Lucy's pitiful, delicate appearance at that moment really did match the fragile, lovable little innocent girl often seen in Korean dramas.

He rushed to Lucy's side, draped his coat over her shoulders, then used those hands that had once said they would only ever hold mine to gently clasp another woman’s hands. Afraid she might be cold, he even breathed warm air onto her fingers.

I stood by like an outsider, my icy hands tucked deep into my jacket pockets. It was simply too cold and I couldn’t help but speak to them.

“Let’s go.”

After glancing at me, Jeremy raised his hand to feel Lucy’s forehead, then strode toward me.

Eight years of being together made me instinctively alert; it seemed he was furious.

I instinctively took a step back, but couldn't dodge his slap. The hand that once warmed me now struck my face with force.

Heartbreak, agony, disappointment and even hatred became a tangled complex of emotions that overwhelmed me, leaving me without the strength to react immediately.

“It's all your fault! If you'd come sooner, Lucy wouldn't have stood by the river so long and caught this fever!”

Compared to the pain on my face, my heart really hurts at this moment.

“Jeremy, when did you become this stupid? Did I make Lucy come to the river? Did I tell her to jump? She’s an adult. If she won’t take responsibility for her own life, why should I take responsibility for her actions?”

I pointed angrily at Jeremy. “And you! Jeremy, we're getting divorced! What right do you have to lecture me now? I'm calling the police. What you just did was intentional assault. I think you need to spend a few days in jail to reflect on your actions!”

Jeremy's face darkened slightly. But before he could speak, Lucy's slightly excited and surprised cut him off. "Jeremy, are you getting a divorce? Is it true?"

Jeremy’s voice rose, as if desperately trying to prove something. “Whether it’s true or not has nothing to do with a child like you! Your sister-in-law is just acting on impulse and making a fuss about divorce. She’ll regret it sooner or later!”

Hearing this, Lucy's almond-shaped eyes darted about. After feigning a few coughs, her body began to sway unsteadily.

Jeremy hurriedly helped her.

“Don't stand out here in the wind. I'll take you to the hospital to get checked, so it doesn't get worse.”

Saying this, Jeremy picked Lucy up. As he did, he shot me a sardonic glance. “Since you want to divorce so much, get out of the house first and let me see your determination!"

He didn't need to remind me; I was going to go back and pack my bags anyway.

After Jeremy drove off, I took a taxi home. There wasn’t much worth taking, so two suitcases were enough.

When I passed by Jeremy's study, I pushed the door open and placed the document folder in my hand on his desk. I didn’t know when he would see the gift I’d left him, but it's not too late to see it.

After leaving, I checked into a hotel. I didn’t look for a place or leave immediately, because I planned to return to the orchard my father had left me once the divorce agreement was signed.

But before that, I needed to wrap up the procedural matters my father had left behind here.

I hadn't realized how complex his affairs were until I started sorting them out. I'd thought it would take three or four days, but a week had already passed and I'd barely managed to get things in order.

The doorbell rang.

Aside from going out to eat, I had hardly ever left the hotel for a l week. I shouldn’t have had contact with anyone.

Through the peephole, I saw that it was Jeremy.

Was he coming here to sign the divorce agreement? But he wasn’t holding anything and he looked irritated. It didn’t seem like good news.

“If you're not here to sign the divorce papers, leave.”

Though I could not see Jeremy's expression through the peephole, I could see him knocking impatiently on the doorframe, muttering something about needing to speak with me.

“Other than divorce, nothing interests me," I said coldly.

Obviously, Jeremy had exhausted his patience. He began hammering the door frantically.

"Anne, open the door!"

"Jeremy! This is a hotel! Not some place for you, Mr. Hudson, to make trouble!”

“If I break it, I can afford to pay for it! Just open the door first—I only need a favor!”

Afraid that the security guard would come up and cause trouble, I opened the door for him.

“What is it? Say it quickly!”

“Simple. It’s just a small favor. Film a sweet interaction between the two of us to prove that our relationship is normal right now. That’s all.”

He walked in naturally and sat down on the sofa.

"Jeremy, don’t you think you’re ridiculous? We’re going to get divorced!”

“I know. But you're well aware that many of Hudson Group's clients partnered with us because of your father. Now rumors are spreading about our divorce. Today, some clients have already canceled contracts. You need to take responsibility.”

Sometimes, when people are truly speechless, they end up laughing.

"Jeremy, you can let yourself out while I'm in a good mood. Don't force me to call the security guard up.”

“Anne, after eight years together, must you be so heartless?” he demanded.

I stared into the eyes I had once loved the most. Now, all I saw in them was naked exploitation and a desire for control.

“Get out.”

“Anne! How long will you keep throwing these tantrums? I've indulged you this far—is it because of Lucy? If you truly can't tolerate her, I'll send her abroad for school after graduation. Is that not enough?”

In that moment, I finally saw him clearly. Jeremy was a refined egoist. He prioritized satisfying the needs of whoever served his interests. Since he had never offered genuine care, how could he talk about love?

Just as I was about to call security, they had already arrived. Someone must have complained about the earlier banging. I had chosen this hotel precisely because its security was known to be excellent.

As Jeremy was dragged out, he was still trying to get me to film the video with him, even offering to pay me if I agreed.

