Chapter 2

Julissa said with excitement, "That's great. Let's contact the mentor then. Once it is confirmed, it can't be changed. Otherwise, you'll end up on the blacklist of the Pianist Association."

I was so weak that I could barely hold the phone. But I replied to her firmly, "I'm sure. I won't change my mind."

Julissa offered to book my flight right away. But then she seemed to remember something and asked in a low voice, "By the way, what about Timothy? You love him with all your heart. You even said you'd give up your dream of being a pianist to be the woman behind him. Right?"

Hearing Timothy's name, I was heartbroken.

The piercing laughter echoed in my ears, and Timothy's indifferent face when he responded to those who mocked me flashed before my eyes.

He had been with me for four years. But he just wanted to torment me for Bryanna.

"I don't love him anymore," I said, my voice hoarse yet calm. "He's not worth it."

After hanging up, I stood dazed by the roadside for a while. I tried to calm myself down and then headed towards my "home."

After I pushed open the villa's gate once more, everything looked familiar, but my feelings had changed.

The villa was under Timothy's name. Shortly after we decided to be together, he casually suggested we live together.

I was shy and expectant back then. I believed that it meant his commitment to our relationship and could help us understand each other better.

I had meticulously decorated the villa and filled it with love. I had dreamed of raising children there and spending the rest of my life loving Timothy.

But now I realized that it was just my fantasy.

I lived together with Timothy so that it was more convenient for Timothy to help Bryanna vent her anger.

I couldn't understand why Timothy would go to such lengths for Bryanna. He lived with me for four years for Bryanna's sake, although he didn't love me.

There were traces of our intimacy in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom. He even marked me one month after I moved in.

Everything he did just proved how important Bryanna was to him.

In the few days after I knew the truth, I didn't inquire about Timothy. Nor did I visit him.

I destroyed everything in the house that held our happy memories. I discarded what couldn't be destroyed.

I dug out my cherished photo album. It was filled with snippets of our life together. Each photo was accompanied by a caption.

"I made tuna salad today. He said he loved it. I was so happy."

"He accompanied me to a musical today. I hoped we'd form a mate bond soon, just like the couple on stage."

"He said the servant had lost the ring he gave me. I searched everywhere but couldn't find it. But it didn't matter. I bought new matching rings for us."

Tears streamed down my face as I tore the album apart and burned memories in a fire pit. I watched them curl and burn into ashes.

Then I packed up all the gifts I'd painstakingly prepared for Timothy over the past four years and donated them to charity.

There were dozens of items, such as the watches, the coats, and the ties. Each was an expression of my love for him.

Lastly, I uprooted the large patch of sunflowers I had planted for Timothy. He loved sunflowers and believed that they symbolized love that was devotion.

Now I finally understood that he was devoted to Bryanna.

As I uprooted the sunflowers one by one, the leaves cut into my palms. It seemed to remind me that I had to strip away my love for Timothy.

There were so many things accumulated in the past four years.

It took me four whole days to clear everything away. I gradually emerged from my sorrow and felt much lighter during the four days.

Suddenly, the villa door swung open, and Timothy appeared at the entrance.

He glanced around the empty living room and was puzzled. "It seems like a lot of things are gone."

I replied expressionlessly, "I just tidied up. We don't have to keep so many things."

Timothy walked up to me. He said with a hint of reproach, "I was nearly killed by some poison. But you didn't even visit me in the hospital."

I said flatly, "You're standing right here in front of me. You're not in any danger."

Timothy hadn't expected such a response from me. He tried to explain, saying, "I heard you donated bone marrow for me. I was worried that something might happen to you as you were alone, so I got discharged early."

As he spoke, his hand moved to my lower back. He asked softly, "Does it still hurt?"

I sidestepped his touch and replied calmly, "I'm fine. Every wolf can recover quickly due to natural resilience."

He noticed my change in attitude and frowned. "What's wrong with you? I've only been hospitalized for four days, and you seem like a different wolf."

I smiled slightly and said, "You're overthinking. I'm still me."

Timothy didn't respond.

I couldn't see anyone but him in the past. Even a slight cough from him would keep me awake with concern.

But he was hospitalized for four days this time, and I never asked about his condition.

Timothy looked into my eyes and wondered why I had changed.

After a moment, he said gently, "Are you under a lot of stress lately? A friend's hunting lodge just opened. Let me take you there to relax."