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.

Madeline had been hospitalized for a week, yet Tristan never visited her once. He didn't even call her.

As Sophie peeled an apple, she grumbled, "Tristan doesn't even deserve to be called a husband. You were right to divorce him. Just promise me you're not going back to putting yourself last for him."

Madeline and Tristan had argued more times than she could count. She had even thought about leaving him before. But somehow, it ended with her apologizing every time.

Looking back, she felt pathetic and foolish.

"Not anymore," Madeline said. "After all these years, even a dog would've grown attached to me. Maybe, to Tristan, I'm not even worth that much."

Sophie's heart broke hearing her say that. "Don't overthink it. There are plenty of men out there. Tristan's not the only one in the world."

…

On the eighth day, Madeline was finally discharged. But the thought of returning to that house made her chest tighten.

The moment she opened the door, a rancid stench of rotting food hit her. On the floor, the bouquet of daisies still lay where it had been thrown, now shriveled.

Madeline knew right away that Tristan had taken Annabelle to see Regina. It was his usual tactic. Every time they fought, he'd torment her like this.

He understood just how deeply Madeline loved both him and Annabelle. Yet, he used that love against her, knowing it would only make the pain worse.

The image of Tristan's violent outburst that day flashed through her mind. He had looked like a stranger, no longer resembling the man she once knew. In fact, there was something in his eyes that chilled her to the bone.

Right then, her phone chimed, pulling her back to reality.

Madeline picked it up and saw that Regina had sent her a short video.

In the clip, Annabelle was stuffing her face with ice cream. With a look of satisfaction, she said, "Regina, can you be my mommy instead? That ugly freak never lets me have anything good.

"She makes me eat garbage every single day! I can't even look at it without gagging. You're so much better. You let me eat whatever I want."

She continued, "You know what? She even came to my parent-teacher conference looking totally pathetic. She was dressed in cheap clothes and had that hideous scar on her face.

"I was too embarrassed to tell my classmates she was my mom. So, I said she was our housekeeper. There's no way I'd ever admit to having a mom like that."

Regina wore a smug smile on camera, but still played innocent as she stated, "But I could never compare to your mom. She must be amazing. Otherwise, why would your dad marry her?"

Annabelle tilted her head, disdain written all over her face. "She's just an ugly freak. How could she ever compare to you? I'm sure Daddy only married her out of pity.

"She got that scar trying to save me, but honestly, it would've been better if that shelf had crushed her to death. At least then she wouldn't be clinging to us like that!"

Madeline drew in a sharp breath. Though she had given up on her daughter, hearing those words still left her cold.

As it turned out, all the love she had poured into Annabelle meant nothing. In her eyes, it had all been a joke.

Another message from Regina popped up. This time, it was just a text. She wrote, "Your husband and daughter both despise you. They're disgusted by you. What makes you think you can compete with me?"

Even so, Madeline turned off her phone without replying and took a deep breath.

She had already made up her mind. Since she was done with all of it, there was no use grieving over people who'd never been worth it.

…

The divorce wouldn't be official for another couple of weeks. So, Madeline and Sophie spent those days traveling through Calastra, visiting old cathedrals scattered across the countryside.

The entire journey felt like a quiet baptism—one that penetrated from body to soul. Everything she had once held onto now felt insignificant.

The trip changed everything. It brought a quiet sense of renewal that finally gave Madeline's restless heart some peace.

During that period, Tristan never once reached out.

Madeline knew he was giving her the silent treatment as a form of punishment. In the past, it would've broken her. She'd feel like the entire world had turned its back on her.

But now, nothing stirred in her chest. Tristan and Annabelle no longer had the power to hurt her. In fact, they no longer mattered.

…

When Madeline returned from the trip, she didn't go home right away. Instead, she stopped by a fondue restaurant.

There had been a time when eating alone would've made her feel lonely. Now, she relished it.

As she dipped her meat into the bubbling pot of cheese, her eyes landed on a table nearby. The moment she saw who was sitting there, her expression changed.