Alex continued, "You can join us once you've finished handling things in Cresvane."

"Okay," Mabel replied. "I'll probably get there about four days after you do. See you in Mythara."

After hanging up, she gazed at Gisselle's face. "Mom, let's never come back here again. We'll stay far away, and no one will hurt you."

She kissed Gisselle's forehead gently, then left.

Mabel drew up a divorce agreement and went straight to Jessie.

Jessie worked at the same hospital but had risen to chief physician, while Mabel was only a deputy chief.

Seeing her, Jessie smirked. "Dr. Judson, thank you. I guess you won't be practicing medicine anymore."

Mabel ignored her and tossed the divorce agreement on the desk. "Have Lennon sign it. After that, whatever happens between you two is none of my business."

Jessie's eyes caught the words on the document immediately.

"Why should I help you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Mabel replied flatly, "If you don't, you'll always be the mistress."

Jessie paused for a moment, then said, "You don't know, do you? Your marriage certificate with Lennon is fake."

Mabel swayed, her pupils dilating in shock. "What?"

Jessie fiddled with her freshly done nails. Her eyes were full of disdain as she said, "You really thought you married into a wealthy family? That registration was just a scam. Given the Shepard family's influence, faking a certificate at City Hall would be easy. Don't believe me? Go check for yourself."

She watched Mabel's face turn pale and rubbed salt in the wound. "Lennon knows about it too."

What Jessie didn't say was that Lennon had only found out last month. But did it matter? He still hadn't done anything.

Mabel could still vividly recall the joy of registering their marriage back then. She remembered how Lennon had driven her up to the mountaintop to watch the stars, where they kissed under the romantic night sky and promised each other a lifetime together.

And now, it was all a lie.

She laughed until tears fell. Her body swayed like she might collapse.

Mabel stumbled back to the villa while laughing through her sobs. This place was the home they had shared ever since they registered their marriage.

Since she loved grapes, Lennon planted a grapevine in the yard and set up a swing so they could go on it together every summer.

Now, she raised a shovel and struck the trellis.

It collapsed with a crash, just like her love.

Mabel tore down the massive wedding photo in the living room and burned it, along with the love letters Lennon had written her.

Just as the flames died down, Lennon returned. He frowned at the fire pit. "What's that for?"

"It's an offering for the dead," Mabel replied.

"Don't do it here," he muttered.

At that moment, the maids carried in several boxes. Jessie followed right behind.

"These are for Jessie. She got scared and needs comforting," Lennon said before glancing apologetically at Mabel. "I know you never cared for this stuff, so I didn't get anything for you."

Then, he pulled a small paper rabbit from his pocket and placed it in front of Mabel like a magician. "For you. I love you."

Mabel stared at the paper rabbit, then at the pile of boxes across the room. A mocking smile tugged at her lips.

Millions of dollars in gifts for Jessie and a paper rabbit for her. How generous.

When she didn't take it, Lennon's expression darkened. "Mabel!"

She finally reached out and took the paper rabbit, then casually tossed it onto the table. "Thanks."

In the past, no matter what Lennon gave her, Mabel had always treasured it carefully. She had never thrown his gifts aside like this.

A flicker of irritation crossed Lennon's eyes. Before he could speak, Jessie stepped forward and handed Mabel a document envelope. "Mabel, thanks for today. This is my gift to you."

Lennon leaned in curiously, but she quickly grabbed his arm. "It's a ladies' secret. You're not allowed to look."

"Alright, alright. You're the boss." Lennon stopped looking and let Jessie pull him away to open the gift boxes.

Their lovey-dovey chatter drifted from across the room. Mabel felt a wave of nausea rise in her stomach.

Standing there, she opened the envelope expressionlessly. Inside were two photos.

In the first, a man and a woman stood in bathrobes before the hotel's huge floor-to-ceiling window, smiling boldly at the camera.

In the second, they lay naked in bed, kissing each other. Even the small glimpse captured in the frame made the heat and intimacy unmistakable.

Mabel's grip tightened around the photos, the veins rising along her temples.

"Ugh…" She couldn't hold it in anymore. She ran outside and vomited against the wall in the yard.

Through the glass door behind her, laughter drifted out. Inside, Lennon and Jessie stood shoulder to shoulder, leaning close as if they might kiss at any moment.

