Back then, Dione had been sure of herself. Even the most glamorous movie stars couldn’t seem to catch Cedric’s eye, so she never gave a second thought to the idea that an average-looking girl with no standout features could win his attention.
So, she let it go.
But then, Dione’s health began to decline. She needed chemotherapy, and to keep Cedric from worrying, she fabricated a story about going abroad for a trip. Yet when she returned, fresh from her treatment, everything felt different.
It was right after her first round of chemotherapy. Her complexion was pale, the effects of the treatment evident, and she feared Cedric might notice and grow concerned. So, she headed to a beauty salon for some treatment. The beautician, in an attempt to lighten the mood, teasingly asked her how she could stand Cedric taking on a female apprentice.
It wasn’t until then that Dione learned Cedric had been attending one high-profile event after another with Ophelia, proudly introducing her as his beloved apprentice to anyone who would listen. She was the last to know.
Cedar Ridge’s media, always quick to stir the pot, seized the opportunity with exaggerated headlines. By the time Dione had gathered the courage to confront him, Cedric had already instructed her to handle the media.
For the sake of Cedric’s reputation, Dione accepted his new apprentice, putting on a gracious front for the cameras.
Watching Cedric go to great lengths to protect Ophelia, Dione’s heart broke. All the questions she had, the ones she couldn’t voice, were swallowed by the pain. As time passed, the resentment festered, becoming a wound that never healed.
Dione transferred a large sum to Dr. Pierce for the euthanasia arrangements and also donated generously to a lupus research foundation.
Her bank card was linked to Cedric’s, so he received notifications of these transactions. After a quick glance, he tossed his phone aside, assuming Dione was simply splurging on another new handbag.
Ophelia’s teeth ground together as she watched, her gaze burning with resentment. To her, the money Dione spent so freely seemed like a wound, a piece of flesh she would eventually claim for herself.
Dione hadn’t expected Ophelia to show up at her doorstep, and certainly not with such audacity. She was flipping through old photos when the doorbell rang. Thinking it was the takeout she had ordered, she opened the door only to find Ophelia standing there, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Dione, long time no see. Why do you look so pale? Could it be menopause?” Ophelia sneered, her smile sickly sweet.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Dione slapped her hard across the face.
“You’ve got some nerve! A dog like you dares to bark at my door?”
Though Dione’s health had taken a toll, she still made sure to keep fit when she could, and the slap was delivered with force, a clear sign of her strength.
“But Cedric likes this dog of his,” Ophelia smirked, her voice dripping with malicious amusement as she played a recording from her phone.
First came Ophelia's coy voice. “Cedric, I’m going to drain you dry so you won’t touch her when you go home.”
Then came Cedric's unsatisfied voice. “I haven’t touched her in half a year. She’s too skinny. Hugging her is like hugging a dried corpse…”
Hearing Cedric say those words was like a slap to Dione’s face. She stood frozen, unable to comprehend what she was hearing.
Her lupus had been hereditary, something Cedric had known from the moment they met. He had researched the condition and had been careful with her, reminding her every day to take her medication. And yet, here he was, speaking like that.
He had said it countless times, how sorry he felt for her, tormented by the illness, wishing he could offer her his own flesh to ease her pain. Yet now, to hear him say holding her was like clutching a dried corpse felt like a knife in her heart.
Ten years of marriage, how had their love soured so dramatically?
Then Ophelia handed over Cedric’s wedding ring, her gaze flaunting as she watched Dione’s reaction.
“Cedric never wears this when he’s with me,” Ophelia said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “He says it’s bad luck. But you seem to like it, so I brought it back for you.”
The ring had been bought with Cedric’s first earnings. He had rented the grandest LED screen at Emerald Harbor, displaying her name in lights, and had set off a breathtaking fireworks show to make up for their missed proposal.
