Ignoring him entirely, she continued.

"Lucas, did you really think I didn't understand the little tricks you played on Julian in the past?"

Meeting Lucas’s suddenly terrified expression, she parted her lips, expressionless.

"I only spared your life because the children need a father, but all of this is predicated on you understanding your place. —"

"If you dare to harbor delusional fantasies again, I will not be so soft-hearted toward you."

With that, she threw him off and strode away.

Just as she stepped out of the ward.

She happened to run into several nurses wheeling a body covered in a white sheet.

Vivian frowned slightly, a flash of bad luck crossing her eyes.

She turned to avoid them.

But for some reason, she inexplicably felt that this person was quite familiar.

Just then, a gust of wind blew through the window, lifting the white sheet and revealing the bloodless face of Julian’s father.

Her fingertips paused; she raised her eyes to look.

But in the next second, her phone vibrated without warning.

She retracted her gaze and answered.

"Ms. Lin, Mr. Zhou from Hengtai is here. She says she wants to discuss the project in the west of the city with you. You should come back quickly."

When she hung up and looked back.

The nurses were already far away.

She tugged at her tie and shook her head helplessly.

She must be exhausted from the busyness. How could she have mistaken that person for Julian’s father?

She had long ago sent people to take him to a nursing home under the Lin family’s name, so how could he still be here?

Thinking of this, the last hint of doubt in her heart vanished without a trace.

She picked up her car keys and headed for the hospital entrance.

After a seven-year absence, Vivian returned to the business world.

A few days ago, some were still sighing that after seven years, even with all of Vivian’s capabilities, the world had changed.

Not to mention the Lin family had many heirs, and the ambitious illegitimate child alone should have been enough to give her a headache.

But who would have thought, in just a few short days,

Vivian swept through the management with lightning speed, and all the spies from that illegitimate child’s household had been uprooted entirely.

The business partners who had previously harbored doubts about Vivian were now filled with admiration.

"I’ve always said, Ms. Lin is a young talent; how could she have perished so easily? After seven years of honing, her魄力 (drive/courage) has not diminished in the slightest!"

As the person spoke, their tone shifted,染 (tinged) with a bit of regret.

"It’s just a pity for Mr. Julian. Not only did he lose his wife within a month, but he even lost a leg. Having been a widower for seven years, suffering endless cold shoulders and grievances, it has truly been hard for him."

Vivian had been able to maintain a smile until then.

But when she heard a certain word, a buzzing sound erupted in her head. Her smile stalled abruptly, and she felt as if she had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

"What do you mean... his leg is gone?"

Chapter 11

"Mr. He, what is the meaning of this?"

Mr. He was stunned, his expression wavering with uncertainty.

"You... didn't know?"

He sighed.

"Sigh, I only heard it from my wife. Because you had made so many enemies, the moment news of your 'death' spread, that illegitimate son of your father’s couldn't wait to seize power."

"Under the guise of avenging you, he used family disciplinary measures to force Julian to kneel for three days and three nights, eventually breaking one of his legs."

A terrifying chill shot from the soles of Julian’s feet through his entire body.

Vivian stood frozen, her blood seemingly turning to ice in an instant.

So, he had endured so much suffering...

But why had Julian never told her?!

She couldn't control her thoughts...

If she hadn't orchestrated that car accident, if she hadn't faked her death to escape.

Would... would his leg still be intact?

He was such a proud man; how excruciating must it have been to lose a leg?

She didn't even dare to imagine how many cold glares and humiliations he had suffered during the years she was gone.

Mr. He didn't notice her drastic change in expression and continued talking.

"Many people have pursued Julian over the years, but he refused every single one, stubbornly insisting on remaining a widower for you for the rest of his life."

"Everyone who sees him says Mr. Julian is truly a man of deep affection and loyalty; he has been beyond reproach in his devotion to you!"

"I heard from friends at the hospital that after you left, Julian developed severe depression. I don't know how many times he was rushed to the hospital. Now that you’ve finally returned, you must treat him well!"

Boom—

It felt as though a train had run over Vivian’s scalp; all the strength was drained from her body, and she couldn't even grip the files in her hands.

She could no longer hear what followed; those few words echoed in her mind like a curse.

Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible, giant hand. Her eyes were flooded with turmoil, red as blood.

Flashes of information she had ignored in the past darted through her mind.

The jagged scars on his wrists, his increasingly frail body, and those eyes that were once bright as stars but were now cold and deadened.

All the anomalies now had their answers.

He wasn't acting out. He wasn't pretending.

He was truly... sick.

And the culprit behind it all was her!

The suffocating sensation in her chest intensified, and Vivian rushed out as if fleeing for her life.

She slammed her foot on the accelerator, the car speeding away like an arrow released from a bow, heading toward the nursing home where Julian’s father was kept.

But when she reached the room she had arranged in advance.

Seeing the scene inside, she was nailed to the spot, unable to move for a long time.

The room was empty. There was no sign of Julian or his father.

Vivian’s heart was gripped by an inexplicable and intense panic; she couldn't stop trembling.

Her assistant, who had hurried over, explained.

"Ms. Lin, I forgot to mention last time—there are a few pieces of equipment here that haven't been calibrated yet."

"Mr. Julian’s father hasn't been moved over here yet."

So, they haven't moved yet. That meant Julian must still be at the original hospital.

Thinking this, Vivian’s white-knuckled grip on her fingers gradually loosened, and she let out an imperceptible sigh of relief.

She regained her usual dignified, indifferent expression, intending to have her assistant drive to the original hospital.

But a child suddenly jumped out in front of her, blocking her path.

"A Mr. Julian told me to give this box to you."

Mr. Julian?

That must be him!

Vivian’s expression softened involuntarily, a faint smile touching her lips.

She knew it. Julian loved her so much that he wouldn't be able to bear leaving her.

But the next second, looking at the contents of the silk-lined box,

Her pupils contracted sharply, and her expression changed entirely.

Bang—

The box slammed heavily to the ground, and its contents rolled out.

Emblazoned on the document were the words: 【Divorce Decree】!

Chapter 12

The air was deathly quiet.

The assistant clearly saw the document as well. In an instant,

The surrounding air seemed to freeze, radiating a suffocating coldness.

Vivian didn't move for a long time, staring fixedly at those words until her eyes turned red.

She finally snapped back to reality. Although she tried to suppress her emotions, her trembling body and bloodshot eyes gave her away.

"Impossible... this is impossible! I didn't sign it. Julian can't get a divorce."

Veins bulged on her forehead, and her voice sounded as if it were being squeezed through her teeth.

"I said it before—I am going to be with him for eternity. I don't agree to a divorce, so he isn't going anywhere. Even if he uses these few pieces of scrap paper to fool me, it won't work!"

Just then, the silent assistant beside her added softly.

"Ms. Lin, there has been a new policy recently."

"As long as there is a separation for three years, it is considered a divorce by agreement. You have been gone for seven years; logically speaking, your marriage contract with him has long since—"

Long since ceased to count.

From now on, his tears, his smiles, his entire existence had nothing to do with her.

Vivian stumbled back a few steps, clutching her chest in a state of utter disarray.

They were only thin pieces of paper, yet they felt like ten thousand barbed blades piercing her heart, carving her until she was soaked in blood.