Chapter 2 Cheap Emotions
Andrew's POV
Uponearing Nancy's clear and bright voice, the heaviness in my heart suddenly vanished without a trace.
I gently reassured Nancy. "I'm coming right now. had some work to take care of, so I got held up. Just wait for me a moment."
After hanging up, I turned to face Jane. She was washing the cup I'd just used, her expression calm, seemingly unaffected by Nancy's phone call.
Watching her act so indifferent, I suddenly felt angry.
Three years. I'd been in bed with her, trying hard to make love to her for three years, and I couldn't even get her to care.
Was I that much of a failure? Or was I, Andrew, nothing more than a contract husband who just pays the bills in her eyes?
I grabbed my clothes, turned and headed for the door. As I left, I slammed the door shut hard.
Jane's POV
Andrew left.
He went to the airport to pick up Nancy, his first love.
The moment he slammed the door, I was weighed down by heartbreak.
I put down the cup I was washing and gripped the edge of the sink weakly to keep myself from collapsing.
Three years as contract spouses; facing outstanding Andrew, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't loved him.
But I knew that after taking Andrew's money, any feelings I had would look cheap in his eyes.
Just a contractual marriage, a transaction with a price.
Still, I never expected Andrew would lie to Nancy on the phone.
I figured he'd never tell Nancy that the reason he was late picking her up was because he'd spent an extra hour having sex with me.
After washing Andrew's cup, I went upstairs to pack my things.
As a contract wife, I'd been living in Andrew's villa for three years. With the divorce coming up, I had to take my stuff with me.
I absolutely couldn't leave any trace that Nancy might discover.
My life had always been simple—a few clothes and basic necessities. I quickly packed everything into my suitcase.
Over these years, with the money Andrew gave me, I'd bought a small 800-square-foot apartment in a corner of the city.
After divorcing Andrew, I'd move to that little apartment. I was grateful to Andrew, my benefactor, for his generosity in giving me enough money to have somewhere to live.
After packing, I was about to call a rideshare to my apartment.
Just then, Kurt Lowe, the butler of the Lopez Mansion, called me.
Kurt said on the phone. "Mrs. Jane Lopez, Mrs. Clara Lopez is asking you to come back to the Lopez Mansion. Her back is hurting again and she needs you to help treat it."
Hearing that Clara wasn't feeling well, I quickly replied. "Okay, Kurt, I'll be right there."
Kurt added, "Don't rush. Take your time on the road, so Mrs. Clara Lopez won't worry."
Upon hearing that, my heart felt a slight ache.
Over the years, whenever Andrew was away filming, Clara would call me to the Lopez Mansion to keep her company.
When Clara was young, she'd sacrificed too much for the family business and developed chronic back pain. Because my mother Thora Green had health issues, I'd taught myself massage therapy, and I could help ease Clara's pain when it became unbearable.
This was also an important reason why Clara liked me.
After quickly getting ready, I took a rideshare to the Lopez Mansion.
Nancy's POV
After returning from abroad, I waited at the airport for a long time before Andrew finally arrived.
He wore a mask and had carefully styled his hair. In a light-colored shirt with a casual blazer over it, his tall figure immediately caught the attention of many women the moment he appeared at the airport.
I was no exception. Four years—how could Andrew have become this handsome?
If I'd known he'd have such a glorious day, I never would have left him when we were engaged.
That fitness instructor who seduced me might have had good looks and worked hard in bed, but he had no money or status.
Once I realized he had no future, I had no choice but to return home and throw myself back into Andrew's arms.
I knew Andrew still loved me.
As long as I called out to Andrew, I could pull him back to our high school days. I had Andrew figured out, just like that fitness instructor had me figured out.
Standing in the crowd, I waved my hand at Andrew.
"Andrew, I'm over here." When calling to Andrew, I made my voice as sweet as possible, so Andrew would think I was still the same little girl who'd run away from home four years ago.
Years of living abroad had taught me that only innocent young girls could easily trigger a mature man's protective instincts.
Andrew came to my side and naturally reached out to take my rolling suitcase. I leaned into his arms and hugged his waist, looking up at Andrew with somewhat admiring eyes.
The moment my arms wrapped around Andrew's waist, his body suddenly stiffened.
He seemed somewhat resistant to my embrace.
He gently pushed me away, saying quietly, "Don't hug me, there are paparazzi. I'm afraid they'll make up stories."
As Andrew deliberately pulled away from me, I could clearly smell a faint fragrance coming from him.
It wasn't the scent of expensive cologne.
It was more like a woman's natural scent.
From that scent alone, I could tell Andrew already had another woman in his life.
Four years—a substantial stretch of time. For a man as outstanding as Andrew, having another woman around was perfectly normal.
But I wasn't worried.
Because I knew that if Andrew could pull himself away from another woman to pick me up, it proved he still had a place for me in his heart.
As long as the position of Mrs. Lopez was mine, as long as the Lopez family's vast fortune was there for me to enjoy in the future, I didn't mind how many lovers he had around him.
Faced with Andrew's rejection, I put on a disappointed expression and nodded obediently.
"Okay, Andrew, whatever you say. I just won't hug you then."
Seeing my expression, Andrew quietly explained.
"Nancy, I'm sorry. I'm doing this to keep you safe. After all, some paparazzi in this industry have absolutely no boundaries. To dig into our private lives as celebrities, they go too far."
He added, "If they photographed us together, it might affect you. You know I don't want you to get hurt in any way."
