Emeric’s disappointment flickered for only a moment before vanishing completely. His gaze softened as he looked at me.

“It’s okay, Flora. As long as it’s you, it doesn’t matter whether we have children or not. If we can’t have a child… then I’ll just spoil you like my own daughter, alright?”

“You must be exhausted. Get some rest. Tomorrow is Mom’s birthday—we’ll need to go back to the family estate.”

With that, he pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, adjusted the lights to a soft, warm glow and quietly left the room.

Soon, the soft melody of my favorite music drifted in from the living room.

These little things—small, seemingly insignificant details—Emeric always got them just right, as if he could read my heart.

To go to such lengths for a woman he could never have… carefully indulging another woman he didn’t even love.

I never knew someone could love so deeply, so painfully.

It’s just that the person he loved… was never me.

I glanced at the email inbox on my screen, at the invitation letter from San Mirren University that had arrived two weeks ago.

Without hesitation, I drafted a reply accepting the offer. Then, I booked a flight for three days later.

When it was all done, I let out a quiet breath of relief.

Since that love was never meant for me—then I would simply choose to walk away.

The next morning, when I woke up, Emeric was already gone.

Breakfast was neatly set on the dining table, accompanied by a handwritten note:

[Baby, I’ve gone to the family estate. Make sure to eat. Don’t worry—I’ll stand by you in front of Mom and Dad.]

I glanced around the house, my gaze landing on the most conspicuous spot in the living room.

The cello that had always been there—gone.

Noticing the thick layer of dust that had settled underneath, I turned and grabbed a mop from the washroom to clean it.

The moment the mop touched the floor, I noticed something—one of the tiles was slightly lifted at the edge.

Emeric and I had personally overseen every detail of this house’s renovation. There was no way such a flaw could exist.

Frowning, I crouched down and pried at the loose tile. The moment it came off, I saw it—a small, carefully wrapped voice recorder.

I pressed the play button.

A deep, melancholic cello melody filled the air. And then, over the music, came Emeric’s hoarse, low voice.

[Marie, today is your wedding day… My heart aches. Consider this piece my blessing for you.]

[Marie, she asked me to play for her again today. But I promised you—I would only ever play for you. She doesn’t deserve to listen.]

[Marie, she treats me so well… But I have never once regretted what I did to her. As long as you’re happy, I would do anything.]

At that moment, I finally understood.

No wonder Emeric always found ways to refuse whenever I begged him to play a song for me. The cello in our home—it had never been for me. It had always been for Marie.

And now, he had taken it with him. Most likely, he was bringing it to the family estate… to play a song for Marie, one she loved.

The Jacob brothers—one wore his love openly, the other hid it in silence. But in the end, all of it belonged to Marie.

As I made my way to the family estate, memories of the kidnapping crashed over me like an unrelenting tide.

Three days and three nights of torment at the hands of those men.

By the time I was rescued, my chest was nothing but raw, mangled flesh. The blood that had soaked through my clothes had dried, fusing fabric to skin. When the doctors tore it away, it took my flesh with it.

Even now, just the memory of that pain was enough to send cold sweat trickling down my back.

Everything that happened during those three days had been recorded—spread across Mirrencourt before the night was even over.

To this day, I still wake up gasping from nightmares.

Despite everything I had endured, Emeric felt no remorse. Not even a trace of it.

“Madam, we’ve arrived…” The driver’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

Only then did I realize that cold sweat had once again soaked through my clothes.

I wanted to sit in the car for a moment, to steady myself before stepping out—but before I could, Belize’s sharp voice cut through the air.

“Milo! Didn’t I tell you to use the side entrance? Do you ever learn? If anyone sees this, I’ll dock your entire month’s salary!”

Then, she turned to me, her lips curling into a sneer.

“What are you still sitting there for? Does a woman tainted by countless men have any dignity to uphold? Next time, make sure the driver takes the back entrance.”

To the Jacob family, my presence was nothing but a disgrace. Especially to Emeric’s mother, Belize.

In the past, the only thing that gave me the strength to step into this house was Emeric.

But now, as the elegant, flowing notes of the cello drifted from the hall, I felt the last bit of hope wither inside me.

As if sensing the commotion outside, Emeric and Marie suddenly appeared in the doorway.

Marie’s eyes lit up when she saw me. She quickly rushed forward, linking her arm through mine with a bright smile.

"Flora, how lucky you are! You came just in time! Emeric’s cello playing is absolutely breathtaking. It’s a shame Remi isn’t here to hear it. Come inside! Let’s have Emeric play another piece for us."

I turned to look at Emeric. For a brief moment, I saw a flicker of resistance flashed through his deep, unreadable eyes.

"Let’s not, Flora," he said lightly. "Dinner will be served soon—let the cello rest for now."

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. So, even with a third person present… I was still not allowed to hear him play.

The birthday banquet began soon after.

Before all the dishes had even been served, my mother-in-law’s cold voice rang again.

"Doctor Lacan has already sent me your medical report. He confirmed that you can no longer have children. This is the result of your own carelessness—so tell me, what do you plan to do now? My son can’t be tied down by you forever. Find a time to finalize the divorce."

