Chapter 1 The Return Of His First Crush

Kathleen Johnson was sitting on the bed with a blanket wrapped around her.

...There were small red bruises on her exposed smooth shoulder and delicate collarbone. Although she was in a daze, it was undeniable that she still looked sexy....

The sound of running water from the bathroom stopped abruptly, and Samuel Macari came out of the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around his waist after a while.

He had broad shoulders, a lean body, well-defined abs, and the chiseled features of a male model. No, he looked much better than a male model.

“Why are you in a daze?” Samuel’s deep and magnetic voice rang out. “Have you thought of what you want?”

Kathleen regained her senses. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she looked at the man’s muscular body.

“Is it okay if we don’t get a divorce?” Her voice was sweet as usual, and her eyes were filled with a hint of innocence and misery.

“Why have you become so ignorant all of a sudden?” Samuel looked at her gently yet coldly at the same time. “Nicolette is back.”

Kathleen’s heart sank.

Of course, I know that Nicolette is back.

Nicolette Yoeger was Samuel’s childhood sweetheart.

Unfortunately, she was not welcomed in the Yoeger family, as she was an illegitimate child.

Thus, the Macari family did not agree with Samuel marrying her.

Kathleen, on the other hand, had a clean family background, and she was not the illegitimate child of a rich family.

Indeed, her background was very immaculate.

Her parents were ordinary doctors, who had unfortunately passed away in an effort to rescue Samuel’s grandmother, Diana Lane, from a fire.

The couple had sacrificed themselves in order to save her.

To thank the couple and prevent Samuel from marrying Nicolette, Diana had forced Samuel to marry Kathleen.

Back then, Diana had been in poor health, and the doctor had issued several notices of critical illness to Samuel.

Samuel did not have any choice but to agree to the arranged marriage.

He had told Kathleen that he would not fall in love with her and that everything was done so that Diana would be at ease.

Kathleen naturally understood.

She looked very much like a harmless little rabbit. She was gentle and thoughtful and was never a competitive person.

Thus, he had assured her by saying, “As long as you are still Mrs. Macari, I will not let you suffer. We will get a divorce three years later, and I will compensate you when the time comes.”

Kathleen looked at him meekly.

I married him not because of his money, but because I wanted to fulfill a dream from my youth. And the dream is shattered now. It’s time for me to face the reality. I’ve been gentle and obedient for three years, but I just couldn’t let this man fall in love with me. How pathetic of me!

“Sam,” Kathleen called him.

She was the only one who would call him by that name.

And whenever she called him that on the bed, Samuel could never stop himself from making love to her.

She may look like a small rabbit, but she is a vixen deep down. She is excellent at seducing people.

At the thought that she would probably marry another man after their divorce and of her using that same gentle voice to call another man, he felt a little displeased.

“Hmm?”

Kathleen could see her reflection in his eyes. She mustered her courage and said, “Sam, I’m pregnant.”

Samuel’s face darkened at once. “What did you say?”

Kathleen trembled involuntarily. She bit her lip and repeated, “I’m pregnant.”

“Get rid of it,” Samuel said without hesitation.

“What?”

“I said get rid of it.” His handsome face was full of hostility. “I’m not going to backtrack on my plan to divorce you just because of a baby. Besides, I don’t want the baby to become a hindrance between Nicolette and me.”

Kathleen’s face turned pale.

It looks like even a child can’t change his decision. How could he tell me to abort the baby? What a cold-blooded man. The baby is his own flesh and blood.

Kathleen chuckled softly.

“Why are you laughing?” Samuel’s face clouded over.

“I’m not pregnant. I lied.” Kathleen had a smile on her face, but her heart was bleeding inside.

“You lied?” Samuel was visibly upset.

“That’s right. If you don’t believe me, why don’t we go to the hospital for a body checkup?”

“Good. I don’t want the existence of a potential threat. Abort the baby if you’re really pregnant. I’ll give you an extra one hundred million so that you can do what’s necessary for your health. Don’t worry, it won’t affect your… second marriage.”

Second marriage?

