When Jake woke up, he found himself lying on a hospital bed, his head wrapped in white gauze.
Rhian had been keeping watch by his bedside. Seeing the man open his eyes, her delicate, willow-like eyebrows finally relaxed.
Yet, the words that came out of her mouth were quite cold,
"You're awake, now I can leave."
Admittedly, she was worried about this guy's condition, but she absolutely couldn't let him find out.
The very next second, her wrist was firmly grasped by the man's large hand.
"How are you, you weren't bullied, right?"
Jake was still somewhat weak, but those attractive eyes were still sharp and profound, sizing up Rhian who was getting up to leave. Rhian responded with a scoff,
"Mr. Cabrera is considerate. With all that trouble, you should worry about yourself first.
I'm doing perfectly well!"
She had been in love with this man for four years.
Once, she'd dreamt of receiving his care, even just a few words or phrases would mean a lot.
But now, she doesn't need it anymore...
Jake ignored Rhian's coldness, his heart full of confusion.
"Those people, they aren't that easy to deal with.
How did a weak woman like you escape from their hands?"
That... Suddenly, Rhian was at a loss, not knowing how to reply.
She certainly couldn't say that she had taken each one of them down with her fists, making them kneel and beg for mercy before she could successfully escape, could she?
"Too difficult to answer?"
Jake looked into the woman's eyes, sensing a bit of unusualness.
He didn't think it was a complex question that required such prolonged contemplation.
Rhian locked eyes with Jake. Despite the man's gaze piercing through everything like X-rays, she remained calm, promptly replying,
"Of course, it's because I leveraged your formidable reputation, Jake!"
"The moment they heard that you're the heir of the Cabrera family, the most prestigious family in New York,
they immediately fell to their knees begging for mercy, and then I sent you to the hospital..."
Her explanation was utterly plausible.
In the whole of New York, the Cabrera family was like the trump card of all cards,
no one dared to take them lightly.
Naturally, Jake didn't have any reason to doubt it.
Looking at the woman's frail and tender figure, he recalled her helplessness when she was bullied by those hooligans at the food stall, and his emotions became complicated.
"If my name has so much influence,
why didn't you use it from the start?"
"Excuse me?"
"Next time, if anyone dares to bully you again, don't go round trying to reason with them.
I believe the identity as Jake's ex-wife could resolve the matter more swiftly and effectively???"
Rhian stared at the man blankly.
What on earth was he implying?
Too outlandish, isn't it?
"Mr. Cabrera, do you know how many children die from hunger every year in this world?
How much money can a beggar at the hospital gate beg for in a day?
After global warming, how much does the sea level rise every hour?"
Innocence's words left Jake confused,
"What does this have to do with me?"
"Yeah, what does it matter to you whether I'm being bullied or not?"
"..." Jake's face instantly turned grim.
Innocence stood in front of the bed, looking at the man with a teasing smile,
"Also, do you know why the guard's dog keeps barking in the middle of the night?"
"Why?" Jake asked with a cold and handsome face.
"Because it wants to catch mice.
It's nosy."
Innocence playfully flicked a strand of hair falling on her cheek.
Looking at the man, she seemed like she was looking at a stranger.
"I hope Mr. Cabrera remembers that we are getting divorced in a little over twenty days.
Please mind your own business."
"If you really have overflowing compassion and don't know where to vent, you can do more charity work and earn yourself a good reputation."
"..." The woman's chirpy words rendered Jake speechless, his fists tightened.
When did this girl become so sharp-tongued?
Like a small hedgehog full of spikes, where was the obedient and gentle little bunny from before?
"Excuse me!" After uttering these words, Rhian turned and left without a shred of reluctance.
Belated affection is more despicable than superficial flirting.
Moreover, his actions weren't born out of deep affection, but merely hypocritical gestures to ease his own conscience .
something she didn't value!
However, before Rhian could even step out of the hospital room, she bumped into her almost ex- mother-in-law...
"Ah, who has such little regard for others?"
Mrs. Cabrera rubbed the forehead she had bumped, furiously cursing.
Upon recognizing that it was Rhian, she grew even more livid.
"Why on earth are you here, you bringer of bad luck?"
"I just knew it.
