I stumbled upon old chat messages on our wedding anniversary between my husband and his childhood sweetheart.

The words on the screen hit me like a blow to the chest.

[I’ve never seen someone so easy to fool.]

[All I did was give her a hand when being bullied and she clung to me like a puppy.]

[She’s an orphan, you know, desperate for love.]

[How could I ever fall in love with her? It’s just a game. Once I’m bored, I’ll end it.]

I once believed he was the light pulling me from the depths of the abyss, but in the end, he was the one who shoved me headfirst into hell.

He had no idea that while he generously lavished resources on his childhood sweetheart, propelling her toward success, I used every last bit of my savings to secure a burial plot for myself.

After I was gone, he completely lost his grip on reality.

***

“Miss Taylor, the burial plot you reserved earlier—the contract is ready. Whose name would you like to put as the primary holder?”

Millie Taylor paused, her voice steady as she responded, “Mine.”

The voice on the other end hesitated, clearly taken aback, but quickly regained composure. “Alright, Miss Taylor. When would you like to come in and complete the formalities?”

“Two weeks,” she replied calmly. “I need time to settle everything here first.”

After hanging up, Millie took a deep breath, her fingers swiping through her phone to book a flight to New Zealand two weeks later.

The television hummed in the background, still broadcasting Elliot Hemsworth’s interview. As the show neared its end, the host brought up the burning question everyone had been dying to ask.

“Recently, Mr. Hemsworth’s grand gesture of filling the city sky with fireworks for Mrs. Hemsworth went viral online. Viewers are captivated by the love story between you and Mrs. Hemsworth. You’ve been together since school days, enduring a long romance that led to marriage. Could you share your story with us today?”

Elliot smiled faintly, his almond-shaped eyes glowing with an emotion so deep it almost seemed to reach out of the screen. His gaze locked with the camera, intense and profound, as if he were speaking directly to Millie on the other side.

“We’ve been together for ten years, weathering every storm. She’s the one who has stood by me through it all. I love her with all my heart.”

Cheers erupted from the audience as soon as the words left his mouth.

Millie averted her eyes, her lips curling into a bitter, knowing smirk.

The fireworks across the city, the hand-in-hand walks.

It was all a lie.

A lie to keep another woman happy.

Three months ago, Millie had already uncovered Elliot’s secret affair. The woman in question was none other than Hilary Pascal, the rising star of the film industry, the new queen of cinema. Hilary was also the same Haley who had once made Millie’s life a living hell.

Millie would never forget Haley’s face.

The memories came flooding back, unstoppable. How Haley had led the others to isolate her, how she had falsely accused her of theft and tormented her with cruelty.

They had thrown basketballs at her head, smeared glue on her chair, stuffed dead rats into her desk and tossed her backpack into the trash.

The stench of that unknown liquid pouring over her head, the biting cold of winter nights, came rushing back like a relentless nightmare.

Millie suddenly clutched her abdomen, taking a deep breath to steady herself, trying to suppress the surge of nausea that twisted inside her.

But her body betrayed her, trembling uncontrollably.

Before she could gather herself, she felt a warm, familiar embrace from behind, a breath too hot against her ear.

“What’s wrong, Millie? Are you feeling unwell?”

The sickly sweet scent of perfume overwhelmed her senses. Millie subtly slipped from Elliot’s hold, shaking her head as she distanced herself.

Elliot leaned forward, his lips curving into a smile. “Are you upset?”

She turned her head away, offering nothing in return.

Elliot seemed unfazed. He reached into a gift box, pulling out a delicate, expensive necklace, his attempt at appeasement. “I didn’t forget. It was just a late business dinner. Don’t be mad, alright?”

He placed the necklace in her hands, his voice soft but carrying an unmistakable edge of insincerity.

“Happy birthday, my dear wife.”

Millie glanced at the brand on the gift—Hilary endorsed it.

She accepted it with a polite thanks, then casually tossed the box onto the table, her feet already carrying her toward the bathroom.

