Who Would Want a Faded Love?

After getting back from Vicky's, Scarlett then made an appointment at a hospital on the outskirts to get an abortion.

There were too many influential people in the Davidson family, who had contacts everywhere. If she had made an abortion appointment in Zittoria, Joachim would have already learned of it before she was even wheeled into the operating room.

Just before entering the operating room, Katrina sent her a video again on her phone.

The video was two and a half hours long. In the video, Katrina was dressed in skimpy lingerie, Joachim was dressed in his impeccable formal suit, and there were plenty of toys and lube on the table nearby.

They did it repeatedly, in the kitchen, on the desk, and even in the hallway, making sure that every corner of the room did not go unbaptized with their filth.

Scarlett had never seen Joachim act the way he did in the video. He was wild and borderline deranged as he did it with Katrina.

Every scene in the video only made Scarlett's heart shatter over and over again. However, she couldn't stop herself from watching every minute of the torture, like she was some sort of masochist.

"Miss, it's time for your operation now. But are you sure that you're in the right state for it?" the doctor asked with concern.

It was only then that Scarlett realized she was crying and shaking all over. Her face was completely wet with tears.

She wasn't crying just out of sadness. It was also because she realized that she couldn't love Joachim any less, even though he was cheating on her. She just couldn't get rid of her love for him.

He was a living, breathing human, after all—not just a garment of clothing that could be thrown aside just because she didn't like it anymore. And ridding Joachim from her heart was akin to cutting her chest open and tearing out her heart before ripping it to shreds.

Scarlett wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and decided to give Joachim one last chance.

She called him on his phone. "Where are you now? I miss you. Can you please come home?"

Joachim's voice was tight, as if he was desperately holding something back. "Lettie, I'm working on something important at the office. Tonight—ah!"

He let out a low moan. Then, he suddenly started talking a whole lot faster. "I'm not coming back tonight!"

After that, he hung up on her.

Scarlett was stunned as tears began gushing from her eyes. Joachim had never, ever hung up on her first. This was the first time it's ever happened to her.

A few minutes later, she closed her eyes and took a huge breath. "I'm fine, Doctor. Let's get on with the operation."

Late that night, Scarlett dragged her exhausted body all the way back home. Just then, Vicky sent her a message. "Lettie, everything's set. We'll proceed in two days' time."

Scarlett plopped onto the bed. For the entirety of the night, she would fall into a fitful sleep, wake up in tears, and then fall back into another fitful sleep again.

Sometime after midnight, she sat up and hugged her knees close to her chest and stayed in that position until dawn.

The next morning, Joachim finally came home.

He took off his coat and waited for the cold to dissipate before walking over to Scarlett and hugging her. He then turned on his iPad and pointed at the map of an island.

"Lettie, look! I just bought this island. It's a gift for our baby. Also, I've already started work on building a theme park in every state in the country, and they will be named after our child.

"Once the baby is born, I'll throw a massive party over 100 days so that everybody in the country can celebrate together!"

It wasn't until he finished talking excitedly that he realized Scarlett had not said a single word to him since he stepped foot into the house.

Suddenly, he heard her sobbing quietly.

He quickly went over to Scarlett and realized that her entire face was covered in tears.

"What's the matter?"

Joachim had never seen Scarlett crying like this. He panicked so hard that even his voice sounded shaky.

If Scarlett got upset, it would make Joachim feel a hundred times worse. Every emotion Scarlett felt would be magnified in his heart. And now, as he watched the huge teardrops stream down her face, Joachim's heart hurt so much. He felt as if his heart was being pulled in all directions.

"I'm fine," Scarlett said, avoiding his hand. "We're like this when we're pregnant. We'll just randomly feel like crying."

"Really?"

Joachim's shoulders relaxed. "I'll stay at home with you all day today, alright? What do you feel like eating? I'll go and make it."

"Don't bother. I'm going to a class reunion luncheon later. Then I'm going to visit my old lecturers. Just go ahead with your own plans for the day."

Scarlett then got up. She probably wouldn't be returning to the country after leaving this time. She would just see them for the last time and take it as her final goodbye.

Joachim didn't like the idea of her going out alone and insisted on tagging along.

When they entered the private dining room together, there was a soft bout of laughter from the people already inside.

"I told you that Joachim would come if Scarlett came. He's so afraid to lose her."

Joachim just smiled and went along with their endless teasing. Then, he gave out gifts to everyone present.

The people were shocked. "Oh, my god! This is the latest jewelry set from Greenwell Luxe, and it costs seven figures! You're always so generous with your gifts, Mr. Davidson. And we're so lucky all because of Scarlett!"

Scarlett used to have plenty of friends in college, and everyone present was good friends with her. Of course, Joachim didn't spare a cent, spoiling them and getting on their good side. The main reason was that seeing them happy made Scarlett happy, and that was all that mattered.

Everyone was secretly sighing about what a powerful force love could be, turning such a cold and aloof person like Joachim into a warm, smiling ray of sunshine everywhere he went.

"I'm so envious of you, Scarlett! Your hubby obviously loves you so much!"

Scarlett didn't smile happily like she used to when they said the same thing to her in the past. Instead, she just smiled very perfunctorily.

Just as everyone was enjoying themselves, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Katrina Greene appeared at the door, dressed head-to-toe in sparkling jewelry.

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this class reunion? Aren't we all from the same class?"