...

Daniel turned, his worry for Siena intensifying with every passing second.

"I'm fine," she muttered weakly. "Just a dizzy spell from seeing blood. Don't worry about me. Kimberly needs you more."

"But your face is bloodless," Henry shouted. "Dad, hurry! Let's get her to the hospital. The car stopped in time. Mom's just acting to get your attention."

Daniel's gaze shifted to Kimberly, doubt creeping into his mind like a shadow. He was torn until Siena groaned softly.

Losing reason, he rushed to her side, helped her up, and headed to the car. Passing Kimberly, he covered Siena's eyes and looked away.

His conscience gnawed at his heart with every step he took. He stammered, "Siena has always been frail. I can't risk her health. I called 911. Help is coming. Hang on."

Their footsteps faded into the distance, leaving Kimberly alone and abandoned on the cold, hard ground.

She tried to laugh at the irony of the situation, but blood trickled from her lips.

When the stretcher arrived, her vision blurred. The medics muttered incredulously, "What kind of people call an ambulance and leave the injured alone?"

Kimberly woke up in a hospital bed.

A doctor came to check on her. "Car accident? You've got scrapes and a mild concussion."

Kimberly nodded.

The driver had braked in time, but the impact still lingered in her body and mind.

She asked, "How soon can I leave?"

"Don't think about leaving for now. With a concussion, you need at least four days of rest and observation," said the doctor seriously.

Kimberly counted the days left before the contract ended. By the time she was discharged, there would be only one day left.

She exhaled, feeling freedom closer.

Nurses gossiped nearby. "Hey, did you hear? Siena Gallegos is in our hospital. Her rumored boyfriend is here too."

"Really?"

"No joke. Mr. Carter was frantic, carrying her to the VIP ward."

"He got a top specialist for her checkup."

Kimberly gave a bitter laugh and hobbled to the VIP ward, leaning on the wall.

Through a door crack, Siena was seen lying on the bed. Henry clutched her hand, and Daniel fed her soup, his eyes tender in a way Kimberly had never known.

They looked like a sweet couple, while Kimberly, outside, felt like an intruder in their joy.

A nurse came to check on Siena, mistaking Kimberly for a fan. She muttered, "You think they're sweet, huh? Mr. Carter was so worried, like he wished he'd fainted instead. With concern like that? The news must be true."

Kimberly croaked, "Yeah, they are sweet."

She returned to her ward where her phone stayed silent. There wasn't even a text from Daniel or Henry asking about her situation.

Their care for Siena was a stark contrast to their indifference toward her.

Only an urgent email from a foreign publisher awaited her. A contest loomed on the horizon, and she needed to submit her work soon.

Losing no time, she had Hannah bring her laptop, and in her quiet private room, she turned off her phone, set the laptop offline to focus, and started typing away.

For five years, she had fully devoted herself to Daniel. Rarely writing, she had forgotten the feel of the keys beneath her fingers. But now, it all came back to her, familiar and comforting like an old friend.

She immersed herself in her writing and lost track of time.

Till a nurse came with the notice that she could leave, she finally realized that four days had passed.

Luckily, her essay was complete.

After sending it off, she turned on her phone and saw 99+ missed calls and texts from Daniel.

...

Kimberly wondered why Daniel, who rarely messaged, had called so much.

With the question in mind, she headed home.

A maid greeted her warmly. "Madam, you're back! Mr. Carter has been a mess these past few days. None of our cooking suited him."

It looked like Daniel only missed her meals, not her. But he would need to adjust, as no one would cater to his tastes anymore.

Kimberly changed her shoes and entered the living room, where Daniel sat on the couch with a sullen face.

He heard her footsteps and looked up. His eyes were bloodshot, but they shone the moment he saw her.

He stood up and sulked, "Where have you been? I called so many times. Why didn't you answer?"

Kimberly walked to the sofa and sat down. "I was in the hospital. I just got out today."

Daniel froze, guilt hitting him like a tidal wave. He'd been consumed with Siena, forgetting the accident, and believed Henry's claim that Kimberly had faked it for jealousy.

He had assumed minor injuries, but the truth was she had been severely injured and hospitalized.

"You're not mad about that day, are you?" he fumbled. "I didn't think it was so serious. Siena's condition could be life-threatening. I had no choice."

Kimberly snorted at his double standards.

