Chapter 2

Seeing the stark contrast in how he looked at her versus me made my chest ache.

"Julian, even if you're trying to punish me, you don't have to bring another woman into your office just to spite me."

Nicole looked caught off guard, her face flushing with awkward embarrassment.

Julian softened his tone as he turned to her. "Nicole, give us a minute. Wait outside."

Once the door clicked shut, I cleared away the takeout boxes they had barely touched and neatly arranged the dishes I made on his desk.

"Julian, come eat. It's my first time cooking for you. Don't I have talent?" I looked at him, desperate for a shred of approval.

Julian stared darkly at the spicy, heavily seasoned food, a cold smirk touching his lips. "Scarlett, are you sure you want me to eat this?"

I nodded eagerly, my eyes shining with hope.

Without saying another word, Julian picked up his fork and began eating in silence.

Halfway through the meal, his face turned chalk-white. Fine beads of cold sweat broke out across his forehead.

Panicking, I grabbed his wrist to stop him. "Julian! What's wrong?"

Julian looked up at me with a hollow, mocking smile. "Scarlett, are you satisfied now?"

My eyes widened in horror as reality hit me like a slap to the face.

Right. In our past life, I fought with him constantly and demanded a divorce every week.

While running a multi-billion-dollar empire, he spent every spare second managing my meltdowns.

He had barely eaten a proper meal in three years.

He had developed severe chronic stomach ulcers. The slightest bit of spice triggered unbearable, agonizing spasms.

Watching the color drain from his lips, I tried to pull him to his feet in a panic. "Julian, I'm taking you to the ER right now!"

He shoved my hands away with surprising force.

"Save the fake tears. What, do you think the settlement money isn't enough?"

I twisted my fingers together, choking back a sob. "No... I swear, I just didn't know. It was my first time cooking..."

Back then, he was the one who cooked every single meal. But I always sneered, flipped the plates, or refused to touch a bite.

And if I didn't eat, I wouldn't let him eat either.

I had been such a monster.

Julian dialed Mark, who rushed in and drove him to the hospital.

I followed right behind them, sick with worry.

Nicole showed up shortly after.

When the doctor finally emerged from the examination room, his face was storm-dark. "With gastric ulcers this severe, who fed him spicy food? Are you people trying to kill him?"

I shrank back, guilt suffocating me.

Nicole whipped around, glaring at me with raw hatred. "Scarlett, what is wrong with you?! Are you not going to stop until you literally kill him?"

Embarrassment and guilt made me lash out defensively. "He's an adult! If he can't eat spicy food, why didn't he just say so? He chose to eat it!"

The words had barely left my mouth when I saw Julian walking out behind the doctor.

His face was ghostly pale, his dark eyes chillingly hollow.

He had heard every word. A flicker of cold amusement crossed his gaze.

"Scarlett, can you just disappear from my life?"

"I'm letting you go. Please, let me go too."

Without waiting for an answer, he let Nicole support him by the arm as they walked toward his private suite.

Julian stayed in the hospital for an entire week.

Every single time I tried to visit, Mark blocked me at the door on Julian's strict orders.

One afternoon, I sat in the living room sketching jewelry designs, trying to pick up my old passion.

The front door opened, and Julian walked in, Nicole right behind him.

"Wait downstairs," Julian told her casually. "I'll grab the contract files, and we'll head back to the office."

He didn't even spare me a glance before heading up the stairs.

Nicole stepped forward, a smug, venomous smirk on her lips. "Scarlett, you're already divorced. Sticking around like an unwanted stray is pretty pathetic, don't you think?"

I rolled my eyes and kept my voice icy. "None of your damn business."

Her lips curved into a twisted grin. "Tell me... do you think Julian will still defend you unconditionally like he used to?"

Before I could process what she meant, she snatched my drafting pencil off the table and jammed the sharp graphite point straight into her own palm.

"Ahhh!"

She shrieked at the top of her lungs, shoved me hard against a decorative side table, and knocked over a massive ceramic vase.

The vase shattered into jagged pieces across the hardwood. My hands slammed down directly into the razor-sharp porcelain shards.

Blood welled up instantly, staining the white ceramic bright red.

Heavy footsteps pounded down the stairs. Julian rushed down, taking in the bloody scene.

When his eyes landed on Nicole's bleeding hand, he whipped his head toward me, fury burning in his gaze.

"Scarlett! What is wrong with you?!"