Lately, I’d seen that my usually cold, reserved husband also has a gentle and considerate side.

He would drape his coat over Nancy when she nodded off at the nurses’ station. He would pick the cilantro out of her meals without her asking.

Once, she casually mentioned wanting that viral apple tea from Southside and even if he finished surgery late, he’d take a detour across town just to buy it for her.

In contrast, he was far less attentive to me, his wife.

If I stayed up all night working on design drafts and complained about my back aching, he’d tell me to “get used to it.”

In two years of marriage, he had never remembered that I hated scallions. When I invited him to see a new film, he always had an excuse.

I told him I was unhappy and... he called me petty.

“Nancy’s like my little sister. Stop thinking so negatively!”

He even gave her a spare key to our apartment.

One afternoon, I came home from grocery shopping to find Nancy in my study, doodling all over my design work.

Edwin just shrugged. “They’re only sketches. Just draw them again.”

Last month, I found out I was pregnant.

When I went to the hospital for a follow-up, Nancy got my appointment time wrong. I ended up fasting for five hours and finally fainted from low blood sugar.

When I came to, I couldn’t help but complain.

Edwin defended her immediately. “Nancy’s busy, she just forgot. You’re the one with poor health—so why are 'you' blaming her?”

Five years of giving him my whole heart had taught me one thing—some people’s hearts will never warm, no matter how much you try.

That night, I messaged my old college senior overseas. “I’ll take the job at your company. I can start next month.”

The next morning, a breakfast delivery arrived.

Edwin called, his voice softer than usual. “I know you’re upset. I was too harsh last night. Just rest at home for a while.”

After hanging up, I poured the porridge down the sink. It was full of scallions.

I wasn’t supposed to go out so soon after the miscarriage, but the most urgent thing now was getting my passport in order.

By the time I left the immigration office, it was midday.

Dizzy from the morning’s errands, I was ready to go home and sleep when a message from Edwin popped up.

[Come to my office. Now.]

I thought maybe he had found the divorce papers I’d hidden. Fine. I’d explain it to his face.

I turned the car toward the hospital.

In the ward corridor, the nurses glanced at me with open disdain, whispering behind cupped hands.

“She’s got some nerve, still clinging to Dr. Andrews.”

“Word is, she demanded a huge payout and said she’d keep causing problems until she got it.”

“Bet the baby wasn’t even his. Probably got rid of it on purpose to frame Nancy. What a scheme.”

I clenched my fists and ignored those insults.

Edwin and I had kept our marriage secret. Only our families and a few close friends knew.

When I registered my pregnancy at his hospital, he insisted on keeping my identity private, worried that colleagues would think he was abusing his position to help me.

I knocked on his office door, but I got no answer. So, I pushed it open to find the place in disarray—papers scattered across the floor, drawers hanging open.

Out of habit, I began to tidy up, but then heard a startled cry behind me.

“Oh my God! What have you done to Doctor Andrews’s office?”

I turned. Nancy stood in the doorway, a tray of medical vials in her hands. She looked like she had caught a thief.

I opened my mouth to explain, but she was already lunging toward me.

I tried to defend myself. In the struggle, the medicine tray in Nancy’s hands tipped over. Glass vials shattered across the floor and expensive liquid splattered in every direction.

By then, a small crowd of nurses had gathered outside the door. Two of them ran to call security; the rest stayed to watch, whispering just loud enough for me to hear.

“She couldn’t find Dr. Andrews, so she decided to steal something? Pathetic.”

“Doing things like this at her age… no wonder she’ll never have kids.”

“It’s people like her that ruin the doctor–patient relationship for everyone.”

“No wonder Dr. Andrews can’t stand her. She should be blacklisted from the hospital.”

I was shaking with rage. “Edwin asked me to come! The office was already like this when I got here!”

Someone scoffed.

“At least try making your lies more convincing. Dr. Andrews has been in surgery all morning—he hasn’t even stepped out of the surgery theater. How could he have invited you?”

“You definitely knew he wasn’t here. That's why you came to steal something!”

Anger burned in my chest, but I forced myself to keep calm. “I’m not arguing with you. You can ask Edwin when he gets here!”

