The previous night's conversation had been unpleasant, so Samuel left early the following day.

Samuel always said he couldn't get up early when he was with her. Now that he's rekindled his relationship with his first love, he's up earlier than the chickens.

That morning, Cassandra called her birth father and requested a few things. Before she left, she wanted to repay Eric and Ariel for raising her. Though she had been financially independent since high school, taking on part-time jobs and barely spending their money, she still felt the need to express her gratitude.

Cassandra stopped at a law firm to draft a divorce agreement on her way to the Nolan Residence. Then, she took a cab to the house where Eric and Ariel lived.

Cassandra entered with a tiny gift box in her hands. There were the documents she had requested from her father, the property certificate for a villa, the registration papers for a Rolls-Royce, and one million dollars in cash inside it. She intended these as a thank-you gift for raising her all these years.

"Mom, Dad, I'm back," Cassandra said as she walked into the living room, but no one noticed her. She was used to it. After her adoptive parents found out that she liked Samuel, they wanted to send her away. It was Samuel who had stopped them, giving her the mistaken impression that he still cared for her.

To them, Samuel deserved to be with a high-society heiress, not an orphan they had picked up from a shelter.

Cassandra didn't let their indifference get to her. She placed the gift box on the table. "Mom, Dad, you guys raised me for over ten years. This is my way of saying thank you."

Eric continued reading his financial newspaper, not even sparing her a glance. Ariel, on the other hand, scoffed. "Cassandra, is there anything our family lacks? What cheap trinket are you bringing us this time? Handmade towels? Gloves? Or perhaps some homemade desserts?"

Those were the gifts Cassandra had given them before, things she had put her heart into making. Still, they were worthless and embarrassing for Ariel. "I've told you from the start, you were never good enough to be Sam's wife. You insisted on clinging to him shamelessly, and now you've gotten your wish. You're still so petty. Our family must be cursed to have ended up with such a useless daughter-in-law!"

Cassandra bit her lip, her voice trembling. "Don't worry. Soon, I won't be a part of this family anymore."

In just a few days, she would give them what they wanted, she and Samuel would be divorced, and she would disappear from their lives forever.

"But these things are … " Before she could continue, the gift box was flung to the ground, landing directly at the feet of a man wearing black leather shoes.

It was Samuel. He picked up the items from the ground, threw them into the trash can, and then wiped his hands with a tissue.

Only then did Ariel seem satisfied. "Don't bring garbage into our home again."

"Mom, that's not garbage, it's … "

Slap! No one expected Ariel to slap Cassandra. Her delicate skin immediately showed a red mark. "Stop looking so pathetic! Who are you trying to guilt-trip? If it weren't for you, Sam would have married someone better by now! You're nothing but a burden!"

Samuel stepped forward, not to defend her, but merely to state the obvious. "Mom, that was unnecessary. Anyway, Francesca wants some chicken soup. Ask the servants to make some."

Ariel huffed. "If I'd known she couldn't even bear children, I would've let Francesca marry into this family instead." She believed the child Francesca was carrying belonged to Samuel, which explained why she doted on her so much.

After Ariel left, Samuel turned to Cassandra with a detached expression. "I already told you, my mom doesn't like cheap gifts. Why do you insist on making things difficult for yourself?"

Cassandra let out a cold laugh. "Cheap? Let's hope you don't regret it."

She got up and left, asking a servant for an ice pack before returning to her room. Cassandra rubbed her face with the ice pack, took out the divorce agreement, and sent a message to Samuel. "Come to my room."

He arrived shortly after. Without emotion, she handed him a pen. "Sign it."

"Sign what … " Before he could finish, his phone rang. His expression immediately softened as he answered. "Don't be scared. I'll be there soon."

He turned to leave but suddenly spun back and grabbed the papers on the desk. "You want me to sign? Bring the soup to the Westone Villa first."

Before Cassandra could refuse, he was already gone. To finalize the divorce, she had no choice but to deliver the chicken soup herself.

When she arrived, Samuel took the food and went upstairs to be with Francesca. However, he had already signed and left the papers on the living room table. As she picked them up, she casually asked if he wanted to amend any terms.

Samuel barely glanced at the document. "Isn't this the business contract you mentioned last time? The one about opening a store? There's nothing complicated about it. I just signed it."

