Dayana's POV

"Eat it while it's warm," Delon said as he served me the almond porridge.

He was the one who dragged me all the way home. After cursing and insulting me to no end, he showed me some concern again—a concern that felt hollow.

I looked down, pushing the bowl of almond porridge away from me. Delon let out a long sigh, his expression annoyed. Perhaps he thought I was refusing his help.

"Eat it! Do you want to stay sick and die like that?" His voice rose, harsh, and he pushed the bowl back at me forcefully. I held back the tears that began to spill. I could no longer resist his words; my heart was breaking, but I couldn't say anything. Slowly, I shoveled the porridge into my mouth. It tasted sweet for a moment, but then my body burned slowly—a heat I couldn't stand.

"What if I suddenly die?" My voice was hoarse, enduring pain that was not only physical but also mental.

"How could you? It's a highly nutritious food. Good for your hypertension," he replied in a flat tone, his eyes still fixed on his phone screen. His body was here, but his mind was never really with me. From my position, I could see the chats between him and Lauren, every sweet word they sent, the affectionate calls that tore at my heart.

I could no longer continue eating. Slowly, I pushed the bowl away, and my actions only made Delon angrier.

"You really don't know yourself! I worked so hard to make that for you, and you just threw it away!" he shouted, his voice booming. My breathing was labored. I could no longer catch his words clearly. The world seemed to be spinning rapidly around me. My body felt weaker and weaker, and I almost lost consciousness. But Delon kept shouting, berating me, comparing me to Lauren—who always appreciated his efforts.

"Never mind! I'm leaving!" Delon turned around, his footsteps firm, heading for the door. I wanted to call out to him, but I was tongue-tied, unable to utter a single word. Slowly, his footsteps moved away, and as the door closed, my body collapsed, falling to the floor.

I wasn't unappreciative of his efforts. I'm allergic to nuts, but he forgot that. I dragged my weak body, trying to find a drawer to search for allergy relief. I was grateful when I finally found the pills and swallowed them immediately, even though the reaction wouldn't come as quickly as I wanted. At least my life was saved.

On the cold, deserted floor, the tears continued to flow. A sudden shower of thunder fell, loud and shaking. I felt scared, my body shivering. I clung to myself, trying to calm down. In the past, at times like this, wherever Delon was, he would come, run to me, hug me, and calm my fears. But now, I was alone. I, who he had always put first, now felt so alienated.

A strong wind blew away the calendar lying on the table, and it stopped right in front of me. I stared at it, my eyes fixed on the date I marked with a red circle—our anniversary. Tomorrow. Five years ago, Delon and I made a commitment to share our lives, but now it's all come crashing down.

I remember very well how Delon declared his love for me. He invited his office friends to be witnesses, and he confidently declared his feelings. I, who had always secretly harbored love for him, unhesitatingly accepted his love. I gave my whole body and soul to him. I even left home, leaving everything behind for him. Five years of relationship, but it all ended like this—Delon cheated on me with Lauren, under the pretext of his best friend's younger sister.

"Tomorrow, I will give you a gift, Delon." I said in a flat voice, trying to contain the anger burning in my chest. "I'm sure you'll like it." I was tired of tolerating these two. Let the world know about their true relationship, how beautiful they were together.

The next second, my cell phone rang. Mama, she must be worried. I should have been at my real home, yet I was still stuck in this place. I quickly took the call.

"Dayana, where are you? Why haven't you arrived yet, child?" Mama's worried voice came from the other end.

"Sorry, Maa... I failed to go today," I answered quietly, while telling her about what had just happened.

After I finished telling the story, suddenly a man's voice was heard on the call. "I'll pick you up right now."

I paused. The voice was so soothing, so familiar, even though I didn't know who he was. "Who are you?" I asked, my heart racing.

Dayana's POV

[Throughout my life, he was the only one who truly protected and loved me. He never broke his promise not to leave me.]

Lauren's social media account appeared on my phone screen. In the photo, she was sitting next to Delon, resting her head on Delon's shoulder, facing the starry night sky. The post received a lot of 'likes' and comments. Some comments expressed prayers for their relationship to last and remain unbreakable. Some people also recognized them, mentioning that they had met Lauren and Delon at the hospital and claimed that a woman was trying to ruin their relationship. Of course, these comments were directed at me. The comments sparked debates, with some supporting me and others opposing. Some of my coworkers defended me, saying that I was Delon's girlfriend, while Lauren was only his best friend's sister. However, my coworkers were attacked by toxic netizens, causing them to stop commenting.

To defend myself and show the truth, I decided to upload a video showing Delon and Lauren's affair. The video depicted them having sex in my car. Delon forgot that I had installed a CCTV that directly connected to my phone—a precaution he had suggested himself. The CCTV had now become my tool for revenge. I also showed the world that I was the betrayed lover.

That's the gift I promised.

After uploading the video, I turned off my phone. A private jet had been arranged to take me back home. I didn’t think much about what was happening with Delon and Lauren, but my mind was focused on one question: What will my future husband be like? Mama said she arranged the air transportation for me.

Upon arriving in my hometown, I was immediately greeted by my mother, who hugged me tightly, full of longing. Even though I had made the mistake of leaving home, Mama still loved me as she always had. I deeply regretted hurting her and choosing to live with a man who only gave me pain in the end.

"You've suffered enough, dear. From now on, I will make sure you're happy," Mama said after we hugged. I nodded, fully trusting her words. From now on, I wouldn’t argue with anything she said. More than I, Mama knew what was best for me.

"Welcome, Dayana..." A man's voice behind me startled me, and I immediately turned around. I froze, seeing him walk closer. A deep tension gripped me, making it hard to breathe.

"He is Mr. Leon, your future husband," Mama whispered, making my body go even stiffer. Who would have thought that the pilot of the plane I had just flown on was my future husband?

Our wedding preparations went smoothly. I was reunited with my family and new people, trying to forget the past for a while. When the wedding day arrived, I still couldn’t believe that Leon, the son of Mr. Cedrick, the wealthiest man in the city, proposed to me. I didn’t know what made him choose me until Leon gave me a crescent moon necklace. Childhood memories resurfaced. I once saved a boy from being kidnapped and gave him that necklace as a gift. At that time, I never asked for his name, and it turned out that the boy, who used to be shabby, was now standing in front of me, making me his wife as a repayment for saving his life.

"Are you doing this because you want to repay me?" I asked, trying not to repeat the mistake of choosing the wrong man.

"Because I have loved you since the first time we met. Forgive me if I found it too late and let you get hurt," he answered, with a look full of warmth. For a few seconds, I stood still, mesmerized by everything he had, but I soon realized when he bent down, his eyes locked with mine, not blinking. How embarrassed I was when I was caught being mesmerized by his handsomeness.

Fortunately, that awkwardness quickly faded when someone came to inform me that it was time for the vows.

My marriage to Leon became a social media highlight after we were officially married. Guests took the opportunity to capture our happy moments and shared them on social media, showing their joy in witnessing our sacred vows.

I received many congratulations on social media.

"You got a diamond after discarding the gravel, Miss. Congratulations!" someone wrote in the comment section.

I forgot about Delon’s fate. From the comments, I knew Delon kept clarifying that he had never cheated on me.

I put down my phone, no longer caring about what was happening. I didn’t want to know more. Suddenly, a call came in from an unknown number. I answered it.

"Dayana! Where are you?" Delon's voice sounded panicked. How did he get my new number? I had blocked all means of communication between us.