The car door opened, and Christian held his hand above Nancy's head while extending his other hand toward her. The moment their fingers intertwined, Talia turned around.

Faced with this heartbreaking scene, she remained unexpectedly calm. Perhaps because she had figured things out, but she appeared very composed right then.

In the past, she would have cried her heart out. But at that moment, she just wanted to ask Christian what he meant by Nancy being a more suitable mother than she was.

"Christian, what do you mean by that?" Talia's lips trembled slightly, and her voice changed pitch.

Nancy got out of the car, her hand resting on Christian's arm the entire time. Under the moonlight, their two shadows stretched long across the pavement.

Christian acted as if he hadn't heard Talia speak and walked toward Jubilee Manor with Nancy. Talia could no longer remember how many times she had been ignored like this.

Talia's heart was already riddled with holes, but when it came to her daughter, she couldn't let go. So she stepped forward, grabbed Christian's wrist with unexpected strength, and shouted at him, "Christian Lane, answer me!"

Finally, Christian stopped and turned around. He looked at Talia with cold indifference in his eyes.

He twisted his wrist and easily pulled his hand free while saying, "You're busy with work, and Yvonne is still young. She needs someone to look after her. Once you're pregnant with the second child, Nancy will take care of Yvonne, too."

Christian had always been like this. He never consulted Talia on his decisions and always spoke to her in a tone that sounded like an order.

But this time, Talia refused to let him make decisions arbitrarily. When she had decided to go to the neighboring state for her fellowship, she had already found a qualified nanny to care for Yvonne.

It wasn't until last month that she discovered Christian had dismissed the nanny long ago. During the six months of Talia's fellowship, Nancy had moved into Jubilee Manor, living the sweet life of a family of three with Christian and Yvonne.

Talia hadn't wanted to make a scene because she still held onto a sliver of hope that Christian recognized her as his only wife. But without her realizing it, her daughter had been taken away from he, too.

How could she leave gracefully now?

When it came to who would take care of her daughter, Talia lost her composure. Her tone became agitated as she said, "I can take care of my own child. I don't need outsiders."

Christian completely ignored Talia's attitude and simply issued his command. "It's decided."

Talia grew angry. Her usual good-natured demeanor vanished as she loudly protested, "I said I can take care of her myself."

The atmosphere grew tense. Nancy, who was standing behind Christian, sensed the situation getting out of hand and said quietly, "Chris, you and Ms. Stewart should talk first. I'll head inside and check on Yvonne."

After Christian nodded in agreement, Nancy walked toward Jubilee Manor. At that moment, Talia called out to stop her. "Nancy York, stop right there."

Nancy had just turned around when a slap landed on her face. It was Talia who had hit her.

When Christian realized what had happened, he stepped forward and pushed Talia away. He supported Nancy and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

Nancy covered her face as tears rolled down, making her look pitiful and wronged. Christian was extremely worried, fussing over her and examining her face. But Talia didn't think that Nancy was wronged at all.

After all, what kind of woman would get involved with a married man who had a child?

Naturally, it would take two to tango, and Christian wasn't exactly innocent either. Just as Talia was about to speak, a small figure came running out of Jubilee Manor.

Yvonne ran frantically, barefoot, and when she got close, she hurled herself at Nancy.

She hugged Nancy's legs and looked up to ask, "Nancy, does it hurt? Let me blow on it for you, okay?"

Yvonne had been ready for bed, but she saw Christian's car through the window. She knew that he must have brought Nancy back, so she came downstairs to greet them.

Just as she reached the door, she saw Talia slap Nancy. She quickly rushed out and even lost her shoes in the process.

Talia stood to the side, watching her husband and daughter tenderly comfort an outsider. At that moment, it felt like she could hear the sound of her own heart breaking.

Still, Talia refused to believe that the daughter she had raised would turn against her like this. She reached out with trembling hands, murmuring, "Yv—"

But before she could fully call out Yvonne's name, the young girl angrily turned around. She rushed up to Talia and kept hitting her with her hands.

