For seven years, I made sure everyone at the University of Washington knew I was chasing Caleb.

Everyone assumed Caleb had no interest in me, that he couldn't even stand the sight of me.

What they didn't know was that for those seven years, we were tangled up in a passionate affair, and later, secretly married for three.

The only thing was, in the ten years I gave him my heart and soul, he never once publicly acknowledged me.

Five years after we separated, Caleb and I sat at the same table again at our university reunion in Seattle.

My best friend Sarah, whom I hadn't seen in years, leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Ava, are you still in love with Caleb?"

"The latest financial report just called Caleb the city's most eligible bachelor. You should shoot your shot again and win him over!"

I was about to deny it when the private room erupted in another wave of excitement.

A man in a custom-tailored suit moved through a wave of greetings, his presence radiating a quiet nobility. He sat down beside me.

"Ava, long time no see."

"How have the last five years been treating you?"

I lowered my gaze, a small smile playing on my lips. "Couldn't be better. My life is perfect without you in it."

————————

1

The silver fork beside Caleb's hand clattered to the floor.

The sharp sound echoed through the private room. My lighthearted words seemed to shatter his perpetually cold mask, a crack appearing on his frozen facade.

As the waiter replaced the silverware, he leaned closer.

"Ava..."

I shifted my chair, putting an arm's length between us.

Those deep eyes instantly dimmed.

"I'll drive you home after this."

"No, thanks."

I refused without a second thought.

"It's the rainy season in Seattle. Getting around on a bike share is going to be tough."

The rain outside showed no signs of stopping.

He was right, it wouldn't be easy to ride. It looked like I'd have to call my driver to pick me up.

"If you had accepted the settlement I offered, you wouldn't be scraping by like this."

I didn't know if he meant the divorce settlement or compensation for the two children I lost because of him.

After all, over the years, what he owed me was far more than just money.

I had been on an operating table twice because of him.

A wave of annoyance washed over me. I followed his gaze down to the damp stain on my pant leg.

Only then did I remember that on my way here, a black Maybach had splashed my entire side with dirty water.

So it *was* him.

He had a new car again. The tech mogul must have so much money he needed luxury cars for a tax write-off.

"I have an umbrella. Don't worry about it."

Caleb's eyes swept over me, and he sighed deeply. "Ava, don't always be so stubborn..."

"Caleb."

A saccharine voice cut him off. Everyone turned toward the sound.

Standing at the door was a woman in a light gray tailored suit, her delicate makeup accentuating her well-defined features.

Everyone exchanged glances, trying to guess the woman's identity.

Only I didn't even raise my head, continuing to savor the roasted lamb chops on my plate.

I'd been sleeping a lot lately and had only woken up in the afternoon.

I was starving; Sarah's call had rushed me out the door before I could even grab a bite to eat.

"Ava?"

Jessica gasped, grabbing my hand dramatically, her tone filled with theatrical surprise.

"What are you doing here? Caleb mentioned he had his reunion tonight—I was wondering if I'd see you!"

I gave a hollow laugh and discreetly pulled my hand away.

"And this is?"

Sarah, sitting next to me, finally couldn't help but ask. All eyes turned to Caleb.

"My fiancée, Jessica."

Caleb's words were brief, his tone unreadable.

So, even a man like Caleb could generously acknowledge his lover's identity.

A seven-year secret relationship, a three-year secret marriage.

So my ten years of devotion were nothing but a colossal joke.

At first, no one reacted, until someone mumbled congratulations, and the crowd slowly came back to life.

Jessica sat down next to Caleb, and the two of them accepted everyone's congratulations like a newlywed couple.

"Since I'm late, I really should take a penalty shot! But Caleb has forbidden me from drinking lately, so I'll have to toast you all with this instead."

Jessica was a natural at working the room.

Even though Caleb sat motionless, she held up her glass and toasted everyone present.

The atmosphere became boisterous.

In less than a few minutes, everyone began to fawn over her.

"By the way, I heard someone in your class chased Caleb for seven years. Who was it?"

"I'm so curious, who could be that patient?"

Jessica's eyes swept over everyone as she asked with a playful laugh.

I kept my head down, the smile on my lips long gone.

