Professor, I’ve made up my mind. I’m divorcing Danny Sinclair and returning to the lab to join the Lily of the Valley Project.
Ella Grey ended the call with her former mentor and tossed the rag into the trash bin.
While Danny was being interviewed by the reporter, Ella stood on the stool and wiped the living room window.
“She’s just a housewife. Normally, she stays at home—cooking and tidying up.”
“Helping me with my work? Fortunately, there’s nothing she can do for me. After all, our educational levels are different. I’m a postdoc and she’s only a master’s graduate. But I’ll admit, in our daily life, she does keep the house in perfect order.”
“There’s no need to interview her. She wouldn’t have anything valuable to say anyway.”
When Ella caught the reporter’s gaze, she gave him an awkward smile and went back to the kitchen.
It seemed the reporter wanted to say something, but Danny had pulled him down to sit.
After a long while, the reporter asked his final question. “Who do you consider the woman who has helped you the most in your life?”
Danny was taken aback for a moment before slowly replying, “Sarah Palmer. She is the one who helps me the most. She’s an outstanding person—someone I’ve always admired. Her accomplishments in botany have impressed me deeply and she’s helped me a great deal.”
When Ella heard his answer, her hand, which was chopping the vegetables, froze and she accidentally cut her finger.
She looked at her bleeding finger and slowly placed her hand under the faucet to rinse it.
Shortly after the reporters left, Danny slipped on his coat and called out to the kitchen, “Don’t wait for me. I am not eating dinner tonight; cause I’m heading out to the lab.”
Bang!
The door slammed shut. She turned off the faucet and fished a Band-Aid from her pocket.
After placing the last dishes on the table, Ella called John Sinclair, her son.
After the call connected and before Ella could say anything, the person on the other end snapped, “Mom, I’m going to Aunt Sarah for tutoring. Since you don’t understand anything, don’t make things worse.”
When a busy tone sounded from the phone, Ella knew the meal she had cooked would go to waste again.
She turned on the TV, scooped a bowl of spaghetti and ate alone again.
Halfway through the meal, she heard a “a “knock, knock” sound at the door. She hurried over and saw it was her next-door neighbor, Martha Duncan.
Martha pressed a box of cherries into her hands, then peered behind her. “Your husband isn’t home again? Has he gone to the lab?”
A flicker of bitterness flashed in Ella’s eyes when she nodded.
“Oh, your husband is an honest type. He’s been going back and forth between home and the lab for years. Do you remember Janet Quin’s husband? Our upstairs neighbor? You have no idea ….”
After thinking for a while, Ella remembered that such a person really existed, so she asked, “What happened? Did something go wrong with them?”
Martha leaned closer and whispered, “Last month, he got caught dancing with a woman in a public square. And I heard that yesterday, he was caught sleeping with the same woman at the woman’s house.”
Ella’s eyes widened in shock.
Martha chuckled. “Count yourselves lucky, okay? At least your husband only runs to the lab, not messing around, right?”
After exchanging a few words, she finally left. As Ella looked at her retreating back, she sighed. Is it staying faithful enough to maintain a marriage?
After the door closed, once again, she was all alone in the house.
Everyone said she was blessed to have married such a wonderful husband. Danny was a renowned expert in botany and held immense prestige in academic circles. Over the years, many of his research projects earned him patents.
Everyone envied her. They all said that all she needed to do was stay home and do household chores. She did not have to worry about money.
But what no one knew was that years ago, only one direct doctoral admission spot available and a top-tier university had specifically named her as its candidate.
However, when she saw the disappointment on Danny’s face, she gave it up willingly and let him have it instead.
For twenty years, she had been supporting him silently, so he did not have to worry about anything outside of his academic pursuits.
Over the years, Ella had rarely felt any regret. She was sure that Danny always appreciated all the sacrifices she had made.
But just now, after she heard what he had said, she experienced the kind of regret she had never felt before.
A sudden knock broke her thoughts. Thinking that it was Danny, she hurried over to open the door.
But the person standing there was the reporter from earlier. He handed her a box.
“You’re Dr. Sinclair’s wife, right? Could you please give this master tape to him? Just have him give me feedback tonight.”
