Chapter 3

"Crane."

My voice echoed in the empty corridor.

He looked up sharply. Surprised, he instinctively pushed Sienna away some distance.

Her face showed disappointment.

"Willow? How did you..."

"I came to observe and learn."

I didn't want to beat around the bush with them. Worried they might not understand, I let out a cold laugh.

"After all, my husband seems better at taking care of other men's wives."

Her face instantly went pale, her fingers twisting the bedsheet at the edge of the hospital bed.

"Willow, don't misunderstand, I was just..."

"Just what? Just coincidentally, accidentally falling down the stairs at one in the morning?"

I walked closer to the bed, looking at her. "What a coincidence—every time we're intimate, you always have some little accident."

She lowered her head even more, as if about to cry.

"That's enough, stop talking."

Crane abruptly stood up, grabbing my wrist and dragging me out of the hospital room.

He demanded, "Are you crazy? Marcus's only been gone six months!"

"Ha... You know she's Marcus's wife, so why can't you be more mindful of boundaries?"

"You're being completely unreasonable. I can guarantee you, there's nothing between her and me."

He was quite angry, gripping my wrist, forcibly dragging me into the elevator.

"Let go of me!" I struggled, my nails scratching across the back of his hand. "You're hurting me!"

The elevator descended to the underground parking garage. Crane silently dragged me toward his black Land Rover.

He shoved me inside. The car door slammed shut with a "bang," leaving only our heavy breathing in the enclosed space.

"Willow, let me explain."

He released his grip, his voice suddenly softening.

"Sienna really just twisted her ankle. Mom's too old to support her by herself..."

"So you needed to hold her?"

I laughed coldly, rubbing my reddened wrist. "You needed to whisper in her ear? You needed to..."

"Enough!"

He slammed his fist on the steering wheel, the horn blaring sharply.

"Can you stop being so vulgar?

That's Sienna!

My brother saved my life. What's wrong with me taking care of his wife?"

I stared at his reddening eyes, suddenly finding it ridiculous.

"Crane, are you sure you're just 'taking care' of her?"

He was about to say something when his phone suddenly rang.

The two words "Sienna" on the screen stung my eyes.

Crane hesitated for a second, then answered anyway.

"Mm... okay... I'll be right there."

He hung up and looked at me with a complicated expression.

"The hospital needs someone to handle the admission paperwork. Mom didn't bring enough cash."

"So?"

I leaned back in the seat, a sarcastic smile on my lips. "You're leaving me again?"

"Just ten minutes."

He reached out to touch my face, but I turned my head away.

"Wait in the car for me. I promise I'll come back as soon as I'm done."

"Just go."

I closed my eyes, heard the car door open and close, then the sound of hurried footsteps gradually fading away.

The cold air from the underground garage crept up from the floor.

I opened my eyes, my gaze falling on Crane's backup phone under the passenger seat—the one he usually used for company business.

Possessed by some impulse, I bent down and picked it up.

The screen lit up, showing a blurry photo on the lock screen—you could vaguely make out two silhouettes.

I entered his usual password.

The phone unlocked. The moment I saw the contents, my blood ran cold.