Chapter 1

"Are you sure you want to change your name, Ms. Anderson? Once you do, you'll have to update all your important documents, including your academic credentials, passport, and social security number."

"I'm sure," Emily Anderson replied with a nod.

The clerk continued his attempt to dissuade her. "It's quite a hassle to legally change your name as an adult. You have a beautiful name. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"

"That won't be necessary," Emily replied before signing the consent form for the name change. "Please proceed with the change."

"Alright then. You want your new name to be… Aria Skye, right?"

"That's correct."

Like a melody drifting through the air, Emily desired to roam freely in the sky and go wherever the wind took her. That was the goal she set for herself. She was going to leave Honshire for good.

"Can I get my passport updated now?" Emily queried.

"Yes, you can. This document confirms that your name has been legally changed. Take this to the counter at the county clerk's office downstairs, and you can apply for your new passport."

Emily swiftly completed the procedure to update her passport, but she didn't bother to change anything else. After all, she was leaving the country with the help of her new passport in a week. Since she no longer needed her old identity, she was leaving it all behind.

She stepped out of the county clerk's office with her new passport. Across the street was a towering building—a landmark of Honshire. The large screen plastered outside the building was currently airing an interview with Samuel Porter, the CEO of Prestige Group.

Having noticed Samuel's fidgeting, the interviewer remarked with a smile, "Mr. Porter, I see that you have a habit of rubbing that ring you're wearing, but it looks like an ordinary silver ring. Is there something special about it?"

With a gentle smile, Samuel raised his hand to show the interviewer his ring. "This is my wedding ring."

"Oh? I do apologize. I assumed that a man of your wealth and standing would surely choose a far more expensive-looking ring, perhaps even one adorned with diamonds."

"I made my wedding ring myself," Samuel explained. "I shaped and polished every bit of it myself. I even carved both my wife's and my initials on the inside."

"Oh! I can see two sets of initials—SP and…"

"EA," Samuel added. "My wife's name is Emily Anderson."

"Oh, my! I can't help but envy your wife," the interviewer said. "How blessed she must be that she got to marry you, Mr. Porter."

"I'm the one who's blessed for being able to marry her," Samuel replied.

All of the passersby seemed to exclaim in envy, but Emily herself merely let out a scornful laugh.

She and Samuel had indeed been in love once. They started dating during their schooling days, and it had been 15 years since. In the eyes of all their old classmates and teachers, they were the most loving couple.

But two months ago, Emily received a photo from a woman she didn't know. The young woman, who seemed to be in her early 20s, was wearing a sexy lace nightgown. A trail of hickey led from her neck down to her chest.

It was obvious that she had just done the deed with someone.

Facing the camera, the woman held her fingers up in a victory sign. A silver ring on her index finger, but it looked a little big on her. It probably belonged to a man. On the inside of the ring were two sets of initials, SP and EA.

Later on, Emily met that woman in Samuel's office. Her name was Jessica Lewis. She was 21 years old, a recent college graduate, and Samuel's newly hired personal assistant.

At the time, Emily was rather stunned. She was sorely tempted to barge right into Samuel's office and question him, "Just how personal of an assistant is she? Do her responsibilities include attending to your sexual needs?"

But in the end, she decided against that. The photo of a hickey-covered Jessica was all the answer she needed.

While the onlookers continued to gasp in awe over Samuel's interview, Emily walked off and headed to a jewelry studio. Her heart squeezed in pain as she took off the ring on her ring finger.

"How may we be of service, miss?"

"Please melt down this ring for me," Emily said.

"I see a pair of initials carved into the ring. I'm sure this ring holds some kind of sentimental value. Are you sure you want to get it melted down?" the studio employee checked.

"Yes, and quickly, please."

Half an hour later, Emily went home with an exquisitely packaged jewelry box.

…

It was past 10:00 pm when Samuel got back home with a flower bouquet. "I'm so sorry, Emmy. I've been so busy at work lately that I haven't been able to spend any time with you. I brought you a bunch of your favorite freesias. Do you like them?"

As he leaned in, Emily caught the scent of a woman's perfume. She looked over and spotted the bite mark on his Adam's apple, as well as a lipstick mark on his collar. It was bright red and impossible to miss.

