The next afternoon, Oscar Mitchell visited me at the hospital.

"Thalia, look, I made some chicken soup for you, and here’s your favorite clam chowder. Go on, give them a try."

As he spoke, he carefully unpacked each container and set them on the table in front of me.

Seeing my lack of reaction, he jokingly asked with a smile, "What's up? Has it been so long since you tasted my cooking that you're left speechless?"

I replied flatly, "Just surprised, that's all."

If I hadn't overheard those conversations yesterday, I might have believed I was the luckiest woman alive at this moment.

Four years ago, after my car accident, he stayed by my side, making different dishes every day. His kindness left a lasting impression on me.

But now, as I ate the chowder, it seemed flavorless.

With that gentle smile, he watched me finish the meal he’d prepared, as if the man who had spoken so coldly yesterday was someone else entirely.

Not ready to give up, I suddenly asked, "Oscar, do you love me?"

He gently kissed my forehead.

"Of course, I’m your husband; you know I love you."

"Then, how about we don’t have kids? Can’t we just enjoy the rest of our lives together?"

A slight furrow appeared on his brow, but he quickly smoothed it away.

"I know it’s been tough on you, and it’s been painful every time, but children are the continuation of our love. I love you so much that I want us to have a child together."

At that moment, the door swung open.

Elianna Boyd entered, wearing a wide smile.

"Oscar's right, and isn’t having children something we women are naturally meant to do, Thalia? I've checked your health, and you're fine. You can definitely try again."

As she spoke, the two exchanged a look, a wave of understanding and unspoken emotion passing between them, which I caught.

I looked down, avoiding their eyes, my disappointment anchoring my gaze to the floor.

Tears threatened to spill, but I stubbornly held them back—my last act of defiance.

After taking a deep breath, I raised my head again and, in front of both of them, calmly said, "Oscar Mitchell, I want a divorce."

Oscar Mitchell sprang up in disbelief.

"Thalia, do you realize what you’re saying?"

"Why are you suddenly talking about divorce? Have you lost your mind from heartbreak?"

I calmly replied, "No, I'm perfectly clear-headed."

Elianna Boyd approached and sat next to me, taking my hand like an old friend.

"Didn't you say you loved Oscar? Did he upset you? I can make him apologize."

I let out a sardonic laugh and pulled my hand back.

"What makes you think he’ll listen to you?"

Elianna's face hardened as she put on a show of anger. "We've been friends for years, and I'm trying to help. Why are you turning on me, Thalia? What exactly do you mean by that?"

Oscar jumped in to defend her. "You're just giving Elianna a hard time because she’s nice. Is this really how you should treat her?"

Tears welled up in Elianna's eyes, giving her a look of wounded innocence. Oscar pulled out a tissue and gently wiped her tears with practiced ease.

He then turned to me, eyes blazing. "It’s just a child, right? What’s the big deal? You’ve lost others before without making a fuss. Why now?"

I studied his face before speaking. "Oscar Mitchell, do you realize how different you are from the man who claimed to love me? People sure know how to change their tune fast."

A flicker of shock crossed his eyes; I’d never spoken to him so firmly before. I’d always been meek, going along with whatever he said.

"Thalia, you must be out of your mind! Elianna, get a doctor to see her right away."

Elianna interrupted and addressed me with feigned sincerity. "Thalia, you have no family left, and you’re unemployed. How will you survive without Oscar?"

I let out a bitter chuckle. "I may not have family, but is that why you two decided to toy with me?"

As I spoke, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through Elianna's Facebook timeline.

"Here’s a photo from four years ago. The cufflink here belongs to Oscar. Look, he’s still wearing it."

"And this blue shirt in the picture? I bought it for him myself."

"Want me to keep scrolling?"

I only found out last night, lying in bed, reviewing years of her posts. I used to trust her so much that I never noticed these things. I even commented on her posts, wishing her joy, thinking her boyfriend was just camera-shy.

Turns out, everything was hidden in plain sight.

Oscar's face went dark immediately.