Chapter 3 Her Love for Him Has Run Out

Her desperate whisper shocked Melissa. "What are you talking about, Martha? You..."

Martha cut her off determinedly. "Nothing. I'm done loving Stefan. I don't want to hold onto him anymore."

She didn't want Melissa to know she had blood cancer, or she would be worried.

Melissa shrugged resignedly. No one could help Martha with her love life or marriage, so she changed the subject and focused on the vicious mistress.

"Hollie is a slut. Your mother passed away to save her life. But what did she do in return? She bit the hand that fed her. What an ungrateful woman!"

Melissa unintentionally mentioned Martha's late mother, causing memories of the past to flood back as she drooped her eyes and felt a tightness in her chest.

The Doyle family went on vacation to a coastal town three years after Hollie was taken in.

While swimming in the sea, Hollie almost drowned when her swimming ring broke. Martha's mother swam out to save Hollie but lost her own life instead.

Martha used to blame Hollie for it, but deep down knew it wasn't entirely Hollie's fault - though she still felt sorry for what happened to their mother all those years ago.

It had been many years. Whenever Martha recalled it, her heart contracted with pain.

...

Martha returned to the Harrison Villa at night.

Seeing the light in the study, she knew Stefan had returned home.

She took a deep breath, walked to the door, and knocked on it.

"Come in," his cold voice sounded.

Martha's heart was in turmoil as she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Stefan raised his head to look at her before continuing to read the document in his hands. "What's the matter?" he asked indifferently.

"The Doyle Group is in crisis," Martha said, her voice shaking slightly. "Can you help it out financially?"

Martha stared at her slippers, and could clearly feel the sweat seeping out of her hand.

A moment later, he answered coldly, "Sure, I can. As long as you donate your bone marrow to Hollie, I will."

'Hollie again.'

The ray of hope in Martha's heart vanished immediately. Her heart was broken into pieces.

Recalling what had happened in the afternoon, she bit her lip. With hatred and anger in her eyes, she raised her head to look directly at the man in front of her.

"Impossible!" she spat out, "You're dreaming if you think I'll do that."

"Impossible?"

Stefan's lips curled up slightly as he looked askance at Martha. "Then you have no use for me."

'Use?'

Did he only care about her usefulness to him?

"Stefan, even if you loathe me and hate me, you shouldn't turn your back on the Doyle Group. Uncle Frank and my dad used to be close friends. If he was still alive, he would..."

Before Martha finished her words, Stefan scowled at her, thinking she was threatening him with his father.

The next second, he lifted his hand. The papers in his hand scattered and flew up. Martha was standing in front of the desk. When the papers were thrown at her, she didn't dodge. The edge of a piece of paper grazed her cheek.

Martha frowned in pain as she covered the wound on her skin. She didn't believe that Stefan had done it on purpose but the pain was real nonetheless.

Seeing the scattered papers, Martha gritted her teeth to keep calm.

Seeing the wound on her cheek, Stefan was slightly taken aback.

The next second, the familiar indifference returned to his eyes.

Seeing him stop talking to her, Martha turned away with a smile of self-deprecation.

...

She went back to her room and locked the door inside. Leaning against the door, she squatted down, a dull pain growing in her heart.

"Open the door!"

Stefan's steely voice rang out from outside, causing Martha's slender body to tremble.

He was unwilling to divorce or help her, so she could also say no to his request.

Stefan got no response and found the door had been locked inside, and the air around Stefan grew colder and colder.

'Martha, you're getting bolder. Now you even dare to lock me out!'

Scowling, when he was about to ask a servant to kick the door open, his phone rang.

His face softened slightly when he saw the caller ID.

"What's wrong, Hollie?"

Martha heard him talking to Hollie on the phone, holding her breath.

"OK. Stay there. I'll be there soon."

Then his eager footsteps sounded and soon faded away.

Martha couldn't help but feel a hint of expectation as she opened the door to see if Stefan was still in the corridor. But it was empty.