In a swift motion, Elliot wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against him. “Let’s shower together, darling.”

He lifted her effortlessly, heading straight toward the bathroom.

“Elliot, put me down!”

She struggled, but his hold only tightened, his strength unyielding.

The emotions she had buried deep inside suddenly erupted like a storm breaking free from its prison. She flailed violently, and in her panic, her hand struck his face with a sharp slap.

Elliot froze for a moment, shock flashing across his features.

Millie’s shock mirrored his. She lowered her gaze in silence, but the sight before her sent a jolt of pain through her chest.

Elliot’s shirt hung loosely, two buttons undone from their earlier struggle, revealing dark kiss marks on his collarbone. The bruising hickeys on his chest were unmistakable, glowing bluish-purple under the light.

Had he been at a business dinner or just come from Hilary’s bed?

The thought lingered in the air, but Millie shoved it away, unwilling to confront it.

“Sorry,” she whispered, “I’m not feeling well today.”

Elliot, assuming she was merely sulking, let it go. He gently took her hand and pressed a soft kiss to it.

“Did that hurt your hand?” he asked, his voice laced with feigned tenderness.

He placed her hand on his cheek, his chuckle a hollow sound in the quiet room. “Should I let you slap the other side, too, to cheer you up?”

“I’m tired,” she replied, her voice a mere murmur.

She slowly withdrew her hand, turning toward the bed, her mind numbing with exhaustion.

Elliot followed her, pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head with practiced affection.

“Good night, darling.”

Millie tried to pull away as his breathing evened out, but Elliot’s hold tightened, anchoring her in place.

There had been a time when she loved this closeness and his embrace made her feel safe and protected. Now, it felt like a cage.

Millie had always battled severe insomnia—nights without sleep were more familiar to her than restful ones. But when she had once found solace in Elliot's arms, sleep had come like a warm embrace.

Now, his presence only made her feel sick to her stomach.

The next morning, she was awakened by a voice calling her name.

Her eyes fluttered open and she found Elliot leaning over her, his hand gently brushing the corner of her eye.

“What were you dreaming about? You were crying in your sleep.”

Millie felt disoriented as if she had just awakened from a dream that spanned an entire lifetime.

She had dreamt of being ten, of her father drowning in the river after drinking himself into a stupor and of her mother abandoning her. Millie had chased after her mother’s retreating figure, but it remained out of reach no matter how fast she ran.

She had relived the cruel school years when they taunted her—an orphan with no family, the laughter ringing in her ears as they tossed her schoolbag into the trash.

Then, Elliot had appeared, like a beacon of light pulling her from the mud... only to discard her like trash when he grew bored.

[I’ve never seen someone so easy to fool.]

[All I did was help her when bullied and she clung to me like a dog.]

[She’s an orphan, desperate for love.

[How could I ever love her? It’s just a game. When I’m bored, I’ll end it.]

The anonymous email chat logs played on a loop in her mind, each word like a knife to her heart.

She could clearly picture Elliot’s cold face as he’d said those words. The man in front of her now was a stark contrast, gazing at her with concern.

“Don’t cry, darling,” he murmured. “To make up for missing your birthday yesterday, how about I take you to the amusement park today? Isn’t that something you’ve always wanted to do?”

He kissed the corners of her tear-streaked eyes, his lips lingering as though he could wipe away her pain.

Millie’s lashes trembled and tears slid down her cheeks, vanishing into the pillow beneath her.

So, Elliot remembered after all.

Millie had never been to an amusement park. As a child, she had longed for the bright lights and the laughter, but her family had barely scraped by, never able to afford even the smallest luxuries.

After being with Elliot, Millie’s dream had always been to visit an amusement park with him. But Elliot would brush off the idea whenever she brought it up, claiming it was childish and beneath him. He never once joined her.

It wasn’t until a few days ago, when she and Tiffany Molina took her son to the park, that she accidentally bumped into Elliot with Hilary. That’s when she realized how considerate Elliot could be.