She nodded. Before the reporter could leave, she stopped him. Her eyes locked with his as she said, “My name is Ella. Ella Grey.”
I’m not just Dr. Sinclair’s wife. She added silently in her heart.
The reporter paused and a trace of puzzlement appeared in his eyes.
After she covered the dishes on the table, Ella took the master tape and hailed a taxi to the lab. Then she headed to Danny’s office.
She knew the direction to his office very well. After all, whenever Danny had a project, he would be too busy to eat. So she would cook for him every day and quickly deliver it.
Seeing that the door was slightly open, she was ready to open it. But the moment she looked through it, she froze.
She saw Danny and Sarah embracing each other and he seemed so worried.
Ella covered her mouth and staggered back in disbelief.
She was too anxious that the lunchbox slipped from her grasp and hit the floor with a thud.
Her heart clenched violently and she rushed out the door.
On the way back, her mind was filled with the image of the two of them embracing each other.
She did not dare to think how many times this had happened, or how far they had gone…
She bit her lips, trying desperately to hold back her tears, but she couldn’t stop the scenes replaying in her mind.
Ella recalled the dismissive tone that Danny had used when he spoke of her in front of the camera just now. It was completely different from the way he talked about Sarah. His voice brimmed with unrestained admiration and appreciation for Sarah, even though Ella was the one who had been supporting him over the years.
Suddenly, she collapsed to the ground with a thud. A sharp pain radiating from her palm instantly brought her back to her senses.
She wiped the tears, turned on her phone and saw that Danny had sent her messages.
[Did you come to the lab to find me?]
[Where are you now? Why didn’t I see you? Where are you?]
[Message me back when you see them.]
He only sent three questions; she was not worth even a single call.
A flash of self-mockery flickered in Ella’s eyes and she forced herself to stand.
But when she reached her front door, she suddenly didn’t want to go inside or continue living with a cheater.
Should I file for divorce? She asked inwardly.
After struggling for a moment, she opened her social media apps and sent a post.
Within minutes, more than a dozen people replied to her, but most of them urged her not to divorce.
[At your age, why do you want to get divorced? Just bear with it?]
[Yeah. Your kid is still in her senior year of high school. A divorce during such a crucial time would definitely affect him.]
[Blogger, if you ask me, just turn a blind eye. For the kid’s sake, we should endure it.]
…
As she read these comments, a complicated emotion flashed in her eyes. And eventually, she opened the door.
They are right. I have a child. I can’t file for a divorce when John is in such a critical time for her.
With this thought, she deleted the lawyer’s number that she had searched on Google.
At ten o’clock in the evening, Danny finally called her. Ella just listened to the non-stop ringing without any intention to answer it.
Originally, she wanted to answer the phone if Danny called the second time, but the phone was completely silent.
It meant from the very beginning, Danny only planned to call her once and would not call again if she did not answer.
Slowly, Ella closed her eyes, unable to bear the pain in her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes as sorrow and disappointment filled her heart.
She turned off the phone and climbed into bed.
As soon as the alarm clock rang at five o’clock the next day, she jumped up immediately.
After preparing breakfast, she promptly carried it to John’s room and helped him pack his schoolbag.
But seeing John put on his coat, Ella could not help but ask, “Did your dad come to you last night and ask about me?”
John furrowed his brows. He seemed puzzled by her questions.
Concealing the disappointment in her eyes, Ella murmured, “It’s nothing. I was just wondering.”
After she packed his schoolbag and prepared to leave the room, John clicked his tongue impatiently. “Mom, haven’t I told you to put less sugar in it? Are you deaf or what?”
Ella paused and apologized awkwardly, “I’m sorry. I zoned out a bit when making the milk this morning,?so ….”
“Ugh, so annoying. You have been doing this every day, but still can’t do it properly! What good are you? You’re nowhere as good as Aunt Sarah.”
Ella’s fingers curled tightly into her palms as a sharp ache gripped her chest. Every word he said made her feel she was so foolish.
In the evening, she picked John as usual. Remembering how she had been too careless by putting so much sugar in his milk, she wanted to compensate him.
“John, do you have any questions about today’s topic? I can help you.”
But John simply waved his hand impatiently. “No need. Just do your chores. Aunt Sarah said she would tutor me. She is a postdoc, so she is way smarter than you.”