Emily sneered. Had he been busy working or busy getting it on with Jessica?

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Samuel asked.

Emily pushed him away, saying, "I'm tired."

"Shall I carry you to bed then?" Samuel said as he leaned down to scoop her up in his arms.

However, Emily pushed him away once more and said, "You must be tired too. Take a shower and get some rest."

After reaching out to take her hand, Samuel abruptly spotted something. "Where's your wedding ring, Emmy?"

Chapter 2

"I took it off," Emily said.

"I made that ring myself. It's the proof of our love. Why did you take it off?" Samuel asked.

Emily brushed it off with a made-up excuse. "I gained some weight recently, so it doesn't fit me anymore."

At last, Samuel's expression improved. With a faint smile, he said, "In that case, I'll take it to a jewelry studio one day and get it resized."

"We'll see."

"By the way, what's that on the table?" Samuel asked in surprise as he pointed at the jewelry box on the table. "Is that a gift for me, Emmy?"

"It is," Emily confirmed with a nod.

The box contained a small piece of silver that was once her wedding ring.

Meanwhile, Samuel was thrilled. "What's the occasion? I'm surprised that you prepared a gift for me out of the blue, Emmy."

Emily's heart chilled even further.

"Today's our wedding anniversary."

Immediately, Samuel stiffened, his expression morphing into a grimace. His tone was almost placating as he attempted to coax Emily. "I'm sorry, Emmy. I've been too busy with work. Why don't we head out for dinner tonight? I'll get us a reservation right away."

"It's fine. I've already eaten."

"Why don't I take you out for a spin then? We can have a stroll by the river."

"I'm tired. I want to sleep."

Samuel hugged Emily from behind appeasingly and said, "Come on, Emmy. Let's go. It's been ages since we took a stroll together. I keep feeling that you've been a bit distant from me lately. If this continues, I'm going to start thinking that you've fallen out of love with me."

Was Emily the one who had fallen out of love? Clearly, Samuel was the one who sought the company of another woman. He was the one who betrayed her first.

And now, she was going to extract both her heart and herself from his life.

While driving to the river, Samuel kept chatting away with a smile as he filled Emily in on all the latest happenings. Emily, who was sitting on the front passenger seat, stared out the window and ignored what he said.

Earlier, when she was putting on her seatbelt, she found a pair of women's stockings stuffed down the side of the seat. They were clearly worn. Nevertheless, she'd shoved them back down and pretended like nothing happened. Since she had decided to leave, she didn't want to bother arguing with him about anything.

After all, she wouldn't get anything more than a handful of worthless lies. She wasn't going to waste her time on a meaningless pursuit over something she couldn't get.

When they got to the river, Samuel got out of the car first and opened the door for Emily. "We're here, Emmy."

Emily didn't want to come, but they'd frequented this river a lot when they first started dating. As this was where it all began, she figured this river could mark the end as well.

"Whoa! Isn't that Samuel Porter, the CEO who was interviewed on television today? He's the one who made his own wedding ring!"

"I remember that! He's the perfect man!"

"Look. He even held his hand against the roof of the car to make sure his wife wouldn't bump her head against it. He's so thoughtful!"

Just then, Samuel's phone rang.

"Sorry about this, Emmy. Give me a moment," he said apologetically. "This is about work. Let me just deal with this, and I'll be right back."

"Go ahead."

"Wait for me here. Don't run around by yourself, okay?"

Unsurprisingly, the passersby began squealing in envy once more.

"Mr. Porter treats his wife like a princess! He's even afraid she might get lost without him."

"He dotes on her so much."

Emily was the only one whose expression remained stoic the whole time. She stood by the river and stared at the rippling water that glistened beneath the night sky.

Samuel couldn't hide the smile on his face when he saw who had texted him. It was a smile of adoration mixed with a hint of mischief, so how could it possibly have been work-related? She simply couldn't be bothered to expose him.

It was getting chilly by the river, so Emily decided to wait for Samuel in the car. His phone was still hooked up to the car's display screen, and she could see his messages.

He was talking to someone named "Greedy Kitty Jessie".

Samuel: "Miss me?"

