The Woman He Divorced Was a Legend Free Preview

Mia Reed was dressed to kill, her beauty sharp and deliberate. She tossed a printed medical report onto the table where Jocelyn Russell sat in silence.

"Jocelyn, you've been married to Wyatt for three years, and he hasn't touched you once," Mia said, her voice cutting. "I've been with him for three months, and I'm already pregnant."

Leaning forward with a smug look, Mia added, "Be smart. Sign the divorce papers. Maybe I can even talk him into giving you a decent settlement so you can live comfortably afterwards."

For three years, Jocelyn had been the wife of Wyatt Morgan, the powerful head of the Morgan Group from the Northmarch Federation.

She had been gentle and considerate, taking care of his every need. But for all that time, Wyatt had never stopped trying to get rid of her.

His latest move, on their third wedding anniversary, was to send the woman he was seeing to their home. Mia was here with one mission: to use a pregnancy to force Jocelyn out.

He didn't even need to go that far. Jocelyn was already planning to sign. She just wanted one last dinner with him first.

"So you're pregnant," Jocelyn said, keeping her back perfectly straight despite the ache in her chest. A wife's composure was everything. "So what? I'm still his wife. That child will be a b*stard. My advice? Go to a clinic and end it."

"Ms. Russell, we're in love. I'm begging you," Mia cried, her demeanor shifting completely in an instant. She kelt down, trying to drag Jocelyn's dress, a far cry from the proud arrogance she'd worn moments before.

"Please, let him go. I don't want my baby to be a joke. Please, I'm begging you!"

Jocelyn was stunned. Worried about the baby, she quickly reached down to help her up.

"Ah!" A sharp, agonized scream tore through the room.

Jocelyn froze, a bloody knife now in her hand. On the floor, Mia writhed as a dark red stain spread beneath her.

She did this to herself. She's framing me. How could someone be this cruel and crazy?

"Jocelyn! How dare you!" Wyatt's icy voice came from behind her.

She barely had time to turn before he slammed her into the wall, the impact stealing her breath.

"You put Willa in a coma and felt nothing, and now you hurt Mia?" His handsome face was twisted with cold fury, his eyes holding no warmth at all. "You're a monster. You should die."

"I didn't do it. She did it to herself," Jocelyn gasped, her spine screaming where it had hit the wall.

"She stabbed herself? And her own child?" Wyatt sneered, his grip on her wrist turning brutal. "Only a fool would believe that."

The pain was blinding. Defiant tears burned her eyes as she met his glare. "I swear. If I hurt her or that baby, let me—"

He didn't let her finish. Wyatt threw her hand aside like trash and rushed to Mia's side.

"Mia, talk to me."

Through blurry vision, Jocelyn saw him cradle the other woman. His face was soft and tender, a look she had never seen directed at her.

"I thought... if I begged... she'd take pity," Mia sobbed into his chest. "I never thought she could be so cruel or so jealous. She hurt our baby. I'm sorry, Wyatt. I failed."

"We'll have more. Just stay with me. We're going to the hospital," he said gently as he lifted her. Then his eyes, cold and dead, found Jocelyn on the floor. "If she dies, you die."

After they left, Jocelyn pushed herself up, every movement painful. She grabbed the tablet from the table, and a few taps opened a hidden app. A video began to play on the screen.

It showed everything—Mia grabbing Jocelyn's hand and forcing the knife into her own stomach. This was the proof that could clear her name.

She saved the file. As she went to exit, her finger slipped and hit the elevator feed.

The new video showed the elevator doors closing. Wyatt immediately set Mia down hard on the floor.

"Pregnant? With my child?" His voice was flat. "I haven't touched you."

"Wyatt, listen! I'm not pregnant. It was fake blood from a prop," Mia pleaded quickly. "I did it for you, to make her sign. The guilt will break her. She'll agree now!"

Wyatt sneered, "So I should thank you for your help?"

