When Nicola returned home with a beaming smile, I had already packed my bags.

He froze for a moment, then asked, "Sara, what are you packing for?"

I didn't look up.

"I'm going to stay at my parents' for a few days."

A hint of surprise flashed across his eyes.

He pulled a watch out of his pocket and gently put it on my wrist, then pulled me into his arms. "I've been so busy at work lately, I even forgot the day you were discharged. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"Mm."

I responded indifferently.

Nicola stared at me, seemingly waiting for me to ask him about it like I used to. But I was quietly packing my things, and his smile slowly faded,.

If it were before, I would have nagged him, demanding an explanation. But now, I just didn't have the energy for it anymore.

I had thought that, at the very least, when I found out about Nicola's affair, I would fall apart and cry.

When I discovered the plane ticket to France, I had been full of excitement, thinking it was a surprise he had planned for me. I thought he had finally learned to show some care and thoughtfulness for the pregnant me. I eagerly planned a trip to France, even packing my bags a day in advance.

But when night came, I didn't hear from Nicola. That sense of disappointment was even worse than discovering his affair-it made me realize that some things couldn't go back to how they were before.

The next day, when the flight to France landed, I finally got a message from Nicola: "There's a sudden business trip arranged by the company, we'll talk later."

It hit me-this trip wasn't for me at all.

He even forgot that today was the day I was discharged from the hospital and the day our daughter turned one month old.

I looked at the travel itinerary on my phone and felt nothing but bitterness.

A notification from my social media popped up, Nicola's "white moonlight" had posted an update.

The location was the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.

The caption read: "We finally fulfilled our promise at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, a kiss shared with my love. After all the ups and downs, I'm so grateful it's still you."

The picture was of them holding hands and kissing.

I let out a cold laugh.

Nicola entered the house and sniffed the air, frowning. "You've used mugwort incense."

Since I found out Nicola didn't like the scent of mugwort, I had stopped using it. Over the years, it had always been me adjusting to his preferences.

But after seeing that photo, I suddenly understood.

Why should I make myself so uncomfortable for someone who doesn't love me?

At that moment, the baby started crying, and I picked her up, heading to the bedroom to feed her.

Nicola hurriedly blocked my way, "Sara, I haven't washed the clothes yet..."

I turned around, puzzled. "If they're not washed, then wash them. What do you need to tell me for?"

My tone was so calm that he froze for a moment.

Did he still expect me to act like before, always ironing his clothes meticulously and taking care of everything, no matter how late it was?

I lowered my head and continued packing my things, not paying him any more attention.

He stood there, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he didn't. He just scratched his head and turned to leave the room.

...

The baby fell asleep quickly, and my phone buzzed with a message from my dad: "Sara, you've turned down the offer to take over the company so many times. I'm getting older, can you help your dad this time?"

"I know you're worried about Nicola's pride, worried he might think that all the success was from our family business, but Dad only has you . The company has to be taken over by someone."

I looked at my phone and replied, "Dad, I've thought about it. I've decided to take over the family business."

Pinnacle Ventures had invested in many businesses in the country, and my parents, growing older, had brought up the idea of me taking over the company several times.

But I had always put Nicola's fragile pride first and refused them each time.

Nicola came from a poor family; his parents were security guards and housekeepers.

He could endure hardship, and because of his hard work, he had achieved a lot.

But what he didn't know was that all of those achievements were made possible because I had been working behind the scenes for him.

Nicola waited in the pouring rain for three hours. As soon as he saw me, he immediately kneeled down and said, "Sara! Will you marry me?"

Nicola didn't have an umbrella, and he looked soaked through, like a drowned rat.

My heart raced, my hands nervously fidgeting with my clothes.

After getting closer to me, Nicola kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear, "Sara, will you be my wife?"

"Yes."

I said it almost instinctively.

We got married soon after.

After we were married, Nicola insisted that I didn't need to work because he could support me.

