Ariel left the clinic and walked slowly through the snow back to the family housing compound. When she reached the entrance, she found Remi standing there, his brow furrowed.

"Where were you?" His tone softened slightly. "Are you really not feeling well?"

He wanted to be angry, but her face was so pale that she really did look sick.

Ariel's voice came out flat. "Yes. You pushed me to the ground yourself just now. Don't you remember?"

Only then did Remi recall bumping into her earlier.

"I'm sorry. I was in too much of a rush. Are you hurt?"

Ariel didn't answer. Instead, she asked, "How's Ella's baby?"

"He's fine, thank heavens. That could have been a life lost."

Remi took a deep breath and stepped closer, his tone turning gentle. "Don't be so impulsive anymore, okay? The baby's so small. How could you bring yourself to hurt him?"

Ariel looked up at the man in front of her. He suddenly felt like a stranger.

"Is that who you think I am? What if I told you Ella deliberately held the baby out for me to hit? Would you believe me?"

"Ariel!" Remi's expression darkened instantly. "Stop slandering Ella. It's been three years. Why are you still like this?"

Just as she had expected, he didn't believe her.

She remembered when Ella first came to the house three years ago. Ella deliberately poured boiling water on herself and claimed Ariel did it.

Later, at the supply cooperative, Ella fell down the stairs and said Ariel tripped her. Once, Ella even stabbed herself with scissors and sobbed that Ariel tried to kill her.

It went on and on, accusation after accusation, and every time, Remi took Ella's side. Ariel thought things would be different after they remarried, but nothing had changed.

She was exhausted.

"Remi, you said you'd agree to a divorce. Does that still stand?"

Hearing her mention divorce again, Remi hurried to placate her. "Ariel, you're eight months pregnant. Why are you talking about divorce? What I said earlier was just talk. Don't take it to heart. I'm not divorcing you."

Ariel shot back, "Aren't you afraid your son will be called illegitimate?"

Remi stiffened. "I just don't want to divorce you. You're the only person I've ever loved. With Ella, it's only responsibility. Franklin and I served together. We were brothers. Before he died, he asked me to take care of her. I can't abandon her. She has depression. You know that."

Ariel laughed suddenly. "She has depression, so she sleeps with you? Has a baby with you? Remi, is there any line you won't cross for her?"

Of course Ariel knew Ella had depression. Three years ago, Ella's depression was the reason things had escalated to divorce.

After Ella's husband, Franklin Shepherd, died, Remi brought her into their home. During that time, Ella wouldn't allow Remi to have any physical contact with Ariel.

She forbade them from holding hands, hugging, or kissing. They couldn't even sleep in the same bed.

Whenever Remi ignored her, Ella would threaten suicide or hurt herself. Eventually, Remi spent more and more time with her. He even started spending nights in her room.

Ariel became jealous. She fought with him. But he brushed it off with a casual, "Franklin was my best friend. She's the person he cared about the most. I don't have a choice. Can't you understand?"

She kept enduring it until she walked in on them having sex in her own bed. That was when she finally couldn't take it anymore and demanded a divorce.

Three years later, he still thought he could use the same excuse to justify cheating. The thought made her sick.

"After the baby's born, I won't touch her again. If you don't like it, I can keep him away from here. We don't have to raise him together…"

The moment Remi finished speaking, the woman standing not far away burst into tears. "Remi, do you really mean that? You're going to abandon me and our son, aren't you?"

Ella stood there in thin clothing, looking frail, as if she might collapse at any moment. "I understand. I'll take the baby and disappear. We won't show up in front of you ever again."

Ella ran off crying. Remi frowned and started to follow her, but Ariel grabbed his arm.

Her voice shook as she begged him one last time. "Remi, don't go."

"Ariel, I'm sorry. I'm afraid something will happen to her."

Remi hesitated for a moment before pulling his arm free and chasing after Ella without looking back. Ariel stared at her empty hand. Her heart died completely.

If he truly couldn't let Ella go, then she'd keep the child and get rid of him.

Ariel went home alone. After packing most of her things, she went to see the legal advisor who lived near the family housing compound.

"Mrs. Callahan, didn't Mr. Callahan already pick up the divorce papers?"

Ariel froze. She didn't understand what he meant.

"What are you talking about?"

"Mr. Callahan came this morning and asked me to draft divorce papers as quickly as possible. He said he wanted to divorce you. He just picked up the documents a little while ago.

"I thought it was strange, actually. Three years ago, Mr. Callahan swore he'd never divorce you again…"

Ariel laughed. Earlier today, he said he wouldn't divorce her. Then he turned around and had the lawyer draft divorce papers.

The irony was almost funny.

After a long silence, Ariel finally spoke. "I see."

When she got home, Ariel broke down. She looked at the photo album by the bed.

