When I was waiting for Theodore at City Hall from dawn to dusk, he was accompanying his first love on a hike.

I called him dozens of times, but he rejected my calls instantly each time.

He finally picked up on the twentieth call.

"Why are you blowing up my phone when you simply didn't see me for a day? Why are you acting so desperate? Sammy's feeling unwell because of her heart and I still need to take care of her at the hospital. We'll talk later about registering our marriage."

Ten years of love. This was the 100th time Theodore had left me alone in front of City Hall for his first love.

I hung up and calmly tossed the wedding ring away.

This marriage? I was done with it.

A chuckle came through the other side of the phone. I could hear Samantha Thompson's voice, crisp and cheerful.

"I'm so sorry, Ellena. My heart is acting up again, and Theo insisted I stay in the hospital for a few more days out of worry. Once we're back, I'll make sure he apologizes to you."

I didn't respond and simply listened to Theodore Stewart's indifferent voice.

"You're just too soft-hearted. You won't even realize it when people walk all over you. Don't take it too seriously, Ellena. Sammy has always had poor health. As for the marriage registration today, we'll talk about it next time."

Not that he forgot about our marriage registration today. He simply chose not to even text me because he was too busy accompanying the one he truly cared about.

In the past, I would have already broken down. I would have begged Theodore for an explanation in hysterics.

But now? I simply felt calm.

I coolly said, "It's fine. I'm hanging up now."

Theodore thought I'd finally learned to read the room, and even his voice was a little softer. "That's good, then. I can't leave Sammy like this. In a few days, we'll…"

I hung up with an icy expression. I glanced at City Hall with its doors shut tightly before pulling the ring off my finger, tossing the ring into the nearby trash can.

On my way home, I tapped open Samantha's Facebook profile.

Just a moment ago, she posted, [I'm hiking with the love of my life now! The boss is very busy today, but he's still willing to make some time for me! Love you!]

Then, there was a picture of them holding hands tightly, with their cheeks touching like a couple. The sunset cast a glow over them. It was a serene and perfect moment.

The comments were filled with words of congratulations.

I casually left a comment as well. [I wish you everlasting happiness.]

To be honest, we didn't even have a handful of decent photos together after all these years. I had asked Theodore to come hiking with me more than once, too. But he always smiled and said he would go when work wasn't so busy.

I had waited year after year, and he would simply wave it off if I asked him about it. "Hiking is so tiring, and I'm very busy with work. Can't you stop bothering me about something so trivial?"

Eventually, he wouldn't even entertain me anymore and simply said, "Not going."

Turns out it was not that he didn't want to hike, he just didn't want to go hiking with me.

I didn't know when, but Samantha had made all her posts public. As I scrolled down, it felt harder to breathe.

They had gone to see the beautiful snowy mountains together. They had gone to the concerts of my favorite singer and even traveled the world. Every photo of them was a record of their time together.

And all the photos dated back to when Theodore told me he was away on business or busy preparing for our marriage registration.

I was like a joke, constantly feeling touched that he was working hard for our future.

Back home, I suddenly remembered the box he treasured in his study. I remembered that I once accidentally hit it while I was cleaning the study, and he flew into a rage to the point of slapping me. After that, he forbade me from entering his study again.

I rushed into the room and started searching and finally found the locked box. The password was Samantha's birthday, and I wasn't even surprised anymore.

There was a thick stack of plane tickets and countless photos of the two together. I finally gave up and dialed my senior's number in exhaustion. "I've thought it through, Leene. I'm ready to go abroad and join the band you started."

When Leene picked up my call, she was obviously shocked before happily responding, "Really, Elle? I'll book your air ticket once your visa is approved. You finally said yes after I tried inviting you for so long."

Then her voice sounded worried. "Does Theodore know? Don't tell me you two fought, and you did this to spite him."

I shook my head. "No, it's something I want to do."

Leene let out a sigh of relief from the other side of the phone before sending me the contract after we confirmed the details. I didn't even hesitate when I signed it.

I pushed open the door to the storage room on the second floor. A thick layer of dust covered the piano in the center of the room, just like all those forgotten moments I thought of as beautiful.

The thin layer of dust on the piano keys mirrored the heaviness in my chest, refusing to be dispelled. It was making breathing difficult.

Once we had been together for a long time, Theodore grew upset with me for touring with the band. He said that the band was full of infighting, saying that it would affect me. He has been worried I might leave him.

That was merely because he and Samantha broke up in the past as she chased her dream of music overseas.

I knew he lacked security. I thought he really needed me.

I quit the band and gave up my dreams, staying at home to take care of him.

