Mia’s mother, Charlie Larson, had passed away a week ago.

She had been in the late stages of brain cancer. Despite Nick’s arrangements for her to stay in the best hospital in the country, her condition continued to deteriorate day by day.

Her moments of clarity grew shorter, and her confusion lasted longer. Most of the time, she couldn’t even recognize Mia.

The attending doctor had warned that they couldn’t delay any longer. A surgery was necessary. Otherwise, Charlie might not make it through the week.

Mia didn’t know what to do. She called Nick, hoping to get his advice.

The first three calls went unanswered, and when he finally picked up on the fourth, he lashed out before she could even speak. “Why are you calling for no reason? I’m busy! Stop bothering me!”

The attending doctor, knowing Mia was Nick’s wife, suggested having Nick bring in foreign specialists to collaborate with the domestic team for a medical consultation. This would increase the chances of a successful surgery.

Mia thanked the doctor, then sat in the hospital corridor with her phone, counting the seconds and minutes until 6 p.m.—Nick’s usual time to leave work.

Summoning her courage, she called him again.

He didn’t pick up. She reasoned he might be working late and decided to wait a bit longer.

This time, she waited until midnight before calling, but no matter how many times she tried, the line wouldn’t connect.

It took her a moment to realize the truth. Nick had blocked her.

For the next week, Nick didn’t come home. Her calls didn’t go through, and her messages went unanswered. Meanwhile, Charlie missed the optimal window for surgery and passed away.

Was Nick really that busy?

So busy that he still found the time, in that same week, to pick out welcome-home gifts for Xena and order her a birthday cake?

Mia couldn’t let herself think about it any longer. She closed her eyes, steadying her trembling hands as she clutched the divorce papers. Without another word, she left the study.

At lunchtime, Mrs. Zimmer prepared a table full of delicious dishes. But Jenna, who had come over to mooch a meal, started nitpicking right away before even sitting down.

“Mia, didn’t you usually do the cooking? Why didn’t you cook today?” Jenna asked provocatively. “Is it because Xena moved in? Do you think you’re too important now to cook for her?”

Hearing this, Nick’s expression darkened, and he cast a cold, piercing glance at Mia, clearly waiting for her response.

How ironic, Mia thought bitterly. Even as his wife, she didn’t have the right to refuse cooking for his "one true love."

“I’m better at making spicy dishes,” Mia said softly, lowering her gaze. “Miss Quinn prefers lighter flavors. I was afraid she wouldn’t like what I make.”

“Then why not just skip the chili?” Jenna shot back, still dissatisfied.

“Jenna, don’t be like that,” Xena interjected, stepping in with a gentle smile. “Mia is your sister-in-law, and you should treat her with respect. Besides, I think Mrs. Zimmer’s cooking tastes wonderful…”

Before Xena could finish her sentence, she suddenly frowned and clutched her stomach, her face contorting in pain.

“Xena, what’s wrong?” Nick exclaimed, rushing to her side immediately to steady her.

“Nicky, my stomach hurts,” Xena whispered weakly, her face pale as she collapsed into his arms, looking delicate and helpless.

Nick frowned deeply. “How could your stomach hurt all of a sudden?”

Jenna’s face lit up with dramatic realization as she pointed accusingly at Mia. “Oh, I get it! No wonder you refused to cook today. You must’ve drugged Xena! You’ve been feeling guilty, so you stayed out of the kitchen on purpose!”

The accusation came out of nowhere, leaving Mia feeling helpless. “If I haven’t stepped into the kitchen all day, how could I have had the chance to drug Miss Quinn?” she said calmly.

“Just because you didn’t go into the kitchen doesn’t mean you couldn’t bribe someone who did,” Jenna sneered. “When I came over this morning, I saw you and Mrs. Zimmer acting all secretive in the garden. Now that I think about it, you were probably plotting to poison Xena!”

“Heavens, Miss Ford! You can’t just make baseless accusations like that!” Mrs. Zimmer exclaimed, panicked. “I’m just a housekeeper. How could I dare poison someone?”

“Then what were you and Mia whispering about in the garden this morning?” Jenna pressed, unwilling to let it go.

“I…” Mrs. Zimmer glanced at Mia nervously, unsure of how to respond. With Nick and Xena present, she couldn’t possibly repeat the conversation from that morning.

“Can’t answer, can you? I knew it! You two are definitely up to something!” Jenna declared smugly. “Xena, should I call the police for you? Tampering with food is practically attempted murder!”

The mention of calling the police made Xena’s face contort with even more pain. Clutching Nick’s hand, she cried out, “Nick, it hurts so much! Am I going to die? I’m so scared!”

Seeing Xena in such agony, Nick didn’t hesitate. He scooped her up into his arms and rushed toward the door. “Get the car ready! We’re going to the hospital now!”

Before leaving, he shot Mia a furious glare. “I’ll deal with you when I get back!”

Mrs. Zimmer, completely shaken, started to cry. “Ma’am, what are we going to do? I didn’t poison Miss Quinn. I swear I didn’t! I’m just trying to make an honest living. I would never do something like this!”

Mia knew Mrs. Zimmer couldn’t have been the one to poison Xena.

