I divided the dishes among the neighbors, leaving only a small portion for myself to finish the tasteless meal.

Meanwhile, Dimitri frequently updated his social media with a new caption: [After returning from a business trip, I’m enjoying my favorite juicy steak. Indeed, life is good!]

In the photo, a juicy steak and a spread of sides were laid out, with half a figure visible across the table.

I instantly recognized it as Aphrodite.

The crystal bracelet on her wrist was the one I had chosen for her.

Aphrodite was never good with spicy food but was willing to join her childhood friend at Seasons Steakhouse.

Yet when I accidentally added too much chili to my cooking, she always set down her spoon and fork with a cold expression.

After dinner, Aphrodite went on to ride the Ferris wheel with Dimitri.

[When we reach the top of the Ferris wheel, we can be together forever.]

I turned off social media, tossed my phone aside and started packing my clothes.

My emotions slowly settled, no longer so shaken.

On the other hand, Aphrodite returned late that night. She carried the mixed scent of Dimitri’s cologne.

“I forgot to bring this back for you; it’s a gift I got on my trip,” she said, tossing me a small gift box.

Inside was a tie.

I instantly recognized it, the one Dimitri wore in his wedding photo.

I placed the tie back in the box and tossed it into the trash.

“I don’t want secondhand things,” I said calmly. “By the way, the wedding you organized for him was quite extravagant.”

Aphrodite’s expression darkened when she saw me throw away the gift. She was about to scold me but froze at my words.

“You know about that?” There was a hint of panic in her voice, but she quickly composed herself.

“I’ve known Dimitri since we were kids. He’s never been in a relationship and he just wanted to know what it’s like to be a groom. I had the time, so I helped him organize a wedding,” she explained casually. “But nothing happened between us; you don’t need to overthink it.”

I suddenly found her unfamiliar.

While dating, Aphrodite had always set clear boundaries, never overstepping with other men.

But now, she could casually admit to organizing a wedding for another man.

This was the woman I had loved for ten years.

I felt my eyes moisten, so I tightly shut them before speaking calmly. “Aphrodite, let’s get a divorce.”

She stared at me in disbelief, as if she hadn’t heard me right.

“What did you say? Divorce? Samuel, you’ve lost your mind! It was just a wedding. Why are you being so petty?” Her voice carried a thin edge of anger.

“I’ll get a lawyer to draft the divorce papers. You just need to sign them,” I replied, my eyes opening as my feelings for her quickly faded.

“You’re simply unreasonable!” she spat, slamming the door as she stormed out. I didn’t get up to follow.

The next afternoon, Aphrodite called, her tone cold. “Bring the document from the living room to my office. I need it this afternoon.”

She hung up without waiting for my response.

When I arrived at her office building, I headed straight to her office.

The door wasn’t fully closed and as I approached, I heard laughter and light conversation from inside.

“Aphrodite, try this orange; it’s super sweet!”

“Haha! Got you!”

“You little rascal.”

“Aphrodite, how do you keep falling for this? You’re such a little fool!”

I stood by the door, silently watching the scene unfold in front of me.

Dimitri was leaning close to Aphrodite, holding a few slices of orange, laughing joyfully.

Aphrodite glanced up at him with a helpless smile, her hand resting lightly on his waist in an intimate gesture.

Disappointment weighed heavy in my chest.

After taking a steady breath, I knocked on the door, my face blank.

Dimitri jumped, startled, quickly stepping away from Aphrodite’s side.

When he saw it was me, he relaxed and let out a sheepish laugh.

“Samuel, it’s you! Don’t get the wrong idea; I was just joking around with Aphrodite.”

His tone was casual, but his eyes flashed with subtle provocation.

Aphrodite rubbed her forehead with a soft smile, her gaze lingering on Dimitri.

“You’re still such a kid, even now,” she said with a playful sigh, her eyes full of affection.

“Boys will be boys forever,” he teased, grinning back at her.

Dimitri, without a second thought, placed his hand on Aphrodite’s head, laughing as they playfully bickered.

The two of them seemed to be putting on quite the performance in front of me.

Surprisingly, a wave of calm washed over me.

I set the documents down and met Aphrodite’s gaze.

“You two are a perfect match. Truly made for each other,” I said quietly.

“Samuel, you—” Aphrodite’s face flushed with anger at my coldness.

“Samuel, it’s my fault. I won’t let this happen again! Please, don’t be mad at Aphrodite! She’s already under so much pressure at work, don’t make things harder for her!” Dimitri jumped in, his voice pitiful, eyes faintly red, though his words easily placed all the blame on me.

