Upon hearing my words, Bradley's face darkened immediately, he said, "Yasmine, what right do you have to talk to me like this? Don't forget, you're living in my house, I'm the one supporting you …"

I wanted to retort. In the seven years we'd been together, we always split expenses equally. Even after quitting my job, I used my own savings.

Before I could speak, the oven beeped. I was too tired to argue with him, so I put on gloves and took the cake out.

Bradley furrowed his brows as he stared at the cake for a while, then softened his tone, "Is today … your birthday?"

Today was my 30th birthday. It was also the seventh anniversary of being with Bradley. I had spent the whole day baking the cake by hand, hoping to celebrate together after he finished work.

Feeling guilty, Bradley took the initiative to find candles and set them on the cake for me and hurriedly said, "I've been really busy with work lately. I'll make it up to you. How about this afternoon I take you to pick out a new, bigger engagement ring?"

He sat down in front of me, his usual gentlemanly demeanor restored. "Yasmine, there's no need to be jealous of Veronica. We did have a relationship when we were young, but that was years ago and I've long since moved on," he said again.

Had he really moved on? I still remember when we hadn't been dating for long. I brought him lunch one day and overheard a conversation he was having with his friends.

They asked him why he was with me. He said, "Anyone is fine, as long as it's not Veronica."

Back then, I was young and proud, thinking that sincerity could overcome anything. Looking back now, I realize how wrong I was. I had made a mistake, one after another and now I had to get out before I lost everything.

I replied coldly, "No need. You go ahead, I'll handle it myself."

Bradley was stunned for a moment. But after years of me swallowing my pride, he had grown used to my submission.

He thought I was forgiving him once again and smiled as he lit the candles for me. "Make a wish," he said.

Every year before, my wish was for happiness and love with Bradley, for us to stay together forever. But this time, I silently wished: "I want to be happy and free from Bradley forever."

After making my wish, I opened my eyes, ready to blow out the candles. But I realized Bradley had already disappeared.

The cake I had spent six or seven hours making had been knocked to the floor. He walked in such a hurry that he not only knocked over the cake, but also failed to close the door in time.

After cleaning up the mess, I checked my phone.

Veronica had posted a new update: [I'm such a little clumsy girl, I was bumping into the cabinet while walking. Luckily, my Prince Charming is always there to protect me.]

In the comments, Bradley, who had ignored me even when I was in a car accident, wrote: [Whenever you need me, I'll be there for you.]

I liked the post. Moments later, I received a new message from Bradley: [Veronica hurt her foot. I'm taking her to the hospital. Come over and clean up her place.]

[And make some bone broth to bring to the hospital. Don't put cilantro in it.]

Suddenly, it all made sense. Bradley didn't have any dietary restrictions. But every time I added cilantro to a dish, he would explode, calling me a useless idiot who couldn't do anything right. It wasn't him who hated cilantro, it was Veronica.

I thought about ignoring his message, but after hesitating for a moment, I headed downstairs.

Bradley was holding Veronica, speaking to her softly. When he saw me, his face instantly hardened and said, "Why are you so late? If Veronica's treatment gets delayed …"

Veronica gently tugged at his sleeve and said, "Bradley, I'm fine. Don't be mad at Yasmine because of me. I know she's never liked me."

Bradley scolded me, "Enough, Yasmine. Clean this place up properly. I'm not going to marry a jealous woman who can't do anything right!" With that, he left with Veronica in his arms.

I watched his retreating figure and whispered, "I wouldn't marry a shameless, cheating man either."

After they left, I looked around the room. The bathroom was soaked with water and in the trash bin, there were two used condoms. A wave of nausea hit me.

No wonder Bradley had been working overtime so much lately. It turned out that he would spend some time with Veronica downstairs every day before returning home upstairs.

I glanced around Veronica's bedroom. It was filled with luxury brand items and expensive skincare products.

I still remembered how, just a few days ago, I had asked Bradley for a lipstick as a birthday present.

