I gave up everything to become a housewife—all for Tristan Fowler and our daughter. But ever since his first love got divorced, everything has changed.

Tristan despises me, and my daughter orders me around like a maid.

Crushed, I sign the divorce papers, give up everything, and leave for a faraway place.

So why are they the ones now full of regret?

"Ms. Sterling, please review the divorce agreement carefully. Once you sign, your marriage will officially end in a month," the lawyer said calmly.

Madeline Sterling stood in the bathroom, phone pressed to her ear. When the lawyer finished speaking, she replied softly, "Alright. I understand. Thank you."

She ended the call and looked at herself in the mirror. A visible scar marked her right cheek. Just the sight of it made her feel insecure.

Right then, her phone chimed. She unlocked it and saw that her daughter had sent her a family photo.

Yet, Madeline's expression remained blank as she stared at the screen.

In the photo, Tristan Fowler was grinning from ear to ear. It was a look she had never once seen during their marriage.

Beside him, Annabelle Fowler—the daughter she had poured her heart into raising—looked radiant with joy.

But the woman standing where Madeline should have been wasn't her at all. Instead, it was Regina Jenkins, Tristan's first love.

In fact, Annabelle had sent the photo on purpose. It was meant to mock her.

Ever since Regina came back three months earlier, newly divorced, Madeline had felt like an outsider. In the eyes of Tristan and Annabelle, she was the one who no longer belonged.

That day was supposed to be meaningful. It marked Madeline and Tristan's eighth wedding anniversary and her birthday.

However, Tristan had picked a fight over a meal, claiming her cooking didn't sit right with him. Then, he took Annabelle with him and left Madeline alone in the house.

She only learned where they had gone through Regina's Instagram story. As it turned out, the three of them had spent the day together at a marine-themed park.

There were a dozen short clips, each around 30 seconds long. Madeline watched them all in silence. But the last one shattered her.

Tristan, the same man who had always recoiled from physical touch, was carrying Regina on his back. At one point, he even wiped the whipped cream from the corner of her mouth with his index finger before licking it off.

A cold numbness spread through Madeline, like her body had been hollowed out from the inside.

She had given everything to this family, working herself to the bone day after day. And in the end, it had all been handed to someone else. She couldn't help but feel pathetic.

Madeline sank into a chair and stared at the strawberry cake on the table. It was already starting to melt.

With every passing second, her heart seemed to sink with it.

…

Minute by minute, time crawled by.

At 3:00 am, the living room lights snapped on. Tristan and Annabelle were finally home. They barely glanced at Madeline, but the flicker of disdain in their eyes was unmistakable.

At that moment, Tristan yanked off his tie and flung it at her.

"You know I hate garlic, and you still used a ton. Try using your brain next time!" he snapped.

Then, as if he were doing her a favor, he threw a gift bag her way. "Here. Your birthday present."

Madeline glanced inside and almost laughed. It was a cheap pair of bee-shaped earrings, clearly a freebie.

She already knew what the real gift was. The expensive diamond-studded swan necklace had made its appearance on Regina's Instagram earlier that day.

When Madeline didn't react, Tristan's face twisted with irritation.

"I bust my ass every day while you sit at home doing nothing. It's one thing not to pull your weight around, but now you're giving me attitude too?" he spat, his voice laced with rage.

He continued, "If I had known you'd let yourself go like this, with not a shred of femininity left, I never would've married you! Go sleep in the yard tonight. If you can't admit what you did wrong, then don't expect me to forgive you."

Having said his piece, he stormed into the bedroom.

Annabelle, on the other hand, stood nearby with a look of disgust. A beat later, she grabbed the melted cake and smashed it on Madeline's head.

"I had so much fun with Regina at the park today," she boasted. "You're just the maid in this house. Hurry up and divorce Daddy. Then get out!

"I want Regina to be my mommy, not you. You're nothing but an ugly freak!"

Madeline stared at the daughter she had loved and protected from the day she was born. She couldn't believe Annabelle had just said something so vicious. It was as if she didn't matter at all.

All at once, her heart shattered into pieces. How had she ended up raising a child so ungrateful?

In reality, Annabelle hadn't always been like this. She used to be affectionate, thoughtful, and clingy with Madeline.

Yet, everything had changed three months ago when Regina came back. After just a few meetups, Annabelle's attitude toward Madeline had shifted beyond recognition.

She was certain Regina had said something to Annabelle, sowing discord between them.

If it were just the words of an outsider, Madeline might've ignored them. But what chilled her was how her years of sacrifice meant nothing. Three months of Regina's presence had outweighed a lifetime of love.

The more she thought about it, the more pathetic she felt. Her daughter had come to despise her, and her husband couldn't even hide his disgust. Worse, he had condoned Annabelle's cruelty toward her.

