As soon as the call ended, I walked through the front door of my house. Seeing the room filled with belongings, a sense of discomfort washed over me. I pulled out some storage bags and began sorting through all the shared items I had naively bought.

"Freya, what are you doing?" Nikolai's voice interrupted my thoughts, catching me off guard.

I hadn't noticed he'd come back until he wrapped his arms around me from behind, his lips brushing the side of my neck. Snapped out of my daydream, I nudged him with my elbow, trying to free myself from his embrace.

Nikolai, mistaking my reluctance for playful resistance, picked me up and carried me toward the bedroom.

"When did my sweet Freya become such a little firecracker? So fierce, I must admit I like it," he said, desire gleaming in his eyes.

A wave of nausea rolled over me. It seemed Isla’s pregnancy might not be solid yet, so Nikolai had sought me out for entertainment. The thought of his unfaithful ways made my chest feel heavy, like a stone was lodged there.

"Nikolai, put me down. I'm not feeling well today."

Around this time every month, my mood would always plummet. Seeing my somber expression, Nikolai believed me, though I could see a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

As I turned to leave, his phone rang. The unfamiliar ringtone made me hesitate. I glanced back to see Nikolai’s face light up with amusement.

"Isla, what's going on?" he answered.

Even from a few feet away, I could hear Isla’s surprised shout from the other end.

"Isla, what happened? Don’t scare me like that!"

Nikolai’s brow furrowed immediately. He brushed past me, worry lining his face as he rushed toward the front door. It swung open from the outside, and Isla walked in with a wide smile.

"Nikolai, did I just give you a scare?" she teased.

"Isla..." Nikolai hesitated by the door, momentarily shocked. Realizing she was fine, he sighed in relief, pretending to scold her. "You almost gave me a heart attack, you know?"

Isla, eyes twinkling, wrapped an arm around his neck but paused when she noticed me holding my lower back.

"This must be Freya, right?" she asked.

Releasing Nikolai, she lightly patted his shoulder, her eyes direct as they met mine. Nikolai turned to look at me as well, a slight frown crossing his face.

Seeing my steady gaze, Isla eventually let go of Nikolai. There was no awkwardness of being caught by the actual girlfriend—just the confident sway of her hips as she approached me.

"Hi, Freya. I’m..." she started, glancing back at Nikolai before finishing, "I’m your new neighbor, Isla Gibson."

Isla Gibson's smile was subtle, her eyes daring. I averted my gaze and reached for the first aid kit.

"Freya, why are you giving me the cold shoulder? Am I not welcome here?" Her voice oozed with false innocence, her expression anything but.

The saccharine tone in her voice made me frown. Just as I was about to reply, Nikolai Lawrence hurried over. He grabbed my arm, pulling me to face Isla.

"Freya Carlson, Isla's talking to you. Are you ignoring her?"

Earlier, he had pushed me, causing me to hit my lower back against the coffee table. Now, being jerked like this made the pain flare up, and I broke out in a cold sweat. My voice was sharp with anger. "Nikolai Lawrence, let go!"

During the three years we were together, I never raised my voice. I always acquiesced, going along with his wishes. To Nikolai, I was the perfect partner, always agreeable. But this sudden outburst from me seemed to catch him off guard. For a moment, he was stunned, frozen, yet his grip on my arm only tightened, the tension between us palpable.

Just as he was about to lash out again, Isla linked her arm with his, gently tugging. "Nikolai, I made a spiced honey cake for you two. Can you help me bring it over from my place?"

Her soft voice defused his anger instantly. He agreed, giving me a dismissive shove before heading out. I looked down, a small, bitter smile on my lips.

Once Nikolai left, Isla dropped the act. She circled me, smirking. "Freya, did you hurt your back just now? What a shame."

I eyed her warily. "Isla Gibson, what do you really want?"

I knew better than to think she cared about my well-being. Sure enough, she laughed, feigning sympathy. "Oh, nothing. Just expressing my regret.

"Yesterday, I got a little burn from hot water on my finger, and Nikolai was so worried he rushed me to the hospital. He's so attentive to me, his neighbor. Why is he indifferent to you, his official girlfriend?"

Her words provoked me, each one carefully chosen to rile me up. Even knowing her intentions and that Nikolai's heart was with her, my own heart ached with deep, bitter pain. Suppressing it, I answered stiffly, "I don't need your fake concern. I can handle myself."

Feigning surprise, Isla said, "Freya, you really are... strong. No wonder Nikolai says you're not very feminine."

I looked up at her, her eyes dancing with amusement, and my chest ached sharply. I had never realized this was Nikolai's view of me. So, he had reserved all the care meant for me for this woman, had he?

I had known Isla's name for half a year now, knew she was the one Nikolai had always idealized, who had just returned from abroad. Once she was back, Nikolai began coming home later, every time dismissing my questions with work excuses, his assistant playing along.

In reality, he was spending his time with Isla, captivated by her charm. I had put up with it all. I convinced myself that as long as Nikolai still came home, I could eventually win back his attention and heart.

But reality is always harsh. To ensure Isla could be in our lives legitimately, Nikolai went so far as to buy the neighboring villa. Knowing this, my hope of reconciliation was completely shattered.

I'm truly exhausted, and I've decided to let go.

When Nikolai returned with the spiced honey cake, I was on the couch applying some herbal ointment. The potent aroma filled the room, and Isla, hiding by the window, watched him with bright, alert eyes. Nikolai's face suddenly turned pale.

He hurried towards me, his voice sharp, "Freya, why are you using that ointment around Isla? She's pregnant and can't handle strong smells!"

Even then, Nikolai didn’t ask if my back was okay. All he could think about was Isla.

I looked up; his eyes were dark like ink, glaring at me angrily. When I didn't answer, he grabbed the bottle from my hand and threw it against the wall. The liquid splashed into my eyes, stinging sharply.

The pain hit me instantly. I covered my eyes and cried out.

"Be quiet, Freya! You'll scare Isla!" he shouted.

With that, Nikolai slapped me hard and hurriedly left with Isla, shielding her. The door slammed shut behind them with a loud bang. I wept silently, clutching my burning eyes and aching cheek.

Blind from the pain in my eyes, I had to call an ambulance. By the time I reached the hospital, my vision was nearly gone.

After examining me, Dr. Stanley Taylor said it was just a burn and would heal in a few days with regular medication. I was supposed to go home after getting the prescription.

But when he asked if I had anyone in the city to pick me up and I said no, he decided to admit me for a short stay.

Three days went by with no improvement in my eyes. I felt afraid and silent. My brother, Adonis, called to ask when I'd return to London. I dodged his questions, not daring to tell him the truth. He sighed, advising me to think things over, and didn’t push further.

After the call, I felt a wave of loneliness. I wanted to confide in him, but I didn’t want to worry him.

On the fourth day, while Nurse Rosalina Ramirez changed my medication, my phone rang again. My eyes were still in pain, so I asked her to answer it. Only later did I find out it was Nikolai, and Nurse Rosalina had explained my situation to him.

My chest tightened. Since that day, he hadn’t reached out at all. I was filled with resentment and had no desire to see him. I imagined he was busy taking care of Isla and wouldn’t care about me. Only then did I feel a sense of relief.

Since the day he hurt me, my love for him had completely died. Now, all I hoped for was a quick recovery so I could leave this city where he lives.