“Dimitri, don’t blame yourself…” Aphrodite murmured, her voice soft as she wrapped an arm around him, trying to comfort him.

I couldn’t bear to waste any more emotions on the two of them. Without another word, I turned and left the office.

Straightaway, I went to the city’s top law firm and hired a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement.

Aphrodite’s love had turned bitter and I wasn’t the center of her world anymore.

If that was the case, it was best to walk away.

To avoid complications, I chose to leave with nothing.

After the meeting, I headed home, only to stumble across Dimitri's latest social media post.

A picture of a red property deed caught my eye.

Dimitri's smug caption read, [Had a bad day due to some misunderstanding, but someone generously gifted me a house! All is good now! Still secretly happy today!]

A wave of coldness washed over me as I smirked sarcastically.

Aphrodite was indeed generous, giving away an entire house.

After all, they already had a wedding; what’s a house compared to that?

I let out a bitter chuckle.

In our seven years of marriage, Aphrodite had never once mentioned putting any property in my name.

But then again, her things were never mine to claim.

Aphrodite and I had met in college. She was outgoing and bright, bringing warmth to my introverted world.

I had mustered the courage to pursue her and it took a long time before she fell in love with me.

After graduation, driven by her ambition, Aphrodite began building her business while I supported her unconditionally.

Eventually, we married and created a warm home together.

Her business flourished and her net worth doubled, allowing us to live a sweet life.

But everything shifted when her childhood friend, Dimitri, returned.

Aphrodite began to change.

My phone’s lock screen still displayed a photo of us, our faces close together, smiling innocently.

I decided to change the picture.

Then my phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message from my senior.

[Samuel, happy birthday! You’re another year older, stay happy!]

[I ordered a cake for you, so make sure you get it! Looking forward to reuniting with you on the volunteer team!]

My senior, two years ahead, was passionate about charity work and we always got along well.

My nose tingled with emotion as I glanced at the calendar, realizing today was my birthday.

Even I had forgotten.

The doorbell rang and the cake my senior had ordered arrived.

Inside was a card.

Aphrodite had always been the one to celebrate my birthdays, but ever since Dimitri returned, she had overlooked the day.

Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I began to eat the cake.

A message from Dimitri popped up on my phone.

It was a photo of a sunset by the sea, with Aphrodite clinging to his waist, leaning on his shoulder.

[Samuel, I mentioned wanting to see the sunset and Aphrodite brought me here without a second thought. Don’t worry, we’ll be back soon!]

As I sat in lonely silence, my birthday was spent while my wife watched the sunset with another man.

"Have fun," I replied indifferently.

Near midnight, Aphrodite returned, helping a drunken Dimitri stumble through the door.

He reeked of alcohol, slinging his arm around her shoulder, his eyes bleary and unfocused.

Aphrodite, filled with tenderness, carefully supported him as he swayed.

Noticing my cold gaze, she instinctively began to explain, "Dimitri doesn’t handle alcohol well, but he insisted on drinking. I didn’t think it was safe for him to be home alone, so I brought him back. Please don’t mind it."

I scoffed inwardly. A grown man like Dimitri? What was there to worry about?

But I kept my expression neutral, responding calmly, "It’s fine, I don’t care."

My indifferent attitude only provoked Aphrodite’s temper, darkening her expression.

"Aphrodite, you’re so good to me..." Dimitri suddenly leaned down, laughing and captured her lips in a deep kiss.

Aphrodite stiffened, her eyes darting nervously toward me, afraid I’d get jealous or misunderstand.

But I had already turned and walked into the bedroom.

Dimitri was using his drunkenness as an excuse to be intimate with Aphrodite right in front of me, deliberately trying to provoke me.

I clearly saw the challenge in his eyes, masked by his act, as he smirked in my direction.

Fortunately, I no longer felt any pain.

After settling Dimitri in the guest room, Aphrodite came to the master bedroom, clearly trying to say something.

I simply placed the divorce papers in front of her.

"Remember to sign."

Aphrodite was taken aback, her expression shifting from confusion to anger as the reality sank in.

"I won’t divorce! Samuel, stop making trouble, okay? Dimitri is just a kid. Why are you competing with him? I’ve already explained it! Do I have to beg on my knees for you to stop this nonsense?"

I looked at Aphrodite, choosing not to argue anymore as I put away the divorce agreement.

