Chapter 2

The next morning, a lawyer delivered a divorce agreement. "Ms. Cole, the terms are exactly as you requested. Once both parties sign, it'll take effect immediately. Please check if there's anything you want to amend." Phyllis skimmed a few pages and said flatly, "It's fine. Just leave it as is, Mr. Milton. Your fee will be transferred shortly, so keep an eye out for it." Luke Milton nodded, about to say something, when Nathan suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Lissy, who is he?" His sharp gaze carried an oppressive weight, and his voice was laced with a frostiness that made it hard to meet his eyes. Before he could press further, Luke, who was good at reading the room, quickly grabbed his briefcase and slipped out. Phyllis didn't answer. She simply stood and headed upstairs, but as she walked past him, her slender wrist was yanked hard. "Let go! You're hurting me." She frowned in pain, and her stunning eyes were full of nothing but disgust. Nathan eased his grip slightly, but he then pulled her straight into his arms. "Lissy, are you still mad? Be good, and don't make a fuss, alright?" His deep voice rumbled above Phyllis' head. His tone was gentle, but it carried a sickening undertone to her. She'd rather deal with his harsh attitude than see him look at her with the same tender gaze he once had. He was the one who broke his promise, so why was he putting on a show now? She didn't care to wonder why, didn't care to argue, and had no interest in pouring her heart out in tears. "Nathan." She shoved him away, stumbling back a few steps. "Don't touch me. You're filthy." The calm mask on his face cracked instantly. His tone sharpened. "Lissy, didn't I explain the other day? You're the only one I love." He thought he had already done enough by announcing to the world they'd never have children and standing up to his parents for years. But between the twin sisters, he found Patricia far more understanding, while Phyllis seemed unreasonable and quick-tempered. He let out a soft sigh, his patience wearing thin and replaced by irritation. "What do I have to do before you're willing to talk to me properly?" "I want a div—" Phyllis didn't finish. A phone rang, slicing through the moment. Nathan glanced at the caller ID, then immediately picked up without hesitation. "Patricia, what's wrong? Is the baby crying again?" His voice softened instinctively. The joy of new fatherhood was written all over his face. On the other end, Patricia's pitiful tone traveled over. "Nathan, I heard there's going to be a hurricane later. Can you come stay with me and the baby?" "Alright. Just wait for me with the baby. Don't be scared. I'll be right there." As he hung up, a clap of thunder rolled outside. The curtains whipped violently in the wind, and through the window, a tree could be seen split in half. He barely spared it a glance before saying firmly, "Lissy, I'm going to stay with Patricia and the baby. Lock the doors and windows yourself." While he spoke, Phyllis' eyes flicked toward the table. She picked up the agreement and held it out. "You can go to them, but you have to sign this first." She blocked the doorway with a determined expression, though her eyes glistened faintly. He looked puzzled, about to flip through it, when his phone rang again. The urgent tone shattered his focus. Balancing the call with Patricia and a pen in hand, he scrawled his signature without a glance at the terms. Seeing that it was done, Phyllis' lips curved into a faint, relieved smile. She even stepped aside to open the door for him. "Go on. Don't keep her waiting." She watched Nathan drive away, then uncorked a bottle of wine and downed it in one go, treating it as a toast to her freedom. Running her fingers over his signature, she murmured, "You say it's for the sake of carrying on the family line, but your actions tell me you love Patricia..." The moment he braved a hurricane to go to Patricia and told Phyllis to lock the doors and windows herself, she'd known that Patricia mattered more to him. That kind of difference didn't look anything like love. She laughed bitterly, pressing her palm to her chest as if searching for the ache. But after a long moment, there was nothing. It was as if she were numb. She wanted to ask him, "Who do you really love when you look at the same face?" But on second thought, the question didn't matter anymore. That night, Patricia sent her a message. "Tomorrow is my second anniversary with Nathan, and it's also the baby's first birthday. The party will be at Briarwood Manor. Phyllis, you have to come." Her eyes were fixed on the word "second". So she'd been kept in the dark for that long, sharing Nathan with someone else all along. She had thought letting go would be easy. But when the pain hit, it knocked the wind out of her. Tears fell onto the screen, blurring the text. She replied with a cold expression, "Fine. I'll be there." There was no doubt that it hurt. But if Patricia wanted to provoke her, she had no reason not to go. She'd show up and walk away with her pride intact.