Chapter 5
The scene before them left the onlookers frozen in shock.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“It’s still broad daylight!”
“Has Terrence completely lost his mind?”
“All of this… for a woman?”
After what felt like an eternity, Terrence finally released the journalist, who stumbled back, his face drained of color. Terrence shot a cold, disdainful glance at the crowd, his voice icy yet firm.
“Since you’re all so curious,” he began, his tone dark, “I’ll tell you about our relationship. But just this once.”
A heavy silence fell over the entrance of the hospital. Everyone stood frozen, a mix of fear and curiosity hanging in the air.
Then, Terrence’s magnetic voice rang out again, sharp and commanding.
“She’s under my protection!” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “If you dare to bother or intercept her again, there will be consequences.”
With that, Terrence turned away, his presence so domineering it left the crowd in stunned silence.
Beside him, Margaret looked up at him with a delicate, almost shy expression, gazing at him with admiration and affection. It was as if she were savoring every word he said. The reporters and journalists, witnessing this scene, immediately understood the message.
Valerie, watching from her car, felt a strange heaviness fill her chest. The sight of the two of them together, the way Terrence had protected Margaret in such an overt display of affection, made her stomach churn. She didn’t want to see a doctor anymore today—she couldn’t stomach being here. With a heavy heart, she pressed the gas pedal and drove back to her villa.
When she arrived, she was met by a dozen trucks, each carrying her belongings. The antiques that once adorned the villa were being carted away one by one. Valerie stood there, her eyes glazed, watching as pieces of her past, pieces of the life she once thought she would build with Terrence, were taken away. The villa, once filled with memories, was now half-empty.
A strange feeling lingered in the pit of her stomach. It was as if something deep inside her had been hollowed out.
She walked back into the house, feeling the emptiness around her, and pulled out her phone. As her eyes skimmed the calendar, it hit her—the day before her departure was her birthday.
But how could she have forgotten? Every year, Margaret always called Terrence on special days, and Valerie had grown to avoid those days altogether. They had become a reminder of what she didn’t have and would never have. Her birthday, a day that should have been for her, had slipped her mind as well.
It didn’t matter. She told herself. Once she left Terrence, she would be able to live a normal life again, free from the manipulation and heartache.
That night, Valerie went to bed with a sense of anticipation, a spark of hope that tomorrow would mark the start of something new.
The next morning, she made her way to the house she and Terrence had planned to make their marital home.
Terrence had originally intended to buy the house himself, but Valerie had insisted on sharing the cost. She had always believed that a home should be built together, as partners.
At the time, she didn’t have enough liquid assets, so she had reluctantly sold her most cherished possession—the unique antique vase that had been passed down through generations. It had meant so much to her, but she had done it for their future.
Arriving at the front door, Valerie entered the security code. She pressed the numbers, only to be met with an error. The screen blinked red, indicating that the password was incorrect.
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
