It wasn't until the next day that Evren finally remembered my existence.

I was still lying in my hospital bed when I received his message. [I heard you only suffered some minor injuries. If you're feeling better today, come with me to Mount McKinley.]

"What for?" I replied.

"To check on our love lock—and maybe add a new one."

That single line rekindled a small, fragile spark of hope in my chest.

On the way there, Rosette sat in the front passenger seat as always.

The spot was practically her throne—complete with her custom vanity mirror, a plush rabbit seat cover, and her makeup neatly arranged in the compartment.

Evren once told me that Rosette was his "little sister," spoiled by everyone in the family, and that I, as her sister-in-law, shouldn't mind.

He also claimed that she got carsick easily and could only sit in the front.

Now, I realized what a joke that was. The truth was simple: no one—not even me—was ever allowed in that seat.

It belonged to her.

I lowered my head, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.

When we arrived at Mount McKinley, Evren told me to head up first while he stayed behind to "help Rosette settle."

After a few steps, I realized I'd forgotten my hiking pole and turned back.

That's when I heard them.

Evren's voice was soft, gentle—full of the tenderness I hadn't heard in a long time.

"Don't worry, Rosette. I'll cut off that love lock today. You won't have those nightmares again."

Her delicate voice followed, laced with fake worry. "What if Sister-in-law doesn't agree?"

He chuckled lightly. "Don't worry. I told her we're replacing it with a new one. Once it's cut, I'll just say I forgot to bring the new lock. Problem solved."

My breath caught in my throat. The hand holding my bag trembled.

So this was his plan all along.

To erase everything between us.

The lock I'd bought—the new one meant to symbolize a fresh start—suddenly felt like a cruel joke.

When we reached the mountaintop, Evren handed me the bolt cutter. His expression was calm, practiced.

I looked straight into his eyes, voice quivering.

"Do you still remember the vow you made that day?"

He paused for a moment, then nodded. "I remember..."

I exhaled slowly. The pain had dulled into a strange sort of clarity.

Back then, Evren had woken me at three in the morning so we could climb this mountain before sunrise.

He wanted to hang our lock at the very peak, where the first rays of light could bless it. He promised to love me for a lifetime—to never betray me.

And if he ever did, he swore, the day he cut that lock would be the day he walked naked down the entire mountain in penance.

Now, that oath felt like a cruel parody.

"Good," I whispered. "Then remember it well."

Click.

The sound of metal snapping echoed in the still air. Our love lock tumbled down the cliff, disappearing into the mist below.

I stood silently as Evren feigned regret, frowning as though he'd simply "forgotten" the new lock.

"Next time," he said softly, "I'll bring another one. We can hang it together."

I smiled calmly, almost serene. It was as if I had finally let go of every wound he'd ever given me.

"Evren," I said gently, "the lock is broken. Isn't it time you kept your promise?"

His face froze. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, under the chill of the mountain air, he began to undress.

Step by step, he walked down the slope, bare-chested in the biting wind.

Couples hiking nearby stopped to stare, some even snapping photos.

By evening, 'Johnson Corporation's CEO Walks Bare-Chested Down the Mountain' was trending across social media.

When we finally reached the base, Rosette's eyes brimmed with tears.

She rushed forward, draping her coat around his shoulders, her voice trembling with theatrical sorrow.

"It was just a mistake! Did you really make my brother go down like that? Don't you know it's freezing in the mountains? How could you be so heartless?"

Her words cut through the air like knives.

Evren stroked her hair, his tone tender. "Don't cry. I made that vow myself, so I had to honor it. As long as my little sister stops having nightmares, I'll do anything."

Rosette nodded pitifully, though the flicker of satisfaction in her eyes didn't escape me.

Neither of them looked my way.

On the drive back, Evren got a call from his assistant about a business banquet. He intended to decline—until Rosette started pouting.

In the end, he brought us both along.

"Leia," he said gently as we arrived, "you're pregnant. Don't move around too much. Stay here and rest. I'll take Rosette to greet a few people."

After they left, I sat quietly in a corner, trying to steady my breathing.

Then my father's message came through.

[Three days from now, I'll visit the Johnson Corporation to finalize the withdrawal.]