Ella clenched her fists and sat stiffly back on the dinner table.
Her plate held the spaghetti she had just reheated. She had not even had time to eat in order to pick John up.
But today, somehow, tears fell down onto the food she ate.
When she stuffed the spaghetti into her mouth, she could feel the saltiness of her tears mixed in it.
Across the wall, John and Sarah’s chatting and laughing drifted through the half-open door. The sound was like a blade that pierced her heart.
Halfway through the meal, she heard the sound of a door being unlocked. Ella hastily grabbed a tissue to wipe her face dry.
Danny sat down beside her and asked in a deep voice, “Why didn’t you answer my messages yesterday?”
Ella stiffened for a moment and pretended to be calm before saying, “Oh, I forgot.”
But suddenly, Danny grabbed her hand, stared intently at her face and sneered, “You’re crying?”
Ella berated herself in her heart for crying earlier. When she was about to explain, Danny spoke first.
“Did you see anything yesterday? Sarah and I….”
“No! I didn’t see anything. I had someone deliver that lunch box. I didn’t go there personally.”
For a few seconds, Danny eyed her suspiciously, but in the end, he said nothing.
Just then, John and Sarah’s voices drifted into the room again.
Danny froze for a moment before clearing his throat softly. “Don’t overthink about Sarah tutoring John. Her physics has always been excellent and she got a perfect score on the college entrance examination. That’s why I asked her to help with John’s tutoring. Besides, based on academic qualifications, it’s obvious that she’s a better choice.”
He then gently took Ella’s hand and said softly, “Don’t overthink it. It’s enough for you to take good care of this home. You don’t need to do anything else.”
In the past, whenever he said this, Ella would reassure herself that taking care of the family was meaningful too and she was not worthless. But the word Danny had said during the interview that day still echoed in her mind and she could not forget them.
She pulled her hand away and said calmly, “Danny, I hope you always remember that the reason you got your PhD’s spot was because I gave up mine for you.”
Danny was taken aback. He never expected that Ella would suddenly bring up the past. Only now did it dawn on him that her original abilities surpassed his own.
“Ella, I ….”
But Ella had already gotten up and left the table. She walked straight into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
She dragged the box from under the bed and began pulling out its contents one by one. They were all her past award certificates. Yet the walls of this home seemed designed to hold for only one person’s honors.
It was just like Danny had said back then when he opposed her pursuing her doctorate. “One scientist in a family is enough. Someone must always stay home to take care of the family.”
Back then, she thought love could conquer everything. So she gave up the opportunity to pursue her doctorate.
But she forgot that true feelings could change so easily. Danny had long moved on, while she remained blissfully unaware of it.
“Ella, I’ve washed the dishes. I won’t be sleeping at home tonight—I need to head to the lab.”
Hearing his words from outside the door, Ella let out a self-mocking chuckle.
What a flimsy lie and I had believed it for twenty years!
She kept wiping the trophy and certificates in her hands with tissues, for only seeing these awards could remind her of who she really was.
After twenty years of being a housewife, she had almost forgotten she was once a student whom all her teachers had high hopes for.
After rearranging the certificate, she called her former teacher.
“Is this … Ella?” the person on the other side asked in surprise.
“Yes, it’s me, Professor. ?I’m calling to ask … Is the laboratory still recruiting? I want to come back. If it’s not possible, then ….”
When the person on the opposite side heard this, he hurriedly agreed. “Of course! Come over. The laboratory desperately needs talents like you.”
Hearing her teacher’s words, a warm glow entered her heart.
The next morning, she was woken by a commotion.
She rubbed her eyes and opened the door to find people from the moving company.
“What… are you doing here?”
At that moment, Danny appeared and pulled her into the house.
“What’s going on, Danny?” she asked.
Danny hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly, “Ella, to make it easier for John to commute to school, I bought an apartment near his school.”
Ella’s expression eased a bit. “I never said you couldn’t buy a house, but you should have told me about something this big.”
She tried to open the door to leave, but unexpectedly, Danny grabbed her wrist. “Where are you going?”
Ella looked at him in confusion. “I’m going to help pack. Aren’t we moving there? I’ll sort my things and move them over later.”
But Danny was still holding her hand tightly, without any intention to let go.