Whenever I suggested going back to work, Nicola would get drunk and say, "Sara, you don't think I can provide for you, do you? "

I understood-his pride was at stake-but I never called him out on it.

I thought I was doing everything a wife should do.

My dad seemed to sense something was wrong and sent me another message: "Are things okay between you and Nicola?"

I didn't reply. After a while, another message came from him: "Sweetheart, just do as you wish, I will always be at your side."

When Nicola returned home with a beaming smile, I had already packed my bags.

He froze for a moment, then asked, "Sara, what are you packing for?"

I didn't look up.

"I'm going to stay at my parents' for a few days."

A hint of surprise flashed across his eyes.

He pulled a watch out of his pocket and gently put it on my wrist, then pulled me into his arms. "I've been so busy at work lately, I even forgot the day you were discharged. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"Mm."

I responded indifferently.

Nicola stared at me, seemingly waiting for me to ask him about it like I used to. But I was quietly packing my things, and his smile slowly faded,.

If it were before, I would have nagged him, demanding an explanation. But now, I just didn't have the energy for it anymore.

I had thought that, at the very least, when I found out about Nicola's affair, I would fall apart and cry.

When I discovered the plane ticket to France, I had been full of excitement, thinking it was a surprise he had planned for me. I thought he had finally learned to show some care and thoughtfulness for the pregnant me. I eagerly planned a trip to France, even packing my bags a day in advance.

But when night came, I didn't hear from Nicola. That sense of disappointment was even worse than discovering his affair-it made me realize that some things couldn't go back to how they were before.

The next day, when the flight to France landed, I finally got a message from Nicola: "There's a sudden business trip arranged by the company, we'll talk later."

It hit me-this trip wasn't for me at all.

He even forgot that today was the day I was discharged from the hospital and the day our daughter turned one month old.

I looked at the travel itinerary on my phone and felt nothing but bitterness.

A notification from my social media popped up, Nicola's "white moonlight" had posted an update.

The location was the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.

The caption read: "We finally fulfilled our promise at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, a kiss shared with my love. After all the ups and downs, I'm so grateful it's still you."

The picture was of them holding hands and kissing.

I let out a cold laugh.

Nicola entered the house and sniffed the air, frowning. "You've used mugwort incense."

Since I found out Nicola didn't like the scent of mugwort, I had stopped using it. Over the years, it had always been me adjusting to his preferences.

But after seeing that photo, I suddenly understood.

Why should I make myself so uncomfortable for someone who doesn't love me?

At that moment, the baby started crying, and I picked her up, heading to the bedroom to feed her.

Nicola hurriedly blocked my way, "Sara, I haven't washed the clothes yet..."

I turned around, puzzled. "If they're not washed, then wash them. What do you need to tell me for?"

My tone was so calm that he froze for a moment.

Did he still expect me to act like before, always ironing his clothes meticulously and taking care of everything, no matter how late it was?

I lowered my head and continued packing my things, not paying him any more attention.

He stood there, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he didn't. He just scratched his head and turned to leave the room.

...

The baby fell asleep quickly, and my phone buzzed with a message from my dad: "Sara, you've turned down the offer to take over the company so many times. I'm getting older, can you help your dad this time?"

"I know you're worried about Nicola's pride, worried he might think that all the success was from our family business, but Dad only has you . The company has to be taken over by someone."

I looked at my phone and replied, "Dad, I've thought about it. I've decided to take over the family business."

Pinnacle Ventures had invested in many businesses in the country, and my parents, growing older, had brought up the idea of me taking over the company several times.

But I had always put Nicola's fragile pride first and refused them each time.

Nicola came from a poor family; his parents were security guards and housekeepers.

He could endure hardship, and because of his hard work, he had achieved a lot.

But what he didn't know was that all of those achievements were made possible because I had been working behind the scenes for him.

Nicola waited in the pouring rain for three hours. As soon as he saw me, he immediately kneeled down and said, "Sara! Will you marry me?"

