For a moment, I thought Charles had overheard the part about the divorce. However, the first thing he said was, "Shirley, you're dropping out of the Nebula City Perfume Competition."

It was not a discussion. It was an order.

"There's no need for you to enter just to get our attention. Melissa wants to apply to Brighton & Co. in the second half of the year. If she wins first place, she'll get in directly."

Brighton & Co. was the most authoritative perfume company in the country.

"Winning that title won't do anything for you. However, for Melissa, it's different."

Whenever Melissa wanted something, she never even had to ask. Charles would fight to get it for her. He always expected me to step back.

However, the reason I was going to Nebula City… was to go home.

I pulled my arm free from his grip. "That's not why I—"

He did not even let me finish a sentence. "You're still holding a grudge over that child who didn't make it, and now you're taking it out on Melissa. Don't forget, she ended up like this because she saved you back then. Maybe the child's death is just the price you had to pay."

I went very still.

When I first got pregnant, he had wanted to tell the whole world. I did not even have strong morning sickness in the early stages. Instead, Charles was the one constantly nauseous with worry.

His mother had died during childbirth. He told me he would never let something like that happen to me.

However, the pain I went through, and the death of our child… All of it had been caused by him. If he had not let Melissa ignore those seven calls that day, the baby would not have suffocated inside me.

It almost took my life with it.

When he saw the redness in my eyes, Charles finally seemed to realize what he had just said. He opened his mouth, trying to take it back.

However, from downstairs came a louder interruption. It was the sound of Melissa being escorted out by the butler.

"Ms. Jones, this way please."

Lance usually only followed Nevin's orders.

Charles' expression changed instantly. The disgust on his face was impossible to hide. "So you really came to complain to Grandpa!"

He shoved past me and headed downstairs.

I stood there, dazed, watching him rush off to help someone else without a second thought.

Back when I first came to the capital for college, I had not reunited with the Jones family yet. I had applied to join the student council for two extra credits, and they had put me on the spot, demanding I perform something in front of everyone.

Charles, who had been in graduate school at the time, stood in front of me. With a smile, he eased the situation. "Don't scare the freshman."

Later, I found out the beverage shop where I worked part-time belonged to his friend, Samuel Carter.

After that, we started crossing paths more often. Samuel was the first to notice how I felt, and he warned me gently, "Charles' fiancée has been studying abroad all this time."

He was telling me not to walk down a path that would lead nowhere. He was right. Charles and I had always been worlds apart.

Now, even though we stood in the same place, we were further apart than ever.

By the time I went downstairs, only Maverick was still there. One look at me and he could tell something was wrong. "Did you and Charles fight?"

For a second, I thought he was concerned. I was about to say no. Then, his next words shattered that illusion.

"We're family, Shirley. You should know how to behave. Melissa didn't do anything, and you've been giving her attitude all night. The Jones family spent so much money hiring top etiquette tutors for you. It wasn't so you could come back here and stir up trouble.

"She got into a car accident and lost her memory trying to save you. Can't you just give in a little?"

Every word sounded like a lecture, laced with barely hidden contempt.

Even though I knew Maverick had never liked me and even though I knew better than to expect anything from him, it still hurt to hear it said out loud.

They were used to looking at me like I did not belong. If Melissa was ever upset, it had to be my fault.

I was too tired to argue anymore. Instead, I asked something else, "Do you know when Charles' birthday is?"

Maverick let out a mocking laugh. "Seven years of marriage and you don't even know your husband's birthday? It was the day before yesterday."

My clenched fist slowly loosened.

It was true.

However, for the past seven years, we had always celebrated it on November 20. That was tomorrow.

I chose to be honest. "I'm going to Nebula City because I want to go home."

Maverick looked annoyed. "Now, you're trying to use that to threaten us? Shirley, if you give up the perfume competition, I'll make sure you pass the job selection directly."

I had been in the company for five years. Every time there was a promotion opportunity, I failed. Even supervisors from other departments had spoken up for me.

Whenever I asked for feedback, Maverick would just tell me to figure it out myself. All these years… he had been holding me back for Melissa's sake.

I pushed the door open. An icy breeze rushed in. It swept away the last bit of affection I still had for him as a brother.

"Do whatever you want."

What he did not know was that before coming here, I had already submitted my resignation.

While packing my luggage, I found the outfit I had hidden deep in the closet. It had been meant as a birthday surprise for Charles this year.

The only reason I even knew his birthday was that I had secretly checked his ID.

The first time I prepared a surprise for him, the house was filled with balloons and a cake. He had looked at everything and said he had never celebrated his birthday on that day.

