Chapter 4
As soon as Adele finished speaking, she picked up her bag and walked downstairs.
Just as she reached the sidewalk, Scarlett caught up with her and grabbed her hand.
“Upset?” she asked sweetly. “I give you the concert tickets. You only have one month left with him, right? Might as well make a few more memories. Would be such a pity if you had nothing to look back in the future.”
Adele pulled her hand away and stepped back, her expression calm but frosty
“No. Once the divorce is final, I’ll forget everything. There’s nothing between me and Byron worth remembering.”
Scarlett gave a theatrical sigh.
“Come on, don’t say that. Sure, Byron only got together with you because I pushed him into it, but you helped me out too–you took one of my problems off my hands. It’s had enough you couldn’t win Byron’s love–but if you’re left without even a single good memory from your marriage, wouldn’t that make me the cruel one?”
She reached out again, not letting Adele leave, still playing the role of concerned friend while tightening her grip.
In the midst of their back–and–forth, neither of them noticed the car speeding toward them.
Only when the driver began slamming the horn did they both look up–too late
In a blur, Byron came sprinting across the street and threw himself toward Scarlett, shielding her in his arms as he pulled her to safety.
Adele’s body was flung nearly twenty meters through the air before she crashed to the ground with a sickening thud.
A loud crack echoed as she landed, blood pouring from her mouth and nose, pooling beneath her in a thick, horrifying red.
Pain exploded in every inch of her body. Her limbs felt disconnected, every nerve burning, her chest heaving for air she couldn’t seem to find.
And in those final seconds before she lost consciousness, her blurry gaze caught a glimpse of Byron.
Not running toward her.Not calling her name.But comforting Scarlett, holding her tightly, whispering reassurances into her ear.
Adele woke up sometime later, pain lancing through her body as she stirred.
The sterile white light above confirmed she was in a hospital. The first thing she saw was Byron’s face hovering above her, drawn with worry.
“Adele, thank God you’re awake! You’ve been out for two days–I was so worried.”
She stared at him blankly, remembering the scene before she blacked out. The one where he saved Scarlett, not her. Where she lay broken and bleeding, and he hadn’t even noticed.
How could he claim to be worried?He never truly cared her.
She drew in a shallow breath, her voice raspy and weak.“I’m fine. You should go take care of Scarlett.”
Byron hesitated, clearly rattled.
“She’s okay. You’re the one who was seriously hurt. Of course I stayed to take care of you.”
Adele just shook her head and closed her eyes.
“I’m tired.”
Taking the hint, he didn’t push further. He quietly adjusted her blanket, and ordered a coffee. Then, after a quick phone call about some urgent company business, he left, saying he’d be back tomorrow.
A nurse came in a moment later and, seeing all Byron’s careful arrangements, smiled.
“Your husband was so attentive.”
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Nine Chances to Break a Heart: The Love That Never Been Chosen
1.8%
Chapter 4
Adele said nothing. She drank her coffee and picked up her phone, which haust vibrated with a message,
It was from Scarlett.
“Sorry, I’m still a little shaken from the whole car thing earlier. I texted Byron and he came right over. He’s having lunch with me now–wanted to make sure I’m okay. After this, we’re heading to the amusement park to clear my head, and we’ve got a movie night planned too. You just rest up in the hospital, okay?”
Attached was a photo of a table covered in dishes from a famous restaurant. Aross from Scarlett, Byron’s hands were caught mid–motion, peeling a bowl full of her favorite shrimp.
Adele stared at the photo in silence for a long moment, then typed back just for words:
“Enjoy yourselves.”
Over the next week, Byron stopped by the hospital every day–but never stayed more than ten minutes.
Scarlett, on the other hand, made sure to send regular updates of them.
She and Byron watched the sunset by the beach, collecting seashells and spelling their names in the sand.
He took her on long drives out to the countryside, showing up with flowers and balloons like she was a little girl who needed cheering up.
They went on hot air balloon rides in flower fields, and he took thousands of pictures of her.It was far too intimate to be just friendship.
He had never done any of that with Adele–not once in all the years they were together.
The difference between being loved and not being loved… had never felt so stark.She could only be glad she had agreed to that bet.
After her final examination, the doctor handed her a sheet of prescriptions.
“You’re healing well. Have your husband take care of your discharge paperwork.”
Adele accepted the paper with a neutral expression.
“He’s not my husband. We’re divorced.”
Just then, the door swung open.
Byron stood there, stunned.
“Divorced? What do you mean, divorced?”
