Nathaniel’s voice was laced with impatience. “Whatever.”

Zoe, undeterred, continued to act coy. “Just try it on. Aunt Victoria never liked your usual style. She said I have good taste. She’s just back from her trip abroad, so let’s surprise her this time.”

Madeline’s heart, already shattered, took another blow. So, Nathan’s mother knew about Zoe. All this time, it had been Madeline buying Nathaniel’s clothes, trying to please a woman who had never once liked her. No matter what Madeline did, it was never enough.

She had been kept in the dark from the start, a fool in her own life, a mere shadow of the person she once believed herself to be. She smiled bitterly to herself.

Zoe pushed Nathaniel into the fitting room next door, and Madeline could hear the rustling of clothes as he changed. A part of her wanted to see what kind of clothes he was wearing now—what would make Nathan's mother finally approve of him?

Suddenly, Nathaniel’s voice cut through her thoughts, sharp and commanding. “Who let you in?”

Zoe’s voice responded hesitantly, “I wanted to help you sort it out.”

“No. You go out.”

Zoe persisted. “You didn’t do it right in the back, and the clothes will get wrinkled. I’ll be quick. We can leave after this, Aunt Victoria must be waiting.”

Nathaniel finally relented with a sigh, and Madeline could hear the soft hum of Zoe as she began to sort through his clothes.

“Nathan, you look so handsome. Aunt Victoria will be so happy.”

Unable to resist, Madeline quietly cracked open the door to peek at Nathaniel’s outfit. It was simple, nothing extraordinary. But as long as it wasn’t something she had picked out for him, Madeline thought bitterly, it would surely be praised by Aunt Victoria.

“I’ll go check out,” Nathaniel said, adjusting his collar as he walked toward the cashier.

“Yeah, you go first,” Zoe responded. “I’ll sit for a while, my legs are tired.” She leaned back in the chair and began to rub her legs, acting as if she were a spoiled child.

Nathaniel's expression was tinged with concern. Zoe, sensing his unease, reassured him softly, “Don’t worry so much. I’ll let you know if anything happens.”

Nathaniel frowned slightly, but didn’t press the issue, turning instead to pay the bill. Madeline quickly closed the door behind him and sank into the chair, waiting for Zoe to leave.

"I know you're in there," Zoe's voice rang out, startling Madeline. Her heart began to race, and she held her breath, paralyzed by the fear of being exposed, as if she were the one in the wrong.

Zoe, however, paid no mind to her silence and spoke as if to herself, “Nathan is so good to me. He really loves this child. I just hope you can stop bothering him. Of course, even if you insist, you'll end up with nothing."

Madeline's blood boiled in her veins. Zoe, the one who had interfered, was now talking as though she had every right to claim Nathaniel. It was as if she was issuing a command, demanding Madeline leave.

Her hand gripped the door handle, and for a moment, Madeline considered rushing out to confront them. But then, the weight of helplessness sank in. She let go of the handle and sank back into the chair. What was the point of going out? She had already decided to leave. Why make this any more humiliating than it already was?

Even knowing Nathaniel had betrayed her, Madeline couldn’t bring herself to confront him as he protected another woman, the one who had taken her place.

She closed her eyes, resigned. In just two days, everything will be over. At least she'd leave with some dignity and the memory of eight years of marriage with Nathaniel.

"Who are you talking to?" Nathaniel’s voice came from outside, tinged with suspicion.

"No one," Zoe replied smoothly. "I was just talking to the baby. He must be so eager to meet his father. Are you looking forward to it, too, Nathan?"

"Let’s go," Nathaniel replied curtly, as Zoe eagerly led him out, chattering about the beautiful future they would have with the child.

As Nathaniel instinctively placed a hand protectively on Zoe's stomach, Madeline waited for them to leave completely. The moment they were gone, she stepped out of the fitting room.

The shop assistant, noticing her tear-streaked face, asked gently, "Miss, why are you crying?"

Madeline absentmindedly raised her hand to her face, feeling the wetness on her fingers. Confusion swept over her as she wondered why she had been crying. She didn’t even realize when the tears had started.

She wandered out of the house, not returning until it was dark. The quiet emptiness of the place greeted her, and Nathaniel still hadn’t come home. She didn’t care. Her stomach growled with hunger, reminding her she hadn’t eaten all day. She made herself a bowl of noodles, but as she ate, Nathaniel finally returned, holding a bowl of hot and sour noodles.

The scent of alcohol lingered around him, but as he stepped into the house, a strange emptiness seemed to settle in his chest. Yet, when he saw Madeline, his concern softened. He smiled and, though slightly tipsy, asked, "Madeline, why are you eating so light today?"

"Oh, I forgot," Madeline murmured, only then realizing that, despite her love for spicy food, she had made a simple bowl of clear soup noodles. Was it some maternal instinct? She didn’t know.

She got up, walked to the kitchen, and added a generous amount of chili peppers to her noodles. The spiciness hit her immediately, and she choked, coughing violently as tears streamed down her face. Nathaniel rushed over to wipe her tears, gently patting her back.

Once she regained her breath, he took her noodles away and swapped them for the hot and sour noodles he had brought. He didn’t mind eating her leftovers. "It’s too spicy for you. Eat these," he insisted.

"I’m not hungry," Madeline said, pushing the bowl back toward him.

Nathaniel looked at her indifference and suddenly remembered the strange feeling he had earlier when he noticed things were missing from their home. "Madeline, there are a lot of things missing at home."

Madeline nodded, her voice steady. "It's useless. I put it in the utility room."

Nathaniel frowned, displeased. "How can it be useless? Those were the gifts you gave me. I like seeing them around. They make me feel at ease. I’ll take them out and put them back where they belong."

