Cecelia slid down the cold wall with her back against it, her body losing strength until she sat on the floor. The floor was spotless, but it felt icy to the bone.

The faint laughter from the private room stung her heart. All those sweet recollections turned into the cruelest of mockery, tearing apart every cherished memory and all her feelings.

She realized she had been living a carefully crafted deception. Francis used their marriage and her love just to protect the woman he truly cared about.

Cecelia stumbled her way home, empty and numb. She simply let the grief and sense of betrayal tear her apart.

-

A few days passed.

Cecelia's phone chimed, and she almost grabbed and unlocked it on instinct.

It was Melody's latest post on her social media, published fifteen minutes ago. No words, just a live photo.

In the warm light of a fancy restaurant, there's a man's hand, pouring red wine for her; a shiny ring is visible on his finger.

In the comments, Melody had added a clarification.

[I landed safely! Nothing feels better than being picked up by people you know! Thank you for waiting with me for three hours!]

So, the important "international acquisition case" that kept him from coming home was really just an excuse to pick up Melody at the airport.

His promise to "spend time with her after work was done" was just a way to soothe Cecelia so he could be there for the woman he actually wanted!

Cecelia's heart became completely cold.

Even her own self-denial was snuffed out by this image.

She wanted to leave!

The thought of leaving had never been so clear or so overwhelming in her mind.

She opened the appointment app on her phone. The earliest date to get a new passport was in seven working days.

There was still time.

Next, she went to the private women's hospital app and stared at the option for "termination of pregnancy."

"Confirm appointment." A cold green notification appeared on the screen.

Cecelia lifted her hand and placed it gently on her belly.

This had been her hope for the future, but now, with all of Francis's lies, all her hopes were in ruins. 'I'm sorry, baby. I can't bring you into a world of lies and manipulation. I can't let you have…a father like this.'

And as for the real culprit behind her father's death, Cecelia would never let her get away.

At the hospital, the doctor looked at her report and sighed. "Mrs. Rivera, the car accident caused severe damage to your pelvis. Being able to get pregnant on its own is already quite a miracle. If you go through with this surgery, well… You may never be able to have a child again."

May never be able to have a child again.

Those words hit Cecelia like a hammer, shattering what little strength she had left.

A sense of hesitation and tenderness as a mother unexpectedly emerged.

Her child… The only child she might ever have… Was she really going to end this miracle herself?

Cecelia left the hospital through the main door in a stupor.

The afternoon sunlight was harsh, and she lowered her head to avoid it. By chance, she caught sight of a giant LED screen on the street corner showing an entertainment news update.

The screen was crystal clear as the camera focused on a charity gala.

Francis stood tall and straight in a perfectly tailored dark suit. He was listening to Melody as he turned to her, who smiled beside him as she talked. She wore a stunning red dress, her makeup impeccable, gazing up at him with trust and admiration.

Standing together, they were the perfect match.

The news ticker below scrolled by like poison.

"Up-and-coming legal superstar Francis Rivera attends charity night with top celebrity Melody Green!"

"Childhood sweethearts with a strong tie! A perfect couple admired by all!"

The netizens commented, "This is what a real power couple looks like! I'm obsessed!"

As for her, the so-called "Mrs. Rivera" didn't exist to anyone in the world Francis constructed.

Cecelia's stomach wriggled. She held onto a cold streetlamp, wanting to throw up—but all that came out was some stomach acid. It felt like someone had forced a huge, icy stone into her chest, and it was so heavy she could barely breathe.

Of course.

She was nothing but a shield for her father's killer.

Nothing but a pathetic joke.

When Cecelia finally dragged herself home, it was already dark.

To her surprise, the lights were on in the living room. Francis was actually home.

When he saw her come home, he set down his tablet and got up to greet her. He reached out naturally to take her bag. "You're back. Why do you look so pale?"

She dodged his hand, her voice dry. "Where's Melody?"

Francis froze for a second, then explained, "Oh, Melody just got back from overseas. She said she didn't have anyone to go with her to a dinner event, and I happened to be free, so I went to give her a hand.

"Her new apartment still smells from the renovations, and staying in a hotel isn't convenient, so I let her stay at the villa in the countryside for a few days. You know, it's tough for her to be on her own, especially since she was a public figure…"

He trailed off, watching Cecelia for her reaction before adding, "Don't worry, it's only for a few days. She'll be gone soon."

"She's staying at the villa? In the countryside?" Cecelia's head snapped up, her voice trembling.

"That's our marital home, Francis! We picked it out together, decorated it together! You didn't even ask me before letting her stay there?"

Every piece of furniture and every detail carried her hopes and dreams for their marriage and future.

