Chapter 5

Until Cara was battered and bleeding, Lincoln finally raised his hand to signal a stop. Selina hid behind Lincoln, lifting her chin smugly as she looked at Cara, who lay on the ground in complete disarray. Lincoln, composed as ever, took out a handkerchief and tossed it onto the floor. His voice was cold, as if delivering a clinical verdict: "This is just the initial treatment. If you continue to resist, the next treatment will be even stricter." With that, he turned his head away, no longer sparing her a glance, focusing instead on tending to Selina. Cara clenched her teeth tightly, her long hair falling over half her face like a curtain. She forced herself to stand, her body trembling. Just as she stepped out of the hospital room, her legs gave way, and she collapsed into unconsciousness. A blinding white light filled her vision. Cara squinted, barely making out a blurry figure in the distance. The figure grew clearer—it was her father! Cara jolted awake, wanting to grab his hand, but no matter how close she seemed, she could never reach him. She ran after him, exhausting herself, but the figure only moved farther away… “Dad! Don’t leave me!” ... “Ma’am, wake up.” A nurse’s voice cut through her haze, laced with admonishment. “Getting this worked up while pregnant? How can the baby be healthy if the mother is so weak?” Cara’s mind buzzed, her hands trembling as she grasped the nurse’s arm. Her voice was shaky: “I’m… pregnant?” The nurse handed her an ultrasound report. “Seven weeks along. This is a critical period.” Despair washed over Cara as she cradled her flat abdomen. Why now, of all times, did she have to be carrying Lincoln’s child? She buried her face into the hospital bed, pounding it with her fists as low sobs escaped her throat. While Lincoln stayed with Selina, Cara returned alone to what could no longer be called "home." In the living room hung their wedding photo—its colors faded with time. Like their love, once vibrant, now thickly layered with dust. She climbed a ladder and struggled to take it down. With a pair of scissors, she shredded it into pieces. In the corner of the closet sat a wooden box, filled with mementos of their five years of happiness together. There was a thick scrapbook of their love story, a photo album of couple portraits, the white roses Lincoln had used to propose, and the bouquet from their wedding day. The entire box was proof of his love for her—and evidence of his current indifference. Cara brought over a large brazier, tearing the items apart and throwing them into the fire. The flames devoured them quickly, thick smoke stinging her eyes until tears streamed down her face. “Who’s burning something in here?” Lincoln opened the closet door, his brow furrowed, his voice steady: “Cara, it’s is dangerous. If you’re trying to get my attention this way, I can tell you—it’s not wise to resort to self-destructive methods to deal with your emotions.” Cara touched her chest, surprised. His cold, detached words no longer hurt her. “Heh.” She let out a soft laugh. Finally, she no longer loved him. Lincoln frowned. “What new trick are you trying to pull to get my attention? Selina’s still in the hospital. You should be more rational.” Cara brushed the ash off her clothes, her tone light and casual: “Nothing. Just getting rid of expired trash.” Her calm demeanor unsettled Lincoln for the first time. He softened his tone, unusually so: “Cara, I’ve been in contact with the best medical institutions. I’m confident we’ll soon find a matching bone marrow donor. Can’t you be a bit more reasonable? Let’s live our lives properly.” Cara lowered her eyes, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Is that so? That’s great. Unfortunately, I don’t want to.” She stepped past him, but he grabbed her wrist firmly. “What are you thinking? Selina, she…” Cara met his gaze and interrupted him, “Lincoln, do you really think I’m that irrational?” “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt your patient. After all, it’s not her fault.” The real culprit was the man she had loved for five years! Lincoln seemed to exhale a sigh of relief, his voice regaining its clinical professionalism: “There’s a medical conference tonight. Come with me. It’ll help you understand my work better.” He expected her to react with jealousy, asking why he wasn’t taking Selina, and then refuse. But she said nothing, instead casually picking out a dress. She even applied light makeup, selecting a blue satin gown that complemented her complexion perfectly. “Let’s go.” She looped her arm through his, just like old times. In the car, Lincoln found himself staring at her. He had almost forgotten—back then, she had been the stunning beauty who captivated all of Anderelo. When they entered the conference hall, all eyes turned to Cara, some with curiosity, others with pity. In a corner, a few once-familiar socialites whispered among themselves. “Does she even know Selina is here? This’ll be quite the spectacle.” “She really is pitiful. Thought she married some perfect man, but he’s just like the rest.” “With the mistress flaunting herself so boldly, it’s clear who’s backing her. Otherwise, how could a patient dare show up here?” Cara only then realized that Selina had arrived ahead of them. “Care! Over here!” Selina, dressed in a white velvet gown and teetering on ten-centimeter heels, swayed her way toward them. When she was just a meter away, she suddenly cried out, “Oh!” and twisted her ankle. Lincoln immediately let go of Cara and caught Selina, steadying her as if she were a fragile patient about to fall. The crowd gasped collectively. To be so blatant in front of his wife—what must go on in private? Selina pouted playfully. “Oh dear, Cara is still here. You’re making me shy.” Lincoln steadied her, his tone as calm as ever: “Be careful. High heels aren’t good for your recovery.” Cara clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. Selina, snapping out of her act, looped her arm around Cara’s with mock intimacy. “Come, Cara, let me get you something to eat.” Her demeanor suggested that Cara was the intruder in the room. As Cara took a step forward, the strap of her dress suddenly snapped with an audible "ping." Instantly, her chest was exposed to the entire room.