The next day, I went to the clinic.

"This procedure will likely leave you permanently infertile," the doctor warned.

I nodded. "Do it."

Before the surgery, I called Walter. Even then, in my moment of greatest fear, a pathetic part of me wanted to hear his voice.

Twenty-two calls.

He didn't answer a single one.

Disappointment settled over me like a shroud. I put the phone away and walked into the operating room.

When I woke from the anesthesia, my phone was still silent. No messages. No missed calls.

I opened social media. Charlotte had posted a new update.

A photo of her and Walter, surrounded by friends. Their faces were pressed together intimately. Around her neck hung a massive, glittering ruby pendant.

The caption read:

*"Thank you for the best gift. Let's make up for all the years we missed."*

I recognized the necklace immediately. I had seen the box on Walter's desk weeks ago. It was engraved with the words: *One True Love.*

I had foolishly thought it was a surprise for me.

A bitter smile touched my lips. It was never for me.

Nothing was ever for me.

I liked Charlotte's post.

At that exact moment, a notification popped up: *Flight Booking Confirmed.*

My eyes closed. A long exhale escaped my lungs. A profound sense of exhaustion washed over me.

It was almost over.

When I returned home, the house was bright.

My body was weak from the surgery, and I moved slowly. I found Walter in the kitchen, wearing an apron, cooking. Charlotte leaned against the doorframe, watching him with a soft, possessive gaze.

They looked like the perfect domestic couple.

I was the intruder in my own home.

Walter, who claimed he didn't know how to boil water, was cooking for her.

I smiled. There was no warmth in it. It was the smile of someone who finally understood the joke.

I remembered when I was up for a promotion. I was the top sales performer in the company, yet Walter—my boss—rejected my application. He claimed he couldn't show favoritism.

But when Charlotte returned to the country with zero experience, she was promoted two levels within a month.

He protected her. He prioritized her.

It was so obvious now.

I coughed lightly. They both turned to look at me.

There was no shame in their eyes. Walter spoke as if nothing were amiss. "We went out to eat, and Charlotte had too much wine. I'm making her some hangover soup."

I didn't respond. I simply turned and walked to the bedroom.