From that day onward, I had not gotten in any arguments with Sean regardless of what he did. It was because I decided that I no longer wanted to be with him.

I hired a lawyer to draft our divorce papers. At the same time, I submitted my application to the non-governmental organization to participate in the work of medical humanitarian assistance.

Now that they had approved my application, I just needed Sean to sign the divorce papers.

I met up with a close friend for a meal the next day. She teased me by saying that the sun would probably rise in the west the next day.

"It's been four years! Ever since you got married, you always said that you needed to prepare meals for your husband whenever I tried to ask you out."

During our four years of marriage, I had made sure to prepare meals for Sean every day. However, that was not going to happen anymore.

While we were eating, I picked up on a familiar voice and looked in the voice's direction.

Evelyn pouted. "Dr. Chandler, you had to stay up for the entire night just because I didn't know how to write a report. You must think that I'm pretty dumb."

Sean brushed the tip of Evelyn's nose with his finger playfully. "You are quite dumb. What would you do without me? You probably won't be able to finish the report even if you have a month to do it."

"I'm so dumb and clumsy. The soup's really hot."

"What do I do with you…"

Sean smiled with a look of resignation. Then, he picked up the bowl of soup before Evelyn and blew on it patiently.

I felt choked. A bitter feeling swelled inside me.

There was once when I had some hot soup and scalded my tongue. However, Sean merely said that I was overreacting. He looked at me with disdain back then.

"No one's trying to take the soup away from you. Why are you acting like it's your first time having it?"

It turned out it was not about the person overreacting to being scalded with hot soup. It was just because that person was me.

I averted my gaze and pretended not to have noticed them. Unfortunately, my friend had spotted the pair. She poked my arm.

"What the heck? Maisie, isn't that your husband? Why is he with another woman?"

"I saw them, too. She's just a colleague."

"A colleague? Who would sit side by side next to a colleague like that and even help cool down her soup by blowing it? That woman is practically glued to Sean already! I can't take it anymore. She's picked the wrong day and the wrong man to lay her hands on!"

My friend stormed toward the pair. She started yelling at them before I could even stop her. "Sean Chandler, do you not have any sense of boundaries? That woman is practically stuck to you like glue! Those who didn't know better probably thought that you were a couple!

"Also, you vile woman! He's a married man. Are you that eager to become his mistress?"

The other patrons began looking in our direction after hearing the commotion. Meanwhile, Evelyn clutched onto the hem of her shirt, as if she were a child who had done something she should not. Her eyes were red.

"Enough!" Sean shoved my friend away forcefully. He cast me a stony gaze.

"Maisie Williams, how could you be so mean? Evelyn hasn't eaten since last night. I just brought her here to eat. Yet, you had your friend say all these things to humiliate her.

"What on earth are you trying to achieve? Are you happy now that you've put Evelyn in an awkward position? I never thought you were such a spiteful person. I guess I've always been wrong about you."

Sean had a look of disappointment in his eyes. He placed his arm around Evelyn's shoulders and comforted her.

For a moment, all eyes were on me.

It turned out that was how Sean viewed me.

I looked him right in the eye and replied calmly, "I never told anyone to humiliate her in any way. However, people have eyes. We're not blind."

Without paying any mind to the bewildered expression on Sean's face, I grabbed my friend, who was positively fuming, and left the place.

My friend was still cursing and grumbling even after we stepped out of the restaurant.

"That heartless, ungrateful bastard! You gave up your dreams for him back then and chose to work at a hospital instead. Yet, this is what he says to you now? I'm so pissed! If only I could squash that pest…"

I forced a smile. Back then, it was also at this very restaurant where Sean had held out a ring and promised that he would be good to me.

I could still recall how I teased him playfully at the time. "I hope you're not lying about that. Otherwise, I'll disappear from your life for good and make sure you won't ever be able to find me."

What was meant to be a harmless joke between lovers ended up coming true.

After I got home, I checked my phone and found that there were only seven days left until it was the third of next month.

I decided to start packing, but I quickly noticed that I did not have much to pack. A suitcase was enough to keep everything that I needed to take with me.

When Sean arrived home, I was staring at the divorce papers on the table absent-mindedly. I wanted to bring up the issue tonight since it would soon be time for me to leave.

He changed into his slippers and went into the study. I took the divorce papers and was about to knock on the door when I heard Evelyn's voice coming from inside the room.

"Dr. Chandler, are you really going to divorce Maisie?"

I tightened my grip over the divorce papers. It turned out Sean was considering divorce, too. That would work in my favor. It seemed like we would be able to have a smooth, amicable discussion.

Suddenly, the study door flung open. I was about to initiate the conversation, but Sean said that he had to work overtime and left the house in a hurry.

After he left, I took a shower and went to bed.

I had a dream. In it, I was still a child. I circled my arms around my father's neck. With an affectionate look in his eyes, my father asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up.

I told him that I wanted to be like him and my mother, who were doctors that participated in the medical humanitarian assistance to help the sick and injured.

My mother smiled and said that I should eat well and grow bigger since I needed to be physically strong to be in their line of work.

It was still a little dark outside when I woke up from the dream. I walked over to the suitcase and found the white coat my father was wearing when he and my mother died.

In the pocket lay the letter that had the last words my father had written to me.

