Chapter 3
After coming home, Sylvie had a light meal and started packing her things. Most of the things in the house were hers. Soren only owned a few items, and even some of those had been purchased by her.
She got rid of everything—his suits, ties, razors, cologne, mug, and toothbrush. She also tossed out the candid photos she’d taken of them, the love letters she’d written him when they were younger, and all the other little keepsakes.
On the day she finished cleaning out the villa she’d once thought of as their home, Soren returned. As soon as he walked in, he could tell something was wrong.
He looked around the room and demanded, “Where are my things?”
“I threw them out,” Sylvie answered honestly.
Soren gave her a cold glance, his eyes narrowing. “I’ve only been gone a few days, and you’re already pulling this?”
“I only got rid of what I bought. I didn’t touch your stuff. And it’s not like you used any of it much anyway.”
Soren took it as her being resentful about him breaking their agreement by staying away from home lately. His expression turned cold, and his voice was cutting.
“I’ve already told you I’m not sticking to that agreement. I don’t want to spend my life with you. Think about it and sign the termination agreement.”
“Didn’t Roy tell you? I already—”
Before Sylvie could finish, Zoe entered with quick, light steps and said quietly, “Ms. Clarke, Soren’s been watching over me at the hospital this entire time. That’s why he couldn’t come home. If you’re mad, you should blame me instead.”
Seeing Zoe lower her head in apology, Soren frowned and immediately intervened. “My relationship with her is purely transactional, Zoe. There was never any real emotion between us, so you don’t owe anyone an apology.”
His words hit Sylvie like a physical blow, sending a faint tremor through her body.
Soren was right. To him, their relationship had always been about mutual gain. That explained why he’d repeatedly tried to buy his freedom. The one who’d given her heart from the beginning was her, and her alone.
She noticed the soft and lingering gaze Soren directed at Zoe before turning away quietly and retreating to her room. A little while later, there was a knock at the door.
Zoe walked in with a cup of coffee, giving her a hesitant look. “Soren is in a meeting right now, Ms. Clarke. I made some coffee and thought you might want some, too. I was also hoping we could talk.”
In her past life, Sylvie had refused immediately and sent Zoe away. But now that she had decided to leave, she no longer felt the same bitter resentment toward Zoe. She remained calm.
“What did you want to talk about?”
Zoe clenched her hands nervously, her eyes brimming with sadness. “I know you and Soren have known each other since you were kids, but you can’t force love. Keeping him tied to you with an agreement will only make him miserable.
“And you’ll never get the love you want. In the end, you’ll both just end up hurt. Is that really what you want?”
Sylvie’s expression grew more conflicted with every word. She stared at Zoe for a long moment before letting out a quiet laugh. “And who are you to tell me these things?”
“I-I love Soren just as much as you do. That’s why I can’t stand seeing him in pain. He doesn’t love you. Just being near you makes him remember the worst, most humiliating time of his life.
“He isn’t just trying to break free from the trap you’ve set with your love; he’s also running from his own past. He’s too proud to ever let anyone see his scars, but he can’t get past them either. That’s why he’s always so cold and distant with you.”
Sylvie was stunned. For the first time, she understood why Soren was so desperate to get away from her.
She’d stood by him during his darkest four years and had seen him at his lowest. She’d believed those shared struggles would bring them closer and nurture love between them.
Yet for him, someone who only wanted a fresh start, those memories were nothing more than an unshakable nightmare.
And if he’d confided his deepest, most private feelings to Zoe, didn’t that prove he’d never considered Sylvie close to him and let her into his world?
All at once, a crushing pain overwhelmed her. The stubborn hopes she’d held onto in her heart shattered into nothing.
Sylvie refused to show weakness in front of Zoe, but she couldn’t hold back her anguish. She forced herself to stand, determined to walk away.
However, Zoe mistook it as Sylvie refusing to talk. Not wanting to miss her chance, she rushed after her to stop her. “Ms. Clarke, I just wanted to tell you—”
Before she could finish, she accidentally knocked into a nearby shelf in her haste. Several vases tipped over, hitting Sylvie.
A muffled groan escaped her lips as she collapsed to the floor, her clothes drenched in blood. All the color drained from her face. White-hot pain shot through her, leaving her struggling to breathe.
Zoe was also terrified, and before she could react, Sylvie’s dog, Remy, rushed over to protect her, frightening Zoe badly.
Having been bitten by a dog as a child, Zoe instinctively turned and ran when she saw the strong, muscular golden retriever. Remy chased her without stopping.
Zoe twisted her ankle in her panic and tumbled down the stairs. Her piercing scream echoed through the entire villa.
