Justine's expression turned cold. Noah really had a way of ruining the moment.

As Noah's footsteps echoed down the hallway, he reached the door to the walk-in closet. The moment he saw how empty it was inside, his sharp words were caught in his throat.

Then, he scoffed, his voice dripping with mockery. "Wow, this again? So now, you're pulling a new stunt? You got discharged without telling me. Was that on purpose? Trying to guilt-trip me?

"And now what? You're clearing out the house like you're staging some dramatic runaway? What are you, five? I gave you a chance. Can you stop acting like a child for once?"

Justine hadn't said or done anything, yet somehow, she was already being scolded. She stared at Noah, her voice calm and even. "Are you done?"

Those three words shut Noah up completely. He looked at her in disbelief, suddenly realizing she wasn't the same woman anymore.

She wasn't asking about Hazel after he carried her out of the hospital. In fact, she hadn't said a word. That was unlike her.

Justine used to ask about every woman who got near him. She had even fought with him over Hazel more than once.

Noah wondered why she had suddenly become so calm. This had to be another manipulative act.

His expression twisted with disgust as he snapped, "You've changed, Justine! You used to be annoying, sure, but at least you had some charm. Now, there's nothing left."

Justine held his gaze, her tone even as she asked, "By charm, do you mean the way I used to tolerate all your cheating?"

"So, you're still mad? It's been over a week. Are you seriously holding a grudge for this long?" Noah's voice lifted like he had caught her red-handed. He sounded almost triumphant.

But Justine didn't respond. She just turned away and continued organizing her design sketches.

Noah thought he had hit a nerve and smirked, thinking he still had control. He scoffed. "Fine. Stay mad. I'm not coming back here for the next few days."

And he meant it. He didn't return home for an entire week.

Justine enjoyed the peace. She took her time, clearing out every last thing that belonged to her.

A few days later, the once-full home was reduced to a single couch and a hanging chair. Ironically, both were identical to the ones Hazel had posted online in the past.

Justine hadn't bothered buying a new phone after her old one broke. She figured she could make it through the next few days without one and then start over completely.

She boxed up some small items and took them to a charity sale. To avoid anyone she knew, she deliberately chose parks far away from her neighborhood.

Business was doing well—until she spotted three very familiar silhouettes heading her way.

Hazel's voice dripped with feigned surprise. "Justine? What are you doing out here? Selling... stuff?"

Noah had been frowning, already assuming Justine was pulling some new stunt. But when his eyes landed on the items displayed at her stall, his expression shifted instantly. His pupils constricted as he snapped, "Justine, these are our things! You're seriously selling them?"

Gavin recognized a few items too. He rushed forward and reached out. "That's my model car!"

Before he could grab it, Justine calmly pressed down on his hand and said with a sweet smile, "Let me correct you. That's not your model car. It's the one I bought. This kaleidoscope? A souvenir I paid for. This diamond-studded frame? Also mine."

She listed off the things effortlessly, then looked at Noah. Her tone turned soft, almost sounding amused. "All of these were things you both used to mock, calling my taste tacky. So, why can't I sell them at a charity sale?"

Noah stared at her like she was a stranger. Then, his eyes caught sight of a large empty frame on the side. His breath hitched. "This was for our wedding photo. Where is it?"

Justine followed his gaze, then blinked as if she was genuinely surprised. "Was it? I'm pretty sure it's always been empty."

"Justine, don't push it!" Noah snapped.

Hazel noticed Noah's attention was completely on Justine, and it irritated her. She coyly looped her arm through his on purpose and said sweetly, "Justine, don't get the wrong idea. Noah's just trying to keep the marriage from falling apart."

Justine almost admired her shamelessness. She didn't know how someone could play the mistress and still sound so righteous.

"A man who truly doesn’t want his marriage to fall apart wouldn't let another woman hold his arm right in front of his wife."

Her words landed hard. As if he had been stung, Noah instantly pulled his arm away from Hazel.

But Justine had already started packing up her things. She gave the two of them a cold, disdainful glance. "Thanks to you both, you've ruined all my business for today. Enjoy your little romantic stroll. I'll go find somewhere else to sell these."

Justine slung the heavy bag over her shoulder and walked away. Noah didn't chase after her, and she hadn't expected him to.

With Hazel clinging to his arm, Noah didn't spare a second glance at Justine. His attention was entirely consumed, leaving no room for anything beyond Hazel's presence.

By the time Justine sold off the last of her things, the sky had already gone dark. Every house on the block was alight with joy.

Justine didn't want to spend the evening wallowing in self-pity, so she headed to a bar she had always wanted to visit but never had. The decor was artsy, and the vibe was mellow.