Jocelyn didn't watch any more. She closed the app, her finger hovering over the saved video that proved her innocence. Then she deleted it.

He knew. He knew it was all a lie, and he still used it. He still tried to break her.

A bitter smile touched her lips.

See? The man I've loved for ten years.

He wants me dead for the woman he loves.

He wants me dead over a child that doesn't even exist.

*****

On a dark road outside the city, Mia stood by the asphalt as a sleek Maybach idled nearby. Tears had ruined her makeup.

"Mr. Morgan, you seemed pleased with what I did earlier," she said, her voice trembling. "Why send me away? What did I do wrong?"

Wyatt looked at her through the car window, his gaze deep and cold. "I hate her. But she is my wife. I don't need some actress scheming in my home."

The car drove off, leaving her alone in the dark. Mia shivered.

He hates her, but he won't let anyone else touch her.

Wyatt... what is this? Is it love, or not?

*****

Wyatt came home to find Jocelyn at the dining table, finishing her meal.

"Just tried to kill someone, and you can still eat?" he said, sitting across from her, his voice full of scorn. "You really are a heartless b*tch."

Jocelyn put her fork down and looked at him with a bright, terrible smile. "Yeah, you are right, and I'm letting you go. Wyatt, let's get divorced."

Seeing Jocelyn looking up at him, a flicker of surprise crossed Wyatt's eyes. She had changed into a red off-the-shoulder gown that revealed her smooth shoulders. Under the crystal chandelier, her smiling face glowed with a captivating charm.

In their three years of marriage, Jocelyn had always appeared before him with a fresh, makeup-free look. This was the first time he had seen her so meticulously dressed and radiant.

"What game are you playing now?" Wyatt asked, his eyes wary as an inexplicable irritation rose within him.

"I wouldn't dare play games in front of the famous Mr. Morgan," Jocelyn replied, her voice steady. "I'm serious about the divorce." She pushed a document across the table toward him.

Wyatt picked up the file. Seeing the words "Divorce Agreement," his gaze turned even colder.

"You think you're worth a billion dollars?" he said, looking up from the papers with disdain.

"The agreement spells out the value clearly," Jocelyn explained calmly, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I'm simply dividing our marital assets according to the law. I haven't asked for a single cent more than what belongs to the Morgan family."

In the past, Jocelyn had always kept her head down and spoken timidly around him. Now, she seemed like a different person, radiating a confidence that was startling.

"You haven't worked a single day during this marriage. You haven't generated any income for the Morgan family. You haven't even given us a child," Wyatt countered, pushing down his surprise with cold sarcasm. "Three years as a live-in maid, and you want a billion dollars? Isn't that a bit too greedy?"

"It's precisely because there are no children that I'm only asking for this much," Jocelyn said smoothly. "If you're even stingy about this amount, then I'll have no choice but to ask your parents to decide for me."

Jocelyn had been married into the Morgan family to bring good fortune to Wyatt's mother, Sylvia Morgan. Three months after Jocelyn and Wyatt married, Sylvia's critical condition had stabilized. Six months later, she had made a miraculous full recovery.

As a result, Jocelyn became the favorite in Wyatt's parents' eyes. They doted on her even more than their own daughters.

Wyatt's father, the devoted husband Kenneth Morgan, had made it clear to his son: unless Jocelyn herself wanted a divorce, if Wyatt initiated it, he would leave with nothing.

"I can give you the money," Wyatt said slowly, his voice dropping to a dangerous, cold murmur. "But not as payment for three years of service." He moved swiftly, pinning her down on the sofa and looming over her. "Consider it payment for sex."

His punishing kiss landed on her lips. Jocelyn instinctively tried to push him away, but the moment her hands touched his chest, he caught her wrists. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free.

Just as the furious man was about to have his way with her, Jocelyn cried out in panic, "Wyatt, Willa is waking up today! If she finds out you did this to me, it would break her heart!"

"Using Willa to mess with me? You wanna die?" Wyatt snarled, his fingers tightening around her jaw, his eyes terrifyingly cold.