“Do you have something more to say, Danny?” She restrained the tremble in her voice with difficulty when she asked that.
He lowered his head and said through gritted teeth, “The new place doesn’t have enough rooms. And since we need to set aside a room for Sarah, you can’t go there.”
In that instant, Ella felt her heart being crushed violently. Cold spread from her fingertips all the way through her body.
Danny hurriedly pulled her into his embrace and whispered softly, “I’m sorry, Ella. But you know, all school district apartments have that layout. I really didn’t have a choice …”
” … You and John are going to live with …S …Sarah?” Ella managed to croak hoarsely.
She felt his grip tighten around her. His voice came from above her.?“Having Sarah live with us will make it easier for her to tutor John, so… But don’t worry, Ella, she won’t be staying long. You can live here by yourself for now. It’s only until John finishes his college entrance exams ….”
Suddenly, Ella pushed him away, pointed at the door with trembling fingers and forced a word from her throat, “Leave!”
Danny opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but before he could, Ella had already pushed him out.
Watching the door slam shut before him, a strange sense of panic washed over him.
He knocked on the door and said in a low voice, “Ella, I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.”
Inside, Ella slumped against the door and crumpled weakly on the floor. She had to bite her lips hard to stifle her cry of pain.
“Dad, what are you waiting for? Aunt Sarah has been waiting for us for a long time. Dinner is ready. Hurry up and leave.”
As the sound of footsteps faded, silence fell over the house.
Ella closed her eyes and let her tears drop onto the floor.
She retrieved the lawyer’s numbers she had deleted before. “Hello? I’d like to consult about divorce proceedings.”
When she looked at the empty house, Ella lost all desire to stay there and decided to simply move to the research institute.
One day, when she went home to get her things, she found Danny waiting at the door.
For a moment, she froze. Then, pretending not to see him, she opened the door.
Danny’s voice echoed behind her. “I’ve been looking for you these past few days, but you never seem to be home. Where have you been?”
After hesitating for a moment, Ella decided to tell the truth. “I went back to Professor Hamilton’s laboratory. I ….”
But Danny did not listen to her at all. Instead, he scanned the empty room and demanded, “Why are there some things missing from the house?”
Ella clenched her fists and her breathing quickened. Then she took a deep breath and said solemnly, “Danny, let’s get a divorce.”
“Knock knock.” The sudden knocking interrupted her words.
She followed his gaze and found that it was Sarah. She was holding a scarf in her hand.
“Danny, you forgot to put on your scarf. It’s windy outside, you might have a headache.”
For a second, Danny’s face turned completely blank and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Sarah walked up to him and wrapped it around his neck on tiptoe.
From Ella’s angle, the two of them seemed to be kissing.
Even though her fingers dug deep into her palms, she did not feel any pain at all.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, Sarah lost her balance and fell to the side. Danny immediately caught her waist.
She pressed her hands against his chest and lowered her head shyly. “I’m sorry. I just twisted my ankle.”
They were so close. Only now did Danny realize how close they were. He frantically released his grip and glanced toward Ella. But she was nowhere to be seen.
Watching him search for her, a shadow flickered in Sarah’s eyes. So, she said, “Danny, I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
When she heard this, Ella stopped packing.
At this moment, Danny walked in. He said with a tense voice, “I brought her because we have to attend the seminar later. Nothing else. Ella, I ….”
Ella zipped up her bag before lifting her head to meet his gaze. “Alright, I believe you.”
But her answer did not calm him down. She is way too calm. She should not react like this. He thought.
He grabbed Ella’s wrist. His face was grim. “If you’re angry, just let it out. Why do you talk like this?”
“You’re hurting me.” Ella struggled desperately to pull her hand away, but he only tightened his grip.
Finally, she broke down and shouted, “I’m not angry! I know you’re just colleagues! You’re close to her because you share more common ground—you’re fellow disciples and she can help you more with your research…”
Every word she said now was the same one Danny had once said to her and now she was throwing them back at him.
While he stood there frozen, she pushed him away and ran out.
Downstairs, she caught sight of Danny’s car. Inside it, Sarah, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was applying lipstick.