But now? I saw on Samantha's Facebook how Theodore bought out an entire venue and invited the whole company to support her concert on the day of our anniversary. I already told him earlier that I had prepared a full twelve-course meal for him and a cake, and I waited for him until midnight.

I could only feel the tears welling up in my eyes before they rolled down my cheeks.

Why was Samantha allowed to chase her dreams?

And not me?

I had once asked him and he simply said to me with a smile, saying, "You're different from Samantha."

I thought it was because I was special in his eyes.

But now, I knew the real difference. Samantha was the one he truly loved, so she had the right to live freely and do everything she wanted. But I couldn't, because I was simply a replacement, and he needed to control everything I did.

I asked the maid to help clean the piano and move it to an empty room, then I played a few songs.

The next morning, I woke up fully rested for the first time in ages.

Theodore, who was sitting on the couch, glanced at me with a hint of annoyance in his tone. "Why did you wake up so late? Are you still upset about yesterday? Why are you so petty…"

I cut him off. "I'm not angry. I just feel a little tired lately, so I shut my eyes a little longer."

"That better be it," Theodore said with a frown as he put down the phone he was holding. "It's just registering our marriage, what's the big deal? We'll pick another day. Samantha has heart issues and she's all alone here, so I need to look after her more. Don't be so childish."

Theodore's gaze sharpened as his brows furrowed. It was as if the call I made to him yesterday was something unforgivable.

Then, he slid a small plate of crab cakes from Gloria Cafe to me and said, "Breakfast. Eat."

When he saw that I didn't touch it, he stood up as his patience grew thin. "And you said you aren't upset? What do you…"

"I'm allergic to seafood."

It had been a decade, and he still couldn't remember what I liked or what I was allergic too.

My calm reply shut him down as his face flushed, panic and anxiety flickered in his eyes. Even his voice grew weaker. "I was in a rush this morning… You… Just get the maid to make you something else."

I stared at him directly, and it was enough to make him feel uncomfortable.

Then his phone started ringing repeatedly. It saved him from the awkward moment, but he glanced at me with hesitation as his fingers wrapped around the phone tightly.

I magnanimously said, "Take it. Might be something important."

I then heard Samantha's voice, sobbing and saying she wasn't feeling well. Those few words were enough to make Theodore tell her to wait as he rushed out with his coat in one hand without even looking back.

I already said that I would walk away. But it still hurt.

‘Theodore… Since you don't love me, I won't beg for it anymore!

‘I don't want to keep waiting here for you!’

I asked the maid to prepare breakfast for me. Then, while eating, I started my visa application online.

Once everything was sorted, I subconsciously tapped open Samantha's Facebook page again.

She had posted two new updates.

The first one read, [You drove straight over as soon as I said I wasn't feeling well! I'm so lucky to have met you! You really love me! I love you too!]

The photo was of Theodore taken from the side as he held Samantha's hand tightly, as if he was worried she would leave him soon.

I suddenly remembered that a few years ago, I would practice the piano through the night and even forgot to eat because of work. The stomach ache was so bad that I couldn't even stand up straight. I dragged myself to the sofa before pleading with him, "Theo, can you take me to the hospital? My stomach hurts."

He didn't even glance at me as he was busy gaming. "Can you stop making a scene? How bad can it be? Just drink some water."

In the end, I called for the ambulance myself because I simply couldn't take it anymore.

When my consciousness drifted away, I thought I could hear him say, "Tsk. What a killjoy."

Turns out people really do treat others differently.

I kept on scrolling and then saw an earlier post from that morning.

The background was a hotel suite, and the table was filled with a lavish breakfast. Samantha was happily posing with a peace sign.

[He's the best! I casually mentioned I craved some shrimp and grits from Gloria Cafe, and he woke up early this morning to drive an hour just to get them for me. I fed all the leftovers to the animals!]

I knew she was secretly taking a jab at me.

After I resigned, I had always been the one making breakfast for Theodore to help him with his health. But to think that I only got something from him today because of Samantha…

I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

In the past, I thought love could overcome anything. All I needed to do was to treat him better, and Theodore would one day be able to see how much I contributed. But in the end, I overestimated my place in his heart. I also underestimated his love for Samantha.

I felt the stuffiness in my chest again as I thought about it, so I relaxed by going shopping in the afternoon.

I didn't expect to run into the people I least wanted to see.

The moment I stepped into a handbag boutique, I walked straight into Theodore and Samantha.

Samantha was still playing coy and said to Theodore sweetly, "I told you I don't need all of this, but you just keep on buying them for me! You must have spent a lot on all of this!"