Kathleen gave a rueful smile. “I’m really not pregnant, so you don’t have to give me extra money. If you’re worried, we can go to the hospital for a checkup.”

Samuel held her chin. “What’s your plan after we get a divorce?”

Kathleen wrapped her arms around his neck. “I wanna join showbiz.”

Samuel was stunned.

Kathleen had graduated from a film academy after taking an acting course.

If not for her marriage to Samuel, she would have won the award for best actress long ago.

For some reason, Samuel did not like the idea of her joining the entertainment industry.

He knew that she was an alluring woman and was afraid that people would have their eyes on her.

“Very well. I will add another clause to our divorce agreement. You’ll be signed under Starlight Entertainment, and they’ll make you famous in five years.”

Kathleen smiled faintly. “It’s fine. I was just saying. How are you going to tell Grandma about us?”

Samuel felt the onset of a headache at the mention of Diana.

He knew that Diana would not agree with them getting a divorce.

Moreover, Diana did not like Nicolette’s identity as an illegitimate child.

“You go.” Samuel looked at Kathleen coldly. “She listens to you. I will give you an extra house if it works.”

Kathleen was at a loss for words, and there was a throbbing pain in her heart.

Did he really think that I married him for the money and the house? It doesn’t even concern him that he has hurt my feelings.

“Fine,” Kathleen agreed. “Sam, make love to me one more time.”

“Your wish is my command, you little vixen.” Samuel pulled her out of the blanket and positioned her such that she was sitting on him.

Truth be told, he could never have enough of her, for the woman was a delightful treat to him.

When he realized that he could never taste her again, he acted even harder than before. He wished he could drain her energy.

The night passed by and morning came.

Kathleen was awakened by the sound of a phone ringing.

Even though she was emotionally abused by Samuel, he had pampered her in other aspects.

Knowing that she would be grumpy in the morning, he would set his phone on silent or vibrate mode when he arrived home at night.

He was afraid that someone would look for him and wake her up.

However, unbeknownst to her, he had switched it back off.

Lifting the phone groggily, she intended to tell him that there was an incoming call for him.

But the moment she saw Nicolette’s name on the phone screen, she froze.

So that’s the reason for the change. Is he afraid that Nicolette can’t find him? What a considerate man!

All of a sudden, Kathleen realized that the past three years had merely been a dream.

As a matter of fact, it was not without any signs.

Even though Samuel did not love her, he had doted on her, for she looked very identical to Nicolette.

She had been Nicolette’s replacement for three years.

Chapter 2 Help Me Hide It

Samuel picked up the call from Nicolette.

There was a gentle look on his face.

Samuel was also gentle to her, but that was only because he saw her as another woman.

That was what broke Kathleen’s heart the most.

Not once had he seen her for who she was.

Instead, she was just a replacement.

Kathleen hated herself for resembling Nicolette so much sometimes.

They weren’t even related, but they looked almost identical.

“Don’t cry. I’ll come over right now,” Samuel assured tenderly. Hanging up, he turned to Kathleen and said, “I’ll get Tyson to take you to the hospital later.”

“You still don’t trust me, do you?” Kathleen grumbled in a daze.

“Yeah, I don’t,” he admitted heartlessly.

Kathleen pursed her lips, an impenetrable look in her eyes. “Okay.”

“Just hurry up and tell Grandma,” Samuel said indifferently.

“She hasn’t been feeling well lately. Are you sure you want me to tell her now?” Kathleen stared at his cold, handsome face.

“Yes. Nicolette can’t wait any longer.”

Nicolette can’t wait any longer? Does that mean he doesn’t care about Grandma’s life and death? I guess true love is enough to make him throw his whole family aside.

Kathleen knew she had lost, but she had not expected herself to lose so thoroughly.

“Fine,” she conceded with a weak nod. “But no matter how much of a rush you’re in, you have to give me at least three days.”

“Sure. I hope you won’t let me down.”

“Why would I?” There was a heart-wrenching smile on her face as she said that. “When have I ever let you down, be it in our three years of marriage, or as your wife?”

Her words caused Samuel to freeze.

It was the truth.