The familiar feeling of suffocation washed over her again. This time, Jocelyn didn't struggle. She just looked at him with a complex gaze, as if trying to sear his features into her very bones.

Something about that look, so utterly devoid of hope, gripped Wyatt's heart. It felt like a physical pain, making it hard to breathe.

He was about to release her when his phone rang, giving him a convenient excuse to let go.

Gasping for air, Jocelyn coughed quietly, hearing Wyatt's shocked voice above her.

"What? Willa is awake? Is it true?" he asked the caller.

"Willa, wait for me. I'll be right there to see you at the hospital," he said into the phone, his tone shifting completely.

As Wyatt stood up, Jocelyn caught his sleeve.

"Mr. Morgan, congratulations," she said, her voice soft. "Willa is awake now. Sign this, and nothing will stand between you and your happiness with her anymore." She held out the divorce agreement and a pen.

The world-famous doctor, Joy, had predicted Willa Campbell wouldn't wake for another six months. Yet somehow, Jocelyn had guessed correctly today.

Looking at Jocelyn's serene, elegant smile, Wyatt slowly reached for the pen. As he was about to sign, he saw her own graceful, clear signature beside the line.

He paused for a second, an image of Willa's pale face on the hospital bed flashing in his mind. Then, with a firm, fluid stroke, he wrote his own name. He tossed the agreement into Jocelyn's lap and turned to leave.

"Mr. Morgan, let's meet at the courthouse at nine tomorrow to get the divorce decree," Jocelyn called after him.

First, she forced him to sign. Now, she was pushing to finalize it tomorrow. Is she that desperate to sever all ties?

"What's wrong? Afraid I'll cling to you?" Wyatt turned back, his face a mask of icy sarcasm.

Jocelyn waved her hands quickly. "No, no! It's just... I don't want Willa to be hurt. She'll be devastated to find out we were married. If she can see the divorce decree tomorrow, it might ease her mind. It would be better for her recovery."

Even though every word Jocelyn said seemed to be for his benefit, for some reason, it grated on Wyatt's nerves.

"At least you know your place," he said coldly. "Be gone from here by tomorrow. I don't want Willa to see a single trace of you when she comes back."

"Don't worry, I'm leaving right now. Goodbye." Jocelyn gave him a small wave and walked away with graceful steps.

For three years, she had always been the one watching his back as he left.

This time, she would be the one to turn away first.

It wasn't him who ended it. I did.

As that tall, slender figure disappeared from view, a deep, inscrutable light flickered in the depths of Wyatt's eyes.

*****

It wasn't until she was well outside the gates of Cove Estates that Jocelyn finally let her straight posture slump. The forced strength drained from her face, allowing the heartache to slowly spread.

Seven years of secret love, three years of marriage. The man she'd loved deeply for a decade was now officially gone from her life.

It hurt, but she felt free at last—light, as if a huge weight had been lifted. Still, stubborn tears blurred her eyes.

Her phone rang. It was her best friend, Naomi Anderson.

"Josie, are you okay?" Naomi's voice was full of concern.

"Of course I am," Jocelyn said, forcing brightness into her tone. "I'm great. Absolutely perfect."

"You're crying."

"No, I'm not. I would never cry over him."

"Josie, you still love him. If you do, maybe you should hold on a little longer. He might change his mind."

"I don't!" Jocelyn insisted, then added with false bravado, "You know why I married him. I only wanted his money—to be a rich lady everyone envies. I'll use his cash to spoil a bunch of hot younger guys. You'd better have the hottest one with the best body ready. I'm on my way over right now to enjoy myself."

The moment the words left her mouth, a sharp pain shot through her calf. She stumbled forward a few steps and fell hard to her knees.

When she looked up, she only saw the taillights of a car disappearing around the corner.

Who did this? Who ambushed me?

Picking up her shattered, black-screened phone, Jocelyn pressed the power button repeatedly, but it wouldn't turn on.