There's never any good luck whenever Jake gets involved with you!"
Rhian responded with a cold, composed smile.
"I'm truly sorry.
Could you please hold on for another twenty-plus days?"
"What do you mean?"
Mrs. Cabrera arrogantly raised her head, dripping with disdain.
"Are you saying that you'll be able to fly high in the sky in twenty-plus days?"
"I certainly can't fly..." Continuing with her expression of cold yet courteous smile,
Rhian replied, "However,
I will be able to get a divorce certificate after twenty-plus days.
By then, even if your son begs on his knees,
I will not step into the Cabrera family's home again.
That naturally means I'll no longer be a thorn in your eye."
"You...you..." Mrs. Cabrera looked at Rhian in confusion.
What happened to the timid daughter-in-law who used to be completely submissive to her and let her have her way?
Why did she seem to have become a different person overnight?
"You actually dare to talk to me like this?"
"I have nothing to fear, do I?"
Rhian was long used to Mrs. Cabrera's behavior,
and had grown indifferent towards it to the extent that she felt numb.
Before, out of respect for the elder being Jake's mother and her mother-in-law, she had always let her get away with things.
But not anymore.
"The way you behave towards me will be mirrored by my response.
If you want my respect, check your own behavior first."
"Outrageous! Shameless!"
In a fit of rage, Mrs. Cabrera lifted her hand, about to slap Rhian across the face.
Unbeknownst to them, Jake had gotten off the bed and firmly gripped his mom's arm, coldly said,
"Mother, enough!" Only then did Mrs. Cabrera noticed the white bandages around her son's head still soaked with spots of fresh crimson blood.
He looked seriously injured, which automatically brought her to the brink of tears.
"Jake, did you get into a fight?
You already suffer from homophobia and you just had to go and be reckless.
Are you trying to send me to an early grave?"
"If something were to happen to you right after your brother left us,
how could I go on?"
Jake felt dizzy again. And he clearly felt that this time, the symptoms were even more severe.
His stomach began to churn and he felt nauseous.
As he supported his head, he grimaced in pain and pleaded,
"Mother, calm down."
Listening from the side, Rhian's fingers unintentionally clenched.
Who would have thought, he really did have homophobia?
"When did this happen, why have I never heard about it before?"
"Son, are you okay?
Do we need to call a doctor?"
Shocked by Jake's condition,
Mrs. Cabrera said hurriedly,
"Alright, I'll stop talking.
Let's get you back into bed."
"After all, you're divorcing this witch anyway,
I cannot be bothered to bicker with her!"
Jake made his way back to bed, feeling unwell for quite a while.
While she was tucking him in, Mrs. Cabrera chatted incessantly,
"You're such a fool to get into a fight over a woman like her.
Look at what state you're in,
has she even cared or thanked you?"
"I've finally seen the true colors of the Valdez 's family
They are all ungrateful witches.
After her parents defrauded so many investors and ended up committing suicide, they got what they deserved!"
"And, over these four years,
our Cabrera family had shielded her from so many troubles.
But, look at her attitude towards me, she has absolutely no respect for her elders.
It's better to divorce such a woman sooner than later!"
Rhian had some feelings of gratitude towards the Cabrera family,
but Mrs. Cabrera's words were like a slap in the face that awakened her.
Hmph, she's ungrateful?
If she were ungrateful, would Cabrera Corporation have managed to survive the American stock crisis three years ago unscathed?
If she were ungrateful, why did the hacker organization specifically spare Cabrera Corporation during their indiscriminate attacks last year?
There are countless such examples.
She had just been silently pulling the strings behind the scenes, never seeking any credit for what she had done.
Forget it, this family is not worth it! Rhian looked at Jake, saying without any emotion,
"I've sent the revised divorce agreement to your company.
If you have no objections, remember to sign it in time."
Jake's brows tightened.
Why does this sound so familiar?
Isn't this the line he said a few days ago?
This woman, she really knows how to change her face faster than flipping a book, being so decisive and resolute, without a hint of reluctance?
Deep down, what's with this inexplicable sense of loss?
Jake really wanted to corner Rhian and ask for clarity.
However, what the woman left him was only her back view, composed and detached.