I bit my lip hard. The murderer who killed my child didn't deserve to know.

In the stalemate, Wanda hugged August's arm. "Maybe we misunderstood Dr. Yager. Let's not talk about this. I'm just panicking. Will you sleep with me tonight?"

"Of course," he replied, planting a kiss on her forehead before turning back to me, his voice cold. "Don't disturb us."

The first time he brought a woman home, I cried and asked him why he betrayed me.

In response, he threw the medical bill, which Julie had paid for my mother, right in my face. "You betrayed me first," he shouted.

After that, he only grew worse, even barging into the master bedroom in the middle of the night with other women and forcing me out. My initial pain and resentment slowly faded into numbness over time.

Only this time, I genuinely wanted to leave.

Late at night, the guest room door was suddenly pushed open. August stood in the shadows. "Wanda was terrified. Give her your warm jade."

The warm jade he mentioned was pressed against my chest.

Six years ago, after August's mother took her own life, he ran away from home and spent half a year in despair inside the tiny apartment I rented.

I shouldered all our expenses, including my mother's medical bills. Besides my internship at the hospital, I worked three other jobs, until one day I collapsed from exhaustion in the bathroom.

August held me and cried all night. The very next day, he took off the jade pendant he had never removed from his neck and gave it to me. He told me it was a protective talisman his mother had gotten for him.

That woman had jumped from a building because of her husband's endless betrayals. Now, he wanted it back for the woman he was cheating on me with.

I calmly took off the jade and handed it to him.

He didn't take it; instead, he went to my bedside. He swallowed slightly. "I'll give it back to you when Wanda sleeps better."

"It's yours. She should keep it," I said, pressing the jade into his hand before turning my back to him.

August was silent for a long moment, then placed a hand on my shoulder. "Eleanor, what's really wrong with you?"

Just then, a crisp cracking sound suddenly came from the nursery. This was immediately followed by Wanda's shriek, "Bella!"

August and I rushed over to find a mess of fragments scattered all over the floor. At that time, Wanda was holding 'Bella' and comforting her.

August quickly asked, "Wanda, why did you come down?"

"You were gone so long, I got scared," she said with a sob in her voice. "I'm so sorry … "

I bent down and picked up a fragment shaped like a wing.

After I fell ill back then, August had pulled himself together and gone out to find a job. With his first month's salary, he had personally made me a clay figurine of a little angel wearing a white coat.

"Look, it looks just like you," he had said, holding it next to my cheek, his eyes brimming with tenderness. "My angel in white."

But later, the only value this 'angel in white' had was to perform reconstruction surgeries for his mistress.

Last night, after much hesitation, I finally put this clay figurine deep inside a cabinet.

I looked at Wanda, not missing the unconcealed triumph in her eyes. I knew she had done this on purpose, but I didn't care anymore.

August walked over, his expression darkening instantly. "How did this get here?"

Wanda immediately put on a pitiful look. "Was it something important? It's all my fault for not watching Bella closely enough."

"How could it be your fault?" August quickly stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. "It's just a useless ornament. The important thing is that you and Bella are okay."

Yes, once the feelings are gone, what's left behind naturally becomes useless.

I then placed the wing-shaped fragment back on the floor. As soon as I stood up, I heard August command. "Clean this up."

I silently went to get a broom.

"Stop!" His voice suddenly rose sharply. "What do you think you're doing?"

I looked at him, bewildered. "Didn't you tell me to clean it up?"

Surprisingly, that man frowned. "How can you sweep it up like that if we're going to have it repaired?"

I shook my head. "It's shattered beyond repair. There's no point."

August's face grew even more grim. He stared intently at me, clearly not expecting my indifference towards this clay figure he once cherished.

My unusual behavior unsettled him. Yet, he remained convinced that I would not leave him, especially now that we had a child.

He looked at me deeply and said, "Fine, do as you please."

Then he coldly ordered, "Wanda didn't eat well at dinner. After you're done cleaning up, go buy her a mango cake."

I didn't even lift my eyelids. "I'm not going."

A deathly silence instantly filled the air.

August said eerily, "After your mother passed away, the hospital sent her belongings to me."

My head snapped up to look at him.

Getting the reaction he wanted, he curled his lips in a satisfied smile. "If you want them back, go buy that cake for Wanda now."

After stepping out of the room, I leaned against the wall for a long while.

Just like the ninety-nine times before, he always knew how to find my weakness and exploit it.

When my mother was alive, he used her surgery fees to threaten me. Now that she was gone, he was still using her belongings against me!

The hatred burned like a wildfire in my heart.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my breathing. However, I knew that soon, I would no longer be subjected to August's threats.

Luckily, I knew a store that was still open at this hour. The only problem was that I had rushed out too quickly and forgotten my key.

The late autumn night wind was piercingly cold. I pressed the doorbell repeatedly from the outside while holding the box.

Once, twice, three times ...

Still, no one answered.

Just as I was about to turn and leave, the intercom system emitted a sharp beep. Immediately after, the sound of two people's hurried, heavy breathing came through clearly.

"Ugh, August, wait a moment!" Wanda's voice was sugary sweet. "The doorbell's ringing. I should go let Doctor Yager in."

"Don't bother with her." August's voice was hoarse. "Who told her to forget her keys?"

"But she went out to buy cake for me," Wanda said with feigned sympathy. "It's so cold out there and she just had a baby. Her body must be weak … "

"She's weak, you said?" August sneered. "She puts on that act of not caring about anything all day long. Isn't she supposed to be so strong?"

