The room was exactly the same as it always had been, but the warmth and peace that used to be there were gone. All I felt was the cold air and an empty chill in my heart.

This place, which had been my haven after 20 years of wandering, now felt like the last place I wanted to be.

Ever since I found out about my terminal illness, the whole vibe here changed. All the happiness was replaced by indifference, and I felt like I didn't belong anymore.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh at that thought.

Now, not even my fainting spells were enough to get Rupert and Morwenna to lift a finger and take me to the hospital. My value was gone the moment that harsh diagnosis came through.

I could hear Rupert's voice from the living room, thick with sarcasm. "Oh, you're awake? I thought you'd be out for days."

There wasn't a trace of concern in his voice, just pure disdain. He didn't even offer me a glass of water. Back then, he would've been here in a flash, water in hand, making sure I was okay.

I lay on the bed, closed my eyes, and didn't bother to reply.

"You woke up just in time for the meal. You're honestly such a freeloader, hanging around waiting to be fed," Morwenna chimed in.

Her laugh was so harsh that it felt like nails on a chalkboard.

Just moments ago, a strong, spicy smell hit me, and I knew right away what was on the menu for today.

Sure enough, when I walked out of the bedroom, I could see the table loaded with all kinds of spicy dishes from across the room. It was their way of silently taunting and tormenting me.

I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the discomfort as I made my way to the table. The fiery red dishes on the table felt like some cruel reminder of my situation.

I shot a cold glance at the dishes without saying anything. Whether it was in my head or not, I could feel the nausea rising, so I turned and headed back to my room.

Their smug laughter echoed behind me.

Rupert was chewing loudly in the living room, each bite obnoxiously loud. He didn't seem to care how rude it sounded.

Instead, he grumbled, "Next time, don't make it so spicy, Mom. You're so caught up in dealing with Anne that you're forgetting about me. This spicy stuff is wrecking my stomach."

Morwenna reluctantly hummed in reply.

They were talking about "dealing with" me like I wasn't even there. I couldn't help but wonder just how much they wanted to see me gone.

I stood behind the door, listening to all of it, my anger and despair kept piling up. I just couldn't deal with this life anymore.

"I want a divorce!" I shouted.

Rupert's voice came right after, dripping with sarcasm. "Do whatever you want. I'm not signing anything. You can wait all you want, and we'll see how long you can last."

His tone was calm and sure like he'd already figured me out.

I froze, staring at the closed door, feeling all sorts of emotions. I realized trying to get a divorce legally was probably a waste of time.

Rupert made it clear with his attitude. He was going to stretch this out and wear me down until my illness drained me completely.

But I wasn't about to just sit back and watch it all fall apart. If that way wasn't going to work, I'd find another one.