How to Say Our Final Goodbye

“Lenny, I’m not telling you to hand over your engagement to Ava for nothing. I will make it up to you…” The familiar voice echoed in her ears, and the pain made Lena snap her eyes open. In a daze, she realized with a jolt that she had been sent back in time to exactly one month before her wedding to Henry. Her father, Chase Johnson’s earnest, pleading expression was identical to the one in her memories when he had forced her to give up her engagement. “Fine,” Lena said, her voice slightly hoarse as she abruptly cut him off. Chase could not hide the joy on his face. “Lenny, you’ve finally come to your senses!” A cold, detached look flickered in Lena’s eyes, and her lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. “I want one billion dollars–” “One billion? Have you lost your mind?” Before she could even finish her sentence, her father's face turned a deep, angry purple, the veins on his temples bulging out. Lena casually tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, taking her time to finish the rest of her sentence. “Plus, a legally binding document cutting all ties with you. We will no longer be father and daughter.” Chapter 1 Chase Johnson’s face twisted in rage, and his hand shook violently as he pointed a finger at his daughter, Lena Johnson. “You ungrateful brat! Do you know what you’re saying?” “Of course I do!” Lena looked up, hatred burning in her eyes. “From the day you cheated on my mom while she was pregnant, killing her and my unborn sibling, you lost the right to be my father! Besides, you only consider Ava as your daughter anyway. You’re even forcing me to give up my marriage to the Hale family just for her sake. Since that’s the case, what difference does it make whether we officially cut ties or not? “Those are my two conditions, and I won’t settle for less,” she added, her tone laced with impatience as she leaned in slightly. “So, tell me. Do we have a deal or not?” Chase’s face turned ashen, and his chest heaved with fury. It took him a long moment to squeeze the words through his clenched teeth. “Fine! We cut ties! Don’t you dare regret this! I’ll need some time to pull together one billion dollars, but I have a condition of my own– The heir of the Hale family is obsessed with you. To make sure Ava marries him without any drama, you must pack your bags and get out of the country within a month and never come back!” Hearing that, Lena’s heart skipped a beat. She was unsure whether it was because Chase was willing to go to such lengths for Ava Johnson or because he said the heir of the Hale family was obsessed with her. The corners of her mouth twitched, and she whispered so softly it was almost inaudible. “He doesn’t actually care about me.” “What did you say?” Chase barked, missing her murmur. Lena lowered her eyes to hide the coldness underneath, her voice dropping into a flat, emotionless drone. “Nothing. Just make sure the one billion dollars is wired to my account within the month. I’ll handle all the paperwork and vanish from your sight for good.” With that, she turned on her heel and walked away. However, just as she arrived at the exit, she spotted Henry Hale and Ava walking toward her side by side. The two of them were laughing and chatting, looking very intimate. Lena vividly remembered the first time Henry met Ava. Back then, his eyes were filled with disgust. When Ava tried to get close to him, he would choke her with one hand until she could barely breathe, warning her to stay away. Yet now, he was looking at Ava with nothing but pure tenderness. As it turned out, his heart had wavered toward Ava so early on. Lena felt as though a pair of invisible hands were ripping her heart open. The pain was so intense it left her entire body numb. Suddenly, memories of her past life came flooding back. In that life, after her mother passed away, Chase had immediately brought his mistress and his illegitimate daughter into the house. From then on, Lena was forced to live like a stray in her own home. It was Henry, her fiancé by arrangement, who had single-handedly stormed into the house to rescue her. He had dragged her out of a pitch-black basement where she had been locked away, covered in bruises. From that day onward, Henry and the powerful Hale family became her only lifeline. Under Henry’s fierce protection, the Johnsons feared the Hales’ power, yet they coveted the marriage alliance that could elevate their social status. Because of that, Chase tried to pressure Lena into letting Ava take her place more than once. However, how could Lena ever agree? The Johnsons were never a match for the Hales to begin with. The engagement was a gift born from the deep friendship between Lena’s late mother and Henry’s mother; it was the last thing in the world that connected her to her mother. So, time and time again, Lena stood firm against Chase’s threats and bribes. Ava refused to back down either. She even went so far as to strip naked and sneak into Henry’s bedroom, only to be thrown out onto the street by him. On the day of the wedding, Ava used suicide as a final guilt trip. She had thrown her arms around Henry’s legs, crying and screaming, before finally jumping into the ocean right in front of everyone. In the end, her body was nowhere to be found. Lena had honestly thought that with Ava out of the picture, she and Henry could finally live a peaceful life together. For the first three years of their marriage, they really did seem deeply in love. That was until the day Lena spotted Henry on the street, tenderly embracing Ava, with a two-year-old child standing beside them. Only then did she realize that Ava was not dead. Henry had simply hidden her away somewhere else, and they even had a child together. Yet, before Lena could even rush across the street to confront them, a speeding truck lost control and plowed directly into her. Amid the agonizing pain of her body being crushed to pieces, she had looked up and seen Henry watching from a distance. The eyes that used to be filled with warmth held nothing but cold indifference. As her consciousness faded, only one thought remained in her mind. If they ever