The lingering warmth of his touch on her back hadn't even dissipated before Ethan stared at her staggering silhouette, feeling as though he were reliving their "final encounter" from that rainy day.

His expression darkened completely. He violently pulled Seraphina back, grabbing her by the wrist and pinning her against the back of the door.

A dangerous, suffocating aura rushed over her. Seraphina stared at Ethan in pure terror.

His body was pressed entirely against hers, yet he carefully refrained from letting his full weight crush down on her.

What on earth did he want?!

Seraphina glared at him furiously, struggling desperately to push him away, but he stood like an immovable mountain.

Her resistance seemed to trigger Ethan's deepest possessiveness. His eyes darkened completely, and he suddenly slammed his head down, ruthlessly capturing those trembling, crimson lips that were mere inches away.

Seraphina's entire body jolted violently. Her mind went completely blank, entirely paralyzed by his sudden, brutal kiss.

It wasn't until she felt the heavy weight of his breathing and his rough hands snaking beneath her trench coat and sweater to grip her waist that she twisted her head in pure shame and fury.

They were in a hospital, for heaven's sake! Was Ethan completely insane?!

The sound of approaching footsteps outside grew closer by the second. Seraphina's heart leaped into her throat; the narrow glass viewing pane on the door was more than enough for anyone outside to witness their tangled silhouettes.

Flushing red with rage, she bit down fiercely on the tongue that was wildly invading her mouth.

Ethan let out a sharp gasp of pain and released her, a metallic tang of blood instantly spreading through his mouth.

The wild delusion in his eyes gradually faded, leaving behind only irritation and fierce anger.

Yet, seeing Seraphina standing before him with her clothes in disarray, her dark hair slightly disheveled, and tears of pure humiliation shimmering at the corners of her eyes, his heart seized with a suffocating wave of regret and reluctance.

Perhaps he had grown far too used to her absolute submission, far too used to her silently remaining in his shadow. When she suddenly vanished one day and unexpectedly returned, he simply could not control his desperate urge to trap her by his side.

Wiping away the trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, Ethan forced his voice to remain cold and harsh. "An intimacy between husband and wife isn't allowed either?"

Seraphina's expression twisted in fury. Husband and wife? Were they even still husband and wife?!

Gritting her teeth, she used the wall for support to shuffle to the side, refusing to give Ethan another chance to trap her between his body and the door.

She didn't dare think about what would happen if she truly succumbed—would he actually force himself on her right here in the hospital?

Staring at her guarded, defensive glare, a crushing ache bloomed in Ethan's chest.

Right now, Seraphina was like a hedgehog, desperately wanting to drive every single one of her quills into the man who had just violated her.

Seraphina bit her lower lip hard. She pointed one finger at Ethan, then at herself, before pressing her hands together with only her thumbs extended, touching at the tips, and then pulling them sharply apart to opposite sides.

Ethan froze for a moment, an intense wave of displeasure instantly rising from the depths of his eyes.

Even though he didn't understand sign language, he knew exactly what Seraphina was trying to express. But he had never signed that divorce agreement, which meant they were not divorced at all!

Suddenly, the door was violently thrown open.

Julian Vance charged into the room with an expression of pure panic. "Seraphina!"

Chapter 26: Drifting Apart

In an instant, all three people in the ward seemed to freeze in place.

Julian was the first to spot Ethan standing right by the door, and the moment Ethan saw Julian, his expression turned exceedingly grim.

Why is he here?!

The exact same thought flashed simultaneously through both of their minds.

Julian's attention was quickly captured by Seraphina. Seeing her face flushed red and tears still shimmering in her eyes, an intense wave of heartache washed over him.

He crossed the room in a few strides, gently supporting her by the arms as he asked anxiously, "Are you alright?"

He had originally intended to call and ask if she had eaten, but to his surprise, an elderly woman had answered her phone. It was only after checking several hospitals that he finally discovered Seraphina was here.

