In the end, Liam still brought Jessica to the beach without considering her answer.

The moment her feet touched the soft sand, a wave of fear surged up, dragging her thoughts back to five years ago like an unstoppable tide.

It had been their honeymoon, Liam had arranged a private luxury cruise. But that day, they were caught in a once-in-a-century storm, thrown into the sea and left with their fates unknown.

Though time had passed, the terror of drifting helplessly in the ocean had carved itself deep into Jessica’s memory, leaving scars that never fully healed.

Liam sat beside her on the beach, his expression unreadable. “Jessica, I brought you here hoping you'd understand… this was for your own good. People can’t run from fear forever. Only by facing it can they finally walk out of the shadows.”

Hearing that, Jessica almost laughed. “You really think this is considerate? You dragged me here without even asking. Liam, you’re such a jerk.”

He frowned, his tone turning cold. “Think whatever you want.”

Then he stood and walked toward Jeje. The moment his gaze landed on her, his expression softened.

He gently draped a coat over her shoulders, only to be caught off guard when Jeje splashed water onto his face.

They began to play, laughing together like a real couple.

The weather was perfect. Seagulls cried faintly in the distance. Their laughter, light and carefree, drifted toward Jessica on the breeze, sharp as salt in an open wound.

“Liam, do you remember? It was right here you caught that huge crab last year! Let’s go to the secret base later!” Jeje’s cheerful laughter drifted through the air and at that moment, the coldness in Liam’s expression melted like spring snow.

“Alright, you little rascal. Be careful, don’t trip,” he replied, his voice indulgent.

Not far away, Jessica stood still, watching as the two kissed passionately. Liam’s doting gaze pierced through her like a knife.

‘Secret base? So, during the years I was gone, he had built memories with someone else. Memories I was never part of.’ Jessica’s eyes stung.

She thought back to the night Liam had just found her again, clinging to her like a lost child.

“Since you disappeared at sea, I’ve never stepped foot on the beach,” he had said, burying his face in her chest. “Even hearing the word sea makes me panic.”

So it had been a lie. All of it.

The man who swore he hadn’t touched the beach since losing her had returned over and over with Jeje.

Their intimate figures in front of her blurred as her vision filled with tears.

In the middle of their passionate kiss, Liam suddenly remembered Jessica’s presence. He quickly pulled away from Jeje and turned toward her, searching for a reaction. But she simply stood there, her expression was calm.

He hurried to explain, “That wasn’t what it looked like. I was just running a data simulation. A high-end bionic like Jeje needs to be tested in various emotional scenarios, you know that.”

However, his wandering gaze gave him away. “Jessica, you don’t mind, right?”

“No.” She smiled with a calm grace and shook her head.

“I have some work to handle. Just stay here with Jeje for a bit,” he added, walking off to take a call.

Soon after, Jeje strutted over in a seductive swimsuit, her eyes gleaming with pride. “Thanks for the skin. It suits me perfectly.”

Jessica didn’t flinch. “Jeje… or should I say Butterfly?”

A flicker of unease passed through Jeje’s eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“You’ve never known love,” Jessica said, her voice dipping into ice. “So stop pretending. You’re just a bionic puppet. What are you hoping to gain by faking feelings for Liam?”

Jeje’s expression darkened for a second, then twisted into a smirk. “So you found out. But who do you think Liam trusts more, me, or you?”

Then, in a sudden turn, she dropped the facade and stumbled dramatically toward the ocean. “Jessica, I was wrong. I’ll leave Liam. Just let me go, please…”

She collapsed into the water, letting the waves engulf her. But her artificial skin wasn’t designed for full submersion. The sea crept into her systems and the saltwater surged toward the chip hidden at her neck, the core of her entire existence.

Liam turned his head and saw Jeje nearly submerged in the seawater, her entire body limp and lifeless. It was as if the sight tore his eyes apart.

"Jeje!" he let out a heartbreaking scream and stumbled into the waves toward the woman floating in the sea.

Jessica had been by his side for so many years, yet she had never seen such panic on his face. Not even during the shipwreck.

She stood frozen, watching as he pulled the bionic woman from the water, calling out to Jeje, who was clearly pretending to be unconscious.

"Jeje, are you okay?" he asked, panic thick in his voice.

"Liam… I can’t move my whole body…" she replied weakly, her voice trembling.

A sharp crack echoed in the air.

