4 Chapter 4
He then turned to the nurses and his staff. “Tell my wife exactly what our interactions have been lately. Be thorough!”
The moment he left, I checked myself out of the center. At our penthouse, I packed a single duffel bag and left the signed divorce agreement on his polished mahogany desk. Without a backward glance, I boarded a flight to Athens.
“But I’ll miss you terribly. Even for a day, I hate the thought of being away from you.”
Within moments, his assistant returned with a large portfolio. Xavier unrolled
architectural plans across the bed-a stunning, state-of-the-art marine conservation
center.
Finally, he kissed my forehead with a show of great reluctance and left the room.
He sighed dramatically before continuing, “When you’re well, we’ll oversee the new
center together. I’ll delegate more at the firm so we never have to be apart.”
As if remembering something, he added, “Miranda, I have an urgent business trip to
Monaco tomorrow, so I can’t be here with you. But my phone will be on 24/7. Call me if
you need anything.”
Stifling the sickness in my stomach, I nodded. “Be safe on your trip.”
“Mrs. Colton, my last interaction with Mr. Colton was to present your revised physical
therapy plan.”
Before the plane took off, I blocked his number, deleted my accounts, and vanished from
the digital world.
Having demonstrated his loyalty, Xavier seemed to relax. He sat on the edge of my bed, took my hand, and said earnestly, “Miranda, you know you’re the only one I’ve ever loved. I could never want anyone else.”
Xavier gestured to the sprawling design and declared passionately, “This is for you, Miranda. A testament to my devotion. How could I ever look at another woman?”
Though his words were a performance, they were flawlessly delivered.
“Mrs. Colton, I only saw him when he asked me to source the best organic meals for you.”
I laughed bitterly inside, gesturing for everyone to leave.
When Jennifer’s name was mentioned, he stated coolly, “She’s a fragile friend of the family. I feel a duty to help her. That’s all. Miranda, you are my entire world.”
For a split second, I saw a shadow of guilt in his eyes. Then he spoke again, his voice tinged with what sounded like genuine reluctance.
“Do you remember what you promised me before we were married?”
“Why are you bringing this up now? Have I done something to upset you?”
Before we said our vows, I had made him swear: if he ever cheated, he had to tell me, and
I would disappear from his life forever.
Xavier immediately nodded in agreement.
He stood up quickly, his expression turning serious, and instructed his assistant outside
the door, “Bring me the plans for the conservation center!”
His words were laced with deep affection, sounding completely sincere.
“Mrs. Colton, I spoke with him when he noticed your saline drip was running low and demanded I replace it.”
I gave a soft “Mm” and pulled my hand free, ignoring the flicker of disappointment in his
eyes.
The staff recited their encounters one by one.
Each person described their interactions, all centered on my well-being. Some couldn’t
hide their admiration for his obsessive attention to me.
If I wasn’t already aware that he was leaving to arrange an illegal organ transplant, I might have been moved by his speech.
I stared into Xavier’s pleading eyes and finally asked the question that had been haunting