Greedy Kitty Jessie: "I feel empty on nights when you're not with me."

Samuel: "You little vixen. I gave it to you seven times already today. Are you still not satisfied?"

Greedy Kitty Jessie: "It's not enough, Sammy. I want more."

Samuel: "Fine. Wait till we get to work tomorrow. We'll do it in the office until you're satisfied."

Greedy Kitty Jessie: "In that case, I'll wear a pair of black stockings tomorrow."

The rest of their conversation became even more repulsive to the eye, filled with flirty seductions and perverse descriptions.

Feeling chilled to the bone, Emily turned the screen off. She was trembling, though she couldn't tell if that was due to the cold or her anger. Her fingernails dug deep into her flesh.

About 15 minutes later, Samuel came back. After getting into the car, he exhaled in relief. "You gave me such a fright. I looked around for you when I got off the phone, but you were nowhere to be found. Thank goodness you're alright."

Emily no longer wanted to even look at his facade, so she kept her eyes fixed on her hands while she replied, "It was getting cold outside, so I came back into the car."

"Sure. Anywhere is fine, as long as you're happy."

Emily abruptly lifted her head. After seeing Samuel's and Jessica's messages, the words he just said took on a different meaning.

Anywhere was fine, as long as she was happy.

She recalled the pair of stockings stuffed between the car seats. Did that mean Samuel and Jessica had sex on the front passenger seat, too?

Struck with a sudden wave of disgust, Emily opened the car door and vomited.

Chapter 3

Worried, Samuel rushed over to check on Emily. "Emmy! Are you alright?"

Emily kept heaving until her head felt dizzy. It was ages before her stomach finally settled down.

She couldn't understand why Samuel, who loved her so deeply, would cheat on her. Wasn't he afraid that she might discover his betrayal? Did he think he hid it well enough that he could hide it from her forever?

Following a gust of the night breeze, Emily's mind cleared.

"Are you okay, Emmy?" Samuel asked. "If you're feeling unwell, I'll take you to the hospital right away."

"It's fine. I probably just had something for dinner that upset my stomach."

"Come join me at the office tomorrow, then. We'll eat together."

Emily sneered. Was she supposed to come over to the office and watch while he and Jessica turned his office into their love nest?

However, she was abruptly taken with the idea of toying with them. "Sure. I'll follow you to the office tomorrow and accompany you while you work. We can have our meals together and head home once you're done with work."

Samuel didn't expect Emily to agree to his suggestion. He looked reluctant as he said, "But I've been quite busy with work lately. I might not be able to spend much time with you."

"You can focus on your work. I'll just wait in your office until you're done."

"Well, alright then."

…

When they got back home, Samuel volunteered to draw Emily a bath. Yet after heading into the bathroom, he locked the door, which was rather unusual of him.

Emily got out of the house and went back into the car. Once she started the engine, the display screen immediately lit up with the latest of Samuel's chat logs.

Samuel: "Something came up. We can't do it in the office tomorrow."

Greedy Kitty Jessie: "What? How disappointing."

Samuel: "Don't be disappointed, you little vixen. I'll take you to the rooftop instead. It'll be even more thrilling there."

Greedy Kitty Jessie: "You're the best, Sammy!"

When Emily got back to the bedroom, Samuel came out of the bathroom as well. "The water's ready, Emmy. You can take a bath first."

"It's fine. I want to rest now."

"Okay then. If you're sleepy, you should get some sleep. By the way, can I open the gift you left on the table?"

"Wait a week before you open it," Emily replied.

"Why must I wait a week? I want to see what my Emmy prepared for me now."

"It's because…"

Well, it was because Emily was leaving Samuel for good in a week.

"It's because the gift will only be meaningful once a week passes," Emily said.

Samuel planted a gentle kiss on Emily's forehead before saying, "Alright. I'll do as you say."

The next morning, it was only a little past 6:00 am when Samuel's phone started ringing. After rejecting the call, he hugged Emily and said, "Ignore that. Let's sleep a little longer."

However, his phone began ringing again. Frowning in displeasure, Samuel said, "It's not even working hours yet, and they're already bugging me. Sooner or later, I'm going to fire all these useless executives of mine."

