Chapter 3

I knew, more than anyone, just how important these things were.

The sketchbook was filled with Jack's journey from his first cry to his third birthday. I poured endless sleepless nights into capturing every precious moment of his growth, each drawing overflowing with my love for him.

And that scarf—I hand-knitted it for Charles through many freezing winter nights, my fingers pierced again and again, all so he could feel a bit of warmth whenever the cold set in.

I used to think the love and effort I put in was worth everything, but now I got it—when you didn't matter to someone, even your most heartfelt gifts were nothing to them.

Instead of waiting around for them to toss my things out, I'd rather be the one to clear it all away myself.

I replied softly, "These are my things, too. I have the right to handle my own stuff."

Charles was furious. "What rights do you have? This house is mine, the kid is mine, and even you belong to me. What gives you the right to touch any of this? Did you even bother asking me before selling my things?"

The tension in the room was thick enough.

Sophia gently tugged at Charles's sleeve, her voice trembling a little. "Charles, please stop arguing. I'm sure Emily has her own reasons. I heard from the shop owner that she sold those things to raise money for a struggling student named Ryan. She might really be going through something."

Charles couldn't help but laugh bitterly, his eyes cutting straight through me. "Ryan? So you sold off all our memories just to help out your penniless childhood friend? Emily, you're my wife now, and you're still backing him up behind my back? How could you do this to me?"

I was stunned. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. I only told the shopkeeper I was selling the stuff because I wanted a divorce. Where did Sophia even get that story from?

"She's making it up. I never said anything like that. I haven't spoken to Ryan in forever, and I wouldn't help him out, ever," I snapped.

Charles gripped the bowl of medicine tighter, his laugh cold and sharp. "You think I'd actually buy that story? Sophia doesn't even know your childhood friend. How could she possibly know his name?

"No wonder you chose today of all days to stir up talk of divorce. Let me guess, you just needed an excuse to rekindle things with your old flame, right?"

He stared at me with disappointment and bitterness in his eyes. "Today's our son's birthday, and this is what you do? Emily, you've really gone too far."

His accusation was like a knife twisting in my chest. I opened my mouth to fight back, but nothing came out. Ryan was my first love, but we ended it completely long before I married Charles—he knew that.

He was the one cheating, but now I was the one getting blamed for messing around.

Sophia put on a helpless look. "I'm sorry, Charles. I never thought things would get this messy today. Maybe I shouldn't have come. I'll just leave." With that, she started heading for the door.

Jack, his eyes red and puffy, shoved me aside and grabbed Sophia's hand. "Mommy's bad. You sold my present. I don't want to celebrate my birthday with you this year. I want to go with Sophia!"

A flash of satisfaction crossed Sophia's eyes, but she quickly pretended to look guilty. "Jack, it's my fault for talking too much and making you guys fight. To make it up to you, how about I take everyone out for dinner tonight? We'll give Hack the birthday celebration he deserves."

Charles shot me a frosty glare. "Since you're so hung up on your old crush, you can sit out Jack's birthday. But just so you remember, Emily—I'm your husband now and everything in this house is under my name. I want everything you sold back in its place before I come home tonight!"

With that, he grabbed Jack and walked out without even glancing my way.

Sophia threw me a sly, triumphant grin over her shoulder, and then the door slammed shut with a bang, leaving the hall cold and empty all over again.

As I regained my senses, the spot where Jack had pushed me into the corner of the table throbbed painfully. But that physical pain was nothing compared to the stabbing ache in my heart.

After I married Charles, all those days spent looking out for him made him gradually warm up to me.

It might not have been real love, but we definitely weren't just two strangers anymore.

He never forgot the holidays that were special to me, always going out of his way to give me the nicest things he had.

I really thought, back then, that maybe living like this was enough. Maybe this was what happiness looked like.

But everything changed after Sophia returned from abroad. She and Charles went way back together from their school days, and before I knew it, he was treating her like a sworn sister.

I watched helplessly as those two got closer and closer, and even my own son would always stick up for her.

Anything Sophia said, Charles and Jack would just take her word for it, no matter what.

This time, I was sure that if I just laid it all out, Charles would finally believe me—even if just a little.

But it turned out that he picked Sophia without second thought. As always, I was left out in the cold.

I let out a self-mocking laugh, running my thumb over the wedding ring on my finger before finally slipping it off and laying it on the table.

I murmured, "In the end, we're walking different roads now."

My phone screen suddenly lit up with a flight boarding notification.

I looked down and switched off the screen.

Tomorrow morning, I'd be leaving Charles and Jack behind forever.

I shoveled down the last food, printed the divorce agreement, took one final look around this familiar home, then grabbed my suitcase and headed out without so much as a glance back.

Just as I stepped out the door, an urgent call from the hospital came through.

"Mrs. Sinclair? Your husband has had an accident. Please get to the hospital as soon as possible," someone said.