Cassandra froze for a moment. So, he had no idea he had just signed their divorce papers. It didn't matter. He would find out soon enough.

She gently placed a hand on her stomach and thought to herself. "Baby, from now on, it's just you and me."

Just as she was about to depart, an unexpected voice from upstairs interrupted her. "Cassandra Nolan, how dare you poison the soup!"

Francesca lost her baby at the hospital and Cassandra was accused of being the culprit. There were abortion drugs in the chicken soup. Ariel would never do such a thing, so the only suspect was Cassandra.

Ariel wanted to call the police because she was convinced that Cassandra had murdered her grandchild.

Amidst the chaos, Samuel finally spoke, "Enough. Airing this dirty laundry will only bring shame to the Nolans."

Cassandra's eyes were bloodshot. She uttered each word with force, "I already said, I didn't do it."

"Cassandra, if it wasn't you, was it Francesca herself? Do you think that's even possible?" Samuel coldly retorted.

A hint of glee flashed across Francesca's eyes, but she quickly masked it, feigning weakness. "Sam, it's alright. I don't blame Cassandra. It's just … I'm heartbroken about my baby. Cassandra, I know you misunderstood my relationship with Sam, but we're truly just friends. Even if you resent me, you shouldn't have harmed my child. Forget it. You're still young and you're with Sam. I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

Cassandra's chest burned with rage. She pointed at Francesca and shouted, "Francesca! You know exactly how you lost that baby!"

Francesca evaded her gaze and turned to Samuel. "Sam, I can let this go, but my poor baby. I heard that babies who die like this need to be properly mourned at a church. I heard there is a sacred church on West Hill, to atone for her sins, she must confess her misdeeds, apologize, and pray for the departed while prostrating herself along the way. I know this might be a bit difficult for Cassandra, but ... "

Samuel cut her off, his eyes turning menacingly towards Cassandra. "Difficult? This is the least she can do to atone for her sins."

Cassandra stared out the window at the raging storm. Going out in this weather to perform that grueling thing would surely lead to a miscarriage. She had a gut feeling that Francesca knew something. This was deliberate!

Fearful of losing her own kid, Cassandra clutched Samuel's sleeve and pleaded for the first time. "Sammy, you promised you wouldn't let me suffer."

She didn't call him by his name but by his lovely nickname, hoping he'd remember the affection they shared as children and not be so cruel.

Samuel looked at Cassandra with a complicated expression. Still, he pulled her hand away eventually. "I also promised to protect Francesca and her child."

"Cassandra, you made a mistake. If you did something wrong, you have to pay the price." His voice was indifferent. After that, he ruthlessly let go of her hand.

Cassandra felt her heart shatter. She screamed, "Samuel! You can't do this to me! I … " Before she could finish, the bodyguards dragged her away.

At the West Hill.

Cassandra stared up at the endless steps, fear creeping into her heart for the first time. Rain pounded against her skin, mixing with the tears on her face. She turned to the bodyguards and begged, "Call Samuel. Tell him, I'm pregnant."

The bodyguard remained unmoved, replying like a robot, "Madam, Mr. Nolan said you must kneel and repent as you climb. If you refuse, he will cut off funding to the orphanage."

Cassandra froze. Samuel knew precisely where to hit her soft spot. The orphanage she once lived in relied heavily on the Nolans' funding, as government subsidies were meager. The children there often went hungry and cold. It was only after the Nolans' investment that their lives improved. If Samuel withdrew his support, their lives would become even more miserable.

She wanted to help the children because she had been through similar difficulties. Cassandra managed a smile amidst the rain, a mix of bitterness and regret. She knew she was trapped. Even if she refused, Samuel would find other ways to blackmail her.

"Madam, we will livestream your atonement to Mr. Nolan. Please begin."

Cassandra turned and stepped onto the first stair. She did what Samuel asked with mechanical precision. Lightning flashed across the sky, thunder mingling with the relentless rain. She had always been terrified of thunder.

Samuel used to cover her ears and tell her not to be afraid, but now he had another woman in his arms.

"Cassandra, you were wrong. You were wrong to love Samuel Nolan." With that thought, she knelt with a thud against the stone step.