"Why did you push her?" Liam snarled, his hand still in midair as Jessica clutched her burning cheek.

Her vision blurred, but she managed a cold, twisted smile. "This is the love you talked about, Liam?"

"You pushed her!" he roared, on the edge of losing control. "Do you have any idea how delicate her internal systems are? Her core and chip can’t touch water! How could you be so cruel?!"

"I told you it wasn’t me, but of course you didn’t believe it, did you?" Jessica’s tears finally spilled over, disappearing into the salty sea.

It felt like the entire ocean was made of her tears.

"You’ve been picking on her ever since you came back," Liam accused. "You've made things difficult for her again and again. How can I possibly believe you?

"Let me make this clear, if someone has to leave, it won’t be Jeje!"

He scooped up the soaked and broken Jeje, his expression dark and cold. The cruel look in his eyes made Jessica's body go rigid. "You better pray she's okay. Because if she isn’t, I can't promise what I’ll do."

Later, staring at Jeje’s nearly destroyed mechanical limbs on the data table, Liam grew more and more frantic.

“Liam… don’t save me,” Jeje said softly. “The only way to fix me now is too extreme. I'd need to transfer my consciousness into a real, flesh-and-blood body.”

She paused, her voice growing even gentler. “Jessica was right. I probably never should’ve stayed by your side.”

Jeje's electronic voice generator crackled with static, damaged by the seawater. A faint sizzling sound accompanied every word.

“Liam… thank you… for accepting the love of a bionic being. Everyone else saw me as nothing more than a machine… but you… you treated me like a real person.”

Her voice was strained, every syllable an effort. “Liam, thank you…”

Liam’s eyes reddened with emotion. He immediately contacted headquarters to ask if any replacement bodies from Jeje’s old model batch were still available. But the answer was cruel: as a first-generation bionic unit, her model had long been discontinued.

He stood frozen, panic surging through him. If this went on, Jeje’s consciousness would soon vanish for good.

“Human… with flesh and blood…” he muttered under his breath.

Then, as if struck by inspiration, his eyes slowly widened. “Jeje, I’ll save you, no matter what it takes.”

At the same time, Jessica was preparing to leave. Today marked the final day for the divorce agreement to take effect. She couldn’t stay a second longer.

But just as she hurried out, she ran into Liam, who was about to start his car. “Where are you going? I’ll drive you,” he offered.

“No need,” she replied coldly. She didn’t want to argue, she just wanted to leave in peace.

But before she could take another step, a sweet, cloying scent wafted into the air. Her limbs weakened and a wave of drowsiness washed over her.

With the last of her strength, Jessica quickly sent her location to Kevin.

The final thing she heard before losing consciousness was Liam’s low whisper. “Jessica… I’m sorry.”

When she awoke, she found herself strapped to a table in Liam’s lab. Beside her, Jeje lay in a deep sleep, her system temporarily shut down.

“What are you going to do?” Jessica asked, her voice trembling.

“Since we can’t find a suitable container… why not use your body instead?” Liam stepped out from the shadows, his eyes cold and merciless. “This is the price you pay for hurting Jeje.”

“You want to swap my consciousness with hers?!” Jessica’s tears streamed down her cheeks. “Liam, are you insane?”

But he wasn’t listening. He approached with a syringe in hand, ready to inject the sedative. “I’m sorry, Jessica. You owe her this. You’ll repay it for the rest of your life.”

Just then, his assistant burst through the door. “No! Jeje’s chip, it’s melting!”

“What?!” Liam’s expression changed instantly. “I’m coming!” He dropped everything and rushed out.

A soft clatter echoed from the ceiling vent. “Jessica!” Kevin’s voice called out as he dropped into the room.

He quickly loosened her restraints. “Your husband is out of his mind.”

Jessica exhaled shakily, but her eyes were calm. “It’s okay. I’ve collected the last piece of data.”

Unbeknownst to Liam, she had already tampered with Jeje’s chip.

“Kevin, let’s go.” They climbed up into the ventilation shaft, where a helicopter from headquarters waited for them outside.

Jessica blocked all of Liam’s contact attempts without hesitation. Then, she reached into her bag, pulled out the final reconciliation voucher and tore it to shreds.

As the last piece fluttered away in the wind, she felt a weight lift from her chest. ‘Liam, whatever we had… it ends here. There’s no going back.’