This reminded her of the first time she’d found lipstick and confronted him. Back then, Danny had only responded impatiently, “Why are you making such a big deal over a lipstick? Sarah and I are just dedicated to researching. Why must you turn us into adulterers? You clearly haven’t read enough books. Your head’s filled with nothing but trash.”
She tore her gaze away and climbed into her professor’s car.
Today, she was attending an academic seminar with her mentor. Their lab’s recent research breakthrough had drawn a lot of attention and as one of the main project leaders, she couldn’t decline the invitation.
What she had not anticipated was that Danny and Sarah also appeared there.
The moment he appeared, he captured everyone’s attention, drawing one person after another to have a conversation with him.
Sarah stood beside him and anyone watching would have to admit they made a perfect match.
Ella did not plan to get closer to eavesdrop, but the crowd pushed her forward.
“It seems that I have never seen Dr. Sinclair’s wife. It seems only Professor Palmer has always been by your side. You can bring your wife over for us to meet next time.”
Ella heard someone ask him.
Someone nearby chimed in, “Yes, Dr. Sinclair, you’re so accomplished, your wife must be extraordinary too. What field does she research in?”
Danny paused for a moment, then smiled faintly. “My wife is rather uncultured and unsophisticated. She’s not quite suited for occasions like this.”
Each of his words pierced her heart like needles, stirring up a dense, stinging pain. She swayed slightly, wanting to leave. After she walked away, someone asked why Danny had come that day.
He pondered for a moment and said, “I came today mainly to meet the person in charge of the Lily of the Valley project. I think she’s very talented and should be a leader in our field.”
“Yes, but she’s a bit of a mystery,” someone said. “Her name hasn’t been made public yet. I bet she’s a big figure in the industry. Ordinary people couldn’t pull off research that advanced.”
***
Originally, Ella wanted to find a quieter place, but Sarah found her.
“Why are you here, Ella?”
Ella refused to talk and turned to leave.
“Did you beg someone to bring you here? Can you really understand the content of the presentation later?”
Sarah’s mockery made Ella stop in her tracks. When she was about to throw the Lily of the Valley research book that she pulled from her bag at Sarah’s face, gasps erupted from the surrounding crowd.
She followed their gaze, looked up and saw that the overhead light had fallen.
At that critical moment, Danny rushed over and pulled Sarah into his arms to protect her.
Ella was not so lucky. Though she darted aside the moment she noticed, shards of glass were still embedded in her leg.
A searing pain shot through her calf. Before she lost consciousness, all she saw was blood spreading across the floor.
When Ella opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was the pristine white ceiling of the hospital room. The moment her eyes fluttered open, a sharp pain shot through her calf.
Frowning, she propped herself up and forced herself to sit.
The door was pushed open and the nurse walked in, then she poured a glass of water for her.
Ella lowered her head and took a sip of water. She heard the nurse say, “Did you not tell your parents about the accident? I don’t think anyone has come to visit you in the past few days. Where’s your husband? I didn’t see him either. Don’t you know that the female patient’s husband next door visits her every day…”
A touch of bitterness flashed in Ella’s eyes. “My husband and I are divorced …”
The nurse, who was changing her IV needle, paused her movement and asked in surprise, “At your age, you’re getting a divorce? Don’t you consider your child’s feelings?”
“I don’t…” she murmured.
Once the nurse finished changing the needle and left, Ella picked up her phone to order some food. Only then, she noticed Danny had sent her a message and the last one was two days prior. After that, nothing.
Her grip on the phone tightened as a wave of indescribable bitterness rose in her throat.
Just as she was about to place her order, Danny messaged her again.
[Just because I didn’t let you move into the new house, you decide to disappear?]
[Ella, that disappearing act doesn’t work on me. I already explained why there’s no room for you in the new place. I’m not wasting my time repeating myself.]
[I remember that you know how to make bone broth. Make a pot today and bring it to Room 3511 at Wellness Hospital. It would be best to deliver it before one o’clock in the afternoon.]
Ella stared blankly at the message Danny had sent to her until the ward number caught her attention. She then froze for a moment.
She was in Room 3512, the last room on this floor. That meant the only room next to hers was 3511. So, the person the nurse mentioned visiting daily must be …
The thought that she had been lying here for two days, while Danny hadn’t come even once to see her but visited the patient next door, Sarah, every single day, sent waves of sharp pain rippling through her heart.