So much had happened in the past few days, yet her words still sent a violent tremor through my body.

Beside me, Emeric silently slipped off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. He let out a soft sigh, his voice calm and measured.

"Mom, is this really the time for that? Flora is still young—I’ll figure something out. Besides, don’t you still have Marie? She and my brother are practically inseparable. It’s only a matter of time before they give you the grandson you’ve been waiting for."

At his words, Marie immediately latched onto Belize’s arm, laughing sweetly.

"That’s right, Mom! Remi and I are working hard at it every day…" A rosy blush crept up her cheeks as she spoke.

From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Emeric. He was staring at Marie as he downed his drink in one swift motion, an overwhelming sadness darkening his gaze.

Throughout the entire dinner, Belize was completely captivated by Marie’s sweet words and doting gestures, basking in the attention without a care for anything else.

I was finally able to finish a meal in peace.

After dinner, Belize gestured toward the table full of leftovers and cold dishes, her gaze sharp as she looked at me.

“The Jacobs don’t support dead weight. A hen that can’t lay eggs should at least know her place. Clean this up! Just looking at your sickly face irritates me—what awful luck.”

Emeric was already drunk, so naturally, no one spoke up for me.

I nodded quietly and got up to clear the table.

Meanwhile, Marie clung sweetly to Belize’s arm as they walked away together.

Just before leaving, she put on an innocent expression and asked, feigning curiosity, “Mom, how badly does someone have to ruin themselves to end up unable to have children? Tsk, tsk… poor Flora.”

A scalding tear landed on the back of my hand.

As I looked at the discarded scraps and cold leftovers on the table, I saw myself in them—unwanted, tossed aside.

By the time I had finished cleaning everything, night had already fallen.

I never spent the night at the Jacob family estate—Emeric knew that.

After wiping my hands clean, I headed upstairs to call him home. But just as I reached the guest room, I froze.

His voice strained yet raw with anguish drifted through the cracked door.

"Marie, when Mom asked us to divorce today, I almost said yes. But I couldn't. If I let you go, my brother might cast you aside without a second thought. And Marie... I can't stand it. It hurts too much..."

The door wasn’t fully closed. Through the narrow gap, I saw Emeric curled up against Marie, sobbing like a child who had lost his dearest treasure.

She held him gently, soothing him with quiet whispers. Then, as if to erase his sorrow, she slipped off her coat and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips.

"Emeric, I know you're hurting. Now that I’m your sister-in-law, this is the only way I can make it up to you. Whatever I owe you, I’ll find a way to repay it. I swear."

In an instant, the cold guest room was consumed by something feverish, moans of passion.

Emeric seized her with the desperate hunger of a man at war with his own heart. "No, Marie, you don’t owe me anything. There's nothing to repay. I love you—I do this willingly, for you..."

I couldn't bear to listen. Biting my lip to keep from crying out, I turned and fled, shame and humiliation clawing at my throat.

The Jacobs had strict rules for women. Without Emeric, I wasn’t allowed to leave the estate at night.

But after what I had just witnessed...

I could no longer face Emeric with indifference.

So, I sat on the bench in the estate’s garden, waiting for dawn to break.

That night, the bedroom Emeric’s mother had prepared for us remained dark.

But from the guest room I had just passed, the sounds of passion—breathless murmurs and fevered whispers—did not cease for even a moment.

At sunrise, Marie found me in the garden.

The moment she saw me, she yanked down the neckline of her silk nightgown, exposing a trail of deep, unmistakable kiss marks.

"Flora, looks like Emeric really finds you disgusting. He won’t even touch you." Her lips curled into a smirk. "Did you see how desperate he was last night?"

Her gaze flickered with amusement as she tilted her head.

"You know, that video wasn’t all that clear. I’d love to get a closer look. They say your chest was practically covered in bite marks. Was it thrilling?"

Before I could react, she grabbed my collar and yanked it down. A wave of humiliation crashed over me.

I shoved Marie away, spinning on my heel to leave, but before I could take more than half a step, I collided straight into Emeric’s chest.

Marie stumbled backward, landing on the ground with a thud.

Without hesitation, Emeric shoved me aside and rushed to her, concern clouding his eyes. "Marie, what happened?"

Tears shimmered in Marie’s eyes as she looked up at Emeric.

"I just wanted to check Flora’s wounds. I have a friend who specializes in scar treatment—I thought maybe I could help her. But before I could even say a word, she shoved me away…" her voice trembled.

Emeric gently brushed the dirt off Marie’s clothes, then turned to me. His tone was colder than I had ever heard before.

"Flora, why do you always have to act like this with Marie? The past is over—you can’t keep using your pain as an excuse to lash out at everyone. You act like a wounded animal, stabbing anyone who gets too close. Marie has done nothing but try to help you. What has she done to deserve this?"

Without waiting for a response, he scooped Marie into his arms.

As he passed me, I saw his glare got sharper than ever. "I’m taking Marie to the hospital. You can drive yourself home."

Without further ado, he carried her away.

Once Emeric was gone, I quietly slipped out through the back door.

As expected, Belize remained indifferent—she had never cared to begin with.