Calista woke to a sharp, throbbing pain.

The smell of disinfectant filled her nose, and the bright fluorescent light overhead made her eyes ache. She instinctively lifted her hand to shield her eyes, but the movement tugged at the IV needle on the back of her hand, and a sharp hiss escaped her lips.

The nurse was changing her dressing and sighed with relief when she saw her awake. "You're finally awake. Who could hate you enough to do this? Two bottles were smashed over your head, and it took over 30 stitches to close the wounds."

Calista reflexively touched her bandaged head and asked in a raspy voice, "Where is the person who brought me here?"

"If you mean your friend, she stayed by your side all night but had to leave for a business emergency. She asked me to tell you that she hired a caregiver to look after you," the nurse replied.

Calista froze for a moment. She realized that the person who rushed her to the hospital wasn't even Theodore. She wondered where he could possibly be.

She reached for her phone, and as her fingers brushed the screen, an Instagram story from Aveline popped up. The caption read, "Theodore still knows exactly how to make me feel better."

In the video, Aveline held out her hand and pouted. "Look, I even cut my index finger while smashing those bottles."

The camera cut to Theodore crouching in front of her. His long, slender fingers held a bandage, which he carefully pressed onto her fingertip. He then lowered his head and pressed a restrained kiss to her finger, his voice low and husky. "There. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Calista stared at the screen, feeling as if the wound on her head had been ripped open again and doused with a bottle of alcohol. The phantom pain was so sharp it left her fingertips numb.

She took a deep breath and dialed 911. "Hello, I'd like to report an assault."

…

That night, Theodore pushed open the hospital room door. He was dressed in a black trench coat, his expression grim with a flicker of anger hidden in his eyes. "Did you call the police and accuse Aveline of intentional injury?"

Calista looked him straight in the eye. "Yes. What she did was intentional assault, and it's serious enough to press criminal charges."

Theodore's voice was deep, his brows furrowed with displeasure. "It was wrong for her to hit you in anger, but I've already punished her. This matter is settled."

Calista let out a cold laugh. "Punished her? How exactly did you punish her?"

Theodore replied, "She has a volatile temperament, so I grounded her for the day."

Calista froze for a moment before bursting into laughter, laughing so hard that her wounds ached. "I got over 30 stitches, and you only grounded her for a day? Theodore, did you keep her from leaving the house to punish her, or were you secretly protecting her because you were afraid that I'd go after her?"

Theodore's expression darkened. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course it was a punishment.

"I've already had the police drop the charges. There's no point in reporting it to other stations—no one in all of Jorville would take this case."

Calista gripped the bedsheets tightly, her nails nearly digging into her palms.

There were countless things she wanted to say, but in the end, all she could do was ask, "Theodore, in the six years I've spent chasing after you, what exactly did you think of me? Since you don't care about me, why did you even marry me?"

Theodore's frown deepened. "Who said that I don't care about you?"

After a pause, he continued, "That's enough. Let this end here. I'll stay at the hospital to look after you for the next few days, and I'll compensate you once you're discharged. Stop making a scene."

He spoke as if he were granting her some magnificent favor.

Calista suddenly found it laughable. And yet, she realized that it was true. In the past, she had always been the one chasing him—chasing him to tell him she loved him, chasing him to be with her, chasing him to bed.

He had never taken the initiative. Now that he chose to stay on his own, it truly felt like a tremendous favor.

Over the next few days, Theodore stayed at the hospital to care for Calista as promised.

He arrived on time every day, brought her light meals, and changed her dressings. He would even silently hold her hand when she woke up from the pain in the middle of the night.

The Calista she used to be would have been overjoyed, but now her heart felt utterly desolate. She realized that although she had loved him for six years, letting go took only an instant.

On the day of Calista's discharge, she reached the parking lot only to find Aveline sitting in Theodore's car. Upon spotting her, Aveline shot her a sidelong glance, her expression sour.

Theodore frowned. "Ave, did you forget what I told you before?"

Aveline bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears as she murmured a reluctant apology, "Calista, I'm sorry. I acted too impulsively. Ever since Theodore married you, he's refused to see me for years. He devoted all his attention to you, so I took my anger out on you. I won't do it again."

Theodore turned to Calista and said calmly, "Ave wants to stay at our place for a few days. You two should try to get along from now on."

On the drive back, Theodore and Aveline sat in the front.

Calista leaned against the window, silently watching the scenery blur past. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Theodore's profile. He had always been composed and restrained, yet now his gaze kept drifting toward Aveline.

Aveline looked down at her phone and suddenly giggled. "Theodore, look at this guy. Isn't he handsome? He just added me on Snapchat."

Theodore's fingers tightened instantly around the steering wheel, his voice dropping to a low, cold tone. "Delete him."