When she didn’t reply, Danny called.
He hadn’t made a single call when he couldn’t reach her days ago, yet now he was frantic about Sarah not getting her soup.
Enough was enough.
She immediately got out of bed and headed for the door.
In the ward net door, as Sarah looked at Danny peeling an apple for her, a plan began to form in her mind.
“Danny … my hand … it still hurts. Could you feed me?”
Danny paused and nodded.
Sarah immediately became happy and opened her mouth expectantly.
This was exactly the scene Ella witnessed when she entered the room. She clenched her palms fiercely and told herself to calm down.
Seeing her, Danny immediately withdrew his hand.
“Why are you here so fast? Is the soup ready?”
Hearing him mention bone broth, Ella sneered and limped toward him.
Only then did Danny notice the large bandage on her left calf. Instantly, he heard her voice hiss in his ear. “Danny Sinclair, how dare you accuse me of deliberately disappearing? For two whole days, I was lying in the next hospital room! And you? Did you even come to see me once?”
After taking several deep breaths, Ella composed herself and said calmly, “You didn’t.”
Danny staggered slightly and clenched his fists unconsciously, “I…”
“If you’d cared even a little,” she continued, “And asked a few more questions … you’d have known that the other person hit by the falling light that day… was me.”
He swayed slightly and a flicker of shock flashed in his eyes.
“Ella, let me explain. I… I didn’t know. I didn’t know you followed me to that seminar. If I had known …”
“What difference would it have made?” Ella sneered. “Would you have stayed by my side? When trouble struck, you’d still rush to protect your precious junior sister, wouldn’t you?”
His face darkened. “Don’t talk nonsense! We, Sarah and I, are not what you think!”
A flash of mockery flickered in Ella’s eyes and a disbelief look appeared on her face.
Danny wanted to say something, but the phone rang suddenly and he had to go out and answer the phone first.
“I’ll explain everything to you later.” With those words, he hurriedly left the hospital room.
The moment the door closed, the air in the room went cold.
Ella turned to leave, but Sarah’s voice cut through the air behind her. “I’m dying to know… when exactly do you plan to divorce him, Ella?”
Her bluntness caught Ella off guard.
Sarah kept provoking her. ?“He doesn’t love you anymore. Your marriage is nothing but an empty shell now. It’ll shatter completely soon.”
Ella turned and glared at her coldly. “So what? Even if it’s an empty shell, I’m still his legal wife. Who do you think you are to talk back to me?”
Ella did not pay any attention to her, but the moment she turned around, she heard her say, It’s just a hollow title. As long as his love remains with me, this position will be mine someday. Care to bet on it?”
Ella was taken aback for a moment and frowned slightly.
Before she could react, a thud sounded behind her. Sarah had deliberately rolled out the bed.
At that moment, Danny pushed open the door and walked in.
Realizing what Sarah had done, Ella’s heart clenched. Her voice was tense. “It wasn’t me, I…”
But before she could finish, he shoved her violently aside. The torn wound instantly stained the gauze red and cold sweat broke out on her forehead from the pain.
Behind her, she could hear Danny’s accusatory voice, “When did you become so unreasonable, Ella?”
Her fingers dug deep into the palms of her hands, yet Ella felt no pain at all. Every word Danny spoke pierced her heart like needles, stirring waves of relentless agony.
“Believe it or not, I didn’t push her.”
Danny had just lifted Sarah and laid her on the bed when he heard these words. He was about to turn and ask, “If not you, who else could have done it?” when the blood-soaked bandage on Ella’s calf caught his eye.
He was taken aback for a moment; only then did he realize that he was the one who pushed her.
“Ella… I ….” But before he could say anything, Ella had already turned and left without looking back.
Watching her retreating figure, a wave of intense unease washed over him and he instinctively wanted to chase after her.
But, before he could, his wrist was grabbed. When he looked down, he saw Sarah’s red, tear-streaked eyes. She pleaded, “Please, can you get me a doctor? My hand hurt again.”
When he didn’t move, Sarah bit her lip and added softly, “It’s not that I can’t handle the pain, but the experiment needs to keep going and if my hand doesn’t heal properly, I’m afraid I won’t be able to cooperate with you. If that delays the Lily of the Valley Project and the person in charge gets upset…”
Hearing that, Danny hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. I’ll go get the doctor.”
