chapter 74

“I don’t love you,” Samuel said coldly. “In the past, I didn’t understand what love was. You saved my life, for which I was grateful, and I naively thought that was love. But when I heard that Kathleen lost our children, I finally realized I don’t love you.”

He had rushed to the hospital back then and heard from Wynnie that Kathleen managed to pull through.

Their children, unfortunately, didn’t make it.

At that moment, the one thing that Samuel panicked most about was what would happen to him if Kathleen died.

If Kathleen left this world, where would I go to find her?

In that instant, he realized who he truly loved.

Kathleen! I love Kathleen and I can’t lose her!

Nicolette, on the other hand, couldn’t believe her ears. “You love her? But you just said you didn’t know what love was.”

“That may be so, but I do know that I don’t have that feeling when I’m with you,” Samuel retorted. “I might have already fallen in love with Kathleen from the day she became my wife. I just hadn’t noticed then.”

“Samuel, if it weren’t for your family’s disapproval, we’d have gotten married long ago!” Nicolette whimpered as tears coursed down her cheeks.

Alas, Samuel remained cold and distant. “If relationships can’t stand the test of time, it’d mean there wasn’t true love. I’ve probably never liked you that much, which explains why I gradually fell for Kathleen after you left. Or perhaps, my being with you was just a form of rebellion. The more my family disapproves of something, the more I want to go against them.”

“How could you treat me like this, Samuel?” Nicolette asked amidst sobs. “Don’t you know you’re my only hope?”

I’ve painstakingly put on this act for so long because of him, yet he’s now telling me he doesn’t love me? No! I won’t allow that!

“Since you’ve saved my life before, I’m willing to wipe the slate clean between us,” Samuel uttered calmly. “From today onward, we’ll have nothing to do with each other. I’ll arrange for you to start a new life abroad and also ensure that you’ll live comfortably for the rest of your life. However, you are not to show up in front of Kathleen again. I won’t allow you to bother her either.”

Nicolette continued to cry, indignant at the way Samuel had treated her.

Her goal had always been to marry rich so she could haughtily return to the Yoegers and laugh in their faces.

Now, however, all her hopes and dreams were shattered.

She had nothing left.

On the other end, Samuel promptly hung up the phone and turned to Tyson.

“Tyson, have you prepared everything I told you to?”

“There’s just a bit more to go.”

“Hurry up, then.”

Tyson nodded. “Understood!”

When Kathleen finally woke up, it was already ten in the morning.

She opened her eyes and saw Emily sitting by her bed. “Aunt Emily.”

Emily was Wynnie Staines’ elder sister, which made her Samuel’s aunt.

Therefore, it was only right for Kathleen to call her by that too.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Emily replied as her lips curled into a smile.

She carried herself with an air of ladylike elegance, while Wynnie was a tough, no-nonsense career woman.

The two sisters, without a doubt, were very different.

Surprised by the visit, Kathleen blurted out, “Aunt Emily, what are you doing here?”

“I came to see you. By the way, I’ve made some mushroom soup. Try some,” Emily replied as she poured a bowl of soup and placed it in Kathleen’s hands.

The soup smelled delicious and since it wasn’t too hot, the latter drank it immediately and felt it warming up her insides.

“Aunt Emily, I’m sorry to have troubled you.”

“Please, don’t stand on ceremony with me,” Emily said with a grin. “Your mother-in-law’s busy, so she got me to help take care of you. Let me know if there’s anything you need.”

Kathleen shook her head. “I don’t need anything, Aunt Emily.”

“You’re being polite with me again. It’s really no bother at all.”

“I really don’t need anything, Aunt Emily,” Kathleen mumbled as she quietly finished her soup.

Upon hearing that, Emily let out a sigh. “It’s heart-rending to see you like this, you know?”

Kathleen merely pursed her pale lips and said nothing.

“Well, what did Samuel say?” Emily asked concernedly.

“He said he wants to live happily with me.”

“People often fail to appreciate what they have until it’s gone,” Emily uttered. “The whole family has tried to talk some sense into him, but he’s just too conceited.”

As it turned out, Emily was absolutely right.

Samuel was the CEO of Macari Group, and being in that powerful position gave him a superiority complex.

Because of that, there were many times when he refused to accept other people’s opinions or advice.

It took a painful loss before he finally understood what everyone else had been trying to tell him.

Once again, Kathleen was silent.

“What about you?” Emily probed.

“I don’t want to,” Kathleen answered as she bit her lip. “But if I were to ask for a divorce, I know he wouldn’t agree to it.”

Even if the rest of the world forced him to do so, Samuel would still stubbornly refuse to sign the divorce agreement.

Besides, if divorce had ever been a viable option, things wouldn’t have had to drag on till now.

Now that Kathleen was thinking about it again, she realized how laughable the situation was.

In the beginning, Samuel was the one who wanted a divorce, and she agreed to it.

Later, he changed his mind, but it became her turn to ask for a divorce.

Just like that, the two of them went back and forth with no end in sight.

Emily caressed Kathleen’s pale face and mumbled, “You’re a good person. If it were someone else, they’d have thrown a fit.”

Admittedly, Kathleen still had feelings for Samuel and didn’t want to embarrass him.

However, could he ever truly understand my good intentions?

Kathleen was by no means weak, but she knew she loved Samuel a little too much.

Emily didn’t say anything more as she watched Kathleen finish her food. Afterward, she chatted a bit more with the latter and finally left.

Now that she was alone, Kathleen decided it was time to do something about her body odor.

Without further ado, she walked into the bathroom and took a warm shower.

While standing under the showerhead, her hand instinctively went to her stomach.

There used to be two adorable babies in here.

In the past, no matter how awful she felt, Kathleen was always cheered on by the fact that her two babies were about to come into the world. Even if the future seemed bleak, they’d be the motivation she needed to take it one step at a time.

All she felt now, however, was a flat stomach and utter coldness.

Oh, my babies. I’ve been robbed of my babies!

Getting Samuel to break Nicolette’s legs would never be enough to make up for Kathleen’s pain.

However, there was nothing else that she could do.

With Samuel defending Nicolette, she could never really do much harm to the latter.

That was why she specifically asked him to break Nicolette’s legs.

To her surprise, Samuel held up his end of the bargain.

In that case, there was nothing more she could ask for.

Just then, Samuel’s deep voice rang out.

“Kate, are you in there?”

Alas, Kathleen didn’t feel like entertaining him.

“Kate, can you say something if you’re inside?” Samuel pleaded, a hint of worry in his voice.

In the end, Kathleen gave in. “I’m here.”

“Okay, good,” Samuel replied, sounding relieved. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

With that, Kathleen turned off the shower and dried herself. After putting on a bathrobe, she walked back out into the room.

Upon seeing her, Samuel immediately went forward with a towel to help dry her hair.

“You shouldn’t be taking showers. Given your condition, it’s easy to catch a cold.”

“It’s my body. I know what’s best for me,” Kathleen answered coldly.

Samuel instantly furrowed his brows. “Your body’s mine too.”

The remark rendered Kathleen speechless, and she just let him continue wiping her hair.

After a while, Samuel took out a hair dryer and quickly set it up.

“Sit here,” he said as he patted his leg.

Kathleen hesitated. “I’ll do it myself.”

In return, Samuel shot her a knowing look. “Are you rejecting me?”

“Are you only seeing it now?” Kathleen asked indifferently.

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