Madeline panicked, afraid he’d catch her in a lie. She quickly stopped him. "I don’t think they look good there. You’ll get more gifts in the future."

Though Nathaniel felt something was off, he pushed the discomfort aside. He remembered what his mother had said earlier when he took Zoe to meet her. He and Madeline still had a long way to go, and if she didn’t like it, he wouldn’t force it.

"Okay, whatever you want," he muttered, trying to dismiss the nagging feeling in his chest.

Later, when Nathaniel cleaned up, took a shower, and lay down beside her, Madeline had already closed her eyes, asleep.

Nathaniel hugged her tightly, pressing her close as a wave of unease washed over him. Whether it was from the alcohol or the thought of Zoe about to give birth, something in him felt unsettled. Even with Madeline in his arms, he felt the growing fear of losing her.

"Madeline, are you asleep?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Madeline’s eyelashes fluttered, but she didn’t respond. His anxiety deepened, and he leaned down, kissing her lips with reckless abandon.

Sensing things might go too far, Madeline pretended to stir, letting out a soft sound as she pushed lightly on his chest. "Don’t make trouble, I’m so tired."

Her playful voice eased some of his tension. He held her tighter, his words slurring slightly as he whispered, "Madeline, if I did something wrong, will you forgive me?"

She didn’t answer right away, her voice calm. "Go to sleep. I want to sleep."

"No, you promised me," Nathaniel persisted, his tone desperate. "You promised we’d be together forever, no matter what."

Madeline opened her eyes and met his gaze. Her words were deliberate, each one full of weight. "As long as you don’t let me down, I won’t leave you."

Nathaniel stared at her for a long moment, his expression softening as the words sank in. Finally, he pressed her head to his chest, his voice barely a whisper. "Madeline, I love you. I won’t betray you. We’ll grow old together."

Madeline sneered inwardly. Nathaniel, you lied to me, you betrayed me, so don't expect anything I said to mean anything to you.

When Madeline woke up, the rich aroma of rice filled the air, and she blinked, slightly disoriented. After quickly changing her clothes, she stepped out and saw Nathaniel in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, frying eggs.

"I'm taking a break today. You mentioned there’s a new movie coming out—I'll go with you to watch it," he said, his voice soft, his gaze tender as he looked at her.

Madeline didn’t feel moved by his words. She wondered if he had said the same thing to Zoe. But now, she didn’t care. She pursed her lips, offering a brief response before sitting down to eat.

Noticing her cold attitude, Nathaniel assumed it was just because she had just woken up and didn’t think much of it.

After breakfast, Nathaniel changed into his clothes and turned to Madeline, surprised to see her still in her sportswear. "Aren’t you going to change?" he asked, confusion creasing his brow.

Madeline shook her head. "No, let's go. The movie is about to start." She stood up and walked out without another word.

Nathaniel frowned. Normally, when they went out, Madeline would always dress up. He wondered if she was still concerned about the pregnancy. He wanted to comfort her but, thinking of the child about to be born, he bit back his words. Instead, he simply caught up with her and gently took her hand in his.

Madeline looked down at their joined hands, her expression neutral, showing neither joy nor sadness.

The movie they watched was a tragic love story. To protect the heroine, the hero had done many things that hurt her, and the heroine struggled with love and betrayal. Many girls in the cinema were softly crying over the tumultuous love between the two characters.

Nathaniel seemed moved. He recalled the times when Madeline had cried her heart out while watching melodramatic love stories. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a tissue and extended it toward her.

Madeline, lost in the movie, turned her head at the interruption. Her clear eyes met his, calm and indifferent. "What’s wrong?" she asked coldly.

Nathaniel felt a flicker of unease. There was something different about her, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. "Why aren’t you crying today?"

Madeline didn’t take the tissue. She let him hold it and then spoke, her voice cold and laced with mockery. "What’s there to cry about? It’s just disgusting things done in the name of love. It makes me sick. If I had known it was this ugly, I wouldn’t have come."

The unease inside him deepened. Nathaniel couldn't shake the feeling that Madeline was speaking about him. But when she turned back to the movie, her actions seemed normal, and he couldn’t find any real flaws in her behavior.

As his phone vibrated persistently in his pocket, Nathaniel pulled it out irritably. Seeing the caller ID, he briefly considered ignoring it. But after a moment, he reluctantly answered it, his tone impatient.

"Nathan, I'm in the hospital, waiting to deliver. The doctor needs family members to sign. Can you come over?" Zoe's voice came through the phone, clear and urgent. Madeline, however, seemed not to hear it.

Nathaniel hesitated, his face a mixture of concern and uncertainty. After a brief moment of thought, he turned to Madeline, speaking quickly. "Madeline, I have to leave early. Wait here for me to come back."

"Will you come back?" Madeline asked, her gaze steady, unwavering as she watched him.

Nathaniel, too preoccupied to notice her strange tone, hurriedly nodded. "I'll be back soon." And without waiting for a response, he left in a rush.

Madeline didn't try to stop him, her gaze fixed on the screen as the movie’s ending unfolded. The hero sacrificed himself to save the heroine, and she, overcome with regret, died alone. Amid the sobs echoing from the theater, Madeline’s lips curled into a bitter, silent sneer.

Her phone buzzed with an update from Zoe’s social media. "The baby will be born tomorrow, and his father is really nervous." Two photos accompanied the post—one showing Nathaniel talking to a doctor, his back turned, and the other a close-up of Zoe's hospital wristband.

Madeline's eyes narrowed as she recognized the hospital in the photo—the same one where she was scheduled to have an abortion tomorrow.