He rejected the call once more.

When it rang for the third time, he got out of bed in a huff and said, "Get a little more shuteye, Emmy. I'll ask these people what the hell is so urgent that they have to get in touch with me."

Emily hummed in acknowledgment before turning to the other side, with her back toward him.

Samuel stepped out of the bedroom with his phone, but he soon appeared at the entrance of the house downstairs. A deliveryman was waiting outside, and Samuel took a bag from him.

However, he was empty-handed when he returned to the bedroom.

"Is there a crisis at work?" Emily asked.

"Everything's fine. You don't need to worry about anything, Emmy," Samuel said. "Get some more sleep. I'll make you breakfast."

There was no way of knowing if he did it out of guilt or if he was genuinely concerned about her upset stomach, but either way, he prepared an excellent breakfast for her. The spread included toast, omelets, an assortment of jams, warm milk, and even her favorite mushroom soup.

"You need to be more careful with what you eat from now on," Samuel chided. "Why don't I hire someone to cook for you every day?"

"You don't have to."

"Be good and do as I say, Emmy. Otherwise, I'll be constantly worrying about you even while at work."

"Samuel, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Emily set her fork down and asked coolly, "Do you think the seven-year itch is a real thing?"

Samuel swiftly put on a look of utter disdain and declared, "That's just an excuse other men use to justify their cheating. It doesn't apply to me. You're the only one I'll ever love, Emmy."

"I'm the only one you'll ever love?"

"That's right."

"What if you fall in love with another woman, then?"

"If I do, then I'll get hit by lightning and spend the rest of my life in suffering."

"That's a very solemn vow to make. Aren't you afraid it might come true?" Emily questioned with a mocking chuckle.

"What's there for me to be afraid of when I'm telling the truth?"

Emily picked up a knife and spread some jam on her toast.

"You have to believe me, Emmy," Samuel said.

"Let's get back to eating."

"Do you still not trust me? Must I yank my heart out and show it to you?" Samuel pressed.

"Everyone's waiting for you at the office. You shouldn't be late."

Relaxing, Samuel took his seat across from Emily and said, "They can wait. They're all useless anyway. Sooner or later, I'll fire them all."

"Are you sure you can bear to fire her?"

Emily said "her" and not "them", but she didn't know whether Samuel picked up on that. He simply said, "You're all I need. There's nothing else I can't bear to do, so long as it doesn't involve you."

Chapter 4

After breakfast, Samuel and Emily went to his office together. She was still put off by the thought of the front passenger seat, so she insisted on sitting in the back.

"I'm going to get car sick, so it's better if I sit in the back. I can keep the windows down for some fresh air."

Samuel didn't insist otherwise. "Okay. I'll try to drive at a steady pace."

When they got to the office, Samuel once again jogged over and opened the door for her.

Since it was during the early morning rush hour, a group of employees who had just arrived at work spotted Emily getting out of the car.

Some of the senior executives even hurried over. One said ingratiatingly, "You're here, Mrs. Porter! Mr. Porter has always mentioned your fondness for lattes. Allow me to get you one right away!"

Another one called out, "I'll get you some refreshments and a slice of your favorite cake, Mrs. Porter."

"Stop it, all of you," Samuel snapped teasingly. "Emmy has put on a bit of weight lately. Her wedding ring doesn't even fit anymore."

"That can't be true, Mr. Porter. Mrs. Porter looks as slender as ever! I'm sure the wedding ring doesn't fit because it shrank in the water somehow!"

"Cut that out. It's one thing to try and curry favor, but can't you at least be more subtle about it? Why would a silver ring shrink from water?"

"That's where you're wrong. Mr. Porter adores Mrs. Porter. As long as we make her happy, he'll be happy too, and that'll make our lives much easier!"

Chuckling, Samuel remarked cheerfully, "I see you people have figured out my weakness."

Everyone else began chuckling as well. It felt as though Emily was escorted into Samuel's office by a swarm of fans. The refreshments were all set up, including her latte as well as some fruits and snacks.

Samuel even put on a television series on his computer and said, "I've got to focus on work now, Emmy. You can relax and enjoy yourself here. If you need anything, just tell Walter."

