Chapter 3

He looked at me provocatively, his contemptuous and disdainful gaze clearly visible through the helmet visor.

"What, what's there to be, to be scared of? Let's go!"

The roar of the engine drowned out his mockery, and the motorcycle exhaust stung my nostrils.

I revved the engine and sped up, determined to fight for a new life.

Cleaning up the soda spilled on the table, I picked up Leo’s leftover sandwich, eating it as I turned to the next page.

[May 20, 2020, Sunday, Cloudy

What right does Chloe Sterling have to demand I spend Valentine's Day with her? That incident was just an accident, I don't feel guilty at all.

Besides, Chloe Sterling just had a kidney removed, she's not dying. Why are both the Sterling and Thorne families fawning over her?

I think she’s just being overly dramatic.]

I closed the diary, shaking my head with a bitter smile.

Thanks to Liam Thorne, I'd had one kidney removed, making my life much more inconvenient afterward.

My memory drifted back to that cliffside road.

The winding mountain road was narrow and winding; for a novice, completing the entire route was impossible.

I could only cling to Liam's trail, staring at the back I had chased for years, trying to boost my own spirits.

But fate, however, had other plans.

After a sharp turn, a large pothole appeared on the road. I slammed on the brakes in fright, and the inertia sent me flying off the bike.

When I woke up again, I was already on the operating table.

Under the glaring fluorescent lights, several doctors stood, their faces grim, operating on me.

Eight hours of surgery. I passed out, woke up, passed out again.

It wasn't until I was moved to a regular ward that I fully understood.

After I was thrown off the cliff, a tree branch had punctured my left kidney.

Mom held my hand, crying uncontrollably.

"Chloe, don't blame me. If your left kidney isn't removed, you won't live!"

I looked at her swollen, red eyes, my heart aching as I gently stroked her hand.

Later, I stayed in the hospital for three months.

During this time, Liam only came once, secretly peeking at me from the doorway before leaving.

Actually, I knew it all.

I was taken back to the Sterling family estate to recover, and Mom and Dad still doted on me like I was their precious gem.

But my heart felt hollow.

I understood then: it no longer beat for Liam Thorne.

Two days before May 20, 2020, I sent Liam a SnapChat message.

"Spend Valentine's Day with me, and I'll set you free."

On May 20, I waited for him at the restaurant where I had held my coming-of-age party.

I thought he'd rush over, eager to get his freedom.

But by the time the restaurant closed, he still hadn't arrived.

I called him, but the line was busy.

I laughed at myself bitterly. I'd overestimated my importance.

Stepping out of the restaurant, a blast of cold air hit me, making me sneeze.

"Chloe Sterling, it's so cold, why aren't you dressed warmer?"

A familiar scarf was slipped around my neck.

I looked up. It was Liam.

He still looked so impatient.

But he had come, to claim his freedom.

That night, we drank a lot.

He spent the entire night telling me how much he detested me.

He hated me so much he couldn't even find a comfortable way to kiss me.

He hated me so much he was afraid of hurting me when we got intimate.

Yes, after that night, we finally started acting like a married couple.

He would occasionally wake up early to make me breakfast.

He would sometimes join me for walks by the river.

I finally lived the life I had dreamed of for a while.

But... why did I suddenly find it so boring?

On August 20, 2020, our fifth wedding anniversary.

That day, I kept my promise and divorced him.

There was no cooling-off period; the day after we finalized the divorce.

I vanished.