Phil's POV

Hazel looked at me with sincerity in her eyes.

But seeing the cake in her hands, a bitter smile crept into my lips.

It was the one in Glenn’s hospital room I had seen earlier.

So much for a specially bought gift—it was just his leftovers.

So much for a happy marriage—it was nothing but a lie.

While I was lost in thought, Hazel reached for my hand and rested her head gently on my shoulder.

“Phil, you don’t know how happy I am,” she murmured. “Once you’ve fully recovered, let’s have a baby. I promise I’ll be good to you and our child for the rest of my life.”

Hearing that, I could figure out if that was out of love or guilt and some kind of compensation for what she did and would still do to me.

As I no longer knew what to say, I just muttered something about being tired and subtly moved her away.

Later that day, as soon as we got home, she received a text message and rushed out in a hurry.

Seizing that chance, I went into her study.

The bookshelves, her computer—everything was filled with research on kidney failure treatments.

Didn't ever cross in my mind that this proud, untouchable woman would have humbled herself, begged, and pleaded just for a man’s survival.

And unfortunately, it wasn’t me.

After her table, I moved to the safe. But instead of holding company secrets, it held notebooks filled with details about Glenn.

[Glenn has a weak stomach. Meals should be light on oil and salt. No spice.]

[Glenn loves roses. The Rose Manor in the countryside will be finished by the end of the year. I hope he’ll like it.]

[Sweet food makes people happy. Since Glenn studied in France before, French pastries should suit his taste.]

Reading the notebook, I learned she had spent millions to buy him a luxury watch and poured her heart into building him a dream estate.

Page after page—everything was about him.

Not a single word about me.

The love I’d cherished so much wasn’t even a fraction of what she felt for him.

I sat in silence for a long time, and then, tears streaming down my face, I made a call.

“Hello, I need to arrange a staged death. A car accident. Three days from now. Make it as brutal as possible.”

After discussing the details, I sent them the hospital footage I’d recorded, which they'd released after my fake death.

Following that, I printed out a divorce agreement and waited for Hazel to come home.

However, she didn’t. Even by noon the next day, I still hadn’t seen her.

Just as I was about to call her, I saw her on TV.

[Miss Hazel Trivett of the Trivett Corporation walked the aisle of Washington National Cathedral on her knees to pray for the safety of a loved one.]

The camera then zoomed in on her grazed knees.

Despite people trying to stop her, she kept going—murmuring her prayer with every step, her devotion unwavering. She even bought a lucky charm, which was exclusively obtained from the church.

When a reporter interviewed her, she smiled through the pain and stated, "As long as the person I love is safe and happy, I’m willing to give up everything.”

The moment the broadcast aired, my phone exploded with messages.

[Damn, you’ve only been married a short time, and she’s already doing this for you? If you two have a kid, she’ll probably worship the ground you walk on.]

[I heard she invested tens of millions into the hospital to make sure you got the best treatment. She really loves you, man.]

[Phil, you lucky bastard. You might just be the happiest man alive.]

Staring at my screen, I only felt nothing but disgust.

Once, I might’ve thought I was the happiest man alive too.

But now?

I finally understood everything.

That love—her devotion, her sacrifice—it had never belonged to me.

I was just a pathetic tool, decorating the grand love story of Hazel and Glenn.

Deleting the messages, I grabbed the divorce papers and headed to the hospital.

Phil's POV

The moment Hazel saw me, she looked overwhelmed with emotion. Then, she rushed toward me, ignoring her bruised knees.

"Phil! Why are you here? I’m so sorry for making you worry—"

"Where’s the lucky charm?" I cut her off.

Her eyes flickered with hesitation. "I... I lost it by accident. But I’ve already sent people to look for it. If we can’t find it, I’ll just get you an even better one."

Lost? What a reason.

I’d seen it earlier, hanging around Glenn’s neck when I passed by his VIP hospital room.

Yet, I didn’t call her out on it. Instead, I pulled out the last page of the divorce agreement and handed it to her.

"Just forget it. I’ve had my eye on a house—you can just buy it for me as a gift."

"Of course!" she quickly agreed and signed without a second thought.

Frowning, I asked, "Aren’t you going to at least check? What if… what if it’s ridiculously expensive?"

"As long as you like it, I don’t care how much it costs," she answered. Her gaze was bright and sincere, without a trace of doubt or pretense.

I couldn't help but think—so this was what it looked like to truly love someone.

Too bad the one she loved wasn’t me.

I tucked the divorce papers into my bag, ready to head home. But Hazel, worried about my safety, insisted on escorting me.

Just as we reached the door, her assistant whispered something in her ear.

Her expression changed instantly. Without warning, she grabbed my arm and pulled me in the opposite direction.

The next thing I knew, we were inside a room, and she was shoving me down onto a chair.

"He has a negative blood type. You can draw his blood," she announced.

Before I could react, a sharp needle pierced my skin. They didn’t stop until they had drained 600 milliliters from my veins.

After that, I was so dizzy and weak that I could barely lift my head. I could just barely register the doctor reassuring her, "Don’t worry, Miss Trivett. Mr. Robson will be fine."

