Chapter 4

Listening to the busy signal, a twisting pain seized my chest.

I suddenly remembered the night my mother abandoned me when I was thirteen. A thunderstorm raged, and I, terrified, hid under the covers, trembling.

In my most desperate moment, Liam was there beside me, patting my back and gently coaxing me to sleep.

He had told me then, firmly, "Ava, whenever you're scared, come find me first. I'll always be there for you."

But now, he said he had no time for me.

Time had passed, and people had changed.

It seemed I was the only one still trapped in the memories, unwilling to wake up.

After calling the police, I went to the hospital alone.

My wound required six stitches.

The stitching itself was a searing, bone-deep pain, yet I felt numb, as if I couldn't feel it at all.

My mind was filled with memories of the past decade with Liam.

I finally understood: my dream had to end.

Three nights later, Liam finally came home.

He seemed to have been drinking again, his cheeks flushed, his eyes hazy and unfocused.

Leaning against the door, he stared at me for a long moment, then ordered in a hoarse, cold voice, "Go run a bath for me."

Without a word, I silently entered the bathroom.

As I filled the tub, Liam quietly approached, suddenly embracing me from behind.

My heart jumped in alarm, and I pushed him, but he held me tighter.

"Ava…" he murmured softly, "I've missed you so much…"

"Let go of me…" My words were swallowed whole as Liam kissed me.

Liam kissed me with a frenzied intensity, hot and fierce, again and again, as if he wanted to devour me whole.

I was breathless from his kisses, almost lost in his passion.

But then, a sudden realization hit me. He was calling out "Chloe," not "Ava." He loved Chloe, not me!

I mustered all my strength and pushed Liam away.

In a panic, I ran out of the villa.

Outside, a fierce storm raged. Without a coat, I wandered aimlessly through the streets, drenched by the rain, like a body without a soul.

The wound on my arm tore open again from the exertion, staining my sleeve crimson.

Shivering from the cold, I sat down forlornly by the roadside.

I finally couldn't hold back anymore. My tears streamed down, a dam breaking.

I couldn't understand why Liam always gave me hope, only to cruelly shatter it.

He clearly didn't love me, yet he toyed with me again and again.

My heart was twisted in agony.

I cried for a long time, tears mixing with the rainwater, splashing heavily on the ground.

Even after the rain stopped, I remained sitting by the roadside, lost and staring blankly.

Suddenly, a hand, long-fingered and holding a tissue, appeared before me.

I looked up blankly and saw an unfamiliar, handsome face.

The man before me was around thirty, his elegant brows slightly furrowed. He looked at me, asking softly, "Your arm is bleeding. Do you need help?"

I took the tissue he offered, shaking my head numbly. "No, thank you."

Perhaps seeing how disheveled I was, or out of sympathy, the man pondered for a moment, then pulled out a business card and handed it to me. "If you ever need any help in the future, feel free to contact me."

I took the card, still in a daze.

After the man left, I finally made out the words on the card.

[Julian Reed, CEO of Reed Industries]

My heart skipped a beat.

It was Julian Reed, a formidable figure in the city's business world.

What kind of luck was this, to get Julian Reed's private business card!

After calming down, I checked into a nearby hotel.

I showered and changed into clean clothes.

I also gave the wound on my arm a basic cleaning.

I didn't sleep a wink all night.

The next morning, I still returned to the Smith residence.

When I arrived, Liam was about to leave, and we met at the doorway.

Liam was sober now, but seemed to have forgotten what happened last night. He stared at me coldly, the chill in his eyes seeming to pierce right through me.

"You weren't home all night. Where were you?"

I lowered my gaze, avoiding his eyes.

"Nowhere."

Liam's face was grim, and his words, once again, felt like a sharp blade, deeply hurting me.

"As a young woman, what kind of behavior is it to stay out all night? So undisciplined. Did you crawl into someone else's bed last night?"

My breath hitched, and that familiar twisting pain surged through me again.

I clutched my chest, saying nothing.

There was no point in explaining anymore.

My silence angered Liam. He furiously grabbed my arm, his voice as cold as ice. "Why aren't you speaking? Cat got your tongue?"

"Ow—" My face went pale, and I struggled to pull away. "Let go."

Liam had squeezed the wound on my arm.

Liam's eyes were icy, and he erupted in anger. "Ava Miller, what is this attitude? You won't even let me touch you now?"

"My arm is hur…"

"Forget it, who even wants to touch you!" Liam released my hand, his voice cold. "Chloe is coming for dinner this afternoon. Make sure to prepare a lavish meal. If Chloe isn't satisfied, you'll be held responsible!"

With that, Liam stalked away, his face cold.

I stood there stunned, blood seeping from my arm again, staining my entire sleeve.

I quickly tended to the wound on my left hand and began preparing ingredients for dinner.

Because of my injured hand, I worked all afternoon, only managing to make four dishes and one soup.

Around 6 PM, Liam returned home with Chloe.

Even after some time apart, Chloe was still radiant, her eyes full of happiness.

Liam, on the other hand, looked a bit thinner.

Seeing the few dishes on the table, Liam's face instantly darkened. "Didn't I tell you to prepare a lavish meal? Why is there so little food?"

"I wasn't feeling very well today," I mumbled, my voice barely audible.

Liam showed no concern, instead reprimanding me sharply. "Then you don't eat tonight!"