Aaron was taken aback by Elena's nonchalant tone. After a brief pause, he said hoarsely, "It's okay if you've gotten tired of your regular jewelry—we can buy new ones together someday. But the wedding ring…"

He got on one knee and held Elena's hand. From his pocket, he pulled a familiar blue box and placed it on her palm. "You can change all other jewelry, but the wedding ring is unique. I went all the way to South Phrida to source the gem, and I designed and made the ring myself.

"It represents my love for you. You have to keep it with you at all times. If you don't, I'll give up everything—including my life—and go to the ends of the earth to get it back for you."

His gaze was sincere and tender, and his hand was warm around hers. Everything looked the same as before, but Elena knew better. Both of them had changed on the inside, so there was no way things could be the same.

"Okay." She felt like she had something lodged in her throat. She tried to pull her hand away but failed.

"Darling…" Aaron slowly stood up. Then, he leaned forward to kiss her.

She turned away, feeling discomfited. "It's daytime. Didn't we agree to practice restraint?"

He frowned and missed her lips in that split second. The kiss landed on her cheek.

"I'm sorry for being too forward." He smiled nonchalantly and opened the ring box, revealing an exquisite and lavish pink diamond ring. It was eye-catching and gleamed under the lights. Even if it wasn't worth a fortune, it was still expensive.

Aaron had indeed put his heart into designing and making the ring. It was created when his love for Elena was at its peak. It was too bad his love lasted for such a short time. It also came with lies and betrayal.

Elena's chest tightened. It was as if she'd been stabbed in a spot that had just recovered.

"Be good and take care of it. Don't lose it again." He put the ring back on her finger and tapped her forehead gently. He seemed to have much to say when his gaze met hers but ultimately didn't. Instead, he went back to work after giving her a brief hug.

…

Elena didn't know whether Aaron could sense something was up or whether it was just his guilty conscience acting up, but he returned particularly early that night. He cooked dinner for her and even took a stroll with her after the meal.

Since he was willing to treat her well, she would wholeheartedly accept it. They didn't have much time left together, so she would allow him to do whatever he wanted as long as it didn't involve intimacy.

Of course, she didn't reject him outright. She had the perfect excuse to keep him away.

She told him her sudden stomachache yesterday was a combination of a cold she'd caught from being in the rain and her period, which was coming soon. That was why she'd been in so much pain that she'd needed to go to the hospital.

Aaron had always doted on her, so he wouldn't make things hard for her over something like this. He even drew her a hot bath, hoping it would alleviate her period cramps when they came.

He was careless over certain things yet meticulous over others. He paid attention to details when something mattered to him, so Elena's period came and went without much issue under his tender care.

After resting easy for a week due to her period, Elena started getting anxious, especially when it ended. Aaron had always worn a condom when doing it with her since deciding not to have a child—the only time he allowed himself to go wild was during the few days immediately after her period ended.

In the past, he would've made the most out of these few days. Even if he was away on business trips, he would fly back to spend the night with her before flying off again the following morning.

What was she going to do if he insisted on having his way with her that night? Was it necessary for her to get nasty and reject him?

Elena kept thinking about this as she showered. However, she instantly stopped worrying when she stepped out of the bathroom and saw Aaron holding his phone, looking anxious. Her heart sank.

What was the point of her turmoil? Aaron had Mia now—she was much more willing to go along with him and do what he wanted. Why would he still be interested in a woman who restrained him and stopped him from going wild?

She recalled how he'd tried to go to meet Mia for a midday tryst during his lunch break. He'd already spent so many days by her side while waiting for her period to pass. How could he possibly hold himself back any longer and stay with her?

Sure enough, Elena was right.

As she applied her skincare, Aaron approached her and helped her dry her hair. Once it was dry and combed, he said tentatively, "A friend from university asked me out to discuss a possible collaboration, darling. You remember he left his company to start out on his own, right?"

He wasn't lying. His friend had indeed started his own business, but Aaron wasn't the same man as before. He now had a net worth of millions of dollars, and every move he made could have widespread consequences.

He had to be careful in everything he did, so how could someone from a startup company get him to meet them so easily?

It was clear he was too impatient to even give her a proper excuse. Still, Elena waved a hand without hesitation. "Go on."

"You're the best, darling." Aaron immediately beamed and hurried to pick out a shirt, tie, and suit.

Elena's heart suddenly throbbed painfully when she saw him looking so delighted. Had he cheated on her because of the novelty, or had he just fallen out of love with her?

