By six, Amelia had whipped up a six-dish dinner with soup—Chad Felton's favorites, of course.

By seven, she'd prepped his bath, complete with rose petals and candles.

By eight, his slippers were perfectly lined up by the door.

At nine, Chad finally strolled in. Amelia stepped up, taking his suit jacket. "Eat first or bathe?" she asked, setting the slippers in front of him and hanging the jacket.

"Bathe," he muttered, eyes glued to his phone.

By six, Amelia had whipped up a six-dish dinner with soup—Chad Felton's favorites, of course.

By seven, she'd prepped his bath, complete with rose petals and candles.

By eight, his slippers were perfectly lined up by the door.

At nine, Chad finally strolled in. Amelia stepped up, taking his suit jacket. "Eat first or bathe?" she asked, setting the slippers in front of him and hanging the jacket.

"Bathe," he muttered, eyes glued to his phone.

Thirty minutes later, he came out in his robe, towel in hand. Amelia passed him his pajamas without a word and rushed to reheat the dinner she'd kept waiting.

Chad, used to her quiet service, barely looked her way. In a good mood tonight, he stayed fixated on his phone, a faint smile playing on his lips as he typed.

Amelia's eyes flicked to his screen, catching the name 'Irina.' Her expression wavered for a split second, but she quickly looked away and kept moving.

Her own phone buzzed. It was Miranda. With a sigh, she picked up.

"Amelia, are you really divorcing Chad?"

She stared out the window, where a single night-blooming flower glowed softly under the lamplight. After a pause, she answered, "You've always known why I stayed. That contract's done now. Irina's back, divorced, and Chad... he doesn't need me anymore."

Miranda let out a heavy sigh, her voice laced with regret. "You've been through so much these past years. I hoped your dedication would win his heart, but... never mind. With Irina back, I guess I don't have to worry about him anymore. Five years ago, you gave up studying abroad for Chad. If you're still interested, I can help set it up again."

Amelia's gaze stayed on the flower as it fully bloomed, her thoughts quiet. Five years of her life—gone. It was time to move on.

"Thanks," she said. "Please make the arrangements. I'm ready to leave."

By the time the call ended, the flower outside had already started to wilt—briefly beautiful, now fading fast. Just like her five years with Chad.

Her family had struggled financially, but the Feltons' support had given her the chance to stay in school and excel, eventually earning the school's only foreign exchange scholarship.

Grateful, she'd gone to the Felton estate to thank them in person—a gesture most would've skipped. Miranda had planned to politely dismiss her, but after a long, thoughtful look, she'd said something that changed everything.

"If you really want to repay us, I have a favor to ask."

From Miranda, Amelia learned the tangled story of Chad and Irina.

Chad was the golden boy, Irina the golden girl—both from prestigious families, childhood friends who grew up side by side. Everyone knew Chad adored her. But when Irina said she wanted a love that grew slowly and deeply, he chose to quietly support her from afar.

After college, Chad decided it was finally time to confess. But before he could, Irina introduced her new boyfriend and announced she was leaving Kaldora with him.

Stunned, Chad raced to the airport that night, only to crash his car on the way. By the time he woke up after surgery, Irina was already married abroad.

The once-proud Chad fell apart, shutting himself away and drowning in alcohol. Miranda, desperate to pull him out of his spiral, saw an opportunity when Amelia showed up to express her gratitude. She asked Amelia for a favor: help Chad move on.

In exchange for the Feltons' continued support, Amelia gave up her chance to study abroad and signed a five-year contract with Miranda.

At a formal event, Amelia staged a meeting with Chad, acting as though she'd fallen for him at first sight. She pursued him openly, earning a reputation as the woman hopelessly in love with Chad.

Over time, Chad grew used to having her around, but his heart stayed cold.

One night, during a yacht party with his closest friends, they made a bet: whoever's date could retrieve a ring tossed into the sea would win rights to a prized piece of land in Averville.

