Sienna's POV
That morning, I woke up early, as always. The sun hadn’t fully risen, yet my mind was already drifting far. Five years living in this house with him—and in all that time, we had never once shared a bed. Not because I didn’t want to, but because Liam never truly accepted me as his wife. And he had extreme hygiene habits—even the doorknob to his room couldn’t be touched without his permission. After a shower and slipping into a simple outfit, I took the document I’d prepared the night before and drove to the law office owned by my best friend, Liliana. She greeted me warmly, as always, but her smile faded the moment she saw my face—likely far too used to being drained of light. We sat in her office, and Liliana looked at me with a troubled gaze. “So all this… your relationship with Liam, your closeness with Noah—it was all just a contract?” I nodded softly. There was nothing to hide now. “Oh my God,” she whispered, holding her breath. “When I read those tabloids about you two, I feared you’d actually fallen for that man. But to find out it was all an act… I’m slightly relieved.” She leaned back in her chair, visibly overwhelmed. “So, what brings you here today? Want me to draw up divorce papers?” I gave a faint smile—not out of amusement, but bitterness. “We never registered our marriage legally. There’s no marriage to divorce.” Liliana fell silent. “Then what?” “I want you to help me draft a custody release form.” My voice was barely audible. “I want to give up custody of Noah.” Her face changed instantly. She stared at me, stunned, as if I’d just said something unforgivable. “Sienna, are you insane? Everyone knows how deeply you love Noah. Why are you handing him over to Liam?” I held my breath, trying to bury the wounds where no one could touch them. But I knew—my eyes had betrayed me. “Please, Liliana. I just need the document.” She didn’t reply, only stared at me for a long moment, perhaps hoping to find a crack she could persuade. But she knew—once I decide, there’s no going back. With a heavy sigh, Liliana began typing. Moments later, a printed page lay on the table. I accepted it calmly, slid it into my bag without a word. As I stood to leave, she called out softly, her voice almost breaking. “Sienna… you’ve given everything for the past five years, but he never really saw you. Please, from now on, give your goodness only to yourself.” I turned to her and smiled—just slightly. “I’ll try.” When I returned to the villa, it was already ten in the morning. The grand house was silent. No smell of coffee, no sound of Noah running around. In the kitchen, the breakfast I’d prepared earlier still sat untouched on the table—now cold. I put it in the microwave absentmindedly, then headed upstairs. As usual, I intended to wake Noah and Liam. I didn’t know why I still followed this routine—when deep down, I knew no one was really waiting. I stopped at Liam’s bedroom door. I always knocked. Though we never shared a bed, I knew how much he hated people entering uninvited. But before my fingers touched the wood, the door opened on its own. Emily stood there. Her hair loose, pajamas hanging perfectly on her frame. She smiled as if nothing were out of place. “Oh, Sienna. I just came in to borrow the bathroom,” she said lightly. “Don’t know why, but my back’s been sore since waking up.” I froze. My face must’ve gone pale, but I said nothing. Didn’t react. Seconds later, Liam appeared behind her. His pajamas were rumpled, hair a mess. He looked startled to see me at the door. “Emily just needed a power bank,” he said quickly. “Don’t think anything weird.” But I’d seen it—the red marks on his neck. Kisses. Intimacy. In five years of marriage, he’d barely touched me. Always kept his distance. But that distance didn’t seem to apply to Emily. I took a breath, smiled faintly. “Breakfast is ready. I’ll head down first.” I didn’t ask. Didn’t demand an explanation. What for? It was just a contract. And that contract was ending in a few days. Five minutes later, they joined me in the dining room. I was already eating the dumplings I’d reheated. Noah wrinkled his nose. “These dumplings were reheated? They taste bad. Mommy, I want your fried dough instead!” Liam tried to calm him. “Noah, Mommy made this for us. Don’t throw it away. She’ll make fried dough tomorrow, okay?” “No! I want it now!” Liam looked frustrated, but before he could speak, Emily chimed in sweetly. “Sienna, I heard you’re great at making fried dough. Mind if I try some too?” Liam turned to me. “If everyone wants it, just make some, Sienna.” I kept my gaze on my bowl. Didn’t look up. “No,” I replied. My spoon clinked gently against the porcelain. “If you want to eat, cook it yourself. I made these dumplings this morning. If you don’t like them, throw them out.” Silence. Liam looked at me as if seeing a stranger. Emily still smiled, though her expression stiffened. Noah huffed. I didn’t care. For the first time, I didn’t care. I wasn’t trying to be the best mother. I wasn’t trying to be the understanding wife. I was just… being me. I scooped another bite of my dumpling. Cold. Bland. But for the first time, it tasted real. Not an illusion. These past five years of marriage felt the same—cold, bland, and never truly satisfying.Liam's POV The office was silent, only the ticking of the clock competing with the sound of my own heartbeat. The sunlight, which should’ve felt warm, only added another weight on my back—burning my skin and tightening my chest. I sat in my work chair, documents open on the laptop screen, but the words no longer registered. I stared without truly seeing.I’d been here for two hours. Two hours sitting in silence, doing nothing. Since when did I become like this?My hand clenched on the table. It felt like there was a gaping hole in my chest—empty but full of pressure that couldn’t be explained. I tried to take a deep breath, but my chest was too tight. As if each inhale only filled half my lungs, the rest blocked by something invisible—regret, perhaps.My thoughts went back to that night. The night Sienna looked at me—not with anger, but with a terrifying calmness. Like someone who had finally stopped hoping. It wasn’t a look of hate. Nor disappointment.