I could clearly see Theodore carrying five or six shopping bags in his hands.

I recalled that when we had gone shopping, he would refuse impatiently even when I asked him to help me hold my handbag. In the end, he left me alone because he was complaining that I spent too much time.

I saw a hint of awkwardness on Theodore's face. "Why are you here? Sammy said she doesn't have enough handbags, so I'm accompanying her to look around."

Then, he added, "Is there anything you want?"

I shook my head. I lost all interest in shopping after seeing his face.

Theodore looked mildly irritated, and felt a little uneasy.

Samantha sweetly held my arm and said, "It's all thanks to Theo for helping me last time. I told him to apologize to you properly. Speaking of which, we're going for dinner now. Why don't you join us?"

Theodore also said, "Yea, join us."

I had just wanted to refuse, but he lost his patience again. "Sammy already invited you. Why are you still hesitating?"

And that was how I was forced into the backseat, squeezed in with a bunch of shopping bags.

Samantha turned and smiled. "I'm so sorry. I get carsick easily. You don't mind, do you?"

Theodore answered on my behalf, "She won't mind. It's just a ride."

But I had once told him that the passenger seat was reserved for one's girlfriend. There was even a pink sticker in front of the passenger seat that said, "Girlfriend Only".

Back then, he had stroked my hair affectionately and even said with a smile, "Sure, sure. The passenger seat is only for Elle and no one else."

Why had everything changed?

I stared blankly at the photo of them together beside the driver's seat.

There was even a small line with a heart drawn in the end. "Drive safe! Don't drive when you're tired!"

Theodore noticed my expression and tried to explain. "Sammy was worried I would doze off while driving, so she wrote this for me. If you're unhappy with it, I'll remove it later."

"It's fine," I replied indifferently.

Theodore noticed something was off about me today, so he checked on me from the rearview mirror as he drove.

But I really didn't expect him to bring me to a seafood restaurant. For once, Theodore wasn't fussing over Samantha, as he fretted over me instead.

He even opened the door for me and took my hand warmly, saying, "This restaurant is pretty good. We can come here more next time. Just tell me what you want to eat later."

I looked at him and quietly thought to myself, 'But there's no next time for us anymore. Theodore, we have no more future.'

While he told me to order, there really wasn't much I could eat. I ordered some desserts. Samantha, on the other hand, ordered plenty of seafood.

When the food was served, I simply ate my dessert. Meanwhile, Samantha tugged at Theodore's sleeve and said innocently, "Come on, apologize! She's probably only eating dessert because you're accompanying me at the hospital."

Theodore held my hand with guilt on his face. "I'm sorry, Elle. I'll make up for the marriage registration."

I pulled my hand away in annoyance. "I'm allergic to seafood. I just told you this morning."

Theodore looked embarrassed, but Samantha quickly stepped in. "I'm willing to take risks and try something exciting, even with my heart condition. Some people are just too delicate with all their allergies."

Theodore asked her to stop, but I simply looked down, as I couldn't even bother to react to her as I quietly took the last bite of my strawberry cake.

These two were so disgusting that I lost my appetite. I stood up and wanted to leave.

Theodore had just wanted to stand up and chase after me as Samantha let out a cry as she held her chest. "Ah! Theo, my heart… It's hurting again."

I looked at how Theodore was hesitating as he called out for me to stop. I didn't want to make things difficult for him, so I said, "Go. I'll be fine on my own."

Theodore picked Samantha up and hurried out of the door.

Meanwhile, Samantha gave me a provocative smile.

When Theodore came home, it was already midnight.

He wrapped his arm around my waist, nuzzling on my shoulder. "I'm so tired after getting back from the hospital. Can you make me something to eat?"

I calmly pushed him away as I kept reading my novel. "Just order DoorDash. I don't feel like it."

When Theodore heard I refused him, he thought I was upset. He pinched my face with a smile and said, "You're jealous of Samantha again? We're just friends now."

I nodded and said nothing.

His voice was slightly shaking. "Let's register our marriage tomorrow, alright? Nothing else will happen this time."

I glanced at him and said nonchalantly, "Sure."

Theodore planted a kiss on my cheek happily before playfully saying, "Honey!"

The next morning, I noticed my visa had been approved.

Meanwhile, Theodore had been called away by Samantha again. He left a message for me, "I'll see you at City Hall at ten, honey."

I let out a quiet snort and ignored the message. I quickly packed my luggage and headed to the airport. Then I blocked both of them.

Lastly, I snapped my SIM card in half and tossed it into the trash can. Then, I boarded the plane that would take me overseas.