…

Since Mabel had decided to leave, the first thing she needed to do was resign. But after signing that confession, she didn't even need to. The hospital had already sent a notice that she was being fired.

Early the next morning, she went to the hospital to pack her things.

Even after years of working there, she had almost nothing at the office. The only thing that mattered was a medical notebook in which she had recorded important cases for future research.

Just as Mabel walked out of the hospital with her things, something hit her.

"You quack! You killed my dad! Pay with your life!"

"Heartless doctor! Murderer! Pay with your life!"

All kinds of trash flew toward her. One bottle struck her forehead before she could react, making her stumble.

Up ahead, Lennon had his arm around Jessie as she arrived for work. His tall, commanding frame completely shielded her in his embrace.

He stood at the edge of the crowd, watching everything coldly.

"It wasn't me." Mabel tried to explain, but an enraged family member shoved a notice in her face.

"The hospital already released the statement. Your mistake killed my dad!"

The notice had been issued by the hospital itself. It explained the medical malpractice incident and placed Mabel's photo beneath it, declaring she was responsible.

Jessie's name never once appeared in the statement.

Mabel clenched her fists. Across the angry crowd, she locked eyes with Lennon.

After a moment, he turned away and walked off with Jessie.

As they passed by, someone slapped Mabel, sending her crashing onto the ground. Through the gaps between people, she saw Lennon stride past them, looking straight ahead.

Lennon didn't spare Mabel a single glance.

"Lennon, what if Mabel gets hurt?" Jessie asked softly, her voice full of concern. "She's kind of pitiful too."

Two seconds later, Mabel heard Lennon answer, his voice flat and emotionless, "She grew up like that. This is nothing for her. You're different. You're a rich heiress. Those rough people shouldn't even touch you."

He pulled Jessie closer into his arms, making sure the crowd couldn't get near her. "As Mrs. Shepard, this is something she should endure."

His voice faded along with his departing figure.

Mabel lay on the ground like a criminal, getting cursed and beaten by the crowd. Tears slid from the corners of her eyes. "Hahaha! This is what I should endure? Lennon, you really never disappoint."

She had never been good at cooking. Once, when Lennon had gastric pain, she cooked for him and accidentally nicked her finger.

Lennon grabbed her hand in panic, looking as if he might call a doctor immediately.

She laughed at him then, saying she was a doctor herself and that it was just a tiny cut.

Lennon replied, "Mabel, you're the person I love the most. Forget a cut—I worry even when you clip your nails."

The man who once claimed she was the one he loved the most had now pushed her into the storm himself.

She laughed and cried at the same time, looking almost unhinged.

Seeing her like that, the patient's family members were afraid something might happen, so they left while muttering curses.

Just after they were gone, security arrived. Mabel refused their help and dragged her injured body to the inpatient ward to see Gisselle.

She needed to pack everything and complete the discharge paperwork.

Once everything was ready, Mabel sent Alex a message.

She leaned down and kissed Gisselle's forehead gently. "Mom, wait for me. I'll meet you in Mythara soon."

"What are you going to Mythara for?" Lennon's voice rang out behind her like a nightmare, making her freeze.

Mabel stood up calmly. "A friend's getting married and invited me to the wedding."

Lennon looked at her suspiciously. She simply held out her phone for him to see.

Luckily, she had already prepared a set of fake chat messages.

After reading them, Lennon snorted and tossed the phone onto the bed.

If Mabel hadn't caught it in time, it would have landed right on Gisselle's stomach.

The movement pulled at the wound on her arm, making her suck in a sharp breath from the pain.

Lennon acted like he didn't notice. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the door. "Come with me to Jessie's office."

"I'm not going," Mabel said. "Lennon, let go of me. You wanted me to sign the agreement, and I did it. What more do you want?"

Lennon replied, "Jessie needs to publish a paper. Give her yours."

Mabel had become a surgeon through years of hard work, publishing paper after paper from her own research and experiments. Why should she hand it over?

She lowered her head and bit down hard on Lennon's arm. "I'm not going."

She had barely taken a step away before he grabbed the back of her neck.

He looked at her with a cold smile. "Mabel, when will you learn to listen? Jessie couldn't become my wife because of you. This is the least you can do to make it up to her."