Madeline's face gave nothing away as she walked to the bathroom to wash the cake from her hair. Something inside her had died. She no longer hoped for kindness from Tristan or Annabelle.

A beat later, she reached for the drawer beneath the sink, pulled out the divorce papers, and signed her name.

A few days ago, she and Tristan had fought over Regina. In a fit of rage, he had thrown the document at her.

He was confident that Madeline loved him and Annabelle too much to ever walk away. So, he had taken pleasure in humiliating her.

For a while, she had let him. She even swallowed her pride and begged for his forgiveness, all to salvage a marriage that was already broken beyond repair.

But that night, Madeline saw it clearly. Some people were simply heartless. No matter how much she gave or how far she bent, it would never be enough.

If that were the case, she had no reason to hold on anymore. She no longer wanted to stay with Tristan or Annabelle.

Madeline put on her coat and lay down on the lounge chair in the yard.

It was late autumn, and the days had grown noticeably colder. At night, the temperature dropped sharply.

Right then, a cold breeze cut through the still air. She curled in on herself and clutched the coat tighter.

Every time they fought, Tristan would punish her like this, pretending it was some lesson she needed to learn. In truth, it was just another way to humiliate her.

But now, Madeline felt nothing. A strange calm had taken hold. After all these years of holding on, what had it all been for?

In no time, sleep crept over her.

Just as she began to drift off, a pair of warm hands slipped under her coat. She jolted awake and locked eyes with Tristan, his gaze burning with desire.

His breath was warm against her cheek, yet nothing stirred inside her.

Once upon a time, Madeline would've leaned into him, eager to please, and agreed to do whatever he liked. But now, all she felt was revulsion. More than that, she recoiled from his touch.

Tristan noticed the shift and asked with a frown, "What's wrong?"

Madeline brushed his hand aside, her voice flat as she answered, "I don't feel well."

The sullen look on her face was enough to set him off.

"Are you still mad about Regina? I told you—we're just friends! Do you have to be this petty?" Tristan snapped.

Even so, Madeline couldn't be bothered to listen. She simply closed her eyes and shut him out completely.

Tristan hadn't expected her to give him an attitude. In an instant, his anger boiled over.

"You've got some nerve! Regina was right. I've spoiled you. You really think you can throw a tantrum like that now? Fine. Let's see if I ever touch you again!"

With that, he stormed off, slamming the door behind him.

Only then did Madeline open her eyes slowly. In the past, the mere hint of his displeasure would've had her apologizing and begging.

But now, she had already made her decision to walk away.

…

The next morning, Madeline didn't bother making breakfast for Tristan and Annabelle like she usually would. Instead, she grabbed a carton of milk from the fridge and drank it at her own pace.

She had signed the divorce papers, and all that was left was for them to be finalized. After that, she'd be free.

The thought brought a smile to her lips before she even realized it.

Madeline hadn't expected letting go to feel this good. It only made her past desperation seem even more ridiculous.

On Instagram, Regina had posted a five-minute video with a caption that read, "Whenever I need you, you're always the first one there. It's such a gift to be with someone you love."

In the video, Tristan was wearing an apron as he made breakfast. He smiled brightly, looking every bit like a stay-at-home husband.

Madeline had never seen that side of him before. He used to complain about the smell of the kitchen and had never once cooked a meal for her.

But now, he was in Regina's home, happily making her breakfast.

Madeline barely glanced at the video before tossing her phone onto the couch. She didn't care whether he had done it to provoke her, to punish her for turning him down the night before, or because he simply couldn't wait to be with his first love.

The divorce was already in motion, and if Tristan wanted to move things along, she wouldn't stand in his way.

At that moment, Annabelle came downstairs. She ignored Madeline and walked straight to the dining table.

When she didn't find the usual spread, she glared at Madeline and barked, "You didn't make breakfast? Go cook something. I'm starving!"

Madeline kept a straight face as she looked at Annabelle.

She understood everything clearly now. In her daughter's eyes, she meant nothing—not even as much as a maid.

The realization made her laugh bitterly inside. Her voice was detached as she said, "There are apples and bread."

Annabelle froze momentarily. She had never seen Madeline like this. For a moment, something flickered in her eyes, but it vanished just as fast.

A sly smirk played on her lips. She was already plotting some kind of payback.

"This is your job! All you do is sit around all day. If it weren't for Daddy, you'd be out on the street. Go make breakfast, or I'm telling him you're slacking off!" Annabelle snapped.

Madeline stared at her for a beat. She had no intention of wasting her breath, so she retorted, "Go find Regina. Isn't she the one you want to call Mommy anyway?"

Having said that, she turned and headed into the bedroom.

There, Madeline opened the closet. Inside were all the clothes Tristan had ever bought her.

To be exact, they were from the early years of their marriage. In recent years, he hadn't given her anything. He even kept a tight grip on his income.

