The next day was the weekend. Isaac had to work overtime on a project at school, so he left early in the morning, leaving me home alone.

Back when we first bought this place, it was meant to make his commute more convenient. We chose it as our marital home, and the layout had been designed entirely around what was considered appealing to a woman. However, I had never been fond of overly feminine things.

During the renovation, Isaac had persuaded me time and again, insisting that this kind of design created a warmer, more homey atmosphere. Because I loved him, I gave in completely.

Looking back now, the one who truly liked this style seemed to be someone else. In this home, I wore clothes in Lilith's style, lived in a house styled for Lilith, and listened to music that Lilith preferred.

I sat on the couch for a very long time, until the sun began to set and the room dimmed. By the time my tears had dried, my heart had somehow settled into an unexpected calm.

I picked up my phone and called the person in charge at the company, Mr. Dylan Harper. "Mr. Harper, is the transfer position you mentioned before still available? I have decided to accept the transfer and apply to stay in the company-provided apartment."

Mr. Harper sounded a little surprised, but he quickly agreed. "The apartment has been vacant. It will take three days to clean and prepare it. You can report there directly in three days."

"Alright. Thank you, Mr. Harper," I replied.

…

In the evening, Isaac returned carrying a cake box.

"I stood in line today just to get you the blueberry cheesecake you like. By the way, my birthday is in a couple of days. How do you want to celebrate it this year?"

I lowered my gaze to the neatly wrapped box. I didn't like cheesecake, and I had never liked it. I had mentioned it to him once, but he seemed to have forgotten immediately and still brought it home from time to time.

He would watch me force down a bite, then respond with a satisfied smile.

I didn't take the box. As I met his expectant gaze, I asked flatly, "Isaac, do you love me?"

Isaac hesitated briefly, then chuckled. He reached out and ruffled my hair.

"Silly goose, what are you thinking in that head of yours? Of course I love you. If I didn't love you, who else would I love?"

I pressed my lips together into a faint smile and said nothing more.

The cake was placed in the refrigerator, and Isaac didn't seem concerned about whether I ate it. He turned and went into the bathroom.

I walked into the study to gather the documents for my resignation handover. Isaac's laptop sat on the desk, and its screen was still on, with chatting app open.

I had no intention of checking his private messages, but the steady stream of notifications caught my eye. The group chat was titled "Lilith Fan Club".

"Lilith's flight lands tomorrow. The day after, we'll use Mr. Cooper's birthday as an excuse to throw her a welcome party!"

"The place is already set up. It's filled with Lilith's favorite white bellflowers. She'll definitely be moved to tears!"

"Hey, what about Mrs. Cooper?"

"We're throwing a welcome party for Lilith. What's there to worry about?"

The most recent reply came from Isaac.

"I'll be there later. Keep things low-key. Don't startle her."

The "her" he referred to was obviously not me.

As I thought back to the moment earlier when Isaac had asked how I wanted to celebrate his birthday, a dull soreness welled up in my eyes, yet no tears followed.

It seemed the surprise had already been arranged well in advance. I felt like an outsider, as though there was nothing left for me to prepare. I averted my gaze, pretended I had seen nothing, and stepped out of the study.

Isaac's birthday came, and I attended the celebration.

The company-provided apartment wasn't ready yet, and I had no intention of telling him about the transfer to the branch office.

I had considered divorce, but I didn't know how to bring it up. In the end, I decided to accompany him for one last birthday, as a final gesture to the years we had shared as husband and wife.

This time, I wore a black long dress of my own choosing.

When Isaac saw me, he frowned slightly. "Iris, why are you wearing this? You have a white dress in your wardrobe. Wouldn't that be better?"

He was trying to interfere with my choice again.

"That one's dirty. It won't come clean," I replied.

Isaac didn't catch the hidden meaning in my words. He just glanced at the time and urged, "Fine, then let's go. Don't keep the students waiting."

When we arrived at the reserved private room and pushed the door open, ribbons and cheers hit us at once. The room was decorated incredibly romantically, filled with white bellflowers.

I stole a glance at Isaac and noticed a flicker of complex emotion in his eyes.

Just then, the door on the other side of the room was pushed open, and a woman in a white dress stepped out. She carried herself with a gentle, refined air. Her long black hair was styled in the same straight manner as mine, and she wore pearl earrings similar to mine.

She was Lilith Walker. As expected, she had arrived as the "surprise gift".

"Isaac, it's been a long time. Happy birthday," Lilith said with a soft, restrained smile.

Isaac froze in place, and his hand slipped from mine without him seeming to notice.

"Lilith, when did you get back?"

"I arrived yesterday," she said.

Lilith's gaze drifted past him and landed lightly on me. "You must be Iris. Isaac often talks about you."

I nodded politely and returned a courteous smile.

