Chapter 8

Catherine looked up at Samuel and felt a chill traveling through every part of her body. She had accepted the fact that she meant nothing to Samuel compared to Natalie. But now, she couldn't even compare to Natalie's grandmother. "I don't agree." She abruptly shook their hands off. "I'm not an organ supplier." With that, she spun on her heels and left. The next instant, she felt a sharp pain in her nape. Samuel's move was quick and ruthless, and she collapsed before she could even react. The last thing she remembered was Samuel carrying her as he said to the doctor, "Get the operating room ready." When she regained her consciousness, she felt an excruciating pain around her stomach. Quivering, Catherine lifted her hospital gown and saw blood seeping through the bandage around her wound. "You've just undergone a liver transplant surgery. Don't move." The nurse stopped her from getting up. Catherine bit her lips so hard that they bled. He had actually forced Catherine to donate her liver because of Natalie's grandmother. The wound beneath the hospital gown was still aching, and it felt like someone was thrusting the inside of her body over and over with a knife. But the physical pain was nothing compared to what she felt deep down. She touched the ugly scar on her stomach with her trembling hand. It was simply absurd that the deepest scar on her body was actually caused by someone whom she loved the most. The next few days, she lay on the bed like a puppet, listening to the sounds and laughter from next door. "You're so lucky to have such a caring granddaughter and grandson-in-law!" "Mr. Lynch truly values his family. He has been busy helping his wife and her grandma." Catherine felt like laughing at the mention of "wife", but she didn't even have the energy to move her lips. She spent half a month in the hospital. Every day, she could hear Samuel asking about Natalie and her grandmother in the corridor, but he had never been to her ward. The day Catherine was discharged from the hospital, she packed her things and was about to leave. But she accidentally caught Natalie sobbing and questioning Samuel in a corner, "Mr. Lynch, why do you treat me well without asking anything in return, even though I keep rejecting you? "You even… even made your wife donate her liver to save my grandma." Catherine stood there and heard Samuel say in a deep voice. "I've told you many times. It's because I'm fond of you, and I want to be with you. Will you only believe me when I dig my heart out and show you?" After a while, Natalie finally made up her mind. "I-I can be with you, but I have a request." Overjoyed, Samuel immediately pulled her into his embrace. "Tell me about it. I'll agree to any request you make." His voice was hoarse. "I don't want to be your sugar baby. I want to be with you openly, but first, you have to get a divorce." Natalie had enunciated every single word. Dead silence instantly filled the room. Meanwhile, Catherine counted her heartbeat. When her heart beat for the 17th time, she finally heard Samuel's voice. "Okay," he replied effortlessly with one word. Catherine slumped against the wall before sitting on the floor. The wound on her stomach was burning, but still, it was nothing compared to a heartache. When Catherine returned home, she burned the last love letter. As the fire burned the letter into ashes, she thought of Samuel's looks when he gave her the letter. The bright and energetic young man stood outside her house, and the snow fell on his lashes. He said, "Cathy, this is the 99th love letter. Will you be with me? I'll love you forever." And now, all 99 letters had been reduced to ashes. His "forever" had only lasted ten years. Since she had burned all the letters, it was time for her to leave. Catherine opened her suitcase and packed her clothes. When she was tidying her things in the study, Samuel's laptop was still on. He hadn't logged out of his WhatsApp, and messages kept popping up. "Sam, I heard that Natalie agreed to be with you, but she wanted you to get a divorce. Do you really plan to divorce Cathy?" "Sam, think about it again. After all, Natalie is only a sugar baby, but Cathy has known you since you were young." "Cathy must be really sad if you divorce her. It isn't going to be easy to comfort her!" "@Samuel Sam, what's your thought? Say something!" Catherine stood still and watched the messages flood the screen in silence. Then, she finally saw Samuel's reply. Samuel replied, "I want both of them, but now, I prefer Natalie." Everyone in the group chat paused for a brief moment, then they started spamming. "Damn! My eyes didn't fail me, right? What kind of charm does Natalie have that makes you so obsessed with her? You actually think of divorcing?" "You'd better think twice. Cathy is stubborn. I guess that'd be the end if you asked for a divorce." "You don't need to get a divorce. I have an idea in mind. Sam, you should draft a divorce agreement and lie to Cathy that it's a transfer of ownership agreement. She has so much trust in you, so she'll definitely sign it without looking." "As long as you keep it from her, she won't make a scene or leave. When you're sick of Natalie, you can always get rid of the divorce agreement." Everyone in the group chat agreed to the "good idea". "Damn! What an awesome idea! Sam can enjoy the company of two women now!" Then, Samuel finally replied, "Good idea." Catherine gradually closed the laptop, her fingertips turning cold. To him, she didn't even have the right to know the truth. The next morning, Catherine had just eaten her breakfast when Samuel came home. He was clad in a suit and holding a file, as she had expected. "Cathy, sign this." He sounded so natural, as if he were just telling her about the weather. "I'm transferring the villa in the South of the city under your name." Silently, Catherine stared at the man who had helped her when she had been forced to drink, fought for her, and gone down on one knee in the snow to propose to her. He was the man she had loved for more than a decade. "Okay." Pretending not to know anything, she took the pen and signed her name on the "transfer of ownership agreement" without looking at it. Only then did Samuel breathe in relief. "I'm bringing Natalie on a vacation, so I'm not coming back." When he turned to leave, Catherine called out softly, "Samuel." "Yeah?" He looked back. "Nothing. Enjoy your trip," she replied. After he left, Catherine took the agreement and headed straight for the courthouse. The staff confirmed with her again. "Ms. Jackman, are you sure that you want to file for a divorce? After doing so, you can't withdraw it." "I'm sure," Catherine replied. Surprisingly, she felt at peace when she was done with the formalities. That was how it felt to give up on someone completely. It didn't hurt at all, and it felt just like removing a decayed tooth. … The airport lobby was bustling with people. Holding a one-way ticket, Catherine glanced at her phone for one last time. Samuel's friend posted a picture of Samuel and Natalie at the airport on their social media. The caption wrote: "Sam, congratulations on winning the beauty's heart!" Catherine switched off her phone and threw away the SIM card before striding toward the boarding gate. They should congratulate Catherine, too. She was free and starting a new life.