had heard everything. Without saying another word, she hung up and unpaired her smartwatch.

Henry, who was sitting across from her, had also heard the entire conversation. He scoffed. "Like father, like son."

"Yeah," she said softly. "Both of them hate me and like Zara."

He raised his hand and knocked hard on her head, catching Elise off guard.

"What was that for?"

"To wake you up." He pointed at her face. "You're clearly still hung up on him."

"I'm not," she denied.

Henry didn't believe Elise, and she couldn't put it into words for him. She'd genuinely moved on. But after loving Samuel for ten years and raising Lucas since birth, her heart had been filled to the brim with them.

Both of them had been such a big part of her life that tearing them away all at once left a gaping hole in her chest. Elise needed time to mend it.

Chapter 4

The nurse called Elise for her examination at 9:00 am. Elise and Henry stepped out of the ward and came face-to-face with Samuel and Zara.

Zara looked frail as she sat in a wheelchair with Samuel pushing her from behind. Dressed in a bespoke black suit, he looked tall and handsome but also cold and distant. The only time his expression softened was when he looked at Zara.

Elise didn't see Lucas. He'd probably gone to preschool after breakfast. She looked away and headed toward the examination room quietly. Henry couldn't be bothered to look at the shameless pair and followed her.

"El," Zara called out, but Elise ignored her.

The very next second, Elise's right hand was grabbed so hard that it made her flinch.

"Be careful, Sam!" Zara chided. "El's hand is injured."

Samuel let go of Elise. His gaze lingered briefly on Henry, who was standing protectively beside Elise, before settling back on Zara.

Zara wheeled herself forward, took Elise's right hand, and asked, "Are you alright?"

Elise pushed her hand away and turned to leave.

Zara stopped her with a small smile. "Are you still upset about what happened yesterday? It's my fault for causing a misunderstanding between you and Sam.

"But you two are married—you should sit down and talk things through instead of bringing up divorce every time you argue. It's bad for your relationship. Also, even if you're upset, you shouldn't be getting that close to another man. It'll only make things worse."

Elise didn't want to waste her breath on Zara. She was more concerned about her right hand. Samuel had gripped it so hard that it was still throbbing with sharp, needle-like pain.

Her mood soured as well. "Who I talk to or what I do is none of your damn business!"

Zara was still all smiles, as if she were humoring a friend who was throwing a tantrum. "You still have the wrong idea about my relationship with Sam, El. I've told you countless times that we're just siblings. We merely care for each other like family."

Elise had heard the word "siblings" more times than she could count.

Elise and Zara had known each other since middle school. Back then, they'd been close friends. However, everything had changed when Zara's aunt showed up with Elise's father's illegitimate son.

After Elise and her terminally ill mother had been kicked out of the house, her friendship with Zara had come to an end.

Before all that, though, she'd met Samuel through Zara. They'd grown up in the same neighborhood and were practically childhood sweethearts.

Zara had always told her that she and Samuel were like siblings and that they cared for each other like family. Elise had believed her. That was the reason she'd taken a chance with Evelyn's heart and married Samuel.

However, after she'd gotten pregnant, he'd spent two years abroad with Zara and rarely returned to Hilltop Manor. When she'd gone into a difficult labor, he hadn't even been there to sign the consent forms.

Then there was the snowstorm. Even if he didn't love her, she was still his lawful wife. Yet, no matter what happened, he'd always choose Zara, the woman who wasn't even related to him by blood.

That had to be love.

"Whatever's going on between you two is none of my business. You don't have to explain yourselves to me. From now on, you two can be whatever you want."

Elise had already signed the divorce papers. It wouldn't be long before it was finalized.

At that moment, she was more concerned about her hand, which had started trembling due to the pain. Samuel must've grabbed it without an ounce of restraint. With no time to lose, she left with Henry.

Zara sighed exasperatedly. "It looks like El is still mad at me. You should buy her a gift to cheer her up, Sam. If I remember correctly, she likes to collect flowers and plants. Isn't there a flower field at Matthew's place? Why don't you go pick something for El?"

"That won't be necessary." Samuel tore his gaze away from Elise's grip on Henry's wrist. His tone was unreadable as he said, "Also, you don't have to waste your breath on her. She refuses to see reason. It's like talking to a wall."

Zara didn't notice anything amiss. When she realized he was still siding with her, there was a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

Yet, she said sweetly, "Oh, that won't do. Misunderstandings are the root of most marital problems. You should clear things up with her right away.

"I have no say in what El does with other men or whether she'll explain herself to you, but I have to make myself clear. If you two end up getting divorced because of me, everyone will think I'm a homewrecker."

"That won't happen," he said flatly. "I'll make sure of it."

