The birthday gift I gave my husband was found in a doghouse by the side of the road. I spent the next five years as the butt of all jokes made by Cascade City's high society wives.

Every year when Julian Carter's birthday came around, they would bring it up again, teasing that the gift I bought him was surely the most expensive one of all.

"That's nouveau riche taste for you. She thinks the more expensive it is, the better."

"Yeah, but I wonder where they'll find it this year. Another doghouse, maybe?"

The women burst into laughter. Then, they realized something was different. This year, I had not given Julian anything at all. In fact, as his birthday drew to a close, I still had not shown up.

"Laura, where's my birthday present? And what kind of behavior is this? You disappeared for the entire day. Do you have any idea how unhappy everyone in the family has been?" Julian's eyes were dark with irritation.

I pushed back my sleep-mussed hair, only then remembering that it seemed to be Julian's birthday.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot." After a brief pause, I added casually, "I'll have my assistant pick something out tomorrow and send it over."

For a moment, he simply stared at me, as if he could not believe what he had just heard. "What did you just say?"

I knew Julian had heard me. I did not have the patience to repeat myself. "Or if there's something you want, just tell me. I'll have someone buy it and send it over."

Julian Carter's brow slowly furrowed. Then, after a moment, he suddenly laughed. "Laura, what are you up to this time?"

I shot him a confused look, completely baffled by his reaction. "I'm not up to anything."

Then, keeping my voice calm, I added, "Besides, what's gotten into you? You've never cared about the gifts I gave you before."

Usually, they would end up tossed into the doghouse, or he would wave them off with a casual, "Whoever wants it can take it."

Julian seemed to arrive at some conclusion of his own. His tone softened. "You're upset with me? Fine. I promise this time, I'll keep whatever you give me. Now, get up and start getting ready. Just like before."

Just like before.

Back when his birthday was the thing I looked forward to most every year.

I would secretly ask around, trying to find out if there was anything he had glanced at twice lately. From choosing the gift to wrapping it to finally giving it to him, I poured my heart into every step.

I shook my head, sleepiness creeping into my eyes. "No. I spent the whole day hiking outside. I'm really tired."

Julian froze. "On my birthday, you weren't at home waiting for me?"

I smiled. "You didn't ask me to wait for you."

During the years I had been married to Julian, I always knew the people around him did not like me. Even so, every year on his birthday, I would shamelessly tag along anyway.

Sometimes, he and his friends would continue the celebration somewhere else afterward. Nobody ever invited me. Hence, I would go home and wait. When Julian finally came back, I would tug at his sleeve and plead with him.

"Come on, try the pasta I made for you. And the cake I baked."

He would take one or two bites at most before pushing everything away. He would then say, "Is that enough to make you happy? Can I go upstairs and rest now?"

One year, I waited so late that I accidentally fell asleep. The cold woke me up. The living room window had been left open. I was curled up on the couch in nothing but my pajamas while gusts of wind blew over me.

Julian was already asleep in the bedroom.

My eyes eventually landed on the cake sitting nearby—untouched. Not a single bite had been taken. I picked up a fork and ate a piece myself.

It was actually pretty good. What a waste.

Back in the present moment, Julian was still standing there, unmoving. I let out a helpless sigh.

"You were the one who said that whenever I showed up, I embarrassed you. You said you didn't like the things I gave you either. You told me not to do things on my own whims. I'm just following your instructions.

"Now, all of a sudden, you're insisting I make up a birthday gift for you. What exactly do you want?"

The familiar mockery returned to Julian's eyes. He let out a short laugh. "Laura, you're really full of yourself. Who said I wanted anything from you? I just noticed you didn't come running over like some eager little lapdog wagging its tail. I figured you were probably plotting something again.

"You'd better stick to your word. Don't bother me anymore, and don't start begging me to accept your gifts again."

I tugged at the corner of my mouth in a faint smile. "Don't worry. I won't."

Julian never came home that night.

By the next morning, headlines had spread across all of Cascade City.