met again, she would gladly step aside for these two “star-crossed lovers.” Henry’s fake love was something she no longer wanted. “Lenny!” Henry’s voice snapped her out of the suffocating memory. The moment he saw her, a brilliant smile spread across his face. His eyes lit up brightly, as though she were his entire world. That exact look had once made her believe in him blindly, but it was those same eyes that, later on, would look at Ava with the same devotion. Henry reached out to take her hand just like he always did and said, “There’s only a month left until our wedding. I’m here to take you bridal dress shopping!” Lena stared at his extended hand. In her mind, however, an image flashed of those same long, elegant fingers resting gently on Ava’s shoulder, and her heart sank. Without making a scene, she subtly stepped aside to avoid his touch, giving a detached acknowledgment before walking straight past him. Henry stared at his empty hand in confusion. He did not dwell on it too much, assuming she was just in a bad mood, and quickly jogged to catch up with her. As Lena passed Ava, Ava timidly reached out and grabbed her sleeve. “Lena… can I come along?” Looking at the carefully manufactured innocence in Ava’s eyes, Lena suddenly smiled. “Sure.” “No way!” Two voices rang out at the same time. Henry looked at Lena in absolute shock, his eyes full of bewilderment. “Lenny, don’t you hate her? Why would you…” Lena chuckled in her mind. ‘Why? Because in a month, Ava will be the one wearing the wedding dress and standing by your side anyway.’ Chapter 2 The luxury car sped down the highway. Henry glanced at Ava in the passenger seat through the rearview mirror, then leaned close to Lena’s ear, lowering his voice. “Lenny, why did you want to bring her along?” Lena noticed his furrowed brow. Whenever he spoke of Ava, his face carried that same old look of impatience, as though he genuinely loathed her very existence. He was certainly a great actor. He was so good that he had successfully blinded her for three whole years in her past life. It was not until she stumbled upon that two-year-old child on the street that she realized their relationship had been broken all along. Lena lowered her gaze, her voice flat. “Don’t you always complain about how clingy she is? I want her to see that you’re marrying me, and maybe then she’ll finally give up.” A look of unease crossed Henry’s face for a split second. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he let the explanation slide. Once they arrived, Henry led Lena into the bridal boutique while Ava followed closely behind, matching them step for step. The custom wedding dress had been chosen long ago. It was an ivory-white lace gown encrusted with delicate rhinestones that shimmered under the boutique lights. The moment the stylist brought the dress out, before Lena could even reach for it, Ava eagerly stepped forward. Ava gently ran her fingers over the intricate lace patterns, her eyes filled with envy. After a long moment, she turned her head to look at Lena, asking, “Lena, do you mind if I try it on?” Looking at Ava’s carefully crafted innocence, Lena sneered to herself. She could hand over the engagement, but why on earth should she willingly give up her own personal belongings? Parting her red lips, Lena delivered a merciless jibe. “Wasn’t your mother being a homewrecker enough for the family? What, do you want to be a mistress too?” Ava’s face instantly drained of color. She looked at Henry timidly and pleadingly, her eyes teary. Henry, whose expression had darkened as well, stepped between the two sisters and nudged Lena’s arm. He said in a comforting tone, “Lenny, let’s not make a scene in front of others. Go on. Try it on and see if it fits.” It looked like a peaceful intervention, but he had actively shielded Ava behind his back. Lena stared at his tense posture. A cold smile played on her lips as she took the wedding dress and turned to enter the fitting room. Once changed, Lena stood in front of the mirror, falling into a brief daze. The girl in the mirror had bright eyes and flawless features, and the ivory gown made her skin look as fair as snow. The last time she stood there, her heart had been filled with hope for the future. Yet now… the eyes staring back at her held nothing but emptiness. “Ah!” When a sudden, sharp cry from Ava echoed from the waiting room, Lena reached out and parted the heavy curtains just a fraction. Through the small gap, she saw Ava trip over her own feet, falling straight into Henry’s arms. Not only did Henry not dodge, but he also threw his arms around Ava’s waist to catch her securely. He even went as far as gently patting Ava’s back, as if he was comforting a startled little animal. Even though Lena already knew his heart belonged to someone else, seeing that with her own eyes filled her with pain. She remembered so clearly how, in the past, if Ava so much as brushed against the hem of Henry’s jacket, he would throw the entire garment into a fire pit right in front of everyone, muttering the word “filthy.” Yet, there he was now, tenderly coaxing the girl in his arms. The two of them were pressed tightly against each other, looking far more like a couple than Lena, who was hiding away in the fitting room, ever did. Lena’s grip on the curtain tightened, and her heart ached, as though something was clenching her heart. Taking a deep breath, she was just about to pull the curtains wide open when the entire room suddenly began to spin. Everything in the boutique started to shake and rattle. It was an earthquake! The terrifying thought flashed through Lena’s mind. Her first instinct was to gather her heavy skirt and run outside, but the train of the wedding dress was far too voluminous. Distracted by the shaking, she accidentally stepped on the hem and fell onto the floor. The rough ground scraped her arm, drawing blood. At the same time, debris and loose fixtures from the ceiling began falling on her, leaving her face deathly pale from the pain. Yet Henry, who was only a few feet away, did not even seem to notice she was there. He bent down, scooped Ava up into his arms, and sprinted toward