That night, I had a dream.

I dreamed that when I graduated from university, Herschel insisted on going to a big city to work hard. I was willing to break up with my family and accompany him to the struggling in City A.

At that time, my parents threatened, “If you dare to follow him, we will pretend that you are not our daughter!"

I knelt down in tears, but still chose to believe in love. From then on, I cut off all ties with my family and could not even attend the funeral of my grandmother who loved me the most.

In the first few years, he was running around outside and I was supporting two people with the lowest internship salary. 

We lived in a dark basement and survived only with bread and pickles every day. I suffered a lot but still felt happy.

After we got the marriage certificate, Herschel saved money and bought me a silver ring, but we did not have a wedding.

A grown man made a promise to me with tears in his eyes, “Sallie, I will definitely buy a house of our own in the future, buy you the most expensive diamond ring and give you the grand wedding!”

Because of this sentence, I felt that everything was worth it and nodded while crying.

Herschel did not disappoint me. With the first money he earned, he bought me a diamond ring as big as a pigeon egg and the first house he bought was also transferred to my name.

Because I had suffered physical damage in my early years, it was difficult for me to get pregnant. 

He was afraid of causing conflicts between the mother-in-law and me, so he brought me out to live with him, arranged for a chef to prepare nutritious meals every day and also hired a family doctor to take care of me.

Except for the fact that we were too busy with our career and did not have time to hold the wedding ceremony, Herschel fulfilled all his promises and I thought I was happy enough.

The scene changed and Herschel embraced Liza Moses, holding a child in his hands, with a cold look in his eyes as he said, “Liza and I already have a child, we are a family, Sallie, I have never loved you!”

The figures of Herschel’s parents also appeared one after another, looking at me with disgust as they stated, “How can a hen that cannot lay eggs be worthy of being the daughter-in-law of our Jones Family?!”

I was madly trying to chase after her to explain, but Liza pushed me away harshly with a disdainful tone, “Sallie, he is my husband and we already have a son, you are the mistress who destroyed our family!”

“No, that's not it!”

I was awakened by a nightmare, sat up suddenly, grabbed my collar tightly and gasped for breath.

“What's wrong, honey? Did you have a nightmare?”

Herschel woke up immediately and quickly pulled me into his arms, his eyes full of heartache.

Seeing the worry on his face, I was stunned. For a moment, I thought I was back to the past. I eagerly grabbed his wrist with pleading eyes as I muttered, “Our children….”

Hearing this, Herschel looked reluctant, but still burst my fantasy.

“Sallie, your body is slowly recovering and you will have children in the future,” he said, “And we’re going to the orphanage tomorrow. Don't you like Carlos too? We can take him back and treat him like our own child.”

At this moment, I just felt that the person in front of me was too unfamiliar, as if I had never seen him clearly.

My stomach was churning and I felt so nauseous that I wanted to vomit. I turned my head away from his arms, feeling powerless.

“Herschel, let's get a divorce.”

Herschel's face froze, but he quickly smiled and touched my head as he asked, “Did you get scared by a nightmare? Don't make such jokes next time. Have a good sleep and you will be fine tomorrow.”

Seeing him fall asleep alone, my heart ached, but my mind became clearer.

Why was he so sure it was just a joke? Did he think I was reluctant to get divorced, or my feelings have never been important?

When he woke up the next day, Herschel had already changed his clothes and was ready to go out.

When he saw me coming down, he subconsciously came over and kissed my forehead, giving me careful instructions as usual.

“I’ve asked the kitchen to prepare breakfast for you. I have something to do at the company so I'll go there first. See you at the orphanage later.”

Just as he finished speaking, the mobile phone rang suddenly. Herschel took a look, subconsciously turned off the phone and smiled unnaturally.

“The company is urging me to go, so I’ll go first,” he said then left without looking back, not noticing that I was unusually silent that day.

Even though he moved quickly, I could still see the name clearly, ‘My love Liza.’

