I've been married to Derek Gunther for many years. Every anniversary, he tells me the airline scheduled him for a flight, then sends an expensive pair of earrings to smooth things over.

But on our ninth anniversary, I accidentally overhear him joking with his friends.

"Derek, you spend every anniversary with Ivy—and Sienna still hasn't caught on?"

"No wonder she can't get pregnant. After all, you give all to Ivy."

Derek exhales a stream of smoke and says, "Ivy gave up everything to be with me. I owe her a real home. As for Sienna, I stopped loving her after she miscarried. When the time's right, I'll file for divorce. It's unfair, sure—but I'll make it up to her with money."

What Derek doesn't know is that he won't get that chance. It's on our anniversary that I'm diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer.

Since he stopped loving me long ago, I'm ready to walk away on my own terms.

Derek, from now on, we're done.

When I had finished making the last dish and brought it to the dining room, Derek Gunther and his friends stopped talking instantly.

One of them quickly got up and took the plate from me. I could sense the others glancing at me nervously. Even the way they congratulated me and Derek on our anniversary felt a bit forced.

When Derek met my eyes, he swiftly averted his gaze. He was good at masking his emotions. I could not find any trace of guilt or panic on his face. It was as if he had not said any of those things earlier.

"You must be tired. Sit down and eat."

I froze for a few seconds. Even after thinking about it for quite some time, I still could not bring myself to take out the medical report stuffed in my apron's pocket.

Derek tried to appear caring and thoughtful by pulling out a chair for me. Then, he reached into his bag and took out the anniversary gift he got for me.

There was no surprise. It was yet another pair of expensive diamond earrings. They were the ninth pair of earrings I received from him.

I had an inkling of what he was going to say next.

"Sienna, I need to be on a flight that's scheduled to depart in two hours. I won't be able to stay and keep you company today."

Derek patted my head. I had lost count of how many times he had made these empty promises.

"I promise I'll make time for you once I come back from this trip. How about that?"

Derek's friends chimed in to back him up.

"Sienna, Derek works diligently day and night so that you can enjoy a comfortable life. Otherwise, how would he be able to afford these expensive earrings for you?"

"Derek treats you unbelievably well!"

My palms were getting sweaty as I gripped the medical report tightly. Eventually, I loosened my grip on the paper. I conceded without making a fuss.

"It's just another anniversary. Your work is more important, after all."

The frown on Derek's face disappeared the moment he heard me giving my permission. He threw his arms around me, tilted my head up with a finger, and pecked my lips.

"I'm so lucky to have married such a kind and understanding woman like you. Be good and wait for me to come home."

I lowered my head and tightened my fists. "Do you really have to be on this flight? There's something I need to tell you after we celebrate our wedding anniversary."

The smile on his face froze. Still, Derek tried to suppress his annoyance as he stroked my hair.

"I know you're going to miss me terribly. Unfortunately, I can't find anyone else to replace me for this shift. So, be good. My friends will keep you company this time. I'll make it up to you some other time."

Before he could finish, a message popped up on the screen of his phone, which was placed on the table. Derek quickly grabbed his phone and hurriedly put on his jacket.

"It's almost time. Let's talk after I get back."

After giving me a half-hearted reply, Derek turned around and strode off. I heard the sound of the door closing next.

As soon as Derek left, it got a bit rowdy in the room as Derek's friends burst into derisive laughter.

One of them poured me some juice.

"Don't be sad, Sienna. You still have us here with you. Derek asked us to keep you company today."

"Please don't be mad at him."

I felt numb as I took in the scornful looks on their faces. These men gradually lost their restraint after having a bit too much to drink. It was to the extent that they completely ignored the fact I was there.

"Tsk tsk! If I were Sienna, I would rather die than live like this!"

"Ivy is the apple of Derek's eye. I think the two of them are trying for a baby recently."

"Sienna, that dumb woman, still thinks it's her problem that she hasn't been able to conceive a child until now."

"Shut your trap and look at the photos and videos Derek shared! Has Ivy always been this hot?"

"I'm sure they're both thrilled because it's been some time since they last met. Anyway, Derek is going to get divorced soon and move on with his new woman. Would he still care about any of this?"

My head throbbed as I listened to these remarks. I went into the bedroom and closed the door behind me. None of them realized I had left the room.

By midnight, the noises coming from the living room had died down. I lay curled up on the bed and stared blankly into space. Tears streamed down my cheeks despite my efforts to hold them back.

I picked up the photo frame placed on the bedside table and traced my finger along the outline of our faces, hoping to feel the warmth and happiness captured in the photo.

I smiled bitterly. Derek had blocked me from viewing his social media account. He had to since he could not possibly let me find out he was openly expressing his love for someone else.

I thought that Derek had loved me for my pureness and innocence. Yet, it turned out what he liked about me was the complete faith I had in him. I was completely oblivious for the past nine years.

My gaze fell on his tablet. After keying in Ivy's birthday, I managed to get the tablet unlocked.

I felt as though sharp knives were driven into my heart as I scrolled through Derek's social media account.

Every year during our wedding anniversary, he would use work as an excuse to meet and fool around with Ivy.

All of the posts on his social media account consisted of photos of him and Ivy. The only post about me was a photo of an old medical report indicating I had a miscarriage.

The comments section was filled with well wishes for Derek. Some questioned why he posted something like that. Yet, Derek expressed a firm stance through his comment.

"No one should have to be bound by marriage. I simply want to be with the person I truly love."

Tears blurred my vision before they plopped down onto the screen of the tablet. My hands and feet were cold as I turned off the tablet. I was in so much pain and despair that I felt light-headed.

