My mission was completed five years ago. But for him, I chose to stay in this world.

It turns out that all of it was a lie. The love he claimed to have for me? Fake. Even deep love can be nothing more than an act.

In the study, the two of them were entangled, oblivious to everything around them.

My heart felt like it was being shredded into pieces. The pain was unbearable, so intense that I could hardly breathe.

I don’t even know how I made it back to the bedroom.

It was almost over.

Just a little longer.

I would leave him soon.

And from that moment on, everything about him would cease to matter to me.

The next morning, the smell of breakfast wafted through the house.

Marcus had gotten up early to make breakfast.

"Baby caught a cold last night..." Vivian’s voice was raspy, like she had been crying for hours.

I stopped at the corner of the stairs. "Baby? Who’s Baby?"

Both of them turned to look at me.

Marcus was quick to recover, his voice steady. "No, it’s just a nickname for children. Vivian was talking about her best friend."

He hurried over, pulling out a stool for me with a forced cheerfulness. "Good girl, I made your favorite steamed buns today. Try it."

He took my hand and sat me down, serving me soup. His movements were careful, as though he feared the soup might burn me. He picked up a small spoon, feeding me bite by bite.

"Good girl," he said softly. "I know you’re on your period. I made this hot soup just for you. After breakfast, we’ll go try on wedding dresses."

He wore an apron, his sharp jawline and defined features adding to his charm. He looked at me with so much tenderness, it almost hurt.

Good man. Good husband. That’s what everyone thought of him.

---

Later, at the bridal shop, as the Maybach rolled to a stop, the clerks rushed to greet us.

"Miss Lila, you look stunning in this dress, like a fairy descending from the heavens. Mr. Rivers truly adores you—he spent one million to have our chief designer make this just for you."

"Yes, Mr. Rivers is handsome and wealthy. You two will be so happy together after the wedding."

They helped me into the wedding dress, their voices dripping with admiration.

I stared at myself in the mirror, the delicate fabric, the sparkling beads. But all I could feel was emptiness.

Ha.

Marcus Rivers—admired by everyone, loved by all—will soon become nothing more than a joke.

I pulled two invitations from my bag, handing them over with a calm smile.

"Eight days from now, I’ll be marrying Marcus. Please come and have a drink with us."

The two clerks gasped, their excitement palpable. They hugged each other, repeatedly thanking me and wishing me a lifetime of happiness with Marcus.

I stepped out of the fitting room, my heart pounding in my chest.

As I emerged, Marcus, who had been seated on the sofa, froze, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of me.

At that moment, the door to another fitting room opened, and Vivian stepped out, wearing a wedding dress of her own.

Her dress was dangerously low-cut, the kind of design that left nothing to the imagination. As she took a step, her eyes darted toward Marcus, and suddenly, the hem of her gown caught on her foot. She stumbled and fell straight into his arms.

The room went silent. Everyone stared, horrified by the scene unfolding before them.

"Is she crazy? How dare she throw herself into Mr. Rivers' arms?"

"I heard the last woman who did that had her arm removed."

"Mr. Rivers and Miss Lila are so deeply in love. When Mr. Rivers was still struggling, Miss Lila stayed by his side. They’ve been together for eight years. There hasn’t even been a rumor about another woman near him."

Marcus' body stiffened, and he instinctively pushed Vivian away. But she held onto his hand, her grip tight, her face contorted in fake distress.

"My foot... it’s twisted... it hurts so much." Her eyes brimmed with tears, making her look like a helpless little bunny.

Marcus paused, his expression unreadable as everyone in the room watched intently.

He quickly regained his composure, his voice smooth as he explained, "This is my relative."

The whispers started immediately.

"So, she’s Mr. Rivers' relative? No wonder she dares to get so close to him. Other women wouldn’t have the courage."

The two clerks exchanged knowing glances, their voices dropping to a hush.

