Winston returned at 8:00 pm. He brought the strawberry cake Kayla loved the most.

He walked in, spreading his arms wide toward her.

Kayla was on the couch.

"Kay, I'm home."

Winston wrapped her in his arms, pressing his face into her neck and inhaling deeply as if he couldn't get enough of her scent.

Suddenly, he lifted his head. "You're not feeling well, are you?"

Winston had a keen sense. He must've picked up on the faint trace of hospital antiseptic on her.

Kayla gave a slight smile. "It's nothing. I caught a cold, so I went to the hospital for some medicine. It's nothing serious."

Winston headed straight for the kitchen. It didn't take long before he returned, holding a warm cup of ginger tea with honey he'd made himself.

"I should've looked after you better," he said, looking at her with a broken heart. "It's gotten chilly, and I didn't do enough to look after you."

Then, he looked over his shoulder and told the butler to stoke the fireplace.

Kayla took a few small sips of the tea and set it down. She wasn't in the mood for it.

Winston pulled out a small box, almost as if he were offering her something precious. Inside lay a beautifully crafted white gold, diamond-studded barrette, its shine catching the light.

"Let me put this on you." He carefully slid the barrette into her hair, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before pulling her into a passionate hug. "I knew it. It fits you perfectly."

Kayla noticed a bright kiss mark on the inside of his collar. She didn't bring it up or question him.

Instead, she looked up at him. "I've got a gift for you, too."

"Really?" Winston's eyes sparkled like a kid who'd been promised candy.

Kayla hummed and nodded. "Not today, but in a few days. I want it to be a surprise."

Winston buried his face in her shoulder again and nodded. "Sure, Kay—whatever you say."

Kayla glanced at her handbag and gave a wry smile. Her diagnosis report lay quietly inside.

"Winston, I hope you'll like this surprise when the time comes," she thought.

Winston was already dressed for work when Kayla woke up the next morning.

She knitted her brow, rubbing her eyes. She'd been sleeping longer each day since her diagnosis. Perhaps someday, she'd fall asleep and never wake up again.

Winston was completely oblivious.

Noticing she was awake, he leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. "Sorry, did I wake you? Go back to sleep if you're still tired. I'll tell everyone not to bother you. I'm off to work now. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

After Winston left, Kayla got out of bed to freshen up.

The memory of the kiss mark she'd seen on him last night made her stomach turn. She rubbed the spot on her forehead where he'd just kissed her until her skin turned red.

While having breakfast, Kayla checked the news on her phone, as she always did. Entertainment news wasn't really her thing, but one headline grabbed her attention—it was about Tiffany and a new drama.

Tiffany was not famous or had any notable roles, yet she landed the lead role over several other top actresses.

The Facebook community roasted her, accusing her of shamelessly using her connections to get ahead.

Tiffany wasn't backing down. She put up a gutsy post. "Yeah, my man's loaded and got my back. Anyone got an issue with that?"

She posted a picture of an extravagantly dressed man putting a diamond necklace around her neck. The diamonds shone brilliantly. The man's face was hidden, but his hands had defined knuckles.

Kayla knew it was Winston as soon as she saw the watch he was wearing. It was the one she gave him for his birthday last year. She frowned a little and suddenly lost her appetite.

After breakfast, Kayla decided not to call the driver. Instead, she took a cab alone to Southhill, home to the largest cemetery in Amethyst City.

Her parents were long gone, and with no family left, she had to handle her final resting place.

A cemetery staff greeted her and handed her a hot cup of coffee. "No problem. We have plenty of plots available. If you don't mind me asking, Ms. Greenfield, is this for an older relative?"

Kayla shook her head. "No, it's for me."

The staff froze in disbelief.

Kayla ended up selecting a plot with great sun exposure. The winters in Amethyst City were brutal, and she didn't want to be stuck shivering underground when she was gone.

After taking care of everything, Kayla returned to Atwood Villa. Upon entering, she caught sight of Winston's shoes in the entryway.

"He's back?" she asked casually.

The butler hesitated. "Yes, Mrs. Atwood. Mr. Atwood's home. His coworker gave him a lift. He's in the bedroom now."

"His coworker?"

The butler nodded. "Yeah, a young lady."

Kayla paused, then quickly collected herself. "Got it. You can go now."

After sending the household staff away, she stood by the door to the bedroom she shared with Winston.

Tiffany's sweet and syrupy voice drifted out from inside. "Oh, stop it. Be gentle, or you'll hurt the baby."

Winston chuckled, his voice deep. "Guess this is your fault for seducing me. Come here, let me get a better look…"

Next came a series of sounds that were hard to bear.

That was Kayla and Winston's bedroom, but he was making out with Tiffany inside.

Kayla stood by the door, feeling her blood run cold from head to toe. The coldness stung, and it felt like her heart was being torn in two.

She wasn't sure how long it had been, but Winston finally pulled away from Tiffany, looking pleased.

Tiffany grabbed the barrette Kayla had left on the bedside table and pouted at Winston. "Win, you've given her such a nice thing. I want something, too."

Winston's expression hardened, and he snatched the barrette from her hand. "Don't go after what's not yours. You can have anything else, but not this."

Kayla overheard him outside the door and found it painfully ironic. Just moments ago, Winston was all over Tiffany, but now he acted like a devoted husband.

Kayla wondered where his heart truly lay. She knocked, and suddenly, the room went quiet.

"Who's that?" Winston asked, acting like nothing had happened.

"It's me," Kayla said flatly.

She heard quick footsteps coming closer, and the door flew open.

"Kay?" Winston took her hand, his face full of concern. "Where have you been?"

"M-Mrs. Atwood." Tiffany looked startled.

Before Kayla could ask anything, Winston casually introduced Tiffany. "This is someone I work with. I drank way too much tonight with a client and couldn't drive. She was heading the same way, so she gave me a ride."