the exit. As the two of them rushed past her, she heard their conversation. “Henry, put me down… Lena is still in there–” “She can make it out on her own. You’re injured. I need to get you to safety first…” Those words drove into Lena’s heart like a dagger, leaving her breathless from the agonizing ache. After what felt like an eternity, the shaking finally subsided. The boutique was left in absolute ruins—a perfect reflection of her shattered heart. Lena stripped out of the wedding dress, grabbed a pair of shears nearby, and began hacking the gown to pieces. Before walking out, she turned to the terrified stylist and said in a chillingly calm voice, “Do not tell Henry about this.” If Ava wanted to marry him, Lena would not stand in her way. However, Lena would rather destroy everything that belonged to her than hand it over to that couple. Stepping out of the ruined boutique, Lena went straight to sort out her visa. She handed over her thick stack of paperwork and requested an expedited review. The clerk glanced at the bloody scratches on her arm, giving a sympathetic nod. “We can have all your paperwork finalized within the month.” Lena stood at the steps of the building, taking a deep breath as she looked up at the overcast sky. In one month, she would leave that city behind, finally free to live a life that truly belonged to her. Chapter 3 Lena did not bother going back to the Johnson estate. Instead, she drove straight to the small apartment she had purchased with her own money. By the time she threw herself onto the soft bed, the night was dark. Since the afternoon, Henry had not contacted her to check in on her or explain himself. He had not even bothered to ask why she left. Lena stared at her phone screen for a long time, so long that her eyes began to water. Finally, she tossed the phone to the side, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep. The next morning, she was woken up by a barrage of loud noises from the living room. Walking out to investigate, she was shocked to see Henry supervising a group of movers carrying boxes into her apartment. The moment he spotted her, Henry quickly strode over and grabbed her hands, looking guilty. “Lenny, I’m so sorry about yesterday. Something urgent came up at the company, and I had to rush off before I could tell you. I only found out later that there was an earthquake in that area! You aren’t hurt, are you?” Lena stared at the man lying right to her face without breaking a sweat. A sharp, stinging pain pricked at her heart. He knew perfectly well that he owed her an explanation. Yet, he chose to construct that elaborate lie just to cover up the fact that he had abandoned her at the scene. She could not understand it. If he was already in love with someone else, why was he pushing to marry her? Was it because he thought she was an easy target to fool, or did he just thoroughly enjoy having a reliable fiancée at home while keeping a mistress on the side? Seeing Lena remain silent, Henry let out a sigh. He reached up to ruffle her hair and said in a soothing, affectionate tone, “I know how much you love these, so I bought you a bunch of designer jewelry to make it up to you. Don’t be mad at me anymore, okay?” Lena pursed her lips. Before she could even force the word “okay” out of her mouth, his phone suddenly blared with a loud, frantic ringtone. Henry answered it, and whatever the person on the other end said made his expression shift. He looked back at Lena with a conflicted expression and said, “Lenny, there’s another emergency at the company. I can’t stay to hang out. I’ve got to run!” He did not even wait for Lena to respond before turning on his heel and bolting out the door. The apartment fell into a dead silence, save for the remaining movers quietly shuffling back and forth with the boxes. After what felt like an eternity, her phone chimed with a notification. Lena unlocked it and saw that Ava had just posted a new update on social media. The photo showcased a massive pile of expensive jewelry, and in the corner of the frame rested a man’s elegant hand, where a ring she knew all too well sat on his middle finger. Since the jewelry in the photo was the same collection Henry had just delivered to her apartment, and the ring was an identical match to the one currently sitting on Lena’s finger, the hand could only be Henry’s. Lena felt a lump in her throat, and her heart felt as though it was being squeezed by a giant pair of hands, making it hard for her to breathe. It seemed a person’s love really could be divided into two; Henry’s devotion had never belonged to her alone. “Miss Lena, we’ve laid out all the jewelry pieces right here. Please take a look.” The voice of one of the workers snapped her back to reality. Lena stared fixedly at the gems on the table. Suddenly, her lips curled into a bitter smirk as she looked up at the worker and said, “Sell them all. I don’t want a single piece left behind.” If a gift was not meant exclusively for her, she did not want it. The moment the jewelry was cleared out, Henry’s name flashed on her incoming calls. Lena immediately declined it, and when he called again, she declined it again. After a few relentless attempts, he finally stopped calling and sent a text instead. [If you don’t like those styles, I’ll take you out to pick some out yourself another day!] Lena glanced at the screen, left it be, and scrolled through her contacts until she found her long-time best friend’s name. She sent over a text to meet up. Since she was leaving the country so soon, she needed to say a proper goodbye to the people who actually mattered. By evening, Lena had changed into a fresh outfit and headed to a local upscale bar. Her best friend, Sydney Green, was already waiting for her there. The second Sydney heard about Lena’s plan to move abroad, her jaw dropped in shock. Then, she immediately began grilling Lena about Henry. After downing a few drinks, Lena kept her eyes lowered, her tone calm. “I gave up the engagement. I’m letting Ava have it.” “Are you insane?” Sydney bolted upright in her seat, her voice an octave higher. “That’s Henry Hale we’re talking about! He treats