For every toy Hilary showed the slightest interest in, Elliot immediately bought it for her. If Hilary so much as pouted, he’d be there with a bottle of water, ready to hand it to her.

Pirate ships, haunted houses, bumper cars—none mattered to him how juvenile the rides were. If Hilary wanted it, Elliot was right there, playing along with an eagerness Millie had never seen.

Their striking appearances caught the attention of passersby and soon enough, someone recognized Hilary and a crowd gathered, asking for autographs and photos.

While Hilary lowered her head to sign, Elliot stood quietly beside her, wrapping his arm protectively around her, shielding her from the swarm of people. His gaze never left her, his smile one of pure indulgence and pride.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Millie was about to turn down Elliot’s invitation to the park. But when she saw his message, something inside her shifted and she agreed.

They rode every ride in the park, but the joy she had once imagined was nowhere to be found.

It dawned on her—perhaps this was what expired happiness felt like.

During their breaks, Elliot kept glancing at his phone, his attention clearly elsewhere.

After finishing her ice cream cone, Millie stood up. “Let’s go back.”

She couldn’t help but wonder, was he eager to go back and see his little childhood sweetheart?

If she remembered correctly, today was Hilary’s birthday.

Their birthdays were only a day apart, but their lives had been worlds apart.

Hilary was always cherished, adored and surrounded by love. Everyone flocked to her, treating her like royalty. Even her own mother had chosen to love Hilary over her.

Back then, Millie had never imagined that she would see her mother again.

It was just an ordinary weekend afternoon. The school had set aside a few hours for parents to visit and many students eagerly awaited the sight of their mothers bringing home-cooked meals to brighten their days.

The dormitory was always filled with the mouth-watering aroma of various dishes. A roommate’s mother would often invite Millie to join them. Still, she always turned down the offer, pretending she had already eaten and retreating to the silence of her room.

That day, she heard a commotion echoing down the hallway. Curiosity piqued, she peered over, only to see Haley pushing a well-dressed woman out of the dorm room. The woman’s lunchbox, beautifully packed, fell to the ground with a loud crash, soup splashing across the floor.

"I’ve never seen anyone so shameless!" Haley snapped, her voice dripping with venom. "Throwing yourself at someone else’s child! If you can’t have your own, go find a stray dog on the street…"

Her cruel words cut through the air, catching the attention of other parents nearby, who hurried to intervene. But Haley didn’t stop—she pointed at the woman, her accusations growing sharper with every word.

But the woman simply smiled, an apologetic curve of her lips. She crouched down, silently wiping up the mess.

At that moment, Millie rushed forward, her heart pounding in her chest as though a force beyond her control had taken over. Grabbing the woman’s arm, she trembled, her voice a whisper barely above the noise of her racing thoughts.

"Mom..."

Haley’s eyes widened in disbelief. "She’s your mom?"

The woman, who had remained so calm, now looked at Millie with wide, shocked eyes. Her gaze softened as tears gathered in her almond-shaped eyes. She gently pushed Millie’s hand away, her smile laced with bitterness.

"Child, you’ve got the wrong person."

From that moment onward, rumors and bullying began to take root, spreading like venomous snakes, tightening their grip around Millie. The more she fought back, the fiercer the punishment grew.

And then, Elliot appeared.

He stepped in, a shield against the harshness and cruelty, protecting her from the relentless torment that had threatened to swallow her whole. He was her guardian for three years, allowing her to breathe in the suffocating chaos of high school.

To Millie, Elliot was like a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds, a beacon of warmth in a world that had always seemed so dark and cold.

She pursued him with the same fervor as a moth to a flame—changing her career dreams and following him to the same university, all for the chance to become someone worthy in his eyes.

Millie had once thought that Elliot had pulled her from the mud, that he was the one to lift her out of the dirt. But in the end, he had simply used her as a pawn.

She believed she had married for love, only to realize, too late, that her heart had been wasted on someone undeserving.