Having been married to him for three years, she had never disappointed him in any way.

She had done well in every aspect and carried things out flawlessly, especially in bed.

Kathleen had always given in to him and had tried to satisfy him in every way.

That was the only thing he felt reluctant to give up on.

“Good, then.” Samuel turned around and stepped into the walk-in closet to change his clothes.

Wrapped in the blanket, Kathleen was lost in thought.

Is this the end?

Even though she was upset, she knew that it wasn’t up to her.

After Samuel left, she got out of bed as well.

She went to wash up, then put on a pretty dress in preparation to go see Diana.

However, the moment she left, she bumped into Tyson Hackney.

Kathleen had her arms crossed as she looked at him with displeasure. “What?”

Tyson was confused.

Mrs. Macari is certainly an enigma. She acts like a cute, innocent little rabbit in front of Mr. Macari, but in front of me, she’s like a hostile version of Hello Kitty.

“Mr. Macari wants me to take you for a checkup,” Tyson said.

“Hmph!” Kathleen was visibly annoyed. “I can’t believe how little trust you have in me.”

Tyson didn’t know how to reply to that.

“Take me to Goodwill Hospital,” Kathleen said specifically.

It was the number one private hospital in Jadeborough that was equipped with the best medical equipment and the most qualified doctors in the country.

Seeing that there was an unfathomable look in Tyson’s eyes, Kathleen asked frostily, “What is it? Too expensive for you?”

“N-No.” Tyson didn’t know how to explain. “Please get in, Mrs. Macari.”

Kathleen stepped outside, completely bare-faced, but she still looked stunning.

After she got in the car, all she did was stare out the window.

She had chosen Goodwill Hospital not because she wanted to act superior, but because her parents had worked there as doctors and she was born there.

Everyone working there, from the director to the nurses, all knew who she was.

They all treated her as if she was part of their family.

On top of that, they would undoubtedly agree to help her if she ever asked for it.

A long while later, Tyson piped up, “We’re here, Mrs. Macari.”

Kathleen came back to her senses and realized they had arrived at the entrance of the hospital.

She pushed the car door open and stepped out.

Tyson followed her from behind. He wanted to say something but eventually held his tongue.

When they got to the entrance of the obstetrics and gynecology department, Kathleen turned around. “Stop right there, Mr. Hackney. Men aren’t allowed to go in.”

The moment Tyson saw the sign on the door, a wave of embarrassment washed over him. “Understood.”

Truthfully speaking, Mr. Macari should have been the one to come here with her. She’s his wife, after all. What’s the point of me going with her?

Kathleen turned and walked in.

“Ms. Williams,” she greeted the doctor.

Quinn Williams was dumbstruck at the sight of her. “It’s you, Kate! I thought it was just someone with the same name as you when I saw the papers earlier.”

“Yeah, it’s me,” Kathleen uttered while taking a seat.

“So you’re here to check whether you’re pregnant or not?” Quinn asked in surprise.

Kathleen nodded. “I think I am pregnant, Ms. Williams. Can you help me hide it, though?”

“Why?” Quinn looked stunned.

“I might be getting a divorce, Ms. Williams. I want to keep the child, but my husband will never allow it. That’s why I really hope you can help me out, Ms. Williams,” Kathleen begged.

“How could you mess around like that, Kate?” Quinn was both angry and heartbroken. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to be a single mother?”

Kathleen hung her head. “I know, Ms. Williams, but I have money. I can still raise this child.”

“This has nothing to do with money,” Quinn protested. “Who on earth is your husband? When you told me you were getting married, I kept asking you about it, but you refused to say. Tell me who your husband is right now. Is he treating you like this because your parents aren’t around anymore?”

“I think it’s better if you don’t know, Ms. Williams.” It was impossible to decipher any emotion from Kathleen’s pale, delicate face. “I knew that all of this would happen when I married him. Now that we’re getting a divorce, I have nothing to complain about. That’s why I want you to help me out here, Ms. Williams. Once we’re divorced, I’ll leave this place with the child.”

It’s not like I can stay. Samuel will definitely find out.