[The Wife Loses Again—Carter Heir Parties Across the City with Mystery Beauty on His Birthday.]

In every entertainment reporter's photo, Julian had one arm protectively wrapped around the woman in his embrace. Everyone around them was laughing, looking relaxed and carefree.

Without an expression, I picked up the remote and changed the channel.

Apparently, though, they still had not had enough fun. Not long after, Julian came home with a noisy crowd trailing behind him. The moment they saw me, someone paused in surprise before slipping into his usual slick tone.

"Oh, you're here too? Then we'll have to trouble you to make us something to eat."

Another chimed in immediately, "Laura, I've been craving your cream of mushroom soup. Make a big pot, okay?"

They kept saying please and sorry for the trouble, but ordering me around came as naturally as breathing.

I looked at them quietly. Julian's friends had always treated me with casual disrespect. The cream of mushroom soup they were talking about was something I had made for Julian.

I knew he spent most of his time attending business dinners and drinking at social events. His stomach was not in great shape, so I carefully spent hours making the soup just for him.

However, he did not even take a single sip of it. His friends, on the other hand, finished every last drop.

While eating, they grinned and said, "Don't mind us, Laura. Julian didn't want it, so he told us to have it."

Back then, all I could do was force a smile and tell them I was glad they enjoyed it. In the past, I worked hard to fit into Julian's world. I kept hoping that one day, his friends and family would finally accept me.

However, now? I did not want their approval anymore.

I stood up. "If you want soup, make it yourselves. Or call the housekeeper."

I glanced at them calmly. "I'm not your maid."

I did not even care enough to see their reactions.

The sharp crash of shattering porcelain broke the silence. Instinctively, I turned around. Elaine Carter stood frozen before a pile of broken ceramic pieces, her eyes already red.

"Laura, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just thought it was beautiful, and I accidentally dropped it."

Before I could say anything, everyone else jumped in.

"Come on, Laura. Elaine didn't do it on purpose. Stop looking so upset."

"Seriously, are you going to hold a grudge against a young woman over something this small? Laura, you're being way too petty."

Julian was holding Elaine's hand, carefully checking for injuries. Only after confirming she was not hurt did he finally look at me. His voice was icy. "You always assume the worst when it comes to Elaine. She's already apologized, and you..."

I tilted my head. "Did I say I wouldn't forgive her?" I looked around at all of them. "Why are you acting like I'm bullying her? Like you said, it's just a broken vase. No big deal. Sweep up the trash and throw it out."

Even if that vase had been one of the very few gifts Julian had ever given me. It was a piece I had dreamed of owning for years, created by my favorite ceramic artist.

Julian had gone through a lot of trouble to track it down, asking countless people for help before finally finding it. The day he gave it to me, he looked as careless as ever. "Here. Take it. Now, stop talking about it every day."

His expression had been indifferent.

Mine had not.

I had been so happy that I had practically launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around him before planting a light kiss on his cheek. "Julian, thank you. I love it."

He had not dodged me, and he had not pushed me away either. He even let out a brief laugh.

That was how Julian always was. Whenever I was on the verge of giving up, he would hand me the tiniest bit of hope. It was just enough to make me believe that maybe, just maybe, he liked me a little. He made me think that if I kept trying a little longer, things might change.

Back then, I treasured that vase more than anything. I dusted it personally every day and displayed it in the most visible spot in the house.

Now, I simply said, "Maybe it's better that it broke. I don't like it anymore anyway."

Julian stared at me. A deep crease formed between his brows. Then, he nodded. Without warning, he reached over, grabbed the matching vase, and slammed it onto the floor. The crash echoed through the room.

Elaine let out a startled scream.

Julian withdrew his hand and said coldly, "If you don't like it anymore, then good. We might as well get rid of both."

No one in the room seemed to have expected that I would one day stop fighting with Elaine. After all, just four months ago, we had a very public confrontation at the airport. The media later mocked me as the pathetic wife who had already lost.

