Chapter 4

On the screen, Ethan had gauze wrapped around his head, his face pale.

After hearing Mara's words, he didn't ask why I was out on the street with a suitcase in the middle of the night. He didn't ask if I was cold.

He frowned, his tone helpless.

"Gianna, what are you throwing a fit about now? We were just fine on the phone earlier."

"Don't make things difficult for Mara. Just come to the hospital."

I stood in the night wind, about to turn and leave, when I suddenly remembered what Professor Wilson had told me.

"The security clearance for the Iceland polar project is very strict. First thing tomorrow morning, you must bring your original passport and ID to the dean's office to process everything."

All my important documents, including my passport, were with Ethan.

Because today was supposed to be when we met each other's parents and set our wedding date, with plans to go to the civil affairs bureau first thing tomorrow morning to register our marriage.

Last night, I'd put all my documents together in his personal bag.

That bag was sitting on the bedside table in his hospital emergency room.

I looked at Ethan on the screen.

"Okay."

"I'll come to the hospital right now."

Half an hour later, I arrived on the third floor of the inpatient building.

Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard Marcus's voice inside.

"Ethan, you really went too far this time."

"That was the down payment money for you and Gianna's wedding, and you spent it all on a car for Mara?"

"You stood up Gianna's parents today. Aren't you afraid Gianna will really be heartbroken this time and break up with you for good?"

"We've all seen how good Gianna's been to you these past five years."

My hand froze in midair.

Through the crack in the door, Ethan was silent for two seconds, then his confident voice came through.

"She won't break up with me."

"Five years—with this many years of history between us, how could it end so easily?"

"You know Gianna. She's so soft-hearted. Every time we fight, as long as I apologize, she comes back on her own."

"I'll wait a couple days until I'm discharged, buy her a gift and really make it up to her, and this whole thing will blow over."

Marcus sighed.

"But Ethan, you're giving Mara way too much, aren't you?"

"What woman could stand her husband taking care of another woman with no boundaries? What are you even thinking?"

Ethan's tone suddenly became serious.

"How can you compare the two?"

"Mara's family went bankrupt. She has nothing left."

"I said I'd take care of her for life, so there's no way I'm abandoning her. This is a debt I owe her. I have to repay it."

He paused, then softened his tone slightly.

"Gianna's understanding and reasonable. After we get married, I'll be twice as good to her. Worst case, I'll make it up to her in other ways."

"But with Mara, I can never let her go for the rest of my life. Gianna will get used to it eventually."

Just then, Mara's pampered voice suddenly rang out from behind me.

"Hey! What are you doing standing at the door?"

The conversation in the hospital room stopped abruptly.

Ethan in the bed jerked his head up.

When he saw clearly that it was me standing outside the door, panic filled his face.

"Gianna, when did you get here? Let me expl—"

I cut him off.

"No need to explain."

"Ethan, I've heard enough of your explanations. I'm sick of them."

Ethan's face went white.

"Gianna, stop making a scene, okay? What I just said to Marcus—we were just talking."

"And didn't I already tell you? This is the last time. From now on I'll definitely—"

I pulled at the corner of my mouth.

"The last time?"

"How many times have you told me it's the last time?"

"You've been lying to me all along. You never planned to cut ties with her. You've just been testing me over and over, forcing me to slowly accept this twisted relationship between you two, right?"

Ethan's expression changed. His lips moved but he couldn't come up with a rebuttal.

My eyes felt swollen.

"Ethan, every single time you went to those underground fights, I couldn't close my eyes all night long!"

"I sat there clutching my phone, terrified of getting a call from the hospital, terrified that one day you'd die in that octagon cage!"

"But did you ever think about me? Even once, did you think about me waiting for you at home?"

Ethan urgently raised his voice.

"Nothing's going to happen to me!"

"I know what I'm doing. I always come back in one piece. Look, I'm fine, aren't I?"

I laughed once.

"Fine?"

"Then let me ask you, Ethan."

"Even if we get married, even if we have children someday—as long as Mara says the word, as long as she wants something, you'll still go behind my back to those places and risk your life to earn money for her, won't you?"

Ethan fell silent, lowering his head, not daring to look at me.

I looked away.

"Give me that black bag on your bedside table."

Ethan froze.

"What do you need the bag for? Gianna, what are you trying to do?"

"Give it to me!"

Seeing the situation, Marcus quickly turned and handed me the bag.

I unzipped it, took out my ID and passport, and turned to leave.

The next morning at nine o'clock, I stood punctually in Professor Wilson's office.

"You're sure? Once you hand over these documents and the process starts, you can't go back."

I said firmly, "I'm sure. I won't regret it."

...

Three days later.

Ethan, with thick bandages on his head, pushed open the apartment door.

He'd bought a bouquet of lisianthus from the flower shop downstairs, planning to apologize and humble himself like he had every other time.

"Gianna, I'm discharged. I brought you..."

The apartment was completely silent. No one answered.

He frowned and changed his shoes, walking into the bedroom.

"Still mad? I came straight here after discharge to make it up to you..."

His voice stopped abruptly the moment he opened the closet door.