“I never agreed to a divorce! Don’t even think about leaving me in this lifetime!”

The light that had just flickered in Seth’s eyes instantly dimmed.

Seeing this, Marcella couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness in her heart.

Did he really hate her that much?

But Zeth had only been around for 10 days.

Grady’s gaze remained fixed on Marcella’s face as he spoke those words.

But she stayed indifferent, not even showing a hint of surprise.

She was nothing like the woman who once had eyes only for him.

For some reason, Grady felt as if something was slipping away—something beyond his control.

Just as Marcella turned to leave, Grady stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her out of the family estate.

But the moment they stepped out into the garden, Zeth was already standing there.

Her eyes were red as if she’d just been crying.

Her phone was still connected to a call, and from a distance, Marcella could see the contact name on the screen—Seth, the boy she had raised for seven years.

The man who had just been gripping her wrist so tightly instantly let go the moment Zeth turned her head.

All Marcella was left with was his retreating.

“Mom, if you want a divorce, why don’t you just be straightforward about it? You keep saying you want to leave, but then you cling to Dad. I hate you! I want Aunt Zeth to be my mom!”

With that, Seth shoved Marcella aside and ran off, chasing after Zeth without hesitation.

Standing outside the villa, Marcella couldn’t hear what Grady said to Zeth.

She only saw that one moment, Zeth was still angry, but in the next, her lips curled up slightly.

Then, Seth threw himself into her arms.

[I’m going to the office. Figure out how to get home yourself.]

It was a text message from Grady that popped up on her screen.

By the time Marcella looked up, the three of them were already in the car, ready to leave.

The scorching sun beat down, drenching her shirt in sweat.

The Walquists’ family estate was built up in the mountains, surrounded by nothing but wilderness for the sake of privacy.

Marcella walked alone along the mountain path, unable to get a cab no matter how hard she tried.

Her head was starting to feel dizzy. She took out her phone, thinking of calling for help.

But after scrolling through her contacts, she realized there wasn’t a single person she could call.

A distant honk broke the silence. When Marcella turned around, Arizona had already pulled up beside her.

“Playing hard to get a little too much, aren’t you? I almost believed you were serious about that divorce. So… it was all just an act, huh?”

Marcella never expected that signing the divorce papers without hesitation would be seen as nothing more than a ploy.

Of course. Everyone knew Grady had a wife who loved him to the bone—a wife who didn't even hesitate to donate her kidney for him.

‘So that’s what Grady thinks too, huh?’

Marcella didn’t bother explaining. She didn’t spare Arizona another glance.

Having just been ignored by Grady at the family estate, now being treated as air by someone she looked down on made Arizona’s blood boil.

As she watched Marcella’s retreating figure, an idea flashed through her mind.

The car suddenly sped up, brushing past Marcella.

Caught off guard, she stumbled and crashed to the ground.

“Oh my! So sorry about that! Maybe next time, watch where you’re going?”

Arizona leaned out of the car window, grinning at the sight of Marcella struggling to get up from the dirt.

Then, with a flick of her hair, she stepped on the gas, leaving nothing behind but a trail of exhaust.

Marcella struggled to get up, even though she only had a scrape on her leg.

But the dull ache in her belly was getting worse. When she looked down, she saw herself lying in a pool of blood.

Her face turned deathly pale. There was no time for fear—she hurriedly dialed Grady.

“Grady, I—”

“Dee is in the shower. He doesn’t have time to answer your call. If you have any self-respect, you should step aside and give up your position as Mrs. Walquist. Playing hard to get won’t work, you know. It’ll only make him hate you more.”

Before Marcella could finish her sentence, Zeth hung up on her.

Marcella called again, but all she got was the beeping sound of a powered-off phone.

The pain in her belly became unbearable, and her whole body trembled uncontrollably.

‘Grady, I will never forgive you! You will never be happy in this lifetime!’

That was the last thought in her fading consciousness before everything went dark.

When she woke up, she was in a hospital bed.

A security guard on patrol had found her. By the time she was brought in, she had already lost consciousness.

She instinctively placed a hand on her belly. A nurse who had just walked in sighed at the sight.

“You’re still so young. You’ll have another child in the future.

“Try calling your family. They should be here to take care of you.”

The memory of that phone call before she passed out nearly crushed her.

Even a stranger could offer her comfort and concern, yet Grady was as cold as ice—completely unaffected no matter what she did.

Marcella couldn’t help but wonder, ‘In those seven years, how many moments had been real?’ Or had I been nothing more than a way to pass the time whenever Zeth wasn’t around?’

