Chapter1

The woman my husband cherished most got divorced.

The day she returned happened to be my birthday.

Haley and I were vacationing on an island at the time.

But one call from Mia, and Haley’s expression changed.

After hanging up, Haley spoke without hesitation, “I have to go to the airport. I can’t stay for your birthday. Mia’s back.”

Mia, his childhood sweetheart.

They were supposed to marry right after graduation, but a family business crisis forced Mia into an arranged marriage, ending their long relationship.

But I knew Haley had never gotten over her.

My smile faded as I instinctively touched my stomach. “Could you see her tomorrow? I have a surprise for you today.”

The baby inside me was exactly three months old. I’d waited so long to tell him on my birthday.

But Haley’s smile quickly froze.

Leaning against the speedboat, he lit a cigarette impatiently. “Lola, you know I’ve never let her go. I told you that from the start; you chose to marry me.”

I fought back my unease. “Just one day, please…”

“Stop being unreasonable.”

Haley slowed the boat near the shore.

I didn’t move.

I lifted my chin defiantly.

“Is she really that important? Even after three years of marriage?”

“Yes!”

Without another word, Haley executed a sharp turn, swinging the cabin door open.

He grabbed me and hauled me up.

The icy seawater instantly surged past my knees.

“Swim back yourself.”

I was a strong swimmer, an advanced diver, but the cold water stabbed at my abdomen, making it hard to steady myself. I grabbed his arm frantically. “No, don’t go! My stomach hurts, Haley! I’m preg—”

“Still acting? Give it a rest!”

Haley shot me a cold look and shoved me away.

“You owe everything you have today to this face of yours.”

With that, Haley drove the speedboat away without a backward glance.

The engine’s roar echoed along the coast.

It was true. My face bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Mia’s.

Intense pain enveloped me.

I couldn’t stay upright.

Only steps from the shore, I began to sink.

The seawater swallowed me. I struggled desperately, but it was useless.

Cold, piercing, suffocating.

If he had just looked back, even once, he would have seen something was wrong.

But he didn’t.

The speedboat speeding away exposed his eagerness to see Mia.

As the water closed over my head, my heart died.

How stupid I was.

A little kindness from someone, and I’d repay it with my whole life.

Growing up with divorced parents, I was often bullied. It was Haley who stood in front of me, time and again.

Back then, I naively thought I was special.

Later, I realized it was only because I somewhat resembled Mia.

The woman he’d carried in his heart since childhood.

The day Mia was forced to marry, Haley drank himself into a stupor.

That was the night he grabbed me, always trailing behind him.

“I only have you now. Don’t leave me…”

One reckless night.

After that, I devoted myself entirely to him.

But Haley would often stare at Mia’s photos, lost in thought.

When his parents pressured him to marry, Haley simply married me.

I thought years of companionship meant I mattered to him.

Only now did I realize that to him, anyone besides Mia was just… anyone.

Chapter2

In the first year of our marriage, we had happy times too.

He’d bake me strawberry cake, buy me pretty dresses.

He even seemed to pay less attention to Mia.

I naively believed he was moving on.

Until news came that Mia had miscarried.

We were on vacation then, too. Just like now, he rushed off abroad without explanation, just to be with her through it.

Later, I saw a photo on Mia’s social media.

Sunset, a castle, two figures side by side.

The caption: So grateful you’re here.

Just like their over-a-decade-long companionship.

Mia was unhappy. After her miscarriage, her husband started staying out all night.

And Haley, that’s when he began flying abroad once a month.

With Mia, his life seemed to spark again.

“This strawberry cake is amazing, I’ll bring some back for you.”

In the photo, Mia held the strawberry cake, looking blissful and warm.

I thought about causing a scene, but how could I compete with their decade-plus history?

Sensing my sadness, Haley told me, “Mia and I are in the past. Don’t worry, you’ll always be my wife.”

He was probably having a tiff with Mia then.

His Instagram filled up with more and more pictures of us.

Until I discovered, not long ago, that those pictures were visible only to Mia.

We started fighting, again and again.

At first, he patiently coaxed me.

“Alright, alright. I just feel bad for her, she’s having a tough time. We’ve been friends for over a decade.”

But later, to pave the way for Mia’s return, the man who’d long neglected the company started attending business dinners.

Drinking himself sick, all to secure projects and resources for Mia.

Once, he even drank until his stomach hemorrhaged.

Mia called, and he said gently, “It’s nothing. I owe you. Just say the word, and I’ll lasso the moon for you.”

He never said such warm things to me.

I envied her. I was jealous. I felt inferior.