Kayla looked up at him. "Is that so?"

As soon as she walked into the bedroom, she noticed everything—the messy sheets beneath the blanket, Winston's shirt buttoned up wrong, and the fresh scratch on his inner forearm.

Every little detail shouted his betrayal in her face.

Winston's eyes met Kayla's, and he froze. He couldn't place it, but something felt different about her.

"Yeah," he replied, pulling her into his arms. "I passed up all their invites so I could be back with you sooner."

"Mr. Atwood, you've had quite a few drinks. How about I whip you up a hangover remedy?" Tiffany suggested.

Kayla glanced over her shoulder and caught Tiffany giving her an unmistakable look of provocation.

Winston shot Tiffany a cold stare. "That's not needed. Why are you still sticking around?"

Tiffany's expression stiffened, her voice laced with hurt. "S-Sorry for interrupting. I'll go now."

She grabbed her purse and hurried out, her steps heavy with frustration.

Kayla watched Winston. He was holding her, but his eyes followed Tiffany as she walked away.

"I'm tired. I'm heading for a shower," she said, pulling away from Winston. She stopped at the sight of the bed. "Get the housekeeper to change these sheets."

Winston looked flustered.

"They smell like alcohol from you. I won't be able to sleep peacefully," she added.

Winston breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Okay."

Kayla couldn't sleep a wink that night. The thought of Winston and Tiffany having sex in their bed made her stomach churn.

The day after, she found something even more repulsive.

Winston headed to work like usual in the morning, and Kayla started packing her things.

Suddenly, her phone lit up with a message from Tiffany. "Ms. Greenfield, we need to talk."

Kayla thought about ignoring it, but Tiffany wouldn't stop messaging her.

"I'm sure you can tell by now, right? Win and I are more than just friends."

"He's totally into me, and there's no room for you in his life."

"It'd be better for everyone if you just stepped aside."

"I bet you didn't know this, but when you came home yesterday, he was all over me, begging for sex."

Next, Kayla received several photos of them getting it on in the bedroom, the car, and the office. She felt so sick that she bolted to the bathroom and threw up until she could barely see straight.

Her condition had gotten worse. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and stumbled back to the bedroom.

Kayla's gaze landed on the white gold, diamond-studded barrette resting on the bedside table, and she teared up.

Winston's love for her burned like fireworks—unpredictable and gone too soon. All the others saw were the beautiful sparks, while she was the only one close enough to see the ashes they left behind.

Kayla picked up her phone and called the auction house. "Hello, I've got something I'd like to donate."

Winston didn't even bother to come back today.

As the night settled in, he called Kayla to say there was an issue at a branch in another city and that he had to hurry off. His tone was earnest, and every word seemed to carry an apology.

"Sorry, Kay. It all happened too quickly, and I didn't get to talk to you in person. Once I'm back, I'll take two weeks off to be with you, okay? I'll bring you a little something soon. Stay home and wait for me. Love you."

Kayla listened to his sweet, affectionate words while reading Tiffany's messages, and a wry smile crossed her face.

Tiffany shared pictures of herself and Winston at a resort in the nearby city. He held her in his arms, his hand resting on her thigh, covered in stockings. He seemed like he couldn't wait a second longer.

"Kayla, it must be hard waiting alone at home. Look at your husband—he got all the moves," Tiffany texted.

Winston grew impatient on the other end of the line when Kayla stayed silent. "Kay?"

Kayla wondered if he was in a hurry to get off the phone so he could jump into bed with Tiffany.

"I hear you," she said quietly before hanging up.

Her heart had been broken too many times to care now, and she thought maybe this was for the best.

She looked around the room, then placed the diagnosis report into the gift box she'd gotten ready. By the time Winston got home, she'd be gone without a trace.

"Mrs. Atwood, are you really sure you want to burn all of this?" The butler and housekeepers stared at her, shocked.

"Yes, everything," Kayla said, tossing a photo album into the fire.

The flames flicked at the glossy prints, and before long, the photos were reduced to ash, drifting weightlessly into the air.

Kayla and Winston had gotten that photo album when they were dating. It held all their memories, from their dating days to their life after marriage.

Every photo they'd taken and kept in it was a treasured memory for them.

The two of them used to go through the pages, saying that someday, when they were older, they'd show their grandkids the album and tell them about their love story.

Nobody knew exactly when, but it had been long since the album got any new photos.

Kayla watched everything turn to ash and smoke, feeling the part of her heart that held everything related to Winston fade, leaving nothing but an empty void.

But it barely mattered since she didn't need it anymore.

Kayla went to the hospital on the last day. She finished all the medication the doctor gave her and was too weak to stand on her own.

As soon as she entered the ward, her body gave out, and she passed out. She stirred awake at some point, but only for a short while.

Only a nurse stayed by her bedside. When she saw Kayla wake up, she quickly asked if Kayla had anything she wanted to say to her loved ones.

Kayla gathered all her strength to grab her phone and unlock it.

Winston hadn't bothered to message her in days. The only one who had reached out was Tiffany.

She kept filling Kayla in every day on all the details of her time with Winston. She bombarded Kayla with photos of her and Winston swimming, shopping, watching movies, visiting amusement parks, and more.

Kayla checked out each picture before handing over her phone and everything else to the nurse. "I-I've got nothing more to say. Please, burn these for me."

"Sure." The nurse nodded, her eyes reddening.

After taking care of everything, Kayla closed her eyes, feeling a sense of peace.

The snow kept falling outside the window, and it would cover all traces with a peaceful white blanket by morning. It was like the love between her and Winston, swept away by the wind without a trace.

"Winston, let's not meet again in the afterlife," Kayla thought.

She never opened her eyes after that.