Faced with so many bags, Gianna didn’t want to take them, nor did she want to leave them behind as a reminder of her presence. After some thought, she decided to sell them, convert them into cash, and use the money to purchase a parting gift for Michelle—a token of gratitude to conclude their so-called “mother-daughter” relationship over the years.

As she opened her phone to contact a friend about selling the bags, a message from Roxan popped up.

[Gianna, are you feeling better? I was wrong yesterday and shouldn’t have said those things. Will you forgive me?]

Gianna let out a cold laugh, ignoring the message.

A few minutes later, Roxan sent another one, this time with a photo.

It was of a man’s back, tall and straight, broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He was wearing a white T-shirt paired with black tailored slacks, the apron tied around his waist blending seamlessly with his refined appearance. He stood in the kitchen, meticulously preparing food.

Beneath the photo was a caption.

[Vince’s porridge is delicious. I asked him to bring you some—be sure to drink it while it’s hot!]

It was followed by a playful bunny emoji.

Gianna found herself at a loss for words to describe Roxan. The only thing she could do was marvel at her sheer audacity and composure.

She replied curtly. [If you like it so much, keep it for the New Year.]

Without waiting for a response, Gianna blocked and deleted all contact information for both Roxan and Vince.

The relief was instantaneous.

Her mood lifted, and her stomach growled in hunger—especially after she hadn’t eaten much the previous night. She headed to the kitchen and made herself a bowl of egg noodles.

As she was eating, the sound of the front door opening broke the silence. Vince walked in, and their eyes met across the living room.

He was holding a stainless steel thermos and smirked.

“So it really was an act. Only Roxan, that naïve girl, would believe you. She spent all night convincing me to make peace with you, despite you being the one who hurt her.”

Gianna didn’t reply, lowering her gaze and continuing to eat her noodles as though he didn’t exist.

Irritated by her indifference, Vince’s expression darkened. He changed his shoes and walked over to the dining table, placing the thermos down with a loud clank.

“What’s so great about this?” he sneered, glancing disdainfully at her bowl. “Here, eat the seafood porridge I made. At least that way you won’t have any excuse to run to my mother, complaining about how I treat you.”

Gianna didn’t even lift her gaze as she replied, “Take it or throw it away—I’m not eating it.”

Vince’s brows furrowed. “Do you even realize what you’re saying? Where did the kind, gentle girl who used to smile at everyone go? Gianna, the person you are now feels like a stranger.”

The faint trace of care in his words made Gianna chuckle coldly.

“Used to?” she repeated, putting down her spoon and standing up. Her eyes met his, and the warmth that once resided there was gone. Her gaze was as cold and lifeless as water at the bottom of a frozen pond.

“That Gianna is dead,” she intoned coldly.

She had died the moment her baby left her body, the moment her love and hope for him were crushed under the weight of countless disappointments.

Her words stunned Vince. His heart raced, his breath hitched, as if an icy hand was squeezing the life out of him. It was a feeling he had never experienced before—a deep unease that the woman before him might vanish from his world without a trace.

But that was impossible!

From childhood until now, Gianna had been his shadow, following him everywhere. Everyone could see her unwavering love for him. How could she possibly let it all go?

Before he could respond, Gianna was already clearing the table, her movements deliberate and methodical as she carried her dishes into the kitchen. The only sounds in the apartment were the clinking of porcelain and the rush of water from the faucet. Even her breathing seemed muted.

Vince stood there, staring at her. For the first time, he realized how much she had changed.

She used to have a healthy glow, her cheeks soft with a hint of baby fat. Her figure had been full of life, well-proportioned and vibrant. After her mother’s death, she had grown thinner, her smiles becoming rare. But now, her transformation was startling.

Her face was pallid and lifeless, her cheekbones and collarbones jutting out sharply. Her shoulder blades protruded like fragile wings, and her once-vibrant presence had diminished to nothing more than a shadow.

Gianna had become so unfamiliar to him that he almost didn’t recognize her.

“You...” Vince couldn’t help but speak up.

Gianna ignored him, calmly placing the washed dishes back in the cabinet. She removed her apron and brushed past him.

His gaze drifted downward, and his brows furrowed. Raising his voice, he called out, “Gianna, wait.”

She stopped but didn’t bother turning around. “What is it now?”

His voice carried a hint of awkwardness. “You... there’s a stain on the back of your pants. Looks like quite a lot. Is this a hormonal imbalance or something?”

Gianna took a deep breath, and she was just about to respond when Vince’s phone rang.

Seeing the caller ID, he didn’t hesitate to answer, his tone softening immediately. “Rox, what’s wrong?”

Through the receiver came a girl’s sobbing voice, broken by hiccups.

“Vince, I twisted my ankle while trying to change the light fixture. It’s so swollen and hurts so much. Can you come over? I’m scared...”

“Don’t move. I’ll be right there!” Vince anxiously replied.

Gianna didn’t care about their affairs. She turned and headed to her bedroom to change her pants.

“Gianna,” Vince called after her. “Do you need me to take you to the hospital on the way? That bleeding looks like a lot.”

His attempt at concern felt shallow and insincere, like a casual afterthought.

She paused at the door and smirked faintly. “No need. Have you ever heard of a woman dying from her period? You’d better hurry to Roxan’s house. It’s dangerous for a girl to be home alone.”

Hearing her mention Roxan, Vince’s unease grew stronger.

But Roxan’s sobbing on the phone became even more pitiful. Without time to think further, he said to Gianna, “Alright then, I’ll go. Take care of yourself and drink more water if you’re not feeling well.”