you–” “How he treats me doesn’t matter anymore,” Lena interrupted, shaking her head lightly as her voice turned raspy. “And I’m not insane.” The image of Henry holding that child with Ava leaning happily against his shoulder flashed in her mind again. It felt like a thorn, twisting deeper into her chest. An unfaithful man was someone Lena had no use for. Sydney opened her mouth to argue further, but Lena stood up. “I’m going to use the restroom.” As she walked down the dimly lit hallway past a row of private rooms, a familiar male voice drifted out from one of the rooms. Lena’s footsteps halted. Peering through the cracked-open door, she froze. There sat Henry in the center, his face partially obscured by the moody lighting, and sitting right beside him in a white dress was Ava. Chapter 4 Lena found herself taken aback. Watching the comfortable, familiar way Ava was laughing and chatting with Henry’s friends, it was obvious that this was not her first time hanging out with them. When exactly had Henry brought her into his inner circle? Lena had not suspected a single thing. When those exact friends used to welcome her into their circle, had they all been secretly mocking her, laughing at how completely oblivious she was to her fiancé’s straying affection? Her fingernails dug deeply into her palms as she stared fixedly at the scene inside the private room. They were currently playing Truth or Dare, and the spinning liquor bottle came to a steady halt right in front of Ava. The dare written on the card seemed to make Ava uncomfortable, and the surrounding crowd immediately started chanting for her to take a penalty shot instead. Ava blinked her tear-filled eyes at Henry. Without any hesitation, Henry grabbed the glass of liquor from the table and downed it. Setting the glass back down, he swept his eyes over his friends. He warned them, “Alright, that’s enough. Ava can’t drink so much. Stop peer-pressuring her.” His comment brought another bout of teasing, suggestive laughter. After a few more rounds, the bottle pointed at Ava again. She chose Dare yet again, and this time, the challenge was to ask the person sitting next to her for an item. Ava gave Henry a timid glance, her finger pointing directly at the wooden-beaded bracelet on his wrist. “Henry, could I have that?” Lena fixed her eyes onto that bracelet like a dagger. She was the one who had given it to him, and it was the only keepsake her mother left her. Yet, she watched as Henry caressed the wooden beads twice before sliding it off his wrist and handing it right over to Ava. A chill ran down Lena’s spine, leaving her shaking. She still vividly remembered the words she whispered when she put that bracelet onto his wrist in her past life. “This is my most treasured possession, Henry.” Back then, Henry had smiled and stroked her hair as he promised, “Since you gave it to me, I’ll wear it forever.” In her previous life, when she noticed he had stopped wearing it and asked him about it, he simply told her that he had put it away safely as he was afraid of damaging it. That was why she never questioned the bracelet’s whereabouts again. Never in a million years would she have thought that he had gifted it to the person she hated most in the world. Lena could no longer hold it together. She flung the door to the private room wide open, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at Henry. She demanded, “Henry! If you don’t care about my mother’s keepsake, give it back to me! Who are you to give it to Ava?” The raucous noise in the room instantly froze. Everyone was stunned by the sudden intrusion. Henry’s eyes widened, a flicker of panic crossing his face, and he quickly stepped toward her. “Lenny, it’s not what you think!” “Then what is it?” Lena paid no heed to what he had to say. She simply brushed past him, reaching out to snatch the bracelet from Ava’s hand. However, Ava was quick. She deftly dodged behind Henry’s back, tugging timidly at the edge of his jacket. “Henry…” Henry froze for a split second, but his instincts kicked in, and he stepped between the two women. Feeling a heavy weight crushing her chest, Lena stared at Henry and said in a trembling voice, “You’re protecting her? Henry, you know exactly whose daughter she is, and you’re protecting her?” Henry pressed his lips together, offering a soft explanation. "Lenny, I only kept this from you because I didn’t want you to misunderstand. Ava saved my life once, and she developed chronic health issues because of it. I know you hate her mother, but Ava… Ava is different from her mother.” “I don’t give a damn about her!” Lena cut him off with a sharp cry. "If you want to repay her for her kindness, do it on your own dime! Why are you using my things to do so? Give me back my bracelet!" Ava shrank back and said with tears, “But Henry gave this to me, and I really like it…” She tugged at Henry’s sleeve again, sniffling. "This is the first time I’ve ever liked something so much. Once a gift is given, it’s not right to demand it back…” As she spoke, she clutched her chest and began to cough weakly. The room was pin-drop silent. Henry frowned while he rubbed Ava’s back to soothe her breathing. Then, he turned his head toward Lena and said, “Lenny, just let her have it.” Those words were spoken so casually, yet they stabbed Lena’s heart like a knife. She refused to back down, her bloodshot eyes wide with fury. “Henry, you know exactly what that is. That is my mother’s final keepsake! Are you really going to give it to the daughter of the woman who killed her?” Henry hesitated as if he wanted to say something, but he was cut short by Ava’s soft coughing. Leaning on Henry’s arm for support, Ava walked toward Lena with tear-filled eyes, extending her hand to offer the bracelet. “If you want it back so badly, I’ll just give it back to you…” Yet, the exact moment Lena reached out to take it, Ava grabbed Lena’s wrist and fell backward. The bracelet slipped from Ava’s grasp and flew into the air before hitting the floor with a sharp clack. Chapter 5 Lena watched helplessly as the bracelet fell to the ground. The string snapped, and the wooden beads rolled all over