After seeing the elder lady off, I walked back in a daze. From around the corner came the admiring voices of young nurses.

"Miss Yates is so lucky. Just a minor reconstructive surgery and her boyfriend has booked the entire VIP floor to be with her every step of the way!"

"Don't talk nonsense!" the older nurse scolded. "That's Dr. Yager's husband!"

The young nurse gasped. "Dr. Yager just lost her child and her husband is already so high and mighty with his mistress!"

"It's worse," the older nurse said indignantly. "He personally picks up her medication three times a day, passing Dr. Yager's room each time, yet he's never once gone inside!"

I walked past expressionlessly, but my feet involuntarily turned towards the elevator.

In the top-floor ward, I could see Wanda coquettishly hand her half-eaten mousse to August.

I remembered clearly that he had severe mysophobia. Once, just because I tasted a bite while cooking, he disgustedly threw away the entire table of food. Yet now, he naturally took the spoon Wanda had used and finished the mousse she had left behind.

I took all of this in, but felt nothing inside except numbness.

"Dr. Yager, what are you doing here?" The nurse's voice rang out abruptly.

Startled, Wanda began to cough. August hurriedly patted her back. "Apologize," he said unpleasantly.

The nurse quickly said, "I'm sorry! I … "

"I wasn't talking to you," he interrupted with a dark expression. "Eleanor, you scared Wanda. Apologize!"

A strange flicker passed through August's eyes and his frown deepened. As his lips parted slightly, Wanda suddenly cut in, "It's not Dr. Yager's fault. I'm just too clumsy."

The wrinkles between August's brows instantly smoothed out. He gently pinched her nose, "You really are a little fool."

I was about to leave when I was called back.

"Don't run around right after giving birth," he said with a hint of disgust. "If you're so healthy, take the baby home as soon as possible."

The nurse hesitated. "But your baby … "

"I know," I interrupted her, leaving without looking back.

At dawn two days later, I went through the discharge procedures alone.

When I returned, the house was empty. I gently pushed open a door and the warm colors instantly brightened my vision.

Every detail in this nursery was arranged by my own hands. Beige wallpaper, cloud-shaped chandelier—everything was exactly what August and I had dreamed of.

Back then, we were crammed into my rented apartment and he twirled a strand of my hair and said, "From now on, our home will be decorated entirely in the warm colors you love."

But later, our home became as cold as a tomb.

In this entire house, only this room retained a trace of warmth.

Now, the once cozy nursery was a mess. A glaring lace bra lay on the waterbed and curly long hairs were tangled on a little cat-eared hat. The scent of intimacy lingered heavily in the air.

My stomach churned, so I rushed into the bathroom and threw up violently.

After washing my face, I threw away the waterbed and packed the baby's things.

"Just give Mommy four more days, baby," I whispered, burying my face in a soft yellow onesie. "Mommy will take you away from here and we'll never come back."

As dawn broke, a fragrant aroma wafted in.

Following the scent into the kitchen, I saw August standing at the stove, an apron tied around his waist.

He used to despise the smell of oil and smoke. Back then, if my cooking left even a hint of scent, he wouldn't let me sit at the same table.

Yet now he was fully focused on the stove, with several failed pots of soup lined up beside him.

When he saw me, his eyes immediately lit up. "You're just in time! Come try this!"

I walked over as if possessed and took a taste from the spoon he held out to my lips.

The flavor was very ordinary, but it warmed me up completely.

This soup was my mother's specialty, a taste of home I had mentioned to August many times.

"It's delicious," I heard myself say.

"That's wonderful!" he exclaimed with relief. "Wanda said she wanted this soup yesterday and I failed several times, almost disappointing her."

My body instantly turned cold and the soup I swallowed felt like a lump in my throat.

August was in high spirits, casually asking while sprinkling scallions, "Where's the child?"

I lowered my eyes. "At Grandma's."

Before he could say anything more, I had already walked away to get a document.

August raised an eyebrow. "Bringing up the child to ask for a reward again? What do you want to buy this time?"

"A burial plot," I said calmly. "Please sign this."

He paused, his tone unusually gentle. "So you know about your mother's passing? Where did you choose for the burial plot?"

As he spoke, he took the document and started to open it. I was about to stop him when his phone rang.

Later, Wanda's sweet, coquettish voice came through. "August, have you left yet?"

"Right away," August replied, a smile in his eyes. "Miss me?"

He flirted with her while mouthing, "We'll talk about it when I get back."

"No," I grabbed his wrist. "Sign it now."

August's face darkened. "Don't push your luck!"

He was always cautious, meticulously reviewing documents before signing and my insistence went against his principles.

In the past, I would have apologized immediately. But this time, I stubbornly refused to let go.

We locked eyes for a long moment until Wanda's voice sounded again. "August?"

Her single prompt made him compromise instantly. For the first time, he didn't read a single word and signed hastily.

