Chapter 2

The next day, I went to the Vance family estate.

I laid the eight sets of signed divorce decrees on the table in front of Eleanor.

"Eleanor, Ethan and I are divorced again."

Eleanor looked at me with deep pity and let out a long sigh.

"Ethan has failed you. You two were so happy before."

"But this time is different. I've contacted several specialists, and they all say the chances of recovery are high."

She slid a doctor's business card toward me, her eyes filled with hope.

"I'm getting old, Clara. I just want you two to have a good life together."

"He's actually been remembering a lot of things lately..."

Before she could finish, I cut her off.

"But he has never remembered a single thing about me."

I lowered my head, avoiding her pitying gaze.

Silence fell over the room until she spoke again.

"If you leave, and Ethan finally remembers you only to find you gone... he'll go crazy."

For the past three years, every time we divorced, Eleanor would say this.

And because of this sentence, my heart would soften again and again.

We would remarry, over and over.

Before I could reply, there was a sound at the front door.

Ethan walked in. The moment he saw me, his forehead creased in irritation.

"Clara? Are you here to complain to my mother again?"

"I already kicked you out, yet you're still hovering like a ghost. Can you literally not survive without me?"

Eleanor’s chest heaved with rage. She stood up abruptly.

She raised her hand and slapped Ethan hard across the face.

"Have you lost your mind? How much more are you going to push Clara?"

"Without her, you would have died years ago!"

I sat on the sofa, squeezing my hands into fists.

My mind drifted back to seven years ago.

His marriage with Chloe had been a living hell.

He gave her all his love, but she was already sleeping with other men.

Betrayed, Ethan became the laughingstock of high society overnight.

When he went to confront her, Chloe stole ten million dollars from his account and vanished without a trace.

After that, Ethan fell into a deep depression. He was about to jump off a bridge and end his life.

I was the one who pulled him back.

"So what? She just wants money anyway," Ethan said, still stubbornly staring at his mother.

"I don't care what Chloe did in the past. I love her. I can't love anyone else."

"And I won't regret it."

It felt as if all the strength was instantly drained from Eleanor.

She turned to look at me, her eyes full of apology.

Ethan rubbed his temples and finally tilted his head back, looking dismissive.

"Clara, if you want to remarry, fine. We'll just end up divorcing again anyway. You'll be the one embarrassed, not me."

"Since you can't live without me, let's go to the courthouse right now."

"This would be your eighth time, right?"

I curled my lips into a bitter smile. I couldn't connect this man with the Ethan in my memories anymore.

"I came today to make things clear with Eleanor."

"You're free, Ethan."

Ethan froze. His hand hanging by his side twitched slightly.

He stared at me in disbelief, but quickly recovered his arrogant smirk.

"Playing hard to get? Too bad it doesn't work on me."

"Fine. You said it. Don't come crawling back to me."

He practically spat the words through gritted teeth.

Ignoring his mother's protests, he threw his car keys on the table and stormed out.

Eleanor felt dizzy with anger, shouting at his retreating back:

"You will regret this!"