Chapter 2: The Last Chance

The Thompson Villa had never felt so empty.

After Evan left, silence swallowed every corner of the house.

Only the ticking grandfather clock echoed through the spacious living room.

Shantelle remained kneeling on the marble floor long after the front door had closed.

The divorce agreement lay before her.

Its pages seemed heavier than anything she had ever held.

Her trembling fingers reached for the document.

She slowly traced Evan's signature.

His bold handwriting carried no hesitation.

He had already decided.

The only signature missing was hers.

Tears blurred her vision.

She hugged the papers against her chest as if holding them tightly would somehow stop her marriage from falling apart.

"When did we become strangers?" she whispered.

Her voice disappeared into the empty room.

No one answered.

Hours passed.

Outside, rain continued pouring over Rose Hills City.

The weather perfectly reflected the storm raging inside her heart.

At nearly midnight, Shantelle slowly climbed the stairs toward their bedroom.

Everything inside reminded her of Evan.

His watch rested on the nightstand.

His favorite cologne still lingered in the air.

His neatly arranged suits filled one side of the wardrobe.

She walked toward his pillow.

It still carried his familiar scent.

Unable to control herself any longer, she buried her face into it and cried until her entire body shook.

For seven years she had loved him.

For two years she had called herself Mrs. Thompson.

Yet none of those years had been enough to earn his heart.

As exhaustion finally overtook her, memories flooded her mind.

She remembered being thirteen years old.

Evan had secretly bought her chocolate after she failed an exam.

"Don't cry," he had said while gently patting her head.

"You'll do better next time."

That simple smile had become the reason she worked harder every day.

She remembered waiting for him during every school vacation.

She remembered writing letters while he studied overseas.

She remembered counting the days until he returned home.

Back then, she truly believed destiny had chosen them for each other.

But destiny had introduced another woman into Evan's life.

Nicole Lively.

Everything changed after that.

The next morning, sunlight peeked through the bedroom curtains.

Shantelle hadn't slept.

Dark circles formed beneath her swollen eyes.

She stared blankly at the ceiling until a knock sounded outside.

"Mrs. Thompson?"

It was the housekeeper, Mrs. Green.

"Mr. Erick Thompson is here."

Shantelle quickly wiped her tears.

"Please ask him to come in."

Moments later, Erick Thompson entered the sitting room.

Unlike his usual authoritative appearance, the elderly businessman looked noticeably older.

The moment he saw Shantelle's red eyes, guilt flashed across his face.

"Child..."

"He gave you the divorce papers, didn't he?"

Shantelle lowered her head.

"Yes."

Erick sighed deeply.

"I tried calling him all night."

"He wouldn't answer."

"That stubborn boy..."

"I'm sorry."

Shantelle looked up in surprise.

"Uncle Erick..."

"No," he interrupted gently.

"Today I'm not speaking as the chairman of Thompson Group."

"I'm speaking as the man who ruined your happiness."

His words stunned her.

"I thought forcing him to marry you would eventually make him appreciate you."

"Instead..."

"I only made both of you suffer."

For the first time, Erick looked helpless.

"I owe you an apology."

"You gave up everything for my son."

"And he never noticed."

Tears filled Shantelle's eyes once more.

"Please don't blame yourself."

"I agreed to the marriage willingly."

"I believed love could grow."

"I was the one who refused to let go."

Erick slowly nodded.

"Do you still love him?"

The question pierced straight into her heart.

She smiled bitterly.

"More than my own life."

"But..."

"Love cannot be forced."

The room fell silent.

Finally, Erick reached into his coat pocket.

He placed a familiar envelope beside her.

"These are your university documents."

Shantelle looked confused.

"Do you remember the international medical scholarship you earned before your wedding?"

Her breathing stopped.

How could she forget?

At twenty years old, she had ranked among the country's brightest medical students.

She had been accepted into one of the world's most prestigious medical programs.

Professors believed she would become an outstanding surgeon.

But she rejected the opportunity.

Because Evan had needed a wife.

Because she wanted to build a family.

She chose marriage over her dream.

Erick slowly pushed the documents toward her.

"The university contacted me again."

"Your records are still outstanding."

"They said if you ever wished to continue your education... they would gladly welcome you back."

Shantelle stared at the acceptance letter.

It felt unreal.

Her dream...

The one she had buried two years ago...

Was suddenly standing in front of her once again.

"Why are you giving this to me now?" she asked softly.

Erick smiled sadly.

"Because you deserve a future that doesn't depend on my son."

"If he can't treasure you..."

"The world will."

Shantelle tightly held the folder.

For the first time since receiving the divorce papers, something inside her heart shifted.

It wasn't hope for Evan.

It was hope for herself.

After Erick left, she walked back into the living room.

The divorce agreement still rested on the coffee table.

She looked at it for several long minutes.

Yesterday, signing it felt impossible.

Today...

It still hurt.

But she finally understood one painful truth.

No matter how tightly she held on...

She could never force someone to stay.

Slowly, she picked up the pen.

Her hand trembled above the signature line.

"If loving you means losing myself..."

"Then maybe it's time I learned how to love myself instead."

A single tear landed on the paper.

She closed her eyes.

The pen touched the page.

Just before she signed her name...

Her phone suddenly rang.

The caller ID displayed a name she hadn't seen in years.

Professor William Carter.

Her former medical mentor.