Chapter 6

The whole day had passed, and aside from work-related updates, Grace still hadn't called or texted to apologize. "Let's see how long you can hold out," Luther muttered, tossing his phone aside as he stood up and strode into the kitchen. The moment he opened the fridge, he froze. Along with some food, the fridge was packed full of various herbal medicines. He randomly grabbed a packet and saw the label, which read, "Five doses a day, for infertility treatment." Luther frowned at the pungent smell of the herbs. Recalling the medicinal scent on Grace before, he now understood its source. He sneered inwardly. The two of them had never even been intimate, so no matter how much medicine she took, there was no way she could get pregnant. He tossed the packet back into the fridge. Feeling like he had finally figured out the reason behind Grace's tantrum, Luther's mood lightened instantly. With that, he returned to the master bedroom to rest. With Grace gone, he could come and go as he pleased without having to avoid her. Luther slept soundly that night. Since he had plans to meet Elijah for a round of golf, he headed to the walk-in closet early in the morning to change into sportswear. After getting dressed, he walked into the living room, out of habit wanting to tell Grace that he wouldn't be back today. "Today..." He started to speak but quickly realized there was no need to tell her anymore. At the golf course, Luther was in high spirits. His white athletic wear softened his usually sharp and handsome features, making him look more approachable. He stood tall on the course, looking like a movie star. With a perfect swing, the ball went straight into the hole. Elijah, who was watching from the side, praised him, "Luther, you're on fire today! Is there some good news you haven't told me?" Word had already spread that Grace wanted a divorce from Luther, and Elijah was aware of it. He just wanted to hear Luther confirm it himself so that he could signal Casey, who had been waiting nearby, to come over. Luther took a sip of water and replied casually, "Nothing much. I'm just getting ready to divorce Grace." Elijah was still taken aback upon hearing it directly. As Luther's friend, he knew Grace well. She was nothing more than a scheming, manipulative woman who clung to Luther. If a divorce had been an option, it would have happened long ago, not after over three years. "Did that deaf woman agree?" he asked. Luther's gaze darkened. "She was the one who proposed it." Elijah sneered, "It's probably just a ploy to make you want her more. I've seen plenty of women like that." Then, Elijah added with a grin, "Luther, I have a surprise for you today." While Luther was still puzzled, Elijah sent a message to Casey. Soon after, Luther saw Casey approaching in a vibrant coral sports outfit, looking polished and playful as she waved at him. As Casey walked over, Elijah knowingly said, "You two catch up. I'll leave you to it." After Elijah left, Casey suggested taking a walk. They went outside the golf course, and not far from there was the university they had once attended. Casey knew how to connect with men. Instead of mentioning Grace, she reminisced about their shared past. "Luther, do you remember this road? We used to come here often when we were dating. You used to hold my hand and promise that we would walk this path together forever." At this point, Casey stopped and extended her slender hand toward Luther. "Luther, will you hold my hand again and walk with me?" The moment she touched his hand, he instinctively pulled away. Casey was taken aback. Luther's expression remained unchanged. "I don't remember the past." For Luther, things like studying, dating, marriage, and work were just part of life, no different from completing a task. Even his first love was no exception. Casey's eyes welled with tears as she asked, "Do you still hold a grudge against me? I had no choice back then. I never wanted to leave you. I love you so much. "Do you know how I've struggled on my own all these years? I've been clinging to our past, striving to become better so that I could come back and be worthy of you." Luther frowned at Casey's words. "I'm already married," he said. "I know. But she wants to divorce you," Casey replied swiftly, then added, "I'm grateful to her for giving you back to me." Tears streamed down her face as she uncontrollably clung to Luther's waist. "You know, I hate Grace so much. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have been apart for so long." People often forgot things, and Casey seemed to have overlooked the fact that she was the one who ended things with Luther first, which led to his engagement with Grace. Luther's thoughts drifted to Grace's gentle, serene face. He remembered a time after her father's death when she had tearfully asked, "Luther, can you hold me?" At that time, Grace's brother, Matthew, had just voided all the terms of their marriage agreement, claiming not only the money Luther had given to the Mitchell family but also everything else owed to him. As a result, Luther walked away from Grace without offering any words of comfort. The image of Grace's sorrowful expression lingered in his mind, and he instinctively pulled away from Casey. Just as Casey was about to say something, Elijah hurried over, prompting her to quickly wipe away her tears. Elijah noticed the tension, yet he still handed Luther a document. "Luther, take a look at this." Luther opened the document to find a property transfer agreement. Elijah continued, "This is from Grace's lawyer, supposedly as compensation for your three years of marriage." Elijah thought Grace was demanding compensation from Luther, which was why he had rushed over. But when Luther examined the document, he found it was Grace transferring assets to him. His eyes widened in disbelief. When he saw the 100 million dollars at the end of the document, he found it laughable, wondering what Grace took him for. "A hundred million dollars, and she thinks that will make me forgive her and the Mitchells?" Luther mocked scornfully in front of Elijah and Casey. Elijah realized the situation and joined in the derision, "That deaf woman has been playing innocent, but it turns out she's been hiding a hundred million dollars in assets. Does her brother and money-hungry mother know about this?" Casey watched Luther and Elijah mock Grace with a mix of relief and disdain. She had been worried that Luther might have developed feelings for Grace after their three years of marriage. But now, it was clear that even a lifetime wouldn't make Luther interested in the insipid Grace. Grace wasn't even worthy of being her rival. ... Meanwhile, in a dimly lit motel room, Grace groggily opened her eyes. Her head throbbed with pain, and the silence around her was profound. She knew her condition had worsened.