“I’m going to rest now. Please leave,” I said quietly.

She snorted heavily and slammed the door behind her.

The next day, Aphrodite returned home early from work, arms laden with groceries.

“Samuel, I’ve thought about it seriously. I realize I’ve been neglecting you these past few days. Today, I’ll cook. You can finally taste my cooking!”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me, catching me off guard.

Had she noticed the change in my attitude and begun to reflect on herself?

She let me settle on the couch to watch TV, placing a plate of washed fruit in front of me.

With a quick kiss on my cheek, she hurried into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

A wave of confusion washed over me, mixed with unexpected emotion.

How long had it been since she had kissed me or cooked a meal for me?

Ever since Dimitri had returned, it felt like a barrier had formed between us.

Maybe she truly understood my efforts and wanted to return to the way things used to be.

For a moment, my resolve to leave wavered.

The doorbell rang and when I opened it, there stood Dimitri, gifts in hand.

“Samuel, today I spent the whole day persuading Aphrodite to make it up to you. Don’t be angry anymore!” he said cheerfully, strutting into the house. He immediately made his way to the kitchen to help out.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place. The glimmer of hope that had sparked within me was instantly extinguished.

Dimitri and Aphrodite busied themselves in the kitchen, their laughter echoing throughout the house.

Through the glass, I caught glimpses of the soft, affectionate way Aphrodite looked at him. At that moment, I felt more like a guest in my own home.

At the dinner table, Aphrodite made several attempts to engage and draw me into conversations with Dimitri, but I showed little interest.

It was clear that only Dimitri and she shared a lively connection.

After dinner, Aphrodite volunteered to wash the dishes, leaving me alone with Dimitri.

Not wanting to continue the charade, I stood up, ready to head to the bedroom.

But Dimitri called out to me, smiling as he held up a property certificate. “Samuel, you probably already know that Aphrodite bought me a house.”

He spoke lightly, looking at me like a victorious general.

I froze for a moment but quickly masked my feelings with a smile. “Well, congratulations then.”

Dimitri, dissatisfied with my response, shot me a disdainful glance. “Talking to you is so dull. But I have something else that might interest you.”

He smiled provocatively, pulling out a jade pendant.

My eyes widened in shock. That was my grandmother’s keepsake.

“How did it end up with you?” I asked, reaching out to grab it, but he dodged my hand.

“I found it in your bedroom. I thought it was special, so Aphrodite gave it to me,” he explained, twirling it in his hand casually, a malicious grin spreading across his face. “You didn’t know, did you? Aphrodite and I were... quite intimate in your bed.”

Rage surged through me, accompanied by a wave of nausea.

“If we get into a fight, who do you think Aphrodite will side with?” His voice dripped with smug confidence as he pressed down on the pendant.

A bad feeling gripped me and I lunged to snatch it from him.

“Give it back—”

He let go and the jade pendant hit the floor, shattering into pieces. My last shred of sanity snapped. I slapped Dimitri hard across the face.

“Samuel, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed, repeatedly apologizing.

I scrambled frantically to piece together the shattered pendant, but it was impossible.

Aphrodite rushed out at the commotion, only to find a tear-streaked, red-faced Dimitri and me looking like a madman.

Furious, she stormed over, grabbed my arm and slapped me across the face.

“You lunatic! Dimitri came to apologize to you in person today. Not only did you not appreciate it, but you even hit him!” she thundered.

My bloodshot eyes fixed on her, filled with confusion and anger.

She tenderly helped Dimitri to his feet, ready to take him to the hospital.

In a fit of rage, I pounced on Dimitri, punching and kicking him while crying, demanding he compensate me for the broken jade pendant.

Aphrodite rushed over and violently shoved me away, sending me crashing into the wall as a wave of pain swept through my body.

“If you keep acting crazy, don’t blame me for not holding back! Let’s go, Dimitri!” she shouted, her voice sharp with fury.

She carefully supported Dimitri as they hurried out the door.

Through my tears, Dimitri threw me a smug smile as they left, sealing my heartbreak.

I knelt to pick up the pieces of the shattered jade pendant, placing them in a box, each fragment a reminder of what I had lost.

Tears streamed down my face and it felt like my heart had died.

Aphrodite didn’t come home that night.

I sat numbly, holding my luggage, waiting for dawn to break.

Before heading to the airport, I left the divorce papers behind, placing the house keys on them.

It was over between me and Aphrodite, once and for all.