Then, she forced herself to stand and continue forward. Her body trembled from the cold, but her back remained straight. "I was wrong … I was wrong to beg him three times to marry me. In the end, I deserved this."

Back at the hospital, Samuel felt a sudden pang in his chest as he watched the live-stream. It was as if he was losing something precious. Nevertheless, he quickly dismissed the thought and told himself Cassandra had brought this upon herself. That punishment was already light. Otherwise, she would have gone to jail. He was doing her a favor.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong. If I could have another chance, I would never fall in love with you." Cassandra knelt again, her knee now bleeding profusely. The coldness of her body was nothing compared to the chill in her heart.

At the hospital, Samuel couldn't bear it any longer. He turned to leave, but Francesca suddenly grabbed his arm. "Sam, my stomach hurts! Can you call the doctor for me?" In the end, Samuel chose Francesca.

At the foot of the hill, Cassandra had no idea how long she had been kneeling. The steps stretched endlessly before her. Then, just as she lost her balance and was about to fall, a pair of hands caught her from behind.

A deep voice whispered in her ear, "Do you really love Samuel that much? Enough to destroy yourself for him?"

Cassandra had been in a coma for seven whole days. When she finally woke up, she learned that her uncle had saved her.

Samuel's family was just a tiny part of the Nolans, while Trevor Nolan was the head of the central family. She had seen him a few times as a child when she visited the main house with Samuel, but they had never really interacted. So, why did he suddenly appear to save her? Could it be that he also couldn't stand what the Nolans had done?

Cassandra's mind was a mess. Trevor had saved her and left, arranging for a caregiver to look after her. The caregiver told her that the baby was still there, but she couldn't take any more stress.

After everything that had happened, Cassandra was utterly heartbroken. She took out her phone, booked a plane ticket, and informed the doctor that she wanted to be discharged the next day.

She would go back tomorrow to pack her things. Her condition had stabilized, so the doctor didn't stop her. Cassandra wouldn't let this go so easily, but now was not the time for revenge.

The room Trevor had arranged for her was a VIP ward, the kind even Samuel couldn't get.

Cassandra sent Trevor a message thanking him and also asked if Samuel knew about her pregnancy. His response was cold. "No, he doesn't."

Cassandra let out a sigh of relief. She could take the child with her as long as he didn't know.

In the evening, Cassandra felt a bit hungry and wanted food from the stall outside the hospital. She went downstairs in her hospital gown. When she got there, there was only one pack of food left. Coincidentally, Samuel also arrived with Francesca.

In just a few days, Cassandra looked like someone who had suffered a miscarriage, while Francesca looked radiant and full of life.

"Cassandra, are you okay?" Samuel's expression was a little uneasy.

Cassandra replied flatly, "Thanks to you two, I managed to survive."

Samuel felt like she always ruined the mood. He was trying to show concern, but this woman just didn't appreciate it. "Cassandra, you have doctors taking care of you, but Francesca only has me. You don't have to be so sarcastic. If you hadn't done something wrong in the first place, none of this would've happened. You're spoiled because I indulged you too much."

"Take this as a lesson. Hopefully, you won't do something so self-destructive again." Samuel rattled off his accusations without a second thought.

Cassandra hadn't recovered her strength and didn't want to argue with him. She turned to the seller and said, "I'll take the food."

Yet Francesca tugged at the corner of Samuel's shirt, whining softly, "Sam, I want one too."

Samuel simply threw down a hundred dollars and snatched the food like a robber. "Francesca is still weak. It's just a snack, you can go without."

Samuel took Francesca away and Cassandra gave a bitter laugh. "But I haven't eaten all day."

She had initially planned to be discharged tomorrow, but the thought of staying in the same hospital as them made her sick to her stomach. So, she left that very night.

When she got home, she took down the wedding photo. Samuel had said he didn't like taking pictures, so they had never taken a photo together. It wasn't even a wedding photo, it was just her alone in the picture. She then cleaned the closet, throwing all her clothes and everything that belonged to her into the trash can.

She finally placed the divorce agreement inside the safe, along with her pregnancy report and a lucky charm for the baby. Once she was gone, she would tell Samuel about the pregnancy. He had the right to know, but he could never find her again.

Cassandra took only her ID card and passport, not even a suitcase. She placed the house key on the dining table. Then, she walked out and closed the door behind her.