He had looked at me with utter disdain while said, "Thirty years old and you still have the nerve to celebrate? Are you trying to act young? Disgusting. Just stay home and do your chores. No amount of expensive makeup will make you twenty again."

I would never be twenty again. But Bradley never lacked twenty-year-old girls around him. His so-called 'ideal woman' Veronica, was probably just his favorite among them.

I took a deep breath and started taking pictures of everything in the room. Then I returned upstairs to pack my things.

In the seven years we had been together, Bradley had given me a few gifts. French kitchenware, a robot vacuum cleaner and a 'master-crafted' knife set. I decided to leave all these behind for him.

As I packed, I couldn't help but laugh at myself. Veronica's things downstairs filled the room. But in this place where I had lived for years, everything I owned could fit into one suitcase.

When I was done, I called my best friend, Merryl Jane, who was overseas. After three missed calls, she finally picked up.

I held back my tears and said, "Merryl, I was wrong. I shouldn't have given up my career and my life for Bradley. I regret it. I want to come find you."

Merryl called me a fool and said I deserved it before hanging up. I sat in the empty room, sadness overwhelming me.

Flashes of all the times she had tried to talk sense into me came to mind and I remembered the look of disappointment on her face when she left.

As the tears started falling, a new message popped up on my phone. Merryl had bought me the earliest available ticket. Three days from now, at noon.

The tears I had been holding back for so long finally burst out. Tears for myself and for the seven years I had wasted.

Bradley didn't come home that night. After I refused to cook for Veronica, he blocked my number.

I didn't bother dealing with him and took a trip back to my hometown to collect a few things from my childhood.

I had no idea what Bradley had told my mother. The moment I stepped off the bus, I saw her waiting at the door, eagerly looking around. Once she was sure Bradley hadn't come with me, her face darkened.

What she didn't know was that Bradley would never set foot here again. He had always looked down on me and my family from the very beginning.

My mom asked, "Haven't you two made up yet?"

"We're not going to," I said. As soon as the words left my mouth, my mother slapped me across the face. Half of my face immediately swelled up.

Still unsatisfied, she continued hitting me, just like when I was a child, in front of everyone passing by. She grabbed the wooden stick by the door and began beating me with it, hard and furious. One strike after another.

My mom started to accusing me, "Bradley told me everything. Finding a man as good as him is a blessing you've earned over several lifetimes and you still can't make the most of it? Jealous, living wildly, you're such a lowly person!"

"Let me tell you, no matter what it takes, begging, getting pregnant, you better find a way to marry Bradley, or don't bother coming back here!" she screamed.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew and heavy rain began to pour. Only then did my mother stop. She blocked me from entering the house and threw my belongings out, one by one. She yelled, "Get out right now! Even if you die, you better die at Kane's house!"

One of my childhood trophies hit my forehead and blood mixed with rainwater trickled down my cheek.

I bent down, rummaging through the scattered items, trying to salvage memories from the past.

A Bentley slowly pulled up beside me. Bradley got out of the car, holding an umbrella with one hand while forcibly grabbing me with the other.

He dragged me into the car and said, "Yasmine, have you learned your lesson? No one in this world will ever love you except me. Be a good girl and come home. Apologize properly to Veronica and you'll still be the future Mrs. Kane."

He threw his coat over me and the distinct scent of Veronica's perfume hit me instantly.

I turned my head to look at the rain-blurred scenery outside the window, feeling utterly numb inside.

Once, I had considered Bradley my salvation, sharing my innermost thoughts and pains with him. But he had used those very pains to manipulate me. He had never been my refuge and he wasn't worth my love.

Only by leaving him and that so-called 'home' could I truly live a better life. While I was lost in thought, Bradley's phone rang.

"Bradley, why aren't you here yet? Everyone's waiting for you."

"They're all teasing me, saying how the company retreat can't just have the boss's wife attending while the boss himself is nowhere to be found. I'm running out of ways to respond …" a voice of a woman was heard.

Bradley shot me an awkward glance. He hesitated, wanting to leave me behind but realizing it wouldn't look right.

