The day I received the diagnosis of advanced gastric cancer was Ethan Cole and my third wedding anniversary.

I called him. The other end was noisy, with the faint sound of a woman's charming laughter.

"What's up? I'm busy."

His voice was as impatient as ever.

Clenching the thin piece of paper that had been enough to crush my life, I whispered, "Ethan, let's get a divorce."

The other end of the line fell silent.

After a moment, he scoffed. "Natalie Sanders, what are you up to? You're even saying something like that to force me to come home?"

"How many times this month have you threatened me with divorce?"

I said nothing more and hung up silently.

Yes, I've mentioned it many times, but never more seriously than now.

My phone vibrated. It was a text from Ethan.

"Stop it. I need to be with Amber tonight. She's scared to be alone."

Amber Blake, the name of his beloved. I gazed out the window at the dark night and smiled silently.

Ethan, would you be even a little sad if I died?

——

I regained my thoughts as my phone screen lit up again.

It was a photo, sent by Ethan.

The photo showed a dazzling diamond necklace and next to it was a card reading “Happy Third Anniversary”.

It was the same style I'd casually mentioned two years ago.

And then came his message.

[This is for you. Stop being so mad.]

I looked at the necklace and imagined Amber wearing it.

A sharp pain stabbed in my stomach and I covered my mouth, trying not to make a sound.

Late at night, I sat in the dark living room, waiting for him.

The sound of the door lock turning came from outside. He was back.

The pungent smell of alcohol mingled with a sweet perfume—Amber's favorite.

He limped, groping in the darkness and hugged me. "Amber..."

"Don't be angry. I'm back, aren't I?"

"I know you've been wronged. Wait for me. Soon... I'll give you a real name."

His warm breath fanned my neck, yet I felt a chill running down my spine.

I didn't move or speak like a soulless puppet, letting him hold me.

He held me like this, whispering sweet nothings.

Those vows I'd once dreamed of now sounded so ironic.

I didn't know how long it took, but he seemed to sober up a little.

He could see my face clearly in the dim light from the window.

The tenderness and love flashed in his eyes faded instantly, giving way to disgust.

"Why are you here?"

He stepped back, as if he'd touched something dirty.

His gaze fell on the coffee table, where my signed divorce agreement lay.

He walked over, picked up the papers, glanced at them, scoffed and tore them to shreds right before me. A scrap of paper rained down.

"Natalie, your tricks are getting more and more."

"I'm warning you, don't bother me with this kind of thing again. Amber isn't feeling well, so what's wrong with me staying with her?"

He turned, took two steps, then stopped, not even turning back.

"Clean up the garbage."

Looking at the shredded paper on the floor, I slowly squatted down and picked up the pieces individually.

I din't know how long it took, but I stood up, walked to his door and knocked gently.

There was no response.

I leaned against the door and whispered.

"Ethan, I'm not kidding."

Still, dead silence filled the room.

I turned to leave, the pain in my stomach returning, more intense than ever.

I curled up on the sofa, trembling with pain.

Just then, my phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

I picked it up, trembling.

"Hello, is this Ms. Natalie? This is Pinewoods Cancer Hospital. Your chemotherapy appointment is tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. Do you need a bed reserved for you?"

My grip slipped and the phone fell to the carpet.

The door suddenly opened.

Ethan stood in the doorway, frowning at me.

"Who are you talking to at this hour of the night?"

I was about to speak when he angrily shouted, "Go to the guest room and stop sulking."

He slammed the door shut.

The next day, I went to the hospital alone.

The cost of the pre-chemo checkup was far higher than I'd imagined.

I pulled out my phone to transfer money from our joint account. I entered my password, but a red notification on the screen said my account was frozen.

I was stunned. I tried again several times, but the result was the same.

I left the hospital, the cold wind piercing my face like a knife.

I called Ethan.

It rang for a long time before he picked up. Amber's clear laughter filled the background.

"What's wrong?"

"Why is our joint account frozen?"

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"I froze it."

"Natalie, you're spending more and more recklessly. I don't want you squandering the Cole family's money."

My heart sank.

"From now on, list all household expenses and send them to me. I'll review it," he said it so calmly, as if it were a gift to me.

"I need to pay the hospital bill."

He said impatiently, "What hospital bill? What are you up to?"