Almost immediately after, my lawyer texted as well. [Your divorce certificate will be processed in three days.]

The words brought a dull ache to my chest, but also a strange relief. It was almost over.

Feeling stifled by the crowd, I stepped outside for some air, drawn to the soft sound of the fountain beyond the hall.

But as I turned the corner, I froze.

In the dim light near the service corridor, I saw Rosette—speaking in a harsh whisper to a woman dressed in a janitor's uniform.

"I told you to stop showing up here!" Rosette hissed. "You're like a damn ghost haunting me! I'm already pregnant with the Johnson family's heir—do you really think I can't pay off Dad's gambling debt now?"

I stared wide-eyed in shock. I hadn't expected that Rosette had secretly found her own relatives behind the Johnson family's back—and was even using Evren to her advantage.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. The man who gave all his sincerity had been deceived all along.

When I quietly slipped away, I went straight home and arranged for two packed suitcases to be sent to my father's place in advance. Once the divorce certificate arrived in three days, I would finally be free of Evren—free from everything that tied me to him.

For three days, he didn't come home. Not a single call, not even a text.

Then, around four in the morning on the third day, my phone buzzed beside the bed. It was him.

[There's a Johnson family banquet today. Come with me. I'll wait for you at the old residence.]

For a long moment, I couldn't believe my eyes. After all this time—after dreaming for years of being acknowledged by the Johnson family—was it really happening now, just as I was about to leave?

Tears welled in my eyes. That small, stubborn part of me that still longed for hope made me put on a yellow evening gown and go to the Johnson estate.

The moment I arrived, Rosette blocked my way. Her gaze swept over me with open disdain.

"Analeia, I can't believe you're actually this shameless. One text message and you came running? You really thought you could step into the Johnson family's house?"

My brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"That message was from me," she sneered. "I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to fall for it."

She grabbed me roughly by the arm and dragged me down a deserted hallway, stopping in a quiet corner. A full glass of red wine splashed down my hair and dress, the liquid dripping cold against my skin.

"Stay here and watch," she said smugly. "Watch how I get my name written into the Johnson family registry."

I clenched my fists, turning to leave—but then I saw Evren walking onto the stage, supporting his father. He smiled as he looked at Rosette, his eyes filled with warmth I hadn't seen in years.

He invited her to join him on stage, publicly declaring her as the only woman he would ever recognize as his wife.

Then came the "fortune reading." Everyone held their breath as the tarot cards were revealed—three cards of misfortune. Evren's smile faltered; he frowned, clearly displeased.

Without hesitation, he drew three new cards from the deck and flipped them over—each one an omen of good fortune.

"Rosette is carrying my child," he said firmly. "Since she's the one I've chosen, luck or fate means nothing."

Applause erupted across the hall. None of them knew that I was already married to Evren. After all, I had never been invited to a single family banquet, never had a wedding.

Now I understood—Evren could break every family rule for the woman he loved. He just never loved me.

Covered in red wine stains, I slipped out through the back door, planning to leave quietly. But near the corridor, I overheard Evren speaking to his father.

"What about Analeia? She'll see the engagement news tomorrow. You haven't divorced her yet."

"Don't worry, Dad. I've been too busy with the banquet to go home. Once it's over, I'll talk to her. She loves me too much to resist anything I say. After I marry Rosette, I'll still keep Analeia outside. No one will ever find out."

"What about her father's investment?"

"I'll smooth things over—say a few nice words, buy some gifts. She won't dare tell him anything."

I stood frozen in the shadows, my whole body trembling. Tears streamed down my face, hot and endless.

When I finally stepped out of the Johnson estate, my father's car was already waiting.

Before leaving, I sent a final message to Evren.

[Congratulations on your engagement.]

Attached was a photo of our freshly issued divorce certificate.

As the car pulled away, I rolled down the window and looked one last time at the gates I had once dreamed of walking through. A small, bitter smile tugged at my lips.

I took off my wedding ring and tossed it out the window—along with my broken SIM card.

Just then, Evren came running out of the house, his face pale and frantic. For a second, our gaze met.

His eyes were filled with anger and confusion. "Analeia!"