I took out the medical report that I had folded in half several times. I broke down in tears yet again when I looked at the results of the diagnosis once more.

I steeled myself and phoned my best friend, Yvonne Smith, who was a lawyer.

"Yvonne, Derek cheated on me with another woman… I'll send you the evidence I've gathered. I want a divorce. I may have to file for a divorce lawsuit if things don't go as planned."

"Derek cheated on you?" Yvonne exclaimed in disbelief.

Ever since I married Derek, I became a full-time housewife and cut off almost all connections with the outside world. Yvonne was the only friend I had left.

I called her out of the blue and surprised her with such shocking news.

"Mhm," I replied calmly.

I had given up on a lot of things for Derek.

Yvonne accepted my request right away. I took photos of what I saw on Derek's social media account and saved them. Also, I decided to rent a room elsewhere and stay there instead.

I started gathering my belongings.

Derek was always busy with work. There were often days when he would be away from home.

There were not that many things in the house that linked us together. The ones that actually did were the nine pairs of earrings stored inside my jewelry box.

I finally realized what these nine pairs of earrings signify. Derek would give me a pair of earrings each time he cheated on me. The nine pairs of earrings indicated that it was already the ninth year Derek had been doing this.

I stood facing the jewelry box, lost in thought.

I was somewhat aware of Derek and Ivy's relationship from the start. Still, I figured it would be over between them once Derek and I got married. Moreover, it was Ivy who had dumped Derek back then.

Derek was deeply hurt by the breakup when I first got to know him. I thought I was the one who had reignited the feelings of love and passion in him. So, I did my best to treat Derek well.

While those feelings were indeed reignited within him, they were not directed toward me.

As I was packing my suitcase, I happened to notice a small wooden box placed on a bookshelf. It was locked with a combination lock. The password was still Ivy's birthday.

"I've decided to divorce Sienna. However, I'll give myself a month. I'll get rid of the divorce agreement if I happen to change my mind afterward.

"Still, Ivy is the one I love. She can't live without me."

I could sense his decisiveness through his neat handwriting. I had not realized that Derek yearned for Ivy so much. There were many things that I wanted from him, yet he never gave them to me.

He had never stopped loving Ivy. Derek simply chose to do it while keeping me in the dark.

Inside one of the drawers of the bookshelf, a divorce agreement was hidden underneath a stack of documents. Derek had already signed his name on the agreement.

I lost the strength and will to hold onto this relationship. It felt as though I was falling into a cold, bottomless pit. I spent the rest of the night in deep anguish and sorrow.

As the sky slowly brightened the next day, I did just as Derek wished and signed the agreement.

I placed the divorce agreement on the coffee table in the living room. Derek would probably be very pleased to see it once he returned home.

Leaving the house I had lived in for nine years still made me feel a bit sad.

The phone in my pocket vibrated just then. It was a text message from my doctor asking me to visit the hospital for another check-up. I suppressed the turbulent emotions inside me.

I took a cab to get to the hospital. Somehow, Derek's face came into my mind. I wondered how he would feel when he eventually saw the divorce agreement.

Yet, just as I lifted my gaze, I spotted the person that had been on my mind all the way.

Derek stood outside the entrance of the obstetrics and gynecology department. Ivy Andrews was standing right beside him.

Derek circled his arms around Ivy and lightly brushed the tip of her nose with his finger. The two of them looked like a happy, loving couple.

Perhaps it was because I was staring at them intently, Derek soon noticed me. He hurriedly let go of Ivy and pulled back his hands. He came up to me, looking flustered.

"Sienna, what are you doing here?"

Derek swallowed nervously. He kept eyeing Ivy to send her signals.

"I just came back after completing my last shift. Ivy's feeling a bit unwell. I happened to run into her, so I decided to accompany her to the hospital for a check-up.

"You know that Ivy and I are just friends. She doesn't know her way around yet since she's just arrived in our city recently. I can't possibly turn a blind eye to her predicament. You shouldn't overthink."

His explanation was sound and flawless. Derek was convinced he would be able to fool me by saying that.

If it were before, I would have trusted him wholeheartedly. Yet, that was not the case anymore.

I pretended to have bought his claims. I did not make a fuss about anything. Derek appeared as though he had not expected me to react so calmly. He opened his mouth but could not think of what to say.

Ivy, who had remained silent all this time, stepped forward. Her lips lifted in a soft smile.

"Derek and I are close friends. You're not upset about that, right? I hope you won't overthink it. I was the one who had asked Derek for his help."

Derek stared at Ivy with an intense, loving gaze as she spoke. I could not even recall how long it had been since the last time I saw him having that look in his eyes.

I felt my mouth go dry. Then, I said in a cracked voice, "I know. You're just friends."

My frigid tone irked Derek.

He gave me a hefty shove and asked sharply, "Sienna, what were you really doing here at the hospital?"

His voice hardened as a thought occurred to him.

"Sienna Jameson, I never imagined you were someone who'd do something like this! You secretly followed me just because I couldn't make it to celebrate our wedding anniversary?"

"That's what he's thinking? That's rich coming from him," I thought.

"I don't have the time or patience to do something like that. You're overthinking things," I retorted.

Derek grew more and more displeased as he listened to the icy tone in my voice. He was seething with anger, yet he seemed to be having trouble verbalizing his thoughts.

It was probably because I was usually too eager to keep him pleased.

"Sienna, don't be too greedy. Haven't I treated you well enough?" Derek raised his voice and vented his frustrations at me.

I could not be anymore disappointed. I was still clutching the latest medical report in my hand.

However, Derek did not notice it since he had all of his focus on Ivy instead.