She had mentioned it once to Noah, but he had sneered and said it wasn't the kind of place decent people went to.

The moment she stepped inside, she could feel the difference. Unlike most bars, it wasn't loud or chaotic. Soft music filled the space, the dim lighting enveloping the place in a cozy and calm vibe.

She chose a spot in the corner and had barely taken her seat when the host walked onto the small stage, tapping the mic to quiet the room.

"Tonight, on this special evening, we have a very special guest. Please welcome her with a warm round of applause!"

The crowd clapped enthusiastically. From behind the curtain, a familiar figure stepped out.

Hazel swept her gaze across the room with a soft, graceful smile. Her expression froze for a brief second when she spotted Justine, but she quickly recovered and flashed an even brighter smile as she took hold of the mic.

"Hi, everyone. I'm Hazel Gilbert. A year ago, I was the resident singer here… and this is where I met the love of my life again."

She turned her gaze toward Noah. The stage lights followed, landing directly on Noah.

One stood on stage while the other watched from the crowd. They stared at each other like a fated couple from a love story.

The audience whistled and cheered. The host even waved Noah up.

Gavin clapped and pushed his father toward the stage. For once, the man who always wore a poker face blushed.

Justine sat tucked away in the corner with her arms crossed, quietly watching the show unfold on and off stage. She was the one with the legal marriage certificate—yet at this moment, she felt more like a bystander witnessing someone else's love story.

"Thank you, Noah—for standing up for me that day. My heart has never changed," Hazel said softly, her voice trembling like she might cry.

Noah's expression turned tender. He reached out, gently wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Kiss! Kiss!" the crowd began chanting.

Hazel glanced triumphantly at Justine.

Her husband and son were standing in front of strangers, making no effort to deny another woman's affection. It was pathetic.

Justine dropped her eyes and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp.

As cheers and whistles echoed around her, she quietly stood up and slipped toward the exit.

Noah stared at Hazel but couldn't stop his thoughts from drifting to Justine's expression that morning—cold, distant, disgusted. It unsettled him more than he expected.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure slipping out through the bar's exit. He thought, "Justine? What the hell is she doing here? Didn't I tell her not to come to places like this?"

But before he could process the thought, he saw a man following her, looking way too suspicious. Noah didn't even think. He stepped off the stage and ran after her.

Hazel was still basking in the thrill of revenge and soaking up the spotlight. She was certain she had finally swayed Noah tonight. But he stayed silent, as if caught in hesitation.

Just as she was about to prompt him, Noah said nothing as he simply stepped off the stage and ran outside.

Hazel thought, "Is he chasing after Justine? Why? Things were going so perfectly."

Her heart surged with panic, and she ran after him without thinking.

The audience broke into hushed murmurs, confused by the sudden drama.

…

Outside, the night breeze was sharp and cold. Justine pulled her coat tighter around her as the alcohol started burning through her stomach. She wasn't much of a drinker. Her head was spinning, and she barely made it a few steps before the dizziness forced her to stop. She leaned against the wall, trying to steady herself.

A voice called out, unfamiliar and unsettling. "Hey, pretty lady. You out here all alone?"

Justine whipped around, instantly alert. She took a step back.

The man wore a cap low over his face. She couldn't see him clearly before he suddenly reached out, trying to grab her.

She fought back, but he was strong—far too strong.

"Justine!" It was Noah.

At that moment, Justine didn't care about the divorce or her pride. She screamed, "Noah! Help me!"

Startled, the assaulter, Alger Potter, froze and loosened his grip.

But just as Noah reached them, another voice called out behind him. There was a yelp and the sound of someone collapsing to the ground. Hazel clutched her ankle, tears streaming down her face. "Noah, my foot... I think it's twisted…"

"Dad! Ms. Gilbert's hurt! We have to take her to the hospital," Gavin shouted, panicked.

Alger suddenly tightened his grip on Justine, his gaze meeting Noah's with a streak of challenge. Anyone with common sense would know what to prioritize at that moment.

Justine stared at Noah, her eyes pleading.

Noah hesitated. But ultimately, he turned around. He picked Hazel up without hesitation and called out over his shoulder, "Don't be afraid. I'll call the police for you!"

Gavin shouted in angry protest, "She's just a freak, Dad! Why do you even care?"

Just like that, the three of them disappeared into the night.

Justine stood there, frozen in disbelief.

Justine thought, "Would a human really make such a choice?"

Noah always found a way to outdo himself. Just when she thought he couldn't sink lower, he did.

"Looks like you no longer have backup," Alger said smugly, his eyes gleaming with triumph.

Justine pulled a key from her coat pocket and shoved it straight into his eye.

