Over the next few days, Yvonne barely left her room except to eat.

All she wanted was for the divorce to be finalized as quickly as possible. She ignored Justin and the boys’ endless attempts to please Sophia as though she could not see them at all.

Soon, Sophia’s birthday arrived.

Justin had originally planned to throw a lavish party, but Sophia gently refused. “Let’s just celebrate at home. I don’t like big crowds.”

Milton immediately chimed in, “Perfect. I don’t like outsiders trying to suck up to us anyway. It’s better when it’s just our family.”

…

On the day of Sophia's birthday, the villa was decorated in a warm, extravagant style. The maids bustled about, and Justin personally placed a birthday hat on Sophia’s head.

“Make a wish.” Justin’s gaze was full of tenderness.

Sophia clasped her hands and closed her eyes in the candlelight. After she blew out the candles, Justin and the two boys presented their gifts.

Justin gave her a set of antique jewelry. Milton handed her the key to a limited-edition sports car. Travis proudly presented the deed to a private island.

Sophia’s eyes turned red with emotion. “Thank you… all of you.”

She suddenly looked toward Yvonne, who had remained silent until now. She put on a sweet smile. “Yvonne, what gift did you prepare for me?”

Every pair of eyes turned toward her.

Yvonne met Sophia’s expectant gaze and answered calmly, “I didn’t prepare one.”

She had no desire to and no intention of doing so.

Milton’s expression instantly darkened. “Mom! How could you do that? You knew today was Ms. Shaw’s birthday!”

Travis pouted. “You don’t even have basic manners!”

The two boys exchanged a glance. Suddenly, Milton’s eyes lit up. “Wait! Mom has tons of nice things Dad bought her. Let’s pick one from her room and give it to Ms. Shaw!”

Travis nodded immediately. “Good idea!”

Before Yvonne could react, the boys had already dashed upstairs toward her bedroom.

“Wait!” Yvonne’s expression changed drastically. Ignoring the fact that her leg had not fully healed, she staggered after them.

When she pushed the door open, the boys were already rummaging through her room. Jewelry boxes had been overturned and drawers pulled open, their contents scattered everywhere.

“Found it!” Milton suddenly shouted, holding up a silver necklace with a small crescent moon pendant. “This one’s pretty!”

Yvonne’s pupils shrank. It was the last gift Henry had given her before he died.

“No!” She rushed forward to grab it back. “You can’t take that! Your Uncle Henry gave it to me!”

Milton nimbly dodged aside. “It’s just a necklace. You can ask Uncle Henry to buy you another one later.”

Her voice trembled. “He’s already dead!”

Travis rolled his eyes impatiently. “You’re lying again. It was just a dummy last time! Uncle Henry’s obviously traveling. He even said he’d bring me back a gift!”

Then, he leaned over the railing and shouted downstairs, “Ms. Shaw! We found Mom’s gift for you! You’re going to love it!”

Yvonne reached out desperately for the necklace, but Milton shoved her hard. “Why are you being so stingy?!”

Yvonne's foot slipped, and she tumbled down the stairs. The back of her head slammed against the steps. Blood instantly spilled from her temple. She lay in a pool of blood. Her vision blurred as a loud ringing filled her ears.

“Mom!” Milton and Travis panicked and ran downstairs.

Milton’s voice trembled. “I-I didn’t mean to… It’s your fault for trying to grab it…”

Travis burst into tears. “Mom, you’re bleeding…”

Justin strode over when he heard the noises. His expression changed instantly when he saw the scene. “What happened?”

Milton sniffled as he tried to explain, “We just wanted to find a necklace to give to Ms. Shaw… Mom wouldn’t let us and tried to take it back… I-I accidentally…”

Justin crouched down beside Yvonne, reaching out to help her up. “Where are you hurt? I’ll take you to the hospital.”

The two boys also hurried over, fumbling as they tried to help.

Just then…

A scream came from the dining room. A maid rushed over in a panic. “Sir! Ms. Shaw was scalded by hot soup!”

Justin froze for a moment.

“Is it serious?” he asked urgently.

“A large patch of skin turned red…”

Before the maid could finish, Justin had already stood up. “Yvonne, call an ambulance yourself. We’ll take Sophia to the hospital first.”

The two boys immediately let go of Yvonne’s hands. “Mom, you should go to the hospital yourself!”

“Justin… Milton… Travis…”

Yvonne weakly reached out. However, the three of them were already rushing toward the dining room without looking back, carefully supporting Sophia as they escorted her away.

Blood blurred her vision. She trembled as she fumbled for her phone, using the last bit of her strength she had to dial 911.

“H-Help me…”

The moment the call connected, darkness swallowed her whole.

…

When Yvonne woke up again, her hospital room was still empty. A nurse came in to change her bandages. She let out a sigh when she saw that Yvonne was awake.

“Your husband and children are in the VIP room next door, taking care of Ms. Shaw.”

She hesitated for a moment before continuing. There was a hint of indignation in her voice. “Ms. Shaw only has a small burn on the back of her hand, but they’re acting like it’s a huge emergency. Mr. Quinn personally applied ointment for her, the older kid was blowing on the burn, and the younger one even ran out to buy ice cream to cheer her up… Meanwhile, you’re injured badly, yet…”

Yvonne listened quietly. Her heart was already hurting past the point of feeling.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. The screen lit up with a notification from the courthouse: [Your divorce has been processed. You may collect your divorce certificate in three days.]

