His Secret Wife is Leaving Him for a Better Life

My heart sank. I was not sure if Julio had overheard what I had just said.

Our eyes met, and the air between us turned tense.

After a few seconds, he spoke, his expression cold. "Get Lillian her medicine as soon as it is ready. She is in a lot of pain."

Without another word, he turned and walked back into Lillian's hospital room.

I stood frozen in place, and my lips curled up into a bitter, self-mocking smile.

I did not even know what I had been hoping for, especially when I knew he certainly would not try to stop me after he learned I was filing for divorce.

I told myself to stop dreaming.

Pushing down the ache in my chest, I picked up the tray with medications and IV in it and walked into the room to start Lillian's IV.

As I double-checked the medication label and adjusted the drip rate, she suddenly clutched her abdomen and curled into a ball. "Julio, why does it hurt even more after the IV started?!"

She jerked violently, causing the portable oxygen tank standing beside her bed to sway.

In the instant it toppled, Julio pulled Lillian protectively into his arms.

The tank slammed into my head. Thick, sticky blood trickled down through my hair.

Julio's face darkened. "Sharon! You're sloppy when you are working, and that is bad enough. Is your professional skill bad, too?"

I struggled to make out what was in front of me and realized the IV needle on Lillian's hand had shifted out of place.

She tugged gently at Julio's sleeve and said magnanimously, "It is fine, Julio. Anyone would be resentful working on their wedding anniversary. I don't blame Sharon."

Sure enough, Lillian's false considerate demeanor only made Julio angrier. "That just proves she is petty and has no medical ethics!"

I fought to steady myself, but my reply came out weak and hollow. "I didn't."

A wave of dizziness blurred everything around me, making the world feel unreal.

Thankfully, a colleague arrived just in time, took control of the situation, and escorted me back to the office for first aid.

Even with a head injury, I could not take time off.

I had no choice but to steel myself and finish my shift.

When my shift ended, Julio's car pulled up in front of me unexpectedly.

"You get hurt and still do not swap shifts with a coworker? Did you really have to tough it out like this?" He glanced at the bandage on my forehead and tossed me a tube of ointment. "You cannot even insert an IV properly. If there is ever a real emergency, you will just make things worse."

Even when trying to reconcile, Julio remained condescending towards me, habitually belittling me. And I did not even have the right to argue back.

When I did not rush to explain myself like I used to, Julio looked at me with surprise.

After a pause, he took my hand and suddenly softened his tone. "Are you mad? I am just worried about you. Lillian is unwell, and you keep making mistakes. If your skills are not sharp, you need to work harder to improve. If it were not for understanding patients like Lillian, you would be getting complaints all the time."

I turned my head away. "You are worried about Lillian."

Julio frowned and said in an impatient tone. "Since when did you become so paranoiac? Lillian has not left the country for so long. Of course I am helping her out after she came back here. You should understand that."

Then his eyes dropped to my bare ring finger. "Where is your wedding ring?"

I quietly pulled my hand free and crossed my arms. "It gets in the way at work. I left it in the vanity drawer at home."

"That is fine. It is good you remember to always stay low-key," he said coolly. "If you caused a medical incident and dragged the Roberts family into it because of some ring, that would truly be embarrassing for all of us."

I pressed my lips tight together, suddenly struck by how bitterly ironic it all was.

Speaking of embarrassment, over the past two years, I had been mocked constantly.

Julio never wore his wedding ring. Every time I asked, he would always brush it off with excuses like "I am not used to wearing rings" or "It is inconvenient wearing a ring at work."

Only when he publicly declared in front of the media that Lillian was the one and only love of his life did I finally understand that I had been a fool all along.

Silence filled the car. I stared down at my phone, scrolling through social feeds.

At a red light, Julio reached into the back seat, grabbed a paper bag, and tossed it into my lap. "Your wedding anniversary gift. Open it."

His tone left no room for refusal, so I unwrapped it.

Predictably, it was yet another hand cream from some high-end skincare brand.

And right then, my phone screen happened to land on Lillian's latest post with a photo of a dazzling piece of jewelry, captioned, "Julio is the best, and so is his gift."

Just days ago, Julio had been flipping through my fashion magazines and asking about jewelry styles.

I had assumed he was planning a surprise for our anniversary and was inwardly happy about that, thinking my devotion might finally be rewarded.

In the end, that gift was meant to celebrate Lillian's return.

Seeing me stunned, Julio finally noticed what was on my screen.

He quietly cleared his throat and said, softening his tone, "Lillian has worked hard building her career alone. She needs expensive jewelry to maintain her image. Why do we have to fuss over empty rituals and formalities as a married couple? You are in charge of the chores. Hand cream is far more practical for you."

Those words cut deeper than any knife could.

He felt entitled to treat me however he pleased because I was useful and obedient.

He had never respected me, not once.

Yet Julio was oblivious to my emotions and went on, "We are hosting a banquet at the house in a couple of days, as a make-up for your anniversary. Arrange it properly. Don't embarrass the Roberts family."

I looked out the window. The wind dried the tears in my eyes.

Years ago, after my parents died suddenly in an accident, they received a proper burial because Julio's mother helped me quietly.

I decided that this would be the last thing I ever did for the Roberts family, as repayment for her kindness.

As soon as we got home, Julio dragged me straight to the kitchen. "Lillian mentioned last night she wanted some soup. Show me how to make it."

Now I understood. He had only picked me up so he could better care for Lillian.

Absurdly, once, when I had a raging fever and was groggy, I asked him to get me a glass of water. Yet, he said with a dismissive look, "Every minute I waste costs millions, Sharon. Do you really expect me to waste my time in the kitchen for you?"

So it was not that he could not spare time in the kitchen. It was that he would not spare it for me.

I took a deep breath and replied coldly, "I don't know how. If you want to cook, ask the servants or look up a recipe online. I am not the Roberts family's servant."

Without looking at his face, not caring what expression he wore, I turned and walked upstairs.