What Was Lost

As soon as I finished speaking, Serene started crying.

I did not look at her. Instead, I turned to look at the bright rays of sunlight outside the window.

"I wish to live in freedom in my last days."

She choked on her sobs and held my hand. "Alright. I'll do whatever you want. Let's go home."

I nodded in agreement.

However, the freedom I wanted meant going somewhere without her and her daughter.

Still, I had no desire to explain.

We returned to the mansion.

For eight years of our marriage, I had lived there. Yet I had never once felt that it was home.

It was way too cold.

Serene instructed the servants to buy all of her and Tina's favorite foods. Then, she handed me an apron.

"Joseph, I ordered your favorites," she said. "In the meantime, cook for us a few more times. I want to remember the taste."

I accepted the apron with a bitter smile.

In all these years, she had never once asked me what I truly liked. She always thought that I liked whatever she and Tina liked.

Forget it. I would cook them one more meal as a farewell.

I truly loved them, after all.

It took me almost two hours of dragging my exhausted and frail body around before I was done cooking.

By the end, I was practically on the verge of collapse.

"Let's eat."

As soon as we picked up our cutlery, Serene's phone rang. She glanced at it but did not answer it.

Tina scowled and grabbed it instead.

"Why aren't you answering Keith's call? He'll get mad. I'll do it if you won't!"

After answering the call, her voice instantly turned soft and sweet, filled with so much joy that even the man on the other end must have heard it.

"Did you miss me, Keith?"

While I knew this would happen, I still could not help but feel a bitter pang in my heart at the sight of her expression.

She used to smile at me that way too. I had raised her for eight whole years.

Keith Sawyer had only appeared six months ago, yet everything I once had no longer belonged to me.

Not long after, Serene accepted the phone with a smile.

I did not listen to what they were saying, but I already knew that would be the end of our dinner.