Alexander looked at her for a long moment, and for once, there was no teasing in his expression—only quiet surprise. “…You care that much?” he asked softly.Clara immediately looked away. “I—I…” she began, but no explanation came.Before the moment could grow more uncomfortable, Alexander spoke again, his voice gentler this time. “I’m alright. I promise.”A few minutes later, Alexander sat on the edge of the bed while Clara reopened the first-aid kit. This time, her movements were even more careful than before.She soaked a fresh piece of cotton with antiseptic and gently lifted his injured arm. “Don’t move,” she instructed.“I wasn’t planning to,” he said.“And don’t pretend it hurts just to tease me,” she said, giving a teasing look.Alexander raised both hands in surrender. “I’ve learned my lesson.”She eyed him for a moment, clearly unconvinced, before returning her attention to the wound. “I’m serious,” she added.She dabbed the scrape carefully, ensuring each motion was as gentl

A slow blush spread across Clara’s cheeks as realization set in. Meanwhile, Alexander simply looked at her quietly.She hurriedly waved her hands. “N-No, I didn’t mean it like that. I just… I…”The more she tried to explain, the more flustered she became.Alexander’s smile softened. “I know.”His voice carried a gentle warmth that made her heartbeat quicken. “I know exactly what you meant.”For reasons she could not fully explain, the way he looked at her felt different tonight.Warmer and Softer.There was no longer a shadow of quiet loneliness in his eyes. Instead, she saw gratitude—and something deeper that she could not quite name.“The Alexander I met before always carried everything on his own. He never talked about how he felt. But tonight…” She hesitated, then smiled again. “You’ve smiled a lot.”Alexander was slightly taken aback; he had not even noticed. Perhaps it was because, for the first time in a long while, he no longer felt alone; his gaze returned to her.She was st

Something she had once taken for granted, Something she had destroyed without ever realizing its value.She slowly lifted her head, her eyes red and glistening. “Tell me honestly… can a man’s heart really change that much? We were married for three years. And now… he won’t even look back. Is everything… really over?”Vivian did not answer immediately.She knew the truth would hurt, but she also understood that comforting lies would only deepen the damage. “Lia… before I answer that, I want to ask you something.”Aurelia nodded faintly.Vivian leaned forward slightly, her gaze steady. “What did you ever truly give Alexander?”The question hung heavily in the air.Aurelia blinked in confusion. “What do you mean?”“I mean exactly what I asked,” Vivian replied calmly. “For three years, what did you actually give him?”She paused briefly before continuing.“You always talk about how much you loved him. But think carefully. When he woke up before dawn to make breakfast for you, where were y

Tears slipped silently down her cheeks. “I was so stupid…” she murmured, her voice breaking. “I thought he would always forgive me.”Vivian gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “We all make mistakes,” she said quietly. “What matters is whether you’re willing to fix them.”Aurelia nodded, her expression fragile but resolute. “I am. I’ll do anything. I don’t care how difficult it is. I just want my husband back.”Vivian gave a faint, knowing smile. “Then remember how you got him in the first place.”Aurelia blinked in surprise.Vivian chuckled softly. “Have you already forgotten college?”For the first time that night, a small, reluctant smile appeared on Aurelia’s face.Back then, Alexander had barely paid attention to her.He had been handsome, quiet, and distant, always surrounded by admirers yet never truly engaging with any of them. He turned down every confession with polite firmness.Even when Aurelia confessed, he had simply smiled apologetically.“I’m sorry,” he had said

Alexander slowly exhaled as his gaze remained fixed on the dark ceiling. “Back then, I called you hundreds of times, and you never answered.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “Now it’s your turn.”The phone buzzed again.He picked it up, not to answer, but simply to look at the screen. It was the same name, the same photo, and the same woman he had once believed would spend the rest of her life beside him.He studied the screen for another second before pressing the side button and plunging it into darkness. Then, without hesitation, he switched the phone to silent mode and placed it face down on the bedside table.For the first time since he had decided to divorce Aurelia, he discovered something unexpected. He felt peace.There was no resentment in him, no excitement, and no bitter satisfaction at seeing their positions reversed. There was only peace, as though the storm that had raged inside him for three long years had finally exhausted itself.Outside the window, the city li