Ayla's POV

I always had to take care of David for the entire night, but he never saw how much hard work I put in.

He had only met Ruth a few times, but he couldn't stop talking about her.

Shane flicked on the overhead lights and looked at David with approval. "Listen to David. Do you think that you're acting like a mother should?

"Don't you think you're making a mountain out of a molehill by kicking up such a fuss over Ruth? I told you that there's nothing going on between us. Why can't you understand me?

"The person with the higher salary gets to make the decisions at home. You're working at a design institute, but you get paid peanuts. Since you have to rely on me to survive, you have to understand that you're the one who can't leave David and I."

I did not want to listen to them judging me again, so I got up to go back to my room. "Everything you say is right."

Shane took a deep breath, his voice sounding hoarse. "Ayla, why do you always give me that half-dead attitude whenever we argue? Don't you care about how I feel?"

I had drunk a little too much and was feeling dizzy. I stumbled and banged my calf hard against the coffee table, which sent me reeling backward.

Shane almost lunged over and stuck out his hand to catch my head before it hit the floor.

"Ayla! That fall could have been dangerous!"

I pushed against his chest as I sat up slowly, my eyes hollow and empty of emotion. "Don't touch me."

He looked shocked, as if he hadn't expected me to be so cold. In the end, he let go of me.

I went back to our room and fell fast asleep. When I woke up once more, it was five in the morning.

I had a hangover, but my biological clock had roused me on time as usual.

Shane liked having freshly made bread in the morning, while David only wanted pancakes.

Both of them were very picky about food. They complained that the housekeeper's cooking "smelled funny", and that store-bought food was "unhygienic".

Therefore, I would wake up two hours earlier every single day so that by 7:00 am, they could have a piping hot breakfast that fulfilled all their requirements.

However, I was going to force myself to go back to sleep today.

After some time, I was awoken by the sound of a relentless knocking on the door.

I pulled it open, my hair tousled. David was standing there.

"Mom, you're bad and mean! Why didn't you get out of bed to make breakfast for Dad and me? I'm hungry!"

I yawned. "I'm resting today."

"You can't!"

He suddenly rushed forward and pummeled my nightdress. "Ruthie once said that a good mother would cook even if she was sick!"

"I'm not a good mother. If you want to eat something, go and ask the housekeeper."

David suddenly looked like a beast that had been provoked to anger. He sat down on the floor and began wailing.

"The housekeeper's cooking tastes horrible! Dad, Mom won't cook for me! Ask Ruthie to come. The breakfast she cooks is delicious, and she's willing to cook for me!"

Shane sat at the dining table with dark bruises under his eyes. He looked as if he hadn't slept at all.

"Ayla, don't take out your anger on David. If you're tired and you don't want to cook, I can ask Ruth to come."

I did not speak any longer. I shut the door with a bang and began to wash up and put on makeup. I pulled on my blazer and picked up my car keys before walking outside.

In the distance, I heard Shane talking to Ruth on the phone. When I passed him, he suddenly grabbed my wrist. "Are you going out? I put a hangover cure on the table for you. Drink it before you leave."

I flung his hand aside. "I don't need it. Thanks."

Before the door closed, I thought I heard the sound of a teacup smashing against the wall behind me.

Shane was angry.

I paused momentarily, but I did not stay and strode forward instead.

I went to the design institute.

I had big plans for my career when I'd first moved to this city with Shane.

Ayla's POV

However, Shane had said, "It would be better for you to be more stable now that we're married."

I gave up an opportunity to go abroad for further studies and let go of my dream.

After having a child, I was stuck at home. I had to sacrifice my time for work and rest for the family, but my contribution was not acknowledged.

Instead, Shane and David always dismissed me, day in and day out.

In the end, they chose to use another woman to trample all over my dignity.

I took a deep breath and went to the institute director's office to hand in my resignation.

The director's name was Betty Green. She was nonplussed, but nodded without much surprise.

"You should spread your wings and fly. Have you thought about where to go and when?"

I touched the acceptance letter in my bag. It was an offer letter to the Department of Architecture at Camford University. "Bretia, the day after tomorrow."

While I was packing up my things, my colleague Linda Manfeld came over. "Ayla, I heard that you're going to Bretia. What about Mr. Norton and David?"

There was a framed photo of the three of us with our arms around each other on my desk. I put it face down, plunging the figures on it into shadow.

"We're getting divorced. They'll have a new wife and mother, respectively."

Linda hesitated and did not say anything in the end.

By the time I left the design institute, it was late at night.

When I got home, the motion-sensored lights flicked on, and I saw the suitcase in the living room at once.

Shane was stuffing David's jacket into it, while the latter was standing beside him in anticipation, hugging his new schoolbag. It had a dinosaur on it.

At the door, there was a gift box embossed with the logo of a luxury brand.

Ruth had recently posted it on her social media, saying that it was the newest bag she wanted.

Shane did not look up when he heard me come home. "I have to go on a sudden business trip, and I'm taking David with me."

His phone suddenly rang, and he answered it swiftly.

The sound of Ruth's laughter trickled out of the phone, and Shane's eyes became half-lidded, which made him look like a cat that was being stroked.

