Chapter 6

I looked at him, my former partner, the man who used to trust me with his life. Now, he didn't even believe a word I said.

I lowered my gaze to my hands. They were cold, and I couldn't feel anything anymore. I thought about arguing with him, and I thought about telling them the truth. Jennifer had planned everything. She had pushed me toward the attacker and staged the entire thing, but what would be the point?

Matthew had already made his choice.

I looked out the window for a long time before quietly saying, “Fine.”

Everyone went silent.

I turned my face toward Matthew.

“I agree to the divorce.”

Jennifer's eyes widened, but I caught the faintest hint of satisfaction behind her shocked expression.

“Annika...”

“Don't worry,” I said calmly. “You don't have to pretend anymore. You can have him.”

Matthew stared at me, but I couldn't read his expression, and at this point, I didn't care anymore.

In fact, this made things easier. I didn't have to think about how to end a marriage that had already fallen apart.

I turned around and reached for my walking cane, and Cora immediately came to my side to assist me.

---

I was halfway down the corridor when I saw a couple walking together.

The man was supporting the woman by her arm as she leaned against him, and they were laughing quietly as they walked.

For some reason, I suddenly remembered my wedding day.

Matthew had held my hand and promised me, “From now on, we'll face everything together. Whatever happens, I'll never leave you.”

I remembered how he'd stayed beside me whenever I was sick. When I had a high fever, he'd sit beside my bed all night and force me to take my medicine, and whenever he had to leave for a dangerous mission, he'd always hold my hand before walking out the door.

“Don't worry about me, Annika. I'll come back.”

I used to believe him.

I used to believe every promise he made.

But that Matthew was gone.

Or maybe he'd never existed at all.

My tears finally fell, and I quickly wiped them away before Cora could notice.

...

Jennifer survived the stabbing.

The doctors said she'd need time to recover, but she wasn't in danger anymore.

I wasn't as lucky.

Because I'd spent days dealing with my burns and refused to properly rest, the wounds on my legs became infected, and my fever kept coming back.

I was barely conscious when a famous dermatology professor arrived at the hospital. He was only staying for a short time, and according to the doctors, he could only treat one patient before leaving.

They were preparing to take me into surgery when Matthew suddenly stopped them.

“Professor, please see Jennifer first. Her condition is more urgent.”

I lay on the hospital bed, burning with fever, and I could barely keep my eyes open, but I heard him.

I heard his choice.

Again.

I almost smiled.

This used to be so easy for Matthew.

He always chose me.

I remembered the time we were still working as crime investigators. During a competition, Matthew was about to win first place when he saw me get injured. He didn't even think twice. He walked away from the competition and ran straight to me.

I remembered another night when we were watching a movie. The main characters had to choose between saving themselves or saving the person they loved, and I'd asked Matthew what he'd do.

He'd pulled me closer and said, “If I ever have to choose between you and anything else, Annika, I'll choose you. There's no question.”

Back then, I was his first choice.

Now? I wasn't even worth waiting for.

That was fine.

Maybe this was exactly what I needed.

If Matthew kept choosing Jennifer, then there'd be nothing left for me to hold on to.

I endured the treatment and surgery. The pain was unbearable, but I didn't complain. I'd survived worse. I'd spent years chasing criminals for him, facing enemies who betrayed him and walking into dangerous situations, so pain wasn't something I was afraid of.

What I couldn't survive was staying in a marriage where my husband had already chosen another woman.

Matthew came to see me while I was recovering.

He stood beside my bed for a long time before finally speaking.

“I know we need to talk about the divorce.”

I didn't answer.

He waited.

I still said nothing.

Eventually, he stopped trying.

He left without another word. That was the last time we talked about our marriage.

…

After I discharge...

A few of Matthew's men passed by at the end of the corridor, and the moment they saw Matthew and Jennifer together, they grinned.

“Yo, Don Brewster! Jennifer! Fucking congratulations!”

“Finally! About damn time!”

“Don't forget our wedding booze and cigars!”

“Yeah, Don! We're expecting a hell of a party!”

Their laughter suddenly died when they noticed me standing nearby. The men exchanged awkward looks, and one of them scratched the back of his neck.

“Shit.”

Another quickly looked away.

I lowered my head and pretended I hadn't heard anything, but I heard every word.

Wedding.

So they already knew?

How long had Matthew been planning to marry Jennifer?

I tightened my grip around my cane. Three years ago, these same men had congratulated Matthew and me when we got married. Back then, they called me their future Madam. Now, they were celebrating another woman's wedding to my husband.

Funny.

Before I could leave, Jennifer called my name.

“Annika, wait.”

I stopped, and she quickly walked over.

“There's a little gathering tonight. Some of the senior members are coming, and everyone wants to see you. Come with us, okay? It's been years since you've sat down with everyone.”

She turned toward Matthew.

“Don Matthew, you don't mind, right?”

Matthew looked at me.

“If Annika wants to go, let her. If she doesn't, then don't force her.”

I almost smiled. How considerate. After everything he'd done, he suddenly cared whether I wanted to go?

I lowered my dark glasses and said, “I'll go.”

Jennifer looked surprised, but she quickly smiled.

“Great. It'll be fun.”

Fun?

Was that what she called it? Going to a dinner where everyone was celebrating her upcoming marriage to my husband?

I almost wanted to see how far this joke would go.

“Let's go.”

Cora quietly came to my side and guided me away, and I didn't say another word.

The dinner that night was fucking awkward. Matthew's men were usually loud. They drank, cursed, laughed, and talked about everything under the sun, but the moment I sat down, everyone suddenly remembered how to shut their damn mouths.

Nobody talked about business, the recent bloodshed between the Brewster Empire and the rival syndicate, or the traitor we'd recently buried. Most importantly, nobody talked about my divorce. They were treating me like I was some fragile fucking porcelain doll.

I sat quietly at the table with my dark glasses covering my eyes and my cane resting against my chair. Cora stayed nearby, helping me whenever I needed it. Everyone still thought I couldn't see, and they had no fucking idea that I could see everything.

The nervous looks. The whispers. The way some of Matthew's men kept glancing at me.

The way Jennifer sat beside Matthew and how he kept leaning slightly toward her whenever she spoke.

I saw all of it.

One of the older men had a few too many drinks and suddenly slammed his glass onto the table.

“Fuck, you know what I miss?”

Everyone turned toward him.

“The old days, back when Annika and the Don were partners.”

A few men laughed.