### Chapter 4: Leaving with Nothing
But it was all too real.
In the small hospital garden, Nina Wainwright saw Luna Sterling sitting on a bench, a tall man standing beside her. He was still in the sa clothes he’d been wearing when he left ho the night before. It was clear he had been with the other woman since last night and hadn’t left her side.
"Zach, look! There are even koi in the pond!"
This was Bayside’s finest private hospital; even a small garden like this one was fully appointed.
They were standing next to a man-made pond in the garden. As Luna Sterling peered into the water, Zachary Hawthorne kept a hand hovering over her shoulder, as if afraid she might accidentally fall in—a protective posture.
Then, perhaps spotting sothing amusing, Luna Sterling tugged on the hem of his shirt, tilted her head up, and smiled at him.
If she weren’t his wife, if she hadn’t just gone through the terror of nearly losing the person dearest to her, Nina Wainwright might have looked at such a scene and praised it as a picture of marital bliss.
Perhaps her and Catherine Grant’s stares were too blatant, because Zachary Hawthorne noticed her. His deep gaze swept over, and when he saw who it was, a flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Zach, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing."
But as soon as Luna Sterling called out to him, he quickly retracted his gaze, as if he were afraid of Luna seeing her.
In that instant, Nina Wainwright nearly laughed. For a mont, she couldn’t tell who was his wife: her, or Luna Sterling.
"That bastard!"
Catherine Grant, watching from beside her, was so furious she rolled up her sleeves and started marching toward Zachary Hawthorne.
Her family might not be as powerful or wealthy as the Hawthorne Family, but this was going too far. She really couldn’t take it anymore!
"Cathy!"
But Nina Wainwright grabbed her arm. "Don’t go starting trouble with them!"
"But—!"
"I’m fine!"
She didn’t want Catherine Grant to clash with Zachary Hawthorne over her. It wouldn’t do either of them any good!
"Let’s go see my father." Nina Wainwright pulled Catherine Grant along, continuing toward Inpatient Building 2.
Catherine Grant followed beside her. "Nina."
She called out her na, her voice laced with both indignation and worry.
Nina Wainwright’s expression was placid. Once they had passed Zachary Hawthorne and Luna, and were approaching the entrance to Inpatient Building 2, Nina stopped in her tracks. "Cathy, it’s really okay. I don’t care anymore. I... I asked him for a divorce."
"Huh?"
Catherine Grant froze, her mouth falling open. "Nina, what did you say?"
"I said, I’m divorcing Zachary Hawthorne."
Nina Wainwright brushed aside a strand of hair the wind had blown into her face. "Cathy, a cheating man is like a piece of rotting flesh. If you don’t cut it away in ti, the decay will only spread, and the wound will only get deeper."
"I’ve... already made up my mind to divorce him."
It wasn’t that she didn’t love him, but his actions had wounded her too deeply.
He had left her in the middle of making love to go find Luna Sterling. He had stayed with Luna Sterling while her father’s life hung in the balance. When she’d asked him for money, he had refused, only to turn around and spend tens of millions on Luna’s birthday.
Yes, Zachary Hawthorne had abandoned her last night to celebrate Luna Sterling’s birthday.
She had overheard it in the chatter of a group of young nurses.
She and Catherine Grant had just overheard the story behind Luna Sterling’s illness. Apparently, Zachary Hawthorne had thrown a multi-million-dollar yacht party for her birthday. They had watched fireworks and a drone show out on the ocean, and as a result, she had caught a chill from the sea breeze.
In their three years of marriage, he had never once rembered her birthday or their anniversary. Even his subordinates never called her Mrs. Hawthorne, but always addressed her as Miss Wainwright.
With one thing piled on top of another, her heart had finally died.
...
Having decided on the divorce, Nina Wainwright planned to return to the Hawthorne residence one last ti. She had to pack her luggage and, more importantly, retrieve her essential docunts and identification.
Catherine Grant had intended to go with her, but sothing ca up unexpectedly, and she had to leave.
Still, Nina Wainwright felt she would be perfectly fine going alone.
Upon returning to the Hawthorne residence, Nina Wainwright went straight to her room, pulled out a suitcase, and began to pack.
She was halfway through packing when he returned.
"What is this?"
He looked at what she was doing, a hint of confusion on his face.
Hearing his voice, Nina Wainwright’s hands paused for a mont, but she quickly resud her task.
She didn’t have ti to waste on pointless conversation with him. After she finished packing and moved out, she needed to start looking for a job imdiately.
Although Catherine Grant had fronted the money for the dical bills, it wasn’t a gift. She had to earn money as soon as possible to pay her back.
She’d never before felt that having no money of her own was a hardship; as long as she was by Zachary Hawthorne’s side, she thought she could endure anything. But after the humiliation of last night, she finally understood... only money would never betray her.
"Nina Wainwright, I’m talking to you."
He hadn’t expected her to ignore him.
In the past, whenever he was near, even from several ters away, he could feel her gaze locked onto him.
A wave of irritation washed over Zachary Hawthorne. He reached out, grabbed the woman who was squatting by the suitcase, and pulled her up, pinning her against the wall.
"Let go of !"
Nina Wainwright hadn’t expected his sudden move. His tall fra lood over her, their bodies pressed close through the layers of their clothes.
Nina Wainwright’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Annoyed at her own weakness, she reached out and tried to push Zachary Hawthorne away.
"Why were you at the hospital earlier?"
"I wasn’t following you."
Hearing her hurried denial, Zachary Hawthorne let out a small, almost involuntary laugh. His long fingers traced her chin. "Mm, I know."
"You’re so pale. Are you feeling unwell? I can have the family doctor co take a look at you."
"No."
His sudden intimacy made Nina Wainwright extrely uncomfortable. She turned her face away, unconsciously biting her lower lip.
At the sa ti, a dull ache throbbed in her heart.
’He noticed I was pale and asked if I felt unwell, so how could he not have noticed the needle mark on the back of my hand from an injection? His hand is pressing down on that very spot, isn’t it?’
To keep Nina Wainwright from struggling, Zachary Hawthorne had one large hand on her shoulder and the other pressing down on her hand, his long finger landing precisely on the puncture mark.
The pad of his finger pressed down, sending a sharp pain through the spot where the needle had been, but Nina Wainwright gritted her teeth and bore it.
"Stay away from ."
"Why?"
Nina Wainwright looked up at him, her gaze serious. "Zachary Hawthorne, if I recall correctly, I already told you last night that I want a divorce."
"Since we’re getting a divorce, it’s inappropriate for us to be this close!"
"What did you say!"
His expression, which had just softened slightly due to their intimate position, instantly soured at her words.
Zachary Hawthorne’s face turned completely frigid, his gaze locking onto the woman before him.
Nina Wainwright repeated, "I said, I want to divorce you!"
*****
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