Chapter 6

Nathan's eyes filled with confusion. The Isabella he once knew was utterly dependent on him, relying on him for every meal. Yet now, she seemed capable of taking care of herself. --- Inside the hospital room, Isabella, though starving to the point of feeling hollow, lost her appetite as she stared at the array of food delivered by the takeout worker. Her hand gently rested on her stomach, a secret known only to her. Her digestive system had always been robust, never susceptible to nausea from something as trivial as a cold. Memories from three months ago resurfaced—Nathan begging her to donate a kidney to Victoria. That same night, she had foolishly pleaded for his attention. Now, it was very likely that a new life was forming in her womb. A faint, bitter smile crossed her pale lips. This child couldn’t have come at a worse time. When Nathan entered, Isabella was gazing out the window, her face ashen but her voice unwavering and resolute. “Nathan, can you get me some mifepristone pills?” Nathan froze in place. The timid girl who had once been cautious around him was now giving him orders? He masked his reaction. “What for?” “My period started. I have cramps,” Isabella replied, turning toward him. “Please.” His gaze fell on her hand, which was pressed against her lower abdomen. Almost involuntarily, he nodded. “Alright.” Watching him leave, Isabella’s once-clear eyes grew shadowed. --- Nathan stepped out of the room and called his assistant. “Buy some mifepristone pills and deliver them to the hospital.” Before long, Isabella received an entire bottle of pills, courtesy of the assistant. --- That night, the hospital corridors were eerily quiet. In Victoria's room, Nathan comforted her tenderly. “Victoria, your life is hard-won. You must cherish it. No more reckless behavior.” Victoria, pale and frail, held his hand tightly. Despite her weakened state, love radiated from her being. “Nathan, you know how much I love you… Without you, life is meaningless. So, you can’t leave me.” “Alright,” he reassured her. “I’ll always stay by your side. You just need to recover quickly.” --- Meanwhile, in another room, Isabella curled up on her bed, staring at the blank ceiling. She felt an emptiness within her body, an ache that mirrored her soul. Tears, warm and silent, slipped from the corners of her eyes. When her bedspread was stained red with blood, she closed her eyes, a solitary tear sliding down her cheek. It was not sorrow but relief. She was finally free. She and Nathan now had no further ties. --- The next day, Nathan’s assistant arrived with Isabella’s luggage, her passport, and a bank card. “Madam,” the assistant stammered, “the president has arranged everything. Your flight is at 7 a.m.” Isabella, weak and weary, barely managed to speak. “He’s not coming to see me off?” “Your Sis had a fit last night,” the assistant explained awkwardly. “The president couldn’t leave her.” Isabella’s reaction was void of disappointment, as if she had expected it all along. “I see.” The assistant handed her the card. “This is your living allowance. The president will come to bring you back in three months. He’s also arranged someone to take care of you abroad…” But Isabella refused the card. Struggling to her feet, she deliberately donned the old clothes she had brought into the Hill household four years ago. Packing her new clothes and luggage into the assistant’s hands, she walked out, her spine straight, without looking back. “Madam, what are you doing?” The assistant was dumbfounded. Isabella’s voice was faint but firm. “I don’t need anything else. Just throw it away.” The assistant was stunned. “Madam, at least take the card,” he insisted. Reluctantly, Isabella took it. --- At the international airport, the assistant escorted her to the security checkpoint. “Madam, I can only accompany you this far. Please take care of yourself.” Ignoring him, Isabella moved quickly, as though eager to leave everything behind. But before disappearing into the checkpoint, she did something shocking: she threw the bank card into the trash. The assistant froze. In that moment, he realized she was severing ties. She had reached her breaking point, recognized her place in Nathan’s heart, and was resolute about leaving his world for good. --- Back at the Hill family villa, Nathan returned home exhausted after spending most of the day comforting Victoria. The assistant was waiting for him, luggage in tow. The sight made Nathan’s expression darken instantly. “What’s going on? Didn’t I tell her to leave immediately? Why is her luggage still here?” “She’s already gone,” the assistant assured him. Nathan eyed the assistant suspiciously. “Then what’s this?” “She didn’t want these things,” the assistant explained nervously. For a brief moment, Nathan felt a pang in his chest, an inexplicable discomfort. But he quickly dismissed it. “She didn’t take the old clothes because she plans to buy new ones with the money I gave her.” He scoffed. “Four years of luxury, and I’ve raised her into someone extravagant.” But the assistant poured cold water on his theory. “President, she threw the bank card into the trash after passing through the checkpoint.” Nathan’s expression froze, his face resembling a cracked sculpture. After a long silence, he chuckled bitterly. “She’s throwing a tantrum? Upset that I neglected her? Hmph, when she calms down, I’ll bring her back.” “Who gave her the courage to challenge me?” --- The housekeeper, a long-time family servant, interjected with a teasing remark. “Sir, the madam just had surgery. Sending her abroad now might make her resent you. Aren’t you worried?” The housekeeper liked Isabella, finding her gentle and considerate, never causing trouble for the staff. Natha’s expression remained unreadable. The housekeeper’s words echoed in his mind.