Returning home, there was no sign of Kolton Long.

As soon as I got back, I headed straight to my bedroom. In the farthest corner of a drawer was my college acceptance letter. In my previous life, after getting married, Kolton was transferred to the Southern Army Division, and inexplicably, a month later, my mother-in-law fell ill. At the time, I was also pregnant, so I gave up the chance to study in the Pacific Northwest.

This had always been a deep regret from my past life.

As I gently touched the acceptance letter, my eyes were drawn to my name and the school’s emblem in bold blue ink, and I nearly burst into tears. I remembered that in my previous life, I was already on my deathbed when Bailee Diaz came to see me with my son. It seemed as if she knew my time was running out, so she visited every day.

Her true nature came out when we were alone. Her words cut deep: "So what if you held the title of his wife? Throughout his life, I was always the one by his side. You were nothing more than a baby factory and a free caregiver for the elderly. I should thank you for giving me such a wonderful son."

She continued on, and the sad truth was that I didn’t have the strength to curse her. I had to watch helplessly as my son treated her like his real mother, the two putting on a charade of a loving mother and son in front of me every day. Even when I was finally on the brink of death, my son finally breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Aunt Bailee finally has a chance at happiness now."

I shook my head and carefully put the acceptance letter away.

The past can't be undone.

While preparing dinner, he finally returned home, completely worn out.

I noticed his clothes were soaked through and then remembered: On this day in a previous life, when I found out that Kolton Long had submitted our marriage application, I was thrilled and bought lots of groceries, hoping we could celebrate once he got back.

But I waited and waited; by the time he came home, it was quite late and he was drenched. Worried, I asked what had happened, but Kolton brushed it off, saying it was nothing.

Later, I learned that it was on this exact day that Bailee Diaz somehow ended up in the river, and Kolton was the one who saved her.

I couldn't help but let out a small, bitter laugh at the thought.

Knowing what happened in my past life, it was clear—Bailee must have been devastated after learning Kolton had submitted our marriage application. She was either in deep despair or trying to make a dramatic statement. No wonder Kolton was so cold to me on this day in the past. He must have blamed me for Bailee's rash decision.

But how was I to blame?

It was he who proposed, he who filed the application, he who vowed to be with me forever. Yet somehow, I was cast as the villain who tore them apart.

So, seeing Kolton come home soaked again, I simply looked away. Unlike my previous life, where I hurried to make him a hot cup of coffee, I calmly continued with my cooking.

Without hot water for a shower, Kolton quietly changed out of his wet clothes.

During dinner, he started sneezing, but I pretended not to notice.

After dinner, as I washed the dishes, I saw Kolton pacing restlessly in the living room. Eventually, he couldn't stand it any longer and grabbed his jacket, muttering, "I’m stepping out for a bit," before rushing out the door.

I pressed my lips together and made a mark on the yellowing old calendar hanging on the wall.

Once I complete two sets of tallies, I'll be able to leave this place.

Kolton Long didn’t return until nearly dawn. I could hear his attempts to tiptoe quietly from the other room, but I pretended not to notice.

The next morning, I thought Kolton had already left for work. Just as I was about to head out to buy a bus ticket, I heard him coughing in his room. My hand, poised with the spoon, hesitated briefly, but I acted as though I hadn’t heard a thing.

After breakfast, I aimed to secure that bus ticket. Tickets were scarce this time of year, and the lines could stretch forever. Still, getting this ticket would bring me peace of mind.

As I was ready to leave, a knock on the door surprised me. Opening it, I found Bailee Diaz standing there, looking much younger than I remembered. Her complexion was pale, her hair thin, and her skin had a sickly yellow tint, likely due to malnutrition. She was so frail she seemed she could be carried away by the slightest breeze.

In the past, I'd only seen her as a much older version of herself. I remember lying in a hospital bed while she sat across from me, sharply contrasting with her perfectly styled dark hair and designer outfits. The spoiled Bailee, wrapped in luxury, sat elegantly next to the bed of a weary, gray-haired woman exhausted by years of hard work—me.

Bailee couldn’t meet my eyes. She quickly glanced at me before looking down, nervously muttering, “I'm here to see Kolton.”

Her behavior could lead anyone to suspect there was something questionable between her and Kolton. But I didn't have the patience to entertain her pretense any longer.

I left the door open and walked past her, heading down the stairs.