After confirming with the doctor that Sarah was fine, he went to the ward next door.
Inside the ward, after Ella tossed her takeout box into the trash. She immediately called her lawyer.
“Yes, the day after tomorrow. I can come to the law firm for a consultation.”
She was about to say more when the ward door opened behind her, followed by Danny’s voice. “What lawyer?”
Ella ended the phone; her expression stayed calm. “It’s nothing, you heard it wrong.”
She then lay down on the bed, clearly not wanting to talk further.
Danny walked to the side of the bed and when he saw the takeaway box in the trash can, his hands, that previously hung by his side, curled up.
“You’re just… eating takeout?” he asked in a low voice.
But Ella did not even look at him. She simply turned her back to him.
His breathing quickened, chest rising and falling with frustration. “Ella, never thought you’d show up at the seminar, so I certainly couldn’t have known the other person hit by the object was you. You followed me without telling me—I haven’t even blamed you for that. But that still doesn’t justify you hurting Sarah!”
But she didn’t even move, still turning her back to him.
“What do you want me to do?” he demanded. “I’ve been incredibly busy lately. I visited Sarah only because we have an experiment requiring both of us to complete it. I was worried her hand might affect the experiment—that’s all. You’re the one jumping to all sorts of conclusions. Not only are you not helping me, you’re making things worse!”
Just when he wanted to say something, Ella turned and sat up.
Her eyes were as still as stagnant water when she looked at him. “Are you done? If so, leave. I want to rest.”
The glimmer of hope that had just flickered in his eyes instantly dimmed.
Watching her cold, indifferent back, Danny felt a growing sense of unease in his heart, as if something was slowly slipping beyond his grasp.
But he quickly reassured himself that they had been married for so many years, so it was impossible for Ella to leave him. She was only like this now because she was still angry; as long as he coaxed her, everything would definitely be fine.
With this thought, he calmed a bit. “Then have a good rest. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”
A flash of sarcasm flickered in Ella’s eyes at his words and she curled her lips in disdain.
What she hadn’t expected was that he actually brought her a bowl of soup the next day at noon. She frowned, but he urged her, “Drink up. I simmered it for ages.”
Hearing his words, Ella raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing her mind.
Since their marriage, Danny had scarcely set foot in the kitchen. Yet this time, he’d personally make the soup.
Half-doubting, half-believing, Ella lifted the lid. The moment her eyes met the contents, she froze in place.
At that moment, her phone chimed. She looked down and saw a message from Sarah. [My favorite carrot and bone broth soup! I made him stew it himself last night. Do you think it’s delicious?]
Boom!
The word hit her like a bolt from the blue. Ella’s hand, which was holding the bowl, shook uncontrollably.
Seeing something was wrong with her, Danny asked, “What’s wrong with you, Ella?”
With reddened eyes, she choked out a question, “You know… I’m allergic to carrots, right?”
Danny’s face instantly drained of color. He grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry, Ella. I…”
Ella pulled her hand and smiled bitterly. “You don’t have to say anything. We’re getting …”
A frantic ringing interrupted her words. She could only wait for Danny to finish his call.
But his expression turned grim. He looked at her gravely. “Ella, John fainted.”
The two of them rushed to the hospital, where John was treated. Hearing the doctor say that John had only developed a sudden high fever, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Even though John had opened his eyes, he didn’t even glance at Ella. Instead, he asked Danny, who was standing beside him, “Dad, the school wants parents to record videos cheering us on for the college entrance exams. Could you take Aunt Sarah to record one for me?”
Ella clenched her fist as a self-mocking smile tugged on her face. “Take care of yourself,” she said before leaving the ward.
Standing at the door, she convinced herself it didn’t matter. They were getting divorced soon anyway. She had no intention of fighting for John’s custody. From now on, neither father nor son would have anything to do with her.
She sighed and stared blankly out the window for a moment.
“Don’t take it to heart. John is just a child/ He doesn’t think things deeply.” Danny’s voice snapped her out of her senses.
“What were you… about to say in the room? Divorce?”