She had planned to call Naomi for a ride. Now, it looked like she'd have to walk the ten miles of mountain road to find a place to hail a cab.

As she struggled to her feet, blinding high beams suddenly cut through the darkness from around the corner. A car stopped not far from her.

Silhouetted against the glare, a tall man with a commanding figure walked toward her.

The man approaching was Bryce Conrad, CEO of the Conrad Group, the second richest in Nross City, and a neighbor in Cove Estates.

Jocelyn had first met Bryce three months ago. She had been walking in a park when a huge white dog had suddenly charged out and knocked her to the ground. Bryce had come to her aid, and that was how they had met.

"Jocelyn, you're hurt. Let me take you to the hospital," Bryce said now, his voice concerned as he approached.

"No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Conrad," Jocelyn replied, trying to mask the pain. "I already called my husband. He should be here soon."

"But I just saw his car speeding away from this road, like he was drifting," Bryce countered gently.

Jocelyn froze. So Wyatt did this? He shot me and made me fall?

Of course. He's the only one skilled enough to do something like that from a moving car.

"It's really no trouble. I've already notified my friend. She'll be here soon," Jocelyn insisted.

Every step sent a piercing pain through her ankle, but the ache in her heart was even sharper.

The man she had loved for ten years had left her covered in wounds on the day of their divorce.

"A marriage with love helps two people grow and become better," Bryce's voice came from behind her. "A loveless marriage makes people despise each other and become the very ones they once hated. You're a smart woman. You wouldn't let yourself waste away in a loveless, unequal marriage for too long, would you?"

"Marriage is something only the people in it truly understand," Jocelyn responded, her voice detached. "You may think my marriage is unhappy, but how do you know I'm not perfectly content?"

"It seems you really do love Mr. Morgan," Bryce said, his voice firm and clear as he looked at her retreating back. "What if I told him your real identity? Do you think he might fall for you if he knew you were Dr. Joy, the world-renowned top surgeon?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Jocelyn feigned ignorance and continued walking, gritting her teeth against the pain.

"Although you were fully disguised during consultations, using a voice modulator and carefully applying eyelid tape to cover the mark," Bryce continued, undeterred, "the truth can't stay hidden forever. Snowy was my grandfather's beloved dog, raised with great care and deeply attached to him. When you announced the surgery was a success, Snowy was so happy he jumped on you in gratitude.

"You were terrified and flustered. In your panic, you rubbed your eye and the tape came off. It revealed the light pink heart-shaped mole on your right eyelid. Snowy only jumped on your leg, but you covered your eyes. I suspected your fear of dogs stemmed from a childhood incident that left both a physical scar and a psychological one. So I had Snowy test you. Your reaction was identical to Dr. Joy's in a video from three years ago—you immediately shielded your eyes. That convinced me you are Dr. Joy.

"If I showed Wyatt that old video of you saving my grandfather... With his observational skills and having lived with you for three years, he'd quickly recognize you as Dr. Joy, too. He would know it was you who saved his mother and Willa. Even if he didn't love you, he probably wouldn't torment you with all those public scandals. Your life wouldn't be so—"

"No! I don't need that!" Jocelyn cut him off sharply. She turned around, pulled open the car door behind Bryce, and got in.

Seeing Jocelyn get into the car, a refined, charming smile touched the corner of Bryce's mouth.

Once inside, Jocelyn asked, "Why are you so determined to expose my identity?"

"I think before we get into that, you should first set your sprained ankle," Bryce said, his voice tinged with concern as he looked at her swollen, protruding ankle. "It looks bad."

"Haven't you heard 'Physician, heal thyself'?" Jocelyn retorted. "If the bone-setting isn't done with the right force, it'll just cause more damage."

"My apologies. You'll have to bear the pain a little longer, then," Bryce said. He instructed his driver to speed up before turning his gaze back to Jocelyn. "As you know, the Conrad family is in the pharmaceutical business. We've long wanted to collaborate with a world-class surgeon like Dr. Joy. But after the surgery, you vanished without a trace.