"Maisie, Mom and Dad may not be able to be with you anymore. However, we hope you won't wallow in grief and despair forever. You need to stay strong. You might fail sometimes, but you mustn't be defeated.

"Be brave as you come face to face with life's pain and sufferings. We believe that the best way one can make the most out of their life is by having no regrets when they die. If there's anything you want to do, go ahead and do it. Mom and Dad will be watching over you from above."

My eyes felt hot, and tears welled in my eyes.

I put on my father's white coat and stood before the mirror. I said in a choked voice, "Dad… Mom… I won't let you down."

The door was pushed open just then.

Sean entered the room. He frowned slightly. "Why are you wearing the coat? Are you thinking of joining the medical humanitarian assistance work again?"

I pursed my lips and held back my tears. "No. I was just putting it on for fun."

"Hm," Sean responded. Then, he offered me some words of comfort.

However, my gaze was fixed on the lipstick stain on the collar of his shirt. It was a bright shade of red. The stain was most likely made not too long ago.

Sean noticed I was staring and looked down as well. He spotted the red stain.

I was dazed for a moment. Then, I muttered, "Sean, let's get a divorce."

Sean paused momentarily. His face darkened the next instant. "What nonsense are you saying? How can you say that so nonchalantly?"

He vented his frustrations by storming off and slamming the door behind him.

A while later, he came back into the room. "Why is our wedding photo gone?"

I paused briefly before making up an excuse. "The frame has gotten a bit worn-out, so I've sent the photo to the shop to have them change it to a new frame."

If Sean had truly cared about me, he would have noticed that there was not a single trace of my existence left in the house.

…

In the middle of the night, while I was drifting in and out of sleep, I felt someone hugging me from the back.

A voice that sounded slightly gentler than it usually was asked, "Did you get jealous during the day? Evelyn and I are mere acquaintances. She accidentally smudged that lipstick stain on my shirt since I caught her when she was about to fall.

"There's nothing going on between me and her. She's just a colleague."

I squirmed free from his grip and said calmly, "Mm-hmm. I trust you."

My words eased Sean's anxious, restless mind. He put his arms around me and drifted into a deep sleep.

I stared at his strong, handsome features, my eyes hardened.

A colleague? He would go stargazing with his colleague, celebrate her birthday, and even take her to an amusement park. Yet, he told me, his wife, that birthday celebrations were for kids.

Being let down time and time again had left me completely drained. I would not trust his words anymore.

…

The next day, I headed to the relevant department to renounce my citizenship. Today was the day I would be leaving, and I hoped that everything would go as planned.

Yet, I did not expect receiving a call on my way home, saying that Sean was involved in a car accident. My mind went blank. I immediately hailed a cab to get to the hospital.

When I arrived outside the ward and was about to push the door open, I overheard some people talking.

"Sean, you scared the light out of me when you dashed forward and pushed Evelyn out of the way. Were you not afraid that you might get run over by the car instead?"

"Look at how worried you are. Calm down. She's fine. The doctor said that she only suffered minor lacerations. On the contrary, can you imagine how worried Maisie will be when she finds out you're injured?"

"By the way, Evelyn said that she would thank you for saving her life by marrying you before she fainted. You can't really marry her, though?"

"Why can't he marry her? Evelyn has even gotten an abortion for Sean previously…"

For a moment, I felt like I could not breathe, as though something had clutched onto my heart in a tight grip. So, something like that had happened between them.

Evelyn had gotten an abortion for Sean before. That explained why he still had not gotten over her. They were a pair of star-crossed lovers who could not be together because of me.

My vision turned blurry, and I could not feel anything even when I dug my nails into my palm.

There had been several instances where I truly believed Sean when he said that he was simply looking out for a colleague. I finally realized now that he was doing those things intuitively.

I heaved a deep breath and pushed the door open. Those inside the ward looked my way almost simultaneously. Sean's friends had awkward looks on their faces.

"Maisie, when did you get here? Sean's doing alright. You don't have to worry too much."

"That's right, Maisie. He got hurt because he was trying to help someone in danger. I hope you won't misunderstand him."

Their explanations only made it obvious that they were trying to cover up something.

I paid no mind to what they were saying as I walked over to Sean. Then, I handed the divorce papers to him.

"Sean, you gave me quite a shock this time. I got you an insurance policy. I need you to sign it."

Sean had a wary look in his eyes. He seemed to be contemplating what to say.

Just then, Evelyn mumbled something inaudible in her sleep. Without any hesitation, Sean signed the document and went to check on Evelyn.

Suddenly, he lifted his gaze and looked at me. "Maisie, I…"

"Rest well. I'll drop by to see you tomorrow. Don't worry. I didn't misunderstand anything."

Those were all facts anyway.

Sean was visibly relieved. He dropped his gaze and tried to calm Evelyn down.

He seemed to have sensed something as I stepped out of the ward. He caught up with me and reminded me, "Don't forget to lock the doors and windows while I'm not home. There are more cases of robbery when holidays are around the corner."

"Alright," I replied with a smile.

"This is probably the last time we see each other. Sean Chandler, let's not see each other anymore for the rest of our lives," I thought.

After leaving the hospital, I headed straight to the airport with other members joining the same cause as me, marking the beginning of my journey to Morales.

I would soon be participating in the work of medical humanitarian assistance and would dedicate everything I had and devote my life to helping humanity.