However, they bought a small apartment downtown for the sake of Francis's work. Cecelia had never complained, always willing to move back and forth for him.

And now, he had let another woman walk right in and take over the only place that still felt like home to her, just like that.

A flash of annoyance flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by deep disappointment.

"Melody's just staying in the guest room for a few days. We grew up together, and her family helped me a lot back then. Now that she needs help, of course I'm going to give her a hand. You don't have to be so jealous."

"Jealous?" Tears welled up in Cecilia's eyes, but she forced them back through sheer will. That sounded like the worst joke she had ever heard.

The cold that filled her heart spread to every part of her body, leaving even her fingertips numb.

She looked at this man who was once so familiar yet now so distant, and saw nothing but disappointment in his eyes.

It was as if she were the unreasonable and narrow-minded one. Every bit of anger, pain, and resentment was suspended in that look of his.

Cecelia didn't even have the strength to argue.

In his mind, even this little bit of emotion was a mistake.

The night grew late.

After his shower, Francis got into bed, thinking Cecelia was still angry at him. He pulled her into his arms from behind, trying to tease her in the sweet voice he always used. Suddenly, his phone lit up in the dark.

It was a call from Melody.

He quickly got out of bed.

Cecelia could vaguely hear his deliberately lowered but still gentle voice.

"Melody? What's wrong? The villa's too big and you're scared? Alright, don't worry, I'll come over right now…"

His footsteps faded, and the master bedroom door was quietly pushed open. He came over, leaned down, and pressed a kiss to Cecelia's forehead, his breath warm.

"Something came up at work. I must go handle it. Don't wait up. Get some sleep."

He softly closed the door, and his footsteps faded into the distance.

In the darkness, Cecelia lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling. That kiss on her forehead was still burning.

Her feelings as a wife, and even her existence, meant nothing before Melody.

Cecelia suddenly got up, then pulled out her suitcase. She didn't touch any of the expensive clothes or jewelry Francis had given her. She just packed her own things one by one, silently and carefully.

After she had finished, she put the suitcase in the closet. She then sat back down on the cold bed and waited for the sky outside the window to slowly turn bright.

The first light of morning crept through the heavy curtains. Francis hadn't come home all night.

Cecelia walked barefoot across the cold floor to the corner of the study, walking to a place she rarely entered, and stopped in front of Francis's safe.

Without thinking, she tried the date of Melody's birthday as the password.

Click.

The lock opened.

Her heart clenched, like she was torturing herself on purpose.

There was no cash inside the safe, just a single brown file folder and a photo album. Cecelia opened the folder first. It was an investigation report about her father's car accident.

As she skimmed the cold words on the paper, a few key lines stood out and seared into their mind.

"…Upon review, the driver's blood alcohol content far exceeded the threshold for driving under the influence…"

All the documents and evidence were there, complete.

Cecelia's fingers shook violently as she held the papers, her knuckles straining under the pressure. Francis had used his expertise and power to carefully fake evidence, clearing the real culprit of all criminal charges.

Melody, who was driving under the influence.

All just to protect the bright future of his precious childhood friend.

Before he died, her father had held Francis's hand, his eyes cloudy but full of hope. "Fran… I'm leaving Celia to you… Take care of her…for life…"

Francis had knelt by the bed, eyes red, his voice choked but determined. "Don't worry, sir! I swear, I'll protect her with my life. I will never let her down!"

The promise still echoed in her ears.

But the one he protected was the person who killed her father! The one he refused to let down was Melody!

The crash that stole her only family and changed her entire life was nothing but a problem that might affect the career of his so-called childhood friend.

A tidal wave of grief and absurdity swallowed Cecelia whole.

Her chest was cramped with pain as she held it tightly, but the taste of blood still filled her throat. She numbly copied and photographed every piece of evidence.

Then, she picked up the photo album from the safe and opened it. It was full of photos of Francis and Melody, from their school days up until now. In every photo, Melody leaned into Francis, her smile bright and happy.

The most recent one was from just last month, even. The background was a beach at a foreign resort. Melody wore a revealing bikini, arms wrapped around Francis's neck, planting a clear kiss on his cheek.

He didn't push her away or look annoyed. Rather, he had turned toward her slightly, lips forming a smile, his eyes filled with an indulgence Cecelia had never seen before.

Her heart felt like it was being pierced again and again, until all that was left was a gaping, frozen hole.

At this moment, every suspicion and every pain was confirmed in the cruelest way possible.

This home now felt like a prison.

Using the last of her strength, she went to her studio downtown. That was the only space left that was truly hers.

However, Cecelia had just sat down when a commotion broke out outside.