I Truly Stopped Loving Her

Just because I refused to kneel and apologize to my wife's lover, she went so far as to send me to North Maia, saying she wanted to make me suffer. I endured unimaginable hardships to make my way back from North Maia, covered in wounds. No sooner had I returned to my home country than I was thrown out by the bodyguards my wife had arranged in advance. She said to me viciously, "Liam Sullivan, who gave you the nerve to compete with Harold for my favor?! Let me tell you, without Harold, you'd never have had the chance to become my husband." Chapter 1 To punish me, she took away all my identification documents. She told me to keep suffering until I had reflected on my actions and fully understood my place in the world. Only then could I come back to her. At that moment, a bodyguard kicked me to the ground, and I curled up on the floor. Seeing how miserable I looked, Sherry Sweeney broke into a mocking smile with smugness shining in her gaze. "I never would've thought you were such a despicable person. "You hurt Harold just to win my favor! I really misjudged you. "I already married you. Aren't you satisfied with that? All I'm doing is being a little nicer to Harold, and yet you're so eager to pick on him. You've really let me down." I curled up. The pain in my body spread. "Don't worry. I don't care about any of this anymore…" She would not have to worry about me competing with Harold for her affection anymore. According to the doctor's diagnosis, I had a terminal illness, and my life was counting down. All I wanted was to live well from here on out. I did not care about anything else. … When the bodyguards had beaten me enough, Sherry stared at me in contempt. That look seemed to say, "If you make Harold unhappy, I'll make you pay dearly." I had only come back to see her today to say my final goodbye. After all, I did love Sherry with all my heart. I had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and I had never intended to come back to her. Dragging my hunched body over, I slowly walked away from there, step by step. Sherry's voice rang out from behind me. "You can come back if you promise not to compete with Harold for my attention and apologize to him." I could not help but let out a bitter laugh. Once, while eating, I accidentally sat in Harold's seat. Sherry immediately slapped me across the face and yelled at me for lacking any common sense. Another time, Harold secretly took something of mine. When I found out, I made him return it and apologize to me. Sherry yelled, "You're so petty over such a small matter. Are you even a man?" Her favoritism toward Harold ran deep to her very core. As for me, I was nothing more than a stand-in. After returning from North Maia, I had reached the end of my life. The doctor's diagnosis was terminal cancer in its final stages. I had no more than two months to live. At that moment, Harold was standing beside Sherry as he feigned kindness and said, "Sherry, he looks pitiful. Dressed in such rags, he must have suffered a lot out there." Sherry looked at Harold with a gentle face. "Harold, you're just too kind. Someone like him deserves this fate. If he doesn't suffer a little, he'll think he's above everyone else." "If you hadn't disappeared in that accident all those years ago, I'd never have ended up with him. He already has me as his wife, and now he wants to take away my love for you, too!! He deserves it." A hint of anger tinged Sherry's voice. "Sherry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that back then. I had no choice but to disappear," Harold said. His eyes welled up as he put on a pitiful expression. Chapter 2 Sherry said with deep sympathy, "All right, what happened back then is in the past. Now that you're back, I'll definitely make it up to you twofold." Harold nodded vigorously. Suddenly, he quickened his pace to catch up with me, pulled $20 out of his pocket, and shoved it into my hands. "Liam, I'm really sorry. I don't have any change with me. This is all the money I have. Use this for now. "Don't worry. I didn't come back to compete with you for Sherry. She's technically married to you now, and I'm just an outsider. Please don't be jealous. When you come back, we'll work together to help Sherry run the company." With his back to Sherry, his words sounded sincere enough. But his face shone with smugness. A hint of malice flashed in his eyes. It was a clear warning that if I dared to return, he would kill me. I did not care in the least. I took the money and turned to leave. Sherry used to have eyes only for me, but ever since Harold returned, everything changed. I knew that no matter what I said, Sherry would not believe me. Rather than wasting my energy on this, I would be better off saving my strength and living my life to the fullest in the time I still had left. Step by step, I walked away from the mansion where Sherry lived. As I walked out, the December air was a bit cold. Gusts of chilly wind blew past me. My clothes were in tatters. When I passed by a steamed bun shop, the owner gave me a disdainful look, but I pulled out the $20 Harold had given me and bought a bun. I put the remaining change in my pocket, just in case. As I ate the hot, freshly steamed bun, I finally felt a hint of warmth spreading through my body. I walked forward. I felt helpless and confused about the days I had left. But even if I only had two months, I wanted to spend them comfortably. I had better find a job. At least that way, I could live out my final days with some dignity. After walking for a short while, I soon spotted a shopping mall hiring part-time workers, so I quickly walked over. "Sir, are you hiring?" The hiring manager stared at me for a moment, sizing me up from head to toe. