"Ouch," Leah exclaimed as she quickly turned on the faucet and placed her index finger underneath it. She had just scalded herself by accident.
Sighing, she stared at the pot on the stove and then at her reddened finger. She was currently preparing her husband's favorite meal. She had been married to Eugene Moore for two years; she had loved him for two years, but he had never reciprocated her feelings. She had never dared to ask him to love her, because their marriage was just a deal. He would marry her to protect the woman he truly loved and love someone else more recklessly under her cover.
Two years ago, Leah had saved an elderly man trapped in a car accident, and that man happened to be Eugene's grandfather. She had cared for him in the hospital, and he spoke enthusiastically about how excellent his grandson was and how well-suited Leah would be with him. Then, Eugene abruptly entered the room, and with just one glance, Leah was completely captivated by him.
With the help of Eugene's grandfather, she often found herself "bumping into" Eugene at the hospital. Everything had felt like a romantic movie until one day, Leah accidentally overheard a conversation between them.
"Eugene, Leah is a good girl. I think you should be with her," said the elderly voice of his grandfather, carrying unmistakable authority.
Leah blushed as she waited for Eugene's response, but his words felt like a bucket of cold water poured over her.
"Grandpa, I'm going to marry Jessica."
"Which Jessica? Jessica Hudson? Your stepmother's niece? Are you out of your mind?! She abandoned you!"
"It's because of you that she left! Grandpa!"
"I never..."
Jessica? Outside the door, Leah couldn't help but frown. Was this woman his ex-girlfriend—the one who abandoned Eugene?
Leah was still lost in thought when the door was pushed open, and those familiar footsteps slowly approached. For the first time, she didn't want to see this man. She took a deep breath, lowered her head, and turned to leave, but Eugene's low, icy voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Will you marry me?"
Leah's foot, just lifted, touched the ground again. He was proposing?
She furrowed her brow, wide-eyed, turning to look at the serious-faced man. "What?"
Eugene seemed entirely indifferent, as if he were simply inviting Leah to dinner. He added, "I know you heard everything. Jessica is the woman I love most, and she's currently abroad. My grandfather doesn't approve of us being together. If you marry me, I'll give you money. It's the best way to protect her."
Upon hearing this plan, tears instantly welled up in Leah's eyes. To Eugene, she was nothing but a lifeless shield. The woman who had abandoned him was the one he truly loved.
But at that moment, Leah naively believed that loving him meant giving him all of herself, and inexplicably, she agreed to his absurd proposal, tears streaming down her face...
For the past two years, she had constantly been good to him, learning to act like all wives—loyal, caring, submissive. She endured the hostility of all his family members for him, but she couldn't even earn a glance from him.
Yet she persisted. She stubbornly believed that Eugene would eventually be moved by her, that he would eventually fall in love with her.
Sitting at the dinner table until eleven o'clock, the dinner she had prepared was reheated again and again, but Eugene still hadn't returned. However, Leah's eyes remained unchanged, just repeating her actions. She had long grown accustomed to it all.
Not until almost midnight did the sound of a car finally come from outside the door.
He's back!
Leah's eyes immediately lit up. She excitedly stood and walked to the door.
"Welcome home," Leah said with a smile as she took his briefcase and helped him with his jacket.
Eugene snatched the briefcase from her and pulled out some documents.
Leah frowned as she stared at the papers.
"Sign it."
Leah swallowed hard.
His tone was as cold and calm as when he had proposed two years ago. The news she received a few days ago gave her a rough idea of what this document might be, but she still couldn't give up hope and asked one last question.
"What... what is that?"
Eugene had no patience for her theatrics, impatiently asking, "Don't you already know? Jess is coming back soon. It's time for us to get divorced."
Those words nearly tore Leah's heart apart, and she lowered her head, unsure how to respond. After two years, did he really have no feelings for her at all? Was she not even considered a friend?
"I'll give you twenty million dollars, and you can keep this house. You don't have to move out."
So this was how he viewed her—just like his mother-in-law, he thought this marriage was merely a means for her to gain wealth.
Leah hung her head, tears streaming down uncontrollably. She shook her head gently; she hadn't expected this day to come so soon.
Eugene scoffed. "Don't act like you don't want the money. Isn't this what you wanted? Let me warn you, don't even think about telling Grandpa. If you do, you won't get anything!"
"But..." Leah was about to say that now wasn't the right time, as Grandpa had been readmitted to the hospital just the week before due to heart problems and couldn't handle any more changes. How could she possibly keep this from Grandpa?
But her words were interrupted by the ringing of her phone.
Eugene glanced at the caller ID and quickly answered the call.
"Jess, have you landed?" His tone was extremely soft.
He was totally different from the cold man Leah knew.
"Eugene, I'm already at the airport."
"Oh, I'll be there in five minutes." He quickly grabbed his jacket, then turned and glared at Leah. He instructed, "Sign it tonight. Tristan will pick it up."
And then he hurried off.
Once the main door closed, Leah sat on the floor. At this moment, she couldn't even shed tears. It finally dawned on her.
He loved that woman more than Leah had ever imagined. There was nothing in this world more important to him than that woman.
Leah lowered her head and looked at the divorce agreement scattered on the floor. She picked up the pen beside her, crossed out all the property settlements, and signed her name next to Eugene's.
Then she picked up the phone and dialed, her voice choked, "Jason, I want to go home."
The next morning, a Rolls-Royce arrived at the villa entrance and took Leah away...
