Chapter 2
Five minutes later, Upton emerged.
Pamela stood up and politely tried to persuade him to stay: “Upton, why don’t you join us for dinner?”
Of course, everyone knew he wouldn’t stick around, but we didn’t dare offend the Collins family.
Upton finally turned sideways–this was the first time he’d looked at me since entering. His gaze was cold and distant, as if he were looking at a complete stranger.
I sat rigidly on the couch, motionless. In the past, I probably would have excitedly run over and linked my arm through his. But now I did nothing, as if Upton was no longer that important
to me.
He declined: “No, I have other matters to attend to.”
Upton withdrew his gaze from me, preparing to stride away.
Seeing him about to leave, I suddenly clenched my fists: “Wait.”
Upton stopped and turned around.
Pamela had already grabbed my arm in alarm: “Hailey, Upton said he’s busy.”
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Chapter 2
I could feel Pamela gripping my hand tightly.
Upton asked coldly: “What is it, Miss Carter?”
I no longer addressed him by his first name, and his attitude toward me was equally frigid.
I took a deep breath: “I have something to give you. Just wait a moment.”
I ran upstairs, entered the password, opened the innermost drawer, and retrieved a square box.
I came back downstairs. Everyone was watching me coldly, as if I was about to do something inappropriate again. But when I produced the deep blue square box, everyone seemed to understand. Pamela and Richard’s attitudes shifted.
“This is something I asked Eleanor for in the past, but it doesn’t suit me. I’m returning it to you.”
Things weren’t what Upton thought they were.
Upton looked at me in surprise, his demeanor softening slightly.
Inside the box was an antique pocket watch, a Collins family heirloom. Previously, no one had supported our relationship, but Eleanor had always favored me. On my twentieth Christmas, she had given me this watch that symbolized the status of an heir.
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I had once believed I would definitely become Upton’s wife. It was only much later that I realized those were all unrealistic dreams.
After a moment of silence, he finally reached out and took the box.
Upton left with the pocket watch.
Pamela came over and gently patted my head in comfort.
A week later, I officially started working at the hospital in New York.
I had studied medicine as an undergraduate and then worked at a medical research institute abroad for over two years.
However, Pamela and Richard were still somewhat worried.
I knew they had arranged for people to follow me.
t angry about it.
After all, Upton and Donna’s engagement ceremony absolutely couldn’t be disrupted by me.
That would implicate the Carter family.
I really wanted to tell them that I had no intention of causing
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trouble. The old Hailey was dead.
I no longer loved Upton either.
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I never expected that just a few days into my hospital job, Donna Edwards would come to see me as a patient.
We sat face to face, the atmosphere awkward.
She said she had a slight cough, but I understood she wasn’t really here for medical treatment—she had come specifically to
see me.
I prescribed some medication for Donna.
She held the prescription but didn’t leave.
Donna removed her sunglasses and said, “Hailey, you’ve lost weight.”
I didn’t want to reconnect with any of my old friends, let alone Donna.
Once, we had loved the same man, and I had lost completely.
I avoided Donna’s topic and said calmly, “The pharmacy is on the first floor. I need to see my next patient.”
She still didn’t leave, staring at me and saying, “You seem different. You used to be the most lively one among us.”
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I smiled and said, “Miss Edwards, are you here for medical treatment, or do you have some other purpose?”
Donna didn’t answer and left after putting her sunglasses back
- on.
As she pulled the door open to leave, I looked down at her feet.
Three years ago, Donna had fallen down the stairs, severely injuring her leg. She underwent several surgeries and lost a lot of blood at the time.
Because of that, I was framed.
There were only the two of us upstairs at the time.
I desperately argued that she had fallen down the stairs by herself, but no one believed me.
Upton carried her in his arms, heartbroken beyond measure.
“Upton, I didn’t push her,” I hurriedly explained. Before I could finish speaking, he kicked me in the stomach.
He said, “Get lost.”
That was the first time I’d ever been hit, and probably the first time he’d ever hit a woman.
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Soon after, I received notice that Collins Group was suing me.
That was Upton’s way of seeking revenge for Donna.
I nearly went to prison.
Apparently, it was because Upton’s grandfather Harrison Collins pleaded for me that Upton only made me leave the country.
I unconsciously touched my stomach.
Upton had kicked my stomach hard back then.
Even now, my stomach still aches occasionally
