I Put a Price on My Don Husband Chapter 08
The Ferris Wheel climbed slowly to the highest point in the city. Bright city lights stretched out like a sea of stars, casting shifting shadows across Vincent’s figure.
Natalie leaned close to him and looped her fingers around his arm. Her voice was sickeningly sweet.
“Vincent, look at the view down there. This is the happiest ride on a Ferris Wheel I’ve ever had in my life.”
Leo pressed his palms against the glass window. He clapped his hands excitedly and chattered nonstop, begging to ride Bumper Cars and the merry-go-round next.
Vincent paid them no mind. He stared blankly outside, a hollow ache opening up in his chest, as if a precious piece of him had been torn away. A frigid wind swept through the hollow part of his chest, leaving him numb all over.
The happy smiles on Natalie and Leo’s faces blurred together with old memories in his mind.
Three years ago, he had held the tiny Lily on this very Ferris Wheel. Claire had stood beside them, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
Lily had pointed her chubby finger at the brightest star in the sky, her young voice soft and innocent.
“Daddy, those two big stars are you and Mommy. The smallest one is me. They say people turn into stars when they die. If I go away someday, I’ll stay up in the sky watching over you both.”
The innocent words cut deep into his soul.
He had laughed and ruffled her soft hair back then, pretending to scold her for silly thoughts, though his tone held endless warmth.
“Silly girl. Daddy will always protect you and Mommy. Our family will stay together forever.”
Together forever.
What a ridiculous promise.
Lily was gone now, resting in the cold Memorial Cemetery. Even her headstone had been defiled with ritual cleansing water. Claire looked at him with nothing but cold apathy and distance—no warmth lingered in her gaze at all.
Vincent clenched his fists hard until his knuckles turned white. A storm of tangled emotions raged inside him.
He had shut Claire out and lavished all his extra love on Natalie. He had even given Natalie the yacht, jewelry and estate that once belonged to Claire. He had acted this way out of fear.
He feared his sincere love meant nothing to her. He feared she no longer loved him and would leave him for good. Most of all, he feared the rift between them could never be mended after their daughter’s death.
He had used Natalie to make Claire jealous. He’d wanted to see her lash out and fight to keep him.
Instead, he got her cold “rental service” list, her unyielding mobile payment QR code, and every cutting demand for more money.
Rage burned wild inside his chest. Yet when he thought of her empty, unfeeling gaze lately, dread coiled tight in his chest and stole his breath away.
“Vincent, are you alright? Do you feel sick?” Natalie asked, her tone laced with fake concern.
Vincent snapped back to reality. He frowned, irritation seeping into his voice before he could hide it.
“I’m fine.”
A flash of jealousy crossed Natalie’s eyes. She knew he had been thinking about Claire. It infuriated her that he still clung to that woman, even after Claire had treated him like a commodity.
She pinched Leo subtly and shot him a silent signal.
Leo understood instantly. He tugged at Vincent’s sleeve and began to cry and fuss.
“Daddy, I don’t want to ride the Ferris Wheel anymore. I wanna play Bumper Cars!”
Vincent would have soothed him gently on any other day. Now the boy’s whining only annoyed him deeply.
He thought of Lily in that moment. She had never thrown tantrums like this. She was quiet, thoughtful and caring. She always shared her favorite candy with him, rubbed his shoulders when he was tired, and wrapped her arms around his neck to tell him he worked too hard.
Leo, on the other hand, was spoiled, rude and arrogant. Every move he made filled Vincent with disgust.