On the other hand, Madeline received just enough to buy groceries. Anytime she needed something else, she had to ask Tristan. And every time, he'd accuse her of being wasteful.

It all seemed like a joke now. He could spend thousands of dollars on gifts for Regina, but when Madeline asked for a couple of hundred bucks to replace a broken oven, she was called materialistic.

Expressionless, Madeline gathered the clothes and stuffed them into a large garbage bag. She then carried it downstairs, ready to throw it all away.

As soon as she stepped outside, she bumped into Tristan. He had just gotten home, and in his hands was a bouquet of daisies.

Still, Madeline didn't so much as glance at him. She walked right past and dumped the bag into the trash can.

The garbage bag was clear. Tristan could see exactly what was inside and recognized the clothes immediately.

Annoyed, he stormed over. "What do you mean by that? Those were gifts I gave you! How dare you throw them out?

"And for the record, I only went to Regina's last night because she had a fever. Can you not—"

"The clothes don't fit anymore," Madeline interrupted, not bothering to let him finish. "I haven't been able to wear them for a long time."

She spoke with an indifferent expression and a far-off gaze.

Without warning, a subtle sense of unease crept into Tristan's chest.

Back inside the house, Tristan set the daisies on the table and said, "I was in a bad mood last night, but that's no excuse for you to be so petty. You embarrassed Regina for no reason.

"I picked these up for you on the way back. Go apologize to her in a bit, and let's put this behind us. She's not one to hold a grudge, so I'm sure she'll forgive you."

It had been ages since Tristan had given Madeline anything. Hence, he was certain she'd be moved by the gesture.

Madeline, however, merely stared at the bouquet. She noticed how the petals had already started to droop, and a bitter laugh caught in her throat.

Was she so pathetic that he thought he could humiliate her like this?

Tristan hadn't even bought the bouquet for her. It was meant for Regina.

She had already seen it in Regina's video earlier. And now, he was handing the flowers to her like he was doing her a favor. Did he really think she was worth nothing more than trash?

Madeline said nothing. She just sat there, silent and still.

In an instant, Tristan's temper flared. "Don't make me regret giving you an inch! I've already given you a way out, so take it. Pushing this any further won't do you any good."

Madeline raised her hand to cover her nose and mouth. Her voice was strained as she stated, "I'm allergic to pollen."

As soon as her words settled, Tristan froze. He had completely forgotten about that.

Yet, he wasn't the kind to apologize. He was still trying to come up with an excuse when he turned and saw the icy look on Madeline's face.

Fury boiled up in his chest. He had already shown her that courtesy, so how dare she throw it back in his face?

In a burst of rage, Tristan grabbed the bouquet and slammed it into her face. He struck her again and again, showing no restraint at all.

Madeline kept her head down and raised her arms to shield herself. Unfortunately, she had already inhaled too much pollen. Her skin erupted in hives, her cheeks flushed red, and her breathing grew increasingly labored.

Even then, Tristan remained unmoved. A cruel sneer twisted his lips, then he spat, "Who exactly are you trying to fool with this little act? Do you think I'm that gullible?

"Just look at how hideous you are. You'll never hold a candle to Regina! You should be grateful I haven't divorced you yet, but don't take that for granted. The day I throw you out, you can cry and beg. It won't matter anymore."

At that moment, Annabelle skipped over, scooped up some petals, and threw them at Madeline's face. Then, she clapped and giggled.

"That was awesome! Daddy stood up for Regina!"

Seeing how excited she was, Tristan took her hand. Without sparing Madeline a second glance, he tossed one last comment over his shoulder. "Consider this a warning. Next time, you won't get off so easily."

And just like that, the two of them walked out, leaving her there like she didn't matter.

Madeline, gasping for air, slowly dragged herself toward the couch. With the last of her strength, she grabbed her phone and called her best friend, Sophie Zeller.

…

When Madeline regained consciousness, she found herself in a hospital bed.

Even though she had already decided to walk away from it all, a wave of pain washed over her as she thought back to Tristan's cruelty.

She kept telling herself to hold on a little longer. It was almost over, and freedom was just around the corner.

Just then, Sophie walked into the room. She stood by the window with her arms crossed as she looked at Madeline.

"You nearly died from that allergic attack. I called Tristan, but he didn't show the slightest concern. Instead, he started hurling insults. What kind of husband does that?"

A bitter smile tugged at Madeline's lips. "Once the divorce is final, he and I will be nothing to each other."

Sophie blinked, a little surprised. Then, she nodded. "I'm really glad to hear you say that. I've been telling you to leave him for years, but you wouldn't listen. Just look at yourself now. You're wrecked."

Madeline didn't respond. Instead, she told herself to hang in there. Just a little longer, and she'd be out of this misery.