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately said, "Aren't you the son-in-law who married into the Sweeney family?" As soon as those words left his mouth, I lowered my head. Sherry's family was the wealthiest in the area. Her family owned virtually every business in this city. Sherry's connections here were far-reaching and all-powerful. At that moment, I could not afford to worry about that. Instead of answering his question, I said, "A-Are you hiring? I can do anything." The hiring manager immediately let out a cold snort. "Forget it. Ms. Sweeney already gave instructions: if anyone sees you looking for work, they're not allowed to offer you a job under any circumstances." He looked down on me in utter contempt. In an instant, I felt as if something had pierced my heart. My heart, already shattered, was broken once again. I turned and walked away. The recruiter spat in my direction. "I advise you to give it a rest. Ms. Sweeney's issued a citywide blacklist against you. "Unless you get down on your knees and apologize to Mr. York, don't even think about getting a job here. "Don't you know your place? How dare you go against Ms. Sweeney? Who the hell do you think you are? "Ms. Sweeney's such a kind person. You must've done something to hurt her for her to single you out like this." It was true that Sherry was a very kind person. She donated over $100 million to charity every year. She was kind to everyone, except me. Chapter 3 "As a son-in-law by marriage to the Sweeney family, if you don't even have that much self-awareness, you deserve to be kicked out!" His mocking voice continued behind me. I let out a bitter laugh and walked forward, step by step. I did not know when it had started, but suddenly, it began to snow. Bathed in the glow of the streetlights, I suddenly felt as if the whole world had become a bit hazy. After walking just a few steps, I soon found myself sitting on a lounge chair. I was a worthless and pathetic person at that moment. I ran my hand over the centipede-like scar on my waist. It was precisely because of this scar that I had successfully married into the Sweeney family as their son-in-law. I had donated one of my kidneys to Sherry. It was precisely for that reason that the Sweeney family patriarch had arranged for Sherry to marry me. The patriarch even forbade me from telling Sherry about it, so as not to burden her with the guilt. I had not planned on telling her anyway. A year ago, Sherry sent me to North Maia, hoping I would suffer. At the time, I told her that North Maia was a place where people were devoured whole. I begged her not to send me there. But Sherry said coldly, "Don't worry. I'll have people ensure your safety. Other than that, you'll have to fend for yourself." What she did not know was that as soon as I arrived in North Maia, I was dragged into an operating room by people that Harold had sent. They intended to remove one of my kidneys, but discovered before proceeding that I had already donated one. Furious, they kicked and punched me relentlessly until I was spitting blood and convulsing all over. They thought I was nothing but a worthless piece of trash. To them, I was useless because I had already lost a kidney. When they failed to remove my kidney, they tried to force me into illegal activities. I refused every single one of them. In the end, I was beaten to the brink of death and dumped in a garbage heap. I mustered the last ounce of strength to crawl back to my home country, only to unexpectedly learn that I had a terminal illness and did not have long to live. When I heard the news, I was quickly swallowed up by the tide of death. It was getting colder and colder, and I curled up in the chair. I did not know how I managed to get through that night. The next day, I saw a news headline. [Ms. Sweeney has booked all the fireworks in the city just to celebrate her man's birthday.] The comments section was abuzz. [Wow, Ms. Sweeney really treats her husband so well.] [It must be such a blessing to be Ms. Sweeney's husband. When will it be my turn?] [I absolutely have to watch tonight's fireworks.] 'Birthday?' I thought. 