the ground. In the ensuing chaos, someone stepped on them, and several beads were instantly crushed into fine powder. She stared blankly at the shattered remains, completely oblivious to Henry bending down to pick up the fallen Ava. The shouting around her suddenly felt miles away. The only thing she could hear was a persistent, piercing buzzing in her ears, and everything in front of her was a blur. Nothing felt real. Henry shielded Ava in his arms and looked down at her, asking, “Are you hurt?” Seeing Ava shake her head, he frowned and turned to Lena. Trying to suppress the fury in his voice, he said, “Lenny, she was about to give it back to you. Why did you have to push her?” Those words felt like a needle, breaking Lena out of the numbness. Her gaze slowly drifted down to Henry’s feet. One of the crushed wooden beads was embedded right into the sole of his shoe. At that moment, the last of Lena’s sanity snapped. Before anyone could react, she grabbed a wine bottle off the table and smashed it over Ava’s head. “Ah!” Piercing screams instantly erupted throughout the room. Blood oozed down Ava’s forehead, instantly staining her white dress red. Ava’s eyes rolled back from the sheer pain. Through a vision blurred by blood, she saw Lena grabbing yet another wine bottle. This time, Henry finally reacted. He grabbed Lena's wrist in a death grip, his face terrifyingly cold. “Lena, have you lost your mind? How could you assault someone?” Lena let out a bitter laugh, her voice filled with pure hatred. “She destroyed my mother’s keepsake. Even if I killed her, it wouldn't be enough to appease my anger!” Only then did Henry notice the shattered beads on the floor. He glanced at them and barked, “The bracelet breaking is your own fault! If you hadn’t pushed her, would it have broken? I’ve spoiled and indulged you too much, and it has made you lawless!” Each word stabbed deep into her heart. Whenever she had a conflict with Ava in the past, Henry would always smile and say, “Do whatever you want. I’ll always have your back.” Yet now, he labeled her as spoiled. With red eyes, Lena suddenly burst out laughing. “No matter how spoiled I am, you’re the one who allowed it. What, do you regret it now?” Henry’s expression turned ugly. “If I knew you would turn out like this, I would have put you in your place a long time ago!” Before he could finish what he wanted to say, a muffled groan came from behind him. Ava’s body went limp, and she passed out. Henry quickly caught her in his arms and said, “I’ll settle the score with you later.” Then, lifting Ava into his arms, he shoved past Lena. Thrown off balance, Lena fell onto the floor, her lower back slamming right against the sharp corner of the table. The agonizing pain brought tears to her eyes. Yet, with Ava in his arms, Henry walked straight out, never looking back. It was as if he had not seen her. Black spots filled Lena’s vision. Watching him disappear down the hallway, she felt every ounce of strength drain from her body. With things having escalated, the rest of the people dared not stick around either, and they all eventually slipped away. Soon, Lena was the only one left in the private room. She crawled along the floor, searching for a long time before she finally recovered two intact beads. She carefully clutched them in her palm. Her heart throbbed as if it were being torn apart, but she bit her lip, refusing to cry because nobody would care anyway. After some time, Sydney came looking for her. Taking in the mess on the floor, Sydney opened her mouth to ask what happened. However, upon meeting Lena's gaze, she swallowed her words. Instead, she took Lena's hand and escorted her back to her apartment. Right after saying goodbye to Sydney, Lena walked up to her apartment and spotted a dark shadow hovering there. Hearing her approach, the figure turned around. It was Henry. The two of them stood in silence for a long while before Henry finally spoke, his voice raspy. “Ava woke up. She wants to press charges.” Lena let out a mocking sneer. “And?” “I managed to stop her, but Ava has one condition…” Henry’s dark eyes locked onto hers. “She wants you to be her maid for a day and take care of her every need.” Lena’s breath hitched, and she stared at him in utter disbelief. “And you agreed?” Henry's gaze was cold. “I can't exactly watch you go to prison, can I? Lenny, consider this a lesson. It’s about time you fix that temper of yours.” Chapter 6 Early the next morning, Lena was taken away by Henry’s men. She struggled with all her might, but her resistance only earned her a tighter, more painful grip. Before she could even shout for help a second time, a sharp blow struck the back of her neck, and the world went black. When she finally regained consciousness, she was surrounded by pitch darkness. Fists rained down on her body. The dull thuds of the blows mixed with her stifled groans of agony, and the pain was unbearable. Panic washed over Lena, and she could not help but scream out, “Who are you people? Why did you kidnap me?” The only response she received was an even more brutal beating. When the sickening crack of a dislocated bone echoed in her ears, Lena’s vision went white, and cold sweat instantly drenched her clothes. By the time the two-hour torture session finally ended, she was slumped on the freezing ground, too weak to even move a finger. Just then, someone kicked her in the side. As she curled up in pain, she heard the sound of a phone dialling. “Mr. Hale, your order has been taken care of!” The blood in Lena’s veins froze. The throbbing ache in her bones and the pounding pressure in her temples could not compare to the chill that spread across her chest. So, his claim about hiring her as a “maid” was a lie; his true motive was to exact revenge for Ava. Could a man turn heartless the moment he stopped loving someone? Henry truly was a cruel one. Unable to hold on any longer, she surrendered to the exhaustion, and her vision went dark. When Lena opened her eyes again, she was hit with the suffocating scent of rubbing alcohol. “Lenny, do you finally understand your mistake this time?” Henry’s calm, detached voice drifted