Aveline pouted. "Why? I'm in my 20s. Am I not allowed to date?"

His tone left no room for argument. "I said delete him."

Aveline pursed her lips but still obediently deleted the contact. She muttered under her breath, "Theodore, you're stricter than a boyfriend."

Theodore remained silent, yet Calista noticed the tension in his jaw and realized that he was jealous.

After they returned home, Calista skipped dinner and went straight to her room.

She heard the clatter of dishes, Aveline's giggles, and the lingering romantic background music of a movie drifting in from beyond the door. In the two years of her marriage to Theodore, she had never experienced such warmth in their house. She buried herself under the covers, her heart aching.

After a while, the sounds outside gradually faded. Thirsty, Calista got up to pour herself some water, but she froze the moment she opened her door.

Moonlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Theodore crouched beside the couch, silently watching the sleeping Aveline. He had always seemed as untouchable as a god, yet in that moment, he was gazing at his own deity.

Aveline suddenly stirred and sleepily wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice soft and sweet. "Theodore, don't leave me. You're the only one who cares about me."

She unconsciously pulled his head down, and their lips met accidentally.

Theodore's pupils dilated as his breathing turned uneven in an instant. In the next second, as if his final thread of restraint had snapped, he could no longer hold back and leaned down to kiss her passionately.

Moonlight spilled across the living room floor like a gentle stream.

Standing behind the door, Calista peered through the cracked opening and watched Theodore lean down to kiss Aveline. His breathing was uneven, his long fingers gripping her waist tightly, as if six years of restraint were finally breaking free.

"Ave…" he called her name in a low, hoarse voice, filled with a tenderness Calista had never heard before.

After a moment, Theodore snapped back to his senses and gently wiped the moisture from the corners of Aveline's lips with his thumb. He slid the rosary back onto his wrist and once again became the distant, chaste man.

Calista dug her fingernails deep into her palms, the sharp pain barely keeping her grounded. She pivoted sharply, closed the door without a sound, and buried herself beneath the blanket.

Outside the room, the sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance. She knew Theodore had gone to the prayer room again.

She closed her eyes as memories of her countless attempts to seduce him over the years flooded back.

She recalled wearing provocative lingerie and "accidentally" falling while he recited scriptures, yet he had caught her firmly using his prayer book. She had deliberately brought him a towel while he bathed, but he wrapped himself securely before opening the door.

She even pretended to be drunk and leaned into him, yet he simply pushed her away with a single finger on her forehead.

Theodore had always remained unmoved, making all her efforts seem futile. Yet she realized now that for the person he truly loved, even a single word could make him lose control.

Tears streamed down Calista's face, but she quickly wiped them away.

She told herself that it didn't matter. It wasn't as if she was unwanted. From now on, he could love his adoptive sister, and she would seek her own happiness.

…

When Calista woke up the next morning, Theodore and Aveline were already having breakfast.

Aveline touched her lips and muttered, "Theodore, are there mosquitoes in your house? Why are my lips swollen this morning?"

Theodore paused for a moment, his voice low. "I'll have the housekeeper bring you some ointment later."

Calista took the gift box Theodore handed her and opened it. Inside was an antique worth over a hundred million dollars. Her lips curled into a faint smile, and her tone held a hint of sarcasm. "You really spared no expense."

Aveline leaned in to take a look, her voice tinged with jealousy. "Theodore, I had no idea that you were so generous to Calista. I thought you were just a stiff, old-fashioned man who only cared about prayers and didn't know how to spoil his wife."

Calista looked up at Theodore and saw his gaze dim slightly. He seemed to have no intention of explaining that the gift was meant to make up for Aveline injuring her head.

In truth, he never cared about her preferences and certainly never bothered to put any thought into choosing gifts for her.

He uttered a brief acknowledgment before standing up. "I have things to attend to at the office. I'm leaving."

Before leaving, he glanced at Aveline, his voice deepening slightly. "Behave yourself at home. You can go anywhere in the villa except the prayer room."

Aveline looked puzzled. "Why?"

Theodore casually made up an excuse to brush it off, but Calista knew that it was because the prayer room held his deepest desires.

After finishing breakfast, Calista returned to her room, unwilling to stay in the same space as Aveline. When she woke from her nap, she found her long hair cut into uneven, jagged clumps.

Calista rushed out and saw Aveline sitting on the couch, smiling as she braided something using Calista's severed locks. Calista understood the situation instantly.

Her voice trembled. "Did you cut my hair?"

Aveline looked up and smiled calmly. "Yeah. I need to make a handicraft for school, and I'm planning on making a wig."

She waved the strands of hair in her hand. "Your hair color is the best. It's so dark and shiny."

A chill ran through Calista. She couldn't hold back any longer and lunged forward, slapping Aveline hard.