Chapter 9

Vivian Shaw POV

Divorce? Get back together?

These two words exploded like thunder in Ethan's ears.

As if scalded, he violently pushed Quinn away and said sternly, "What are you talking about! I won't divorce Vivian!"

"Why? Just because she followed you without any boundaries for five years?" Quinn shrieked, "Ethan, how long will you keep running from your feelings? If you really don't have me in your heart anymore, don't care about me at all, then I might as well just die!"

As she spoke, she turned and rushed toward the edge of the balcony, as if she really meant to jump.

"Quinn! Are you crazy?!" Ethan's expression changed drastically as he rushed forward to pull her back.

Just then, the huge crystal chandelier overhead, used for decoration, suddenly made a groaning sound, unable to bear its weight, then crashed downward! And it was falling directly toward Quinn's head!

"Watch out!"

Ethan's pupils contracted sharply. Without thinking, he used his body to shield Quinn tightly in his arms and rolled to the side!

The heavy crystal chandelier smashed to the ground, instantly shattering, fragments flying everywhere.

Ethan's back was sliced by several larger shards, blood immediately gushing out, staining his expensive suit red.

"Ethan! Are you okay? You're bleeding!" Quinn's face turned deathly pale with fright as she cried out.

People in the banquet hall were startled by the loud noise and ran out, creating chaos at the scene.

Some called for an ambulance, others came forward to help.

I stood at the edge of the crowd, not a ripple of emotion in my heart, only finding the farce before me absurd and glaring.

I didn't step forward, didn't inquire, didn't even stay a second longer.

Amid the ambulance's piercing siren, I quietly turned and left.

Ethan was hospitalized.

I didn't go see him.

I stayed home alone, doing my own things, reading books, watching movies, packing my luggage.

Until that evening, Ethan's assistant Jeff suddenly called.

"Vivian, could you come to the hospital to see Ethan? His stomach condition flared up again. The pain is severe, and the medicine the doctor prescribed isn't helping much. He's breaking out in cold sweat from the pain and won't let the nurses near him. In the past, only when you massaged him would he feel better... We really don't know what to do. Could you..."

I walked to the window, looking at the city completely shrouded in the rain curtain outside. Raindrops pounded against the glass as if to drown the entire world.

After he finished speaking, I calmly replied, "The rain is too heavy. I won't be going."

The other end was clearly stunned, silent for several seconds, as if unable to believe what they'd heard.

"M-Ms. Shaw... what did you say?" the assistant stammered.

"I said the rain outside is too heavy. I don't want to go out. I won't be coming tonight."

"But Mr. Blackwood, he..."

"I'm going to sleep now." I interrupted him. "Good night."

I hung up, turned off my phone, went to bed, and no longer paid attention to any disturbances.

The next day, Ethan checked out of the hospital early and returned home.

His face was still somewhat pale. Seeing me sitting on the living room sofa reading, he paused, then walked over and stood before me.

"Last night..." he began, his voice somewhat low, his gaze heavy as he looked at me. "Jeff called you?"

"Yes." I turned a page without looking up.

"Why didn't you come?" Ethan asked, suppressing some emotion in his tone. "Before... no matter the weather, even if I just casually mentioned feeling unwell, you would rush over immediately."

My page-turning motion stopped.

I finally looked up at Ethan, my eyes calm and still.

"You said it yourself. That was before." I looked at him, my voice light, yet like a small hammer gently tapping on Ethan's heart. "Ethan, people change."