over from the side of the hospital bed. Lena turned her head mechanically. Her lips twitched, and her voice came out hoarse and laced with bitter sarcasm. “Henry, tell me, have you taught me enough of a lesson yet?” Henry frowned, feeling inexplicably irritated. “I only wanted to break your stubborn pride, and you can’t even take that? When you smashed that bottle over Ava’s head, did you ever stop to think about whether she could take it?” Lena stared at him, finding the entire situation ironic. The horrific trauma he had just inflicted upon her was a hundred times worse than a single broken bottle. In fact, it was outright torture. Yet, he seemed to believe that the punishment was too lenient. Beneath the hospital blanket, Lena clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails dug deep into her palms, the sharp pain making her head spin. Her bitten lips had also turned pale, and she suddenly lost all willpower to argue. She turned to look at the ceiling and whispered, “Thank you for the lesson. I know what I did wrong now. You can leave. I’d like to rest.” Seeing the usually arrogant and spoiled woman surrender so easily, Henry found himself surprised. He pressed his lips together and softened his tone. “Lenny, just be good from now on and stop making a scene. It’ll be the anniversary of your mother’s passing in a few days. You should rest up and get well soon. Once you’re discharged, I’ll visit her with you.” As he spoke, he leaned forward to tuck Lena in, but she yanked the sheets away, turning her back toward him to face the wall. Her rejection could not have been more obvious. Henry’s hand froze mid-air. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose not to push further. With a sigh, he walked out of the room. Lena stayed in the hospital for three full days. During this time, Ava posted particularly frequently on social media, as if she were deliberately showing off. One day, it was a post about Henry driving all across the city just to find a specific lollipop that had long been out of production. The next day, it was a picture of a limited-edition, ultra-luxury diamond necklace that Henry had bought out globally for her. The day after that, it was a snapshot of Henry bending down, carefully and tenderly bandaging a wound on Ava's skin… Lena scrolled through the photos, a form of emotional self-harm. Watching the tenderness that had once belonged exclusively to her being redirected toward Ava made her heart ache fiercely at first, but it eventually turned numb. She forced herself to slice Henry out of her heart, piece by piece, until that space was entirely hollowed out, leaving no room for him ever again. The day she was discharged from the hospital happened to be the anniversary of her mother's death. Henry, who had promised to accompany her to visit her mother's grave, was nowhere to be found. Lena let out a self-deprecating laugh, mocking herself for actually expecting him to be there. Just as she hailed a cab by the curb, her phone buzzed with a text message from Henry. [Lenny, an urgent matter came up at the office. Head over to the cemetery and wait for me there. I’ll be over soon.] Lena’s thumb hovered over the screen for a long time before she finally replied. [Okay.] She was leaving soon anyway, and at least before she did, she did not want her mother to see she was struggling. When the cab arrived at the cemetery gates, Lena got out and began her wait. She stood there from the peak of the afternoon sun until the sky faded into a deep twilight, but there was still no sign of Henry. The night breeze carried a chill that made her arms feel cold. Slowly, her patience drained away, and the warmth on her face vanished. As the very last remnant of twilight faded from the horizon, she gritted her teeth, turned around, and began walking up the hillside alone. She had just reached the halfway point of the hill when her phone notified her that she had a new message. In it, a video was attached. Chapter 7 In the video, Henry was wearing loose loungewear and was focused on stirring a pot of soup on the stove. The camera shook slightly, and Ava’s sweet voice echoed from the speakers. “Henry, didn’t you say you were supposed to be with Lena today? What is she going to do now that you’re over at my place instead?” Henry did not even look up from the stove when he replied, “If she gets tired of waiting, she’ll just head home. There’s no need to worry about her.” After a brief pause, he casually added, “Lenny has a very strong-willed nature. No one can push her around, whether I’m there or not. You, on the other hand, have such a weak constitution, yet you’re always out and about.” The video cut off right there, but Lena’s hands would not stop shaking. She had waited from day to night, standing alone at the cemetery gates for hours. Yet, to him, her agonizing wait amounted to nothing more than a dismissive, “If she gets tired of waiting, she’ll just head home.” Lena suddenly felt like a fool for having harbored hope for the man. He had told her to wait, and like an idiot, she actually did. Not only did he blow her off, but he could not even be bothered to send a simple text to let her know he was not coming. The blisters on her heels throbbed, but she did not slow down. She kept a steady pace until she finally reached her mother’s gravesite. Looking at her mother’s gentle, smiling face on the tombstone, Lena could not hold it together anymore. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground, tears spilling from her eyes. Memories of her past with Henry flashed through her mind like a movie reel—from the very first flutter of attraction to her deep emotional reliance on him and, finally, that last, haunting image of his cold indifference right before she died in her previous life. She reached out, tracing her fingers along the cold stone, choking through sobs, “Mom, I’m leaving. I’m going somewhere far, far away, and I’m never coming back. Will you be mad at me for that?” A sudden breeze swept through the cemetery, gently lifting the stray hairs on her forehead. It felt exactly like her mother’s tender hand caressing her. Lena sniffled, forcing herself to swallow the rest of her tears. Her mother was definitely telling her that it was okay. She sat in front of the grave for a long time, and it was only when the first hint of dawn began to appear on the horizon that she dragged her stiff body down the hill. However, just as she reached the gates of the cemetery, a few thuggish-looking men suddenly blocked her path. Lena frowned and tried to step around them, but they intentionally stood in her way. “Well, well, you gorgeous babe. What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere? Why don’t you hang out and have some fun with us?” The leader of the group smirked, his sleazy eyes traveling up and down her body in a way that made her skin crawl. Lena’s breath hitched, and anger flashed in her beautiful eyes. “Get out of my way!” Instead of backing off, the men took a step forward. The leader reached out, trying to grab her arm. “Don’t be so aggressive, babe. We know how to treat a girl right.” Lena dodged, her face turning pale. There were too many of them, and fighting back physically was a losing battle. So, she clenched her teeth and, catching the men off guard, suddenly spun around and bolted. The sound of her own frantic footsteps and ragged breathing echoed in her ears, her heart hammering against her ribs so hard it felt like it would explode. The heavy footsteps behind her were drawing closer by the second. In a panic, Lena fumbled through her pockets and pulled out her phone. Her hands were shaking so much that it took her several tries just to dial her emergency contact, which was Henry. The line connected after two rings. “Henry, help me! Men are chasing me!” she cried out frantically, not even waiting for him to speak. However, the moment the words left her mouth, her foot caught on a jagged, protruding rock, and she fell onto the ground. The skin on her elbows and palms tore open, throbbing with a sharp, burning pain, and a sprain in her ankle made her gasp out loud. The other end of the line remained dead silent. Growing desperate, Lena screamed into the receiver again, “Henry! Did you hear me?” Finally, a rustling sound came through the speaker. After a few seconds, a sweet voice said, “Lena?” It was Ava. “Take a wild guess. Do you really think Henry is going to save you?” In an instant, color drained from Lena’s face, and the blood in her veins froze. She snapped her head up to see that the men had caught up, and they were reaching out to grab her… Chapter 8 Lena sat alone on the bench in the police station, wrapped in a jacket a female officer had handed her, her body still trembling uncontrollably. Not far away, a few thugs were crouching in the corner, getting aggressively chewed out by a police officer. When Henry rushed into the station, his eyes immediately fell on Lena’s disheveled state. The cut on her hand was still oozing blood, her right ankle was swollen, and her dress was stained with dirt and grass blades. Frowning, he walked over quickly and bent down in front of her. “Lenny, what happened? Did you get into trouble again?” When he received the call from the station, he did not even listen to the full details before racing over in a panic. Lena raised her eyes, her gaze hollow. If she had not managed to grab her phone off the ground while fighting for her life, and if a passing patrol car had not happened to spot her, she probably would not have made it through. Yet, Henry’s very first reaction was to assume she had caused trouble. A smile tugged at her lips, and tears began to stream down her face. That look made Henry’s chest tighten with a strange sense of unease. Just as he was about to speak, an officer walked over and signaled that they were free to go. Without a single second of hesitation, Lena stood up and walked out. Henry could only nod to the officer and quickly follow after her. He reached out to grab her wrist, only to realize a large patch of skin had been scraped off, the dried blood looking exceptionally stark against her pale skin. Concerned, he asked, “How did you manage to do this to yourself?” Lena did not say a word, continuing forward in silence. An inexplicable irritation washed over Henry. He could not wrap his head around why she was throwing a tantrum, but her cold, distant attitude made him feel uncomfortable. “Fine, let’s just get you home first!” He frowned, his tone carrying a trace of helpless exasperation. On the drive back, Lena remained silent, and Henry found the quiet unnatural. In the past, whenever she got into trouble, she would always make a huge fuss and demand that he clean up after her. However, her behavior today made it seem like her very soul had been sucked out of her. The atmosphere inside the car grew heavier by the minute. By the time they reached her apartment, neither of them had spoken a single word. “Lenny,” Henry called out to her. Lena glanced back at him before turning into the apartment. A few moments later, she walked back out carrying a pile of things. They were all gifts he had given her over the years. Right before his eyes, she dumped everything into the trash can and ignited a lighter. Flames began to burn at the wrapping paper, making a sharp crackling sound. Henry froze for a moment before stepping forward quickly. “What are you doing?” “Yesterday, you didn’t show up at the cemetery. Where were you?” Lena stared at him, refusing to miss even the slightest flicker of emotion on his face. Henry’s eyes darted away, and he let out a sigh. “Something urgent came up at the office and tied me down. Are you throwing a fit over this?” Lena’s face turned pale, and the last spark of light in her eyes died out. She stopped looking at him. Instead, she quietly watched the fire consume the items she had once treasured above all else, until they finally turned into a pile of ash. “Are you done throwing your tantrum now?” Henry looked at her, a hint of hesitation in his tone. Just then, his phone suddenly rang. After answering and exchanging a few brief words, his expression grew visibly anxious. He hung up hurriedly and turned back to Lena. “I’ll have someone deliver an identical set of everything you just burned to