If I stayed here any longer, he would keep pestering me. And judging by his attitude, expecting a peaceful divorce from him was nothing but a fantasy.

When I thought about the folder in Jeremy's study, I breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, my father had prepared an escape route for me.

So, I turned on my mobile phone and booked the earliest plane for tomorrow. The plan to return to the orchard had to be moved forward.

The moment I stepped out of the hotel entrance, a Rolls-Royce Phantom screeched to a stop in front of me. I did not even need to look to know who it was.

Jeremy walked out of the car with an anxious expression. He did not even bother to say polite words before he took my arm.

“Anne, as long as you can save Lucy!”

Lucy, Lucy. It's always Lucy!

“Pulling the suicide stunt every day—can you at least switch to another tactic?” I snapped, shaking his hand off in both exasperation and anger.

My reaction seemed to be exactly what he expected because he put on a guilty expression.

“Anne, what happened before was my fault. But this time, it’s truly a matter of life and death. I didn’t want to disturb you, but I honestly couldn’t think of anyone else who could save Lucy…”

I sensed something was off and asked, “Save her? What happened to her?”

“Lucy has been kidnapped!" Jeremy took out his mobile phone to show me.

The screen showed Lucy was tied up in what looked like a warehouse, her mouth sealed with tape. The warehouse environment was visibly awful—damp, filthy and completely dark. The white dress on Lucy was already stained with grime.

No wonder Jeremy was so frantic. His little princess had never endured such hardship.

"What's the use of calling me? Am I supposed to break down an iron door for you, or play the hero?” I knew the situation was urgent, but that still wasn’t a reason for him to stop me from catching my flight. I was not a police.

“The perpetrator is a hacker!” Surprisingly, he showed no sign of irritation. He patiently explained the situation to me.

“Before coming to you, I’d already mobilized all the company’s senior programmers to track Lucy's location. We found her exact address, but the room she’s being held in—no one can crack it…”

Hearing this, I already had a rough idea of why Jeremy sought me out.

“Anne, you were a master at cracking programs back in university. In that moment, you were the only one I could think of. I hope you can help me rescue Lucy. I'll repay you for the rest of my life!”

How touching. Hearing the man I'd loved for so many years standing before me, his eyes reddened as he pleaded for another woman—even though my love for him had gone, my heart still ached faintly.

I really couldn’t just stand by and do nothing when a life was at stake.

However, Jeremy was right about one thing: I was indeed a master at cracking programs. It was just that after marrying him, I handed the company over to him completely and lived the so-called leisurely life of a wealthy wife. But a life like that has its advantages and disadvantages.

When it comes to money or power, holding it in your own hands is always the most reliable.

I followed him into the car. The entire ride passed in silence.

It was not that he did not try to talk to me, but I simply did not want to waste my time on him. Between us, even small talk felt unnecessary now.

We arrived at the outskirts, where a dilapidated warehouse stood amidst a field of withered grass, the area sparsely populated.

The moment Jeremy was near the warehouse entrance, Lucy's cry could be heard.

According to him, Lucy had already been locked up for five or six hours, yet she still had the energy to cry this loudly.

As I followed Jeremy into one of the rooms, I found that the door was designed with ventilation grilles, making it easy to look inside from outside.

Lucy was tied to a chair and couldn't move. When she saw Jeremy, she immediately stared at him pitifully.

"Lucy, don’t worry. Anne is very familiar with these procedures. She'll definitely get you out!”  

“Mm! Mm!” Though her mouth was gagged, Lucy still managed to respond to her Jeremy.

When I saw Jeremy grip the bars and how the two of them looked like a pair of star-crossed lovers, I felt sick.

Fortunately, I successfully hacked the iron door's program without much trouble. Though somewhat challenging, it was still manageable.

“Have the programmers at Hudson Group really fallen to this level?” I couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

“This batch really is mediocre. I’ll replace them,” Jeremy said as he pushed open the iron door, walked over to Lucy, took out the small knife he’d brought and untied her.

Once freed from her restraints, Lucy immediately threw herself into Jeremy's arms, sobbing. "Jeremy … I'm so scared."

“Don't be afraid. I'm here now.”

I couldn’t be bothered to keep watching. I knocked on the door to urge them, “Aren’t you leaving? Do you like this place that much?”

Jeremy supported Lucy as they walked out of the iron door. As she brushed past me, I heard Lucy whisper with a little smugness in her voice. "Thank you for coming, Anne."

I was just about to turn back and question her when I felt someone shove me hard from behind. My foot slipped and I stumbled forward a few steps before I managed to steady myself.

But the moment the iron door was automatically locked, I realized that I was trapped inside.

As I stood in the room, I spotted a timed bomb in the corner.

"I'm sorry, Anne …" Jeremy said in a trembling voice from outside.

I forced myself to steady my voice and demanded, “Jeremy, what exactly are you doing right now?”

"I …" Though his lips moved, no voice came out.

Lucy stepped forward beside him and said, “Anne, don't blame Jeremy. He was trying to save me. Actually, before you arrived, Jeremy and the others had already cracked the code for this iron door. What they hadn't cracked was the bomb inside the room. That bomb is connected to the surveillance system. Once the surveillance detects that someone has disappeared, it will explode immediately, so ...”