I woke up to find Joshua sitting on the living room sofa. I had no idea when he'd gotten back. I pretended not to see him and poured myself a glass of water.

"Here's the divorce agreement. Sign it." Joshua grabbed my wrist, pressing my hand onto the table without warmth. The bold words "Divorce Agreement" on the document were blinding. I yanked my hand away forcefully and looked up at him. Even though my heart had turned to stone, my eyes still burned with unshed tears.

I averted my gaze, my voice trembling. "Joshua, do you still remember what you told me on our wedding day five years ago?"

He let out a cold laugh, his tone cutting like ice. "You know I lost my memory. What's the point of asking?"

My hands trembled slightly. I glanced at the agreement, then slowly reached for the pen. Why was I moving so slowly? Time had passed too fast. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hold onto this five-year marriage.

Joshua thought I was stalling for time, so he frowned and looked furious. He grabbed my arm roughly and snapped, "Stop wasting time. I told you, I only love Zafrielle. Whether you sign it or not, this marriage is over."

He flung my hand away as if my touch disgusted him. I lost my balance. My elbow scraped against the table's edge before I stumbled backwards in panic.

Joshua watched coldly, making no move to help me. I panicked, trying to grab something to steady myself, but I grasped at the air and landed hard on the floor. My diamond ring scraped across my thigh, leaving a long, deep cut.

Blood gushed out instantly and pain followed a second later. I looked up at him, searching for even a flicker of concern in his eyes. There was none.

Yet before the accident, he had been the kind of man who would take over all the household chores just because I got a tiny cut while washing dishes. I bit my lower lip so hard it nearly bled. As the blood trickled down my leg, I couldn't understand—how could a person change so much overnight?

"Drop the act, Evelyn! Whether you sign or not, I'll take this to court. One more thing!" Joshua glared at my blood-soaked ring, his eyes cold. He yanked it off my finger, making me gasp in pain.

"This ring was meant for Zafrielle. You don't deserve it." Then, he threw the blood-stained ring straight into the trash.

I instinctively clutched my chest. At that moment, I couldn't tell which hurt more, my heart, leg, or hand. I sat in a daze as the nurse at the hospital bandaged my wound.

The blood on my hand hadn't even been wiped clean when a familiar voice pierced my ears. "Joshua, thank you. I really love this ring." It was Zafrielle.

Joshua reached out and ruffled her hair, his voice tender, just like the man he used to be. "Zafrielle, I'm sorry. It's all my fault for making you wait so long."

"It's okay, Joshua. As long as I have you. Sadly, I'll never be able to wear the unique ring you designed for me. I still like this one, though."

My heart clenched. I thought of the ring Joshua had thrown in the trash. Five years ago, he'd said it was designed for me. Had it all been a lie? Had I really stolen Joshua from her?

Joshua pulled Zafrielle into his arms and whispered with deep remorse, "I'm sorry. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

I bit down on my lip until it lost all color. Then, I ran. I was afraid that if I stayed a second longer, I would collapse. In the bathroom, I scrubbed my hands over and over until the blood was finally gone. I didn't know when Zafrielle appeared.

She leaned against the door with her arms folded, looking at me smugly. "Evelyn, give up. It's useless. Joshua has always loved me. Did you think he really loved you? He couldn't have me, so he used you as a substitute! You stole five years of my happiness. Be grateful you're getting away with it. The one who isn't loved is the real homewrecker."

I stared at her, her beautiful face twisted with malice. Without a word, I walked past her.

My indifference seemed to provoke her. "Evelyn, you bitch, what are you acting so high and mighty for? You're just a whore no one wants!"

I stopped, turned around and slapped her hard on the face. All the anger from the morning surged through me.

Zafrielle staggered back, clutching her cheek. Her elbow knocked a cup off the sink, spilling hot water onto her hand. Then, she cried out in pain.

I saw Joshua standing nearby, his face cold as ice. As he carried Zafrielle away, he leaned in close and spat a word into my ear. "Disgusting."

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palm, barely keeping myself upright. I couldn't believe it. The man who used to shower me with affection, who kissed me every night and whispered, "I love you," was now calling me disgusting.

In the coffee shop, I had just signed the fake death agreement Shawn handed me when Joshua's mother called. "Evelyn, you need to come back right away. I have something important to tell you."

My mother-in-law's tone was urgent. I didn't ask for details. After hanging up, I got ready to leave.

Shawn grabbed my arm, his face full of concern. "Evelyn, you've been exhausted lately. If you want, I can arrange for the fake death earlier."

I hesitated for a moment before shaking my head. "No need. Let's stick to the original plan."

There were 20 days left. That day happened to be the fifth anniversary of my marriage to Joshua. It seemed fitting for Evelyn's life to end on that day.

I drove straight to the Sinclair Family's residence. As soon as I walked in, I saw my mother-in-law arguing with Zafrielle in the living room. When she spotted me, her eyes lit up and she immediately called out, "Evelyn! You're finally here! This woman says Joshua wants to divorce you. Tell me, is it true?"

I frowned and looked coldly at Zafrielle. Her eyes were filled with arrogance and provocation. She didn't even flinch. Instead, she smirked and said, "Of course it's true. Auntie, I'll be your daughter-in-law from now on. Joshua loves me."

My mother-in-law clutched my hand tightly, her grip so strong it made my wrist ache. She looked at me desperately. "Evelyn, she's lying, right? Joshua loves you, doesn't he?"

"Mom, I … " I lowered my head, unsure what to say. For the past five years, my mother-in-law had treated me well. Of course, Joshua was also very good to me before.