Marcus looked back at me briefly before speaking again, his tone now soft but authoritative. "Be good, wait here for a moment. I’ll help Vivian to the car and have the driver take her to the hospital."

Marcus pressed a kiss to my forehead before helping Vivian up, guiding her toward the Maybach parked at the door.

My nails dug into my palms, biting down into my flesh as I watched them walk away. I was certain—Marcus would never come back to me.

His expression just now had been one of pure desire, unmistakable and raw.

I had barely taken off my heavy wedding dress when my phone vibrated, a new message alert flashing on the screen.

[We had sex while you were asleep last night. I wonder if you've ever been this happy?]

[Come to the underground parking lot and see for yourself.]

I shut off my phone, my hands trembling.

In the dim, deserted corner of the underground parking lot, I spotted the familiar Maybach, parked off to the side.

This was a quiet, closed-off shopping mall with few cars, and the Maybach was tucked in the far corner. It was hidden, barely noticeable to anyone passing by.

But I could hear it.

The window was slightly cracked, and through it, I could hear the woman's soft sobs mingling with the sound of Marcus' heavy breathing.

This time, there were no signs of hesitation. He was fully in it, unlike last night when he had been too afraid to make a sound, too worried I might catch him.

He never expected I would come here.

I leaned against a pillar, the weight of everything pressing down on me, like a lead ball tied to my feet. I couldn’t move.

"Lighter... a little..."

"Will the little goblin still act like a demon in front of Lila in the future?"

"Are you getting bolder?"

The man’s voice was low, almost mocking, like a fierce tiger toying with its prey.

Vivian’s sobs filled the space, her voice breaking, "I love you so much..."

The contrast between their words was jarring—the innocent little rabbit caught beneath the heavy paw of the tiger.

The rain stopped suddenly, leaving only a fine drizzle. The flowers outside swayed beautifully in the wet air.

Then the storm picked up again, the flowers blooming more fiercely, as if in response to the rising intensity.

He spoke gently, almost coaxing: "Okay, don’t cry. Don’t you want to go to work at the company? How about you become my secretary tomorrow, hmm?"

Vivian’s voice was soft, teasing: "Well… baby wants to go today."

"Okay!!"

A satisfied sigh.

At the company’s beginning, Marcus had sworn to me, his voice firm and sincere: "I’ll never hire a female secretary. There won’t be any woman other than you around me. If I break this oath, may lightning strike me down."

And what had I said?

Oh, I remember.

"If you betray me, I will disappear forever. You’ll never find me, not in this lifetime."

I’d said it calmly, and he had been terrified. His face drained of color, and he had held me close, his lips trembling. "Lila, I love you. I, Marcus Rivers, will never betray you—even if I die."

But what about now?

Not only had he betrayed me physically, but I was beginning to fear that he had also abandoned me in his heart.

Tears fell from my eyes, endless, like beads scattered from a broken string. My teeth clenched, and I bit down hard on my wrist, the sharp pain jolting me into clarity.

The bright red blood flooded my senses, clearing my mind in an instant.

It wasn’t worth it.

What love was there?

In just eight days, I would leave him behind, completely.

The ache in my wrist reminded me that this was the final path. I ran, not looking back toward the Maybach, running farther and farther away from the man who had once been everything to me.

I ran until my legs gave out, and finally, I collapsed by the side of the bridge.

This was the bridge where Marcus and I had first met. The memories flooded in, overwhelming me.

I remembered the summer nights, lying under the bridge with him, staring up at the stars. He would sometimes stay up all night, using a rotting cattail leaf fan to swat away the mosquitoes, making sure I could sleep peacefully.

In the winter, he would run over ten kilometers every day, pushing himself to the limit just so he could return to me, sweat-soaked and exhausted, only to climb into bed and warm my cold sheets.

Those were the days when we had nothing, when we were so poor...

I worked at a small restaurant, and the leftovers I brought home were enough to keep us from going hungry.

