Chapter 3

A week later, I was finally discharged from the hospital.

When I got home and opened the door, I saw Caleb and his daughter.

Vanessa immediately stepped forward and stood in front of them. She frowned as she said, "Because of what you did, Lily is still traumatized. Bringing them here will make it easier for me to take care of them."

I glanced at her expressionlessly and nodded.

When she saw how calm I was, Vanessa was stunned for a moment. As if sensing something was wrong, she reached out to grab me.

Just as I was about to dodge, Caleb intercepted Vanessa's outstretched hand. "Vanessa, if Ethan doesn't want us here, Lily and I can stay somewhere else."

After he finished speaking, Caleb gave me a smug look. Even so, I still looked at them calmly.

Seeing this, Vanessa uttered out of spite, "This house belongs to the Hart family. I can let whoever I want to stay here. I'll kick Ethan out if he refuses to let you stay!"

After that, she looked at me tentatively, as if waiting for me to lose my temper or give in.

Indeed, I would have already made a scene if it were in the past. But now, I just forced a smile and said, "Vanessa, I'll let you two be together. Let's get a divorce."

A flash of panic darted through Vanessa's eyes, and she snapped in anger, "Fine! Let's get divorced! Let's see if a man like you, who can no longer have children, can still find another rich woman willing to marry him after leaving me!"

As if feeling she had gone overboard, she softened her tone for once. "I'll send them away once they're better. Don't be angry, okay?"

She reached out to hug me, but all I felt from her was something rotten and suffocating.

To me, Vanessa had rotted from the inside out.

I dodged her reaching hand and prepared to go upstairs to get my documents, but when I turned around, I discovered that Caleb had found the urn I had put away.

He poured the ashes on the ground and purposely let a stray dog urinate over them.

The sight of it instantly tore my heart out, and I rushed over immediately.

"You son of a bitch!" I cursed. "Don't touch my mom's ashes!"

Maliciously raising the corners of his mouth, Caleb then mixed the ashes with the stray dog's urine right in front of me.

I abruptly lunged forward, desperately trying to pick up the ashes from the ground.

However, he stepped heavily on my hand.

As I looked at the pile of ashes soaked in dog urine, I couldn't take it anymore and pushed Caleb to the ground.

A second later, something smashed against the back of my head. A sharp crack rang out.

Dizziness overwhelmed me, and I collapsed backward onto the broken shards. Blood blurred my vision.

Holding Caleb in her arms, Vanessa glared at me resentfully. "Ethan, how could you be so evil? How could you hurt Caleb out of jealousy?"

After glancing at me smugly, Caleb played the victim and said, "I'm fine, Vanessa. Don't hurt Ethan because of me."

When Vanessa heard his words, her gaze turned even colder as she looked at me. "Ethan, it seems I've been too kind to you. That's why you dared to hurt Caleb. Go to the storage room and reflect on what you've done."

With that, she ignored my wounds, dragged me into the storage room, and slammed the door shut.

I was locked inside until the housekeeper let me out the next day.

Looking at me with disdain, she added, "Hurry up and leave. Ms. Hart said she's letting you off the hook."

I stumbled out of the storage room. Only a tiny bit of my mother's ashes remained.

On the way to the hospital, I had already bought my plane ticket. All I needed now was my resignation approval.

Once that was done, I would leave this place with all my documents.

After I submitted my resignation letter, the hospital director sighed. "Well, you dug your own grave when you offended Caleb. Ms. Hart values her husband and child the most. Now, no one can protect you."

My numb heart ached again.

Since the Hart family did not acknowledge me, my relationship with Vanessa remained a secret even now.

I forced a smile and waited for the hospital director to approve my resignation letter.

Just then, a commotion broke out inside the hospital.

I instinctively rushed outside, only to see Caleb standing proudly in the lobby, scattering photos everywhere.

Meanwhile, behind him, a red banner stood out prominently.

"Thank you, Dr. Reed, for servicing my wife. I am offering three dollars in appreciation."

Everyone around immediately cast strange glances at me when they saw me come out.

For a second, the world spun, and I nearly collapsed.

Seeing my pale face, Caleb added without hesitation, "Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce Ethan Reed, the man having an affair with my wife. Remember this face. Never let your wife bring your child here for treatment, or she might be targeted by Dr. Reed too."

Immediately, everyone around looked at me with disgust.

"I never expected Dr. Reed to be such a jerk!"

When Caleb saw that everyone was condemning me, his face immediately crinkled with a smile.

Suddenly, he stepped forward, grabbed my hair, and punched me hard in the face.

I struggled to break free. Then I looked at the crowd with a pale face and anxiously explained, "No, that's not true. Vanessa and I have a marriage certificate. Caleb is the other man."

With that, I took out the marriage certificate, which had my name and Vanessa's printed on it, from the documents I was carrying.

After reading it, the crowd looked at each other in confusion. They were unsure whether to believe me.

Caleb's expression instantly twisted with rage at the sight of it.

At the height of the stalemate, Vanessa showed up with her daughter, Lily.

She frowned deeply after noticing that I was holding a marriage certificate.

Some busybodies told her everything.

"Ms. Hart, which one is your husband exactly?"

I held up the marriage certificate and stared intently at her.

A moment later, Vanessa's cold voice rang out. "Ethan and I have no relationship. He forged the marriage certificate all for the sake of his vanity. Caleb is my only husband."

My eyes were bloodshot as I looked over in disbelief.

Vanessa avoided my gaze and hurriedly left with Lily in her arms.

As for me, Caleb stripped me of my clothes and kicked my lower body dozens of times amidst the crowd's scornful stares.

Only after he had vented his anger was I thrown out of the hospital like a dog.

I picked up my resignation acceptance and limped home.

After packing all my documents, I tore up the marriage certificate and threw it into the trash can without hesitation.

From this day forward, I would have nothing more to do with Vanessa.