It was the early hours of the morning when Evelyn finally dragged her exhausted body home.

The moment she turned on the lights, her phone buzzed several times.

It was a message from Rebecca.

"You've been liking all my social media posts, so you must already know that Matteo and I are legally married, right? He also promised me a wedding in Mauwai. I saw the venue plans. It's absolutely grand.

"Every single detail is exactly what we used to dream about when we were younger. I can't believe he still remembers after all these years.

"I should also thank you. If it weren't for you, Matteo wouldn't have regained his sight. Really, I owe you for taking care of my husband for seven whole years."

Reading the blatant mockery, Evelyn didn't even have the energy to be angry anymore.

She went straight to her bedroom, lay down, and fell into a deep sleep.

That night, Matteo still didn't come home. The only thing he sent was a text message.

"Eve, I still have some things to take care of. Is your injury serious? If it hurts too much, let me know, and I'll come back right away."

Evelyn stared at the words on the screen, her eyes flickering with emotion. After a long moment, she finally typed out a short reply. "Don't bother."

"Matteo, from now on, I won't need you anymore," she thought to herself.

Once the wound on her shoulder had scabbed over, Evelyn returned alone to the Gallagher family's old estate.

Back when Matteo was blind, this was where they had lived together, just the two of them.

She grabbed a shovel and walked to the lush peach tree in the yard.

Beneath it, buried deep in the soil, was the time capsule they had made together on Matteo's 18th birthday.

She dug it up.

The metal box was rusted, and condensation had formed inside the sealed glass jar.

She pulled out the folded paper stars one by one, unfolding them carefully. The first note revealed her own handwriting.

"I wish for Matteo to see the world again. I wish Matteo a safe and happy life. I wish to always stay by Matteo's side."

Every single wish had been about him. Some had come true.

Some would never come true, not in this lifetime.

Next, she unfolded the other note. It was Matteo's wish.

"I wish to regain my sight. I wish for Becky to be well."

Every word was about him and Rebecca. Not a single one about her.

So that was the truth. He had never resented Rebecca for leaving him. He had willingly taken on the suffering of that accident for her, without hesitation, without regret.

A bitter smile curled on Evelyn's lips.

She crumpled up her own wish and tossed it into the drain. Then, she reached up and unfastened the necklace around her neck.

It was the first gift Matteo had ever brought her. It was purchased with the money he earned from his first business deal after returning to the Gallagher family.

She had felt guilty that he had spent so much on it, but he had only pulled her into his arms and kissed her endlessly.

"Eve, they say it's lonely at the top. But as long as you're with me, I'll have the courage to keep climbing. This is just a necklace. One day, everything I have, including myself, will belong to you."

She buried the necklace, along with everything that tied her to the past.

After filling in the hole, Evelyn turned back toward the house.

But just as she reached the front door, she ran into Matteo and Rebecca.

The surprise in his eyes was clear when he saw her standing there.

"Eve, what are you doing here?"

Evelyn didn't answer. Instead, she threw the question back at him. "What about you? What are you two doing here?"

Before Matteo could speak, Rebecca smiled and chimed in.

"It's been a while since I last heard Matteo play the piano. He said the piano was still in the old house, so we came to get it. Ms. Walsh, you know this place well. Why don't you show us the way?"

Without waiting for Evelyn's response, she grabbed her arm and pulled her into the house.

A flood of memories surged through Evelyn's mind the moment she pushed open the door.

Everything in the room was exactly the same as the day they had left. Not a single thing had changed.

"Eve, do you remember when we—"

"I don't." Evelyn lowered her head, her voice barely audible.

Matteo froze for a second, then pointed toward a brick model in the corner. "Didn't we put this in the study after we finished building it? Why is it here?"

Evelyn didn't follow his gaze. Her voice was calm and indifferent.

"You couldn't see back then. A lot of your memories must feel like a blur, like illusions that are all mixed up."

It was just like how she had once believed that Matteo loved her.

But in reality, what he felt for her had only been a mirage. She was something he clung to in desperation.

Because he had been blind, he had relied on touch to navigate his world. She had been like a walking cane to him, a guide, a necessity. That was why he had thought she was important.

But once he regained his sight, he could do whatever he wanted. And just like that, she became irrelevant.

She had believed that their years of companionship would be enough to carry them through any storm.

But in the end, it was nothing more than an illusion. It was just a dream that had crumbled into emptiness.

A fleeting sadness crossed Evelyn's face, and Matteo felt a tightness in his chest.

He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but before he could, she turned away and walked toward the balcony.

"The piano is in the last room down the hall. You can go there yourselves."

As the sound of their footsteps faded into the distance, Evelyn sat down in a rocking chair and slowly closed her eyes.