Was the prospect of seeing Mia so appealing to him? Was it enough for him to cast aside the bond he shared with Elena?

Aaron left the house after changing and washing up. He even spritzed some cologne. Barely five minutes later, Elena's phone pinged.

She'd received a photo of Aaron leaning against the backseat with his shirt open and belt unbuckled. This was followed by a video.

"Have you missed me and the baby after so many days apart, Aaron?" Mia asked.

Aaron answered her with a muffled grunt. That wasn't enough for her. She pressed him for answers.

"Talk to me, Aaron. Have you missed me after so many days apart? Have you missed my body? Have you missed my tricks? Have you missed sticking it in me from the door to the bathroom? Have you missed our baby?

"He's started saying 'Daddy,' you know. Do you want to hear it? Do you want him and me to call you 'Daddy' together?"

Her words set Aaron on fire. He had nowhere to go, so he pressed her head lower. He panted and said, "Yes, I've missed you and our baby. Now, go faster, babe. Faster!"

The video ended there. Elena walked to the window. Even in the darkness of night, she could vaguely see a car swaying underneath the cover of the trees outside the iron gate.

Tears blurred her vision. Suddenly, she found herself struggling to remember what Aaron was like.

What did the Aaron she'd met ten years ago, fallen in love with seven years, and married three years ago really like? Was he who she thought he was? Or was everything she knew about him just what he wanted her to see?

Perhaps the real Aaron was a scumbag who'd slowly descended into darkness and the mires of life. Elena thought she was his salvation, but all she'd done was make him look better on the outside. She'd made him seem like an ordinary man who was loyal and faithful.

In truth, he was still rotten inside. He'd just hidden it well enough that one could only see past the glossy exterior and discover the decay inside if one peeled back the layers and scrutinized him.

Elena had been stuck in a wonderful dream for the past decade. Now that she'd been roused from her slumber, she realized it had all come to nothing. The foundation upon which she'd built her life had been nothing but lies, bringing her to the verge of a breakdown.

Her chest throbbed painfully, almost as if it was telling her that she'd wasted the past decade on a failure. She couldn't save Aaron or the original Elena, who'd given her a second chance at life.

The anguish she felt was unbearable—she felt like she was going to die. She bent over and curled up against the balcony's railing as she panted for breath.

She bawled her eyes out, leaving them red and swollen. The night passed torturously, and she was in such agony that she didn't notice the rain pouring on her.

When Aaron returned home, he found Elena sprawled on the couch, drenched from head to toe. Her face was red, and she was almost unconscious from her high fever.

"Darling, are you okay?" He ran to her, panicked at the sight of her. He immediately took her to the hospital.

Elena pulled through after some quick rescuing on the doctors' part, but she had to spend a few more days in the hospital due to pneumonia caused by her high fever.

She supposed it was good for her. She only had six days to go before she could leave this world—all she wanted to do was have some peace and quiet in the hospital. She didn't want to go home or have to rack her brains when dealing with someone as fake and fickle-minded as Aaron.

However, it didn't occur to her that Aaron and Mia could come to her.

"Hi there. Would you happen to know where the pediatric department is?"

Elena looked at the sophisticated, beautiful woman before her. Her hair was curled perfectly, and her dress was crimson and fashionable. Yet she had a baby carrier strapped to her front, holding an adorable boy with large eyes.

She immediately recognized the woman to be Mia, with whom she'd communicated virtually for a long time.

Her chest tightened. She shut her eyes before opening them again. "There are plenty of doctors and nurses outside. You should ask them, Ms. Wynn."

"Oh, so you do recognize me, Mrs. Reed." Mia stuck out her chest to bring her son forward. "Take a good look at my baby boy—this is the son I share with Aaron. He's one this year, and he's smart and adorable.

"He's perfect in every way, really. Aaron adores him so much that he didn't just give him a villa and a yacht. He wants to give our baby his company's shares."

Elena patiently waited for her to finish bragging before smiling faintly. "Do you want him to be plagued by the troubles that come with wealth at such a young age?"

Mia's expression shifted. "What's that supposed to mean? You're just jealous of me because you can't have a baby!"

Elena's smile didn't waver. She pointed at her diagnosis report, which hung at the foot of her bed. "Didn't you do your homework before coming? I have pneumonia after getting a high fever from the rain. You do know pneumonia is contagious, right?"

Mia's expression darkened. She hurriedly covered the baby's face and backed away anxiously, almost running into Aaron as he entered the hospital ward.