I began walking towards the door, but Nancy grabbed my arm.

She pointed at the broken vials on the floor. “These are all imported. One of them costs over ten thousand. You’ll have to pay for them.”

I stared at her. “You're the one who dropped those bottles!”

Two nurses jumped in immediately. “We saw you knock them over with our own eyes. You’re not leaving until you pay.”

Someone had already pulled out their phone and started livestreaming. “Everyone, take a look at how outrageous this troublemaker have become.”

Nancy and a few others blocked me from leaving Edwin’s office. I had no way out.

Just then, a cleaner came over, pushing a bucket of dirty water, curious about the commotion.

A gleam flashed in Nancy’s eyes. She shoved me hard. I was already weak and the push sent me stumbling backward. I fell to the floor, tipping over the bucket as I fell.

The icy-cold water poured down over me, the foul stench assaulting my nostrils. Laughter Instantly erupted around us.

Then a deep, stern male voice rang from behind the crowd. “What’s going on here?!”

The nurses stepped aside, revealing Edwin.

His eyes soon fell on my dishelved looks.

His brows knitted tightly. He took half a step back before his face hardened. “Who told you to come here?”

The chill in my chest sank deeper than the cold soaking my clothes.

I had just miscarried. I was the one being humiliated. Yet he didn’t ask why—he only demanded to know why I was there.

Nancy spoke first. “I caught Ms. Robertson rummaging through your office. When I tried to stop her, she attacked me…”

Edwin glanced past her, his expression darkening. “Sammy, who told you to come into my office?”

I pushed myself to my feet, facing the accusing stares around me. “You texted me to come.”

He let out a short, cold laugh. “I never take my phone into surgery. There's no way I could send you a message!”

I froze, then saw the satisfied glint in Nancy’s eyes and realized this was her trap.

I snapped, “You can check your phone records or pull the office security footage. Then you’ll know who’s lying.”

Edwin hesitated. Before he could answer, Nancy suddenly began to cry.

“Ms. Robertson, I understand—you think I caused your miscarriage, so you came here looking for proof. I get it…”

“You lost your baby and I feel worse than you do. But you can’t accuse me, you can’t frame me like this…”

“If no one here believes me, then I’ll just leave.”

She turned as if to go, but Edwin caught her by the arm.

“Nancy, of course I believe you. Don’t go!” Edwin said.

Security arrived and grabbed me by the arms.

Edwin shot me a look of disgust and said harshly, “Sammy, if you bully Nancy again, I won’t just throw you out of the hospital—I’ll have you taken straight to the police.”

That night, Edwin came home.

He saw me on the couch, clumsily tending to my injuries. For a moment, hesitation flickered in his eyes. But he turned away and walked into the bedroom.

A few minutes later, he walked out the room while dragging a suitcase.

He said coldly, “I paid for the imported medicine you broke. Consider that matter closed."

"Nancy’s upset, so I’m taking a week’s vacation to go abroad with her. While I’m gone, think about what you’ve done.”

From the moment he arrived home to the moment he left again, I didn’t say a single word.

Edwin took Nancy to Velvetio.

Nancy sent me their itinerary like a trophy. Edwin bought her designer handbags, luxury perfumes and piles of new clothes. They took a sunset cruise and strolled hand in hand down the famous Bellefragrance Row.

Occasionally, Edwin messaged me too.

[You always said you wanted to honeymoon in Velvetio. I’ll take you when I have time.]

[You just miscarried. Take care of yourself.]

[I got you a gift. I’ll give it to you when I’m home.]

I didn’t reply to a single one.

On the seventh day, soon as I got my passport, I went straight to the airport and bought the next ticket to the Federal Crimsonnia.

While waiting to board, two familiar figures passed right by me. They were Edwin and Nancy, back from their trip, dragging suitcases loaded with shopping bags.

Edwin pulled out his phone to make a call.

A second later, my phone rang. I hung up without answering, pulled out the SIM card and tossed it into the nearest trash bin. Then I walked into the boarding gate without looking back.

Goodbye, Edwin.