Chapter 5: A Marriage That Exists Only on Paper

Chapter five 

I wasn't attending Margaret Anderson's birthday banquet because I still wanted to be part of the Anderson family, and I certainly wasn't attending because Maxwell expected another obedient wife to quietly stand beside him while everyone pretended our marriage remained perfectly normal.

I attended for one reason alone.

Lily deserved to see her grandmother before I permanently walked away from the Anderson family, and after tonight, I no longer intended allowing anyone inside that mansion to decide my worth.

Lily was still resting inside the hospital after another difficult night, and leaving her behind filled my heart with guilt, although her doctor repeatedly assured me that she would remain under careful observation until I returned.

Before leaving my apartment, I gently kissed her forehead while she continued sleeping peacefully.

"I'll come back soon, sweetheart, because Mommy still has one last thing to finish."

My phone vibrated before Maxwell's message appeared across the screen.

**"I'm downstairs." **There wasn't a single unnecessary word.

No greeting, No question asking whether I had eaten. No concern about Lily's condition.

Our marriage had become exactly like his messages.

I grabbed my handbag before walking downstairs, where Maxwell leaned casually against his black luxury car while checking his watch with obvious impatience.

When he noticed me approaching, something unfamiliar flickered across his usually indifferent face.

His eyes slowly traveled across my simple ivory dress before remaining fixed upon me several seconds longer than necessary.

"You've lost weight."

"I know."

"Lily's illness has affected you."

"It has."

I answered every question calmly because I no longer possessed enough emotional attachment to explain my feelings to someone who never truly listened.

He opened the passenger door without another word.

I quietly entered the car before fastening my seatbelt, allowing silence to settle naturally between us.

Several minutes passed without either of us speaking.

The silence no longer felt uncomfortable.

Instead, it felt final.

At a red light, Maxwell suddenly reached across the center console before gently brushing several loose strands of hair behind my ear.

The unexpected movement made me instinctively freeze.

He looked at me with an expression I hadn't seen for years.

Before I could move away, he leaned closer until his familiar scent completely surrounded me.

His lips landed softly against mine.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds, although every second reminded me of countless lonely nights when physical intimacy had become the only language he ever spoke fluently.

He slowly pulled away before his thumb lightly brushed against my lower lip.

"I've been busy recently."

I quietly looked at him before taking a tissue from my handbag and carefully wiping my lips clean.

The simple action made his hand stop moving.

Then I asked the only question remaining inside my heart.

"If Sophia sees the marks you leave on me... won't she be hurt?"

His expression instantly froze.

"What does Sophia have to do with this?"

A quiet smile touched my lips, although no happiness existed inside it anymore.

"Hasn't she always had everything to do with us?"

He frowned deeply.

"I've already explained that you're misunderstanding our relationship."

I slowly turned toward the window.

"No."

My reflection stared back at me through the glass.

"I finally understand it perfectly."

Neither of us spoke again for the remainder of the journey.

For the first time since becoming his wife, I didn't care whether Maxwell understood me.

The banquet had already begun by the time we arrived at the Anderson mansion.

Luxury cars filled the driveway while elegantly dressed guests laughed happily beneath dazzling crystal lights, making the celebration appear warm and joyful despite the coldness hiding beneath every polite smile.

The moment Maxwell and I entered together, countless eyes immediately settled upon us.

Some looked surprised. Others looked amused. Several carried open contempt.

Margaret Anderson noticed me almost immediately.

Instead of greeting me warmly after everything that had happened, her first question made me realize nothing inside this family would ever change.

"Amelia, why isn't dinner ready yet?"

The entire living room suddenly became quiet.

Everyone waited for my answer.

Including Maxwell.

Five years ago, I would have apologized immediately before rushing toward the kitchen.

Tonight, I simply smiled politely.

"I'm not cooking tonight." Margaret frowned.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I came to celebrate your birthday, not to work."

Before Margaret could respond, Vanessa crossed her arms before laughing sarcastically.

"I knew leaving home for several days would make you forget your responsibilities because some women become unbelievably lazy after enjoying a little freedom."

Several relatives immediately nodded in agreement.

"I've never understood why she acts so delicate."

"Exactly."

"She's lived comfortably inside the Anderson family for years."

"Cooking one dinner shouldn't be such a burden."

Another voice quietly added the sentence I had heard countless times throughout my marriage.

"If Sophia married Maxwell instead, she would've handled everything perfectly."

The room filled with soft laughter.

Almost on cue, Sophia entered through the front doorway wearing an elegant champagne-colored gown while carrying an expensive birthday gift inside beautifully wrapped packaging.

She smiled warmly before walking directly toward Margaret.

"Happy birthday, Aunt Margaret."

Margaret's face immediately softened.

"You came."

"Of course I did."

Sophia gently hugged her before pretending to notice me for the first time.

"Amelia, don't misunderstand everyone because they're only worried about Aunt Margaret's birthday dinner." She looked at me sympathetically.

"If you don't feel well, I don't mind helping inside the kitchen."

The surrounding guests immediately praised her kindness.

"Sophia has always been considerate."

"She's so thoughtful."

"What a wonderful woman."

I quietly watched everything without interrupting because explaining myself to people determined to misunderstand me had become the greatest waste of my life.

Vanessa looked at me proudly, believing silence meant defeat.

"Well?"

"Are you finally going to apologize?"

I calmly met her eyes.

"No."

Confusion immediately appeared across several faces.

"I'm not apologizing because I haven't done anything wrong."

Vanessa laughed coldly.

"So you really expect everyone else to prepare dinner while you enjoy yourself?"

I gently shook my head.

"The Anderson family hired professional chefs years ago because they no longer need unpaid servants."

Her smile immediately disappeared.

"What did you just say?"

"I said I'm no longer working in your kitchen."

The room became completely silent.

Margaret's face darkened with anger.

"You are the Anderson family's daughter-in-law."

I looked around the magnificent mansion where I had sacrificed five years of my happiness trying to earn acceptance that never existed.

"I was your daughter-in-law." I smiled gently.

"Now I'm simply your guest."

Every guest stared at me as though I had suddenly become someone they had never met before.

Only I understood the truth.

The woman standing before them wasn't becoming stronger tonight.

She had simply stopped begging people to love her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Maxwell watching me with an unfamiliar expression.

After everyone humiliates me, Maxwell instinctively reaches for my wrist.

I gently removes his hand and says,

"Please don't touch me in front of Sophia. I don't want her misunderstanding your relationship.”