Chapter 3

When he spotted the liquor at the table before her, his expression darkened further. "Don't you know how sensitive your stomach is? Why would you drink that? I'll take you to the hospital!" His voice trembled with barely contained distress. With that, he swept her into his arms and turned to leave without sparing Elizabeth a single glance. Elizabeth closed her eyes. She knew that her part in this performance had come to an end. Summoning all her strength, she rose from her fever-ridden body and murmured an apology before following them out. In the days that followed, Elizabeth rested at home to recover and also took the opportunity to organize her things. She laid out the jewelry and handbags Spencer had bought her, the photographs in which they both appeared, the dress shirt and cups she had picked out for him—each one a quiet testimony to how deeply she had once cared. Aside from a few daily necessities, she threw everything else away. Not even one was left behind. As the room slowly emptied, Elizabeth fell into a brief daze, her mind drifting to countless memories she once enjoyed. She remembered when he held her as they watched movies on the couch, when they stayed up late at night building Lego sets, and when they planted flowers together until the balcony bloomed with color. She had endlessly dreamed that this life would go on forever without disturbance. But now, it seemed that the dream was over. As she sat there with her thoughts, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway broke the silence. She lifted her gaze to find Spencer returning with Courtney beside him. His expression remained calm as ever, while Courtney kept talking as though she were trying to fill the space between them with cheerful chatter. The two of them soon walked into the living room but paused mid-conversation when they noticed how bare the space looked. Spencer's brow furrowed as he asked Elizabeth, "Why is the house so empty?" "I cleared out some stuff we didn't need," Elizabeth simply gave him an excuse with her eyes lowered. Spencer didn't press further. Instead, his attention shifted back to Courtney. "Courtney hasn't been feeling well, and something happened with her home. So she'll be staying here for the time being." Elizabeth nodded. "Sure." Spencer was the kept man, and Elizabeth was just a kept woman. There was no need for him to explain anything to her. However, Spencer frowned upon noticing her unusual quiet demeanor, as if sensing something out of place. Just when he was about to speak, Courtney interrupted, "Spencer, can I sleep in the south-facing bedroom? Also, you knew that I'm allergic to pollen. Can you remove the flowers from the balcony? And I'm not a fan of your carpet catching on my heels. Can you get rid of it?" Spencer gave a simple hum in response and instructed the housekeeper to work on it. Courtney's mouth twitched into a knowing half-smile as she met Elizabeth's eyes with a look that broadcasted her victory. The housekeeper soon led a group of maids to remove the carpets and flowerpots. After clearing out the master bedroom, the house gradually transformed into something unrecognizable. A bitter ache rose in Elizabeth's chest. Yet after that heaviness came a hint of relief. She silently reminded herself that it didn't matter since she would be leaving this place very soon. Hence, none of this would have anything to do with her anymore. Clinging onto that thought, she lowered her head and silently made her way upstairs alone to her room. The next day, Courtney's voice drifted in through the window to the second floor. "Why do you still have the oil painting that I did? If you really like it, I can paint you a new one tomorrow. How about that? "The weather's lovely today. Come and take a walk with me. My doctor says I need to move around more to recover faster. "I'm a bit hungry now, Spencer. Will you make me something to eat? It's been so long since I've had your cooking." Spencer rarely replied to her, yet he fulfilled each of her requests without fail. For two hours, he sat motionless in the living room, serving as a life model while she painted. For 30 minutes, he accompanied her on the walk outside. Then, he personally prepared a table full of exquisite dishes for her. Elizabeth watched everything unfold from afar. Through the subtle cues—his gaze, the ease of his movements—she could sense his sincerity. Perhaps this was the everlasting future he had longed for. … When Elizabeth went downstairs that night to get a glass of water, she returned to find Courtney leaving her room, holding the keepsake her father had left for her. Her entire body instantly went rigid. She rushed forward in an attempt to snatch the watch back. Courtney, who was taller by a few inches, raised the watch out of reach as she smirked at Elizabeth. "Why are you so worked up over a worn-out watch? It must be something important, huh?" Elizabeth replied without hesitation, "Yes, it means a lot to me. Now give it back!" "I might. If you beg on your knees, maybe I'll be kind enough to return it." Courtney chuckled. Elizabeth stared at her in disbelief and said, "I've already agreed to leave. And the person Mr. Cooper loves is you. I've never once tried to compete with you, Ms. Gallagher. Why are you still doing this to me?" "Why?" Courtney repeated. "Because I hate you. You might've promised to go, but the thought of you clinging to him all these years makes my skin crawl. I need to vent somehow." She waved the watch slightly. "Now it's in my hands. You've got ten seconds. If you don't do what I say, then say goodbye to it forever." Confronted with Courtney's obvious arrogance, Elizabeth felt a wave of helplessness and grief crash over her. As Courtney's countdown rang from ten to one, she raised her hand in a gesture to toss the watch away.