Before long, the bright afternoon sky darkened. Heavy clouds rolled in, and soon, the first drops of rain began to fall.

She got up and went back to the living room just in time to hear the sound of a piano playing from a distance.

It was the first piano piece she had ever heard in her life—A Lover's Dream.

As she listened, she felt as if she had been transported back to that summer when she was ten years old. Without realizing it, she followed the melody.

Through the window, she saw Matteo and Rebecca sitting at the piano, their hands moving in perfect harmony as they played a duet.

Even after all these years, their connection hadn't faded in the slightest. Their synchronization was as flawless as ever.

Seven years had passed, yet the way Matteo looked at her was still filled with deep, unwavering affection.

So, this was how much Matteo loved Rebecca.

He loved her enough to hold onto that love for seven whole years, even after she had abandoned him.

Of course.

They were both born into privilege—him, the golden boy of the Gallagher family; her, a shining star of high society.

On the other hand, Evelyn was just the daughter of a maid.

Why had she ever dared to step into a world that wasn't hers?

Why had she ever thought she could claim something that had never belonged to her?

If she could go back in time, she would never have fallen for Matteo at first sight.

She would never have secretly loved him.

And she would never have thrown away everything just to take care of him for seven long years.

The music gradually faded into silence.

At some point, Rebecca's hand slid over Matteo's, slowly tracing upward.

Through the window, Evelyn saw her wrap her arms around his shoulders, leaning in to press her lips against his.

"Matteo, I know you still love me…"

At that moment, Evelyn could take no more. She turned and walked away.

The rain poured down harder and harder, drenching her completely.

Her mind was blank, lost in a storm of emotions.

One second, she felt like a withered weed clinging to the edge of a cliff.

The next, she felt like a lone boat capsized by a relentless tide.

She was rootless and directionless, drifting aimlessly.

Even her tears vanished into the rain, leaving no trace behind.

When Evelyn got home, she pulled out a suitcase and started packing up the last of her things.

She kept busy until the early hours of the morning. Matteo still hadn't come back, but she no longer cared.

The next day, Evelyn went to the immigration office to collect all her documents.

On the way back, she booked a flight for that afternoon.

As soon as the car pulled up to the house, she saw a Maybach parked in the driveway. Instinctively, she quickened her pace.

The moment she stepped into the bedroom, she saw Matteo standing beside her suitcase, as if about to open it.

Panic surged through her, and she blurted out, "Weren't you with Rebecca? Why are you back?"

Matteo froze. Slowly, he turned around, and for the first time, there was anger in his eyes.

He walked up to her, exasperation clear in his voice.

"Eve, what are you overthinking this time? I already told you. I have nothing to do with Rebecca anymore."

Nothing to do with her anymore? Yet, he married her to protect her.

Evelyn let out a tearful laugh but didn't expose his lie. "Then I must have misunderstood."

Seeing no change in her expression, Matteo visibly relaxed.

"There's dinner at the Gallagher estate tonight. My family has finally agreed that I can bring you home with me."

Evelyn was stunned. Arnold Gallagher and Caroline agreed?

Seeing her reaction, Matteo reached out and ruffled her hair before handing her a black credit card.

"Eve, don't worry. One day, I'll make sure they accept you so that you can stand beside me with your head held high. I'm exhausted right now. Why don't you let Mr. Warner take you shopping for a dress?"

Evelyn stared at the card for a long moment before finally taking it.

"You should rest. I'll go by myself."

Matteo rubbed his temples and nodded.

Evelyn slipped the documents she had picked up earlier into her bag.

Matteo lay and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

For a moment, she just stood there, looking at his face. It was so much like when he was 17.

For the last time, she reached out, gently tracing his brow.

Perhaps sensing her touch in his sleep, Matteo grabbed her hand and murmured, "Becky, don't mess around."

Hearing that, Evelyn let out a silent laugh.

She pulled her hand away, picked up her suitcase, and walked downstairs.

The house was quiet. The staff were all on their lunch break. No one noticed her leaving.

On the way to the airport, Evelyn blocked and deleted all of Matteo's contacts.

Then, she deleted all her social media accounts.

The airport was crowded with people rushing back and forth. She made one final call as she watched the flight schedule change on the screen.

"Mrs. Gallagher, I'm at the airport as promised. I'll be boarding soon."

On the other end, Caroline sounded pleased, her voice carrying undisguised satisfaction.

"Good. As long as you don't show up at tonight's dinner, the rest of the money will be wired to your account. See you, Evelyn."

Listening to the boarding announcement over the speakers, Evelyn shook her head.

"No, Mrs. Gallagher. It's not see you. It's goodbye forever."

She ended the call, tossed her phone into the trash, and walked toward the gate.

She walked ahead with steady steps without hesitation.