Chapter 1

1

After I gave birth, my husband finally kept his promise to take me on a trip to New York to relax.

But the moment we stepped off the plane, he vanished.

I was left wandering the streets of a foreign city alone, unable to reach him no matter how many times I called.

Two hours later, I accidentally saw a post from his childhood sweetheart on my feed.

It was a sweet photo of her and my husband feeding each other ice cream.

The caption read: "The person who loves you most will always keep you in their heart, no matter where you are."

I stared at it for a long time before finally leaving a comment.

"Then let him stay in your heart forever."

I left the divorce papers behind and walked away.

Cillian, the husband who had always been cold to me, finally panicked this time.

Wandering alone on 10th Avenue, I never realized life could feel so hopeless.

Cillian Thorne had played me like a fool.

I felt like a pathetic, stray dog.

A message from him was still sitting on my phone: "Elara, an emergency came up at the office. I have to head back."

It was a hilarious lie compared to Noelle's latest post.

In the photo, Cillian―a man who never smiled at me―was tenderly feeding her ice cream.

"The person who loves you most will always keep you in their heart, even at the ends of the earth."

Her friends had left sugary comments below.

"I hope our Cillian and Noelle stay together forever!" one read.

"Lol, some women can't even keep a man after having his baby," said another.

I had been listening to this kind of trash for five long years.

The winter wind in New York was biting.

I rubbed my nose, my hands shaking from the cold.

Meanwhile, the people in that photo were soaking up the summer warmth, looking romantic and happy.

I smiled and typed out my comment, one word at a time.

"Then let Cillian stay in your heart forever."

Cillian Thorne, this time, I am the one who doesn't want you anymore.

The weather was freezing, the airport had no signal, and my flight was delayed.

Misfortune never comes alone; my phone was down to its last three percent.

By the time I managed to buy a ticket, the screen went black.

I gave a self-deprecating laugh.

A part of me had been waiting for Cillian to see that comment and text me, or maybe even call.

I stood on 10th Avenue like a statue, clutching my dead phone.

For two whole hours, all I saw in my mind were the comments supporting his happiness with Noelle.

I could almost see the mocking looks in their eyes.

The salty taste of tears reached the corners of my mouth.

I couldn't take it anymore. I ran into the airport restroom and sobbed my heart out.

Crowds of people rushed for their night flights, passing me with looks of pity or disgust.

It was the same way Cillian used to look at me.

Since I had just given birth, my body was still weak.

Standing in the freezing wind for four hours without food or water had pushed me to the brink.

"Ma'am, do you need any help?" someone asked in broken English.

The simple question only made the pain sharper.

Even common courtesy like this was something Cillian had never given me.

Memories flashed of me begging him to come home, looking pathetic and small.

I remembered him locking me in the house like a dog, telling me to stop being so desperate.

In his eyes, even my breathing was a mistake.

What was the point of living like this?

I closed my eyes in total despair.