Chapter 4

"Ava Sterling, Ethan's gaming all night with me, so he won't be coming home."

Chelsea's triumphant laugh came through the phone.

In the background, there was deafening club music, mixed with the cheers of men and women.

I sat on a cold corridor bench in the city hospital.

In my hand, I clutched the diagnostic report I'd just received.

Hippocampal atrophy, early-stage Alzheimer's.

Commonly known as irreversible memory loss.

The doctor said I would slowly forget everyone, forget my way home, until I became a shell of a person, unable to even feed myself.

"Put him on the phone."

My voice was calm, without any fluctuation.

Chelsea clicked her tongue on the other end of the line.

"Ava, you're checking up on him too much."

"Ethan finally got a chance to relax; do you have to ruin the fun?"

"Hey, Ethan, Ava Sterling insists on talking to you."

A rustling sound came from the other end.

Followed by Ethan's impatient voice.

"What now?"

"Did the house catch fire or the sky fall? Why call at this hour?"

I took a deep breath, trying to make my voice sound normal.

"Ethan, I'm at City Hospital."

"I got my check-up report today, the doctor said..."

"Alright, alright, another check-up report."

Ethan cut me off directly.

"You just want to say your endocrine system is out of whack again, and you need to buy some expensive imported medicine, don't you?"

"Ava Sterling, can't you try a new trick?"

"It's Chelsea's dog's birthday today; everyone's in high spirits. Don't be a downer."

My knuckles, gripping the phone, turned white.

"Ethan, I'm sick. Very seriously."

"That's your problem."

Ethan's voice was as cold as a stranger's.

"If you're really about to die, just call 911. What's the point of calling me? I'm not a doctor."

"Don't call again. It's annoying."

Beep, beep, beep.

The call ended.

I looked at the darkened phone screen.

Suddenly, I felt a sense of release.

I folded the diagnostic report neatly and put it in my bag.

Stepping out of the hospital, a torrential rain poured down outside.

I didn't open my umbrella, letting the rain soak me completely.

Back home, I walked straight into the study.

I opened the safe and took out the divorce papers I had already prepared.

On the line for the wife, I signed my name.

Then, I called Mr. Davis, my lawyer.

"Mr. Davis, all the materials I asked you to prepare can be submitted now."

"Yes, all of them."

"Including the ledgers detailing Wright Industries' suspected tax evasion, and the evidence of Ethan Wright's fund misappropriation."

After hanging up, I placed the divorce papers on the coffee table in the living room.

Beside it, I placed the men's hoodie Chelsea had left behind.

Having done all this, I pulled my suitcase and walked out of the villa I had lived in for five years.

The night was deep.

I sat in a taxi heading to the airport, watching the neon lights outside speed past.

My phone suddenly vibrated violently.

It was Ethan's assistant calling.

I pressed the answer button.

"Madam, where are you?"

Mark's voice sounded full of panic.

"Mr. Wright drank too much at the club just now, got into a fight, and was hit in the head with a bottle. He's currently in emergency care..."

"What? Madam, what did you say?"

Mark swallowed, relaying the message to Ethan.

"Mr. Wright, Madam was in a serious car accident on Oceanview Road just now. Also... all your assets were frozen ten minutes ago."

Ethan's weak and shocked voice came from the other end of the line.

"What did you say?"