At that moment of my despair, my phone vibrated violently.
“Ma’am! Something’s wrong! Your mother just had a heart attack. She’s in critical condition!”
My mind went blank. “I’m coming! Tell the doctors to save her! Do whatever it takes!”
Erving frowned and started to follow me out. Just as he was about to tell the driver to prepare the car, Anya collapsed into his arms, crying, “Erving, I feel dizzy… It must be the aftereffects from the car accident…”
He immediately scooped her up. “Get a doctor! I’m taking Anya to the hospital!”
When I arrived alone at my mom’s hospital room, a nurse shook her head apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. All the doctors were called away by Sir Erving to attend to Ma’am Anya. Your mother… missed the critical treatment window.”
My knees buckled. I fell to the floor, staring blankly toward the doorway.
There, Erving was helping Anya out of a room, murmuring, “Good thing it was just low blood sugar.”
Not a single trace of concern for my mother showed on his face, only care and tenderness for his other woman.
At that moment, I swore, the last spark of love I had for him died completely.
That night, back at the villa, I opened an old, unread email.
It was from my former university mentor, a renowned Hollywood director. He invited me to fly to London in ten days to play the lead in his new film and stay there to continue my career.
I had hesitated before because of Erving. Now, I didn’t hesitate at all. With certainty, I accepted the invitation.
In ten days, I would announce my retirement from the industry and leave behind this city that had once made me love so deeply and hurt me more than I ever thought possible.
The next day, I went to see Erving with the divorce papers in hand. He was busy helping Anya plan her art exhibition.
He personally handled even the smallest details—proof enough of how much she meant to him.
I placed the document on his desk. Without even glancing at it, he picked up his pen and signed his name.
As I took the papers back, my chest tightened painfully. I clenched my fists and said coldly, “Erving, my mom is gone. All because of you—”
“I know.” He cut me off without looking up. “Anya suddenly felt dizzy that day. It was an emergency. I didn’t have a choice.”
He said it so casually, as if the person who died wasn’t his mother-in-law but some stranger who had nothing to do with him.