"Where's Jessica, that personal assistant of yours?" Emily asked on purpose. "Why don't I see her here today?"

"I don't know either," Samuel remarked. "I'll get the HR department to call her and ask."

Before leaving, Samuel even stroked Emily's head fondly and murmured, "Wait for me. We'll have lunch together when I get back."

He left, and so did the other senior executives. Emily spotted his phone on the table, so she quickly hurried after him. Alas, she ended up overhearing a conversation between the senior executives.

"The rooftop, huh? Mr. Porter and Jessica are getting kinkier with their playtime."

"They've got no choice this time. Who expected Mrs. Porter to show up at the office today? All they can do is find some other place to have their fun."

"Do we still need to bring Mr. Porter some condoms then?"

"Nope. I saw several packs of condoms in his pockets just now when he headed up."

"Oh, my. How incredible. How did he manage to get those condoms right under Mrs. Porter's nose?"

"He could get it delivered to him, of course. It's super convenient these days. You can get anything you want delivered right to your doorstep."

The truth dawned on Emily. The incessant calls this morning had been from the deliveryman. Samuel had placed the order bright and early so that he could have the condoms delivered to him. It looked like he was really looking forward to his rooftop rendezvous today. He'd gotten up early just to get everything ready.

"I wonder if a few packs of condoms would suffice. The last time, they did it in the car for an entire day and night. Jessica was walking funny when she came to work the next day."

"If he runs out, we can always just bring more to him. As his subordinates, it's our duty to serve him well."

"Didn't you say we need to serve the boss' wife, too?"

"Hah! What does she know? All it takes to keep her happy is a latte and some snacks. It's no surprise that a man of Mr. Porter's standing keeps a paramour or two outside. After all, it's not unusual for guys with money and power to fool around with women. All they have to do is hide it from their wives."

"That's true. Mrs. Porter looked quite gullible too. I guess it won't be hard to hide the affair from her."

They were still mid-conversation when Samuel appeared.

"Watch what you say in front of Emmy, got it?" Samuel warned.

The senior executives nodded earnestly. "Of course, Mr. Porter. We know what to do."

One of them asked, "Why did you bring Mrs. Porter to the office today, Mr. Porter? Because of that, you and Jessica have to hide out on the rooftop, and we even have to be careful about what we say."

Samuel glared at him. "Emmy is my wife. She has every right to come over if she wants. What gives you the nerve to make comments about it?"

"Yes, you're right, of course."

Stern-faced, Samuel warned them all once more, "Take good care of Emmy. She has an upset stomach, so don't give her anything that might worsen her condition. Also, if anyone dares to tell her about what's going on between Jessica and me, they'll be out of a job within the day. Are we clear?"

The senior executives all nodded with sycophantic smiles.

Emily didn't hear the rest of the conversation. She swiftly went back inside Samuel's office and stuffed his phone among the snacks.

A little while later, Samuel came in. Looking as affectionate and gentlemanly as ever, he asked, "What are you munching on, my greedy kitty?"

The words "greedy kitty" made Emily feel repulsed. Resisting the wave of nausea that hit her, she asked, "I thought you left for a meeting. Why are you back?"

"I left my phone here. Did you see it?"

Shaking her head, Emily replied, "Nope."

Samuel checked among the pile of snacks and pulled his phone out. "Oh. I dropped it among the snacks. Well, enjoy the snacks. I'll be off now."

Just then, Emily's phone started ringing, and she took the call.

"Hello, am I speaking to Ms. Aria Skye?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Good morning, Ms. Skye. I'm calling to confirm your booking for a flight ticket to Verusa a week from now. When the time comes, all you need to do is bring your passport with you when you check in."

"Do you need anything else besides the passport?"

"No, Ms. Skye. Just your passport will do."

"Okay."

After Emily ended the call, Samuel asked in confusion, "What's this about a passport? What are you doing with a passport, Emmy?"

Chapter 5

"It's a friend of mine," Emily said. "She lost her passport and asked me how to get it replaced."

Samuel hurried over to Emily and hugged her tightly. "You scared me. I thought you were going abroad without me."

