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.

Madeline didn’t wait for Nathaniel to come back. As soon as the movie ended, she stood up and left, heading home immediately.

Just as dinner was ready, the door swung open, and Nathaniel rushed in, out of breath. His eyes softened with relief when he saw her sitting at the table.

“Why did you come back first? Didn’t I tell you to wait for me?” His forehead was damp with sweat, and his chest heaved with each breath. He untied his tie and collapsed into the chair across from her.

Madeline casually took a bite of noodles, her tone indifferent. “I was hungry, so I came back first.”

Nathaniel took a moment to catch his breath. “Don’t you want to know where I went?”

She looked up briefly, asking without a trace of real curiosity, “So where did you go?”

He hesitated for a moment, then avoided answering her question. “Mom’s back. She wants to see you.”

Madeline paused, her chopsticks mid-air. The mention of Victoria made her stomach tighten. She had always feared Nathaniel’s mother. After all, it was she who had belittled and criticized Madeline for not being able to conceive, making her feel worthless. Nathaniel had almost severed ties with his mother over her treatment of Madeline, and after moving out, life had been better for her. For a long time, she hadn’t seen or heard from Victoria. She’d disappeared into her travels, only to reappear now.

Madeline set her chopsticks down, wiping her mouth before speaking. “Let’s go. It’s been so long since we’ve seen her. We can’t be rude.”

Nathaniel let out a quiet sigh of relief, taking her cold hand in his as they made their way to Victoria’s house. He slipped her hand into his jacket pocket, his voice soft and reassuring. “Why are your hands so cold? Eat less cold food. I’ll give you a hot bath when we get back.”

Madeline felt the warmth of his hand against hers, but a coldness seemed to settle deep inside her, making her heart feel frozen.

When they arrived, Victoria sat elegantly on the sofa, her face lighting up with a smile as soon as she saw Nathaniel. She immediately rose and moved toward him, pushing Madeline aside as she drew him close, her eyes scanning him with approval. Her praise poured out relentlessly, all directed at him, while Madeline stood silently, unseen.

"Good son, I know you're the most filial. You won’t let me be without a grandson. Zoe..."

Nathaniel cut her off quickly, his voice tinged with urgency. "You take a rest first." His gaze flickered nervously toward Madeline.

Madeline seemed unaffected, her focus entirely on the family drama playing on the TV. She appeared completely absorbed, as if she hadn’t heard a word.

Nathaniel frowned, glancing at her with confusion. This wasn’t like her. She used to hang on his every word, every detail, and would never be so detached, least of all watching TV on her own.

Victoria, noticing Madeline's indifference, grew angry. Her red nails almost seemed to point accusingly at Madeline’s face. “Are you dead? Do you have no sense at all? Go and prepare the dishes! You’re useless! It's bad enough that you can’t give birth to a child, but now you can't even do basic housework. My son really is unlucky to marry you.”

Madeline turned slowly, her gaze cold as she met her mother-in-law’s. The sharpness of her stare seemed to catch Victoria off guard, but it quickly fueled her rage.

“What is that look? How dare you stare at me like that? Waiting for Zoe’s child?” she spat.

“Mom!” Nathaniel’s voice rang out sharply, making Victoria flinch. Seeing his livid face, she swallowed the rest of her words, her irritation still simmering beneath her breath. “Why are you shouting?” she snapped before reluctantly adding, “Let’s eat.”

At the dinner table, Nathaniel silently served Madeline, picking up food for her with a tender care that contrasted sharply with the tension in the room. Yet, Madeline only took one bite before pushing her plate away, her voice calm. “I already ate. I’m not hungry now.”

Nathaniel didn’t seem to mind. Without hesitation, he picked up the leftovers in her bowl and ate them. Across the table, Victoria’s teeth ground together in frustration, but she dared not speak up after receiving one of Nathaniel’s hard, threatening glares. She swallowed her anger, but it was clear she couldn’t even stomach her food.

After the meal, Nathaniel was the only one who ate. He could feel the tension in the air, especially with his mother, and feared she might say something she shouldn’t. So, he quickly ushered Madeline out of the house and back to their own place.

The moment they stepped inside, Nathaniel hadn’t even had time to take off his coat when he heard Madeline ask, almost offhand, "Who is Zoe?"