After everything was done, I felt like all the strength had drained from my body. I collapsed to the floor, hesitating for a long moment before finally calling the number I hadn’t contacted in over a week.

I tried to steady my voice, choking back the tears. “Chris, remember the archaeological dig you mentioned in Riverdale? Do you still need more people?”

A light and teasing voice came through the phone. “Of course! Is the brilliant Tess coming to join us?”

His playful tone made me smile, even though I had just been crying. We agreed to give me a week to sort out things here before heading out.

Chris and I had grown up together, and now he was a key member of the National Historical Artifact Group. Years ago, I had given up the chance to join him on that ancient tomb dig because of Eric. Back then, Eric’s career was taking off, and if I had left for the field, I wouldn’t have been around to support him.

More importantly, Eric didn’t like me working in archaeology. He thought it was dirty and undignified. He wanted his wife to be more like a professor, not someone who worked in tombs. Eric, the great CEO, thought it was beneath him to have a wife who spent her days around ancient relics.

I closed my eyes, trying to hold back my emotions, but the tears came anyway, streaming down like a flood. How much had I sacrificed for someone like him?

I sat on the couch, sleepless through the night. Early the next morning, the door opened.

It was Eric, and he looked pleased with himself. However, as soon as he saw me, his expression soured.

“Why do you look like a ghost?” he sneered.

I glanced at my phone screen, catching a glimpse of my reflection. My face, pale and swollen from crying, still bore the marks of recent surgery, and my eyes were puffy, so yeah, I probably did look a little scary.

As I stood up, intending to head to the bathroom to wash my face, he spoke again, as if trying to make up for his earlier tone. “Hey, could you make that bolognese you made for me last time? I bought all the ingredients.”

He held up the grocery bags, gesturing with a smile.

Numbly, I nodded.

‘Fine.’ I thought, ‘This will be the last thing I ever do for you.’

I busied myself in the kitchen, while Eric, surprisingly, stayed nearby to help. He even started washing vegetables and handing me ingredients, as if he were trying to learn how to make the soup himself.

Then, his phone buzzed, and he wandered off to the other side of the kitchen to grab some spices. Without thinking, my eyes drifted to his phone screen.

It was a message from Grace. [Eric, is the bolognese ready yet? I’m starving.]

The color drained from my face, and my body went cold. So that was why he was learning to make bolognese—for her.

I clenched my teeth, holding back the storm inside me, and coldly called out, “Your phone’s ringing.”

Eric hurried over, clearly flustered. He didn’t even grab the spices he’d been reaching for; he just shoved me aside.

My stomach hit the edge of the marble counter, sending a sharp pain through me. It felt like a thousand needles were stabbing into my belly all at once.

Cold sweat poured down my face as I doubled over, clutching my stomach, praying the pain would subside.

Eric’s face twisted in anger as he barked, “Why were you snooping on my phone? Do you not trust me at all anymore?”

He kept going, ranting, completely oblivious to the agony I was in. My body trembled as I sank to the floor, pale as a sheet.

When he noticed I wasn’t responding, he nudged me with his foot.

“Hey, quit faking it.”

Only when I didn’t move did he realize something was wrong. Fear flashed in his eyes as he crouched down beside me.

“Tess, are you okay?”

I licked my dry lips, barely able to whisper, “Take me to the–”

However, just then, his phone rang again. It was that same ringtone, and his face shifted awkwardly. He glanced at me, torn.

“It’s Grace. She probably has something important to say. I’ll just take this call really quick.”

I let out a bitter laugh. What did it matter what I said? Would my opinion even change anything?

His eyes, which had been locked with mine as he knelt to my level, suddenly darted around the room, avoiding my gaze. He stood up so quickly that he didn’t even notice when he bumped into the corner of the table.

I had never heard him speak to me in such a gentle, soothing voice before.

"Okay, okay, don’t move, Grace. I’ll be right there!"

He grabbed his keys from the table and shot me a quick, apologetic look. "Tess, you’ll be fine, right? Grace has twisted her ankle, and she’s out there alone. I need to take her to the hospital."

"I’ll be back in no time!" he repeated, almost like he was trying to convince himself.

He even bent down to kiss the top of my head, like he used to when we were close. The once familiar gesture disgusted me. He was rotten to the core, and I couldn’t stand it anymore.

I don't know where I found the strength, but I shouted after him, "If you walk out that door, we’re done, for good."

He paused, just for a second before he hurried out the door.

I already knew it would come to the. I had known it for a while but couldn’t help asking, hoping for a different answer. As I lay there on the cold, marble floor, the chill pressed into my stomach, mocking me for my naivety.

Sweat drenched my body despite the icy floor beneath me. My arms felt like they were weighed down with lead, too heavy to lift. The pain, far from subsiding, was growing more intense with every passing second. My eyes flicked to the clock on the wall as the hands slowly ticked forward, but there was no sign of him returning.

The wound burned even though it was the middle of winter. I was sweating from the pain, my body betraying me. Desperate, I reached for my phone, but as soon as I unlocked it, a notification popped up, showing me a new post from Grace.

[Stargazing with the Big Guy,] it read, with a picture of them both camping on a mountainside.

I let out a bitter laugh. The algorithm sure knew exactly how to twist the knife when I was at my lowest.

I scrolled through her posts, my fingers trembling. She was a small-time influencer, documenting her everyday life with her “Big Guy.”

Little did I know, they had been traveling across the country together, visiting almost every corner. All those times Eric claimed he was away on business trips, he had been on vacations with her.