No one in the room responded. No one dared to even look at me. They were all afraid I would fly into a rage and flip the table.

Ever since I was a child, I was known for my explosive temper; I held a grudge and always got my revenge.

Except for Caleb, almost no one could handle me.

That was why during the years I pursued Caleb, almost no other girl dared to even talk to him.

"She couldn't make it today," Sarah jumped in, running interference for me.

"Oh? That's such a shame."

"I was hoping to send her our wedding invitation..."

Jessica feigned a regretful sigh, then draped herself over Caleb's arm, laughing.

Sarah's eyes went wide. "Does this woman have no shame?"

I watched Sarah savagely attack her food and let out a small laugh, pouring her some water so she wouldn't choke.

Sarah threw her arms around my arm. "Ava, my hope for you two is officially dead and buried!"

"Are you and Caleb really over for good?!"

Sarah gnashed her teeth as she looked at Jessica. I smiled. "It's not like we were never together."

Sarah's jaw dropped, her eyes wide with disbelief.

I turned to face Caleb, my eyes daring him to deny it.

"Isn't that right, Caleb?"

Caleb's brow twitched. He gave a curt nod in agreement.

"Seriously?!"

Sarah leaped to her feet, growing even more frantic, as if she'd just unearthed a shocking secret.

The whole room exploded.

After all, during the seven years I pursued Caleb, everyone thought he hated my guts.

There were even rumors he was physically repulsed by me.

Jessica's ever-present smile was now incredibly stiff.

She hadn't expected me to bring up my history with Caleb, and she certainly hadn't expected Caleb to admit to it.

"So *you're* the famous ex-girlfriend!"

"Well, in that case, I suppose I should thank you. For letting him go, so I could have him."

As Jessica spoke, she brought over a glass of champagne to toast me.

One glass of champagne, one glass of orange juice.

I pushed the champagne away, my expression hardening. "Sorry, I can't drink."

"Why not?"

Jessica was relentless, pushing the glass back toward me. "I remember you used to pull all-nighters just to design the office for Caleb's company."

"Back then, you even taught me how to stay energized before a deadline."

In our senior year, Caleb founded his tech company.

For his sake, I rejected an offer from a top design firm on the East Coast and stayed in Seattle.

It was a fledgling company, struggling just to survive.

His pride wouldn't let him grovel for investments, so I was the one who had to do the begging.

Every design blueprint, every project bid, every dinner party to expand our network—I had fought tooth and nail for them all.

Caleb was undoubtedly grateful to me back then.

That was why he went to the courthouse with me and we secretly registered our marriage.

After seven years of a secret relationship, we began three years of a secret marriage.

Back then, Caleb would brew me coffee to keep me awake and hold me when I was exhausted and overwhelmed, coaxing me to sleep.

Even though we didn't have much money, he would remember every anniversary and buy me expensive gifts.

Except for public acknowledgment, Caleb gave me almost everything.

This was one of the reasons I so willingly endured our relationship.

I always felt that, on some level, he loved me.

Later, the company gradually made a name for itself, and Caleb firmly established his footing with his exceptional talent.

The company also began to expand.

Jessica joined around that time; I hired her myself.

Caleb had said, "I don't like you working such late nights. It's better if you find someone to share the load."

From that point on, I gradually retreated behind the scenes.

Jessica was a fearless newcomer who often took on extra work to prove herself.

I started teaching her how to complete designs efficiently, how to understand client needs, and how to maintain her standards under pressure.

She was talented and learned quickly.

And because she was cheerful, outgoing, and beautiful, she helped the company win several important design projects in a row.

Caleb was openly fond of her.

Besides the bonuses she deserved, Caleb started giving her extra rewards.

Expensive clothes, bags, and jewelry flowed into Jessica's pockets like water.

They started appearing together at the company, acting intimately as if no one else was around.

I threw a fit more than once, but it always ended with Caleb storming off with a grim face.

"Ava, stop being so paranoid."

"Ava, if you keep making a scene, there's no need for us to be together anymore."

That relationship, with me as the sacrifice, nearly cost me everything.

Looking at the glass of golden champagne in front of me, I looked up at Jessica.

"So you don't remember? You of all people should know not to push a woman into something she doesn't want."

