Chapter 4
David approached, his gaze lingering on Kathleen with a complexity she couldn’t decipher. He was silent for a moment before speaking. “Are you… okay?”
That hint of concern in his voice sent a treacherous tremor through her heart, a lump rising in her throat. Her reply, however, came out flat. “I’m fine.”
She paused, lifting her eyes to meet his. “I’ll have my lawyer draft the divorce papers later. Let’s get this over with as soon as possible.”
David studied her—eyes swollen and red, face pale, yet still holding herself together with that stubborn strength. An unexpected softness stirred inside him.
He frowned. “We don’t have to get a divorce.”
Kathleen’s head snapped up, surprise widening her eyes.
But his next words snapped her back to reality instantly.
He stated it plainly, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. “You can keep the title of Mrs. David. But my love belongs to Emily. You understand that, don’t you?”
Kathleen stared at him, at that utterly unapologetic expression, and suddenly laughed—a low, bitter sound laced with mockery. “No, thank you.”
“I may not be extraordinary, David, but I have enough self-respect not to fight over another woman’s man. And I certainly don’t want a marriage without love. I’ll step aside. May you and Emily have a long and happy life together.”
Her blunt refusal caught him off guard. His expression stiffened before his face darkened. “Fine! Divorce it is. Just don’t come crying and begging me to take you back like you did before!”
Kathleen didn’t bother responding. She simply lowered her head and continued organizing the documents on her desk.
Just then, Emily walked in. “Kathleen, I’m here to go over the project handover with you. Is now a good time?”
Before Kathleen could answer, her assistant rushed in, breathless. “Vice President Kathleen! There’s a problem with the steel reinforcement at the East District site! The crew has stopped work!”
Kathleen’s heart clenched. This project had been her focus for over half a year. A problem with the steel reinforcement was no minor issue.
Even though she’d already decided to resign and leave the country, this was a project she’d personally shepherded. It was about the safety of future residents. She couldn’t let anything go wrong.
She stood up immediately, grabbing her jacket. “I’m heading to the site.”
“I’ll come too!” Emily chimed in, her eyes flicking toward David with a hopeful gleam. “It’ll be a good chance to learn from Kathleen how to handle emergencies.”
Without hesitation, David said, “I’ll go with you. Construction sites are chaotic. It’s not safe.”
Kathleen’s steps faltered for a second. Her fingers tightened around her jacket before she strode out quickly.
At the site, the midday sun beat down, baking the ground.
David held an umbrella the entire time, most of its shade angled over Emily. He kept leaning in, asking her in a low voice, “Are you hot?” “Do you want to wait in the shade?” He even warned her about the mud, telling her to watch her trousers.
Watching them, Kathleen felt a sharp, needle-like pain behind her eyes.
She remembered her own early days at the company, running projects on sites like this. One summer, her back had peeled from sunburn, and she’d gone to David that night, crying. He’d just given her a dismissive glance. “If you can’t handle a little hardship, how do you expect to make it in this business?”
Back then, she’d thought she just wasn’t tough enough. Now she understood. It wasn’t about her strength. It was simply that he didn’t love her. Even a word of concern felt like a waste to him.
After finally working out a replacement plan for the steel with the contractors, the group prepared to leave.
As they passed beneath a newly finished floor of the structure, a sharp, groaning crack echoed from above. Chunks of concrete began to rain down.
Before Kathleen could react, a slab of cement half her height slammed into her back.
Agony exploded through her body. Pinned face-down, the crushing weight made it impossible to move. Every breath felt like tearing.
She struggled to lift her head. Through the dust, she saw David shielding Emily tightly with his body, pulling her toward the exit.
Summoning every ounce of strength, Kathleen screamed, “David! Help me!”
David whipped his head around. Seeing her covered in blood and debris, his heart lurched violently. Instinctively, he took two frantic steps toward her.
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