"So I studied the hospital surveillance footage carefully. When Snowy jumped at you, your reaction felt so feminine. I zoomed in and watched those frames dozens of times. I saw the pink heart-shaped mole under the eyelid tape that had come loose in your panic. That confirmed my suspicion: Dr. Joy was you—not a man."

"I don't remember us meeting in person before. How did you even connect me to Dr. Joy and decide to test me with Snowy?" Jocelyn asked, puzzled.

"You forgot what happened at the café? You and that model threw coffee and juice on each other, started fighting, and knocked into me?" Bryce reminded her. "You were frantically wiping my clothes, your head down. That's when I saw the heart-shaped mark on your eyelid. There are no two identical leaves in this world. A heart-shaped mole in exactly the same spot must be just as rare. I decided to test my hunch. I never expected to hit the jackpot—you really are Joy."

Jocelyn remembered that humiliating café incident—the one that had caused such a stir online.

She had indeed crashed into someone. While trying to clean his clothes, she'd been grabbed by the hair by Wyatt's then-girlfriend and slammed to the floor for a fight.

She had been too busy grappling with the woman to notice that the person she'd bumped into was Bryce.

"My apologies for that unsightly display," Jocelyn said.

"To be honest, even after Snowy confirmed your identity, I still struggle to connect the top surgeon with the woman who got into a public fight on the ground," Bryce said with a light laugh. "And I can hardly believe you're Joy. The woman who put up with her husband's infidelity for three years... And the world-famous doctor who holds life and death in her hands with a scalpel. The contrast is staggering."

Wyatt would never cheat. Jocelyn had seen his devoted care for Willa with her own eyes over the past two years. He would never betray her.

All those scandalous rumors were just his way to pressure her into divorce and make her the laughingstock of the town.

"People can be foolish sometimes," Jocelyn said softly, more to herself.

Foolish enough to believe they're special, that they can change the impossible.

*****

When Wyatt saw Jocelyn walking by the roadside in her thin dress, he had initially intended to offer her a ride. He had slowly driven his car up behind her.

But after overhearing her phone call, fury had surged inside him. He had used a small projectile to strike her calf, a punishment for her admitted motive in marrying him.

After driving for about a mile, he still pulled the car over to wait.

He waited half an hour, but Jocelyn never appeared. So he drove back the way he came. He didn't see her anywhere along the road.

Thinking she might have gone home to tend to her injury, Wyatt drove back. But the huge house was empty.

Finally, filled with complicated emotions, he headed to Nross Hospital. The moment he stepped into the main lobby, he saw a man and a woman walking toward him, laughing and talking.

One of them was none other than Jocelyn.

She wore a black suit jacket draped over her shoulders. Her head was slightly bowed, smiling and talking to Bryce, who held her arm.

So I waited all that time for nothing—she'd already gotten into Bryce's car.

When did she even meet Bryce?

"Jocelyn!" Wyatt's cold, angry voice cut through the air.

He stood not far away, his tall frame tense with fury. Jocelyn instinctively pushed away Bryce, who was supporting her.

Then she remembered she had no ties to Wyatt anymore and let her hand drop from Bryce's arm.

"Mr. Morgan, what took you so long?" Jocelyn said with a bright, unbothered smile. "Willa must be getting worried in her room. Don't worry about greeting me. You should hurry up and see her."

Seeing her cheerful, guilt-free smile, Wyatt's face turned even colder.

"So that's why you were so eager for a divorce today," he sneered. "You've already found your next target. Don't forget, we haven't gotten the divorce decree yet. Having an affair while still married means you walk away with nothing."

The thought that Jocelyn married him only for money made Wyatt wish he'd crippled her earlier so she couldn't lure other men.

"Only people with dirty minds see filth everywhere," Jocelyn shot back, her voice icy. "I was injured in a sneak attack. Mr. Conrad was kind enough to bring me to the hospital. There's nothing improper between us. If you insist on accusing me of adultery, I'll let the law prove my innocence."