"Bad Mommy! Bad Mommy! You hit Nancy! You're a bad mommy! I don't want a bad mommy like you!"

Talia stood frozen in place, her face instantly pale. In that moment, she suddenly realized that the custody she had desperately wanted to fight for was nothing more than her own wishful thinking.

Christian and Yvonne didn't need her. Standing here now, she felt like a complete fool. What was even more ridiculous was that she had actually gotten pregnant with a second child for a man who didn't love her at all.

Talia lost track of how long Yvonne kept hitting her or what else she said. That phrase "bad mommy" was enough to shatter all her hopes.

Talia stood there in a daze for a while, then let out a bitter laugh. Without looking at Christian and Yvonne again, she turned and walked away. Behind her, Christian and Yvonne surrounded Nancy with care and comfort, completely unaware that Talia had left.

When she turned the corner, Talia couldn't help but look back at the two people she had treasured most over the last five years.

The two figures, one big and one small, each held one of Nancy's hands as they walked toward Jubilee Manor together. They looked so warm and harmonious, as if they were the real family of three.

Talia smiled. She felt bitter and wanted to cry, but not a single tear would fall. These five years had drained all her energy and spirit. She had always put them first, but not anymore.

Leaving Jubilee Manor, Talia walked alone down a long road. Looking back on the past five years, she realized she had long known she shouldn’t have exhausted herself in such a relationship. She just hadn't been willing to face the truth.

But now she understood that she should only love herself properly from now on. Talia took a cab back to Elmwood Estate, where she drafted a new divorce agreement in the study.

His assets would be split 50-50. As for her daughter, she would give up custody. Talia drove back to the neighboring state, Moonbright, that same night after neatly placing the completed divorce agreement on the desk.

After resting for the night, she went to the hospital early the next morning. The doctor working in the obstetrics department that day was her university classmate, Monica Walker.

Monica knew a thing or two about Talia's marriage situation. But when she heard Talia's firm decision to terminate the pregnancy, she was somewhat surprised.

"It wasn't easy for you to conceive this child. Why don't you want it anymore? Even if there are issues with your marriage, you could still keep the child without the father."

Talia sat across from Monica, completely calm. "Monica, I'm a woman, and the most responsible thing a woman can do is not to bring children into the world recklessly. What's more, my life matters too.

"I've made my decision. Please schedule the procedure for this morning."

The old Talia was gone. From now on, she would only invest in herself and people who actually cared about her. As for those who didn't love her, she was done with them.

When Talia woke up again, she was already lying in a hospital room. Monica came to check on her condition, instructing her to rest well for two days before being discharged. After discharge, she would need to properly recover for a month.

Talia agreed to everything. She had already decided that she would take a full month to recover. Her body was her own, and she needed to take care of it.

After Monica left, Talia picked up her phone to check it. As expected, there wasn't a single phone call from Christian.

What happened last night was perhaps just a minor incident for them. But for Talia, it was a significant turning point in her life.

She realized that seeing them for who they truly were was actually a good thing. She figured that it was better than endless internal conflict and struggle.

She mindlessly launched her Instagram app, and Nancy's post appeared at the top of her feed. Above the username, it read "Suggested for you".

In the post, Nancy was holding a child's hand. From the back, Talia recognized immediately that it was Yvonne. The caption read, "It feels so good to be needed".

The background of the photo was the living room of Jubilee Manor. Perhaps out of habit, Talia just smiled faintly, then tapped the three dots and selected the option "Not Interested". The days of secretly checking Nancy's posts were finally over.

After being discharged, Talia hired a home health aide for herself. She rested for an entire month. A month later, she settled the health aide's wages, changed into a clean long dress, applied light makeup, and drove toward Jarrowind.

That day was her ovulation day again—the day for her and Christian's routine attempt at a second child. In truth, when it came to intimacy, Talia hadn't had any particularly satisfying experiences. Christian always went through the motions with her, eager to finish quickly so he could see Nancy.

But that night, she wasn't returning to try for a second child. She planned to have a proper discussion with Christian about divorce.