Where was I? At home, taking care of his sick mother, consoling his heartbroken sister, and playing the perfect wife while my marriage was falling apart behind my back.

What a fool I was. I thought my marriage was still intact, but it had been broken beyond repair for a long time.

I couldn’t tell if the pain in my chest was worse than the physical pain, but oddly, after a while, the sharpness of my wound seemed to dull.

For the next few days, I stayed in the house, waiting for him to return, but he never did. He didn’t even remember the promises he made. It was just like how he had forgotten all the promises he made back when we first got married. I didn’t have to worry about work since it was winter break, so there was no need to request leave.

When I finally got the divorce papers ready, I left. The house, which I had lovingly built from the ground up, was no longer my home, and packing was harder than I expected. Every brick and piece of furniture had been chosen by me. In the end, I decided to travel light. I packed only the essentials—a few seasonal clothes—and headed to Riverdale.

As soon as my flight landed, I received a message from Eric.

"Where are you? Don’t tell me you’re pulling a runaway-girl stunt."

I scowled at the screen, then blocked him.

Riverdale was a warm city, even in the depths of winter. The chill didn’t bite the same way it did back home. Chris was already waiting for me at the airport.

Years had passed, but he still looked the same, like the kind, gentle boy I remembered. His sharp features were softened by the gold-rimmed glasses he wore, giving him a scholarly air.

We had lost touch over the years, mostly because Eric didn’t like me keeping in contact with other guys. Chris, always respectful, had backed off, only sending polite greetings during holidays.

Seeing him again after so long, the joy was undeniable. He pulled me into a tight hug the moment he saw me.

After a brief embrace, he stared at me for what felt like forever. His intense gaze made me a little uncomfortable, so I lightly smacked him on the arm, like I always used to.

“What’s with you? It’s been so long. You don’t recognize me anymore?”

I would never have done something like that in front of Eric. He would never allow me to act so casually in public. His ego wouldn't have it.

After what seemed like a long silence, his voice trembled slightly. “You’ve lost so much weight, and you look… exhausted. Are you not doing well?”

I sighed. I could never hide anything from him.

“I’m fine,” I replied, trying to sound indifferent. “I’m just recently divorced, and I had a miscarriage, so I’m still a little weak.”

His face froze for a moment, showing a mix of emotions—relief, anger, and concern all at once. However, after years of unspoken understanding, he didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he silently handed me a hand warmer and shifted his body slightly to block the wind from hitting me directly.

We chatted the entire ride, our conversation flowing. The awkwardness I expected from not seeing each other for so long never appeared.

He had arranged everything for me. The apartment he found was right across from his. When I moved in, I realized he had prepared everything down to the last detail. My daily necessities were all stocked, and even the books on the desk were placed in the exact way I preferred.

After settling in, I immediately asked him to take me to the site where I would be working. He hesitated for a moment, his expression filled with concern, but in the end, he didn’t argue.

“Alright,” was all he said.

When we arrived at the site, excavation work was only halfway done. I had expected to feel out of place as someone joining in the middle of a project, but that awkwardness didn’t happen either.

I gave a quick introduction, and everyone stopped what they were doing to give me a nod.

“You must be Professor Tess. We’ve heard so much about you. Since you’re here, let’s get to work.”

There wasn’t much small talk, but somehow, it felt like I had been working with them for ages.

I glanced at Chris, knowing he must have smoothed things over for me. I’d always struggled with social interactions, and he knew that better than anyone.

He gave me a warm smile and handed me my tools. On the way here, he had briefed me on the details of the dig site.

Once I put on my gear, I got into work mode. I thought it would feel strange to be back after all these years, that I might not know where to start. However, it was like these skills were ingrained in me. Although I fumbled a bit at first, I quickly found my rhythm.

After a long day’s work, my body was exhausted, but my mind was buzzing with energy. During dinner, I excitedly talked to Chris about what we had uncovered that day.

He gave me a big smile, pushing some food toward me. “Alright, alright, Professor Tess. Can we eat first?”

I finally quieted down and finished my meal. When I got back to my place, I expected to feel uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings, but to my surprise, I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

After a few days, I had adjusted to that new routine. Every morning, I would forget to eat breakfast, but Chris always had a warm meal waiting for me in the car. By the time we reached the dig site, I would have finished it.

One day, a news crew came to interview us about the progress. Everyone unanimously pushed me forward.

“Professor Tess, you should do it. You’re the best at speaking.”

I sighed and shook my head, removing my protective helmet. My hair spilled down as I took the microphone and began explaining the project in detail. What I didn’t expect was how much attention that little interview would attract.

A few days later, a sleek Lamborghini pulled up to the site—a rare sight in that small town. Some of the younger girls around me squealed excitedly.

“Oh my gosh, I see the owner! He’s so handsome!”

“I wonder what he’s doing here. Maybe he’s here to win back his long-lost love?”

I knocked their heads playfully. “You’ve been reading too many romance novels.”

During our lunch break, I got a call from an unfamiliar number. Due to my profession, I would rarely ignore unknown calls.

There was silence on the other end, which made me frown. “Hello? Is anyone there? If not, I’m hanging up.”

Finally, a voice spoke, hoarse and hurried. “It’s me, Tess. It’s Eric.”

It took me a second to register who it was. Being here, I had almost forgotten the people and the past I’d left behind.

I took the phone away from my ear and set it on the table. My voice was calm and cold.

“What is it? Have you signed the divorce papers?”

There was a clatter on the other end, like he had dropped the phone.

Then, his voice came back, urgent and panicked. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”