"Let's see if any lawyer can do that for you," Wyatt said, reaching out to grab Jocelyn's arm.

Bryce stepped swiftly in front of Jocelyn, shielding her. Wyatt glared at him with frosty eyes.

"Bryce, this is a family matter. It's none of your business," Wyatt said, his voice low and dangerous. "I suggest you don't interfere. Step aside. I'm taking Jocelyn home."

"Will you go home with Mr. Morgan?" Bryce asked, his gaze on Wyatt but his question clearly for Jocelyn behind him.

"No!" Jocelyn's answer was firm.

"You heard her, Mr. Morgan," Bryce said, his voice steady and unyielding. "She doesn't want to go with you. Jocelyn is my friend. I won't let anyone hurt her, not even a so-called husband."

Seeing Jocelyn standing meekly behind Bryce, a wave of inexplicable irritation washed over Wyatt. "I never thought the famously aloof and discerning Mr. Conrad would have a taste for my cast-offs," he said with a cold laugh. "How pathetic."

"Just because one man is blind enough to mistake glass for a diamond doesn't mean everyone else lacks sight," Bryce replied calmly, his voice refined. "What you discard could be a priceless treasure to someone else."

"Bryce, don't waste your breath on him. Let's go!" Jocelyn said, turning to leave.

Seeing Bryce's hand resting on Jocelyn's waist, Wyatt found the sight unbearably irritating. He strode forward quickly and threw a powerful punch aimed straight at Bryce's face.

Bryce moved to block it, but Jocelyn shoved him aside with surprising force. Wyatt's eyes widened in shock as he saw his fist heading directly for Jocelyn's temple.

He desperately tried to pull back, changing the punch's direction at the last second. Still, a significant amount of the force landed squarely on Jocelyn's back.

Jocelyn stumbled forward several steps. Just as she was about to fall, Bryce rushed over and caught her in his arms.

"Jocelyn, why would you do that?" Bryce cried, his voice full of worry and pain. "Why push me away? I'm a man; I can take a hit. You're already hurt. How could you take a punch like that? Are you okay?"

"I'm fi—" Jocelyn started to say, then broke into a fit of coughing. A mouthful of blood spilled from her lips onto the white floor tiles.

The bright red blood spread starkly against the white. Wyatt's fist, hidden behind his back, trembled violently.

Seeing Jocelyn cough up blood, Bryce's face went pale. He scooped her up and shouted, "Doctor! Get a doctor, now!"

"No need for a doctor," Jocelyn insisted, struggling to get down from his hold. "I just bit my tongue by accident. I'm fine. Put me down."

She managed to stand on her own, a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth. She looked up at Wyatt with a faint, cold smile.

"They say you don't know what you have until it's gone, Mr. Morgan," she said weakly. "By any chance, did you realize you've fallen for me without even knowing it—after you signed those papers? And now you just can't let go?"

"How could I possibly fall for you? Don't flatter yourself," Wyatt snapped coldly.

His hand behind his back shook uncontrollably. If he hadn't pulled back and changed direction in time, that punch would have landed on her temple. The consequences didn't bear thinking about.

She risked her life for Bryce.

How deeply could she possibly love him?

"You don't love me, but you won't let me leave. Are you trying to have your cake and eat it, too?" Jocelyn pressed on. "If Willa is okay with it, I wouldn't mind sharing. Should I call her and ask?"

"You're not worthy of calling her!" Wyatt shot her an icy glare, then turned and walked away.

"Mr. Morgan, you might want to check a mirror before you visit Willa!" Jocelyn called out with a cold laugh just as the elevator doors closed.

*****

As soon as she walked out of the hospital, Jocelyn saw Naomi leaning against a pillar. Dressed in a black leather jacket and pants, with messy braids and a slim cigarette dangling from her lips, Naomi radiated a wild, captivating energy.

