Chapter 5

Upon hearing Elizabeth's quiet murmur, Spencer's brows furrowed. He instinctively stepped forward while staring down at her and asked, "What did you say? Regret what?" However, she no longer had the strength to respond as darkness gradually closed in around her. Soon, the world slipped away from her consciousness. It was unclear how much time had passed before she woke again, but this time, she was in a hospital. The moment her eyes fluttered open, her gaze landed on Spencer sitting by her bedside. He reached out to touch her and asked, "You're awake. Are you feeling better?" The memories of what had happened that night before she fainted came rushing back. Elizabeth shut her eyes and instinctively shrank from his touch. She shakily asked, "Where's my watch? Please return it to me, Mr. Cooper." Spencer studied her closely. Only when he was sure that she was unharmed did he finally retrieve the repaired watch and hand it to her. "You're so attached to this watch. I had it fixed. You attacked someone, and I punished you. Let's call it even. There's no need to dwell on it." He sighed. Elizabeth nearly broke down in tears when her father's keepsake was returned to her. But she suppressed her emotions and stared at Spencer. "Mr. Cooper, I never meant to dwell on anything. All these years we've been together, it has always been a matter of mutual need. I can't and shouldn't ask anything of you. From now on, I'll remember my place. I won't overstep again." For reasons he couldn't explain, the sight of her appearance sparked a surge of irritation in Spencer's chest. His voice instantly turned cold as he snapped, "Are you sulking? Or drawing a line between us?" But unlike before, Elizabeth no longer appeared shaken by his threatening coldness. Her voice remained calm as she replied, "I'm not sulking. I'm just stating the truth. As for drawing a line… perhaps I am. After all, very soon, I…" Spencer's complexion darkened with every word she spoke. He was just about to speak when a call from Courtney came through, saying, "Spencer, I made a reservation at this amazing restaurant. Will you come with me?" In a flash, Spencer returned to his usual composure. He now had neither the time nor the patience to listen to Elizabeth. With a sweep of his coat, he turned and walked out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him with a deafening thud, choking off the words "disappear forever" before they could escape Elizabeth's throat. As he vanished without a backward glance, a bitter, self-mocking smile touched her lips. … Following a few days of hospitalization, Elizabeth's fragile state began to recover. However, not a single soul came to visit her. Courtney was the only one who messaged her every single day in photos and videos. They were relationship updates of her snacking in the passenger seat while Spencer, ever obsessed with cleanliness, personally unwrapped the food for her. She told Elizabeth that she had mentioned offhand that it had been a long time since she had visited her parents, so Spencer took the initiative to take her back to the family estate for a family dinner. Courtney even updated Elizabeth on when she casually praised a magazine item, and an hour later, it appeared before her. Delicate, thoughtful gestures like those were foreign to Elizabeth. Even during the peak of Spencer's so-called affection for her, he never allowed her to eat in the car. He had never once considered introducing her to his family, and he certainly never cared enough to recall the offhand things she said. Elizabeth finally understood that a kept woman and a loved woman belonged to different worlds. The time, effort, and even the emotional investments were never the same for the two. The only person who was ever worthy of Spencer's undivided devotion and indulgence was none other than Courtney Gallagher.