Chapter 7
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Three years ago, Peter insisted on taking me glacier trekking.
An avalanche caught us. The snow buried him, freezing his body and leaving him barely conscious.
I had no experience in the wild. I was too scared to shout and too clueless to save him. All I could do was clutch my lucky stone ring and cry, begging the heavens to take all my luck and give it to him. I just wanted him to live.
Back then, all I knew was that I loved him to death. Without Peter, I couldn’t go on.
Maybe my prayer worked. The avalanche stopped, and the snow covering him slowly slid off. I rushed to dig him out. By the time I dragged him free, my limbs were stiff with cold, my fingers were swollen and purple, and I was com- pletely numb.
But then, Peter suddenly lunged at me and punched me in the chest. The gemstone from my ring cut into me, sharp and brutal. I passed out.
He carried me to the rescue team, where I got my wound stitched up. I stayed in the hospital for a month before going home.
After that, my heart often ached. But I didn’t want to worry him, so I went to Dr. Robin in secret.
The scans showed that fragments of the gemstone were lodged in my chest. The shards had pierced my heart, but heart tissue had wrapped them tightly, making removal extremely difficult. The surgery risk was nearly fatal.
Luckily, Dr. Robin said as long as I avoided intense activity or emotional stress, the shards could stay inside me. I’d just have to live with occasional stabbing pain.
At the time, I thought I had loving parents, a capable sister, and a husband who adored me. I wasn’t facing any pres- sure to have kids either. What could possibly break me?
I asked Dr. Robin to keep it a secret. I didn’t want the people I loved to worry, I was sure this would stay hidden for- ever–until Peter and I grew old and happy together.
However, the Durand family faced ruin. And it was Peter who did it.
The shards in my heart kept shifting. Every deep breath came with tearing, blinding pain.
Dr. Robin told me I was beyond saving.
The shards had made rips in my heart. The center was now just pulp. I was only alive because my brain hadn’t real- ized my heart was already destroyed.
I asked how long I had, and Dr. Robin said three days.
I thought that was enough.
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Chapter 7
288 Vouchers
One day to gather the Durand family’s belongings, one day to gather my own, and the last day to make Peter regret it for the rest of his life.
Peter’s tears fell on my eyelashes as he flipped through the medical records, disbelief written all over his face. He read them again and again.
“She told me she was fine. She said it was just a minor injury.”
Dr. Robin sneered. “Yeah. She didn’t want you to worry. Who knew you were a monster, wishing she’d die? You took her across mountains and seas—not out of love but just waiting for something to go wrong. Congrats, you got what you wanted.”
“She… She really thought that?”
“No! No-” Peter was like a panicked child, fumbling to explain. “I never meant to hurt her. Never.
“I took her out there because I couldn’t stand the ridicule in New York. Out there, it was just us–no status, no judg- ment. I could focus on just the way she looked at me… I liked that. That’s why I kept taking her away.
“I didn’t want to hurt her. That day, I was hypothermic and hallucinating. I thought she was some wild animal attack- ing me. I didn’t mean to hit her…
“It’s just–dammit, I’m still a man! I have pride! I have dignity! Everyone was already mocking me for being her lap- dog. How could I bow my head and apologize? I couldn’t… But I still loved her!
“We were so close to being free. No one would laugh at me anymore. Everything was about to end. Why… Why couldn’t she wait just a little longer? We were so close to being happy again…”
Dr. Robin, the top doctor in New York who was born into an old, powerful family, wasn’t afraid of Peter in the slight-
est.
He stood up and went to push my body toward the door.
“The police and forensics team are right outside. Hand Ms. Durand over, and maybe your sentence won’t be as long.”
Peter threw a punch.
“Who said you could touch my Felicia?! Get your filthy hands off her! She’s my wife! Only I can touch her!
“You’ve been eyeing her, haven’t you? You made up this whole story just to steal her from me! Dream on! I won’t fall for it. Guards! Block every exit of the house. No one gets in or out!”
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