Nicola didn't have an umbrella, and he looked soaked through, like a drowned rat.

My heart raced, my hands nervously fidgeting with my clothes.

After getting closer to me, Nicola kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear, "Sara, will you be my wife?"

"Yes."

I said it almost instinctively.

We got married soon after.

After we were married, Nicola insisted that I didn't need to work because he could support me.

Whenever I suggested going back to work, Nicola would get drunk and say, "Sara, you don't think I can provide for you, do you? "

I understood-his pride was at stake-but I never called him out on it.

I thought I was doing everything a wife should do.

My dad seemed to sense something was wrong and sent me another message: "Are things okay between you and Nicola?"

I didn't reply. After a while, another message came from him: "Sweetheart, just do as you wish, I will always be at your side."

After dinner, Nicola entered the bedroom, and I turned away, my back to him.

"The baby is still so fragile, and I need more space to recover. You should sleep in the guest room for now."

In the past, after Nicola returned from a business trip, I would rush to greet him, eager to spend every moment together. But now, his presence alone fills me with revulsion.

To my shock, Nicola, ignoring the peaceful slumber of our daughter, exploded in frustration:

"Sara, enough! How much longer are you going to carry this on? I've already explained everything! A week ago, Angela and I had a work meeting, and this trip was also for business! What more do you expect from me?"

"I'm working my ass off-who else is going to provide for you, for our son? Everything requires money, Sara! Do you have any idea who's the one keeping this family afloat? And yet, you're still drowning in this petty, pointless jealousy! Can't you see I'm doing all of this for us?

Right. Nicola was right. I almost forgot how foolish I had been.

A week ago, Nicola had gone completely off the radar for an entire night. That night, I suddenly spiked a high fever, and the doctor insisted I get checked, but I couldn't find Nicola anywhere.

I had no choice but to reach out to my best friend. She found Nicola wrapped in an embrace with Angela at a bar.

The next day, Nicola and I had a huge fight. His response was the same as always-growing increasingly impatient, dismissing everything as just me overreacting:

"I was drunk that night, Sara! There were countless people around, how could you even think there was something between me and Angela? You've become so damn paranoid ever since you got pregnant. Are you sure it's not some kind of post-partum madness? What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you making everything a damn issue now? You're impossible!"

"Are you going to accuse everyone of being filthy now? Seriously, Sara, even if a female pig looked at me the wrong way, I think you'd get jealous. Don't push me too far, alright?"

The moment I saw the plane ticket, I had still clung to some hope in this man. But that hope was shattered, and I realized, looking back, I had been exhausted for years.

I met Nicola's displeased gaze and responded calmly, "No, you're just imagining things."

I smiled faintly.

"What's there to be angry about? You should go to the guest room. I need to get some rest; the baby will wake up soon, and I have to settle her."

Nicola stood up, his face darkening as he turned and left the room.

The next morning, Nicola prepared a fruit platter, my favorite.

"Sara, you're awake. I made you a fruit platter-just how you like it."

I couldn't help but check Angela's social media and saw that Nicola knew her every preference by heart.

Yet, after I gave him a daughter, this was how he treated me.

Could it be true that the one who isn't loved is the one who becomes the other woman?

I had once seen Nicola look at me with those eyes full of love.

But now, all of that is just smoke and mirrors.

Nicola pulled two plane tickets from behind his back.

"Sara, remember you once said you wanted to visit France? Now that I have some free time, I thought it would be a great opportunity for us to go together. It's my gift to celebrate the birth of our daughter."

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

So, his trip to France with Angela was just to "scout" it out for me?

"I won't go. The baby is too small, and I have to take care of him."

"Couldn't you just send her to your dad's?" he asked.

I looked out the window at the falling leaves.

"Nicola, the most beautiful season in France has already passed."

You've already shared it with her.

Nicola paused, his face full of guilt as he murmured, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"You should go to work. Don't be late," I said.