Uninformed netizens and Hilary’s devoted fans swarmed the internet like vultures circling a carcass, flooding every platform with venomous insults. They demanded Millie issue a public apology, their outrage growing louder by the hour.

Without Millie’s unique status, her past would have already been dragged out and dissected by the public eye.

Amid the chaos, Millie remained as calm as a still lake. She simply switched off her phone, leaving the online uproar to burn out and went to bed without a second thought.

She had no idea how long she’d been asleep when she stirred awake, her senses returning slowly.

The bedroom was cloaked in darkness, but the faint silver glow of the moon seeped through the curtains. Through its light, she could make out the silhouette of someone seated by the floor-to-ceiling window, a quiet, brooding figure.

“Millie, just apologize to her and this will all blow over,” Elliot’s familiar voice broke the silence, low and measured. He stubbed out a cigarette with a practiced flick and stepped out of the shadows, moving closer to her.

Millie’s gaze met his, calm and courageous, as she lay still on the bed. “Aren’t you even curious to know why?”

“It doesn’t matter. Millie, the court doesn’t care why a criminal does what they do. If you’re wrong, you admit it. Simple as that.”

He perched on the edge of the bed, his fingers brushing back a stray lock of her hair with an almost tender touch. “You went too far this time.”

Millie tilted her face into his palm, her expression soft, her movements deliberate, exuding a quiet dependence. Yet beneath the surface, her thoughts simmered.

Too far? Over a glass of juice?

She couldn’t help but scoff inwardly. If Hilary caused someone’s death, she wondered, would Elliot still take the same detached stance? Would he still insist on apologies and moving on?

“Alright,” she said softly. “I’ll apologize. Tomorrow, I’ll even cook for her as a goodwill gesture.”

Elliot blinked, clearly surprised by her sudden compliance. But he didn’t linger on it. Instead, he leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her forehead, his tone warm and approving. “Good girl. You always know how to make things easier.”

The next morning, Millie rose with the first light of dawn. Instead of stepping into the kitchen, she called for a high-end restaurant to deliver an impeccable spread. By the time she finished plating the dishes, the faint click of the door unlocking reached her ears.

Peering through the doorway, Millie caught sight of Hilary, impeccably dressed and exuding confidence as she strolled inside as if she still owned the place.

“Apologies, Millie,” Hilary said breezy, making herself comfortable on the sofa. “I used to live here, you know. I didn’t expect Elliot to turn it into your marital home while I was abroad. The door lock’s password hasn’t changed, so I thought I’d let myself in.”

“No problem at all. If you’d like, you’re welcome to move back in. The room you used to stay in is still regularly cleaned. There are even some things of yours left behind. Feel free to look and see if there’s anything you need to clear out.”

Hilary arched a brow but said nothing, heading upstairs with the ease of someone who knew the house inside and out.

Opening the door to her old bedroom, she was greeted by a preserved time capsule of her past. The desk held a framed photo from years ago—a snapshot of her and Elliot in their youth.

In the picture, her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail and she wore a bright smile as she stood beside Elliot, who had a cocky smirk and his hands shoved casually into his pockets.

Elliot had always loathed taking pictures, but she had nagged him endlessly during their middle school graduation until he reluctantly gave in. That single photo held a thousand memories.

“Elliot seems to cherish this photo,” Millie said, her voice breaking the silence.

Startled, Hilary turned to see Millie leaning casually against the doorframe, her gaze cool but not unkind. With a sweet smile, Hilary replied, “Some memories are simply irreplaceable.”

Millie’s lips curved into a faint, detached smile. “I won’t argue with that. So what?”

"If you step aside now, you can still save some dignity."

Unmoved, Millie stepped aside, giving her just enough space to leave the room. “Do you even love him, or is this all about keeping your family’s secrets under wraps? You know the truth. Your father broke the law and trying to hide behind the Hemsworth family’s power is beyond laughable.”

Hilary froze mid-stride, a soft chuckle slipping from her lips. “Loving him and securing my family’s interests aren’t mutually exclusive,” she said, her tone tinged with mockery. “But it’s not your place to preach. Instead of pointing fingers, maybe you should start planning how to squeeze the most out of Elliot when the divorce papers come. Otherwise, you might walk away with nothing.”

Before Millie could respond, the sound of the front door unlocking drifted upstairs. Hilary’s demeanor shifted instantly.

With practiced ease, she softened her expression, her steps light as she turned and clasped Millie’s hand in a show of warmth.

“Millie, don’t think too much about it,” Hilary said. I don’t blame you for anything. If anything, I was in the wrong back when we were kids. Bullying you was my mistake and I deserve the punishment.”

Millie’s lips curled into a sly smile. “You’ve been playing the part for so long, aren’t you exhausted? This time, it’s my turn to steal the show.”

Before Hilary could even process her words, Millie yanked her hand and leaned back with force. In an instant, Hilary was sent tumbling down the stairs, her body hitting each step with a sickening thud. A pool of blood quickly began to spread, staining her white dress in a horrific, vibrant red.

Staring up at Millie, Hilary’s voice trembled with disbelief. “Are you out of your mind? You’re risking your life just to frame me?”

The sound of commotion drew Elliot into the scene. He entered in a frantic rush, not even bothering to change his shoes. His eyes went wide with horror as he saw Millie lying motionless, blood pooling beneath her. It felt as if his very blood had turned cold, his mind racing in confusion.

With trembling hands, he dialed emergency services, panic seeping into his every movement. His breath came in shallow gasps as he knelt beside Millie, not daring to touch her, fearful of making things worse.

“Millie, don’t close your eyes. Stay with me. Please, open your eyes.”