Alger screamed, throwing a punch at her. They scuffled violently.

Justine took several brutal blows, but she spotted her opening and landed a sharp kick to his private part. As he crumpled to the ground, howling in pain, she snatched his phone and called the police.

The officers quickly arrived and took in the scene.

Still unwilling to give up hope, Justine asked, "Excuse me, was there a report made earlier from this area?"

One of the officers replied casually, "No, nothing came through."

So, Noah hadn't even bothered to call for help.

After giving her statement at the station, she made her way to the hospital. The doctor patched her up while marveling at her ability to endure such heavy injuries.

Justine gave a small, indifferent smile and didn't say a word. Compared to the emotional blows she had taken recently, this physical pain felt like nothing.

By the time everything was done, it was nearly 3:00 am. She dragged her aching body home. The house was silent, cold, and empty. Collapsing onto the couch, she stared at the ceiling, utterly drained. Her mind went blank.

She had no idea how much time had passed before she heard the door unlock.

The lights suddenly blazed on. She squinted and lifted her hand to shield her eyes. Through the slits between her fingers, she saw Noah and Gavin walking in.

"I knew you pulled the whole sympathy act to get Dad's attention," Gavin sneered, his voice sharp and full of disdain.

Justine didn't have the energy to scold or correct him. She closed her eyes and ignored them, her voice flat and distant. "Whatever you need, just take it and leave. I just want some peace and a moment to breathe."

Noah looked at her. She was bruised all over, her cheek was swollen, her fingernails were cracked and broken—yet she didn't say a word. The only thing left in her eyes was exhaustion. It was like she didn't even have the strength to complain anymore.

He was supposed to protect her.

Meanwhile, Gavin was standing beside her, completely unfazed. He didn't even show a flicker of concern for his mother.

A chill spread through Noah's chest as he realized how cold his child had become.

When there was still no response, Justine slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. Her voice was detached, almost mechanical. "What? Do you want an apology? For ruining your date? Fine. I'm sorry."

She just wanted him to leave. She was too tired to fight anymore.

Noah barely glanced at Gavin and said, "Go to your room."

Then, he walked out the door. Justine didn't care where he was going. She didn't even bother wondering.

Half an hour later, the front door opened again. Noah came back in carrying a plastic bag filled with medications. He crouched beside her and pulled out antiseptic and cotton swabs.

The quiet rustling of plastic stirred Justine from her sleep. "What are you doing? I've already taken care of it. What's the point of pretending now?"

Noah's expression twisted in irritation. "I'm trying to help, and you're snapping at me? Justine, are you the kind of woman who only responds when someone treats you like crap?"

She let out a cold laugh. "So, you do know how badly you treat me."

Noah fell silent, no longer interested in pretending to be the good guy. He tossed the cotton swabs and antiseptic onto the table and stood, towering over her. "I told you not to go to places like that, but you didn't listen. You brought this on yourself."

She brought this on herself? Of course, Noah would say that. He had a talent for finding the one part of her that hadn't completely fallen apart, just to tear it open himself.

Justine didn't even have the strength to argue anymore. Her voice was flat when she asked, "And where did you run into Hazel again, then?"

If she had heard it correctly, Hazel had said it herself that they met at the bar.

Justine didn't wait for his response. She pulled the blanket over her head and shut everything out. She was drained. She didn't want to deal with any of it.

Two more weeks—that was all that was left. Yet even staying one more hour in this house felt impossible.

She vaguely heard Noah's phone buzz a few times, but he didn't answer.

A moment later, Gavin's door creaked open. He walked out with his phone in hand, shouting without the slightest attempt at subtlety, "Ms. Gilbert is calling you."

Another 30 minutes passed before Noah and Gavin both headed out. When they left, dawn had already broken.

Justine didn't fall asleep until then. When she finally woke up again, darkness had returned to the skies.

She sat up, her body sore from head to toe.

After so many days, Noah hadn't even bothered to check if her phone was working. If he had tried calling, he would have realized she was completely unreachable.

Justine dragged herself off the couch and headed downstairs to buy something to eat. But just as she turned the corner, she saw Noah and Hazel standing close, whispering sweet nothings.

At the same time, a shadow darted past her. Before she could react, a searing pain tore through her abdomen. She looked down and saw blood blooming across her shirt. Stunned, she looked up.

Hazel's scream pierced the air as she threw herself into Noah's arms. "Noah, I'm so scared!"

The attacker, startled by the scream, panicked. In a frenzy, he stabbed her again before bolting.

Justine slowly collapsed to the ground, her vision blurring as she watched Noah in the distance—still clinging to Hazel and holding her tightly.