She arrived at Elmwood Estate at 7:00 pm. Jane saw her return and prepared dinner for her. Afterward, Talia went upstairs to the study.

The divorce agreement lay on the desk, exactly as she had left it last month—untouched. Clearly, Christian hadn't come back at all this month.

Talia waited until after 9:00 pm. Just as she was getting impatient, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. When the door opened, it was Jane who entered.

"Mrs. Lane, Mr. Lane just called. He said that he has something to do tonight and won't be coming home. He wants you to come back next month instead."

Hearing this, Talia just let out a bitter laugh. Next month? She might have been able to come back this month, but next month was uncertain. She was tired of being trapped in this cage.

After hesitating for a moment, she stood and said to Jane, "The next time he returns, remind him that I left something for him on the desk."

Jane lowered her head and replied, "I understand, Mrs. Lane."

Talia picked up her bag and left Elmwood Estate. She didn't know where to go, so she drove aimlessly until she noticed many young men and women walking out of a building called "Jarrowind Concert Hall".

Soon, the crowd dispersed, but the last three people to emerge caught Talia's attention completely. Christian and Nancy were holding Yvonne's hands on either side, all three of them smiling at each other.

"Nancy, you were so dazzling just now, and so beautiful, like a fairy! Your piano playing was wonderful. When I grow up, will you teach me how to play too?

"Please, Nancy?" Yvonne shook Nancy's arms with both hands, acting cute.

Nancy wore an elegant white evening gown, looking like a star fallen into the night, radiating brilliance.

Her expression was gentle as she leaned down slightly in front of Yvonne, her finger lightly tapping Yvonne's nose as she laughed and said, "I'll definitely teach you if you want to learn."

Yvonne jumped up happily, then turned to ask Christian, "Daddy, isn't Nancy amazing?"

Christian's eyes held a trace of a smile as he nodded in response. He hummed in agreement.

Although he was sparing with words, that simple hum carried deep joy and admiration. Yvonne became even happier. "When I grow up, I want to be just as amazing as Nancy."

Talia witnessed the entire scene through the windshield of her car. She had never been on the receiving end of her daughter's admiration.

But when she gave it some thought, she realized that it made sense. After marriage, she had devoted herself entirely to Christian and Yvonne, gradually becoming unkempt and abandoning her former hobbies.

In Yvonne's eyes, she was just a woman who only knew her way around the kitchen, while Nancy was a perfect, untouchable figure. The thought made Talia's heart ache.

At the concert hall entrance, Yvonne spread her arms wide, jumping and fussing. "Nancy, I want you to hold me!"

Christian intervened in time. "Yvonne, Nancy is wearing an evening gown, and it's not convenient to hold you. Wait until we get to the car."

Hearing this, Yvonne's face drooped, clearly unhappy. Nancy quickly bent down to pick her up and smiled at Christian beside her. "It's okay. I'm fine with it as long as Yvonne wants me to hold her."

Christian smiled, his eyes filled with deep affection. Nancy then carried Yvonne down the steps while Yvonne snuggled against her, nuzzling and cuddling. Christian followed behind, holding up the train of her evening gown.

The man who commanded respect in the business world and never bowed to adversity was now bending down to hold a woman's dress train. The trio then got into the car together, and the vehicle drove away.

So this was what her husband meant when he said he had "something to do". Talia couldn't help but laugh.

After sitting in the car for a long time, her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from the hospital.

After answering, Talia politely said, "Dr. Williams."

Talia had studied pediatric surgery. After spending four years as a full-time mother before returning to work, she was among the most junior doctors at the hospital.

On the other end of the line, the department chief, Ryan Williams, said, "Your fellowship may end early. You can return to work at the hospital next week."

Talia hesitated before asking, "Doesn't the hospital have an opening for someone to go to rural areas to provide free health screenings for children? I'd like to apply."

Ryan was somewhat surprised. "Going to rural areas is tough work, and it won't do much for your career progression. The hospital has the opening, but no one is required to take it..."

However, Talia had made up her mind. "Dr. Williams, I'm willing to go. Consider it a vacation for me."