With that, I put down my fork and pushed the wine glass aside.

"Caleb, if you can't control your own woman, don't bring her out to embarrass yourself."

Caleb's face darkened instantly.

He pulled Jessica back. "Stop making a scene."

"Sit down and eat. Even if you won't, the baby in your belly needs to."

As his words landed, the exquisite meal on the table suddenly tasted like ash in my mouth.

A wave of nausea churned in my stomach. I shot up from my seat. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

The moment I stepped out of the private room, the cold Seattle wind, laced with fine rain, seeped into my trench coat, damp and chilling.

I couldn't help but shiver, and the wave of nausea began to subside.

A child.

They actually had a child.

The same Caleb who claimed he didn't want a child while his career was taking off was now having one with another woman.

In ten years, I had been pregnant for Caleb twice, and both times, he'd made me get an abortion.

He didn't like using condoms and always had some excuse.

Every time, I was the one taking the morning-after pill, and if I still got pregnant, I had no choice but to go to the clinic.

His reason for not wanting a child was simple: career came first, and besides, he didn't like kids.

After every procedure, Caleb would buy me expensive gifts to appease me.

He always said we were still young, that we'd been so busy with our careers, we hadn't had enough time for just the two of us.

Perhaps because I loved him too much, a few words from him were always enough to make me forgive him.

The two abortions and the long-term stress had wrecked my body.

On our third wedding anniversary, I prepared a table full of food, wanting to have a talk with Caleb.

I wanted to keep that baby.

But I never got to see him that night.

Instead, I came home early to find him and Jessica tangled together, lost in each other, on the bed we shared.

"Ava, what the hell? Don't you knock!"

"Get out!"

Caleb snatched clothes from the floor to cover the woman in his arms. Jessica looked at me with wide, innocent eyes, like a startled deer.

That day, I stumbled out of the room, my world shattering around me.

I even remembered to close the door for them.

When Caleb came back that day, the house was a disaster.

I had thrown all the food and the cake on the floor. I had torn up every photo of us, and smashed everything I could get my hands on.

Caleb navigated the debris and sat down in front of me.

In the end, I was the first to speak. I asked him when it had started.

"You wouldn't want to know."

"Ava, isn't it good enough for you to just be Mrs. Caleb quietly at home?"

Caleb was as cold as ever, his words like blades of ice piercing my heart.

I snapped, calling Jessica right in front of him.

Caleb snatched my phone and smashed it to pieces.

"Are you crazy? If you dare drag Jessica into this, we'll get a divorce!"

The air froze.

I asked him with a bitter smile, "Caleb, does she really not know anything?"

Although Caleb and I had a secret marriage, anyone with eyes could see our relationship was far from simple.

Jessica had asked about us more than once; even a fool would have understood.

"At least I never told her."

Caleb's cold words were the final blow. In that moment, I felt my heart shatter.

"Ava, I'm warning you, if you cause trouble for her, we're getting a divorce!"

For the past three years, whenever I got upset because of Jessica, Caleb always threatened me with divorce.

Every single time, I had been the one to back down.

Except for that one time. I agreed.

"Caleb, let's get a divorce then."

Later, during the proceedings, Caleb proposed harsh terms to force me to compromise, demanding I leave with nothing.

Without hesitating, I signed the papers.

The divorce was quick. No cooling-off period, no drawn-out battle.

On the courthouse steps, Caleb warned me through gritted teeth not to regret it.

Caleb seemed certain that I would come back, that I would regret it.

But I didn't.

For five years, I rarely even thought of him.

If Sarah hadn't pestered me into attending this reunion, he and I would never have seen each other again.

A weight settled on my shoulder as a black suit jacket was draped over me.

A familiar cold fragrance wafted into my nose.

It was Caleb.

"Ava, it's been five years. I never thought you'd really stay away."

Without thinking, I shrugged the jacket off and handed it back to him.

"Come back to be your mistress?"

"Have you no shame, Caleb? Or are you just addicted to cheating?"

Caleb grabbed my wrist, his face grim. He lifted the hem of my trench coat.

Across my pale stomach was a web of faint, silvery lines.

"Ava, did you give birth to my child five years ago?"