He instinctively held her. Then, his expression soured when he saw who she was. "What are you doing here?"

In the next second, he remembered that he was in Elena's hospital ward and turned to look at her. As he hurried to her, he said, "I'm sorry, Elena. Was Mia bothering you? She's one of the company's employees, and she's been kicking up a fuss about career opportunities after giving birth.

"She hasn't been getting her way at the company, so she probably came here to ask you to speak up for her. Is that what happened?"

Career opportunities after giving birth? Elena supposed it was considered a form of career advancement since Mia wanted to kick her out of the picture and take over her role as Aaron's wife.

"Well, it is a serious matter." Elena thought about it and held up a hand. "Give me five days. Come back in five days to tell me what you want."

Mia was delighted. She looked at Elena and asked, "Will you help me with this, Mrs. Reed?"

"Of course." Elena smiled sincerely. "Things are tough for all mothers—I can't dismiss your contributions to the company and Aaron just because you've had a child. Give me at most five days, okay? Once I've recovered and been discharged, I'll give you an answer that'll satisfy you."

Mia's eyes glinted nastily. She gave Aaron an alluring look before leaving.

He parted his lips to say something, but Elena beat him to it. "As your wife and the person who helped you establish your empire, it's only natural for me to deal with things that you might not be able to handle.

"Don't worry too much about this and let me rest for a few days. We can talk about it when I'm better, okay?"

Aaron swallowed his words. His gaze was dark and unfathomable as he looked at her. Ultimately, he looked away. "You're the best wife a man could ever have, and it's the biggest honor in my life to have you by my side.

"No matter what happens in the future, I'll always be by your side. Regardless of how tough things get, know that I won't leave you. I'll never forget everything we've been through together."

…

Time passed in the blink of an eye. It was time for Elena to be discharged, and it was also her final day in this world.

Sean called her early in the morning; her words were the same as before. "Deal with my assets as you see fit. All you need to do is ensure the divorce agreement is given to Aaron by the time I've set."

Then, the funeral parlor called her. "Are you sure you want us to send a hearse to your home to collect your body at midnight, Ms. Frost?"

She laughed. "Of course. I'll be dead by then, so my body has to be taken away. You don't want me to rot and stink up the place, do you?"

Aaron entered the hospital ward at that moment and heard her on the phone. He asked, "What are you talking about, darling? Why are you talking about death so early in the morning?"

Startled by his presence, she quickly hung up. Then, she nodded and said, "I won't talk about it anymore, then. I guess I'm just a little glum because of the stroke of bad luck I've experienced lately."

First, she had a stomachache. Then, her period had come. After that, she had a high fever and pneumonia. What was that, if not a stroke of bad luck? To think Aaron was the cause of her bad luck, too.

His heart ached at that, and he pulled her into his arms. "Let's go to Crimson Peak after you've been discharged so we can pray there. I'm going to pray for your health and safety. How about we have a child once you're all better?"

Aaron actually wanted to have a child with Elena. She looked at him curiously, but all she could see was a cloud of fog. It concealed his face, and she couldn't see his features no matter how she scrutinized him.

Well, that was that. She wouldn't look at him anymore, then.

After handling all the discharge procedures and returning home to change into something more comfortable, Aaron and Elena drove to Crimson Peak.

They got out after parking at the foot of the mountain. Aaron hesitated when he saw the steps leading upward. "Can you handle this, darling? Will you be okay climbing so high up when you've just been discharged? Can your body take it?"

"Yeah," Elena said. "Besides, I have you, don't I? You could carry me up a mountain back when we were dating. It's only been three years since then—I'm sure you can at least support me when I need it."

They'd hiked a mountain on their last trip before marriage. Elena had run out of strength when they were almost at the peak and couldn't take another step. She'd refused to budge even when the guide had tried to pull her up.

Aaron was the one who'd stepped forward to carry her to the peak. Then, he'd held her in his arms as they'd admired the sunrise.

Elena had to admit that they'd been on superb terms then. Aaron had genuinely loved her—his love for her had run so deep that he'd willingly put his life on the line for her and prioritized her needs over his.

Her eyes prickled a little at the thought of that. Then, she took a deep breath to calm herself. She allowed Aaron to hold her hand and support her as they made their way up the hill.

They rounded one bend after another. There was only one left before they reached the peak—the chapel's facade was already in view.

Just then, Aaron's phone rang. He walked away to answer it, but the distance was short enough for Elena to hear Mia's heartwrenching cries on the other end of the line.

