On our tenth anniversary, Benjamin was working overtime. By now, this was no longer surprising to me.

When did he start forgetting our special days? How long had it been since he last remembered?

But my mind, heavy with fever, couldn’t dwell on these thoughts for long.

The housemaid Benjamin had hired was off today, citing urgent matters at school.

It left me feeling oddly uneasy. In the vast emptiness of our grand villa, I lay alone on the couch, paralyzed by a high fever of 102°F, helpless as a stranded fish.

Yet, with sheer willpower, I managed to dial 911 for an ambulance.

As soon as the sirens approached, I let my eyes close in relief.

In my fevered haze, a strange truth began to unfold.

I was living within the pages of a book, and the male protagonist was none other than my dashing and wealthy husband, Benjamin Davis.

But, tragically, the heroine was not me--it was our young housemaid, Mia.

Mia Baker, barely in her twenties, had applied for the maid’s position and caught Benjamin’s eye immediately. Desperate to earn money to save her family, she reluctantly succumbed to his coercion.

While Mia professed her intention to sever ties with Benjamin out of guilt towards me, she nonetheless allowed him to pursue her.

In the end, Benjamin asked for a divorce. I refused, harboring resentment towards Mia. In my anguish, I inadvertently caused her a severe injury, leading to the loss of their child.

This culminated in a bitter divorce forced upon me by Benjamin and my subsequent confinement to a mental hospital.

Meanwhile, Benjamin and Mia moved past their troubles and found happiness together.

The dream ended with Benjamin embracing a radiant Mia, resplendent in a luxurious wedding gown, her face aglow with joy.

When I awoke, darkness had fallen. My pillow was soaked with tears, and I was too sad to breathe barely.

But soon, my thoughts were interrupted by a clear female voice.

"Hey! Eleanor Turner, why are you crying?"

"You look awful."

Standing before me was a young girl, her face full of curiosity. She tilted her head as she gazed at me, her eyes sparkling with childlike brightness. "Eleanor, why are you crying?"

She had my face, but younger, more innocent--a version of me from twenty years ago.

"What are you doing here in the hospital? Where is Benjamin? Where did he go?" She looked around eagerly, searching for someone.

"Did you two end up together? Are you happy?"

Confronted by her eager, hopeful eyes, my smile faltered.

I was still immersed in the scene in the dream. Being silent for a while, I replied, "We've got married... for ten years now."

Young Eleanor stepped closer, her eyes catching the glint of the sizable ring on my finger. "Wow! Is this the engagement ring Benjamin gaving you?"

I followed her gaze, and after a moment, nodded slowly.

I said, "Yes, it is. He said it's one of a kind, and on the day he proposed, he found his true love."

Her cheeks flushed with excitement. "When did Benjamin become so romantic? He used to be a blockhead!"

Young Eleanor's was alighted with a rosy glow, her eyes sparkling with shyness. She quickly continued, "He must still love you very much, right?

"After all, it took him so long to win you over."

Proudly, she puffed out her chest. "He must cherish you greatly, considering how hard he worked to win your heart."

Indeed, from his confession to his proposal, Benjamin had been exceptionally earnest.

Reflecting now, I could only faintly recall his tender and loving eyes, once brimming with joy and excitement.

He had looked at me as if he’d been struck by a delightful surprise, stealing cautious glances as though he couldn’t quite believe it.

"You... you've already agreed.

"There is no way to regret it," he said.

With my head held high and a teasing grin, I’d challenged. "What if I insist on changing my mind?"

"Then I’ll just have to try harder to make Mrs. Davis happy," he replied with a smile that reached his eyes.

At that moment, our eyes met, and I found myself lost in his gaze.

Ten years had passed, and I was simply Mrs. Davis.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed the young Eleanor’s frustrated murmurs. "Why are you in the hospital? And where is Benjamin? Why isn’t he here yet?"

Just as her words faded, the door to my hospital room swung open. There he was, Benjamin, arriving late as usual.

But he walked right past young Eleanor as if she weren’t there--as if only I could see her.

Benjamin burst into the room, his hair disheveled and breath coming in short gasps, clearly having rushed over. "Are you alright? What did the doctor say?"

He hurriedly scanned me with a look of concern, his furrowed brow relaxing only when he saw that I was okay.

As he leaned in to embrace me, I caught a sickly sweet fragrance--not ours.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a misaligned button and a faint red stain peeking from under his shirt.

Benjamin was always meticulous, never making such careless mistakes.

I just felt my stomach churning and I felt nauseous.

I couldn't help but vomit.

“Doctor, doctor!”

Benjamin cried out in alarm as I vomited, his voice panicked.

After a thorough examination, the doctor confirmed that there was no serious issue with my health.

In fact, there was unexpected good news that I was pregnant--three months along.

Given my frail health from childhood, the doctor advised careful nurturing to ensure a safe pregnancy.

Benjamin was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure. He extinguished his cigarette, his voice rough as he spoke.

"I'll arrange for someone to take care of you. Call me if you need anything."

I remained silent, just watching him--this familiar yet strange man before me.

If it were the old Benjamin, he would definitely stand there, dumbstruck, looking at me in disbelief, and muttered, "Eleanor, I... I’m going to be a father?"

"I’ll be even better to you than before, Eleanor!

I love you so much."

But now, I saw his eyes frequently darting towards the door, betraying his distraction.

Moments earlier, I had noticed someone lingering outside--just a sliver of a white dress, enough to divert all his attention.

It was none other than Mia.

When the last glimpse of white vanished, so did Benjamin's presence of mind.

I didn't say anything, and Benjamin just sat there quietly with me. Finally, he lost his patience, picked up his coat, and explained, "Work’s been crazy lately, you know...

"I should go."

Click--

The door closed behind him.

Benjamin walked in a hurry, without even waiting for my consent, eager to chase after the one outside.

He was just like when he was eighteen, always following me closely, unwilling to lag even a step behind.

Beside me, young Eleanor stood fuming.

"How could he just leave? Is work more important than you?

"He wasn't like this before!"

Indeed, he wasn’t.

Once, when I was burning with a high fever of 102°F, he’d taken the earliest flight from another state just to be by my side, nursing me back to health with unwavering devotion.

Day after day, year after year.

Benjamin used to say, "Work is never more important than you, Eleanor. You’re the most precious thing in my life.

"I love you, Eleanor."

But now, those words feel like illusions, fading into nothingness.