Chapter 3
Clay didn’t come home that night..
I sat in the bedroom, gathering up everything related to him–photos, gifts, even the buttons he tossed aside that I kept like treasures. I sorted through all these little pieces of our past until I found a tiny, pink baby outfit.
The moment I touched that soft fabric, my eyes burned and I couldn’t hold back the tears.
Back when I was three months pregnant, I was so excited for that child. But Clay had cruelly killed that dream with his own hands, cold as ice.
I swallowed the pain, gathered the box overflowing with memories, and tossed it in the trash. The things were gone, just like my love for him.
The next day, I went to Sterling Industries to resign.
Once, Clay had lost his inheritance due to his disability, usurped by a bastard son of his father. After his legs healed, the first thing he did was to sign a high–stakes agreement–double the company’s profits in three years, and he’d get everything back.
For him, I volunteered to be his executive assistant.
I joined him at business dinners, drinking until my stomach bled, working late until I collapsed. Every drop of sweat, every ounce of effort, fueled by love.
And what did I get? Nothing.
Thankfully, I wouldn’t be such a fool again.
When word got out I was quitting, the whole company lost its mind.
Everyone tried desperately to dissuade me.
“Maya, are you really quitting? Please don’t go!”
“You brought us all up, what will we do without you?”
“Yeah, and what about Mr. Sterling? He can’t do without you!”
Can’t do without me? He seemed to be doing just fine without me.
I forced a bitter smile.“I really am quitting. I’ve been exhausted for years. I need a break.”
“No one’s indispensable. You guys will be fine, and he…he’ll be fine too.”
After saying goodbye, I left with my personal belongings.
Back home, Clay called, his voice laced with surprise.
“You quit?”
“Yes,” I said calmly, “I’m getting married, and I have a lot to do. I can’t work.”
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Clay didn’t suspect a thing, assuming I’d accepted his proposal and was busy with wedding preparations.
His tone softened, tinged with apology.“Sorry, I’ve got a project out of town, can’t help with the wedding planning.”
Before I could reply, Riley’s sweet voice cut through the line.
“Clay, feed me…”
Clay’s voice faded, annoyed:“Stop it, I’m on the phone.”
Riley whined, “Feed me, or I’ll find another guy… mm…”
The call ended abruptly.
My heart ached.
Hands shaking, I opened Instagram.
Sure enough, Riley had posted a picture of Clay feeding her fruit.
The caption read:“So nice being spoiled.”
She was taunting me, every word a knife to the heart.
I closed my eyes and shut off my phone.
In the middle of the night, my phone rang, jolting me awake.
Zane’s panicked voice came through:“Maya! Clay got stabbed saving Riley–he’s lost a ton of blood, and the blood bank’s out of type B. You and Riley are a match. But Riley said she just had a bone marrow transplant, she can’t donate…Can you come save him?”
My ears buzzed.
Bitterness welled up inside. I’d just been forced to donate my bone marrow, could I even donate
blood now?
Zane, noticing my silence, was frantic.“Maya, please…if he doesn’t get a transfusion, he’ll die…”
“Riley’s unreliable; only you can save him!”
He begged over and over. I stayed silent, my mind a mess.
After a long moment, I couldn’t bring myself to let him die. I threw on my coat and rushed to the hospital.
Lying on the blood donation bed, I watched my blood flow out, feeling weaker by the second. Everything went dark, and I lost consciousness.
When I awoke, it was already noon.
I dragged myself to Clay’s hospital room, wanting to check on him.
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* Chapter 3
Before I could enter, I heard his conversation with Zane.
“Clay, you got so badly hurt saving Riley, and she ran off again! If Maya hadn’t donated blood, you’d be dead! Please, can’t you see who really cares about you? Be good to Maya!”
Clay was silent for a few seconds, his voice low, laced with resignation.“Riley just had a bone marrow transplant, she’s weak, it’s normal she couldn’t donate…”
Zane nearly lost it.“Riley’s weak? Is Maya any better? Look what she’s become for you! You’re betraying her like this, aren’t you afraid she’ll leave you for good?”
But Clay’s tone was strangely certain.“She won’t.”
“Maya loves me deeply, just like I love Riley.”
“She’ll never leave me.”
Standing outside the room, I heard Clay’s unwavering declaration-“She’ll never leave me.”
That hit me like a punch to the gut.
I felt a sudden, dizzying weightlessness, struggling to stand.
it–the
This was it the arrogance of being the favored one.
But Clay, you were wrong.
I don’t love you anymore.
So this time, I’m leaving you forever.
And I’m never looking back.
