Chapter 1

Samantha Wyatt lay exhausted on the bed after the intense session, feeling as if all her energy had been drained. The rustling sounds of someone getting dressed pierced the still air. Ignoring the discomfort that wracked her body, she forced herself to turn to the side and look at the man, who was already fully clothed, beside her. "Joseph, Grandpa's birthday is next week. He wants us to go back together." Upon hearing this, Joseph Lynch frowned slightly. A hint of impatience flashed in his eyes. He then fixed a cold, scrutinizing gaze on Samantha. "I can go back with you and celebrate Grandpa's birthday," His eyes were filled with disdain as he spoke, "but you'd better behave yourself and stop trying to play any tricks." If it hadn't been for that night three years ago when Samantha drugged his drink and slept with him, he wouldn't have broken up with Erica Fitch or married Samantha under Harold Lynch's pressure. Samantha certainly played her cards well. After marrying into the family, she managed to win everyone over, especially Harold. Harold constantly found ways to lure him back and create opportunities for Samantha. Joseph's lips curled into a mocking smile as he thought of this. He strode to the dresser, pulled open the top drawer, rummaged through it, and took out an unopened box of pills. Then, he tossed it to Samantha. "Take them. I don't want any children." Besides, a scheming woman like her didn't deserve to bear his child. The sharp corner of the box grazed Samantha's delicate skin and prickled it. She inhaled sharply before letting out a bitter laugh. Gathering her courage, she met Joseph's gaze and said, "Do you really hate kids, or you just simply don't want me to bear your child? You know the truth." Over the past three years, he instinctively smiled every time he returned to the Lynch residence and saw his sister's child. The envy and joy in his eyes were unmistakable to Samantha. It wasn't that he didn't like kids. He simply didn't want to have them with her. The smile on Samantha's face stiffened, and her eyes quickly dimmed. Joseph remained silent and simply stared at her. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and traced its edges as he spoke coldly. "Think whatever you want. But that's no excuse for delaying taking the pills." His eyes turned fierce again. He was worried that Samantha would refuse to take the pills and end up having a child to threaten him. Gulping, Samantha felt a hint of bitterness welling up in her and lost the will to argue with him. She dragged her exhausted body up and poured herself a glass of water. Then, she tore open the pill packet and swallowed the pills right in front of Joseph. Seeing this, Joseph nodded in satisfaction. Without casting another glance at Samantha, he walked out and slammed the door behind him. Samantha stared at his retreating figure with tears streaming down her face. They had been married for three years, and Joseph still didn't love her. She thought it was pointless to continue their relationship. … The next morning, Samantha woke up to find it was already 9:00 a.m. She hurriedly got herself ready, chose a car from the garage, and drove to the hospital. She had half an hour before her shift started, and she would be late if she took the bus. Speeding as fast as she could, she made it to the hospital in 15 minutes. After taking a deep breath of relief, she patted herself on the chest and quickly entered the building. As soon as she walked in, she heard a buzz of conversations and instinctively paused. "Hey, did you hear? A big shot is visiting our hospital today!" "Who is it? Stop keeping me in suspense. Tell me!" "The CEO of Lynch Group, Joseph Lynch." "What's he doing here?" "I heard his girlfriend has some health issues and has trouble conceiving. So, he brought her here to see a doctor and get some treatment." "Let me tell you, Mr. Lynch is a rare gem. The woman would have been kicked out long ago in other wealthy families." "Wait, you still haven't told me who his girlfriend is!" "It's Erica Fitch, the beautiful pianist." "Oh. It's her." Samantha stood frozen in the lobby and only came back to her senses after their voices faded away. She pretended to stay calm and smoothed over the wrinkles on her pants. She clenched her fists as she walked silently to the gynecology department and began reviewing patient files. After a while, a nurse said hesitantly, "Ms. Wyatt, Mr. Ferse injured his leg yesterday. So starting today, in addition to the regular ward, you'll also need to do rounds in the VIP ward. It's about time for the rounds now." While speaking, the nurse handed another patient's file to Samantha. Samantha took the file without a word and glanced at it briefly. Her eyes trembled when she saw the patient's name. It was Erica's file. The file noted that Erica had hormonal imbalances and ovulation issues and had undergone multiple unsuccessful treatments. It was a conclusion that could only be drawn if the patient had been receiving treatment at the hospital for at least a year. This meant that Erica and Joseph had likely been involved for a long time. So, Erica had been openly undergoing fertility treatments at Samantha's workplace for a year without her knowing until today. A bitter smile tugged at Samantha's lips. She casually placed the file on the desk and turned to the nurse. "Sorry, I'm not feeling well today either. Please inform the director that I need to take a day off." With that, Samantha sighed deeply and left the hospital with a cold and disheartened expression. Half an hour later, Samantha parked her car right at the entrance of Halcyon Manor. She then headed upstairs with a newly printed divorce agreement in hand. The smell of intimacy in the room from last night had almost entirely dissipated, replaced by a faint jasmine scent. Samantha placed the divorce papers in the most conspicuous spot in the room to make sure Joseph wouldn't miss it. Then, she pulled out a suitcase from under the bed, opened the wardrobe, and began packing her things. The wardrobe seemed full, but in reality, there were only a few of her clothes. Most of them belonged to Joseph. So, it only took her about 10 minutes to pack her belongings. Dragging the suitcase downstairs, she loaded it into the trunk of her car. She took a final look at the elegant, yet empty, villa and felt a sudden sense of relief. She had been trapped in this vast house for the past three years, waiting every day for Joseph to return. Yet, she failed to win his heart. Fortunately, she realized it wasn't too late. Smiling in relief, Samantha looked away and drove off.