"Naomi, when did you get here?" Jocelyn asked.

"Right before that very handsome man helped you out of the car," Naomi replied with a playful grin.

"If you were here that early, why didn't you come find me?" Jocelyn chided.

"If I showed up earlier, how could I have enjoyed such a spectacular show?" Naomi's eyes sparkled with amusement. "The two most eligible, successful bachelors in Nross City fighting over you? The scene was too perfect to interrupt."

Jocelyn gave Naomi an exasperated look, then turned to Bryce beside her. "Mr. Conrad, this is my good friend, Naomi. I'll be staying at her place tonight, so I won't trouble you any further." She started to take off his suit jacket to return it.

Bryce gently pressed his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "The fall night is chilly. Keep it on so you don't catch a cold," he said softly. "That punch was not light. If you feel unwell, please come back to the hospital immediately."

"I will. Thank you. Don't worry," Jocelyn assured him. "I'll have the jacket cleaned and returned to you."

"Thank you for looking after Josie, Mr. Conrad," Naomi said as she helped Jocelyn walk a few steps. She then turned back with a bright smile. "I think you and Josie would make a perfect couple. Go for it, Mr. Conrad!"

"Naomi, what nonsense are you talking?" Jocelyn said.

Her face flushed with embarrassment as she shot an apologetic glance at Bryce. "Please ignore my friend's ramblings."

Watching Jocelyn's car disappear into the night, Bryce's eyes held a deep, unreadable emotion.

If Jocelyn were an ordinary woman, she could never have shoved him back several feet so easily when he was ready to block Wyatt's punch.

Jocelyn isn't just an incredible doctor. She knows martial arts, too.

Just how many more secrets is she hiding?

Still, for the first time in his life, being protected by a woman who'd risk her life for him... felt surprisingly good.

"How'd that j*rk do this to you?" Naomi asked, her voice tight with anger as she took in Jocelyn's pale face and bandaged ankle. "You're getting divorced. Why hold back? You should've clocked him!"

"Wyatt's tougher than you think," Jocelyn explained calmly. "Sure, we could've taken him together. But if I'd shown what I can do, he'd get suspicious. I need this divorce to go smoothly. I can't tip my hand yet."

"Good, you're finally seeing sense. I've always said—stay away from guys who are stuck on their ex. Wyatt was never on your level."

"You're right. That's why I'm walking away now."

"Perfect. He and that scheming ex of his deserve each other," Naomi huffed. "I've got a whole list of way better guys for you. You don't have to settle."

"Then let's go meet them! Seize the day!"

"Yeah, right! You can barely stand. I need you in one piece so you can make us both rich!"

*****

"Wyatt, you're here," Kayla Horton said softly from her chair by the bed as he walked in. "Willa waited for you, but she just got too tired and fell asleep."

Kayla was Willa's cousin. She came to the hospital every single day after work to sit with her. Her devotion always moved Wyatt.

"You've worked so hard taking care of Willa these past three years. Thank you," Wyatt said gently.

"Please, don't say that," Kayla replied quickly, looking down. "My mom died when I was little. My dad was a drunk and a gambler—he was never around. Aunt Sarah raised me. Willa's always been like a real sister. Taking care of her was nothing."

Hearing her talk like that, Wyatt felt a surge of respect for her.

"Now that Willa's awake, you can finally get some rest. It's late. You should head home."

"No, don't go, Kayla. I'm scared. Don't leave me by myself," a frail voice whispered.

"Willa, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," Kayla said, rushing to the bedside and grabbing Willa's hand.

"Willa, it's okay. I'm staying right here with you," Wyatt said, his voice soft.

Willa looked up at him, her eyes swimming with tears. "But... you're married to Jocelyn now. You're my sister's husband. I can't let you stay. You should go. I shouldn't even see you."

"I'm so sorry, Wyatt," Kayla cut in, looking genuinely upset. "Earlier, when I was massaging Willa's legs, I... I accidentally mentioned that today is your third anniversary with Jocelyn. I said your parents might make you stay home with her tonight, so you might not be able to visit. I never meant to upset her or trigger her waking up like that. Please don't be mad at me."

