The next morning, when Amelia got up, I had just finished my last bite of breakfast.

She yawned and sat across from me, bossing me around.

"I don't want milk today, I want coffee."

"Okay, whatever!"

Seeing that I was sitting there motionless, she opened her sleepy eyes.

"Go get it for me right away!"

I picked up my cup and stood up, indifferently.

"Want to drink? Make it yourself. I'm done."

Since we got married, all the household chores have been my responsibility.

I knew everything she liked, including her clothing combinations.

I used to spoil her and never talked to her in this tone.

Amelia was a bit surprised and uncomfortable, blocking my way.

"Are you still angry about last night's game?

"I broke up with him a long time ago, it's no big deal. How can a man like you be so petty?"

I laughed at her.

"Petty? If I find another woman, hold her, and kiss her for ten minutes in front of you, don't you think it's no big deal?"

"You dare!"

Without realizing it, she finally understood.

"Dear, dear, don't treat me like this. It's my fault."

She twisted and leaned towards me, pouting and patting my arm.

I had always been soft-hearted and not hard-nosed. In the past, when she made some minor mistakes that were not too outrageous, I would forgive her.

But now, for some reason, the places she touched made me feel particularly repulsive and nauseous.

I pushed her away and slapped the place she had touched.

"Amelia, I've drafted the divorce agreement. Sign your name, and you'll be free," I said.

She took the divorce agreement from my hand and immediately widened her eyes in innocence and anger.

"Elijah, are you serious?"

"Yes!"

Amelia thought I was still angry about yesterday's incident, but it was not the case.

Before the class reunion, I discovered her secret, a secret she had kept for many years.

A few days ago, while tidying up the room, I accidentally knocked over Amelia's makeup case, and inside was a delicate USB stick.

The style of the USB stick suggested that it had been around for a long time.

For some reason, I plugged it into my computer and saw her hidden diary.

"Without him, everyone is a compromise."

"If it's not you by my side, it doesn't make a difference who it is to me."

"I still can't forget him, and I will secretly go to see him on my birthday every year."

"I have a secret, about him, and also about me. If we ever meet again, I will tell him in person."

"Nowadays, my marriage is like a cup of plain water, dull and uninteresting."

"He's back, and I'm actually a little excited. What should I do?"

The entire diary is filled with Amelia's love and longing for Shawn.

I used to think that our seven-year relationship was a loving and harmonious one, but it was actually a painful compromise for her.

I was a university student supported by Amelia's grandfather, secretly admiring her beauty and charm.

But she and Shawn were lovers, they loved each other passionately on campus.

After graduation, they naturally got engaged and married, but Shawn went missing on their wedding day.

The proud and stubborn Miss Amelia couldn't bear the blow, so in a fit of anger, she dragged me onto the stage.

"Elijah, do you want to marry me?"

This was an unexpected surprise to me, something I never dreamed of.

Of course, I was willing, but I was worried that she was just being impulsive, so I advised her to think carefully.

But she stubbornly looked at me, with red eyes and a stubbornly raised head.

"If you don't agree, I'll find someone else. I have to get married today."

I shamefully compromised.

I thought that as long as I was sincere to her, I could eventually soften her heart, make her forget about Shawn, and live with me wholeheartedly.

However, seven years had passed, and we even had a four-year-old child, but her heart was still a hard stone.

After reading this diary, I felt a mixture of nervousness, fear, and unease in my heart.

I, who had never smoked, sat up all night, with cigarette butts all over the floor.

The next day, she went shopping with great enthusiasm, trying on one outfit after another.

It was at a class reunion that I learned that Shawn had returned, and she had dressed up in her best to please him.

So at the party, she ignored the gaze of others and hugged him tightly.

After all, it was a reunion after seven years.

But I, a lowly thief.

Now that Shawn is back, as someone who knows the situation, I should naturally give up my position.

"Anyway, the person you love is not me. I am selfish for trapping you in marriage.

"Now that he's back, isn't it good that you two lovers can finally be together?"

Amelia shook her head repeatedly without hesitation.

"Elijah, it's not what you think."

"Then what is truth?"

She couldn't bring herself to say it, lowering her head and picking at the delicate nails.

"Elijah, if you're still angry about the game, I apologize to you."

"How about your diary?"

She widened her eyes in surprise and anger at being caught out in a secret.

"Did you go through my diary? Don't you know how to respect someone's privacy?"

I didn't argue with her, just looked at her quietly until she sheepishly turned away.

"That was just something I wrote out of boredom, it doesn't count."

"Over the years, you know how I treated you. If I really couldn't forget him, I wouldn't have married you and had children with you."

I suddenly felt tired and found it hard to speak.

"Dear, I won't divorce."

She lowered her head and approached me, tugging at my sleeve.

"I was wrong that day, I just had a few drinks and wasn't very clear-headed.