"I'm still no match for her," she mumbled to herself in self-mockery while staring blankly at the stairs.

When Stefan arrived at Hollie's villa, it was half an hour later.

Hollie wore a black slip dress, lay on the sofa, and pretended to be weak while staring at the man who walked in.

"Stefan, I... I felt weak just now and thought I would die. I thought I would never see you again."

As she spoke, tears streamed down her cheeks, making her look more pitiful.

"You'll be fine."

With his brows knitted, Stefan on the edge of the sofa, holding her in his arms.

He picked up the glass of water on the table, fetched her cancer medicine, and gently fed her.

Hollie cooperatively opened her mouth with a painful look as if the pill was too bitter.

But in fact, she knew better than anyone that it was a vitamin pill.

"Don't think too much, Hollie. You should rest more."

Stefan gently stroked her hair, scooped her up, and carried her to bed.

Hollie gently pulled his wrist and asked in a weak tone, "Can you...stay here tonight?"

Watching her like this, Stefan was stunned for a moment.

He recalled Martha looked pale while talking to him in the study. The paper cut her cheek. He wondered if she had applied some ointment and if there would be a scar left.

When Stefan realized he was thinking of Martha, his pupils constricted.

Whether there would be a scar on her cheek should have nothing to do with him!

Frowning slightly, he looked irritable and impatient.

Seeing his expression, Hollie dared not to make any wild guesses, but could only pretend to look at him apprehensively and ask tentatively, "Stefan, have you fallen in love with Martha?"

"No," Stefan denied firmly, his eyes flashing with a strange look.

Hollie breathed a sigh of relief and pulled him closer to her on the bed.

She leaned into his arms, and her weak voice rang out again, "Martha used to bully me when we were young, but for so many years, she's loved you deeply. If... If I really die, I hope you and she..."

She broke off and coughed fiercely. "Ahem. Ahem."

Stefan pressed his thin lips together, his disgust for Martha surging in his chest again.

Suppressing his irritation, he looked gently at Hollie.

"Don't worry, Hollie. I'll hyave someone cure you for sure. You are the only one that matters to me."

Stefan met Martha first. Back then, he was young and naive, so he thought Martha was quiet and kind-hearted.

However, after seeing Hollie and learning that her injuries were from Martha's beatings, he stopped having a soft spot for Martha and began to detest her more.

Tenderness filled his eyes. He had always been grateful to Hollie.

"Hollie, when I was in the most painful times of my life, you accompanied me and cheered me up from the loss of my family."

Stefan would never forget her love and care during that time.

His words made Hollie have mixed feelings of guilt and fear.

If Stefan knew the truth one day...

The next second, she decided to keep him staying, thinking tonight was the best opportunity.

Hollie raised her head and offered to kiss his thin lips.

Stefan lowered his head and kissed her back.

Hollie was turned on and wanted more. When she tried to unbutton his shirt, Stefan clasped her wrist.

"Don't you want me?"

"Hollie, you are sick now."

Hollie's face was dark, thinking it was his excuse. Reluctant to accept the reality, she kissed him again, but Stefan pressed her back on the bed.

"Go to sleep. I'll watch you."

Seeing the determination in his eyes, Hollie burst into anger but dared not to force him.

She had to hide the reluctance in her eyes and stop taking a move.

...

On the other side, Martha huddled in the corner of the soft bed, listening to the drizzling outside the window.

Soon, it became a downpour, reminding her of the night 10 years ago.

That year, she was 14, and Stefan was 18. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison passed away after a car accident. He knelt in the cemetery for a whole night and got sick.

At that time, he didn't want to see anyone but locked himself in the room, indulging himself in frustration.

Martha wore a mask, consoling and taking care of him every day until he finally cheered up.

Thinking of that, Martha realized how foolish she had been all those years ago.

After Stefan pulled himself together, he went to the Doyle Manor, hugged Hollie, and confessed his feelings to her.

It was a scene that Martha could never forget.