When I returned to the hospital room, I saw Cassian standing at the door.

He frowned at me before letting out a mocking laugh. "Why aren’t you playing the victim anymore? It seems like you're in great shape running around right after giving birth. Do you not need for postpartum recovery, huh?"

"I'm planning to bring Tessa to live in the villa. She's young, delicate and doesn't know how to do housework. So go ahead and get your discharge papers sorted. You can come back and be our maid."

As he spoke, Cassian leaned in closer, his face twisted in a cruel smile. "The sight of you in pain is the best aphrodisiac for me."

He stared at me intently, hoping to see me break down, to watch me crumble under his words.

But I remained utterly calm and so numb that even pain felt distant.

Finding it boring, Cassian turned to a passing nurse and blocked her path.

"Was the baby a boy or a girl? Bring it over. I want to see."

The young nurse looked panicked.

I sighed helplessly. "Grandpa took the baby away."

Cassian seemed like he wanted to say more, but just then, his phone rang.

As soon as he answered, his expression changed drastically.

The next moment, he slapped me hard across the face.

"Leona, what did you do to Tessa? If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you!"

Already weak, I stumbled from the force of the slap, crashing into the railing behind me.

The nurse hurriedly stepped forward to support me.

"Mr. Harland, she just gave birth! If you keep this up, you’ll kill her!"

But Cassian acted as if he hadn't heard a word.

Without a second glance at me, he rushed out, completely consumed by his concern for Tessa.

The nurse looked at me with sympathy, but my pale face remained expressionless.

It was as if seven years of torment had drained every last drop of emotion from me.

After examining me, the doctor advised me to rest.

I finally understood why Cassian was so furious.

The child was gone. Thomas was overwhelmed with grief and anger and he ordered a complete ban on Tessa across the entire internet.

Tessa mistakenly thought it was my revenge. She exaggerated the situation and went to Cassian to complain.

That was why Cassian laid hands on me.

But that wasn’t all.

Cassian revoked my shareholder status in the Harland Group and replaced me with Tessa.

To please her, he even bought a gold mine and named it after her.

During an interview, Tessa proudly flaunted the diamond ring on her hand.

"I never considered myself a homewrecker. If a woman can’t hold onto her husband’s heart, she deserves to be left alone. Besides, the current Mrs. Harland only married into the Harland Family for money. But I’m different. I truly love Cassian with all my heart."

The comments were sharply divided.

A group of brainless fanatic fans tagged my account, hurling all kinds of insults and demands for me to step aside for Tessa.

I looked at it all, feeling only ridicule.

After so many years, Cassian’s tricks to woo women hadn’t changed one bit.

Back then, he did the same to me.

When he found out that I came from a poor family and had never celebrated a birthday, he gave me twenty gifts on my twentieth birthday, from a gold locket for a one-year-old to a villa for a twenty-year-old.

He said it was to make up for the hardships I had endured over the past twenty years.

I still remember that night. Under the vast starry sky, he held my hand and said, "Leona, I was raised by my grandfather after losing my parents at a young age. I understand your feelings. From now on, I will treat your grandmother like my own and build the happiest family with you."

I melted in his deep, affectionate gaze, naively believing that I had found someone to spend my life with.

But later, when the novelty wore off…

Cassian quickly moved on to someone new.

During one of his dates, he left me behind on a mountain just to deliver flowers to his lover.

That day, I walked hundreds of kilometers down the mountain alone.

My feet were blistered and bleeding and my calves bore scars that would never fade.

I should have realized then. This man was selfish and fickle, never one to settle for anyone.

That so-called contract was merely his excuse to justify his infidelity.

Thinking of this, I left a comment under Tessa’s video. "Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness and many children to come."

Not long after my message was posted, Tessa deleted the video.

Right after that, Cassian called, demanding an explanation.

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I treated him the same way he had always treated me, calmly blocking his number.

Then, a thought suddenly struck me. Today was the day of my grandmother’s cremation.

After explaining my situation, I requested an early discharge.

The attending doctor, concerned but unable to dissuade me, eventually offered to accompany me.

When the staff handed me the urn, I didn’t feel the overwhelming grief I had expected. Instead, I only felt that the chains binding me for the past seven years had finally, completely broken.

I let out a quiet sigh, bid farewell to the doctor and returned to the Harland Family home alone to pack my things.

As soon as I stepped into the living room, I saw Cassian and Tessa sitting on the sofa.

The moment she saw me, Tessa hurriedly pulled up the zipper of her dress.

But the red marks covering her body still betrayed the intensity of what had just happened.

I didn’t feel hurt. I wasn’t angry.