"I know how good you've been to me. You run the Davis Group and take care of me and the kids.

"Elijah, you promised Grandpa that you would take care of me for the rest of my life. Are you going to leave me alone too?

"You know, you are the only one I have in this world."

Her eyes were red, and gradually she seemed to blend with the sorrowful figure she had been a few years ago, becoming indistinguishable from it in my eyes.

Amelia's parents had passed away, and it was Grandpa Charles who had raised her.

Before his death, Charles said that the person he was most worried about was Amelia, and asked me to look after her in his stead.

Charles had been very kind to me, helping me out when I was in the most difficult of times.

After his funeral, Amelia hugged me and cried her heart out.

"From now on, I only have you in this world, only you..."

At that time, I felt sorry for her and made a solemn promise to her.

"Don't worry, I will be by your side for the rest of my life, never leaving or abandoning you."

At that moment, I really meant it. I wanted to protect this woman from any suffering for the rest of her life.

But the once sincere promise turned out to be a prison for myself.

As we sat in silence, Cathy made a video call.

Cathy was my daughter, who was four years old now and had recently been on vacation with my mom, her grandmother.

"Daddy, do you miss me? I miss you so much."

Cathy said with her pouty lips, making funny faces in front of the camera, dispelling the gloom in my heart.

Amelia had suffered from postpartum depression after giving birth to Cathy.

In order for her to recover better, Cathy had been taken care of by me and my mother since she was born.

"Where is mom? Can I talk to her?"

I handed my phone to Amelia.

Watching her interact closely with her Amelia, I, who had already made up my mind, suddenly wavered.

Children who grew up in single-parent families were somewhat sensitive in character.

What about Cathy if we divorced? Would she be affected by us?

After hanging up the phone, Amelia held my hand with a guilty face.

"Darling, Cathy is so cute, and how can you bear to make her sad?"

This time, I didn't pull away her hand.

Maybe we could try again.

The next day, Amelia did indeed live up to her word and played the role of a devoted wife and mother.

I used to prepare three meals a day at home before.

Now, Amelia got up early in the morning and was busy in the kitchen, showing us two scrambled eggs that had been shaped like hearts.

On her delicate fingers, there was a very noticeable red blister.

Seeing me looking at her, she quickly put her hand under the table, looking embarrassed.

"Dear, am I really useless? I can't even scramble eggs well."

Amelia had been spoiled since childhood, and after marrying me, I didn't want her to be too tired.

Although I knew she was trying to please me, I still felt a little touched in my heart.

I got up and found the first-aid kit, disinfected her finger, and put on a bandage.

Amelia lowered her head. I couldn't see the expression on her face, but her voice was surprisingly soft.

"Darling, I will try to be a good wife. Grandpa used to say that you are the most loyal and yearn for a complete and warm family."

I grew up in a single-parent family, and my father ran away when I was young because of debts. I was very envious of others who had parents to accompany them, and I longed for a warm and complete family of my own.

"You don't have to force yourself to do things you're not good at or don't like. These are small things, I can do them or hire a maid to do them."

But she held my hand back, with a determined look on her face.

"Elijah, can you trust me one more time?

"We have lived together for so many years. In the past, you took care of me. Now it's my turn to take care of you, okay?"

I admitted that at that moment, I couldn't help but feel soft in my heart.

After all, she was the person I cherished for so many years. It was not easy to completely let go.

The shield that I had finally built up before collapsed at this moment.

And more importantly, I had promised Charles that I would take good care of his only granddaughter.

"Honey, haven't you wanted to go skiing in Switzerland?

"Why don't we go together? It can be a way to make up for the regret of not having a honeymoon."

I had rushed into marriage with Amelia.

But she had always pushed back the honeymoon trip, saying she didn't feel like going out to play.

Perhaps our dull life of seven years really needed some fresh stimulation and change.

I nodded and agreed.

She smiled and ran back to the house to pack her luggage and make travel plans.

Maybe it would be a new and different beginning, I secretly thought.

On the day of departure, we are at the airport waiting for the flight.

"Have you packed all the skiing equipment?

"And the camera, don't you want some nice photos? I especially learned a photography tutorial online."

I talked to myself for a while, but Amelia remained silent for a long time.

I turned to look at her in confusion.

But I found that she was staring at her phone in a daze, motionless.

"Amelia, what's wrong with you?"

I tentatively reached out and patted her.

She only came to her senses as if she had just woken up, raised her head, and let the tears roll down her cheeks like broken pearls.

The last time I saw her so sad and upset was when Grandpa Charles passed away.

"What's wrong with you? What happened?"

I crouched down nervously, holding her hand tightly and trying to give her spiritual comfort.

"Don't be afraid, no matter what happens, I'll be by your side."

She stared at me with wet eyes, crying intermittently.

"Shawn..."