Chapter 2

After packing up his things, Xavier sat in front of the mirror and cut his slightly curled hair. The image of Reina pushing his gurney bed to the emergency room flashed before his eyes again. He had been injured in a car accident while saving her. "Hold on, Xavier! You can't die! As long as you survive, I'll agree to anything you ask!" Weakly, he had asked, "Will you marry me?" "I will!" she had replied while hugging him tightly. She had kept her promise. When Xavier had recovered and was discharged, she got on one knee and proposed to him. She had even personally planted ten acres of peach trees for him as a wedding gift. The sharp sting of the scissors cutting through his finger snapped Xavier back to reality. He thought about all the small details he had once overlooked. Reina had never once introduced him to her friends or family. On their wedding day, there had been no grand celebration. Every night, she came home and was only interested in being intimate with him. The rest of the time, she was always working in her study. Looking back, it seemed Reina must have thought Xavier was beneath her and would only embarrass her if she took him out in public. His only value to her was as someone to satisfy her needs in bed. It was so clear now. Reina had never loved him. How foolish had he been to think that he could take over Hugo's place in her heart if he did everything he could to be good to her? How naive of him! Xavier took off his wedding ring and tossed it in the trash can. He opened his laptop, logged into Instagram, and deleted all of his posts. Then, he booked a flight to leave Northreach City in three days. That night, Xavier fell into a deep sleep, only to wake up and feel someone lying next to him. Reina was snuggling into his arms. He pushed her away, pretending to sleep with his eyes closed. But then Reina hugged him from behind and asked in surprise, "Xavier, why did you cut your curly hair?" Xavier kept his eyes shut without answering. Suddenly, he felt a warm sensation on the edge of his lips. "With your curly hair, you look like Hugo from behind, but your eyes are different." A sharp pain shot through Xavier's chest, and he clenched his sleeves tightly. No wonder she always preferred to hug him from behind. She must have been imagining he was Hugo! He had been foolish to think that, even if she didn't truly care for him, she at least loved his body, which brought her pleasure. The past eight years had been a complete waste for Xavier. He couldn't sleep that night. The next morning, while getting ready, he came across a news article about Reina watching fireworks with a man. Though the media had only captured the man's blurry silhouette, Xavier instantly recognized him. It was Hugo. "Xavier, come eat," Reina called while setting the dishes on the table. Xavier turned his face away to hide the pain in his eyes and replied coldly, "I'm not hungry." Noticing that he was in a bad mood, Reina was puzzled. She walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist. "If you're bored staying at home, I can take you to pick out some of the latest high-end suits." Unable to resist her repeated insistence, Xavier eventually agreed. As they reached the entrance of the luxury boutique, they ran into the dapper Hugo, who was walking toward them.