My heart ached so much that I closed my eyes, grabbed the car keys and followed him.

When the car drove into the orphanage, I saw Herschel dragging Liza out angrily and questioning her in a cold voice, “Didn't you say you would return in a month? Why are you back now?”

Liza cried out in pain in a delicate voice, then said with tears in her eyes, “I just wanted to give you a surprise, don't you really want to see me?”

“That’s not what I meant.” Herschel felt a little guilty when he saw the red marks on her hands. He rubbed his eyebrows and sighed.

“You've disrupted my plan. Carlos has not made any arrangements yet. Your presence is a variable. Once Carlos's identity is transferred, I will make arrangements for you and your son.”

Liza refused to give in. She covered her ears and shook her head, looking extremely sad.

“I don't want it. You clearly said you would marry me. Why do you want my child to call someone else his mother now? 

“I have no status and no position. Do you still want me to lose my only son?”

Herschel's heart softened and he forcibly held the person in his arms to comfort her, “I love you too, but Sallie has been with me for so many years, I cannot let her down. 

“I can give you everything except the status. Don't you want to have a wedding? Let's go abroad at the end of the month, okay? Let Carlos be our witness.”

Dissatisfaction flashed across Liza's face, but she quickly concealed it, just cried and gave in in the end, “Herschel, I'm just afraid that you don't want me anymore. The last time you came to see me was a year ago. Do you love me less now that you have a child?”

“How could that be? I just wanted you to rest assured during the confinement period. Didn't I ask your mother to take care of you too? If I go on business trips more often, Sallie will inevitably become suspicious.”

As he spoke, he had already lifted Liza's head and kissed her, his hands also wandering around her waist and he could not wait to tease her.

“Not only do I miss you, my body also misses you, do you feel it?”

Watching the two of them kissing and flirting with each other and then hiding in a nearby room, I clenched my hands on the steering wheel suddenly and the string of reason in my mind completely broke.

It turned out that every time he went on a business trip, he would find an excuse to see Liza and even her mother knew about it.

Then what was I in the eyes of their family?

Was this a joke?

I looked at the rearview mirror and realized that I had tears streaming down my face without knowing when. I could not help but let out a miserable smile.

It turned out that five years of living together day and night and taking care of the in-laws was not as good as a romantic encounter after knowing each other for a year.

Since they were going to hold their wedding abroad, I would help them make their fake wedding come true!

After contacting my assistant to prepare the divorce agreement, I turned around and drove to the embassy without looking back.

Applying for Australian permanent residence was not difficult, especially for a family like mine.

In the past, I was willing to endure hardships with him for love. That time when I did not love him anymore, I naturally would not put myself in a difficult position anymore.

I got the documents that afternoon and was about to go home when I received a call and rushed to the orphanage.

“This is Carlos's information. He just turned one year old. I don't know which parents are so cruel. The child is obviously fine. 

“Fortunately, he is lucky to meet a good person like you. He will only have a good life in the future.”

I looked at the information and my hand unconsciously went up to my stomach, feeling a little dazed.

I remembered when we just got married, we were lying in a small rental house and Herschel caressed my belly with his eyes full of love.

“Sallie, can we name our child Hensley from now on? I hope he will have great ambitions and inherit my career.”

At that time, I smiled and said, “I hope he can pursue the freedom of mountains and rivers and not suffer like us.”

“Okay! Then let’s call him Carlos.”

He knew clearly how much I wanted a child and how much love I had in welcoming him, but he still managed to cut off my hopes with his own hands and even gave the name to that illegitimate child.

I found it ridiculous to think that the child I had been waiting for five years died at the hands of his father.

I blinked back my tears and pushed the photo back as I said, “Sorry, it may take a week to complete the formalities.”

“What in a week?”

The door was pushed open, Herschel and Liza walked in side by side, with traces of joy on their faces.

Looking at this face again, I just felt sick and turned my head away without answering.