Quinn felt as if her heart was being ripped in half. She’s suffering because she’s all alone and there’s no one to support her.

“Kate, if you really don’t have any other choice, you should try and plead with Old Mrs. Macari. She sees you as her own granddaughter after all,” Quinn suggested, not knowing what was going on behind the scenes. “Samuel treats you like his own sister, too, doesn’t he? I’m sure he’ll deal with that husband of yours.”

Kathleen averted her gaze. “This is the only thing I can’t go to the Macari family for, Ms. Williams. Just help me out here, please?”

“All right.” Quinn frowned. “Lie down for now and let me have a look.”

“Okay.”

After the checkup, Quinn pushed her glasses up and stated, “You’re already eight weeks in, but it seems that you’re a little anemic because of your weak body. You should eat more nutritious food.”

“I was a premature baby, so my body’s always been a little weak. It’s how I’ve always been,” Kathleen muttered glumly.

“Does your husband not know about this?” Quinn inquired in a serious tone.

“He never asked, so I never brought it up,” Kathleen answered in dejection.

Even though Samuel had always been generous when it came to providing her with daily necessities, he never had any questions regarding her health. Instead, he would get Maria to take care of it.

His only responsibility was to provide her with money.

Quinn let out a sigh, then passed Kathleen a report. “This is what you wanted. I hope you can think things through, Kate.”

Kathleen stared at the report in front of her. Her lips quirked up. “What I want doesn’t matter. When it comes to my marriage, my husband has the final say.”

Just as she got up to leave, Quinn called out, “Kate, is your husband—”

Chapter 3 Leukemia

Kathleen turned around with a faint smile. “I don’t intend to get you involved, Ms. Williams.”

...With that, she proceeded to make her way out....

Tears began to drip down Quinn’s face.

Kathleen’s mother used to be her mentor, yet there was nothing she could do to help Kathleen.

She didn’t know how she was going to face her own mentor.

When Kathleen came out of the obstetrics and gynecology department, she showed Tyson the report in her hands. “Take a good look. I’m not pregnant, so you can go now.”

What she said made Tyson feel awkward.

“Where are you heading, Mrs. Macari? I’ll send you there.” Here, he paused and added in a softer voice, “Mr. Macari told me to.”

“I don’t like being followed around. You can tell Samuel that I will look for Grandma, but I have something else to do right now,” Kathleen declared.

“Understood.” Tyson nodded.

Kathleen turned and left.

After taking two steps, she realized that she had forgotten to take her phone, so she went back to get it.

When she came out again, someone stopped her by calling her name.

“Kathleen.” Nicolette’s voice traveled into her ears.

Kathleen froze. How did I end up bumping into her?

She turned around quietly and looked at Nicolette, who was dressed in a hospital gown and looked a little pale.

Even so, she still looked gorgeous.

Despite the physical resemblance between them, their temperaments were completely different.

Kathleen was alluring, but there was something innocent about her.

Nicolette, on the other hand, was purely priggish.

The two of them were worlds apart.

Kathleen furrowed her brows and asked, “Why are you here?”

Nicolette stared back at her icily. A glint of envy flashed in her gaze. “I’ve been admitted to the hospital for leukemia.”

“Leukemia?”

“Samuel was the one who arranged for me to get admitted here.” Nicolette smirked. “Oh, right, I heard that the treatment for leukemia in this hospital was perfected by your parents.”

Her words disgusted Kathleen. She didn’t like the idea of Nicolette receiving the treatment that her parents had perfected.

“Good luck with your treatment, then,” Kathleen said emotionlessly.

She wanted to leave, but Nicolette stopped her again. “Give Samuel back to me, Kathleen.”

Kathleen paused.

“If it isn’t because you snatched him away, I would have been the one who married Samuel three years ago. Because of you, we were separated for so many years, and now, this is the state that my body’s in. Do you still intend to have him all to yourself? He doesn’t even love you!” Nicolette continued.

Kathleen remained expressionless. “What a joke. If he wants to get a divorce, then he should be the one talking to me about it. Why are you the one saying it? Is he that much of a coward?”

