Chapter 2
When Aria opened her eyes, she was staring at a sterile hospital ceiling.
She turned her head slightly and saw Lucas by the window, his tall frame silhouetted against the morning light like
a dark angel.
“You’re awake.” He turned, voice cold and sharp. “Aria, is your life really that worthless?”
Her throat felt like sandpaper when she tried to speak,
“I’ve told you before,” Lucas moved closer to her bed, looming over her, “no matter what you do, I will never love
you.”
Aria lowered her eyes, lashes creating delicate shadows on her cheeks.
She wanted to tell him she wasn’t doing this for him, wasn’t seeking his love. But the words stuck in her throat.
How could she explain? That everything she’d done was for a promise made to a dead man?
Finally, she whispered, “I know.”
She knew he didn’t love her. She’d always known.
Lucas studied her pale profile, an uncomfortable tightness in his chest.
He looked away, his voice softening despite himself: “Take a week off. Rest and heal.”
After a pause, he added almost involuntarily, “I’ll stay for a couple days.”
Aria’s head snapped up, something bright flickering in her eyes.
You’re that happy I’m staying?” Lucas’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
She looked at his face–so painfully similar to Adrian’s–and nodded softly. “Yes. Very happy.”
Something shifted in Lucas’s expression, but before he could respond, his phone shattered the moment.
“Lucas…” Madison’s voice came through the speaker, thick with tears. “My ankle… it’s twisted so bad, and it hurts…”
Lucas glanced reflexively at Aria.
She understood immediately, managing a smile. “Go take care of her. I’m fine.”
Lucas hesitated, then grabbed his jacket. “Call me if you need anything.”
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Chapter 2
He left without looking back.
The moment the door clicked shut, Aria’s smile crumbled completely.
She stared at the ceiling, eyes burning but tearless.
Soon after, chaos erupted outside the hospital.
Aria caught fragments of the nurses‘ gossip in the hallway:
“Did you hear? Mr. Sinclair reserved the entire VIP floor for Miss Cross, moved all the medical equipment and staff!”
“God, that’s like… ultimate devotion…”
Aria lay in her hospital bed, expression unchanged.
Her wound needed dressing changes, but no nurse came.
After waiting hours, she only have to sat up painfully and reached for the medical supplies herself, applying the antiseptic drop by drop.
The medicine burned like fire against raw flesh. Her hands shook violently, and the bottle slipped several times, shattering on the floor in a spray of glass and liquid.
She bent to clean up the mess, the movement tearing at her stitches. She collapsed, knees hitting the glass shards, blood immediately welling up.
The pain made her vision blur, but she just bit down hard and stayed silent, slowly dragging herself upright to
continue treating her wounds.
Over the next few days, she occasionally passed Madison’s room.
Through the half–open door, she glimpsed Lucas sitting bedside, spooning soup to Madison with infinite gentleness, his eyes soft in a way Aria had never seen.
Aria stood in the doorway, watching quietly.
She thought Lucas must really love Madison.
So… If she could help them be together, maybe Adrian would be proud of her, right?
On discharge day, Aria was packing her things when she literally ran into Madison in the hallway.
She instinctively stepped aside, but Madison suddenly stumbled and crashed to the floor with a dramatic cry.
“Ahh… it hurts so much…”
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My Husband’s Guide to Losing a Perfectly Good Wife in
asy Steps
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Chapter 2
Heavy footsteps thundered behind them. Lucas grabbed Aria’s wrist so hard she winced.
“Aria, five years as my assistant and you still can’t watch where you’re going?”
“Lucas, don’t blame Aria.” Madison said weakly, looking up with wounded eyes. “She’s probably just… jealous that you’ve been taking care of me, so she…”
Aria stared in shock.
She hadn’t even touched Madison, hadn’t said a single word to her. How had this become deliberate sabotage?
“I didn’t-” Aria started.
“Enough!” Lucas cut her off viciously, releasing her wrist with such force that she stumbled backward into the door
handle.
Her barely healed wound tore open, pain exploding through her back and making her vision go black.
Lucas towered over her, eyes like ice. “This is final warning. Stay away from Madison.”
Then he scooped Madison up like she was made of porcelain.
As they walked away, Madison turned in Lucas’s arms and flashed Aria a triumphant smirk.
Aria slumped against the wall, sliding to the floor as blood soaked through her shirt.
She watched Lucas disappear around the corner, carrying Madison like she was his whole world, and felt bone–deep exhaustion wash over her.
15:19
