Desiring Her All Along

Who were they to give Maya credit for saving Andre? It was clearly my blood that spilled on the road!

In the ward, Maya's voice trembled with just the right amount of guilt and feigned vulnerability. "Andre... It's all my fault. If you weren't trying to win me a prize, you wouldn't have fallen into their trap. It was my duty to save you."

She paused for a second before adding with a voice full of hurt and innocence, "You don't have to leave Heart of the Ocean to me as compensation. I know you care about Danielle the most. She was kidnapped back then, but you risked your own life to save her..."

Andre's underling retorted agitatedly. "It's not like that. That was a trap deliberately set up by boss."

Maya froze in place. "What?"

The underling continued casually, "Boss had someone kidnap her to make it clear to your parents that you were the most important to them! It was also to scare her off and make her go back to her adoptive parents."

A bloody taste welled up in my throat.

The underling added at great length, "As for marrying her? Boss's parents forced him to ally with the Lawson family, so he married Danielle, who has the Lawson family's blood. Don't worry. When you successfully become the heiress of the Lawson family, Andre will divorce her and hold a grand wedding to marry you. Right, boss?"

A brief silence fell over the ward.

Andre's voice broke the silence. It was deep, steady, and ruthless. "Yes."

I stumbled back a step. For so long, I believed that the bullet he took for me meant something. I believed that his post-marital indifference was merely estrangement, not deception. I believed... Gosh, I was such a fool!

My phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated, interrupting my near-breakdown. It was Chiara, her voice still loving. "Darling, the ship I arranged will arrive at the port tomorrow. I can't wait to see you."

"Okay, Mom." My voice trembled almost imperceptibly.

After ending the call, I looked up at the ward door with a bitter yet resolute smile.

Fine! This way, we were completely even.

I had saved Andre, repaying the debt of that fake kidnapping years ago. All this while, he had been scheming against me. I had finally seen through this marriage that only existed in name.

We would never have anything to do with each other again for the rest of our lives.

…

The following day, I was exceptionally busy.

First, I contacted a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement and placed the signed papers in Andre's study. Then, I drove to a private club to meet a friend who was an excellent asset strategist.

When I first arrived here, my adoptive parents prepared a vast fortune for me as a safety net.

Many of the arms dealers who partnered with the Lawson and Garcia families were their subordinates, and they were always at my beck and call.

Despite possessing immense wealth, I had always kept a low profile and never told anyone about it. Now that I was leaving, these assets should be entrusted to someone I trust.

I pushed a folder across the table, saying, "I'm leaving. You're in charge of everything."

My friend quickly glanced at the file before staring at me. "You're terminating all contracts with the Garcia and Lawson families?"

I nodded. "Effective immediately."

He whistled. "They rely on your resources to survive. Without you, they'll collapse."

"That's no longer my problem."

"They'll regret it once they know your true identity." He gave a meaningful smile.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, I bade goodbye. When I went downstairs, I accidentally tugged on my wound. The pain almost made me fall.

My friend instinctively reached out to support my waist. "Be careful. You're still injured."

I thanked him softly and tried to steady myself. However, I saw Andre and his underlings coming out of the neighboring private room the moment I looked up.

One of his underlings noticed me first. He glanced at Andre beside me and showed a malicious smile.

"Hey, look who's here. Don Garcia, isn't this your wife? She found herself a lover right after leaving the hospital?

"Even if Don Garcia can't satisfy you, you shouldn't be this desperate, right? Where does that leave Don Garcia's pride?"