She stared at the message for a long time, then she smiled. It would soon all be over.

…

After leaving the hospital, Yvonne began preparing to leave. On the first day, she went to the cemetery. A little stone marker now stood beside her parents’ tomb, marking Henry’s resting place.

She knelt before the grave and gently wiped the dust from the photo of her brother’s young, smiling face.

“Mom, Dad, Henry…” Her voice was soft. “I loved the wrong person. I shouldn’t have fallen in love with Justin. I shouldn’t have given birth to those two children…”

She gave a small smile as silent tears slid down her face. “I’m leaving… This time, I’ll let them go completely. I’ll make the rest of my life count. You guys, be well and don’t worry about me. Someday, years from now, we’ll meet again.”

The mountain wind lifted her long hair, and the white flowers at the grave trembled slightly, as though they were responding to her.

The next day, she went to Lovers’ Bridge. Years ago, she and Justin had hung a lock there. It had been engraved with their names, meant to symbolize their lasting love. She found the lock, gripped a pair of pliers, and snapped it off before tossing it into the river.

As the lock fell into the water, she seemed to hear the laughter of her younger self.

How ridiculous. Those vows of 'forever' only lasted five years.

After that, she visited every place that held memories of her time with Justin—the restaurants they frequented, the park where they had their first date, the church where they were married…

Bit by bit, she erased every trace of their love.

Back at home, she gathered all the gifts Justin had given her over the years and threw them into the trash. Finally, she packed her bags. Once she collected the divorce certificate tomorrow, she would leave for good.

On the evening of the third day, Justin returned with the two children.

The moment he stepped through the door, he offered an explanation, which was rare for him. “Sophia has never dealt well with pain. That’s why we took her to the hospital first.”

Milton muttered quietly, “Yeah… Mom, you’re stronger than Ms. Shaw. You don’t need us…”

Travis nodded solemnly. “Ms. Shaw is too weak. She needs our protection.”

“Enough,” Yvonne cut them off, her voice calm. “No need to explain.”

She understood perfectly. All their justifications ultimately boiled down to one thing—they loved Sophia, not her. Once, that truth would have shattered her, but not anymore.

She no longer loved them.

Justin felt a flicker of unease when he noticed how calm Yvonne was. It was as though the chance to make amends was slipping through his fingers. He added, “There’s a meteor shower tonight. I’ll take you up the mountain to watch it.”

“No.”

“Don’t be stubborn.” Justin glanced at the kids. “Go help your mom change first.”

Milton and Travis immediately grabbed her arms from both sides. “Come on, Mom!”

Yvonne was forced into the car, and only then did she notice that Sophia was there too.

Sophia said in a gentle voice, “Yvonne, please don’t mind it. I’ve always been afraid of the dark. Justin didn’t want me alone—”

Justin quickly chimed in, “Sophia has night blindness and gets scared at night.”

The kids joined in with chatter, “Poor Ms. Shaw!”

Yvonne felt exhausted and closed her eyes. She did not want to hear another word.

When they were up the mountain, Justin and the children fussed over Sophia—adjusting her seat, handing her blankets, and feeding her fruit. They were afraid she would feel even the slightest discomfort.

Sophia glanced at Yvonne from time to time, hoping to see a flicker of jealousy or anger, but all she saw was calm detachment—as though none of it concerned her at all.

Halfway up the slope, they got out to walk.

Suddenly, Sophia slipped and let out a startled scream. Sophia grabbed Yvonne’s wrist, and together, they tumbled down the hillside.

“Yvonne! Sophia!”

Justin and the kids scrambled down in panic. Sophia had only scraped her palm, but tears brimmed in her eyes. She looked pitiful even though she was unharmed.

Yvonne, however, hit a rock. A long gash ran down her lower leg, and blood soaked her pants. Her face was pale as paper.

“I’ll take Sophia back first.” Justin decided immediately. “Yvonne, hang in here. I’ll call the rescue team.”

After he said that, he scooped Sophia into his arms and left without looking back.

Milton and Travis hesitated for a moment. They glanced at their mother’s bloodied leg, then at Sophia in their father’s arms. They reluctantly followed the two.

Yvonne lay on the cold slope, watching their backs disappear into the night.

She waited all night, but no one returned.

At dawn, Yvonne clenched her teeth and dragged her injured leg inch by inch as she painfully climbed onto the road. She flagged down a passing car, went to the hospital herself to tend to her wound, and then went straight to the courthouse.

When the divorce certificate was placed in her hands, the letters seemed to glow with liberation.

When she returned to the villa, the house was silent and empty. Justin and the kids were still at the hospital, nagging at Sophia to get a full check-up.

Yvonne set the divorce certificate on the coffee table. Beside it lay a single note:

[I’m gone. Don’t look for me. I don’t want this family anymore.]

She picked up her long-packed suitcase and walked out without so much as a backward glance, finally stepping free from the cage that had held her for five long, suffocating years.

Behind her, the sun rose slowly, spilling light over the world she was leaving.

Ahead of her lay a life entirely of her own—without Justin, Milton, and Travis.