Only then did Hazel finally relax. But noticing my gaze, she awkwardly explained, "Phil, I did this to bring you good karma. Even if it weren’t Glenn, we couldn’t just stand by and do nothing, right?"

I was too drained to argue. Too numb to care.

I just nodded. "I get it. It’s fine. Stay here and take care of him. I want to go home and rest."

"Don’t be silly. You’re my husband—I should be with you," she insisted and gently blew on the tiny puncture wound on my arm as if that could make up for what she had just done.

Afterward, she helped me up and led me out.

Halfway home, we ran into Glenn.

"Phil," he said warmly, "thank you for donating blood for me. Let me take everyone out to dinner as a token of my gratitude."

I didn’t even get the chance to refuse. Before I could say a word, Hazel had already eagerly accepted the invitation.

At the restaurant, she ordered with ease, knowing exactly what to get.

Then, without thinking, she placed a glass of pineapple juice in front of me.

"Glenn doesn’t like this," she said casually. "You can drink it instead—it’s good for you."

I let out a quiet laugh.

She knew everything about Glenn’s preferences and had completely forgotten that I was allergic to pineapple.

Love—or the absence of it—always reveals itself in the smallest details.

While she was in the restroom, Glenn ‘accidentally’ let his lucky charm slip into view.

Then he smirked at me and mockingly asked, "Phil, they say getting fooled once is just bad luck. But getting fooled twice? What do you call that?"

"What I call it has nothing to do with you," I replied, uninterested in playing his game.

But he wasn’t done.

With a sudden, dramatic motion, he ripped the lucky charm from his neck and smashed it onto the floor.

Then, without hesitation, he slapped himself—hard—twice.

"Hazel," he choked out, tears streaming down his face as he threw himself into her arms. "Phil still won’t forgive me! He even accused me of trying to steal you away! He… he said he was going to scar my face."

Seeing his pitiful state and hearing his words, Hazel turned and shoved me to the ground without hesitation.

Phil's POV

“Phil, how could you be so cruel? How could you do this to someone who’s already sick?”

A sharp ringing filled my head, mixing with the pain coursing through my body. It dragged me back to that hellish week.

In a foreign street engulfed in gunfire, I was like a rootless weed, drifting between life and death.

And the woman who once pulled me from the flames, the one who promised to love me for a lifetime—she was now shoving me back into the abyss, all for Glenn.

As the past and the present collided, I couldn’t stop myself from shaking. Tears started to stream down my face.

Seeing my tears, Hazel seemed to realize her actions and hurriedly explained, “Phil, don’t cry. I didn’t mean to, I just… I lost control for a moment.”

Beside her, Glenn suddenly started to cry as well.

“It’s all my fault,” he murmured guiltily. “I shouldn’t have shown up. Phil, I know I wronged you before, but I’m married now. I just want to be with my wife and live a good life.”

He then paused before adding, “Since you hate me so much… Maybe I should just disappear forever.”

Without another word, he bolted toward the busy street.

At this critical moment, Hazel hesitated, glancing at me uncertainly. But then, with only the briefest pause, she ran after him.

I clenched my teeth against the ache in my chest, wiped my face dry, and stood up under the weight of countless stares.

On my way home, my phone buzzed with a message from Hazel.

[Phil, don’t be mad. Glenn is an important client of our company. I only gave him the lucky charm for business purposes. I didn’t mean to push you. I'm sorry. As you know, Glenn’s health isn’t great. So, please don’t hold a grudge against a sick man. I’ll make it up to you when I get home.]

Lies. Careless, empty words.

It was obvious she didn’t think twice about the hurt she had caused me. She was so sure I’d keep loving her, that I’d believe anything she said without question.

But how could a heart that had turned to ashes still love?

Mandy’s betrayal had already left me physically and emotionally wrecked. And now, Hazel’s deception crushed whatever remained.

I didn’t even have the strength to cry anymore. I just stared at the passing scenery outside the window and let out a silent sigh.

Hazel, I hoped when you found my “body” tomorrow, you’d be just as indifferent as you were now.

When I got home, I gathered every gift Hazel had ever given me.

Once, they had touched me deeply. Now, looking at them again, I realized they were just meaningless purchases—nothing more than bonus items she got while buying things for Glenn.

Then there were the photos.

In every picture, she was holding my hand.

But her eyes were never on me. It was as if she was looking through the lens, longing for someone else.

Ignoring the sharp ache in my chest, I threw everything into the trash—along with the last remnants of Hazel’s so-called love.

By the time I finished, daylight was breaking. Yet, she still hadn’t come home. Instead, she sent her assistant with a pile of gifts.

The assistant smiled awkwardly. “Miss Trivett really cares about you. She’s swamped with work but still made time to send you presents.”

Despite his sugar-coated words, I said nothing.

After he left, I opened my phone and found a string of messages from Glenn.

A video of Hazel accompanying him to the hospital.

A photo of her massaging his feet.

And the latest one—a picture of the two of them at a church.

Suddenly, I remembered the time Hazel had saved me and brought me home.

Back then, I was too afraid to sleep, so she had searched everywhere to find incense that would help me rest.

And just like when we were kids, she had stayed by my side, night after night.