Every day, he typed away on the old computer, his fingers tapping the keys with a determination that seemed to burn with hope. He would say to me, "Lila, soon, very soon, we’ll be in a big house, and we’ll be living a happy life."

“When the time comes, we’ll have two kids—our girl will look like you, and the boy will look like me. I’ll love you forever, Lila, and I’ll never change my mind...”

The soft breeze blew through the window, carrying with it the hum of life outside. My phone buzzed, a message notification lighting up the screen.

It was from Vivian.

She sent a picture—used baby bags and torn wedding dresses piled in a corner.

“Auntie, you won’t blame me, right? We didn’t mean to leave you at the bridal shop. It was really that Uncle Marcus was too anxious and had to...”

“Auntie, I think Uncle Marcus should leave you some public grain, don’t you?”

At that moment, Marcus' name flashed on my screen.

I hung up immediately.

But he refused to give up, repeatedly calling back.

With shaking hands, I answered.

"Lila, there’s an emergency at the company, and I might have to work overtime tonight." His voice was just as rehearsed as ever.

I could feel the hollow emptiness of his words.

"Got it," I replied, my voice flat, and hung up.

For the next few days, Marcus didn’t come home.

I took the opportunity to quietly pack up my things. I came with nothing, and I would leave the same way. I couldn’t take anything with me—nor did I want to.

On the third morning, the assistant arrived in a hurry, his face pale with urgency.

"Madam, Mr. Rivers has been working overtime at the company. He suddenly fainted this morning and was rushed to the hospital."

I remained silent, the words barely registering.

Is he really busy working overtime? Or is he busy with someone else?

"Madam," the assistant continued, voice shaky, "before he fainted, the president kept calling your name. Please, come with me."

The car sped down the road, its tires screeching as it cut through the streets. We stopped at the downtown plaza, near the St. Mary’s Hospital.

"Madam, the car broke down. The hospital is close; please walk the rest of the way."

The driver opened the door, bowing respectfully, a silent invitation.

I stepped out, stunned, my heart pounding as I stood in the downtown plaza.

Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed above me.

Snowflakes began to fall from the sky, swirling around me like ghosts of the past, and I felt the cold seep into my bones.

Brookdale has never seen snow.

I used to tell Marcus about the winters in my hometown, how the snow would blanket everything, so pure and beautiful.

"Lila."

The moment I turned around, I saw him.

Marcus, looking perfectly fine—vibrant, full of energy, his health nowhere near the fragile state I had imagined.

He walked toward me, holding a box in his hand, his steps quick.

When he reached me, he slowly opened the box, revealing a set of pigeon blood red diamond necklaces that sparkled in the dim light.

"Lila, do you like it?" he asked, his voice smooth, confident. "I bought this at an auction in Italy. Only you, Lila, can match such a beautiful diamond."

He reached forward and gently draped the necklace around my neck.

Snowflakes began to fall, delicate and slow, landing on our heads as if the world was frozen in time.

He wrapped me in his arms, his face filled with an apologetic softness. "Lila, do you like it? I’ve been so busy with work lately, and I’ve neglected you. I’m sorry."

"If we can stand in the snow together in the future, growing old side by side... I’ll love you forever, Lila. In this life, and the next."

His words should have been comforting, but they felt hollow in my chest.

I took a deep breath, the faint scent of his perfume overwhelming me, and I glanced around.

The crowd around us had gathered, whispering in awe.

"Ahhh, you are so lucky."

"That pigeon blood diamond necklace? It’s worth 600 million! How rich—God, please send me someone like that, I don’t care if he’s old or ugly..."

"Ah, this is Marcus, the new business tycoon, the love-struck fool. I heard they’re getting married in two days. Why are they still showing off their love?"

"I swear, they’re laying it on thick. So sweet, though!"

Some people in the crowd even pulled out their phones, starting live broadcasts.

But then, my gaze landed on her.

Vivian.

She was standing in the crowd, dressed in a hospital gown, her eyes searching through the throng.