Before the accident, no matter how hard I racked my brain, I never would have imagined that one day he'd treat me like this.

"Auntie, I told you, Joshua wants to divorce her. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you in the future." Zafrielle took my mother-in-law's arm, making herself at home.

"Let go of me! Stop talking nonsense! Joshua isn't that kind of person!" My mother-in-law yanked her hand away, her voice trembling with rage.

Zafrielle only looked more smug. "Joshua is crazy about me. He can't live without me."

"That's a lie!" My mother-in-law shouted, then suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed. Zafrielle froze, momentarily panicked. Then, as if afraid of getting involved, she quietly stepped back.

My mother-in-law has a heart condition and I was so nervous that my hands were shaking when I called 911. When I finished the call, I realized Zafrielle had slipped away. The paramedics arrived, but they couldn't save her despite their efforts. "I'm sorry for your loss," one of them said.

My phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. Joshua rushed in and Zafrielle was in his arms, crying as if she were the most devastated person in the world. Before his mother's body had even cooled, he slapped me across the face without a word. My head rang and I tasted the bitter tang of blood in my mouth. I looked up at him, my eyes filled with confusion.

"Zafrielle told me everything. You're the one who angered my mom to death! Evelyn, how could you be so cruel? Even if you don't want to divorce me, how could you come here and cause trouble? She had a heart condition, didn't you know that?"

Joshua's accusations felt like a cruel joke. I raised an eyebrow and looked at Zafrielle. She seemed guilty and avoided my gaze, lowering her head. My cheek burned; Joshua's slap had been forceful and it hurt. So hurt that the pain numbed my heart. At that moment, I truly wished Evelyn would die. I even wondered if Joshua would kick my corpse if I were the one who had died today. Did he really hate me that much?

"I don't want to argue with you in front of Mom. Don't worry, I'll sign the divorce papers after the funeral." How did I say those words?

Each one felt like a needle stabbing into me, but Joshua was like a beast smelling blood. His eyes were red with fury as he pointed at me and roared, "You have no right to attend my mother's funeral! You killed her!"

Tears slipped down my face, but he only wanted to hurt me more. "Get lost! You're not welcome here! With you around, my mom won't rest in peace!"

I curled my lips into a bitter smile, grabbed my coat and turned to leave. Before stepping out, I glanced back at him and Zafrielle. The whole world felt eerily quiet. I said, "Joshua, I had nothing to do with Mom's death. It was Zafrielle who provoked her. I know you won't believe me, but I still had to say it."

After saying that, I turned around and walked away very quickly. I was afraid of hearing anything I couldn't bear from Joshua again.

Just as the doctor said, the car accident had severely damaged his nerves. He was now a simple-minded creature, blindly believing Zafrielle. Her words were gospel to him and anything I said was just a calculated scheme.

Joshua hadn't come home for days. He was probably busy with his mother's funeral. I saw Zafrielle's social media posts – fragmented images of him and her, looking fragile. It was like a scene from a movie, so beautiful. I laughed bitterly and tapped Zafrielle's profile, selecting "blocked." I was choosing to exit their movie.

I started packing at home, removing all the reminders of the happy times Joshua and I had shared from my world. Gifts I'd given him, gifts he'd given me – I packed them all up, ready to throw them away. Those memories meant nothing to Joshua anymore. If he saw them, he'd probably feel disgusted.

The door burst open with a bang. Joshua stumbled in, reeking of alcohol. He walked straight toward me and grabbed my throat. "Evelyn! How long are you going to keep harassing me? Isn't killing my mother enough for you?"

I managed a weak smile, my eyes stinging and tried to pull away. Joshua looked down and saw a heart-shaped pendant in my hand. It was a gift he'd given me for our first wedding anniversary. The pendant was filled with crimson liquid, which was Joshua's heart blood that he put in to prove his love for me. He once held this pendant and told me, "I will love you forever, until the day I die."

He let go of me, frowning slightly and picked up the pendant. His reaction was strange. I couldn't help but ask, "Do you remember?"

Joshua clenched the pendant, a low groan escaping him. "Evelyn, what trick are you playing now? Why does my heart hurt so much when I see this?"

I suddenly laughed, laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face. So, even if a person loses their memories, their body will still remember. His heart still ached. I held my sore throat and said mockingly, "Joshua, even your heart knows how to lie?"

"What do you mean?" Joshua stared at me coldly. Just then, his phone rang. It was Zafrielle.

"Joshua, my stomach feels a little uncomfortable. When are you coming back?"

"I'll be right there."

As she spoke, Zafrielle caught sight of the pendant in his hand. Her voice suddenly sharpened. "Joshua, that pendant ... that pendant … "

"What is it?" Joshua asked, his voice tense.

"Joshua, don't you remember? That pendant, I gave it to you. The blood inside is mine."

I staggered, barely catching myself on the wall. Joshua glanced at me blankly and said, "Zafrielle, I'm on my way!"

He hung up and turned to me, his eyes filled with cold disgust. "Evelyn, just how many of my memories with Zafrielle have you stolen? How can a woman be as vicious as you?"

He looked at me one last time, his eyes bloodshot with hatred. "You're faking your stomach pain too, aren't you? Evelyn, just stop. I won't fall for your tricks again."

He slammed the door shut, the sound echoing through the house. I couldn't hold on any longer. I slid down the wall, the pain overwhelming me and blacked out. The stomach disease that had not occurred for several years under Joshua's gentle care acted up again without any warning. Just like Joshua's love, it came and went as it pleased.