Without a word, without a change in expression, I walked past them into the bedroom as if I had seen nothing at all.

By the time I came back out, Tessa had already left.

Only Cassian remained, sitting there, drinking alone.

When he noticed me, he slowly lifted his head.

The dim lighting cast shadows over his face, making his expression unreadable.

“Leona, where did you go today?”

“It’s none of your business.”

I didn’t want to say more, but Cassian suddenly smashed his wine glass.

He strode toward me, his gaze dark and dangerous. “Stop pretending to be so pure and virtuous. Don’t think I don’t know. You went out to fool around with some pretty boy. Leona, are you that desperate for attention? Are you upset that I’ve been ignoring you lately? Fine, if that’s what you want, I’ll give it to you.”

As he spoke, Cassian violently tore at my clothes, dragging me toward the bed.

His sudden aggression shocked me and I struggled with all my strength.

“Cassian, are you insane? I just gave birth!”

But in his frenzy, he wouldn’t listen.

His teeth sank into my shoulder, a sharp pain spreading through my body.

I pushed Cassian away with all my strength and slapped him hard across the face.

Enraged, he didn’t back down. Instead, he grabbed the wine glass from the table and hurled it at me.

A sharp pain spread across my forehead as a warm trickle of blood slowly slid down.

Cassian froze for a moment, seemingly caught off guard. Instinctively, he reached out to support me.

“Why didn’t you dodge…”

I staggered back a few steps, wanting to say something, but my body could no longer hold on. Darkness swallowed me as I collapsed.

I didn’t know how much time had passed when the sound of arguing jolted me awake.

It was Cassian and his grandfather, their voices loud and filled with anger.

As I opened my eyes, I realized I was back in the hospital.

Seeing me awake, Cassian let out a breath of relief, but his face remained dark with displeasure.

He shot a glare at his grandfather.

“Is this the ‘good wife’ you picked for me? Not even out of her postpartum recovery and she’s already sneaking off to meet some pretty boy?”

Thomas trembled with fury. “A date? Do you even know where Leona went yesterday?”

"Grandpa." I interrupted Thomas before he could say more.

"It's all in the past."

He understood my meaning and said no more, though his expression was filled with disappointment as he looked at Cassian.

Cassian, unconcerned, waved a hand dismissively.

"She’s awake now, so there's nothing for me to do here. Tessa is still waiting for me. I’m leaving."

Thomas struck him with his cane. "You ungrateful beast! I don't care where you go today, but tomorrow, you must come back to my house with Leona…"

Before he could finish, Cassian had already disappeared through the door.

Thomas let out a long sigh, his back hunched even more than before. He handed me a divorce agreement, already signed.

"Leona, it's my failure for not raising him right. But that child is still your own flesh and blood. I hope… I hope you can send him off one last time."

I looked at Thomas, his hair completely white. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to refuse.

The next morning, dressed in black, I arrived at the Harland Family’s ancestral home.

I had risked my life to bring this child into the world. But in the end, I never even got the chance to hold him before we were separated forever.

I gently wiped away the tears at the corner of my eyes.

Perhaps this was for the best.

At least without any attachments, leaving would be easier.

I had given my all in this marriage. Now that I was walking away, all I felt was exhaustion, no regrets.

Cassian never showed up, not even when the child was laid to rest. Instead, I saw him on the trending news, trying on wedding attire with Tessa.

Not long after, Tessa proudly sent me a message.

[So what if you gave birth? In the end, Cassian still chose me. Oh, by the way, did you think Cassian was taking care of you while you were unconscious? Actually, he was with me the whole time. We were right next to your hospital room, trying out all sorts of new positions.]

In the video she sent, my pale and lifeless face starkly contrasted with her own, glowing with satisfaction.

I didn’t reply.

Silently, I forwarded all the messages and videos to Thomas. Then, I removed the wedding ring from my finger.

Hugging my grandmother’s ashes, I whispered softly, “Grandma, let’s go home.”

***

Night had already fallen when Cassian finally returned to the Harland Family’s ancestral home, reeking of alcohol.

As soon as he pushed the door open, he was startled by the sight before him.

The entire hall was filled with funeral wreaths.

"Who died? Was it Leona’s grandmother?"

Panic flickered across his drunken face as he stood there, utterly shaken.

"Why didn’t anyone tell me earlier? Where’s Leona? She must be devastated. I need to be with her!"

Cassian’s voice carried a rare trace of urgency as he staggered forward.

But before he could take another step, Thomas, who had finally reached his breaking point, hurled the divorce papers straight at his face.

"Leona has already left with her grandmother’s ashes. And today is your son’s seventh-day memorial!"