Chapter 1
Everyone always said that Zelda Fletcher was a woman with a plan. She spent three years working as Osmond's nurse and then, seemingly overnight, became Mrs. Vega.
On Valentine's Day, five years into their marriage, Zelda received two gifts.
The first was a bank card from her mother-in-law, Winona.
The second was a video from an unknown sender.
In the video, Osmond stood on a luxury yacht, the ocean stretching wide behind him. He was openly declaring his love for a young starlet, showering her with money as if it meant nothing.
Almost at the same moment, a headline shot to the top of every news feed. "Mr. Osmond Vega Announces New Girlfriend on Valentine's Day."
Zelda's phone started vibrating nonstop. Messages poured in from their mutual friends. Their words burned with outrage.
On the surface, they were all condemning Osmond for what he had done. But underneath it, there was something else. Every message carried the same push. They wanted her to go out there and make a scene.
They wanted her to shout, to fight, to lose control like she used to. They wanted a scandal they could watch, something to break the dull rhythm of their own lives.
But this time, Zelda stayed quiet. She sent the same reply to everyone: [I trust Osmond. He knows what he's doing.]
Everyone was stunned.
*****
Someone pulled Zelda's private account into a group chat, and the messages started flying.
[Is she out of her mind? The shock must have broken her.]
[Before this, she would've blasted something like this everywhere. Has she finally given up?]
[If she really gave up, she'd be asking for a divorce already. She just figured out that throwing tantrums won't keep a man. Now she's switching tactics.
[She's playing the perfect, understanding wife so that Osmond feels guilty and comes back. Too bad she doesn't get that he's been tired of her for a long time.]
[Exactly. If I were him, I'd also be tired of her. If it weren't for that accident, he never would've married someone like her.]
The gossip kept stacking up on her screen.
Zelda sat at the table and watched it all in silence.
They were not wrong. If that accident had never happened, she and Osmond would have stayed in completely different worlds. Their paths would never have crossed.
Everyone thought this new version of her was just another move, a way to hold on to him. They believed she was acting like a "good wife" to win him back.
What they did not know was that this time, she was truly tired.
The card lay on the table. The amount of money on it was more than she could ever earn in several lifetimes.
Actually, she probably should thank Osmond.
Five years ago, he had been in a car accident. The injury had nearly paralyzed him from the waist down.
In one night, he went from a golden boy to a man trapped in bed.
He could not accept it. He gave up on himself. The Vega family hired twenty-three nurses, and he drove every single one of them away. Then Zelda showed up.
The first time she saw him, he was lying in bed. He had just chased off the previous nurse, so he could not even take care of his basic needs. His face was pale, tight with discomfort.
Zelda ignored his resistance. She forced herself to help him to the bathroom.
When it was over, Osmond snapped. His face flushed deep red as anger rushed up.
He grabbed whatever he could reach and hurled it across the room. At one point, he threw a fruit bowl from the nightstand. It hit Zelda square in the forehead.
After that, no matter how badly he lashed out, Zelda would wait until he was done. Then she would quietly clean up the mess.
Little by little, Osmond ran out of strength to fight her. In the end, he gave up and started following her instructions.
When they returned to the Vega family home, Winona took her hands, eyes full of tears, and told her she had saved the family.
After the accident, Osmond's old friends barely came around. A few showed up at first, but he turned them away. In the end, Zelda was the only one who stayed.
Sometimes, he would ask her, "Zelda, why do you even bother taking care of me?"
One time, she had just finished cleaning the room. Osmond leaned back against the bed, quiet for once.
Sunlight fell across the edge of his face, outlining his features, making him look just as striking as the first day she saw him.
He didn't need to try. His mere presence was enough to draw every eye.
But Zelda did not say that out loud. She knelt down in front of him and looked up. "Because I believe that one day, you'll stand up again."
The sharp ring of her phone pulled her back to the present. It was Winona.
She said, "Zelda, you got the card, right? I know you took care of Osmond back then, and he promised to marry you. We kept our word. But you can't force feelings, can you?
"It's been two years since he recovered, and you still don't have a child. Please, let him go. He finally has his life back. I want him to live like a normal man, to get married and have children. You understand how a mother feels, don't you?"
Zelda turned the simple ring on her finger as she replied, "I understand. I got the card. I'll leave."
On the other end, Winona's tone softened immediately, warmth creeping into her voice. "Good girl. I knew you were a good girl. If there's anything else you want, just say it. I'll make sure you have it."
"I want a legal document stating that the money on the card is a voluntary gift from you. And I want a plane ticket back to my hometown," Zelda said.
There was a pause on the line. Winona had clearly not expected something so simple. After a long silence, she finally replied, "Fine. I'll send everything over when the divorce papers come through."
Zelda said a polite goodbye and ended the call.
At that moment, the plain ring on her finger, slightly too loose, slipped free and fell.
Years ago, when Osmond's legs were still injured, he had held Zelda's hand and promised he would never change his mind.
Back then, his voice had been firm. But time had slowly worn that promise down. In the end, even his memory gave way.
In the middle of the night, someone started pounding hard on the bedroom door. The sound cut through the quiet.
Osmond's voice came from outside, thick with alcohol. "Zelda, open the door. I'm coming in."