"Satisfied?" that man sneered. He threw the document at me, packed up the soup and slammed the door as he left.

I clutched the document tightly and slowly crouched down. In truth, Julie had already helped me arrange my mother's funeral affairs. What he had just signed was our divorce agreement.

A long time later, my phone vibrated.

A post from Wanda popped up. [I just mentioned it casually and the next day, someone made it happen for me!]

The accompanying photo was that very bowl of soup. The first instant like came from August, someone who rarely checked social media and had never once liked any of my posts.

Just as I was about to swipe away, Julie's message popped up. [Eleanor, today is the day of the child's cremation. Do you need me to pick you up?]

I declined her offer and drove to the crematorium.

Seeing that I was alone, the old lady asked, "Where's August?"

I shook my head. "I didn't tell him."

The baby was my child and had nothing to do with August. In three days, I would also have no further connection to him.

The old lady was furious. "This is his child, too! Didn't he even ask about it once?"

She took out her phone to call August, but couldn't get through. Meanwhile, my phone buzzed.

August texted me. [Why is Grandma calling me? Did you complain to her again?]

In our chat history, which contained 19,277 messages I had sent him over five years, he had replied only 82 times. This was the first message he had ever initiated and it was to blame me.

Subsequently, his messages popped up one after another.

[If Grandma causes trouble for Wanda, I won't let you off the hook.]

[I was just helping Wanda out.]

[If you want soup, I'll make it for you later.]

[Stop making a scene.]

I pressed the power button quietly, expressionless.

Soon, a staff member walked over and asked, "Are the two of you ready?"

My throat felt tight, but I nodded.

The moment the child was placed into the cremation furnace, my phone suddenly began buzzing incessantly.

It was a call from August.

My finger hovered over the 'end call' button for a long while, yet it never quite fell. In the end, I still answered the phone.

"What are you doing?" August demanded bluntly.

"Why did it take you so long to answer the phone? Why didn't you reply to my messages? What trick are you trying to pull now?"

He was used to me being available 24/7—instantly replying, instantly answering, always on call. That was why this single abnormality prompted him to call me and demand an explanation. Still, I had no time for him now.

I stared at the slowly closing incinerator, unable to hold back my sobs.

"Eleanor, what's wrong?" August's tone was urgent. "Speak!"

Right at that moment, a staff member pressed the ignition button. Flames leaped up, instantly engulfing the small body.

Simultaneously, Wanda's excited shriek came through from the other end of the phone. "She gave birth! August, Bella gave birth!"

The next second, the call was ruthlessly disconnected.

Not long after, August posted a rare update. The accompanying picture was of a puppy wearing a longevity lock. [A new life has arrived. Hope you like this gift.]

I stared at the message, speechless for a long time.

While my child was being cremated, he was accompanying Wanda, welcoming a new life. He prepared a longevity lock for her dog, yet he never once thought to give our own child a name.

Actually, I felt no anger or pain as I had imagined. Five years of hardship had long since exhausted all my expectations of him.

When I returned home carrying the small urn of ashes, August was already back. He sat on the sofa without looking up. "Where did you go?"

"The crematorium," I said hoarsely.

That man quickly frowned and stood up. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He had clearly misunderstood, thinking it was my mother who was being cremated today. But I didn't explain, my gaze falling on the suitcase beside the sofa.

August noticed my gaze and suddenly became somewhat uneasy. "Wanda just had her nails done and isn't feeling well, so I brought her and the puppy over. Could you help look after them?"

A wave of pent-up exhaustion washed over me.

Just as I was about to refuse, the nursery door suddenly opened. Wanda came out carrying a small white puppy. "The little guy's sleeping so soundly in there!"

She stopped beside August, acting every inch the lady of the house.

I stared at August and asked, "You let her dog stay in the nursery?"

His eyes shifted away momentarily. "Well, since the baby is over at Grandma's place, the room was just sitting empty anyway."

I watched him in silence for a while. In the end, I uttered only one word: "Whatever."

August pursed her lips. "Bella's baby was born just a few days apart from that child. They can grow up together."

Unfortunately, my child would not have the chance to grow up.

Just then, Bella suddenly barked wildly at me.

"Oh dear!" Wanda looked at August in a panic. "Bella never barks without reason! It's the most sensitive dog. Dr. Yager must have brought back something dirty from the crematorium and scared her!"

My heart suddenly clenched and I instinctively hugged the urn tighter.

"Dr. Yager!" Wanda suddenly knelt. "I know you're very unhappy about me staying here without your permission and I know you hate me because August favors me. But Bella is like family to me. Please, let her go!"

"Wanda!" August immediately pulled her up, turning to glare at me. "Eleanor, how could you be so vicious?"

I looked at them coldly, finding it all absurd. "I didn't even know she would move in. How could I harm her dog?"

August sneered, "Then what are you holding in your hand?"