The truth was, she knew that Nicolette had only said that on purpose to provoke her and let her know just how much Samuel cared about Nicolette.

Even though Kathleen was aware of it, that didn’t change the fact that it hurt.

She had loved him for so many years, after all.

“Samuel just feels bad,” Nicolette muttered through gritted teeth. “You think it’s natural for you to be with Samuel because you lost your parents and Old Mrs. Macari likes you. But you seem to have forgotten that he doesn’t love you. Not even a tiny bit!”

“How can you be so sure?” Kathleen challenged.

Nicolette was dazed upon hearing that.

“Why would he touch me if he didn’t love me?” Kathleen continued taunting.

Nicolette trembled slightly. Right then, she looked behind Kathleen. “Samuel?”

Kathleen froze for a second and smiled calmly. I guess I fell for it in the end.

She turned around and was greeted by the sight of a cold, striking man.

“I came here to get a checkup. I’ll be on my way now,” Kathleen said.

“And what were the results?” Samuel questioned in a frigid voice.

Kathleen pulled out the lab report and stuffed it into his suit pocket. With a grin on her face, she answered, “Don’t worry. I’m not pregnant.”

Samuel took the report with a slight discomfort in his heart.

Truthfully speaking, he had had his hopes up.

However, the feeling soon dissipated.

“Well, since you’re not pregnant, let’s discuss the future,” he suggested in an unconcerned manner.

“Are you sure you want to talk about that here?” Kathleen looked aggrieved. “I haven’t even eaten yet just so I could get a checkup.”

“Go eat, then,” Samuel responded impassively.

“Take me there.” Kathleen smiled. “We can talk while we eat.”

Samuel stared at her without any warmth in his eyes. “Don’t try anything funny.”

Kathleen giggled, which was music to one’s ears. “If I had tried anything funny, you would have been kneeling in front of Grandma at this moment. All I’m asking is that you join me for a meal.”

Samuel furrowed his brows.

“You can go with her, Samuel. I’ll wait for you in the hospital,” Nicolette piped up, pretending to be understanding.

Kathleen beamed and grabbed Samuel’s arm. “If you say so, Ms. Yoeger. Let’s go, then. There’s a place nearby that I’ve been wanting to try for a while.”

Nicolette watched as they linked arms with venom in her eyes.

Samuel glanced at her and said, “Go back to the ward and get some rest. I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.” Nicolette bit her lip. “Hurry back. Let’s eat lunch together.”

“Sure.” Samuel nodded.

Kathleen dragged him outside, and they went to the nearby restaurant that she had mentioned.

She took one menu, looking relaxed. “What are you getting, Sam?”

“I’m not eating.”

“You’re trying to save some room in your stomach to have lunch with Nicolette later, right? I get it.” Kathleen gestured for the waiter. “Can I get one quinoa salad? Also, I want a plate of chicken drumsticks. Thanks.”

“Sure.” The waiter nodded, then walked away.

Samuel knitted his eyebrows. “Why are you eating so much?”

He knew that Kathleen typically had a small appetite. She would be full after just a few bites.

“Really, Sam? I only ordered a bowl of quinoa salad and some chicken drumsticks, and you think I’m eating too much? Has your company gone bankrupt or something? Are you poor now?”

“Just eat.”

Sometimes, her cheekiness was adorable. Other times, however, it was plain infuriating.

Even so, Samuel had to admit that it hadn’t been too bad waiting for Nicolette to come back for the past three years with Kathleen by his side.

When the food was served, Kathleen began to dig in.

She was practically starving at that point, and so was the baby she was carrying.

As she chewed her salad, her cheeks puffed up. That action of hers was incredibly cute, and she looked just like a squirrel.

“What did you want to say to me?” Kathleen asked softly.

“What did Nicolette tell you just now?”

Kathleen frowned. Is he trying to settle the score?

“She told me that she had leukemia.”

“That’s true. I went to check for a bone marrow match for her. Surprisingly enough, there’s a donor in this hospital whose blood type is a perfect match for her. Can you guess who it is?”

Kathleen’s eyelid twitched. “You mean… me?”