Chapter 2
288 Vouchers
Everyone froze, instinctively turning to Jennifer.
She stood motionless, her smile never wavered while nails dug deep into her palms.
So three years of companionship couldn’t withstand a single tear from Emily.
The gathering descended into an eerie, suffocating silence.
Kevin’s brothers deliberately ignored Emily, relentlessly teasing Jennifer and Kevin.
“Jennifer, did you give Kevin massages every day during his rehab?”
“Of course! Her technique is so professional. Kevin only wants her he’d get mad if anyone else touched him!”
–
Jennifer lowered her head, pretending not to see Emily’s jealous glare.
Though Kevin didn’t say a word, she could feel his attention was entirely focused on Emily.
Midway, someone suggested playing a game. Emily lost first, and her punishment was to ask someone of the opposite sex for their contact info.
She instinctively looked at Kevin, her eyes pleading for help.
Kevin kept his head down, fiddling with his phone, pretending not to see.
Emily bit her lip and stood up defiantly: “Fine, I’ll go.”
Jennifer watched her walk to the neighboring booth, quickly surrounded by several men.
One drunkenly grabbed her wrist: “Cutie, adding me on Facebook is fine, but can I feel you up?”
“Let go of me!” Emily’s piercing scream rang out.
Kevin’s head snapped up, and he charged over the next second, slamming a fist into the man’s face: “You fucking ask- ing for it?”
Chaos erupted instantly.
“Kevin! Stop!” His buddies rushed forward to break it up.
Jennifer rushed to stop him, worried about his fragile recovery: “Kevin, don’t-”
Before she finished, Kevin shoved her aside: “Move!”
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09:28
Chapter 2
288 Vouchers
“Thud-”
Caught off guard, Jennifer slipped and tumbled down the stairs. Her skull cracked against the floor, vision blurring as warm blood trickled down her temple, dyeing her vision crimson.
Struggling to rise, she saw Kevin carrying Emily away.
He didn’t even glance back.
Her heart tore like ragged cloth, pain stealing her breath.
Suddenly, she remembered-
Years ago, when self-destructive rage drove his wheelchair-bound fists to smash his own legs,, she’d lunged to shield him. His uncontrolled force had shattered three ribs.
With bloodshot eyes, he roared: “My legs are already useless! Trashing them won’t matter! Do you have a death wish? Can’t you tell what’s important?!”
Sweating from pain, she stubbornly clutched his legs and whispered: “I can tell.”
“Precisely because your legs matter, I must stop you.”
“Because someday, I will make you stand again.”
At that moment, the ever-proud Kevin trembled as he held her close, voice choked: “Jennifer, don’t leave me…”
Everyone said Kevin’s recovery was a miracle.
But only they knew the truth – what miracle?
She’d simply fought tooth and nail, pulling him out of the abyss bit by bit.
But now…
He had emerged from the abyss, yet no longer needed her.
Just then, Jennifer’s phone rang abruptly.
Her trembling fingers pulled out the phone, the words “Mrs. Hill” on the screen stung her eyes.
She knew all too well what this call meant.
As expected, the moment she answered, Mrs. Hill’s polite tone came through.
“Jennifer, you see, Kevin is now the CEO of a publicly traded company. His wife simply can’t be someone without status or connections, someone who offers him no advantage…”
“I’m grateful for your care these past three years, staying by his side. But you must understand-had our family not funded your education, you couldn’t go to college. Consider this kindness repaid, okay?”
The line paused briefly, seemingly waiting for her hysterical questioning or begging pathetically.
Jennifer looked toward the direction Kevin had left, the empty hallway seeming to mock her three years of unrequited devotion.
“Fine,” she heard her own voice, terrifyingly calm. “I’ll leave and never appear before him again.”
