I looked into his eyes.

"If someone hurt me, what would you do?"

"Would you still protect me like you swore before—no matter what, even if it cost you your life?"

Austin fumbled for a tissue, his movements clumsy as he wiped my tears.

He didn't even hesitate. Just nodded, firm and certain.

"Anything, Pearl. Whatever you ask, I'll do it."

I held his gaze—those eyes so full of sincerity.

"Really?"

"Then kill Kathy Barnes."

His head snapped up. He stared at me, stunned.

"What did you say?"

A flicker of panic crossed his face. "Did something happen? Did you misunderstand something?"

He was terrified I'd figured it out.

His whole body went rigid.

"After the company went bankrupt, Kathy resigned and went abroad. I haven't had any contact with her in three years."

"Did she come after you while I was in prison? If she did, I swear I'll make her pay—"

I grabbed his arm and let out a soft laugh. "Relax. I was kidding."

"Murder is illegal, you know."

"You just got out of prison. You think I'd let you go back?"

"I was just teasing."

I turned away, lowering my eyes as I reached for something. He couldn't see my expression.

He thought it was really just a joke. I heard him exhale with relief.

"Pearl, I'm sorry."

"These three years... you must have suffered so much."

I didn't turn around. But in my heart, I was thinking:

It's fine.

Your reckoning is coming.

After Austin's release, I started visiting the hospital more and more frequently.

Dr. Ethan Caldwell looked at me over his glasses. "Are you really not going to tell your family?"

"This isn't some minor illness. Your husband has a right to know."

I shook my head with a faint smile.

"Let's just leave it. I don't want him to know. And I don't want treatment anymore."

Austin was hiding in the corridor, catching fragments of the conversation—but nothing clear.

When I stepped out, his face was all concern.

"How did it go? What did the doctor say?"

I smiled and shook my head, about to answer—

When Kathy's call came through.

"Austin, my water pipe burst and I'm soaked. Can you come fix it for me?"

His expression shifted instantly.

"Sure. I'm on my way."

He thought I hadn't heard. Covering the phone, he turned to me with a perfectly straight face.

"Pearl, remember that new project I mentioned? I'm going to meet with them now. If it works out, we might finally get back on our feet."

I stared into his eyes.

When he'd proposed to me, those same eyes had been filled with nothing but sincerity.

Now they looked just as sincere.

But the lies rolled off his tongue without so much as a blink.

My unbroken gaze made him uneasy. He nearly tripped over his own act.

"Pearl... is something wrong?"

"Go ahead."

"If you can turn things around, we won't have to worry about those debt collectors anymore."

Those debt collectors—every single one of them had been sent by Austin himself.

They'd cornered me in dead-end alleys.

Stripped the house of anything worth selling.

Most weeks I ate once every three days. When the hunger became unbearable, I'd drink tap water just to fill my stomach.

I thought about last night—waking up in tears, asking Austin:

"Where are my parents?"

When his company collapsed, I'd tried to reach them for help.

But they'd vanished. No answer, no trace.

Austin told me they'd been caught in a landslide on their way back.

Both of them. Gone.

They told me they never found the bodies. For three years, I searched—only to discover two days ago that my parents never died at all.

Austin had tricked them into leaving the country.

Three whole years.

He'd been using my phone to send them messages, assuring them I was fine. They had no idea what kind of life I was actually living.

"Austin."

I looked him in the eyes, deciding to give him one last chance.

"Is there anything you've been hiding from me?"

He blinked, then reached over to ruffle my hair.

"Silly girl. Why would I ever hide anything from you?"

I lowered my gaze, letting the light fade from my eyes.

"Good."

After a long pause, I said, "I miss my parents."

"First thing tomorrow, I'll take you to visit their graves."

I asked about their estate—surely they'd left me something?

But Austin's answer came out halting, evasive.

"Everything happened so suddenly. Before I could sort out the inheritance, my enemies framed me and I ended up in prison."

"Now I finally have time to investigate what really happened back then."

His gaze flickered as he took my hand.

"Pearl, maybe your parents aren't really dead. Maybe there's still hope."

Ha.

The three-year mark was approaching. He'd lied to me about their deaths, and now he couldn't keep the story straight anymore.

So he pivoted—claimed there might be hope after all.

Too bad. He'd already squandered his last chance.

A few days later, Austin left under the pretense of a business meeting. In reality, he was going to see Kathy.

I watched the clock hands crawl toward midnight, then scattered sleeping pills across the floor.

My phone rang. Dr. Caldwell's voice was steady: "Everything's ready."

I nodded and sent Austin a message:

"Austin, your punishment wins. You wanted to stand up for Kathy? Fine. Take everything."

"Take my life too."

At that same moment, his phone buzzed relentlessly on the nightstand.