Chapter 2

Isabelle woke up in a hospital bed. She reached down and touched her now-flat stomach. A crushing wave of sorrow surged through her chest. Her baby was really gone. Her relationship with Noah had also come to an end. As the door to the room opened, she turned and looked over. Noah walked in, holding Amber's hand. Their fingers were tightly intertwined. Amber's expression was cold. Her eyes were slightly red-rimmed as she glared at Isabelle in fury. "Mrs. Ashford, I've already walked away. I kept my distance. Why did you still send people to threaten my parents? You can't control your own husband, so you resort to bullying those who can't fight back?" Faced with an accusation she knew nothing about, Isabelle instinctively turned to Noah. Yet, he was looking at Amber affectionately, as if she were the one he truly loved. Isabelle's heart twisted in pain. He used to look at her that way too, with eyes full of tenderness and love, as if she had been the center of his world. He used to hold her close and tell her, "You're the best. No one else even comes close." But now, he had not even glanced in her direction since stepping inside. Isabelle let out a bitter, broken laugh. She ignored Amber and turned to ask Noah a single question. "Noah, why didn't you save our baby?" "You should ask yourself why you decided to get pregnant without telling me," he said coldly. "I don't even have the right to want a child in this marriage?" she asked, though she already knew the answer. Noah nodded and firmly replied, "That's correct." Isabelle looked down as tears gathered in her eyes. "I didn't come here to listen to you argue about a child, Mr. Ashford. You promised to give me an explanation," Amber said with a hint of displeasure as she looked at Noah. In front of him, she always maintained that calm, confident air. Noah gently patted Amber on the back to comfort her, then turned to Isabelle with a trace of reproach in his eyes. "Belle, you drove Amber away and threatened her parents. You owe her an apology." When she met his gaze, Isabelle felt a heavy pressure in her chest. She couldn't keep from defending herself. "I didn't do it. I'm not apologizing." "Are you really going to keep making a scene?" Noah asked coldly. "I swear, I didn't do it," Isabelle said while shaking her head. Noah's expression darkened. Without another word, he gestured toward the door. Two bodyguards entered the room. "Are you going to apologize on your own, or do the bodyguards need to help you?" he threatened. He gazed at her with cold eyes. Isabelle's chest tightened in pain as she stared stubbornly at Noah. She was gambling that he would keep his promise and not hurt her. "Help Mrs. Ashford," Noah said calmly. At that moment, Isabelle felt like she had fallen into an abyss. She had lost. Without struggling, she gave in to her fate. The bodyguards dragged her off the bed and forced her head down in a bow. "I'm sorry," she said. Isabelle bit down on her lip until she tasted blood. Noah tilted his head and looked at Amber in his arms. "Do you accept her apology?" he asked with a faint smile. Amber gave a small nod, then straightened up and said firmly, "Mr. Ashford, thank you for your affection, but this is the end. My parents would never allow me to be the other woman, and I won't let them be hurt again." "That's easy to fix. You won't be the other woman anymore," Noah said, pulling her closer. He then called his lawyer. "Prepare the divorce papers. Give Isabelle ten million dollars." Isabelle felt as if her heart had been torn open. She stared at him in disbelief. Noah had once sworn that he would give up everything just to marry her, yet he was now throwing her aside for someone else. Noah lifted Amber's chin and said possessively, "Once the divorce is final, you'll be my only girlfriend." Amber leaned into his arms and whispered, "I'll give you another chance. But if you betray me, I'll walk away immediately." Amber flashed a smug look at Isabelle over Noah's shoulder. Noah did not catch that. He smiled indulgently and walked out with Amber hand-in-hand, leaving Isabelle sitting on the floor alone. She let out a soft laugh as she watched them leave. It hurt so much that her chest ached, but she still smiled through the pain until tears streamed down her cheeks. Not long after, Noah's lawyer arrived with the divorce papers in hand. He looked at her and said calmly, "Mrs. Ashford, Mr. Ashford asked that you sign these, but he also told me to let you know that this is all temporary. Once he's had his fill of fun, he plans to come back to the family. He still intends to remarry you and have children." He placed a sleek black card and an envelope on the table. "There's ten million dollars on this card. Your anniversary is in two weeks. After it passes, Mr. Ashford hopes you'll take a vacation. Give him some space for a while. You don't have to worry. When you return from your trip, he'll come back to you." Isabelle stared at the papers in a daze. Did Noah really think she couldn't live without him? He was wrong. She clung to him back then because she loved him. But now, she no longer wanted to love him. Without a second thought, Isabelle signed the divorce agreement and took both the card and the ticket.