Chapter 4

Three years had changed everything.

When I returned to the apartment I used to share with Derek, I couldn't find a single trace of myself.

In the hallway, I opened the shoe cabinet out of habit, only to find it packed with Serena's high heels and children's sneakers.

And on the living room wall, my large framed art portrait had been replaced by a happy family photo of Derek, Serena, and Adam.

The suffocating atmosphere made it hard for me to breathe.

I leaned against the wall, slowly walking toward the master bedroom.

But Serena suddenly stopped me.

"Oh, Chloe, I'm so sorry, but you'll have to sleep in the guest room. I'm pregnant, and the small bed in the guest room isn't comfortable for me."

I turned around to look at Serena and Derek standing by the door.

They looked so perfect together, their features even holding a strange resemblance.

Derek gently helped Serena onto the sofa, then walked over to open the guest room door for me.

"It's just a room, Chloe. It doesn't matter where you sleep."

"Just bear with it for a little while. Once Serena gives birth, you can move back to the master bedroom."

In the final days of my life, I didn't care about any of this anymore.

I rubbed my aching chest and looked up at him.

"Derek, can we really go back to the way things were?"

He froze.

How could we ever go back? He and Serena already had a child, a lifelong bond that couldn't be erased by a simple breakup.

"I told you, I will marry you," Derek muttered. "I already explained about Serena. We are only suited to be friends, not partners. If I wanted to marry her, I would have done it before I met you."

I cut him off.

"Derek, marrying me is just a burden of a promise you feel obligated to keep. You don't have to force yourself."

"If you truly loved me, you wouldn't have kept me hidden for five years without giving me a ring. You wouldn't have sent me to prison three years ago. And you definitely wouldn't have gotten Serena pregnant over and over again while I was locked away."

"I can overlook your coldness, your lack of care about how I survived the last three years, or my failing health. But I cannot overlook your blatant betrayal."

"That is cheating, Derek. Not 'taking care of a friend,' and definitely not an 'accident.'"

By the time I finished speaking, I was barely standing.

A sharp, violent pain stabbed my chest. I fought hard to swallow the metallic taste of blood rising in my throat.

Derek kept trying to explain behind me, but I tuned him out. I went into the guest room, desperate to find anything from my past.

After searching for a long time, I finally found a dusty wooden box, the only keepsake my late mother had left me.

But when I opened it, the emerald bracelet inside was gone.

Serena's voice came from the doorway.

"Are you looking for that green bracelet, Chloe? Don't bother. My son dropped it and shattered it a long time ago."

I stared at the empty box. Tears finally broke through my defenses, streaming down my face.

That was the only piece of my mother I had left, and now it was gone.

That night, Serena insisted on having a heavy, greasy steakhouse dinner. I knew she did it on purpose, knowing my stomach couldn't handle rich food anymore.

Derek cut a piece of prime rib, put it on my plate, and poured me a glass of red wine, urging me to eat more.

But just looking at the grease made my stomach turn.

Through the steam of the hot food, Serena looked at me with a fake, sweet smile.

"Oh, I forgot. Prison food must have been so simple. You'll just have to deal with this for tonight, Chloe."

"Eat up. If you don't eat now, I'm afraid you might never get the chance to eat such good food again."

I stared at the glistening steak on my plate. I couldn't hold it back anymore. I lunged toward the trash can and threw up violently.

Serena looked into the trash can. Shock flashed across her face, followed by a mocking smirk.

"Chloe, I didn't see you drink any wine. How did you throw up so much red liquid?"

Derek didn't notice anything wrong. He shrugged.

"She must have snuck a sip when we weren't looking."

I had only come back to get my mother's keepsake.

And now, I had nothing left to hold onto.

I leaned against the table, my eyes watery from the intense acid reflux.

"Derek, let's break up."

He froze completely.

"Chloe, what is wrong with you? Why are you throwing a tantrum out of nowhere?"

"I've been so patient with you. I explained everything. Why can't you just bear with it a little longer?"

Seeing the tension, Serena quickly put on a pitiful, victimized look.

"I'm so sorry, Chloe. This is all my fault. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gone to prison. I'll leave right now. I won't ruin your life with Derek anymore."

"Please, don't fight with him."

With that, Serena ran to the kid's room, grabbed Adam, and rushed out the front door.

The door slammed shut with a loud bang. Derek glared at me with pure hatred before running out after her.