Lake felt a tightness in his chest. He said, “I won’t get married again, and I won’t look for another woman.”

Vespera cut him off. “I don’t care if you become a priest. From now on, you’re free, and so am I. Let’s both wish each other happiness.”

“Happiness? Who are you going to be happy with?”

The image of Dominic’s annoying face immediately flashed through Luke’s mind. Vespera sighed softly. “Can’t I just be happy on my own?”

Luke’s heart, which had been aching and heavy, seemed to calm slightly. “Really? You plan to stay single and not look for another man?” He stared at her, his gaze full of anxiety and hope, waiting for her to confirm his fears were unfounded.

Vespera didn’t answer. She merely smiled gently, her expression serene. “I’m leaving now. Goodbye.” With that, she turned and walked away. Her movements were graceful and decisive.

Lake instinctively took a couple of steps forward, then stopped in his tracks. He watched her back until she got into her car and drove off. He knew she wouldn’t turn back, yet he still longed for her to look back at him just once, hoping she would feel even a hint of reluctance. But the car continued driving, and she never looked back.

His heart felt hollow. The emptiness was suffocating. It was as if he wanted to grab something, but he saw there was nothing left to hold onto. The pressure made it hard to breathe. He tore the divorce certificate to shreds and tossed it in the trash.

Vespera drove back home. She put the divorce certificate away, changed into comfortable loungewear, brewed a pot of jasmine tea, and sat on a high stool, sipping slowly. Her emotions were complicated. It felt like the end of a long journey, with a sense of wistful nostalgia, a little pang in the heart, and a slight urge to cry. But more than anything, there was a sense of relief. Finally, it was over. She smiled faintly and took a sip of her perfectly brewed tea.

In the afternoon, she received a call from the police. They informed her that Tina had suddenly fallen ill, suspected of having had an epileptic seizure. Her lawyer had requested medical parole.

Vespera thought, “An illness? What a desperate attempt to escape responsibility.”

At the same time, Dominic also received the news. He didn’t send anyone to Enterwer. He decided to watch the Sole family’s next move and then decide what to do.

Upon hearing that Tina had stabbed Dominic, the Sowle family rushed to the hospital. But Dominic refused to see them and would not accept their apology. The Sole family had certainly made an enemy of Dominic.

On the other hand, Austin was in a state of panic. He had been trying to meet with Dominic to discuss a loan, but with Tina’s actions, any hope of negotiation was dashed. Austin felt exhausted. No matter how reckless Tina was, the Sowle family could never truly disregard it; offending Dominic meant the Sowle family would lose many connections in Halewick, and the Mainos family was probably on his blacklist too. This was the precise moment when the two families needed to band together. If they could forge an alliance through marriage, they wouldn’t have to fear the Heid family.

The problem was, Lake was adamant that he would never align with the Sowle family because of Vespera.

In the hospital, Tina lay in the bed with her eyes closed. Outside her room, the Sole family discussed what to do next. During the conversation, Austin received a phone call. “Luke and Vespera got divorced?!” Austin’s voice echoed through the room. Tina immediately opened her eyes. She couldn’t hide the overwhelming joy that spread across her face.