He said, "Yasmine, why don't you come along to the company retreat?" In the past, I was never allowed to set foot in Bradley's company.

Even when I brought him meals, I had to wait outside for his assistant to come out so as not to disturb his work. This was an unprecedented 'gift' from him.

I took out a tissue to wipe the blood from my forehead and slowly responded, "Okay."

I arrived soaking wet, looking disheveled in front of everyone. Bradley deliberately quickened his pace, distancing himself from me. It was as if he was afraid of being associated with me.

Veronica pouted in displeasure when she saw me. I overheard Bradley whispering to her, "I don't feel sorry for her, I just want to embarrass her. I want everyone to know that without me, she's worse off than a dog."

Surrounded by mocking and confused stares, I felt nothing. Perhaps I had been hurt too many times to feel pain anymore.

I raised my hand and asked a waiter for a blanket and then I was sitting on the sofa, watching people come and go. Just then, Merryl called me.

She said she had contacted a few companies and I could interview with them anytime. Before I could hang up, a hand suddenly landed on my shoulder.

I turned to see Bradley, looking puzzled and he asked, "Who are you talking to? What interview? Where do you plan to go?"

I lied casually, "Telemarketing."

Bradley's frown slowly relaxed, he said, "That makes sense. Your parents don't want you anymore, so where could you possibly go? The rain outside has stopped. There's nothing for you to do here. Go home. When you get home, don't forget to wash my coat."

I didn't reply. I tossed Bradley's coat onto the sofa.

Veronica tilted her head, staring at me for a moment before insisting that Bradley accompany me out.

As I reached the roadside, she suddenly stuck out her foot, tripping me. I lost control and fell into the rose bushes nearby.

"Yasmine!" Bradley reached out to grab me.

But when Veronica yelped, he immediately turned to shield her, leaving me to fall into the thorns. The sharp rose thorns cut deep into my skin, leaving me covered in scratches.

The muddy ground only amplified my misery. I struggled to get up, just in time to see Bradley gently bending down, wiping the splashes of mud from Veronica's shoes.

He glanced at me, a flicker of guilt flashing in his eyes when he said, "Yasmine, are you okay? I can take you to the hospital …"

"Bradley," Veronica's eyes filled with tears. "You promised to stay with me today. It's our hand-holding anniversary. How could you leave me alone?"

Bradley's gaze shifted between the two of us, hesitating.

"I'll go to the hospital by myself. It wouldn't look good for you to leave early since you're the boss," I finally said.

He sighed in relief. "Alright, take care of yourself. I'll bring you your favorite pineapple cakes when I get home." Pineapple cakes were actually Veronica's favorite. But there was no point in correcting him.

No matter when, I was always the one left behind, the one sacrificed. Rather than foolishly waiting for love that was never mine, I decided to be smart and leave early.

At the hospital, the doctor carefully removed the thorns embedded in my skin. It felt as though the years of love I had clung to left me along with those thorns.

The next morning, Bradley made a rare WhatsApp call to me, "Why aren't you answering your phone?"

"Didn't you block me?" I asked back.

After a moment's pause, he replied, "I'll be home in half an hour. I brought you fresh pineapple cakes and egg tarts. By the way, I also bought a new engagement ring. I know I've wronged you these past few days. It won't happen again."

I glanced at the time and replied calmly, "There won't be a next time for us." Unfortunately, Bradley had already hung up. There were still three hours left until noon.

I opened his laptop and tried several passwords. Eventually, I unlocked it with Veronica's birthday. I sat there in front of the computer, waiting for Bradley. Half an hour passed. An hour passed.

I opened my phone to find Veronica had posted a new update. She was sitting in Bradley's passenger seat, their fingers intertwined, both wearing the latest engagement rings. I smiled.

Using his account, I sent the story of our seven years together, along with the evidence of his affair I had collected, to everyone at his company.

Then I smashed the computer, grabbed my suitcase and headed to the airport alone. As I was going through security, countless messages and calls flooded in.