Chapter 2

Lily sat down at the dressing table and watched her face in the mirror. Her heart felt more and more burdened every day. My name is Lily, and my husband is an ice cube. She laughed cynically at what she was thinking. In fact, it’s even more than that…

Ethan’s reputation as a cold, unyielding CEO preceded him. He was a man of few words; those who met him admired his authority and respected his commands. She had been in love with him since they were both young and innocent. Still, those times now seemed like distant history.

She began to remember her childhood days. Lily’s parents were employed by the kind Mr. Gray, who began caring for her after something bad happened to her. Her parents were taken away from her by an accident when she was only ten, which made everything around her seem enormous. Ethan’s parents expanded her family by providing her a house and a sense of belonging.

They had loved and cuddled her as if she were their own family member. When she was ready to marry, their choice made everything different. They believed her marriage to Ethan would develop into a beautiful relationship. Even so, Ethan had not bought into everything they wanted. He did not want to be in this marriage, and it was plain from his behavior.

Lily felt her heart break when she remembered their wedding. She imagined what her life could be with him, but Ethan just watched without really caring. It seemed like he was standing next to a total stranger, not to the girl who had loved him.

He never talks well to me, Lily thought, her heart sinking further. He scolds me for the smallest mistakes as if I were a child. She had tried to be the perfect wife, but nothing she did seemed to penetrate the icy barrier he had built around himself.

It seemed to Lily there was no chance of him falling in love with her or changing. At the same time, she still told herself that she loved him. It felt as if the love she had brought her was nothing but grief and constant unhappiness. Their living space was one, but they shared nothing inside it.

Because he was CEO of his father’s company, Ethan spent most of his time on work. He worked steadily, wanted to achieve big things, and was entirely dedicated to his compositions. Still, Lily chose her own road and got a job with another firm to make a living. She didn’t want to inconvenience others, mainly because Ethan rarely said anything to her.

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I am trying my best to make this marriage last long… I love him very much… but… She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. He never even tries, and this makes me so upset and all alone. and now I know why, he had his love already, and I am between them.

Almost every day seemed to be about fighting the walls that came between them. Her desire for him to show love and see her as he passed them by was not met. She felt that life would not be fair until he loved her like she loved him.

Things at home were quiet and full of desperation day after day. There were some ups and downs; perhaps it just appeared to us as a normal marriage, she would try to tell herself. Every morning, she’d wake up while the sun was still low outside, cook breakfast, and make sure her husband was well cared for. He really hated going out to eat and would always choose home cooking. That way, she packed his lunch almost every day, neatly arranging what he liked best inside, in the hope that he would really acknowledge her efforts.

He loves to read books, she mused as she cleaned his study room, dusting the shelves filled with novels and business tomes. She took pride in keeping the space immaculate, but there was an unspoken rule: she couldn’t touch his things. The thought of moving a single book or shifting a paper felt like a betrayal. It was a reminder of the boundaries he had set, a line she dared not cross.

When she was sorting through the room, she suddenly felt very sad. It’s unclear to me when he will start to feel the same about me. All the moments that passed reminded me of her unrealized hopes. She’d been hoping that day would arrive, when he’d finally welcome her as a companion and partner, not only as someone he needed to care for. She quickly wiped the tear from her eye to stop herself from feeling overwhelmed.

Lily's head spun, a wave of dizziness washing over her. She felt a sudden surge of nausea, and before she could react, she was dashing towards the bathroom. She barely made it to the toilet before she was retching violently, her body convulsing as she threw up.

She collapsed onto the floor, her back against the cool wall as she continued to vomit. Her stomach churned, and her throat burned. She felt weak and disoriented her mind foggy.

As she sat there, helpless and miserable, Lily couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong. She didn't understand what was happening to her body. The nausea, the dizziness – it all felt so overwhelming.

She leaned forward, her head resting on her knees, and waited for the wave of sickness to pass. But it seemed to linger, leaving her feeling drained and bewildered. What was going on with her? And why did she feel so awful?

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