Seven years into her marriage, her husband brought his mistress home and her son demanded a new mother.

Emery's heart felt like it had been shattered beyond repair. Without looking back, she left them behind and headed to Willowridge.

Elliot dismissed her departure as a momentary outburst, convinced their history and bond would soon draw her back.

When people asked him about it, he simply shrugged and said, "Emery’s just being her usual jealous self. She’ll come back once she cools off and everything will be fine again."

But the days stretched into months and instead of her return, he heard the news of Emery’s engagement in Willowridge.

——

“Landon, I’ve booked my ticket to Willowridge for two weeks from now. Please draft a divorce agreement for me immediately.”

While Emery spoke on the phone, her eyes rested on the young woman stepping out of the Cayenne that once belonged to her. With a steady breath, she made her decision.

Hanging up the phone, she draped a coat over her shoulders and went downstairs.

The pounding rhythm of electronic music filled the grand mansion, its first-floor hall buzzing with people. Amid the lively crowd, Calla Daniels lounged on the sofa in a glittering black sequined dress, soaking up the admiration.

Beside her sat Elliot Carter, Emery’s husband and their seven-year-old son, Jaxon, whom Emery had carried for ten months, risking her life and raised with unwavering care.

Now, the two sat with Calla, creating a perfect family picture as if Emery had never been a part of it.

Unrelated, yet somehow connected. Calla had once been a struggling student Emery had taken under her wing and sponsored.

As Emery looked at her, memories flooded back of how this woman had slowly but deliberately inserted herself into her life.

But those memories no longer held any weight.

The air turned heavy with unease as Emery stepped down the stairs, her presence an unwelcome contrast to the lively scene below.

Maeve, Elliot’s assistant, quickly greeted her with an awkward smile. “Didn’t know you were back, sister-in-law. Hope we’re not bothering you.”

Everyone who knew Emery was aware of her hearing impairment and the cochlear implant she wore in her left ear. She could never tolerate such deafening noise.

Before bringing anyone into their home, Elliot hadn’t even bothered to check if she was there.

Keeping a calm smile, she replied, “It’s fine.”

Neither Elliot nor Jaxon paid much attention to her presence.

It wasn’t until she reached the last step that Elliot signaled for the music to stop. “Calla got promoted today. We’re celebrating.”

His voice was cold and detached. It didn’t sound like an explanation but more like a reprimand, as if her presence had disrupted the evening.

Jaxon, meanwhile, stood protectively by Calla’s side like a loyal guard and said, “Aunt Calla is the star today, Mommy. Don’t ruin the fun. You know I can’t stand it when someone spoils the mood. If only you could be as fun and carefree as Aunt Calla.”

Watching her son, the one she had poured her heart into raising, defend another woman so passionately, Emery felt a brief flicker in her chest, only for it to fade as quickly as it had come. The time for emotional upheaval had long since passed.

She smiled, calm and composed. “As long as you’re happy. Congratulations on your promotion, Calla.”

Once her affairs were in order, she would leave the city behind, severing all ties with both father and son.

Not wishing to join the celebration, Emery slipped around the crowd and made her way toward the kitchen, away from Calla.

But Calla wasn’t about to let her go so easily. Holding a glass of red wine, she gracefully approached Emery.

“Thank you, Miss Carter. If you hadn’t recommended me to Oakridge, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Originally, Mr. Carter planned to book the top floor of the Regent for a grand celebration, but I thought that was too much. I suggested we keep it here instead. I’m sorry I forgot about your dislike of noise.”

“Since it’s such a happy occasion, Miss Carter, why not join us? Jaxon often mentions how you prefer quiet things. As a mother, shouldn’t you spend more time playing with your child and understanding what he truly wants? Don’t you agree, Miss Carter?”

Calla linked her arm with Emery, her smile wide and bright, hiding the pride and venom in her words.

A woman’s petty games; how could Elliot not see right through them?

Yet, he said nothing.

Instead, he looked at her with indulgence, then clapped his hands. “Since my wife prefers peace, let’s switch to something softer.”

The cellist quickly adapted and the gentle melody of Forest Song filled the room.

On the surface, Elliot’s gesture seemed considerate toward Emery, but deep down, he hadn’t spared a thought for her feelings. If he had, he wouldn’t have invited so many guests to their home for this celebration.

Jaxon, now intrigued, jumped off the sofa. “Mommy, stay! Aunt Calla is going to teach me to play cards!”

When he mentioned “cards,” he was referring to poker, a game commonly played in the Pinecrest City. But as the future heir to the Carter Family, Jaxon was too young for such games; something the family patriarch had made clear.

Emery’s gaze automatically flicked to Elliot. He said nothing, his attention still on Calla, amusement dancing on his face.

Since Elliot was unconcerned, Emery saw no reason to speak up.

She had no interest in being part of another petty struggle between two women fighting for attention, only to please the strange desires of these two men. Lifting her hair, she revealed her bare ear and said, “Sorry, without my cochlear implant, I can’t really hear what you’re saying.”

With that, she shook off Calla’s hand and turned away.

The sudden force sent Calla stumbling and she collapsed to the ground. Her wine glass shattered, the sharp shards leaving small scratches on her arm.

The room fell into stunned silence and the eyes of everyone in the room turned to Emery, their disapproval clear.

