Chapter 5

After several days of rest, Nadia was finally discharged from the hospital. She had never liked the sterile smell of disinfectant in hospitals. Wendy was away on a business trip, so she had sent a driver to pick her up. Dragging her still-weak body, Nadia returned to the apartment she had bought before the marriage. It was small but entirely hers. It made her feel safe. The place had been kept clean in her absence. It was spotless and comfortable. There were even fresh flowers on the dining table. The apartment sat in the heart of the city, a prime location where every square foot cost a fortune. From the balcony, she had a clear view of the traffic threading through the streets below. Just across the skyline stood Ford Tower, more than 80 stories high, rising like a titan at the center of it all. Before the marriage, Nadia had often stood here staring at it, as if she could see through steel and glass because her beloved worked inside. Now, her gaze had turned cold. That part of her life was done. Nadia stepped back inside and quietly pulled the curtains shut. A sudden cramp in her lower abdomen twisted through her again. It felt like a silent reminder of the little life she had lost. She drew in a sharp breath and shook her head, trying to will the ache away. There was no time to drown in grief. She had more important things to do. Nadia powered up her laptop for the first time in weeks. As the screen came to life, she spotted an unread, starred email waiting in her inbox, just as she expected. She clicked it open and scanned it quickly. Her expression hardened. Then, she typed a simple reply. "Proceed as planned." After clicking send, she closed the laptop. She moved with such swift determination. It was as if the fragile version of her from earlier had never existed. She took the medicine the doctor had prescribed and swallowed the pills with a glass of water. The bitterness coated her tongue, but she didn't seem to notice. Exhaustion hit her like a wave. She crawled into bed and sank into sleep almost instantly. … Later that evening, Julian knocked on the door of the CEO's office at Ford Group before stepping inside. "Mr. Ford, Mrs. Ford was discharged today. She didn't return to Rosewood Residences. She moved into an apartment under her name." Callum's hand holding a pen paused briefly when he heard those words—just briefly. Then, he gave a noncommittal and emotionless hum. When he looked up, his dark eyes were unreadable. "Where she stays has nothing to do with me." They hadn't been living together anyway. They only saw each other once or twice each month. Julian kept quiet. The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees. Callum tossed the signed files aside. His tone was neutral, like he was commenting on the weather, as he said, "Send her the divorce agreement. Tell her to sign it as soon as possible." "Yes, Mr. Ford," Julian replied, suppressing a sigh. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for Nadia, who had never really had Callum's affection. Maybe their marriage really was over. Callum lowered his head again. His eyes were fixed on the numbers flashing across the screen, as if the conversation just now had been nothing more than a trivial contract. But the way his fingers gripped the pen until his knuckles turned white told a different story. Just then, Brittany walked in. Julian grabbed the divorce agreement and hurried out. Brittany looked stunning. Her every movement was effortlessly feminine. She was in a great mood. She never expected the mystery patient at Central General Hospital to be Nadia. Even better, she had been hospitalized because of a miscarriage. Other women tried everything to get rid of the wife's baby. But Nadia? She was so weak and unlucky that she couldn't even hold onto hers. The miscarriage happened just like that. It was as if fate itself was rooting for Brittany. Even a TV series wouldn't dare write something this cruel. With no child, Nadia had no chance of clinging to Callum. And the best part was that Callum still didn't know about the miscarriage. This was Brittany's golden opportunity. When Callum looked up, his expression softened. "What brings you here?" "I came to have dinner with you. Since I've got some free time lately, I want to spend more of it with you. I'll be auditioning for a major TV series next week. Just thinking about it makes me excited." Brittany was all smiles, practically glowing with excitement. Callum glanced at her beaming face and couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl up slightly. "If it caught your eye, then it's definitely not some average project." Brittany leaned in with a proud grin, eager to spill the news. "You've heard of 'A Flower's Grave,' right? It's that insanely popular novel with millions of fans. Corolla reportedly dropped a fortune to snag the rights. Only the top five actresses on the fan vote list get a shot at the lead. Guess what? I'm ranked second." Of course Callum knew about the project. It had been making waves in the literary world. Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent tens of millions of dollars having Corolla Entertainment secure it. Brittany was their top star, after all. And just last month, he had initiated the acquisition of Corolla Entertainment. He normally stayed far away from the entertainment industry, but for Brittany, he had made an exception and spared no expense. Brittany didn't know about the buyout yet. He wanted to surprise her. Eventually, he planned to hand Corolla Entertainment over to her as a wedding gift. Callum nodded and reached for her hand. "That's great. But with your talent, you should be number one." Brittany slid onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck as she said sweetly, "Callum, you have no idea how lucky I feel to have met you. Ever since you came into my life, it's been one win after another. I know you've been helping me behind the scenes. Thank you for believing in me." He pinched her cheek affectionately. "As long as you're happy." Four years ago, in Nerelle Bay of Falveria, Callum would've drowned if it hadn't been for Brittany. From that day on, he believed she deserved his love and the best the world could give. Brittany pressed her forehead to his, slowly leaning in for a kiss. His breath brushed against her skin, warm and steady. He didn't move away. Suddenly, his phone rang. Brittany frowned in annoyance. Callum chuckled and answered it. On the other end, Wyatt's animated voice came through, "Callum, Samuel's back. I heard he's hosting a private dinner at Cypress Club tonight for some mysterious guest. Do you think that guest might be Nior? Callum froze for half a second, then his eyes lit up. "I'm heading there now." He ended the call and paused to think. Samuel Langner was the heir to one of the most powerful conglomerates in Falveria and the founder of Global Medical Summit. They had crossed paths once, years ago in Falveria. And now, Nior's appearance had just been announced, and Samuel was already here in Seora? Why here, of all places? He had to get to the bottom of it. No matter what, he had to secure a partnership between Nior and Ford Group. Brittany looked at him with a puzzled look. "What was that about?" Callum gently smoothed a hand over her hair. "Nothing big. Let me take you somewhere nice for dinner." He grabbed his coat and took her hand, leaving the office with her. … The sudden chime of the doorbell cut through the stillness of the apartment. Nadia stirred from sleep, groggy and disoriented. She shuffled to the door in her slippers, dragging her feet. She twisted the doorknob and opened it slowly. Standing there was a man. That familiar, handsome face was now marked with a touch of maturity.