Chapter 3

Even if I already expected it, seeing the betrayal right in front of my eyes was still a huge blow to me.

Zoe smirked at me provocatively.

I turned around and left. I didn't rush in and question them, which seemed to have disappointed her.

Then, Zoe sent me an anonymous message and a photo of Christian, his ears pressed to her abdomen, listening intently.

[Rae Sartorelli, you must have been reborn as well, right? If not, you wouldn't be here. If you know any better, you'd leave at once! If not, I wouldn't mind getting you in an accident once more!]

I couldn't be bothered to fight with her over a cheating man.

I returned home and started packing up. My phone vibrated constantly in my pocket, but I ignored it.

A while later, Christian rushed in and hugged me.

"Why didn't you go to the restaurant? You didn't pick up my calls as well! I thought something happened to you!"

Seeing me pack, he said with an almost indiscernible tone of panic. "What are you doing?"

"I'm packing some things I no longer want to be donated to charity."

A stack of documents was spread across the table. On the top was my medical thesis.

"Isn't this your most precious thesis? Why are you donating it?" He furrowed his brows in confusion.

I once won the Global Medical Award. Those documents were my most cherished badge of honor, but I gave it all up to raise a family.

"I'm just organizing the documents. I'll be donating the clothes."

In my heart, I secretly thought, 'It's because I don't want to repeat the same mistakes. It's because I'm leaving.'

Perhaps noticing the change in my behavior, Christian couldn't sleep well that night. He kept hugging me, telling me how much he loved me, how we were going to have many children, how once he handed the family business over to his children, we would travel the world.

"Rae, tomorrow is your birthday. I have postponed all my work engagements. No one can order me to do anything. I'll only be with you. Don't get mad."

He hugged me like a child, apologizing.

"I'm sorry I couldn't spend time with you due to work. You'll be my priority from today onward! No one will ever take your place!"

Tears slowly fell.

Christian, we no longer had a future.

The next day, I got up and made him his favorite sandwich and a cup of coffee. It was usually the housekeepers who did them, but I thought of leaving some nice memories before I left.

The gardens in the estate were filled with roses, arranged in a way that spelled my name.

An employee was busy decorating the venue for my birthday party. There were already some reporters standing by the gates, waiting for firsthand news of the birthday.

We've been together for so many years, and my birthday has always been a piece of news that causes a sensation across the city.

In the past, I would have felt happy and blessed by all this, but at that moment, all I felt was a sense of irony.

Christian ate the breakfast that I prepared for him. He told me that he personally planned my birthday party. He said that there would be a big surprise for me.

[I heard that it's your birthday today. He has been with you on your birthday for five consecutive years. Say, do you think he will still be with you this year?]

I ignored the provocative messages.

Then, I noticed Christian's phone was vibrating constantly. He switched it off right away.

Half an hour later, Zoe arrived with a gift.

"Donna Fuzio, this is my present for you."

Then, she said in a teasing jab, "Donna Fuzio, you can't just delay Don Fuzio's work just because of a birthday. Something happened at the casino, but Don Fuzio refuses to go just to stay with you.

"You should be an understanding Donna. Look at my boyfriend. I know that he is busy. Even if I'm pregnant, I never cause him any trouble. I put his career first."

Christian's gaze darkened. He snapped, "Who do you think you are talking to my wife like that!"

Then, he slapped her.

"You're fired!"

Zoe clutched her face and left the scene.

A few minutes later, Christian finished his breakfast and got up. "I'll go and see how the decorations are going."

Half an hour later, I received Zoe's message.

[You think he loves you? I think he loves the child in me more!]

She sent me a photo of Christian at a maternity store, picking out baby things.

At that moment, I suddenly felt relieved.

I burned everything that I couldn't take with me.

In the evening, Christian said that the auction house misplaced my birthday gift. He was going to get me another gift, and he would be back later.

I didn't reply to him.

When I was leaving the estate with my luggage, the reporters waiting to interview us were still standing by the gates.

They were excitedly discussing which designer would become famous because of the dress I was wearing this year, and whether the jewelry I wore would start another trend.

They were even predicting that the Fuzio family's stock would surge.

After all, a company run by a man who loves his wife always earns public trust, even if that man happens to be the feared mafia Don.

I quietly slipped out through the back gate. The driver was waiting for me for some time.

Before boarding, I turned and took one last look behind me.

When the plane was up in the skies, night fell. I closed my eyes as something slid down my cheek.

I wiped away a tear and whispered to myself, "Christian, I hope never to see you again."