'Ms. Sweeney's husband?' My birthday had long since passed. If Sherry was celebrating her man's birthday, then that man certainly wasn't me. It had to be Harold. I could not help but feel a wave of bitterness welling up inside me. I made my way, with great difficulty, to the Legal Aid Center to consult a lawyer about some matters. Then, with the center's help, I drafted a divorce agreement. 'Sherry, since there's no love left between us, let's just end it,' I thought. I knew Sherry would be celebrating Harold's birthday tonight at Seasky Villa. It was the most luxurious hotel in the city. I heard that a single night's stay there started at several thousand and could go as high as $100,000. It was a den of extravagance for the wealthy. When it got dark, at the entrance to Seasky Villa, luxury cars lined up, and guests swarmed in. With security guards on duty, there was no way I could get in dressed like a penniless bum. Clutching that divorce agreement in my hand, I waited outside the entrance. Chapter 4 Before long, a top-of-the-line luxury car pulled up. "Wow, Ms. Sweeney is here!" The door opened, and Sherry stepped out wearing an haute couture evening gown. She was radiant as a star in the sky. Harold, standing beside her, was also dressed in a sharp suit and looked exceptionally handsome. "Ms. Sweeney looks just like a big-time star, and her husband's so handsome, too!" "They really are a perfect match!" The crowd showered them with compliments. Harold wore a confident, smug smile. Sherry linked her arm through Harold's, and the two walked elegantly down the red carpet toward Seasky Villa. I seized the opportunity and rushed straight toward them. The moment Harold saw me, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. As for Sherry, her gaze toward me was cold. "What are you doing here? Today is Harold's birthday. Don't come here to cause trouble. "But if you come to your senses and kneel before Harold and apologize, I'll let you return to the Sweeney family and resume your life of luxury." "I'm not here to cause trouble, nor am I here to apologize. I just want to give you this." I handed her the divorce agreement. "Take a look. If there are no issues, then you can—" I had not finished speaking yet when Harold stepped forward. "Liam, today is my birthday party. It's so great that you came to celebrate with me!" "Hurry! Come inside with me." Harold put his arm around my shoulder in a fake, friendly gesture. His gaze was icy. Suddenly, Harold shoved something into my hand. Before I could even react, Harold quickly raised his hand and grabbed the blade. The sharp edge immediately sliced through his hand, and blood stained his hand red. He let out a cry. "Liam, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have come back to look for Sherry. Please, spare me! Don't kill me, okay?" It all happened so fast and so suddenly. When everyone saw this, they all scrambled to step back. A look of anxiety flashed across Sherry's face. She rushed toward Harold and shielded him. "Harold, are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" "My hand hurts so much…" "Doctor! Doctor!" Sherry cried out anxiously. Medical staff rushed over immediately. Sherry called over the security guards. "Liam, you've really gone too far this time! You've become even more ruthless! How dare you hurt Harold? "Hit him! Hit him hard!" I snapped back to my senses and threw the knife on the ground. "Sherry, it's not like that! I didn't—" Before I could finish, security guards rushed over and knocked me to the ground. A few of them swarmed me. Sherry's eyes were red. "This time, you've really crossed the line! I'm furious. Hurting Harold is the same as hurting me!" Punches and kicks rained down on me, and I was soon covered in blood. Harold suddenly said, "Sherry, it's okay. He probably didn't mean it. He was just overcome with jealousy for a moment, thinking you were too kind to me. Let him go." "Jealous? What right does he have to be jealous of you? If you hadn't donated your kidney to me back then, would I even be alive today? "Yet he had the audacity to hurt you time and time again." I stared at the two of them huddled together. The spark in my eyes faded bit by bit. I did not know when it happened, but the security guards had thrown me outside the venue. I was covered in blood, and I could feel the warmth rapidly draining from my body. Suddenly, there was a booming sound as fireworks burst in the sky one after another. I looked up at the dazzling sky. It was breathtaking. Yet none of that was for me. Instead, I was waiting to die in a pile of trash. Three days later, in her office, Sherry opened the document I had handed her. When she saw that it was a divorce agreement, her brows furrowed. Just then, her phone suddenly rang. It was an official call. "Hello, are you Sherry Sweeney, the wife of Liam Sullivan?" Even though she did not want to admit it, Sherry said reluctantly, "I am. What's the matter?" She gritted her teeth and spoke with difficulty, shamefully acknowledging the truth. "Here's the situation. Your husband, Liam, was confirmed dead last night. Please come in to sign the authorization for an autopsy."