His mother had died giving birth to him, and his father had never recovered from it. I thought that was why, so I softened and promised that from then on, I would celebrate with him every year.

For seven years, I ran around making plans, preparing everything. He never once corrected me on his birthday.

Only now did I understand that his real birthday was reserved for someone else, and the date he gave me was a fake.

I had been blind to the truth all along.

The doorbell rang, and when I opened the door, my mother, Jessica Shaw, was standing outside. She was supposed to be thousands of miles away in Cascade City on business.

Jessica always said we were family. However, the way she acted, distant and polite, was no different from how she treated her clients. She opened several jewelry boxes and pushed them toward me. "Shirley, these are for you.

"Can I ask you for a favor? That perfume design competition… Can you let Melissa take your place? I'll compensate you with ten times the prize money. Alright? After all, Melissa once saved your life. I don't want her talent to go to waste."

At that moment, it felt like I had fallen into an ice pit. This was the real reason she had flown all the way back. This was the third time tonight someone had asked me to give up.

I suddenly remembered when I had just returned to the Jones family. People used to say I did not look like the eldest daughter of the Jones family at all. They said I looked like someone desperate to make money to support my adoptive parents.

Then, I finally understood. Even my biological mother thought the same way.

Without saying it outright, each of them was lifting Melissa up in their own way. Together, it felt like a full-scale siege against me.

Sometimes, I wanted to defend myself, but I knew it would only drag things out endlessly. Besides, no one would believe me anyway, so I let it go.

I looked at the priceless jewelry in front of me and said softly, "Okay."

Jessica seemed surprised. She had clearly expected me to refuse.

I smiled faintly. "Ms. Shaw, if there's nothing else, I'll head upstairs."

Ever since Melissa lost her memory, my own mother had told me to call her 'Ms. Shaw' in front of others. Maybe because the windows were closed, but she suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Shirley, it's just the two of us here. You can call me—"

A sudden ringtone cut her off. It was my adoptive mother, Teresa.

I walked quickly to the window. "Mom, you're still up this late?"

On the other end, Mom sounded excited. "Shirley, your dad and I made all your favorite seafood. Send me your flight details. We'll come pick you up."

Listening to their cheerful voices, I could not help but laugh. "Okay, okay, I know."

We talked for half an hour, and when I turned back, I realized Jessica was still sitting on the sofa, her expression hard to read.

I glanced at the time on my phone. "It's late. I'll have the driver take you home."

I used to try so hard to make her stay longer. However, not anymore. I still had to pack my suitcase.

By the time Charles came home, I had already turned off the lights and gone to bed. Before, I would always stay up until midnight, just to be the first one to wish him a happy birthday.

Thinking I was asleep, he whispered an apology, "I'm sorry. Just wait a little longer. I'll come back to you completely, soon."

It was not until that day outside the hospital room that I found out Melissa had once saved his life when they were kids. She struggled after she lost the good life she had in the Jones family. Hence, Charles was now trying desperately to make it up to her.

It was then that I realized his promise had been based on only one thing—that I would not stand in the way of Melissa's perfume competition. However, I did not want to wait anymore, so I chose to walk away.

The next day, I played the role of a good wife one last time. Just like before, I helped him straighten his tie and saw him off to work.

Charles stood there, stunned for a moment. He probably thought I had finally come to my senses. He smiled and reminded me, "Wait for me to come back from work."

What he did not know was that I was saying goodbye to the past ten years of my life. From a college crush to seven years of marriage, it all ended in that moment.

…

Charles had not gotten off work on time in a long while, and as he stepped out of the office building, he could not help feeling a little excited, wondering what kind of birthday surprise he would get.

This mistaken 'fake' birthday had somehow become something he was looking forward to. He glanced at the fresh bouquet of flowers on the back seat.

'My wife at home will like these,' he thought.

During the drive, Melissa called him. "Didn't you promise to come with me to Nebula City for the competition?"

He replied calmly, "Maverick and your mom can go with you. I've already done enough for you." Charles then hung up without hesitation.

Standing at the front door, he suddenly felt a little nervous, but when he walked in, there was no sound of party poppers. The silence was overwhelming. Even the house looked exactly the same as usual.

"Shirley?" he called softly, several times.

He searched everywhere. I was usually on the second floor, but now, I was nowhere to be found.

Finally, when he stepped into the bedroom, he noticed something was wrong. The closet held only his clothes, and his gaze shifted to the dressing table, where some pieces of paper sat, painfully obvious.

He walked closer and realized what it was. It was a divorce decree.