Chapter 2

Selena dragged her exhausted body back home. As soon as she pushed open the door, a bucket of ice water poured down on her head. The sharp edges of the chunks of ice hit her forehead, and redness filled her vision. Next, mocking voices echoed in her ears. "You took advantage of the time when Claire went abroad to marry Edmund. Now that Claire is back, it's time for you to get lost, you disgusting simp!" "Exactly! You traded a kidney for five years of marriage with Edmund. That was a pretty sweet deal." "We're holding a welcome-back party for Claire today. You're nothing but a worthless stand-in. You have no right to attend the party. Stay outside like an obedient dog!" In the chaos, someone pushed Selena. She stumbled and fell to the floor. It was late fall by then, and she was soaked from head to toe. When the wind hit her damp body, her face turned deathly pale from the cold. "There's no rush, as I'll be leaving soon," Selena said softly. As soon as she said this, the sneering expressions of disdain on the faces of the people who ridiculed her froze in shock. In the silence, Selena got to her feet with difficulty and pushed aside the people blocking the entrance. Then, she strode inside. Edmund, who was in the living room, heard the commotion and looked up at her. Upon seeing her disheveled and drenched form, he immediately frowned. "What happened to you? Go clean yourself up first. Claire faints at the sight of blood. You'll scare her if she sees you in this state," Edmund said, his face scrunching up with disapproval. A corner of Selena's lips lifted as a subtle, self-deprecating smirk formed. She had been utterly devoted to him for five years—even a glacier would have at least melted a bit. Yet, Edmund didn't bat an eyelash when he saw her covered in blood. He didn't care whether she was in pain and didn't bother to ask her who had hurt her. The first thing he thought about was Claire's fear of blood. Without a doubt, he was utterly besotted with Claire. Back in the bedroom, Selena took out the first-aid kit and treated her wound skillfully. Looking at her numb expression in the mirror, she suddenly felt a pang in her heart. For a moment, she remembered how she used to act spoiled over a tiny scratch and insisted that Herman comfort her. Now, she had learned to endure pain and tend to her wounds alone. And it was all because the one who cared about her was no longer there. After spending a whole day in the cold mountain wind and then getting drenched in ice water, all she wanted now was a good sleep. But to her dismay, the noise from downstairs continued until the middle of the night. At 3:00 am, Selena finally fell asleep. Then at 5:00 am, her alarm rang as usual. Edmund had a sensitive stomach and was very particular about food, so Selena always woke up early to prepare his breakfast. But this time, she simply reached out to turn off the alarm and go back to sleep. It wasn't until 9:00 am that she finally woke up and went downstairs to pour herself a glass of warm water. Edmund was awake too. Upon seeing the empty dining table, he looked slightly surprised. "Oh, you didn't make breakfast today. Never mind, I'm going out for brunch with some friends. Make sure to clean up the living room," he instructed. Selena seemed more like a maid rather than his wife. Now that she no longer had any expectations for Edmund, she naturally didn't want to bother with these trivial tasks anymore. She took her time to finish her water before saying, "I'm not feeling well. Get someone else to do it." The air in the living room became stifled for a moment. Edmund gave her an exasperated look and said, "They were just joking yesterday. I already told them off. Don't keep dwelling on it." Selena was slightly taken aback by his words. Then, she realized he thought she was throwing a tantrum about yesterday's events. In the past, she would still keep the house spotless even when she had a high fever. So, refusing to do housework over such a "small injury" right now seemed a bit out of character for her. However, she had no intention of explaining herself. Just then, Edmund's phone suddenly rang. Whatever the person on the other end said made his face fall dramatically, and he immediately rushed out the door. Selena didn't need to ask—she already knew it was Claire. After all, only she could make Edmund look that anxious. Selena stared at the messy living room for a few seconds before picking up her phone and calling a house cleaning service. By noon, she cooked herself a plate of pasta. She had only taken a few bites when her phone rang. "Make some seafood risotto and bring it to the hospital." Before she could refuse, the call was cut off.