He had overlooked her scrapes and bleeding but had taken Siena's dizzy spell seriously. Nothing could be more ridiculous than that.

But she didn't dwell on it.

Love explained the difference, and theirs was just a contract.

She hummed and started to rise. Just then, Daniel noticed her manuscript. "When did you get into writing?"

Kimberly's gaze cooled.

Each anniversary, she had written him a poem, only for him to stash them away in storage, unnoticed. He never cared to learn about her passion.

"Just something I scribbled," she said flatly.

Daniel didn't press. "I haven't eaten well lately. I'd love some spicy beef."

Kimberly pointed to the fridge. "There are no ingredients."

Daniel blinked. "I'll go with you to buy some."

Siena came downstairs with her luggage, with Henry following, full of reluctance.

He grabbed her hand and pleaded, "Siena, can you stay? My dad and I don't want you to leave."

"Don't worry, Henry," she said, patting his head. "We'll see each other at the gala tonight, right?"

Then she turned to chat with Daniel.

Henry tugged his hand. "Dad, don't just stand there. Drive Siena home."

Daniel hesitated, gesturing to Kimberly. "But I..."

Kimberly cut in. "Go take Ms. Gallegos home. She needs you."

Panic gripped Daniel's heart, and he pulled her aside, whispering, "This winter, let's take Henry to the Northen land for a family trip. You've always wanted to go, right? Just us."

His tone was rarely so gentle, but Kimberly glanced at Siena and Henry, who were laughing like a pair of mother and son.

"We'll see," she said.

By then, she would be long gone.

Henry shouted for him to get in the car. Daniel fought back an uneasy feeling and drove off.

Kimberly watched without feeling anything.

She checked the calendar and smiled. After that night, she would leave the Carter family for good.

...

A company gala was in full swing.

As Daniel's companion, Siena dressed up and clung to his arm.

Kimberly, on the other hand, hadn't even received an invitation. But she came anyway with a single purpose: to deliver the custody waiver.

Her flight was scheduled to depart in just two hours, and time was of the essence. She navigated through the crowded ballroom for any sign of Margaret.

Then the stage lights flared dramatically, revealing Daniel standing at the center, flanked by Siena and Henry.

The employees whispered below, "Guess the rumors are true. Our boss is a romantic, always tied to the same woman."

"Isn't he already married?"

"Yeah, to some small-town nobody. No feelings there. Siena is his true love."

Kimberly ignored the whispers and continued her search. She even checked the stairwell, but Margaret was nowhere to be seen.

As she turned back, Siena's voice came. "Did you even get an invite? Only one companion is allowed per guest. Guess who won? Me."

Her gentle façade was dropped, replaced by a twisted expression of triumph and malice. She hissed, "Daniel will always pick me over you."

Kimberly was unfazed. "I don't have time for your silly games."

Siena smirked, then shoved her hard.

Kimberly lost her balance, tumbling down the stairs and crashing to the floor. The custody waiver was still grasped tightly in her hand, the paper crumpling under the force of the fall.

Pain surged through her body, old wounds flaring with the new. She grunted in agony, unable to move.

The noise startled everyone in the hall.

Daniel rushed up, pausing at the scene. Then he rushed to her side and carefully helped her up.

"What happened? How did you end up like this?" he asked with a frown.

Kimberly looked back at Siena, who seemed unrepentant at the top of the stairs. Far from it, she whined, her voice trembling with feigned pain, "Ow, my ankle hurts!"

"Dad, Siena's foot is hurt!" Henry shouted. "Check on her!"

Daniel hesitated, looking at Kimberly with concern, but she forced herself to stand still.

"Don't worry about me," she said evenly.

Daniel faltered. "I'll check on her and come back fast."

Kimberly shook her head, finally finding Margaret in a quiet corner of the ballroom.

Margaret gasped at her state. "What happened? You're a mess, with blood on your clothes."

Kimberly brushed it off and handed over the custody waiver. "Here, take it."

Margaret skimmed through the document and sighed, "Maybe I shouldn't have signed you to this deal in the first place. We dragged you in and left you like this. We failed you. You can go."

Kimberly's voice trembled with emotion. "Thank you."

...

She boarded the plane, battered but joyful.

She was free, no longer bound by the contract. Finally, she belonged to herself again.

The morning light streamed through the window. Her life shed its darkness, and a bright future waited for her ahead.