Ella gave a faint laugh and shook her head. “Nothing. You misheard.”
She didn’t plan to tell him now. Divorce was a sure thing anyway and with John’s college entrance exams just days away, it was better to wait until after the exams.
But Danny’s?instincts told him it wasn’t that simple. Her smile didn’t ease his uneasiness at all.
Over the next few days, he packed a few belongings and moved back into their old home to live with her again.
Ella knew that he only did this because he felt guilty, not because he loved her. Therefore, she had no intention of changing her mind. She wouldn’t gamble her life away again for his illusory, fleeting affection.
After staying for a few days, as if to make sure Ella was acting normal, Danny soon announced he had to go on a business trip and would be away for several days.
But she merely gave a light “Mhm.” and a flash of strange emotion rose in his heart.
He asked reluctantly, “Aren’t you going to ask where I’m going?”
“You’re an adult. You don’t need to report your whereabouts to me.”
Despite her words. Danny couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. In the past, whenever he left for a business trip, Ella would always give him numerous instructions, pack his clothes for him and even see him off downstairs herself.
This time, however, even as he stood at the door, she kept her head down, absorbed in her own work, not even glancing at him.
Exasperated, he left, planning to have a proper talk with her when he returned.
Not long after he left, Sarah knocked on the door. She smiled gently at her and handed a coat. “Ella, is Danny home? He… left his shirt at my place the other day. I brought it back for him.”
Seeing through her scheme, Ella sneered coldly: “Aren’t you supposed to be traveling with him? Why not just give it to him directly? Who are you putting on this show for?”
Even after her plot was exposed, Sarah stayed calm. “Since you know so much, you should divorce my Danny sooner rather than later. Stop clinging to this position.”
Her word made Ella snort and say sarcastically, “If you have the ability, you can take it yourself. What? Hasn’t Danny given you a proper title yet?” ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
A dark shadow flickered in Sarah’s eyes as she replied coldly, “He will… soon. I’ll confirm our relationship during this business trip. Oh, and one more thing…”
She stepped closer and whispered into Ella’s ear, “This time, you probably won’t be able to tag along. With your level of skill, the organizers would never send you an invitation.”
Ella’s face darkened and she remained silent. Seeing her expression, Sarah felt a surge of satisfaction.
Watching her retreating figure, Ella picked up her phone and made a call.
“Teacher, I’d like to attend this awards ceremony. I’ll go accept the award in person….”
***
In the lobby, everyone was buzzing about the Topical Award winner. She was the youngest recipient in history and upon learning her age, every person present was stunned.
“Dr. Sinclair, with your extensive connections, do you happen to know the project leader?”
Danny shook his head. “I’ve sent her several emails, but she hasn’t replied to a single one yet.”
The person who asked him sighed when he heard his answer, but the curiosity in his eyes only deepened. “So mysterious? Looks like today might be our only chance to see her. I wonder which big shot in the industry she is.”
“But no matter how talented she is, she should at least reply to emails. My senior sent her so many—Isn’t she being so arrogant?” Sarah muttered under her breath, but Danny heard every word.
“Don’t say that. Her achievements clearly prove she’s more capable than me. Someone that talented has every right to be a bit arrogant.”
Seeing the admiration in his eyes, Sarah felt a pang of resentment. She silently prayed this person wasn’t a woman—and if it was, she hoped she was already married. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? But the voice beside her dashed her hopes completely.
“I just saw her being interviewed at the entrance. It’s a woman, looks pretty young, about the same age as Dr. Sinclair. Most importantly… I heard her tell reporters she’s currently unmarried!”
In an instant, the voices of discussion rang one after another.
“Not married yet? That’s surprising for someone so accomplished. You’d think suitors would be lining up.”
“It’s not necessarily that no one pursues her. Maybe she’s just picky? Someone ordinary wouldn’t measure up. Only someone like Dr. Sinclair could possibly win her over.”
Danny smiled helplessly. When he was about to speak, the host on the stage announced, “Let’s welcome the winner of this year’s Topical Award—” ? ? ?
Amidst gasps of surprise, the crowd in front gradually parted to make a path.
Danny looked toward the entrance with anticipation, but the moment he recognized the figure approaching, his pupils suddenly contracted. He just stood there rooted in place.
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