I was all too familiar with that expression. He had once looked like that five years ago, when he was courting me.

When he saw that I was looking at him, his smile dropped at once, and he hung up.

"You don't want to bother with David now anyway. You won't object to me taking him out, will you?"

I did not say anything. I did not argue or protest.

Shane tied his shoelaces deftly and went out with David.

The security door shut behind him with such a loud bang that it jolted our wedding photo from where it hung on the wall.

The sound of the glass smashing seemed unusually crisp and satisfying.

I crouched down and picked up the shards piece by piece. I suddenly felt immensely relaxed.

When I was about to go to sleep, I saw Ruth's post on social media pop up all of a sudden.

The caption read: "Someone who truly loves you will remember what you like."

In the accompanying photo, David was sandwiched between them while Ruth leaned her head affectionately on Shane's shoulder.

They looked like a happy family of three.

The limited-edition handbag on the dining table was the one Shane took when he left.

The comment section was very lively, as if it were their wedding.

Shane's best friend, Zack Harrington, was taking the lead: "You have to spend ten thousand in the store before you're even allowed to buy this handbag! Shane spent a huge sum just to make Ruth happy!"

For some reason, I suddenly thought about my birthday last year, and how Shane had given me a silk scarf bought at a discount.

Zack had also been present at the time, and he'd said teasingly, "A silk scarf that only costs 100 dollars? Are you just going to fob Ayla off like that, Shane?"

Shane had said calmly, "She likes things that are discounted."

I had gripped the silk scarf without saying anything.

They had no idea that I was always hovering in the sale section because I wanted to save money and buy better things for Shane and David.

However, Shane's friends had never shown me any respect as his wife.

Not only did they look down on me, but they always said privately, "Ruth is three years younger than Ayla is. She graduated from a renowned university and is very socially savvy."

Ayla's POV

"Ayla is always suspicious about something. It's irritating just to look at her."

In Shane's social circle, I was just a joke.

I was his shrewish wife who wouldn't stop pestering him. I was a stumbling block that was stopping him from pursuing his true love.

My fingers suddenly froze, because I saw Shane's reply in the comment section: "If Ruthie is happy, then it's worth it."

He followed up the comment with three sun emojis, and it made my eyes sting.

Zack piled on more fuel to the fire: "Someone's going to kick up a fuss again. She might pride herself on being the official spouse, but all Ruthie has to do is just say that she likes something!"

Zack hadn't mentioned any names, but it was obvious who he was referring to.

When I saw this, I exited my social media app without hesitating.

I drank a cup of hot milk and fell asleep quickly. When I woke up, I enjoyed being alone, doing whatever I wanted and getting ready for studying abroad. It felt freeing, like I hadn’t had that kind of peace in a long time.

After a day or two, Shane and David were back.

Shane stood at the door with David, holding their suitcases, and he looked furious.

"Ayla, your husband and son were away, and you didn't even call or make any contact with us. How can you sleep so soundly? Aren't David and I worthy of your concern anymore?"

I remained silent.

In the past, I had always shown concern for him. I would ask if his plane had landed, if he'd arrived at the hotel, and what he had eaten. When I did, he would find me irritating and a nuisance.

Now that I did not bother to do anything, he complained that I was ignoring him.

"You said that you were on a business trip, so naturally, I wouldn't disturb you. Besides, didn't you and David have Ruth keeping you company?"

Shane stared at me in shock. He hadn't expected me to be so calm while talking about Ruth.

After a moment, he turned red and his tone softened. "Ayla, there's nothing going on between us. I just want to return a favor that I owe her. How many more times do you want me to explain this?"

I raised a hand lightly to interrupt him and gave him a measured smile. "You don't have to explain. I understand everything."

Shane poked David, who was standing beside him.

With a tinge of reluctance, David took out a plastic necklace. "Mom, I bought this for you with my pocket money!

"You don't treat me well, but Dad told me that I should pay you back with kindness."

I pushed David's hand away dismissively. "I accept your good intentions. You can keep that for Ruthie."

Shane was furious. "Ayla! How could you be so shameless? David's giving you a way out, and yet you're still acting so high-and-mighty!"

I ignored him and went to the kitchen to pour myself a cup of warm water. "You should get some rest, Shane."

While he looked at me in anger, I locked the door to my room.

Early the next day, sunlight spilled into my bedroom through the gauzy curtains.

I pulled my suitcase after me and took one last look at the home that I had lived in for five years.

I no longer wanted anything, including the people whom I had once cherished the most.

…

Shane's POV

I slept until late that morning. I walked out into the living room, rubbing my temples, only to find that it was empty.

Even the things in Ayla's room had disappeared.

I frowned and dialed her number, but I could not get through.

Feeling a sense of unease, I grabbed my car keys and headed to the design institute.

Betty saw me as soon as I walked in. She smiled broadly and walked over. "What are you doing here, Shane? Hasn't Ayla's resignation been processed?"

My pupils contracted in shock, and the car keys fell to the floor with a loud thud. "What did you say? She resigned?"

Betty pushed her glasses up her nose in surprise. "Yes. Ayla resigned three days ago. She's going to study abroad for five years at Camford. Didn't you know about that? Her flight is today. By now, she's probably reached—"