"Show me a picture of the bill to see if it's real."

Humiliation instantly overwhelmed me and my hands trembled uncontrollably. I hung up the phone, folded the medical certificate and headed for a pawnshop near the hospital.

That was my last bit of dignity.

I pawned the only thing my mother left me: a pair of jade bracelets.

The money I got was barely enough to cover the cost of this checkup.

Holding the payment receipt, I sat on the cold hospital bench.

My stomach churned and I rushed to the bathroom, vomiting profusely.

I braced myself against the wall to stand, staring at my pale, haggard face in the mirror.

That night, I dragged my exhausted body back to the cage I called "home."

Ethan was there.

He sat on the sofa, his face gloomy.

On the coffee table lay the receipt for the jade bracelets I'd pawned that day.

"Did you pawn the things Mom left you?" I asked calmly. "I need money."

His tone was icy. "Natalie, are you so desperate for money?"

"Or did you use the money to support someone you shouldn't have?"

I was trembling with anger. I wanted to protest, but I couldn't utter a single word.

He simply didn't believe me. Whatever I said, he would dismiss it as lies and excuses.

He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "Tell me, where did you spend the money?"

I didn't answer. I pushed him away, rushed into the room and locked the door.

The next morning, Ethan's mother called. "You must attend the Cole Corporation's annual meeting tonight with Ethan."

"There have been so many rumors lately about you and Ethan not getting along. Dress presentably tonight and shut them up."

I held the phone, my stomach aching again.

I didn't want to go, not to that hypocritical world of fame and fortune, pretending to be a loving couple.

But I had no choice but to accept.

That afternoon, Ethan's assistant brought over a dress.

It was a long, beautiful dress, exactly my style.

I put it on, but it was so tight I could barely breathe.

It was a size too small.

As I was about to take it off, Ethan came in.

He looked me up and down.

"Take this one."

"It's too small," I whispered.

"Really?"

He stepped closer and squeezed my waist.

"I think it fits just right. It also fits Amber."

So, this was Amber's dress again.

A wave of nausea rose in my stomach, but I suppressed it. At the annual meeting, I numbly held onto Ethan's arm, a stiff smile plastered on my face.

He led me to the main table and then turned and left.

Amber was attending as a special guest tonight.

She was dressed in a fiery red dress, like a blazing flame, instantly capturing the attention of the entire audience.

And Ethan was the reckless moth.

He stayed by Amber's side all night, introducing her to business leaders.

He shielded her from ill-intentioned toasts, meticulously attentive.

I sat alone in a corner, watching them.

People around me pointed and talked, their gazes, both sympathetic and contemptuous, piercing me like knives.

The cramps in my stomach grew more frequent and intense.

Cold sweat soaked my back.

Finally, I couldn't hold it any longer and rushed to the bathroom, clutching my mouth.

I knelt on the floor, vomiting violently.

A large amount of blood stained the sink. Holding onto the wall, I walked out of the bathroom when I ran into Amber.

She sauntered towards me in her high heels, a triumphant smile on her face.

"Why are you hiding here? Ethan's been looking for you everywhere."

"Does he really love me?"

She leaned in closer, her voice low, a hint of boasting in her tone.

"He said he'd give up the entire Cole Family if I wanted."

My body swayed, almost tottering.

"Look at you, you look so pale, like a ghost."

The red wine glass in her hand "accidentally" tilted, spilling the entire glass onto my dress.

"Oops, sorry, I didn't mean to."

Just then, Ethan rushed in.

He saw us, the messy red wine stain on my chest and Amber's frightened expression.

He walked right up to me without asking any questions. "Natalie, what are you doing?"

"Amber was just being kind and concerned about you. Why did you push her?"

I looked at him, feeling wronged, angry and desperate. All these emotions surged through my heart, finally fading into a dead silence.

He didn't even glance at me. He turned and supported Amber, softly soothing her.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

He pulled me and pushed me down.

"Get out! You're not welcome here!"

Ethan roughly dragged me out of the banquet hall.

He stuffed me into his car and said nothing the whole way.

He left me in the villa room and said coldly, "From today on, you will stay home and reflect on your actions. You're not allowed to go anywhere."

He threw those words out, then slammed the door shut.

I heard the lock click from outside.