"Help, Aaron! Our baby just fell off the bed and hit his head—he has a huge bump now, and he won't stop vomiting!"

Aaron instinctively turned to glance at Elena. Then, he clenched his free hand.

"What's wrong?" Elena looked curious yet trusting. "Is it about work again? Do you have to be there right now?"

She emphasized "again". He would've caught her drift if he'd been paying attention, but Mia and their son was all he could think about at the moment. How could he notice her words or expression?

"There's an emergency." He looked up at the chapel, which was about 100 yards away. He stood on the steps stiffly, unable to make up his mind.

"You should get going if it's urgent, then." Elena waved a hand, feigning light-heartedness. "You've already come a long way with me. I can make the rest of the journey myself. There will always be paths in life that people will have to walk alone—I can't expect you to be by my side at all times."

Aaron's Adam's apple bobbed. "Elena…"

"Go on." She waved again and smiled at him, her voice as gentle as always.

He didn't hesitate any longer and turned to leave. The further he got, the faster he walked. Once he turned the bend they'd just passed and disappeared from Elena's line of sight, the tears she'd been holding back finally started to flow.

She dried them silently and continued the rest of the way, stopping to catch her breath every few steps. She made the rest of the 100 yards with difficulty. Then, she headed into the chapel to pray.

"Heavens above, I beg of thee—I wish to never see Aaron Reed or Alveria for the rest of this lifetime and future ones."

She spoke briefly with the pastor before making a generous donation. Then, she went down the mountain and headed home.

After arriving home, she called a trash collector to take everything she'd packed away. She also asked the men to remove the soft furnishings she'd purchased and get rid of them.

Elena smiled at the sight of the empty villa. She sat on the couch and waited for midnight to arrive.

She waited from afternoon to just before midnight, but Aaron didn't show up. He didn't even bother calling her.

Had Mia finally run out of patience? Did she have to force Elena's hand and make Aaron choose?

Elena curled her lip mockingly. Then, she sent the photos and videos she'd gathered to Sean. She also transferred a million dollars to his bank account. "I need you to help me with one more thing."

After arranging everything, she put down her phone and grabbed the fruit knife she'd prepared. The blade was sharp, and she didn't feel much pain when slashing her wrist. Blood soon started gushing out.

Her soul seemed to be jumping with joy at finally being able to leave this body. She looked up at the chandelier—it was the one thing that belonged to her that she'd left intact. She needed it to light the place, after all.

Elena vaguely heard the hearse approaching as the lights flickered above her. She couldn't help thinking that everything was going according to plan. She wondered whether Aaron would be happy with this.

…

Aaron and Mia kept busy for the rest of the day. They brought their son to the hospital for a checkup and fed him medication. He grew tired after crying throughout the day, so the nanny took him away to tuck him into bed.

That was when Mia wrapped her arms around Aaron. "I miss you so much, Aaron. It's been so long since you were last inside me—you've been by your wife's side this whole time. I bought a new costume, you know. It's a bunny one."

That was enough to capture Aaron's attention. His breathing immediately grew heavy. They couldn't get enough of each other as they went from the living room to the bathroom and then to the custom-made water bed in the bedroom.

Once they were done, Aaron leaned against the headboard to rest. Mia leaned against his chest, still looking sultry.

When she started tracing his torso with her fingers and moaning about wanting more, Aaron couldn't help remembering the gentle yet resolute look Elena had given him before he'd left. His chest tightened.

She'd looked so obedient and trusting. She'd believed him when he'd told her he had an emergency at work, and she'd insisted on completing the climb to the top of Crimson Peak to pray for a child now that he'd told her they could start a family.

How could he leave someone as wonderful and loving as her to sleep alone? How could he not be by her side in the middle of the night?

"That's enough." He kissed Mia's forehead before pushing her hand away. "I just thought of something I need to do, so I'm heading home. Take care of our baby. I'll drop by another day when I'm free."

"Aaron!" Mia staggered out of bed and brushed the ears of her bunny costume against him.

However, he ignored it and opened the closet. A row of identical shirts was hung inside. He grabbed one and put it on.

As he passed through the living room, he grabbed his coat from the couch and hurried out the door. Then, he sped back to his and Elena's marital home.

As he was arriving, he saw a hearse. Although he was exhausted physically and mentally from his previous activities, the sight of the hearse made him jolt.

Had someone died? Why was there a hearse? It seemed to be coming from where he and Elena stayed. Could it be…