Seeing this, the dean quickly tried to smooth things over, “Adopting a child is not a trivial matter. Many families would consider it again and again. Mrs. Herschel just wants to think about it again.”

Herschel frowned, walked up to me and held my shoulders, somewhat dissatisfied as he asked, “Sallie, didn't we agree on this? Why are you going back on your word?”

I smelled the perfume he used to cover up the smell and pushed him away expressionlessly.

“Where does that perfume come from?” I asked in a cold tone.

Herschel's face froze and he explained in a panic.

“I just ran into Liza, she's volunteering here and I had a conversation with her. I guess I got her perfume smell accidentally.”

Liza smiled and hooked her hair, revealing the kiss mark on her neck, then stretched out her hand towards me, pretending to be envious.

“Long time no see, old classmate. You are married to Herschel now. I guess you are living a happy life. But why do you look old?” she asked with a grin on her face.

I looked at her white and tender fingers doing manicures and then looked at my own hands covered with calluses from overwork and felt dazed.

When I was in school, I loved beauty the most and I would change my manicure every month. But after being with Herschel, I never dressed up properly again.

He had a bad stomach, so I learned how to cook and make soup. He was busy starting his own business, so I took care of all the housework.

How ridiculous! 

In just five short years, I had been worn down by the daily necessities of life, but this had become an excuse for him to not love me.

Seeing that my expression was not right, Herschel gave Liza a warning look. 

But in the end, he did not say anything and just changed the subject, “Sallie, why do you suddenly not want to adopt Carlos? I have already promised Mom that I would bring him home today. 

“You know, Mom has always wanted to have a grandson. I cannot bear to disappoint her and it can also ease the family atmosphere.

“And Carlos is so young, how pitiful he is in the orphanage. Aren't you the kindest person? How could you bear to see another child suffer?”

“Enough!” I could not stand it anymore, so I slapped his hand away. The emotions I had been suppressing finally burst out and I yelled at him. “Who will feel sorry for my child? He is not even a month old, he did not even have a chance to be born!”

Without waiting for him to respond, I spoke firmly, “You can take Carlos home, but the formalities must be completed at the end of the month! I cannot bear to see another child appear under my name the day after I lost one.”

I would be divorced and leave at the end of the month, so they could make as much noise as they want.

When he heard the deadline of half a month, a trace of panic flashed across Herschel's face. He even suspected that I knew it all, but he quickly convinced himself that I was just too sad.

Thinking of the lost child, Herschel felt a little bit reluctant and agreed quickly, “Okay, we’ll come back at the end of the month to complete the formalities. Sallie, don't be sad anymore and don't worry about your health.”

After saying that, he smiled apologetically at Liza and said, “Sallie is not very emotionally stable, I need to take care of her. Thank you for taking Carlos with you. My mother also wanted to thank you for introducing Carlos to her.”

Liza glanced at me and gave a smug smile before answering, “It doesn't matter. I have not seen my aunt for a long time after all.”

When Herschel drove out, I subconsciously opened the passenger door, but touched Liza's hand.

Liza looked at me in surprise, then said embarrassedly while holding the child, “I feel carsick, could you please sit in the back?”

After saying that, he looked at Herschel with a look of grievance.

I did not move, but just smiled and asked, “Herschel, what do you choose?”

The man was silent for a few seconds and looked apologetic to me as he said, “Sallie, she is not feeling well, please let her go.”

I curled my lower lip in self-mockery, but also felt disappointed that it was just as I expected.

I suddenly remembered that when we bought the car, he enthusiastically labeled the passenger seat of all the cars as a wife-only seat and hugged me as he made the promise, “Sallie, my passenger seat is only open for you.”

At that time, those promises were no longer valid.

I watched Liza proudly sit in the passenger seat. The stickers in the front row were ironic and glaring. I just went to the back seat in silence.

I would not ask for any special seat anymore, since I would not ask for him anymore.