After we sat down, the students arranged for Isaac and Lilith to sit together, claiming it was so they could revisit old memories and play games.

They laughed over college memories, talked about late nights in the lab, and discussed parts of the past I had never been part of.

As I watched my husband and his first love smiling at each other in the center of the crowd, I felt like an outsider.

Isaac didn't look at me once.

The birthday cake was a two-tier fondant cake. The class representative brought the first cut piece and handed it to Lilith.

"Lilith, the first piece has to go to you."

Someone bumped into the person in front of me, and a glass of red wine tilted sharply, spilling toward me. I saw it and instinctively dodged, but Lilith happened to be right behind me.

Isaac reached out quickly and pulled Lilith into his arms. In doing so, he yanked at me as well, causing me to lose my balance and crash into the coffee table behind me. The remaining half glass of red wine was completely splashed onto me.

The liquid dripped from my hair, leaving me completely disheveled.

"Lilith, are you alright? Did any of it get on you?" Isaac asked anxiously, checking her over.

Only after confirming she was unharmed did he finally let out a breath of relief.

It was only then that he seemed to remember I was there. When he noticed the red wine stains all over my body and my pale face, he asked uneasily, "Iris, I didn't notice you earlier. Are you alright?"

I remained calm, yet a deep sense of disappointment settled in my chest. My dress was ruined, and Isaac's instinctive reaction laid bare the brutal truth of our relationship.

I had been the foolish wife kept in the dark, believing in a happy marriage, while he was a husband living within a web of self-deception and lies.

"I'm fine."

I stood up and walked past Isaac and Lilith, who wore a faint, secretive smile.

The students watched the scene as if it were a show. I made my way into the restroom and slowly washed the red wine stains away.

The water ran cold over my skin, chilling me to the bone.

The absurd dream of the past three years had finally come to an end.

Right then, a message from Mr. Harper at the branch office arrived. "Iris, the apartment has been prepared early. You can move in anytime tomorrow morning."

I picked up my phone and replied, "Okay."

Isaac had drunk too much and passed out the moment he got home.

At 7:30 am the next day, I received a call from Rosenhalt Hospital.

"Hello, Ms. Walsh. The minimally invasive breast surgery you scheduled last month is set for 10:00 am today. Will you be able to arrive on time?"

I froze. So much had happened lately that I had almost forgotten about it.

It was just a minor procedure to remove a benign fibroadenoma, but the location was tricky, and the doctor had recommended doing it as soon as possible. Still, all I wanted now was to move out.

"I'm sorry, something came up today. Could I cancel or reschedule?" I asked quietly.

"Ms. Walsh, appointments with our specialists are extremely hard to secure. If you cancel today, the next available slot may be more than three months away."

Isaac walked out, rubbing his temples, and happened to catch the conversation.

He frowned and gently said, "Iris, it's not easy to get a slot like this. Don't cancel it. Your health is more important. I'll skip my classes today and stay with you."

I looked up. The concern in his eyes seemed so sincere.

I nodded numbly. "Okay."

The procedure required a family member to be present, and I had no one else to rely on.

Just as we were about to head to the hospital at 9:00 am, Isaac's phone rang when he picked up his car keys.

His face changed the instant he picked up. "What? Which road? Okay, I'll be there right away!"

He ended the call and turned to me, caught between urgency and guilt. "Iris, Lilith got into a car accident. She's not injured, but she's having a panic attack and crying on the side of the road. I'll go check on her first, then head straight to the hospital to be with you, alright?"

His hands trembled slightly.

I brushed them aside. "I'm fine. Go."

"Iris, you're always so understanding. Wait for me!" he said, already turning to rush out.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door, then let out a quiet, humorless laugh.

I took a cab to the hospital alone.

When the doctor handed me the consent form, he glanced past me at the empty hallway. "No one came with you? It's a minor procedure, but you'll need someone to take care of you afterward."

"He's dead," I said. "I'll handle it."

The doctor paused, then gave me a sympathetic look and said nothing more.

The surgery took 40 minutes.

Partway through, Isaac sent a message. "Iris, Lilith's still not stable. I might be a little late."

After it was over, I pressed a hand against the dull ache in my chest and replied, "You don't have to come."

After resting for a while, I went home and packed all my belongings. Before leaving, I took off the diamond ring that had meant forever and placed it on the coffee table next to the signed divorce papers.

I left with my suitcase, without a single glance back.

…

After settling Lilith down, Isaac finally returned home at 11:00 pm, carrying a heavy sense of guilt. "Iris? I'm back. I'm really sorry about today…"

There was no response.

He switched on the lights, and his gaze locked onto the coffee table. When he saw the divorce papers and the ring I had removed, his chest tightened sharply.

He fumbled for his phone and called me. However, a cold, mechanical voice answered, "The number you have dialed is not in service."