Chapter 2

Throughout our seven years of marriage, there would always be a hot meal waiting for Caleb when he came home.

It didn't matter whether I was swamped with work and couldn't make it home in time, as I would still order his favorite takeout before coming home myself.

This was the first time he ever came face-to-face with an empty dining table.

He assumed I would hurriedly get on my feet and start whipping a meal up for him. However, I only responded dully, "Make yourself a sandwich if you're that hungry."

Caleb frowned and handed me a bag.

"I remember your period pains can get awful, so I got you some heat pads."

I tilted my head slightly and finally met his gaze. "I don't need it. Leave them to someone who does."

He had no idea that Emma had posted a picture of those same heating pads on her social media.

The hand in the photo, the same hand placing them on her, was wearing his ring. It was his left hand.

Although Emma had deleted the photo, I was well aware that these heat pads that he claimed to have gotten for me were merely Emma's leftovers.

These heating pads were exactly like him, really—both only finding their way to me after Emma had no use for them anymore.

Caleb stubbornly opened one of the pads and tried to stick it on me.

I shoved him away, causing him to slam against the coffee table. Pain shot up from his waist, making him grimace.

"What's with you, Ophelia? Emma's gastritis was acting up. You were only on your period. Can't you tell which one of you needed my help more? Are you seriously throwing a tantrum because of this?"

I calmly looked at him straight in the eyes and said, "Caleb, I wasn't on my period. I had a miscarriage."

Caleb froze.

After a long moment, his lips curled into a mocking smile as he sneered. "Is this a new trick? Are you trying to guilt-trip me? Have you forgotten the tests we did seven years ago, Ophelia? It's nigh impossible for you to get pregnant. Don't you feel ashamed telling such a humiliating lie?"

I had once desperately hoped that I would be able to build a family with Caleb.

I had broken down sobbing when I discovered that I might never be able to conceive a child.

Still, I secretly registered myself to undergo various treatments over the years. I would sleep with Caleb whenever I was ovulating, hoping over and over again that I might finally get some good news. Alas, I never got my wish.

So, I didn't expect that the baby that I had been dreaming about for years would finally come to me after I had given up on my obsession.

It was just unfortunate that the very day I learned of my baby's existence was also the day I lost them forever.

Perhaps my baby's death was a sign. A sign that it was the beginning of the end between Caleb and me.

I pushed myself off the couch and muttered, "You can think whatever you like. It doesn't matter anymore."

I picked up the heat pads that had been scattered across the floor and threw them into the trash. Then, I grabbed my purse and headed for the door.

Caleb demanded, "Are you leaving?"

I replied monotonously, "Blair just moved into her new home. I'm going to stay with her for a few days."

Caleb chased after me with a frown on his face.

Frankly, this was the first time he had ever bothered trying to stop me from leaving.

After all, he would only watch on coldly when I did this in the past. Back then, it didn't matter who was in the right after we got into a squabble, as I would always come crawling back to him, begging for his forgiveness. My determination to show him who was boss would only last for two days at most.

However, this wasn't the case now.

I walked past him, stepped into the elevator, and pressed the close button without the slightest hint of reluctance.

I arrived at Blair's house half an hour later.

I told my best friend about my miscarriage. She hugged me and comforted me, coaxing me for hours.

I never once bothered texting Caleb the entire time.

Instead, he sent me a text consisting of a single question mark.

I ignored it. He shot me another text the following day, saying, "The breakfast they serve out here tastes horrible."

Blair, who was sitting at the dining table and enjoying breakfast with me, regarded me with unconcealed bewilderment before blurting, "I can't believe you're still here! You actually stayed here instead of running back home to cook him a meal."

I gave her a smile and hummed in agreement.

Her surprise was understandable because I would drop whatever the hell I was doing just for Caleb.

However, that was in the past, and I… was done.

Blair said sincerely, "You've finally put yourself first for once."

I looked up at the ceiling for a long while after hearing her words. As the silence stretched on, I finally murmured, "Blair Smith, you're a divorce attorney… Do you have any advice for me if I plan on getting a divorce?"

Blair practically leaped to her feet as she rattled off a long list of clauses.

The jargon spewing out of her mouth had gone completely over my head. She saw my dumbfounded state and said with a wave of her hand, "I'll handle it. Don't worry."

So, I settled in her home and lived with her. I never bothered texting Caleb for days on end.

My peace lasted for about five days. On the fifth day, my mother-in-law, Pauline Wood, posted a picture in the family's group chat. She had tagged the picture, saying that hardly anyone had bothered visiting her, even though it was her birthday soon.

It was a picture of the Thornes having a meal together.

Among them sat Caleb with Emma clinging onto him like a lemur.