The more I protested, the more Haley stayed out all night.

The worst time, he was abroad for a full fortnight.

...he was nearly shipped to the Mexican border by Mia's cartel husband. I pulled every string to rescue him.

When bullets flew, he shielded Mia with his body. She walked away untouched, while a stray round grazed my face, almost took my jaw off.

Haley’s parents found out and said, “If you’d given him a child in three years of marriage, would his heart stray to others?”

They mocked me several times as a “barren hen.”

But they didn’t know Haley had low sperm count.

For Haley’s pride, I never told anyone. I secretly used herbal remedies to help treat him.

But back then, his heart was entirely on Mia.

To help Mia with her divorce lawsuit, Haley hired the best legal team in the country.

A feeling of utter powerlessness filled my heart.

If Mia divorced, wouldn’t the only obstacle left between them be… me?

That day, I begged Haley desperately not to go.

He flew into a rage.

“You don’t actually think marrying me gives you the right to control me?”

“You knew the whole story about us, how long we loved each other!”

“If you didn’t resemble her, do you think I’d have married you? Be grateful!”

Haley slammed the door and left.

Suffocating pain crashed over me.

I don’t know how long it took to regain my senses.

In the pouring rain, I stumbled outside.

I was like a stray dog with no owner, tears blurring my vision.

So much so that I didn’t see the car speeding from the corner.

Chapter3

When I woke, Haley was by the bed.

His handsome face was grim, unshaven, unusually haggard.

He gripped my hand tightly. “No more fighting, okay? It’s my fault. I said things that hurt you.”

“No matter how upset you are, you can’t jump into the river!”

“If that doctor hadn’t been passing by and saved you today, the consequences would have been—Too much to contemplate!”

So, his panic was because he thought I’d tried to drown myself.

I could tell he was genuinely scared.

Indescribable feelings, numb and sour.

I wanted to sob, but couldn’t utter a word. Closing my eyes, tears streamed down uncontrollably.

After crying for what felt like forever, I finally spoke with all my strength.

“Haley, let’s get a divorce.”

Since this day was inevitable, I might as well say it first.

Haley froze.

His face darkened.

“What nonsense are you talking?”

“Haley, I don’t want to stand between you and her. This is best for everyone.”

“Shut up!” His voice rose. “Can you stop being so dramatic?!”

Then, as if resigned, he sighed heavily.

“I just feel like I owe Mia from the past.”

“Be good. Once I help her sort out the divorce, I’ll cut contact, okay?”

“We’ll live well, have a cute little baby.”

That day, my tears broke like a dam.

He gently wiped my cheeks and kissed my forehead.

Then his phone rang. Haley paused, and under my gaze, still chose to step outside to answer it.

Just then, a nurse walked in with a report.

“Congratulations! You’re pregnant! You must take extra care of yourself now.”

“Hmm? Where’s your husband?”

Haley was deep in conversation in the hallway corner.

He didn’t notice my approach.

Shrouded in shadow, his expression was unusually tender.

“Yeah, she’s calmed down now.”

“Honestly, Lola’s like a lapdog. She can’t live without me, you know? She’d never really leave me. It’s all just talk, playing hard to get!”

“Once I handle things here, I’ll come pick you up.”

I stood in the corridor for a long time, until my hands and feet turned icy.

That positive pregnancy test result never reached him.

The following days, Haley was attentive.

He bought me strawberry cake.

Ordered me matcha lattes.

But these were Mia’s favorite flavors.

“Lola, once things settle, I’ll take you to the island resort, okay?”

“I promise, I won’t see her again.”

I knew it was all lies meant to placate me, yet I lacked the courage to push him away.

Even if he offered poison, someone as spineless as me would drink it willingly.

I was starved for love.

An alcoholic father, a timid mother.

Haley was the only light in my bleak life.

Like a drowning person clutching the last straw.

I nodded. “Okay. I’ll wait.”

Haley smiled, satisfied.

Then he left for abroad again without hesitation.

Different this time, he video-called me regularly.

Sent me little gifts.

Shared ocean views.

Perhaps too perfunctory, he didn’t notice—

In the reflection of the large villa window, a pair of women's shoes were visible, along with an empty box of condoms.

“Lola, wait for me to come back.”

So, keeping me pacified was just to buy more time with Mia.

I was… utterly foolish.

A month and a half later, Haley returned.

As a reward for my obedience, he took me to the longed-for island resort.

He took me speeding on a boat.

Waves crashed, seagulls soared.

Such a beautiful scene, but we could never go back.

The seawater completely engulfed me.