Chad, exhausted after days of failed negotiations, saw his chance. While the others balked at the stormy waves, Amelia didn't hesitate—she dove straight in.

For the first time, Chad lost his cool. When they pulled Amelia from the water, he wrapped her in his arms, his voice shaking. "Amelia, let's get married. I'll try to love you."

Only later did she find out his sudden proposal wasn't about her—it was triggered by a social media post. Irina had shared a picture of herself and her husband under the northern lights that same night.

Still, Amelia stuck to her role, determined to see the contract through. She cooked his favorite meals, ran the house like clockwork, and even spent six months planning a trip to a mountaintop where they could watch shooting stars—fulfilling his unfulfilled childhood birthday wish.

He never showed up. Chad had been with Irina that night.

By then, Irina's marriage was falling apart, and Chad began flying out weekly to deliver secret gifts to cheer her up—never once telling her they were from him.

When Irina moved back to Kaldora, Chad couldn't stay away. Racing to see her, he drove recklessly and crashed his car.

Amelia stayed by his side through three sleepless days, only to hear him call Irina's name over and over—999 times in his unconscious state.

That was the moment she knew she'd never be able to replace Irina in his heart.

Now, with the contract ending and Irina divorced and back in Kaldora, Chad had everything he wanted.

It was time for Amelia to walk away.

From here, they could both start over.

"Who were you talking to?" Chad's voice cut through the quiet.

Still standing in the kitchen, Amelia snapped back to reality. "No one," she said evenly.

That night, with Chad's soft breathing beside her, Amelia lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Sleep felt impossibly far away.

...

The next morning, Chad frowned at the breakfast spread. "You know I don't eat this kind of stuff in the morning. Why'd you make it?"

Amelia kept her eyes on her plate, cutting into a piece of steak. "It's all we've got left in the fridge."

That was a lie. The fridge was full. She'd made this on purpose, prepping herself for the kind of food she'd be eating after she left.

Chad didn't push it. Instead, he set his phone on the table, glancing at it every few seconds like he was waiting for something—or someone.

When it buzzed, he grabbed it, his face lighting up with a rare smile. She didn't need to guess who it was.

Amelia watched him quietly for a moment, then pulled out the divorce papers. She'd been waiting for this day since she signed the contract. Freedom was so close, she could taste it.

"Chad, let's get a divorce," she said, her voice steady, like she was asking about the weather.

"Mm," he muttered, not looking up, his thumbs flying over his phone.

Yeah, she'd expected that. Five years of this—his indifference had been a constant. And now, with Irina back? She didn't even rate as a distraction.

She slid the papers across the table, along with a pen, tapping the signature line. "Sign here."

"Mm." He grabbed the pen and scribbled his name, still glued to his phone.

Amelia tucked the papers away. "I'll be out after the one-month cooling-off period."

"Mm." He stood, already moving toward the door like she wasn't even there.

That was it. She couldn't hold back anymore. "Chad, do you even know what I just said?"

He stopped, turning with a blank look. "Uh, something about donating supplies to the orphanage? That's what I just signed, right? You mentioned it last week."

Amelia let out a bitter laugh. The donation contract? That was last month. Of course, he hadn't listened. He never did.

But it didn't matter. Not anymore.

She was done.

Go ahead, Chad. Be with Irina.

Forcing a small, practiced smile, she said, "It's nothing."

...

That afternoon, Amelia followed the truck carrying the donated supplies to the orphanage.

After helping unload everything, she went to the office of Ms. Doherty, the head of the orphanage. "I'm leaving to study abroad," she said.

Ms. Doherty's face lit up. Amelia had always been one of the brightest art students, and giving up her scholarship all those years ago had been a regret Ms. Doherty never let go of. "That's amazing, Amelia!" Ms. Doherty squeezed her hand, beaming, but her smile faded. "But won't this mean you and Chad will be apart? Long-distance relationships are so tough."

Amelia glanced out the window at the kids playing outside, her expression steady. "It's not long-distance. Chad and I are divorced."