He just hadn't expected to find an "unwelcome guest" waiting here as well...

Seraphina shook her head, signaling that she was fine.

Ethan glared fixedly at the hand resting on Seraphina's shoulder, a murderous rage flaring up inside him, wishing he could hack that hand off right then and there.

Yet, Seraphina's attitude toward Julian was the exact polar opposite of how she treated him. He couldn't stop the venomous suspicion from creeping into his mind: Have the two of them been living together during these past two months?

The moment that suspicion surfaced, the fire of fury inside Ethan's chest instantly consumed his sanity.

His bloodshot eyes locked onto the two of them standing so closely together as he let out a mocking sneer. "No wonder you refuse to let me touch you. It turns out you've already found someone else."

Those words left both Seraphina and Julian completely stunned.

A knife-like pain twisted inside Seraphina's chest. Even after she had narrowly escaped death, Ethan still chose to humiliate her like this.

Hearing the word "touch," Julian's heart was fiercely wrenched, a roaring anger instantly taking over his eyes.

What on earth had he done to Seraphina?

Ethan's sanity felt entirely shattered by their "intimacy." He stepped closer to Seraphina, taunting bitterly, "Hiding your survival from everyone for two whole months—was it all just to live like a pair of lovebirds with him?"

Seraphina's hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.

Was he truly completely insane?

Stretching out his long fingers, Ethan reached to caress Seraphina's pale face, spitting out each syllable deliberately, "Or is it because you've already slept with him, and you're terrified I'll find out you're no longer pure?"

Those words exploded like a bomb inside Seraphina's mind.

Julian ground his teeth, never imagining that Ethan could utter something so thoroughly vile. But before his fist could fly forward, a sharp, resounding slap cut through the air, leaving him completely stunned.

Clinging to her tears, a wounded, animal-like whimper escaped Seraphina's throat. The hand she had just slammed across Ethan's face trembled violently from the sheer force of the blow. She glared at Ethan, her teeth clenched so tightly that even her nerves throbbed with pain.

This single sentence of his was far more venomous and cruel than anything he had ever said before, completely trampling her final shred of dignity into the dirt!

Seraphina violently shoved Julian aside, limping heavily as she dashed out of the room.

"Seraphina!" Julian didn't care about Ethan anymore, immediately bolting out after her.

Inside the ward, Ethan stood with his head snapped to the side, the distinct imprint of her hand rapidly swelling on his left cheek.

He stared expressionlessly at the floor, but his eyes were churning with a violent, possessive jealousy mixed with a creeping trace of regret.

His sanity told him he shouldn't have said those vile words, but the moment he saw Seraphina and Julian looking as though they had been together for an eternity, he simply could not control his desperate urge to hurt her.

Ethan bit his teeth hard and turned his gaze toward the open door, the jealousy inside his chest nearly suffocating him alive.

Outside the hospital.

"Seraphina! Seraphina! Stop!" Julian caught up and grabbed her by the arm just as she was about to collapse, supporting her securely. "Your ankle is injured, how can you run like this?"

Seraphina's entire mind was consumed by the utter humiliation of Ethan's parting words. Her eyes flooded with tears as she whimpered, desperately trying to push Julian's hands away.

Staring at his rejected hands, a wave of profound loneliness flitted across Julian's eyes. "Let's go home..."

Chapter 27: The Price of Everything

Seraphina wiped away her tears, the suffocating constriction in her throat still lingering painfully.

She looked at Julian, and after stabilizing her frantic emotions, she signed "I'm sorry" to him.

This was entirely a matter between her and Ethan, yet she had dragged him right into the center of the storm...

Seeing this, Julian managed a gentle smile. "It's fine. Let's go."

Acting as though they had both intentionally forgotten the horrific scene that had just unfolded inside the ward, the two walked out of the hospital together.

Standing before the outpatient building, Ethan's menacing gaze followed the two figures as they walked out of the courtyard gates.

Leo stood to the side, hesitating over whether to speak.