But Mrs. Zimmer was the one who cooked the meal, and unless she implicated someone else, Nick would never let her off the hook.

“When Nick comes back, just say I was the one who told you to do it if he interrogates you,” Mia said calmly. “It’s fine, don’t be afraid. Blame everything on me.”

“But how could I do that?” Mrs. Zimmer exclaimed, panicking. “Ma’am, we didn’t do anything wrong! We can’t just confess to something we didn’t do!”

Mia gave a bitter smile. She had already realized over the past few days that whether she admitted to it or not didn’t matter. Nick had already decided she was guilty. Her outcome would be the same either way.

Since that was the case, it was better to sacrifice herself and protect someone else. She couldn’t let an innocent person take the blame.

“Do as I say,” Mia said firmly, her tone unusually resolute. “Don’t worry. I have a plan. Nothing will happen to me.”

After an entire night at the hospital, Nick finally returned home with Xena in the early hours of the morning.

The moment he stepped through the door, he launched into an interrogation. “Mia, you’re pretty clever, aren’t you? You knew Xena was allergic to peanuts, so you ground them into powder and sprinkled them in her soup. Do you have any idea that if I hadn’t rushed her to the hospital in time, she could’ve died tonight?

“Mrs. Zimmer already confessed that you ordered her to do it. So, what do you have to say for yourself? I’m giving you one chance. Why did you do it?”

Mia lifted her head and glanced at Xena.

Xena’s pale face looked even more fragile as she lay on the bed, weak and pitiful. “Mia, I don’t believe you’d try to hurt me. You must have had your reasons, didn’t you?”

Mia let out a quiet laugh. Looking Xena straight in the eyes, she spoke calmly.

“Thank you for trusting me. I didn’t hurt you, and I have no idea why Mrs. Zimmer would accuse me. Why don’t we call the police? Let them investigate thoroughly. My words might not hold weight, but the findings of the police surely will.”

Mia's suggestion to call the police elicited interesting reactions from both Xena and Nick.

Xena’s gaze darted nervously, while Nick erupted in anger. “Mia, do you think I wouldn’t dare call the police because I’m unwilling to let you go?!”

“No, Nick, I know you would,” Mia silently answered him in her heart. “But your precious Xena won’t let you. She knows her little tricks might fool you, but they won’t fool the police.”

If the police were to uncover that the peanut powder was something she added herself, wouldn’t that be incredibly awkward for her?

Sure enough, a second later, Xena spoke in her sweet voice. “Nick, don’t do this. Mia is still your wife. You can’t send her to jail because of me.

“Besides, I’m fine now, aren’t I? And think about it—if not for Mia, then at least for the Ford family. If the public finds out that your wife went to jail, it would damage the company’s reputation, and Ford Corporation’s stock would surely take a hit.”

With Xena’s persuasion, Nick managed to rein in his temper and didn’t call the police.

But while there would be no police involved, there still had to be punishment.

“Mia,” Nick said coldly, his voice venomous as he grabbed her by the neck, “Xena is too kind-hearted to hold you accountable, but that doesn’t mean you’ll walk away unscathed. The pain she suffered tonight—you’ll feel every bit of it yourself.”

“Dr. Jason, bring the prepared medication,” Nick commanded.

Gripping Mia’s chin, he forced an unknown liquid down her throat.

The effects of the medicine were almost immediate. Mia doubled over in agony, her body drenched in sweat. She clutched her stomach, writhing and convulsing on the floor. Several times, the pain was so unbearable she nearly passed out.

Nick stood towering over her, his cold eyes fixed on her suffering without a flicker of emotion, not even a crease in his brow.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” he said icily. “When Xena drank that bowl of soup you supposedly tampered with, she was in just as much pain. Remember this feeling. Pain is the only thing that will teach you a lesson.”

Mia bit down hard on the back of her hand, breaking the skin and drawing blood, yet she didn’t let go or cry out in pain.

“Nick, don’t worry. I’ll do exactly as you said. I’ll remember this pain clearly.

“This is what it feels like to love you. This is the outcome of loving you.

“I understand now. I won’t make the same mistake again,” she silently remarked.

The pain lingered for an entire day, only subsiding late at night when the effects of the drug finally wore off.

Her body was drenched in cold sweat, and her face was pale, completely drained of color.

It was then that Zoe called. Summoning all her strength, Mia answered the phone. “Hello—”

“Sweetheart, it’s me,” Zoe said, her warm, gentle voice bringing a faint comfort. “I’ve taken care of all the paperwork for your move abroad. When are you planning to leave? I’ll book your flight.”

Mia lay on the floor, her eyelashes trembling. She wanted to say she would leave at sunrise. She couldn’t stand another minute here.

But after a full day of agony, her body felt completely drained of life. Even lifting a finger seemed impossible. In this condition, there was no way she could make it to the airport, let alone travel.

And showing up like this would only worry Zoe.

So, Mia forced herself to sound calm. “The night after tomorrow. The divorce will be finalized by then, and I’ll be ready to go.”

“Alright, I’ll book a flight for 7 p.m. the day after tomorrow. Just bring your passport to pick up the ticket at the airport.”