…

After the examination, Elise went to Ben's office, only to see Samuel and Zara inside.

"This is just great," Henry muttered under his breath.

Zara smiled at Elise. "What a coincidence, El!"

Elise ignored her and handed her report to Ben.

Unaware of what was going on between them, Ben simply did his job. "The results are similar to the ones from Brookfield Hospital. I have a clear picture now. I'll arrange the surgery immediately."

Elise thanked him and was about to leave when she heard a familiar, cold voice. "I'm afraid you won't have time to perform her surgery, Dr. Quinton."

Ben was caught off guard. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Holt?"

Elise stopped in her tracks. She spun on her heel and looked at the tall, impassive man's back. "What's that supposed to mean, Mr. Holt?"

Elise couldn't care less about how much he doted on Zara. Yet, her right hand was imperative to her; she couldn't just stay silent.

Ignoring her, Samuel looked Ben in the eye and said, "I'm buying your time, Dr. Quinton."

Realization dawned on Ben—there was bad blood between Samuel and Elise.

While he didn't know Elise, he was on good terms with Henry. Torn between friendship and power, he found himself in a dilemma.

"Mr. Holt, her surgery won't take long." Ben tried to ease the tension. "Your wife's back injury isn't serious. The rehabilitation department can take care of it."

Samuel's tone softened slightly. "I can't trust anyone else with her."

Elise's left hand curled into a fist. He hadn't denied it when Ben referred to Zara as his wife, which meant he'd accepted it and acknowledged Zara as such. He'd never once given her that acknowledgment in the six years she'd been his legal wife.

Initially, she'd agreed to keep their marriage secret because she knew she'd pressured him into it. Later, she'd thought that with enough time, he'd fall in love with her and eventually admit they were married. In the end, it was all just her wishful thinking.

However, her anger stemmed not from the title, but from his refusal to allow Ben to perform her surgery.

"Samuel Holt." Since they were already getting divorced, she no longer had to follow his rules. "My right hand is important to me. Even if she needs treatment, can't it wait a few hours?"

Samuel still had his back to her, yet his voice grew colder, indicating his clear annoyance at the way she'd addressed him. "It's only your right hand. Every inch of her is worth more than that."

Elise felt as if there were a gaping hole in her chest, and cold air was pouring in with every breath. It hurt to even breathe.

She was well aware that she could never mean as much to him as Zara did, and she wasn't here to make a scene. Ben had already said Zara would be fine, so Elise simply wanted to stand up for herself.

"I only need a few hours. Once Dr. Quinton finishes my surgery, I won't bother him again. He'll be free to take care of your wife."

At last, Samuel turned to look at her. His eyes were cold and razor-sharp. "You're in no position to bargain with me."

Chapter 5

Elise's eyes burned red with anger. She parted her lips, but she was at a loss for words.

Samuel had always put Zara above everyone else. It was pointless to argue with him.

Henry couldn't take it anymore. He'd thought that even if Samuel didn't like Elise, he would at least show some decency as her husband. The surgery would only take a few hours—surely Samuel could spare that much time.

Henry had never expected the man would be this heartless.

"You have no idea how important her right hand is!" he snapped.

Samuel responded in a low voice, "In that case, why don't you tell me just how important it is?"

"I—" Henry faltered.

He couldn't tell Samuel. Their research was confidential. When the anti-cancer drug, Y-1, was about to be released, Elise had withdrawn from the project to get married.

Her name had been removed from it, and she'd signed a nondisclosure agreement that forbade her from ever talking about it. In the end, the research had been published under his name.

"Cat got your tongue?" Samuel's gaze landed on Elise's face. His lips curled into a mocking smile. "You've learned a few new tricks, I see."

Elise was already in pain, and with each word he said, the color drained from her face bit by bit. After a long moment of silence, she swallowed the bitterness rising in her throat and said quietly, "Mr. Holt, if you insist on making things hard for me, I'll have no choice but to ask Anna for help."

Six years ago, when she'd traded Evelyn's heart for this marriage, Samuel hadn't wanted it. He would rather have given her more money than she could ever spend. Anna Delroy, his grandmother, had forced him to marry her.

After the wedding, Anna had drugged them and locked them in a room. That was how Lucas was conceived.

Samuel always hated it when Elise used Anna to threaten him, even though she'd never actually done so.

Over the years, to please him, she'd never once complained to Anna or let Wanda breathe a word about her situation. No matter what he'd done, Elise had always found a reason to defend him.

However, her right hand was too important. Elise had no choice but to bring up Anna.

Samuel sneered, "Do you really think you can use my grandmother to pressure me every time?"