Emily turned away and started retching again. She caught a mildly sweet yet salty stench coming off him, mixed with the smell of a woman's perfume.

Patting her back tenderly, Samuel asked, "What did they feed you? I told them you've been having an upset stomach, and that they needed to be careful with what they prepared for you. Just you wait. I'll fire the lot of them!"

This time, Emily used all her strength to shove him away.

"If you want to fire someone, just do it! Stop using me as your excuse."

Her sudden outburst left Samuel feeling a little perplexed. "Are you mad at me, Emmy? Is it because I've been working and can't spend any time with you?

"How about this—I'll clear my schedule for tomorrow and spend the day with you, okay?"

Emily scoffed. "You'll spend the entire day with me?"

"That's right. I'll be by your side the whole day."

Taking a deep breath, Emily said, "I hope you can keep your word."

…

For some reason, it started raining heavily that night. Emily kept vomiting the moment she got back to the house.

Samuel tried to approach her, but she adamantly refused to let him. "Don't come near me. The smell on you makes me want to vomit even more."

He sniffed at his sleeve before saying, "Maybe you don't like the cologne I'm using. I'll switch to a different one."

"Samuel, you should know very well it's not because of the cologne!"

"Yes, yes, alright. I won't use any type of cologne anymore, okay?"

Emily washed her face with cold water before staring at her reflection in the mirror. Samuel was still waiting anxiously outside the bathroom.

She still couldn't figure it out. Even now, when he reeked of Jessica's perfume and the stench of their sexual escapades, he was still able to keep a straight face and act like he loved her. How did he manage that?

Emily couldn't understand why. Even though he seemed to care about her, he was still able to brazenly betray their relationship.

Was it just like what she overheard the senior executive saying earlier today? That it didn't matter if a guy fooled around with other women, so long as he kept it from his wife?

Well, he was wrong. She wasn't all that gullible and easily tricked. She wasn't the type to give up on her principles either.

Since Samuel's love for her wasn't whole-hearted, she didn't want even the tiniest bit of it.

…

The next morning, Samuel took Emily to the hospital. After a series of check-ups, the doctor said, "It seems to be stress-induced gastritis."

"What is that?" Samuel asked.

"Usually, it means the patient has gone through some kind of emotional upheaval that led to a physiological reaction as well. It has caused an imbalance in her digestive system, leading to her vomiting."

"Has anything upset you recently, Emmy?" Samuel asked. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. Maybe I can help you resolve it."

Emily turned away to avoid his attempts to get closer to her. "You can't resolve it."

"Tell me about it first. There are few things in this world that I can't resolve."

Well, that was true. The situation that plagued her was one that only he could resolve. To be honest, for a brief moment, she was tempted to ask him who he would save if both she and Jessica were drowning at the same time.

But immediately, she reminded herself to never leave her fate in the hands of another. No one could be relied upon like that. She knew how to swim. She could save herself. She no longer needed Samuel.

Over at Verusa, she applied for art school under the name Aria Skye. Back then, in order to marry Samuel, she'd given up on her dream of pursuing her art.

From now on, she would live the life she wanted for herself.

"Shall I take you to the movies this afternoon, Emmy? There's a newly released comedy that I'm sure will lift your spirits," Samuel suggested.

"This afternoon? Don't you have to work?"

"I thought we agreed that I'll spend the day with you today. I'm a man of my word, you know. I will never go back on a promise," Samuel declared.

At the very next second, his phone rang. He moved to reject the call, only to hesitate when he saw who the caller was. Emily could see the way his expression shifted from annoyance to indecision.

Smiling, she said, "Go ahead and take it. Work is a priority."

"I'll be right back," Samuel said. "Just give me five minutes."

"Sure."

Samuel was about to head off with his phone when Emily said, "You can take the call here. I wouldn't understand anything you say about work anyway, so you don't have to worry about me leaking confidential information."

Pausing awkwardly, Samuel hesitated for a few seconds before taking the call. His brows were furrowed with anger as he snapped, "Didn't I tell you not to call me today? What on earth do you want?"

Emily didn't know what the caller said, but she vaguely caught the sound of a woman crying.

Even as Samuel stood before Emily, he changed his tone, answering carefully, "Alright. I got it. Wait for me."

