Chapter 4

Adeline didn't wake up again until a full day had passed.

The injuries on her face had been treated, and the searing pain had dulled to a numb ache.

Dominic was sitting by her bedside, nonchalantly smoking a cigarette.

"Does it hurt, honey?"

Adeline’s expression remained wooden. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Dominic. I feel much better."

Hearing the formal way she addressed him, the smirk on Dominic’s lips faltered slightly.

As the smoke swirled in the air, Adeline began to cough uncontrollably.

"Honey, don't throw a tantrum with me."

He was smiling, but his voice had turned cold.

Adeline’s heart gave a violent shudder as she recalled how people in their social circle described him.

[Dominic is a madman. When he loses it, he’s capable of driving his own parents to jump off a building.]

She shivered and gave up her resistance.

The dangerous glint in Dominic’s eyes finally softened. "That’s a good girl. Tomorrow is Bianca’s birthday. Remember to show up on time; I’ve already prepared a gift for you to give her."

Adeline looked at the string of astronomical-priced jewelry on the nightstand and let out a bitter laugh.

Having an ex-wife present a birthday gift to the mistress?

It was a level of humiliation she had never even heard of.

Suddenly, Bianca’s coquettish voice drifted in from outside the room: "Dominic, why haven't you come to give me my massage yet?"

Dominic crushed his cigarette and tucked the corners of Adeline’s blanket in. "Get some rest. I’ll come to see you tomorrow."

The door clicked shut.

That night, the sounds of moaning from the adjacent room never ceased.

Adeline cried the entire night, and when she woke, her pillow was soaked through.

She told herself that this would be the last time she ever shed a tear for him.

By the time she went downstairs, the gala had already begun.

Dominic had specifically invited the elite of the entire city and chose to hold the event right in their home.

It was a clear statement that he was bringing Bianca out into the light, officially replacing her.

When the guests saw Adeline, their eyes were filled with either pity or disdain.

"Forced into a divorce and slapped in the face like this by her own husband... how does she have the nerve to keep living here?"

"Married all these years and she dresses worse than the maids. She’s become the laughingstock of the city, yet she acts like nothing's wrong."

Countless insults were hurled her way.

Adeline stood in the corner, numbly watching Bianca being treated like a princess in the center of the crowd. She watched Dominic hold Bianca’s hand as they accepted toasts, and watched them share a passionate, public kiss after blowing out the birthday candles...

As the champagne bottles popped, the light in Adeline’s eyes died out completely.

Just as she turned to leave, the butler rushed over.

"Sir, there’s been an accident with the scheduled pianist. He can’t make it. Should we switch to a different performance?"

Bianca, nestled in Dominic’s arms, suddenly spoke up: "Why not let Sister Adeline do it? After all, she used to study piano."

The moment the words left her mouth, the surrounding guests began cautiously observing Dominic’s reaction.

Everyone knew that Dominic used to cherish Adeline more than his own life; he wouldn't even let others look at her for too long, let alone have her perform like a servant for the public.

But Dominic didn't even bat an eyelid.

"My girl is the star today. Whatever you want."

The bodyguards took the command and swiftly forced Adeline onto the piano bench.

Adeline looked up, her gaze cutting through the crowd to meet Dominic’s.

Dominic gave her a thin smile and mouthed a silent threat: "Think about your mother."

Adeline’s tears broke through instantly.

She loved playing the piano and would often play for the children at her clinic. But Dominic had once told her that no one but him was allowed to hear her play—that everything about her belonged to him alone.

Yet, it turned out his principles could be shattered by a single sentence from Bianca.

She gave a self-mocking smile. Just as her hands touched the keys, a sharp pain shot through her fingertips. The music stopped before it even began.

Razor blades!

She instinctively looked at Dominic.

The man was busy whispering into Bianca’s ear, not paying her the slightest bit of attention.

The malicious, expectant stares from the crowd grew more intense.

With Dominic’s silent permission, the weight of their scrutiny felt like it was crushing Adeline to death.

Suppressing her nausea, she took a deep breath and placed her hands back on the keys.

The strains of a Chopin nocturne echoed through the hall, soft and mournful.

With every press of the keys, a smear of red stained the ivory.

Dominic’s smile began to fade inch by inch.

Adeline was shrouded in such a thick, heavy cloak of sorrow that it made him feel inexplicably irritable and uneasy.

"That's enough."

Bianca suddenly spoke.

"This music is too depressing. Dominic, it seems Sister Adeline still holds a grudge against me. Maybe I should just leave."

Dominic let out a light chuckle and pulled her back into his embrace. "Alright, there’s no need to be upset over such a small thing. Besides, Adeline has a gift for you."

He snapped his fingers, and a maid immediately brought forward a jewelry box.

Bianca looked a bit displeased but opened the box anyway.

What met her eyes, however, was a box filled to the brim with white joss paper—the kind burned for the dead.

The air in the room froze for several seconds.

Bianca let out a cry of horror, shielding her stomach as her finger trembled, pointing at Adeline:

"Sister Adeline! You sent funeral money... are you trying to curse my and Dominic's child?!"