Elise hadn't wanted it to come to this, but she couldn't wrap her head around his actions. Why did he still have to make things difficult for her when they were already getting a divorce?

He hadn't saved her and had allowed her right hand to be injured. Yet now, he wouldn't even let her save herself.

In that case, she had no choice but to go against him.

"But I've succeeded every time, haven't I?"

The air between them was thick with tension.

"Cut it out, Sam," Zara chimed in at just the right moment. "Even if El has you to rely on and her right hand isn't that important, no one wants to be disabled. Let Dr. Quinton perform her surgery. It'll only take a few hours."

"We'll have it your way," he said without the slightest hesitation.

Elise felt like a joke. But it didn't matter. This joke had reached its end.

Even though he'd only given in because of Zara, the weight on her chest still eased a little.

"Mr. Holt, please take your wife back to her ward and wait for me. I'll come over once I finish the surgery," Ben said.

Samuel wheeled Zara out of the office. When they passed Elise, Zara reassured her, "You'll be fine, El. Don't be afraid."

Ignoring her, Elise took Henry's hand and left.

Samuel looked displeased, but Zara soothed him. "El's just upset because she's hurt. I understand how she feels. Once she's out of surgery, you should comfort her a little."

"She doesn't need anyone to comfort her," he said coldly.

…

The surgery lasted five hours. Elise was only partially sedated, so she was conscious when she was wheeled out of the operating room, though she looked a little tired.

Ben told Henry, "Take her back to the ward and keep an eye on her for a day."

Henry thanked him and wheeled her back to her hospital room.

Elise was so tired that she fell asleep the moment she lay down on the bed. He sat on the couch, watching the IV drip. When the first bottle finished, he called a nurse to change it.

By the time the last bottle emptied, Elise was awake. She went to the restroom, and by the time she emerged, Henry had already set the table for dinner.

Elise sat down and started eating with her left hand.

"Mom!"

The food she'd just scooped up slipped off her fork. She hadn't expected Lucas to visit her. She thought he only cared about Zara now and must have long forgotten about his biological mother.

Lucas walked up to her and asked pitifully, "Can you come home and cook for me, Mom? I threw up today. The food there tastes awful! I want to eat superhero!"

So, that was what this was about.

Her heart had softened for a moment. After all, she'd raised him. Even though she'd decided to relinquish custody, she couldn't help but feel touched that he'd come to see her.

However, as soon as his words sank in, the small ripple in her heart went still.

"I told you this morning that you can't be picky anymore. Eat whatever Wanda makes you. I can't cook right now."

The meals she used to make for him took a lot of effort. She would carve vegetables and arrange the meat into the shapes he liked. It took a lot of time, effort, and careful work with her hands.

He was her beloved son, so she didn't mind doing those things for him. That was what mothers, especially housewives like her, were meant to do. Yet, after seeing how much he cared about Zara yesterday, she'd lost the heart to do it.

Besides, if she wanted to go back to the lab, she had to take good care of her right hand. She wouldn't do anything that could damage it again.

"Mom, are you still upset because I went to see Zara?" Lucas' temper flared. "You're so petty. Zara is Dad's younger sister and my good friend. I see her the same way I see you, Great-Grandma, and Wanda. Can't you just get along with Zara? Dad's younger sister is your sister too, isn't she?"

Younger sister?

If that were the case, Lucas should've been calling Zara "Aunt Zara", just as he did Samuel's older sister, Samantha Holt, who was "Aunt Samantha" to him.

Since Samuel had him call Zara by her name, it meant he'd never seen her as his younger sister. After all, if Lucas became accustomed to calling her "Aunt Zara", people would start talking when she and Samuel tied the knot someday.

Samuel cared too much about Zara to ever let her be the subject of gossip. He really did plan ahead.

Just then, a familiar, cold voice rang out. "You seem to be doing just fine with your left hand. Why did you insist on getting surgery for your right hand?"

Elise's head snapped up, and she met Samuel's cold, unreadable gaze. However, she didn't answer him.

"I already let you have the surgery, yet you still went crying to Grandma?"

She froze. "I didn't tell Anna…"

The words on her lips died when she met his mocking gaze.

There was no point. He wouldn't believe her anyway. In his eyes, she'd already done this before.

"Mom!" Lucas pouted. "I've said so much. Why are you ignoring me? When are you coming home?

"You've been mad for long enough! When I was upset, you always used to cheer me up and make me feel better. I came to see you on my own accord this time, not because Dad asked me to. Why are you still acting like this?"

Elise had almost forgotten he was still there. In response to his complaints, she said calmly, "I'm not angry. Since you came to see me, I'm sure you can see that my hand's injured. I can't cook right now."

"You're so mean, Mom!" Lucas huffed and stormed out of the ward.