Seeing Calla injured, Elliot quickly sprang from the sofa and lifted her in his arms. “Emery, have you lost your mind? Even if you didn’t want to celebrate with Calla, there’s no need for violence. You’re disgusting!”

Emery couldn’t hide her surprise at how such a simple act had thrown Elliot into a rage. Sometimes, she wondered; was it because he loved Calla so deeply, or was it because he thought so little of her?

Either answer was equally ironic.

Emery tilted her head, meeting Elliot’s gaze. “The police station is always open. If you’re so worried about her, why not take her to the hospital? You’d better hurry, or her wounds might heal before you can do anything about it.”

Her response took Elliot by surprise, but when he saw Calla’s pained expression, he held back from snapping. Instead, he carried Calla gently out to the car.

Jaxon rushed after them, pausing only to shoot Emery a look of pure hatred. “You’re the worst mommy ever! I hate you!”

Hate? Emery felt a bitter taste rise in her throat.

Wasn’t it just the same feeling that twisted inside her when she looked at everything around her?

But she didn’t have to endure it much longer.

As father and son left, the once lively atmosphere of the house quickly fell into a heavy silence.

Keeping her composure, Emery offered the guests a calm smile. “Just a minor accident. Please, make yourselves at home. Maeve, take care of everyone.”

With that, she walked toward the kitchen as though nothing had happened. She spotted a beautifully wrapped box in the corner, picked it up and made her way back to her room, gliding past the crowd.

Inside the box was a cake.

Emery had two birthdays: the day she was born and the day she was adopted by the Carter Family.

At five years old, she had been trafficked to the Pinecrest City, where she met Elliot, who had also been abducted.

Together, these two children, both barely in double digits, found the strength to survive the horrors of human trafficking by depending on each other.

Later, the police in the Pinecrest City solved the human trafficking case, but no leads on her family surfaced.

At Elliot's insistence, the Carter Family took her in and named her Emery, meaning "brave ruler," for she had the power to tame the once-untamable Elliot, turning him into a man who could be controlled.

From then on, Elliot kept the tradition of celebrating her birthday twice a year.

But today, he forgot. He was too caught up in celebrating with someone else.

After finishing her cake, Emery quietly removed all the wedding photos and family portraits from the bedroom, feeding them into the shredder. She had already made up her mind to leave; there was no point in holding onto the past.

Once the photos were gone, she packed her things and moved them into the study next door, leaving behind only the jewelry and gifts Elliot had given her over the years.

For now, she couldn’t bear to see his face every day.

The study, a space she had once insisted on keeping, now became her sanctuary. She had planned to use it for work, but life had kept her tangled up in Jaxon’s needs and daily duties.

Ironically, it was now the place she would retreat to before leaving the Pinecrest City for good.

Pushing aside the whirlwind of thoughts, Emery took a bath and then settled into bed. Despite her efforts to find rest, she tossed and turned for hours, her mind racing, until at last, sleep claimed her, but it was a restless one.

In the dead of night, Elliot returned home alone.

When he saw the empty bedroom, a mocking smile tugged at his lips.

He knew Emery was upset, throwing her little tantrum, but he wasn’t the young man who once panicked at the sight of her tears.

With a sharp bang, Elliot flung open the study door, only to find that Emery wasn’t sitting in there waiting for him, anxious and expectant, as he had imagined.

She rubbed her tired eyes and spoke with surprising calm, “Wrong room. The bedroom is next door.”

A surge of frustration rippled through Elliot. He marched toward the bed and grabbed her wrist. “You just can’t stand seeing Calla happy, can you? You had to embarrass her in front of everyone, didn’t you?”

Emery couldn’t help but laugh, though it was more bitter than anything. “Elliot, today isn’t just Calla’s big day…”

Elliot froze, the weight of her words slowly sinking in. It was then that he remembered; it was also Emery’s birthday.

A moment of unease flickered across Elliot’s chest, but it quickly faded, replaced by a surge of anger over Calla’s injury. “So that’s what this is about? If you want a present, just swipe my card at the mall. Calla never had a birthday like yours. Can’t you give her just this one day?”

His tone turned cold. “Don’t think hiding in the study will scare me. If you plan to stay here, then you better stay for good. And you’ll apologize to Calla tomorrow, or I won’t stop Jaxon from turning against you.”

He tightened his grip on her wrist until her face lost its color, then let go with a forceful shove. He stormed off, his anger trailing behind him.

As his figure disappeared down the hallway, Emery’s lips twisted into a laugh.

The marks on her wrist were bright, mocking, as if to remind her of the hold he still had over her.

Once upon a time, she would have been angry beyond words.

But now, all she felt was the hollow ache of years spent in his shadow; twenty-four New Year’s Eve spent with him, watching the fireworks over Pinecrest City and all of it slipping away like sand through her fingers.

At eighteen, Emery’s heart began to stir with a feeling she had never known. On a yacht, beneath a sky lit up by a dazzling burst of fireworks, Elliot gently took her hand and promised her a lifetime together.

The fireworks had been so breathtaking, and in that moment, she had never imagined that love, so sincere, so bright, could fade away just as quickly as the sparks in the night sky.

With the Carter Family’s encouragement, she naturally married Elliot and by twenty-two, she had given birth to their son, Jaxon, a child she cherished more than anything in the world.