After ending the call, Samuel said somewhat apologetically, "Emmy, there's an important work document that I have to sign. The manager has brought it to the hospital, and he's waiting for me downstairs. I'll come right back after signing it. It'll only take me 30 minutes, at most."

Once Emily nodded in response, Samuel almost ran out of the examination room.

"Mr. Porter loves you very much, Mrs. Porter," the doctor remarked with a laugh. "He dropped all his work for your sake."

"Is that so?" Emily commented with a smirk. "Please excuse me for a minute, doctor. I need to use the restroom."

"Of course."

After leaving the examination room, Emily caught sight of Samuel. He was in such a rush that he couldn't wait for the elevator and chose to run down the stairs instead.

He did head downstairs, alright, but not to the hospital lobby. He went one floor down to the obstetrics and gynecology department.

Right at that moment, Emily's phone buzzed.

Jessica: "I do apologize, Ms. Anderson, but he won't be able to accompany you today. All it takes is a single call from me, and he'll rush to my side at once."

Chapter 6

Messages from Jessica kept rolling in.

Jessica: "Oh, right. Take a look at this. Here's my ultrasound report. I'm pregnant."

Emily zoomed in on the picture Jessica sent and saw the results for herself. The last line confirmed a gestational age of eight weeks, as well as a heightened risk of miscarriage.

Jessica: "We kept doing it on the rooftop yesterday. We tried out all sorts of positions, too. Maybe we went at it too hard, so that's why my pregnancy became a little unstable. It's all his fault, you know. He said it's so boring doing it with you when all you do is lie on the bed like a statue. That's why he wants to try all the exciting stuff with me."

Jessica: "The doctor said that regardless of whether I get an abortion or undergo treatment to stabilize the pregnancy, I'll need the father's signature. I had no choice but to call him over. After all, between gastritis and the life of his baby, I'm sure the baby's more important. You'd agree with me on that, right?"

Emily took a cab from the hospital to a law firm.

"Hi there. I'd like to retain your services to prepare a divorce agreement."

She didn't ask for anything in the divorce settlement, and the lawyer, Marcus Sawyer, was an efficient one. In just half an hour, she received the finalized version of the divorce agreement.

"You won't need his signature," Marcus informed her. "As long as you two are separated for two years, the divorce agreement will automatically take effect."

Just as Emily left the law firm with the divorce agreement, she got a call from Samuel.

"Where are you, Emmy? I looked all over the hospital, but I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I kept waiting for you, but you never showed up, so I decided to head home first," Emily replied.

"I see. All that matters is you're home safe. I'm so sorry, Emmy, but something came up at the office. I had to check on it myself. I'll be leaving on a business trip for the next few days. Take good care of yourself, okay? I promise I'll drop everything at work and spend time with you next week."

Emily let out a heavy sigh. A lie told a thousand times would surely lose all credibility. His words no longer got any sort of reaction from her.

"Alright. Go ahead."

"You've been so thoughtful lately, Emmy. Be good. When I come back, I'll bring you some freesias."

"Thoughtful, huh?" Emily repeated. "Samuel, do you like it when a woman is coy and clingy? When she pesters you and demands your attention? You're bored with me because I'm too thoughtful, right?"

Startled, Samuel replied, "Certainly not. I love you the most. No matter what you're like, that's what I like the most about a woman."

"Will you fall in love with another woman, Samuel?"

"Never."

"If you ever have a change of heart, I'll leave you for good."

Snorting, Samuel said, "You can try your best to run. I'll have all the airports and public transportation locked down. As long as your name is Emily Anderson, I'll see to it that you can't ever leave me."

Alas, Emily Anderson was no longer the name on her passport. She was now Aria Skye.

Emily repeated herself one more time for emphasis. "I'm being serious. I can leave you, and I have my ways of ensuring that you'll never find me."

However, Samuel simply chuckled and played along with her. "Alright then. You can go ahead and run. I'll give you a three-day head start before coming after you. I told you. As long as you're Emily Anderson, it doesn't matter where you go. I'll definitely find you. You can't escape from me."

She couldn't escape from him, huh?

Emily chuckled. It was time to test that out.