Meanwhile, Hilary, her voice shaky, kept pleading, “Brother, it wasn’t me… It was her… it wasn’t me…”

“Shut up!” Elliot snapped, his voice cold and harsh. He shot Hilary a venomous glare, his face smeared with blood, his eyes bloodshot, veins throbbing on his forehead. He looked every bit the demon he had become at that moment, causing Hilary to shrink back in terror.

She had never seen him like this before. Yes, Elliot had a temper, but he had always been kind, gentle and indulgent toward her. He was always the one who understood, who listened.

But now, for the first time, he was shouting at her for Millie. Fear and uncertainty began to seep into Hilary’s heart. She questioned whether the man she once thought she knew had truly changed.

When the ambulance arrived, Hilary tried to follow, but Elliot stood firm, blocking her way at the door. “Stay here and keep quiet. You’d better pray she’s alright.”

Hilary lowered her head, her heart sinking as tears welled in her eyes, unbidden.

Millie remained unconscious for two long days, her life hanging in the balance, before she finally stirred, her eyelids fluttering open.

The moment Millie’s eyes fluttered open, Elliot’s exhaustion melted away, replaced by pure relief and joy.

Before she could process what was happening, Elliot pulled her into his arms, his body trembling ever so slightly.

“The baby… it’s gone, isn’t it?” Millie’s voice was barely a whisper as her gaze fell to the bed.

Elliot froze, his arms tightening around her as he struggled to breathe. He murmured softly, “We can always have another.”

“You know that’s not possible, Elliot,” Millie choked, her voice thick with pain as she looked away.

Elliot gently lifted her face, his thumb brushing away the tears that streaked down her cheeks. “It’s okay. It doesn’t matter if we don’t have a child. I told you, all I want is you.”

“If you want, we can adopt one in the future.”

Before Millie could respond, her phone buzzed.

It was a message from Hilary.

[Millie, so what if you risked your life? You’ll never beat me. Don’t believe me? Try it.]

Attached to the message was a pregnancy report.

A moment later, Elliot’s phone buzzed as well.

Millie’s gaze flicked to the screen.

The pregnancy report was accompanied by a chilling message. [Choose between her or me and the baby. If you don’t want this child, I’ll get rid of it right now.]

Elliot sprang to his feet, his phone clenched tightly in his hand. His voice was strained. “Millie, there’s an emergency at the company. I need to go back for a bit. Once I’m done, I’ll come back to stay with you, alright?”

Millie looked into his eyes, her expression unreadable, before a soft, bitter laugh escaped her lips.

The smile on her face made Elliot pause, something unsettling flickering in his chest. He hesitated, lowering his head to place a soft kiss on her forehead. In a low, reassuring voice, he said, “I’ll be back soon. Wait for me.”

Then, without another word, he hurried out of the hospital room, his footsteps echoing in the silence behind him.

Once the door clicked shut, Millie wiped her tears away, her face steely and calm. She pulled out her phone, opened a red app and logged into an account she hadn’t visited in years.

This account had been Millie’s for seven years. She never cared much for posting on her Instagram. Still, in moments of sleeplessness, she would share stray thoughts or the occasional update about her life with Elliot. Over time, her quiet presence had unintentionally gathered a following.

On her wedding day, her feed had flooded with messages of congratulations, each one celebrating her dream come true, wishing her a life filled with happiness and fulfillment. It had been the happiest day of her life.

Not just because she had married Elliot, the man she had always longed for, but because, for the first time, she had been showered with such genuine kindness.

Growing up, she had become all too familiar with ridicule, with being silenced and scorned. But at that moment, she couldn’t stop her eyes from welling up at the sight of real goodwill.

Millie opened the app. The latest update was from half a year ago.

Many followers had sent private messages, asking why she hadn’t posted in so long.

She tapped the text editor and typed the words:

"I’ve been diagnosed with stomach cancer and don’t have much time left…

And my lover has cheated on me.

They’re building a new life together.

He went to her.

Before he left, he told me to wait for him.

But what he didn’t know is that when my mother abandoned me all those years ago, I secretly swore to myself:

I would never wait for anyone again in this lifetime.

So, for these past ten years, I chased after him and stayed by his side.

But in the end, he still left me.

This time, I won’t wait for him anymore.

So, let’s not say goodbye."

***

After typing the final word, Millie pulled out the signed divorce agreement and placed it on the desk.

Once the discharge procedures were complete, she took a car to the highway. To prevent Elliot from tracking her movements, she deliberately chose a carpool.

Elliot would never guess that she wasn’t heading to New Zealand but returning to her hometown, Wellington.

It was there, in a plot she had bought just for herself, that she would lay herself to rest.

As a child, she had often heard the elderly say that fallen leaves always return to their roots. But Millie didn’t know where her roots were. Her heart had been completely consumed by Elliot, hoping that he would give her a home.

But what she had longed for wasn’t truly hers.

And now, she didn’t want it anymore.

When Millie arrived, Tiffany was already waiting at the highway entrance with her luggage.

The moment Tiffany saw her, her eyes reddened. "How could you let yourself fall so far? Was it worth it?"

"You could’ve had proper treatment. There’s still—"

"Tiffany," Millie interrupted with a faint smile, wiping away Tiffany’s tears. "Ever since I found out the truth, I never intended to let them have it easy. You know me—I hold grudges."

Tiffany nodded fiercely. "Exactly! Don’t let those scumbags get away with it. Elliot can regret this for the rest of his life!"

Tiffany Molina nodded fiercely. "Exactly! Don’t let those shameless scumbags off easily. Elliot Hemsworth, that blind fool, can regret it for the rest of his life!"

"I’ll leave the rest to you." Millie handed her phone to Tiffany. "If he comes looking for you, give this to him."

After a silent hug, Millie got into the car bound for Wellington.

From this moment on, there would be no more Millie in this world.