Love Left Behind

Everyone’s glarings felt like tiny knives, which stabbed my heart.

I shoved Clayton aside and pulled the property deed out from the cabinet.

Just as I lifted it, Regina suddenly collapsed, her eyes fluttering shut.

“Mom … my chest hurts … ”

“What the hell are you doing?!”

Clayton pushed me away and swept Regina into his arms.

His eyes burned red as he glared at me.

“You’re fucking nuts! If anything happens to Regina, I’ll make you pay with your life!”

My lower back slammed against the table corner. Pain surged through me, sharp and breath-stealing. He forgot I was supposed to be carrying his child, too.

As Clayton and Gloria rushed out, the other guests slowly filtered out of the room.

In the cold, silent space they left behind, I crumpled to the floor, no longer able to hold back my tears. That night, the door creaked open. Clayton came in, his expression dark.

“Regina was released from the ER after a heart episode. You’ll go apologize to her tomorrow.”

I turned my back on him, coldly.

“No.”

His voice hardened with anger as he grabbed my arm, then yanked me to face him.

“If I had known you were this cruel, I had never have married you! No wonder your parents died in an accident. Even your child got hit by a car … ”

That sentence said everything.

Our so-called marriage had been a lie. The accident? Also a lie.

I stood suddenly, my voice low and sharp.

W“Was it really an accident?”

Clayton froze. For the first time, he saw real rage rise in my eyes. He instinctively shook his head.

“Hazel … what are you saying … ”

His smile twitched. Then his phone rang and he used a work excuse to slip away. Watching him run, I laughed to myself.

A moment later, my phone beeped. The same person from the agency had sent me a few photos.

“These are the candidates to be your husband. Please choose the one you like.”

My eyes landed on the man in the far-right photo. He had thick brows and dark, calm eyes, looking down at a book. That book was my mother’s masterpiece. Without hesitation, I picked him.

“This one charges $500,000, Miss.”

“Fine.”

I checked my balance. After purchasing Petra Island, not much remained. Thanks to his reminder, I transferred my estate to Sotheby's International Realty and cut off all expenses that weren’t mine.

Gloria’s beauty packages. Regina’s extracurricular classes. Clayton’s car loan. All linked to my credit card, yet never a word of thanks.

Maybe guilt held him back, because Clayton didn’t question me once over the next five days.

Silently, I reviewed the service list from the agency and checked off a handsome butler, a Michelin-starred chef and a high-end beautician.

That was enough. From now on, I would live for myself.

The day of my departure came closer with each breath. I began packing the estate room by room, tossing out anything that belonged to Gloria or Regina. When Clayton came home, he tripped over a box on the floor.

He bent down and pulled out a ring, frowning.

“Hazel, isn’t this our wedding ring? Why did you throw it away?”

Calmly, I said, “Because it didn’t fit.”

The ring had never been my size.

A flicker of confusion passed through his eyes. He took my hand and slid the ring onto my finger, coaxing, “It’s a shame to throw away a good ring. Don’t be upset. Gloria only has me as her brother. I have to take care of them.”

“Regina’s medical bills have been piling up lately, you know … ”