Given her firm attitude, Ryan stopped trying to dissuade her and finally agreed. "Alright. Then go for two months."

…

Soon, another month had passed. Yvonne had also been in kindergarten for a month.

After two consecutive months without conceiving a second child, Christian was once again under pressure from his family. So he returned home earlier than usual on the day Talia was supposed to be ovulating.

He was already at Elmwood Estate before 6:00 pm. Jane was quite surprised to see Christian arrive first. "Sir, you're so early today."

Christian didn't offer any explanation. As he walked toward the second floor, he instructed Jane, "When Mrs. Lane comes back, tell her to come find me in the bedroom."

Jane acknowledged his order and watched Christian head upstairs. Passing by the study, Christian didn't even pause and headed straight to the bedroom.

He had come back solely for the purpose of conceiving a second child. So he didn't need to go anywhere else.

After showering, Christian waited in bed. Three hours had passed, and it was already 9:00 pm. Talia still hadn't returned.

Just as Christian was growing impatient, footsteps finally sounded outside the door.

When the door was gently pushed open, Christian instinctively reached out to turn off the lights. The room was instantly shrouded in darkness.

As Christian untied his robe, he said, "It's getting a bit late. Let's get started right away. I have something to do afterward."

When the door opened, light from the hallway filtered in, illuminating the figure at the doorway in a vague silhouette. Hearing Christian's words, Jane's body stiffened. She didn't dare walk further inside and quietly reminded him, "Mr. Lane, it's me."

Christian was stunned for a moment. After realizing what had happened, he reached out to turn on the lights. Looking at Jane, his voice was full of confusion as he asked, "Hasn't she come back yet?"

Jane was covered in sweat. She nodded and said, "No."

The atmosphere in the room immediately grew heavy.

Jane knew that Christian was unhappy. She felt helpless and could only try to comfort him by saying, "Mrs. Lane usually comes back very early. Last month, she arrived home before 6:00 pm. She didn't come back today, so I guess she must have been delayed by something."

Christian understood Jane's intention. He didn't say much more. He simply said, "I see."

Jane was about to remind Christian to rest early, but unexpectedly, in the next moment, Christian quickly sat upright in bed.

She swallowed her words. Five minutes later, Christian got dressed and left Elmwood Estate. Jane saw him off downstairs, vaguely feeling like she had forgotten something.

It wasn't until Christian's car disappeared from view that Jane remembered what Talia had asked her to tell him about the item in the study. He had just driven out of Elmwood Estate when he received a call from Nancy.

"What's wrong?" Under the dim light, Christian's expression was gentle, without a trace of sharpness.

Nancy's voice came softly from the phone. "Chris, I have a very important recital tomorrow, but Yvonne's kindergarten has an opening day parent-child activity tomorrow. I'm afraid..."

Without finishing her sentence, Christian already understood what she wanted to express. "I understand. I'll have Talia attend instead."

Hearing this, Nancy breathed a sigh of relief. "I've already discussed it with Yvonne. You just need to pass the message to Ms. Stewart."

Christian said, "Alright. You can focus on your recital."

After hanging up, Christian pulled over to the side of the road. Looking through his call history, he couldn't find Talia's familiar number for a long time. Only then did he suddenly realize that she hadn't taken the initiative to call him for quite a while.

During the years when Talia was a full-time mother to Yvonne, she would call every day to ask if he would be returning home for dinner. He didn't often return, and when he did, it was only to spend time with Yvonne.

After he brought up the plan to have a second child, she would occasionally ask if he was coming back, but he didn't answer any of her calls. Sometimes he would hang up, and other times he would let it ring until it ended on its own.

Whenever he wanted to contact Talia, he could always easily find her contact information. But now, after scrolling through several pages on his phone, he still couldn't find her number.

After scrolling for what felt like forever, he finally found her number, but the contact record was already three months old. Had it really been that long since their last contact?

Christian couldn't even remember whether he had answered the last call Talia made to him. Without thinking too much about it, he dialed her number. However, an automated voice indicated that the call could not be connected at the moment.