Sienna's POV I lay down, pulling the blanket up to my chest. A long exhale escaped my lips. I was tired. Not just physically, but in the way someone feels after a long battle where no one really wins. I didn’t even know if this was a victory or just another escape. My eyes stared at the ceiling. Blank. Empty. And strangely, that emptiness felt more honest than the fake smile I used to wear in that house. I remembered Noah. His innocent face lying on that hospital bed. His small eyes looking at me full of hope, full of longing. Only that child made me hesitate. Only because of Noah did I still ask myself: Should I go back?But should I return to the very place that slowly killed me, just to be beside a child who doesn’t even know what’s happening?Tears slid silently from the corners of my eyes. Warm, and somehow reaching deep into my chest. I love Noah. So much. But I can’t sacrifice myself again—not even for him.I’ve tried before. Stayed for o
Sienna's POVI cried for myself. For all those years I waited for someone who never even realized I was bleeding. For years I tried to be enough for someone who never truly wanted to see me. And now… now that he finally turned to look at me, I am already too tired. My phone buzzed again. But this time, I didn’t want to look at it. Didn’t want to know. I needed time for myself. To reweave the shattered pieces of my heart. To rebuild the self-worth that once crumbled, piece by piece. I lay down on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. The world felt quiet, but for the first time, the silence didn’t scare me. Because now I know… I still have myself.I let my body sink deeper into the sofa. The late afternoon air slipped in through the slightly opened window, carrying the scent of freshly fallen rain. Outside, the sky was still gray, as if it too felt the weight on my chest. But I wasn’t crying anymore. That earlier cry had been my last one today—or at least I ho
Sienna's POV I shook my head slowly. “I loved you, Liam. I did. But I’m just too tired now. My love for you has long burned out. I can’t go back to a place that broke me—slowly, every single day. I have to choose to love myself this time.”He looked at me like he wanted to beg. But no words came out.“Don’t ask me to come back just because you feel empty. I know what it’s like to live with someone who doesn’t love me the way I loved them. I don’t want Noah to see that and think that’s what love looks like.”I picked up my small bag and stood. “Thank you for being honest, Liam. But this… it’s too late.”Before I turned away, I caught a glimpse of the broken expression on his face. But I knew—if I stayed there any longer, I would fall into the same wound again.I wouldn’t let that happen again.I walked out of the café with quick steps, as if the glass walls would collapse behind me if I delayed even for a second. The soft sound of the door closing be
Sienna's POV My steps paused for a moment in front of the glass door of the small café just across from the apartment. The damp morning air still clung to my skin, but it wasn’t that which made my body feel heavy—it was the reality that I was about to sit down and talk with someone who had once been the center of my life… and also its undoing.I pushed the door open and immediately spotted Liam sitting in the corner of the café, wearing a dark shirt, his hands clasped anxiously on the table. His eyes went straight to me the moment I walked in. I saw a flash of relief on his face, but I didn’t return his expression with a smile. I took a deep breath and walked over.“Morning,” I murmured briefly, then sat down across from him.“Morning,” Liam replied softly.A barista came over and we ordered. I chose an espresso. I needed something strong to keep my mind steady during this conversation. Liam ordered an americano.Once our drinks arrived, he looked at the sma
Sienna's POV My sobs slowly faded, though my body still trembled. I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand, still hiccuping as I tried to breathe. The ache remained, but at least now I could breathe a little easier. Liliana led me to the sofa without many words. She wrapped a blanket around me, then disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a warm glass of water. Her hand touched my shoulder gently as she offered it to me. I accepted it, though my hands were still shaking. A sip of that warm water slid down my throat like a quiet hug, comforting without needing any explanation. I sat with my knees pulled to my chest, wrapped in silence that somehow felt warmer than any words. Liliana sat beside me, not forcing me to speak. Just being there. Sometimes, that was exactly what I needed—someone who didn’t try to fix me, just stayed. The ticking of the wall clock was soft. Outside the window, the city remained awake under the glow of amb