Chapter 2

But out of guilt, he kept trying to make it up to Mandy. The two of them grew closer and closer, even his son began to like her more.

Meanwhile, the future version of me became quieter by the day, weighed down by misery. Even the paintbrushes I once loved had been abandoned in a corner, left to gather dust.

Just thinking about it made my chest ache in waves. I could not bear to imagine how wronged and heartbroken my future self must have felt.

Liam looked at me coldly, disappointment filling his eyes.

"Stella, the evidence from the fire back then was already conclusive. I thought you were the type to own up to what you did. I never expected you'd still be making excuses even now.

"Tell me this: would Mandy really set herself on fire?

"If I hadn't saved her that night, she might actually have died in that house. Do you understand?"

I met Liam's sharp gaze as grief and bitterness surged through me at the same time.

Back before graduation, someone in class falsely accused me of stealing. Eighteen-year-old Liam had stepped in front of me without hesitation.

"I know better than anyone what kind of person Stella is. Anyone in this class could be the thief, including me, but Stella would never do something like that."

He defended me, found the real thief, and cleared my name.

But ten years later, the man who once swore he trusted me more than anyone had chosen to believe someone else instead.

I forced down the burning bitterness in my chest and let out a mocking laugh.

"Liam, I really never imagined you'd become this stupid after ten years."

His expression darkened instantly.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean exactly what I said. Liam, you're an idiot. The twenty-eight-year-old me must deeply regret marrying you."

A flicker of shock crossed his eyes. He clearly hadn't expected me to say something like that. Then anger quickly took over.

"You regret marrying me? I haven't even regretted marrying you! Keep talking like this and I'll divorce you indeed!"

Charles immediately lifted his chin at me smugly.

"Dad, every time you say things like that and threaten divorce, she starts crying again. I hate it when she acts like that.

"Mandy is way better. She's smart, pretty, and she knows how to paint too. Dad, if you really divorce her, then marry Mandy and let her be my mom."

I glanced at the father and son standing in front of me.

"If you two are really that impatient, then let's not wait. We can get divorced right now."

Liam and Charles both froze.

I walked straight into the study, turned on the printer, downloaded a divorce agreement template, printed it out, and handed it directly to Liam.

"I don't want a single cent from you. Just sign it. Once you do, I'll leave immediately."

He stared at me as though he no longer recognized me, unable to believe I would ever say something like this to him.

Of course he could not understand.

Because the soul inside this body was no longer the twenty-eight-year-old Stella who had been worn down by life.

It was the eighteen-year-old Stella instead, someone who knew how to love deeply and let go cleanly.

Still holding the divorce papers, Liam remained stunned.

"You don't want anything? You don't even want your son anymore?"

Charles pursed his lips and stared at me with wide eyes.

I looked back at my five-year-old son.

The future me had suffered terribly to bring him into this world. During pregnancy, her body swelled constantly, stretch marks spread across her skin, she could barely eat or sleep, and near delivery she suffered a massive hemorrhage.

It took three days and three nights of emergency treatment before both mother and child finally survived.

When he was three years old and first saw the scar, his little face had filled with heartbreak.

"My teacher said having babies really hurts. Mommy worked so hard.

"When I grow up, I'm going to earn lots and lots of money and give it all to Mommy. Even if I only have food for myself, I'll still share half with Mommy."

Back then, his whole world revolved around me. He always wanted to give me the very best things he had.

But now, at five years old, his heart had already tilted toward Mandy.

And today, he had even threatened to throw me out of my own home.