At the time, we had arrived in Cascade City on the same day. I was the woman whose husband had not accompanied her home for Christmas. She was the adopted sister my husband had just returned from vacation with.

It was my fifth year of marriage to Julian.

For the previous four Christmases, I was not able to spend the holiday with my parents even once. The Carter family had always believed that since I had married into their family, I should spend the holidays with them.

This year, I finally decided I was not going to give in anymore.

"I want to spend Christmas with my parents."

Julian did not even look up.

"I need to be with my family too." His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather. "If you want to go, then go by yourself."

My parents were overjoyed to see me. The whole family gathered around, asking if I was doing well, whether anyone had mistreated me, and whether I was happy. Whenever they asked about Julian, all I could say was that he was busy.

I wanted to call him and ask him to at least send my parents his regards. I dialed his number, but the call was declined. I dialed again, only for the call to be declined again.

No one answered.

Then, I saw the photos Elaine posted online. The background was a beautiful beach.

The caption read: [Thanks to my amazing photographer brother.]

I looked away from the screen and met my parents' warm, hopeful eyes. For the first time, I felt a deep exhaustion settle into my bones.

Now, in the present moment, I was curious. The moment I saw him, I said, "Julian, you said you were busy, too busy to come home with me. But somehow, you had time to be Elaine's personal photographer."

I stared at him. "Do the two of you have no sense of boundaries at all? You're not even biological siblings.

"Julian, you're a married man. Yet every few days, Elaine calls, saying something hurts or that she doesn't feel well, and one phone call is enough to pull you away from me. Even when we're together as husband and wife. Even when you're in the middle of taking a shower, she's calling you.

"Don't either of you think that's crossing the line?"

Julian's eyes darkened. "Laura, Elaine is my sister. Stop using your filthy imagination to judge us."

His expression turned colder. "Are you trying to make headlines again? Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough already?"

As if she could not bear hearing my words, Elaine lowered her head and quietly started crying beside him.

Without a second thought, Julian grabbed my arm. "Apologize to Elaine. Right now."

I laughed so hard that tears came to my eyes.

"Julian, why should I apologize to someone who inserted herself into my marriage and helped destroy my family?"

His grip tightened, and pain shot through my arm. It felt as though my bones were being crushed.

Julian bent down, staring directly into my eyes. Every word came out cold and deliberate.

"What family did she destroy? Laura, get one thing straight. Even if I hadn't married you, I would've married someone else. However, Elaine and I grew up together. We're the ones who will always be family."

His gaze remained fixed on mine.

"And don't forget. I told you a long time ago, I don't love you. This marriage happened because you begged for it."

The first time I met Julian was on a snowy mountain. A blizzard had rolled in, not catastrophic, but dangerous enough. I still remember the moment he skied toward me and grabbed my wrist. "Come with me."

Maybe it was the dependence that fear creates, or maybe it really was love at first sight.

When Julian turned his head and told me, "Don't be scared," my heart skipped a beat. Later, I asked around at school and found out who he was.

One of my classmates winked at me. "Oh, that ridiculously handsome guy? He's just as famous as you are. You two would make the perfect match."

I chased after Julian for a very long time, just like every dating guide told me to. I invested my time, my money, and my energy, giving him everything I had and then some, convinced that one day he would finally love me back.

Then, one day, Julian came to find me. His adopted sister was seriously ill. My tissue type was a match.

I looked at his sincere expression. With one finger, I gently pressed the deep crease between his brows.

"I'll help. However, I have one condition."

I looked straight into his eyes. "I want to marry you. Will you try to fall in love with me?"

Julian extended his hand. Then, he hooked his pinky around mine. In that moment, we made a promise, a promise that became our marriage.

I had believed that love could grow with time, and I had believed that sincerity could move mountains; that enough devotion could melt even the coldest heart.

After all those years, I finally understood. It had all been nothing more than my own wishful thinking. I had been nothing more than a moth drawn to a flame.