Christian had never encountered such a situation. He was momentarily stunned but tried calling again patiently. The result was the same.

He called four or five times in a row but still couldn't get through, so he chose to give up. He considered reaching out to her through social media, but realized that he didn't have her added on any platforms.

Finally, he could only send Talia a text message. "Yvonne has an opening day parent-child activity tomorrow. She wants you to accompany her. It's at 2:00 pm, Sunshine Kindergarten."

After the text was sent successfully, Christian drove away. He thought that Talia must be busy, which was why she didn't answer his calls. He figured that when she saw the text, she would surely go to the activity with Yvonne.

Thinking of this, Christian felt reassured.

…

Meanwhile, it was also 9:00 pm in a small town. After Talia finished her last shift at the town elementary school for the day, she clocked out.

She lived in the teachers' dormitory. Exhausted from the day, she went straight to bed after washing up. Her phone, which was on silent mode, was set aside. She didn't check it and went to sleep.

The next morning, Talia was awakened by the ringing of her phone. She groggily grabbed her phone and discovered that it wasn't her alarm, but a calendar reminder that tomorrow was her father-in-law, Joseph Lane's, birthday.

In previous years on this day, she would get up early to go to the morning market for groceries, then return home to start cooking various elaborate dishes. She would spend the entire day busy, all for the Lane family's dinner party with guests.

But things were different now. She wouldn't be that foolish this year. After dismissing the calendar reminder, Talia went back to sleep for a while.

That day was Friday, and she got off work at 2:00 pm. In the past, she had only kept Joseph's birthday in mind and had overlooked that her biological father's birthday was also on that same day.

But not this year. She planned to rush back that night and make a sumptuous dinner for her dad and family tomorrow. As for Christian's text from last night, it had been buried under various notification messages.

She arrived at the Stewart residence at 6:00 pm on the dot, just in time for dinner. When Talia entered the living room, she saw the whole family there—her parents, brother, sister-in-law, and niece.

Maeve Stewart was startled when someone suddenly walked in while she was working on a puzzle. But when she looked closely, she realized that it was her aunt, whom she hadn't seen in a long time.

Maeve quickly put down the puzzle and ran to Talia, hugging her legs. "Aunt Talia, you're back!"

Talia crouched and hugged Maeve tightly, kissing her cheek and saying, "Yeah."

With that simple "yeah", her heart instantly ached, and her eyes reddened.

Maeve hugged Talia's neck, kissed her back, and shouted loudly toward the kitchen, "Dad, Mom, Aunt Talia is back!"

Hearing this, Talia's brother, Garrett Stewart, and his wife, Paige Webb, emerged from the kitchen. Seeing that it was Talia, the joy in Garrett's eyes vanished in an instant. Paige noticed his stern expression, nudged him, and smiled at Talia.

"It's good that you're back. Dinner will be ready soon."

Maeve stood in front of Paige, linking their hands and saying, "Mom, Aunt Talia loves honey-glazed ham the most. The last time I wanted some, you said that we had to wait until Aunt Talia came back. Now that she's back, can I..."

Paige gently tapped Maeve's nose bridge affectionately. "You little glutton. Fine. I'll make some for you."

Maeve jumped up happily, clapping her hands, her two pigtails swaying back and forth. Garrett didn't even glance at Talia. He simply scolded Maeve coldly. "Don't get too excited. People leave again."

Talia had a wonderful family. Her parents, brother, and sister-in-law all treated her well. But she had poured all her energy and love into the Lane family, making endless sacrifices without complaint or regret.

Yet none of those sacrifices could touch the Lane family's hearts, and they only ended up hurting the Stewart family. She was too ashamed to return to the Stewart residence that night, but upon reflection, she realized that this family bond was genuine.

Her brother and father acted tough but were softhearted. Her mother had spent countless nights crying over her. Her sister-in-law was gentle and understanding, and her niece was absolutely adorable.

Talia realized that she should cherish the people who actually cared about her. She thought that it was time to let go of those who treated her coldly.