In the photograph, Remi wore his dress uniform, looking proud and handsome. She wore a floral blouse, her face lit up with happiness. That smile broke her heart now.

She grabbed scissors and shredded their wedding photo, tearing it to pieces before hurling the scraps toward the door. At that moment, the door swung open and Remi appeared in the doorway.

The frame hit him square in the chest, and the wedding photo fell to the floor. He looked down at the destroyed image and silently bent to pick it up.

"Ariel."

He stepped inside, and only then did Ariel see the woman behind him. Just like three years ago, Remi had brought Ella back into their home.

She held the baby, speaking carefully. "Remi, talk to Ariel properly. Don't fight because of me."

She followed the housekeeper to the room she used to occupy.

"I was planning to let Ella stay at the clinic, but since you already know, I don't want to leave her there alone anymore."

Remi set the photo down and walked over to Ariel, his tone gentle. "Thankfully, the baby's okay. Ella knows you didn't mean to hurt him, and she's willing to forgive you. Ariel, promise me you won't do anything to hurt the child again, okay?"

Ariel looked at him without saying a word. He fell silent for a moment before pulling out the divorce papers.

"Ariel, Ella doesn't have any ulterior motives. She just wants the baby to have a proper celebration for his first month, so can we divorce temporarily?

"We'll remarry right after the celebration. One month at most, and once our baby is born, I'll remarry you immediately."

Ariel glanced at the signature line. Remi had already signed.

In that instant, she didn't feel sad or lost. She only felt relieved.

"Fine." She picked up a pen and signed her name.

This was the second time she signed divorce papers with Remi Callahan. She swore there would never be a third.

He wanted her to remarry him? In his dreams.

"Ariel, you're so wonderful." Remi clutched the signed papers excitedly, moving to embrace her.

She stepped back quietly. "Go show it to Ella. She must be thrilled."

"That's my Ariel. Always so generous and kind! I'll go show her right now."

Remi hurried out of the room. As Ariel watched his retreating back, a mocking smile played on her lips.

"Remi Callahan, don't you know? When a woman stops caring about you, it means she doesn't love you anymore."

That night, Remi didn't come back to their room. Around midnight, Ariel woke up with a violent cramp in her thigh.

She dragged herself out of bed and struggled down the hall to Ella's room, hoping to find Remi.

She raised her hand to knock. "Remi, my leg's cramping. Can you…"

Before she could finish, she heard a woman's breathless voice from inside.

"Remi…"

"Shh, Ella. Keep it down. You'll wake the baby."

Ariel froze. The cramp spread through her thigh in waves. But the pain in her chest hurt worse than anything physical.

Through the wooden door, she could hear everything. Each sound hit her like a hammer blow straight to her heart.

She stared at the ceiling. Her mind drifted back to the early stages of her pregnancy.

Her body had been weak back then. She threw up constantly during those first months and barely slept at night, always running outside to throw up.

Every time she got sick, Remi would get up immediately and follow her out. He'd rub her back gently, his eyes full of concern. "Ariel, if I'd known pregnancy would be this hard on you, I'd rather we never had children at all."

Later, in the third trimester, she started getting cramps. When she couldn't move in the middle of the night, he'd patiently massage her legs for her.

For eight months, he'd done this day and night without complaint. But now, he wasn't by her side. He was with another woman, making love to her.

"Remi, I'm so happy! I can finally marry you. Even if it's only for a month, I'm completely satisfied."

"I'm sorry for putting you through this. I promise I'll take good care of you and the baby from now on."

"Remi, I love you. I love you!"

The sounds continued. The pain in Ariel's leg gradually eased.

She slumped to the floor as if all the strength had been drained from her body. She admitted she was completely defeated. But she was also grateful she could still walk away.

In the days that followed, Remi and Ella grew bolder. At meals, Remi would serve her food. During breaks, they'd sit together in the courtyard, laughing and talking under the sun. At night, intimate sounds always drifted from Ella's room.

Ariel ignored all of it. She quietly packed her things, contacted her parents down south, and bought a train ticket to leave.

She thought she could get through this peacefully until the divorce was final. But Ella clearly wasn't satisfied with that.

One evening, Ariel sat by the pond in a small chair, knitting a sweater for the baby. She was in good spirits. Tomorrow was the day she'd get her divorce papers, so today was her last day in the Callahan residence.

Though apparently, even the last day couldn't pass in peace.

Ella suddenly appeared in front of her with the baby. "You're in such a good mood, Ms. Slater! You're about to divorce the Commander and you can still sit here looking so content?

"Actually, I knew you were outside the door that night. I wanted you to know just how good things are between me and Remi now. I love him, and he loves me! He said he wants to devour me in bed. As for you, he said you're boring and rigid. He doesn't like you at all.

"Oh, and tomorrow is my son's one-month celebration. You'll be there to congratulate us, won't you? After all, you're the child's stepmother!"