She turned back to Willa, her voice pleading. "Willa, honey, don't be sad. Wyatt only married Jocelyn because his dad forced him. He's always loved you. Only you."

"He's always loved me?" Willa's sad eyes drifted to Wyatt's neck. "Then what's that on your neck? Isn't that from Jocelyn?"

Wyatt finally remembered Jocelyn's weird comment about looking in a mirror. She'd been talking about the mark on his neck.

It wasn't really a hickey. More like a bite.

Jocelyn had bitten him when she was trying to shove him off. He'd felt the sharp sting and had wrenched her head away before she could break the skin.

"She left a mark, but nothing happened between us," Wyatt told her honestly.

"Really?" Willa asked, her eyes suddenly bright and hopeful.

"I won't lie to you. That's all I can say."

"I believe you," Willa said, squeezing his hand. "I know you're married to her, and I know I shouldn't feel this way. But after getting a second chance, after waking up from that long sleep... I don't want to be the bigger person anymore. I want to be selfish, just this once. I want to be with you. I want to be your wife. Can I?"

"Of course you can. In my heart, you've always been my wife."

As Wyatt spoke, a sharp, unwanted image flashed through his mind: Jocelyn throwing herself in front of Bryce, taking the punch for him. The memory was so vivid it made his hand jerk violently.

"Wyatt, why is your hand shaking?" Willa asked, her brow furrowed.

Before he could answer, Kayla let out a laugh. "It's just the excitement, Willa! Seeing you awake has us all a little shaky. My own knees are knocking!"

Kayla's quick words brought a shy, happy smile to Willa's pale face. But then her expression clouded over again. "Wyatt... when can you divorce Jocelyn? I don't want to be the 'other woman.' It feels so wrong."

"Tomorrow," Wyatt replied.

Joy lit up Willa's face. She spent the next few minutes whispering how much she'd missed him, her voice soft and longing.

Finally, she sighed, "You should go handle the divorce, then come back to me. Kayla can stay with me tonight."

Wyatt said gently, "Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

After Wyatt left the room, Kayla turned to Willa and gave her a triumphant thumbs-up.

"Willa, he's still completely wrapped around your finger. Just like he was three years ago," Kayla whispered, a sly grin on her face. "Jocelyn can try whatever she wants. He's never getting away from you."

"I saved his life," Willa stated, her face a mask of smug satisfaction. "A man like Wyatt, with his precious honor? He'll put a ring on my finger the second I'm back on my feet."

"It's all Jocelyn's fault," Kayla said. "If she hadn't gotten in the way, you'd be Mrs. Morgan already. It broke my heart, seeing you just lying there all these years."

A dark, poisonous look flickered deep in Willa's eyes. When she spoke, her voice was a ghostly, chilling whisper in the quiet room.

"Jocelyn. I invited a nobody like you to my wedding as a charity case. And you actually dared to set me up. I'm going to teach you what it really means to suffer."

*****

At ten-thirty in the morning, Wyatt stood by the window in the courthouse's private divorce chamber. The air around him was cold enough to freeze.

He'd been waiting for an hour and a half. In his entire life, no one had ever kept Wyatt waiting this long.

Just as his last shred of patience snapped and he turned to leave, a light, cheerful voice rang out behind him.

"Oh, gosh, I am so sorry. The traffic was a total nightmare. You'll forgive me, right, Mr. Morgan?"

Wyatt turned. Jocelyn stood a few feet away, dressed head to toe in fiery red, her makeup flawless. She was smiling at him with a bright, confident glow.

"Was it traffic," he sneered, his voice icy, "or were you just busy getting your hair done?"

Yesterday, her hair had been plain and straight. Today, it fell around her shoulders in big, bouncy waves. Rush hour had ended ages ago. The traffic excuse was pathetic.

She really can't stop lying.