“I don’t have any family. Thank you, but I’ll be fine on my own.”

Her voice was soft, but the nurse still caught the loneliness in it. She looked at the patient with sympathy but didn’t press further.

As soon as the nurse left, Marcella finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

She never expected to find out she was already two months pregnant.

And now, before she even had the chance to process it, the baby was gone.

She wondered how Grady would react when he found out they lost their second child because of him.

‘Would he feel relieved? Or would there be even a flicker of sadness?’

Marcella let out a bitter laugh.

‘He’ll probably be thrilled—one less tie between us.’

Just then, her phone buzzed with a message from Grady.

[I’m on a business trip. Go home and take care of Seth.]

Marcella gripped her phone tightly, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion washing over her.

‘Business trip? Is that what he called lying in bed with Zeth?’

But she didn’t reply. Instead, she blocked him on Telegram.

There wasn’t much time left, anyway.

As she stepped out of the hospital room, she suddenly froze.

Standing by the OB-GYN’s office, where she never should have been, was Zeth—leaning into Grady’s arms, gently cradling her belly.

Marcella’s mind went blank. Her whole body started shaking.

“Dee, since I’m pregnant now, why don’t we let Seth stay with Marcella?”

From a distance, Marcella heard Zeth’s voice.

At that moment, everything around Marcella seemed to fall silent.

She stared at Grady, waiting for his answer.

“You know I’ve never liked Seth.”

Grady’s response made Zeth smile. She was still smiling when the elevator doors closed behind her.

“I knew it! Love and hate work the same way, right?”

This time, Grady didn’t respond.

But the slight curve of his lips seemed to acknowledge Zeth’s words.

Marcella leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down until she sat on the floor.

‘Grady, soon… Soon, you’ll get what you want.’

The next second, her phone rang.

“Miss Westerman, your identity erasure will be finalized the day after tomorrow. We will come to escort you to the organization’s base. Would you like more time with your family before then?”

“No need. Please get here on time.”

When Marcella requested to be discharged, even the nurse couldn’t help but advise her to stay and recover longer.

But she insisted on leaving.

She had unfinished business in these last two days.

As soon as she stepped into the villa, a stuffed toy came flying from the living room—smacking her right on the head.

Seth didn’t apologize. Instead, he sneered.

“You deserve it, Mom! That’s what you get for staying away so long! Hurry up and make me something to eat. I’m starving! If Dad finds out, he’ll be mad!”

At those words, Marcella was reminded of what Grady had said at the hospital.

He hated her.

So, of course, he didn’t care about the child she had given birth to either.

And Seth—he had chosen their side.

‘How pathetic!’

From the corner of her eye, Marcella noticed her son munching on junk food, the kind she never allowed him to have.

‘Zeth must’ve bought it for him.’

Sensing her gaze, Seth clutched his snacks and tablet close, staring at his mother like a little wolf pup baring its fangs.

“Aunt Zeth gave these to me. Dad didn’t say anything about it, so you don’t get to have an opinion!”

Marcella walked up to him, looking down at the boy she had raised for so many years.

She thought she’d feel reluctant when the time came to leave.

But standing here now, gazing at Seth… she felt nothing.

“Hey, look, I won’t care about you anymore. Hope you stay this happy forever.”

With that, she turned and walked into her bedroom.

Seth was stunned.

He had always hated how Marcella controlled him, always nagging and restricting him.

But just now, the way she looked at him—something felt different.

A strange emptiness welled up inside him, though he couldn’t quite place why.

So he brushed it off.

He figured she was just acting like that because he liked Zeth.

When Marcella entered the master bedroom, her wedding photos with Grady were still there.

In every picture, his face was cold, devoid of any joy.

Even the photographer had urged him to smile.

But what did he say back then?

“It’s just a wedding. No need to look so happy.”

Over the years, he started smiling more and more.

She had once thought—just maybe—he had finally turned around.

But no.

She had only been fooling herself.

A sudden ding snapped her out of her thoughts.

A message.

An unknown number.

It was a picture.

Two people standing by the seaside at sunset, holding an ultrasound result.

[I’m pregnant. Dee said he’ll divorce you as soon as we get back from our trip. If you know what’s good for you, leave before we return.]

Marcella glanced at the message and ignored it.

She took all the wedding photos down and tore them to pieces.

But Zeth wasn’t done yet.

Marcella’s phone kept buzzing with messages.

[Grady never loved you. If it weren’t for the fact that you saved his life, he would’ve divorced you years ago!]