Gianna didn’t respond. She simply closed the door.

For the next two days, Vince didn’t return.

It wasn’t hard to guess why—Roxan must have made him stay. Not that it mattered to Gianna; his absence only made things more convenient for her.

The bags Michelle had gifted her had already been sold as nine-tenths new, bringing in over 1.2 million dollars.

Having spent so many years with the Perkins family, Gianna knew that Michelle had always wanted to recover the couple’s heirloom pocket watch—a memento from her youth with Vince's late father. However, the demands of running the company after her husband’s death had left no time to track it down.

Years ago, Gianna had seen a photograph of the watch and taken a picture of it herself. She had quietly asked a friend to help locate it. Last month, her friend informed her that it had finally been found.

If not for the incident with the baby, she would have already brought it back. Thankfully, it wasn’t too late now.

Early the next morning, the package containing the pocket watch arrived. Though it bore some minor scratches, the photograph of Perkins family inside remained intact. That alone made it worthwhile.

Gianna was about to call Michelle to share the good news when her phone rang.

“Gia, can you come to the old house?” Michelle’s voice was tinged with frustration. “That Roxan has stirred up trouble again.”

From their conversation, Gianna quickly understood the gist of what had happened.

It was almost laughable. Roxan’s leech-like parents had shown up outside the TerraLink Group headquarters, causing a scene and demanding some “pocket money” from their son-in-law, the general manager.

Everyone knew that Vince’s wife was Gianna. Her father had passed away in an accident years ago, and her mother had died, saving the former TerraLink Group general manager.

Now, two random people were claiming to be his “in-laws,” causing a public spectacle.

What even more outrageous was Roxan’s mother, who, after crying and making a scene, went as far as to hoist a banner proclaiming that Roxan was Vince’s “second wife.” She essentially admitted that her daughter was a mistress, destroying another woman’s marriage.

The news exploded online. Media outlets rushed to report the scandal. Within half a day, the TerraLink Group building was swarmed by onlookers and reporters, leaving no room to breathe.

The scandal caused TerraLink Group’s stock prices to plummet, leading the board members to grow restless. The old foxes in the boardroom began pressuring Michelle to remove Vince from his position as general manager.

Naturally, Michelle refused. Once the Perkins family relinquished control, the company would be stripped bare and divided up by others.

When Gianna arrived at the Perkins family’s old residence, Vince was kneeling in front of his father’s portrait. His expression was cold, but his voice was steady as he said, word by word, “Roxan is not a mistress.”

Michelle trembled with rage, her voice shaking as she rebuked him, “A woman who shamelessly climbs into another’s bed for status—if that’s not a mistress, then what is? Vince, have you forgotten that Gianna is your legitimate wife? With the Chandler family creating such an ugly mess, how do you expect her to face the world?”

Vince fell silent for a moment before replying coolly, “Gianna and I have been married for three years, but I’ve never touched her. Does that even count as a marriage?”

His words left Michelle momentarily stunned, but at the doorway, Gianna laughed aloud.

It was true: for three years, they had slept in separate rooms, never crossing that line.

But there was one exception, an accident three months ago.

That night, Gianna had been returning from a school reunion. Passing a bar, she caught sight of Roxan supporting a clearly drunk Vince. The two of them stumbled toward a luxury car parked by the curb.

Despite everything she had endured over the past two years, the sight still stirred a bitter ache in Gianna’s heart. Her feet felt like they were weighed down with lead, and she couldn’t move a step.

Just as Roxan was about to open the car door, a rough-looking young man grabbed her arm. A heated argument broke out between the two.

Gianna couldn’t hear what they were saying, but whatever the man said next made Roxan’s expression falter. Left with no choice, she pushed Vince into the back seat and followed the man away.

Gianna stood frozen on the spot for over half an hour, but Roxan didn’t return.

Eventually, a traffic officer approached to issue a parking ticket. On impulse, Gianna retrieved the car keys from Vince’s pocket, started the car, and drove him home.

She barely managed to drag him to the bed before he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. His breath was hot and unsteady, his cheeks flushed unnaturally red, and the way he looked at her was hazy and unfocused.

A sense of danger surged through Gianna.

He wouldn’t...

Her fears were confirmed. Vince began pawing at her, tearing at her clothes, his fiery kisses landing everywhere.

She was scared and tried to struggle, but the disparity in strength between a man and a woman was too great.

Unable to break free, she bit down hard on his shoulder.

The sharp pain made him flinch, and he let out a low groan. Gianna thought the pain might snap him out of it, but instead, he held her even tighter. His breath, hot and heavy against her ear, carried a seductive murmur, “Anna, be good. Don’t fight.”

Gianna froze.

Anna.

It was the nickname he had given her when they were children. He had called her that countless times, but ever since university, he had grown distant and cold toward her. After meeting Roxan, he even started picking fights and giving her the silent treatment. He hadn’t called her that name in years.

Her brief moment of distraction gave him the chance to overpower her completely.

What followed was a night of madness.

The next morning, to avoid any awkwardness, Gianna left early.

Vince, however, never mentioned that night. Instead, he became even more attentive to Roxan, likely thinking he had mistaken Gianna for someone else in his drunken state.

The last flicker of hope in Gianna’s heart was snuffed out.

But fate loves to play cruel tricks. That one night left her pregnant—a fleeting moment of joy that ended in heartbreak when she lost the baby.

Her love had finally run dry.

“I’m not the only one tired of this sham marriage,” Gianna said with a faint smile, her tone calm and emotionless. “Vince, I’ve already filed for a divorce online. Please cooperate and sign it.”