you.” “No need,” Lena finally spoke, her voice raspy and hollow. “I don’t want them anymore.” For some reason, Henry’s heart skipped a beat, but he shrugged it off as her simply being stubborn. He massaged his temples and said, “Fine, once we’re married, I’ll get you whatever you want.” Then, he glanced down at a text on his phone, his feet already moving toward the door. “I have somewhere I need to be, so I have to run. I won’t be coming over for the next few days. “Lenny,” he said, looking back at her with a hint of impatience, “you really need to rein in your temper. I can’t clean up your messes forever.” With that, he turned and walked away at a brisk pace, never looking back. Lena stood in place, watching his figure fade into the distance, a bitter smile gracing her lips. “Goodbye, Henry.” Her voice was very soft, and like the breeze, it dissipated into the air the moment it left her lips. Henry paused for a second at the doorway, but thinking it might have just been an illusion, he quickly strode away. Lena pulled out her phone. A message from Chase was sitting quietly on the screen. [One billion dollars has been transferred to your account. Leave as soon as possible before the wedding.] She packed her belongings, left the apartment in Sydney’s hands, and went to the embassy to pick up her documents. Then, she took a cab straight to the airport. Standing before a trash can in the terminal, she snapped her SIM card in half, tossed it inside, and walked toward the boarding gate without looking back. The plane taxied and took off. As it soared through the clouds, the city outside the window gradually shrank into a speck before disappearing entirely. From that moment on, they would go their separate ways. Chapter 9 Henry rushed back to the office, where work buried him alive. Documents were piled high across his desk. He flipped through them page by page until his eyes grew strained. Finally, he paused and glanced out the window. Right at that moment, a plane flew across the sky, its tail leaving a long white trail against the deep blue sky. For some reason, a sudden, sharp pang pierced Henry’s chest. An inexplicable sense of unease began to spread in his heart, as if something of the utmost importance were slipping away from him. Frowning, he pressed a hand against his chest, and Lena’s face instantly flooded his mind. In a daze, he remembered that she had muttered something right before he left her apartment. Her voice had been so faint that he could not catch it at the time, and now, no matter how hard he tried, he could not recall what she said. Henry’s grip on his pen tightened. Something felt deeply wrong. Was she still angry? Lena had always had a willful, spoiled streak. Whenever she felt upset, she never bottled it up, and the number of people she had humiliated in their social circle was too much to count. Over the past month, he had admittedly diverted a lot of his energy toward Ava. Perhaps he had neglected Lena, pushing her to the point where she got so furious that she burned all those gifts. Sighing, he pressed the intercom on his desk. His secretary, Grant, quickly pushed the door open and stepped inside, standing respectfully before him. “Have someone send the latest seasonal line of clothing, bags, and jewelry to Lena’s apartment.” Henry looked up and ordered, “Also, tell the wedding planners to pay extra close attention to the details. Keep a tight eye on everything.” Grant nodded in agreement. Just as he was about to turn around, Henry called him back. “By the way, any updates on the matter I told you to look into?” “We have a few leads, sir, but we still need to verify the accuracy of the information.” “Alright.” Henry twirled his pen as he said, “The moment you get confirmation, let me know immediately.” Ever since Lena’s mother’s keepsake was broken, he had been desperately looking for a way to make it up to her. She had no regard for ordinary jewelry whatsoever, so he sent his men out to ask around. That was when he unexpectedly discovered that before Lena’s mother’s passing, the woman had donated a sapphire necklace to a charity foundation and that, after changing hands several times, it had ended up in the collection of a foreign buyer. He had immediately ordered Grant to track down the necklace’s whereabouts. No matter how much it cost, he was determined to buy it back. An image of Lena’s face lighting up with joy upon receiving the necklace flashed across his mind, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He picked up his phone and shot a text over to Lena. [I had someone send the latest seasonal clothes, jewelry, and bags to your apartment.] Right after, he sent another. [Lenny, I’ve also prepared a gift for you. You’re going to love it.] There was no reply from her end, but he was not in a rush. Lena was just throwing a tantrum. Once she cooled off, she would text him back. Henry worked at the office until the dead of night. By the time he wrapped up all his work and checked his phone, it was already one o’clock in the morning. In his chat history with Lena, his two messages were still sitting there, completely ignored. “She has quite a temper on her,” he muttered under his breath before stuffing the phone back into his pocket. A knock sounded on the office door, and Grant walked in with a file, placing it on the desk. “Mr. Hale, we’ve tracked it down. That necklace is going up for bidding at the largest auction house in Malkovia. The event is scheduled for the day after tomorrow at eight-thirty in the evening. Should we send someone to–” “No need. I’ll go myself!” Henry cut him off, standing up abruptly and grabbing his coat from the back of his chair. “Book the earliest flight right now. We leave immediately.” “But…” Grant hesitated. “The day after the auction is your wedding day. Won’t that be cutting it too close? Maybe it’s safer to send someone we trust–” “I won’t rest easy leaving this to anyone else.” Henry checked the time and said confidently, “There’s enough time. Once I get the necklace, I’ll fly straight back. I can surely make it in time for the wedding the next day.” He wanted to hand this surprise to Lena personally.