Chapter 3

Years ago, because of my mother’s rare illness, I met Julian, who was researching drugs in that very field. I was quickly drawn to his talent and personality and began to pursue him. To have common topics with him, I forced myself to read obscure biology books. To show my determination, after we married, I didn’t hesitate to agree to his continued studies abroad, even investing heavily in his lab and leveraging my connections behind his back.

But what I finally got was him returning with another woman.

“You’re right. I’m a businesswoman, so a businesswoman’s hands are only for making money, not for cooking.”

Before, when he accused me of reeking of money, I’d feel sad. But now, I only felt lucky. Lucky that even though my judgment was poor, at least I had money.

“On the other hand, you, you claim to love her so much, but you can’t even bear to cook for her?”

“I’ve told you, I only feel gratitude towards her. I just want to take care of her. That child was an accident!”

As always, he explained impatiently, then looked at me with disappointment, as if I had committed some grave error.

I was too tired to listen anymore, so I shook my hand free and walked out.

I didn’t expect that after an all-nighter at the office, I’d open the door to my apartment and see Julian in the kitchen, making breakfast.

That was a ‘miracle’ that had never occurred in our six years of marriage.

For the sake of his hands, which he needed for experiments, I had always done the cooking at home. I remember even when my hand was bleeding non-stop from a knife cut, he’d avoid me like the plague just to hand me a band-aid, terrified my blood would taint his hands.

And now, he held a knife, meticulously slicing bread for Seraphina.

“Julian, your hands shouldn’t be doing such things! Put that knife down!”

Seraphina ran into the kitchen, and Julian immediately hugged her back, saying tenderly, “You stayed with that radiation source for so long to protect me, and now you’re still willing to have my child. This little thing is nothing.”

Seraphina, touched, threw herself into his arms, and a flicker of triumph crossed her eyes as she looked at me standing outside the door.

I watched them with cold eyes, then waved my hand, directly instructing the movers to start clearing things out.

Julian looked at everything, confused, shielding Seraphina firmly behind him, demanding to know what I was doing.

“Nothing much. I’m just divorcing you, so we’re separating first.”

“What did you say?” Julian’s face went blank for a second, as if he couldn’t grasp what I was saying. “Divorce… me?” He again showed that ‘I knew it’ expression, full of disgust. “Here we go again. Harper, I’m not falling for your games anymore.”

“Tell them to get out. Seraphina is pregnant and needs quiet rest. Don’t you understand that?”

I sighed wearily. Before I could speak, a worker rushed down and asked me, “Ms. Harper, the safe you insisted we take—it’s in Ms. Seraphina’s room, and… it’s open. It’s empty.”

My heart sank. I spun around to look at Seraphina. She blinked, saying, “Julian gave me that box. I saw it only had some old papers, nothing useful.”

She curved her lips at me, her smile sweet and malicious. “So, I burned them all.”

*Slap!* I lunged forward and slapped Seraphina across the face.

“Those were my mother’s musical scores, her last precious relics! How *dare* you…”

My heart ached so much I could barely breathe. But the next instant, Julian actually raised his hand at me—

“Harper Reed, for some dead woman’s junk, you dare hit her!”