Andrew was having dinner with Charlotte when his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen. It was Assistant Ryan.
Andrew put down his chopsticks and answered. Assistant Ryan said, "Sir, ma'am has already signed the divorce papers. Should I bring them to you now?"
Andrew's expression darkened instantly.
"I got it. Just take them to the company tomorrow," he replied coldly, then hung up.
He placed the phone down on the table with a loud thud.
Charlotte noticed the change in his mood right away and asked with concern, "Andrew, what happened?"
He didn't even lift his head. "Nothing. Just eat."
He picked up his chopsticks again and continued eating, but his eyes were distant and cold.
Charlotte silently guessed it was because of Katherine.
Ever since they returned to Beijing, Andrew's mood had been unstable.
She gritted her teeth in her heart. That woman Katherine—why hasn't she divorced Andrew yet?
These past few days, Charlotte had frequently appeared in trending searches because of her time with Andrew. But Katherine still hadn't reacted publicly.
The more Charlotte thought about it, the angrier she got. She decided she would go see Katherine herself tomorrow.
Katherine returned home and collapsed on the couch. Soon, she fell asleep.
It was a deep sleep.
She dreamed of her childhood, when her family was still whole and happy.
She was like a little princess, cared for and loved, living without a single worry.
Then suddenly, everything changed. She was riding home with her mother when a large truck lost control and slammed into their car.
Her mother rushed to pull her from the car.
There were three cars involved in the accident, not just theirs.
Her mom placed her in a safe spot, then went to check the other cars.
She saw a little boy trapped in the car next to theirs. His leg was stuck under a seat.
Just as her mother was about to free him, the car beside them exploded. Flames burst out instantly.
As fire spread toward the boy's car, her mother pulled him out just in time.
Then another explosion went off behind them. Her mom threw the boy to safety—but she herself was crushed under a flying car.
Katherine screamed for her mother, but there was no response.
She shook her head violently in her sleep. Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. "No... please no…" she murmured.
She jolted awake on the couch. The sudden movement left her dizzy and weak, her body drenched in sweat like she had just come out of water.
She sat there silently, gasping for air. Slowly, her awareness returned, and her eyes adjusted to her surroundings.
She raised a hand and lightly patted her cheeks, trying to pull herself together.
"Another nightmare…" she whispered tiredly. Her voice was filled with exhaustion and helplessness.
This nightmare had visited her many times, always catching her off guard.
But this time, it felt even more real, even scarier than ever before.
She had relived the crash again.
She remembered the truck slamming into them and their car flying from the impact.
Just thinking about it made her heart race with fear, like it had only happened yesterday.
Katherine slumped back onto the couch, drained.
She hadn't dreamt of that accident in a long time. Why was it happening so often now?
She got up and walked into a small room in her apartment.
There was a photo of her mother and a painting she had drawn for her.
She reached out and gently touched the picture. Tears rolled down her face.
"Mom, I miss you so much."
"I dreamed about the crash again. That must have hurt so much…"
She crouched down, holding her head, and cried.
She could never forget that day.
After crying for a while, she leaned against the wall and sat down.
"Mom, I have something to tell you. Remember I told you I got married to someone I liked?"
She sighed softly. "But he didn't like me. We divorced today."
"Strangely, I don't feel as sad as I thought I would. In fact, I feel relieved."
"Mom, I might be leaving for a while. If I don't come see you, don't blame me."
The next day, Katherine went to work as usual.
After finishing her rounds, she went straight to her department head's office to ask if there were any opportunities for out-of-town training.
The department head looked up at her. "Katherine, our surgery department does have one spot, but we haven't decided who to send yet."
"You're interested?" he asked.
Katherine didn't hesitate. "Yes. If there's a chance, I'd like to go learn. Of course, I know the final decision is up to the higher-ups. I just wanted to apply."
"Are there many people from our department applying?" she asked.
"Not many. Right now, it's just you and Shanshan Huang," the department head replied.
Hearing that name, Katherine's eyes dimmed slightly.
Everyone in their department knew she and Shanshan didn't get along.
"Alright, Katherine, just wait for the notice. It'll probably be a month from now. Don't let this affect your current work."
"I'll submit both of your applications. The final decision will depend on the higher-ups."
Katherine nodded. "Yes, I understand. I'll get back to work now."
As she stepped out of the office, she bumped into Shanshan.
Shanshan smiled faintly, her expression carrying a trace of sarcasm.
She walked gracefully up to Katherine and stopped right in front of her.
"Oh, Dr. Katherine went to see the director? Are you trying to apply for that overseas training?"
Katherine didn't hide it. "Yes. Everyone deserves a chance. I'm working hard for mine."
Hearing that, Shanshan curled her lip...