"I've been too kind to her lately, leading her to believe that just because she had a child, she can give me attitude!"

The passion in his voice had vanished, replaced by a cold tone. "Just let her stand outside in the wind. It'll be a good way to sober her up."

"You're so mean!" Wanda's voice grew even sweeter. "You wouldn't treat me like this in the future, would you?"

August gave a low chuckle, his tone becoming intimate and husky. "You're different. You, my little fool, are truly delicate. Without me to take care of you, your life would be a mess. How could I ever bear to treat you that way?"

I listened quietly until the intercom system clicked off.

History repeated itself, but I no longer felt heartbroken. It was as if a wound that had been repeatedly torn open had finally become completely dead and numb.

The reason I knew a shop was open at this hour was precisely that it had happened before.

That time, to buy a cake for his mistress, I searched from the south to the north of the city at two in the dead of winter. When I got back, I couldn't get in, so I rang the doorbell for an hour in the cold wind. Finally, I spent the night curled up in the garage, developing pneumonia from a high fever.

Back then, his mistress was a college student facing final exams. Afraid I might infect her, he locked me in my room for an entire week and wouldn't even let me go to the hospital. From then on, I developed a chronic illness.

Actually, I knew he heard the doorbell ring that time, too. He was just busy with his affair, too lazy to open the door for me and didn't care if I caught a cold.

In the past, I always clung to the hope that one day he would see my grievances and my endurance. This time, I held no more expectations for him.

However, it was already 4 a.m. Only two more days until my freedom.

I placed the cake box by the door, then turned and walked away without the slightest hesitation.

The next day, August opened the door with a furrowed brow. "Where were you last night?"

I looked at the untouched cake at the doorway. "I couldn't get in, so I spent the night in the hospital duty room."

"Do you really think I'd believe that?" He squinted his eyes. "If you don't want to come home, then don't come back at all. Wanda likes the master bedroom anyway, so you can move out today."

"Okay," I answered decisively.

August's frown deepened almost imperceptibly. After a pause, he picked up the cake from the floor and shoved it into my hands. "Wanda and I are going out. You can have this."

After they left, I threw the cake into the trash bin.

Walking into the master bedroom, my gaze swept over the wedding photo on the wall.

Six years ago, August had pointed at a mermaid-style wedding dress in a shop window and said, "Baby, you'll look so beautiful in that I can't take my eyes off you."

So, when we took our wedding photos, I deliberately chose that style. Sadly, the groom didn't look at me once.

I took a deep breath and put down the photo frame. Since I had decided to leave, I wouldn't leave a single trace behind.

After packing up, I went out with the divorce papers.

When I returned in the evening, August kicked the trash bin right in front of me. "What do you mean by this?" he demanded coldly.

I glanced at the cake, spilt all over the floor and said calmly, "I'm allergic to mango."

"How would I not kn … " August's words cut off abruptly and his pupils widened sharply.

At this point, he suddenly remembered.

Once, when I accidentally ate a mango, he had carried me on his back, rushing through the rainy night for three blocks.

While waiting for me to get my stomach pumped, his face was more frightening than mine, the patient's.

It's just that he hadn't cared for so long that he had forgotten.

August took a deep breath and asked again, "Where's the wedding photo?"

"I took it down."

"Why?"

"Doesn't Wanda want to sleep in the master bedroom?" I retorted calmly. "Wouldn't she feel uncomfortable seeing it?"

His expression grew complicated. "You didn't need to go that far."

The corner of my lips couldn't help but curl into a mocking smile. What things hadn't he forced me to do that were far worse than taking down a wedding photo?

Just then, the TV suddenly broadcast an entertainment news segment. "The president of the Carter Enterprise has booked the cross-sea bridge to host a grand fashion show celebrating the birthday of an unknown model, sparking speculation about their relationship."

He stood up abruptly. "Don't listen to that nonsense. It was just Wanda's birthday wish."

"Birthday wish?" I questioned, my eyelashes trembling slightly. "Then do you still remember the wish you made on my birthday?"

Six years ago, on my birthday, we could only afford a discounted cake nearing its expiration date.

When I blew out the candles, he borrowed a wish from me. "From now on, every year, August Carter will throw Eleanor Yager the grandest birthday party ever!"

But for the next five years, he never celebrated my birthday with me again.

Hence, birthday wishes really don't come true if you say them aloud.

"What?"

Looking into his bewildered eyes, I suddenly felt utterly exhausted. "Nothing."

I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist. "You should come tomorrow too. Consider it a chance to relax."

I found it bitterly ironic. August had forgotten the promise he made to me, yet he wanted me to witness him fulfill it for someone else.

I smiled wryly and pulled my hand back forcefully. "That's unnecessary."

Alas, he wouldn't accept my refusal. "It's settled."

The next afternoon, the stylists arrived right on time. I let them doll me up like a puppet.

After all, once tonight was over, everything would end.

When I arrived at the cross-sea bridge, it was already dark, yet the bridge was as bright as day.

My phone vibrated, so I moved away from the crowd to a quiet corner.

"Your information and traces have all been wiped clean," Dr. Lockhe said, his voice was deep and sharp. "Come directly to the south parking lot when you're done."

"Thank you." I suddenly felt a long-lost sense of excitement.

"You're welcome," Adrian Lockhe chuckled lightly. "See you there."

Just as I hung up the phone, August's cold voice suddenly rang out behind me. "Who are you agreeing to 'see there' with?"