Ms. Doherty froze, then let out a heavy sigh. "I had a feeling this would happen. If he really cared about you, he wouldn't have gone all these years without coming here even once. It's better this way."

She pulled Amelia into a warm hug, patting her back gently.

Amelia smiled faintly, leaning into the embrace. Yeah, it really was better this way.

After getting back from the orphanage, Amelia went straight upstairs to her walk-in closet and started packing.

It hit her then—she barely owned any clothes.

Most of what she had were the outfits Miranda gave her when she first married into the family. In five years, Chad hadn't bought her a single thing. Not once.

When her clothes were packed, Amelia turned her attention to the gifts she'd given Chad over the years. Carefully chosen birthday presents, each one meant to make him happy—he hadn't even looked at them. They'd sat in a dusty corner, forgotten.

She sold them all for scrap.

Watching the truck pull away, Amelia felt a strange sense of relief. She turned to head back to the villa when a car horn blared behind her.

A sleek Maybach pulled up, and out stepped Yara, Chad's younger sister, in a striking red dress.

Yara's eyes flicked to the departing scrap truck, then back to Amelia with a sneer. "Seriously? Selling scrap? So typical of someone from a small-time family."

Amelia didn't bite. She turned to leave without a word.

Yara's smirk twisted into anger as she stormed forward and grabbed Amelia's arm. "Amelia!"

For years, Amelia had been nothing but quiet and compliant, always trying to stay on everyone's good side. But this cold indifference? It sent Yara over the edge.

"Are you deaf?" Yara snapped, her voice sharp with fury. "I'm talking to you!"

Amelia turned, pried Yara's hand off her arm, and shot her a look that screamed, 'Enough already.'

Yara had hated her from day one, acting like Amelia's background made her unworthy of marrying into the Felton family. For five years, Yara had done everything to make Amelia's life harder—dumping out breakfasts, stomping on freshly washed clothes, you name it.

But now? Amelia was done playing nice.

Yara looked like she was about to snap again, but then her expression shifted. A smug, nasty smile crept across her face.

"Selling scrap suits you," she sneered. "Oh, but you probably don't know yet—Chad's real love is back. Guess the outsider's finally getting kicked out."

Before Amelia could respond, another woman stepped out of the car.

She wore a simple white dress, her eyes sparkling with warmth. Long hair framed her porcelain skin, and her understated look—no jewelry, no fancy extras—only made her elegance stand out more.

It was Amelia's first time seeing Irina.

Five years of a broken marriage, five years of waiting for something that never came—none of it had touched this woman.

No wonder Chad could never let her go.

Irina walked over, gently tugging on Yara's arm. Her voice was soft. "Yara, don't say that. She's still your sister-in-law."

Yara scoffed. "Sister-in-law? Please. Irina, I told you in the car—Chad's always loved you. He's been thinking about you for years, flying out every week just to see you. Those gifts? All from him. How can you still not see it?"

Yara spun back toward Amelia and barked, "What are you standing there for? Go bring in Irina's luggage! Chad already said she's staying here."

Amelia's eyes flicked to the suitcases, but she didn't say a word. She walked past them and headed inside.

Yara stomped her foot, glaring after her.

Eventually, the driver hauled the luggage inside. Yara, still fuming, was about to storm after Amelia when Chad walked in, his pace quick.

His shoulders relaxed the second he spotted Irina sitting on the couch. With a glance toward Amelia, he said, "Irina's house hasn't been lived in for years. It needs renovations, so she'll stay here for a few days."

Amelia stayed silent.

The tension in the room thickened until Irina stood, biting her lip. "Chad, maybe I should go. This is your home, and... your wife doesn't seem too thrilled about me being here."

Chad quickly stopped her. "There's no need for that. Amelia's always been generous. She won't mind something so small."

Amelia watched him, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You're right. I wouldn't get upset over something so trivial. Stay as long as you like."

Why not? This house would belong to Irina eventually anyway.