Chapter 4

That night, countless times I wanted to storm out of the room and confront Caleb, but each time, I bit down hard on my lip, forcing myself to regain composure.

I carefully considered everything that had happened recently...

Aurora's sudden return had stirred Caleb's already restless heart. The girl he had yearned for in his youth was now, literally, within arm's reach. After Caleb and I married, I'd foolishly thought the heroine's allure had finally faded.

In a haze, I recalled Caleb and Aurora's past...

His father, fueled by alcohol, had thrashed Caleb's back with a belt like a madman.

I called the police, screaming for help from the neighbors, but no one responded.

I watched the boy, bruised and bleeding on the floor, my fists clenched, ready to grab a kitchen knife and charge at his father.

I threw myself over him, stopping him, taking the blows of the belt myself.

He released his grip, trembling, and held me tight. We were both covered in blood as the faint wail of police sirens approached.

At that moment, Aurora appeared in a white dress, timidly peeking in from the doorway. "Are you two okay?"

Caleb and I were still embracing, but his eyes had already shifted to Aurora.

Perhaps in that moment, Aurora appeared like an angel in his heart, reducing my presence to a mere fleeting second.

My heart had ached that night, just as it did tonight.

All my careful efforts couldn't compare to Aurora's single, fleeting appearance.

After that, he started noticing Aurora, the shy boy awkwardly approaching her, ready to offer her everything.

But Aurora was never truly his. When Aurora was twenty-two, she left the country and married the male lead of the original story. Caleb then seemed to have finally moved past that chapter of his life, turning his gaze to me, who had always been by his side. It seemed we had both found our happy ending.

...

From our wedding day until now, he had always been good to me.

He protected me, respected me, and made me the radiant Mrs. Caleb.

I had money, status, a career... just no love.

I wasn't a victim. I wasn't pitiful.

But the memories still stung.

The Caleb who had knelt in the pouring rain that night, begging me not to leave, was a man I found impossible to forget, impossible to let go of.

I suppressed the ache in my heart and closed my eyes. Tomorrow, I had work.

4 (Note: The original text has two '4's. I will follow this format but note it's likely a typo in the original.)

Putting on a brave face, I headed for the parking lot.

I planned to get my car detailed before work.

At my usual dealership, I was surprised to find Caleb and Aurora there.

The manager, oblivious to my relationship with Caleb, warmly grabbed my hand and said:

"Ms. Aurora and her boyfriend are so sweet! He doesn't want her battling the subway every day, so he's getting her a new car. That sales rep is gonna have a great month!"

I watched the three of them chatting animatedly, trying my best to control my emotions. I greeted Aurora.

"Aurora, why didn't you tell me you were back? And honey, you too, you know how long it's been since we all got together."

The manager was quick. In an instant, he understood, subtly signaling to the sales rep before patting my shoulder and excusing himself.

"Vivian, I just got back myself. I ran into Caleb by chance at work," Aurora said, deftly changing the subject.

Caleb quickly chimed in, "Aurora was alone and it wasn't convenient, so I offered to help her look at cars."

I let out a brittle laugh. "Oh, is that right? Because the manager was just telling me you two were a couple. For a second there, I almost thought Caleb was cheating."

My sarcastic tone must have been too obvious, because both of them looked visibly uncomfortable, almost embarrassed.

Especially Caleb, under my unyielding gaze.

I saw his lips move, but no words came out. He looked like he was sitting on a bed of nails.

Finally, he abruptly stood up, mumbled something about urgent company business, and rushed off.

Aurora quickly said her goodbyes to me as well.

Watching them walk away, I smiled, a bitter smile that brought tears to my eyes.

This was Caleb, the man I had spent years trying to redeem, my husband.

There was no room left for us to talk things through.

I couldn't find any excuses for him anymore.

Before, when he was entangled with Aurora, I still believed it was the force of the plot.

The System had told me that before the story ended, supporting characters would involuntarily be swayed by the protagonists around them.

But eight years after the grand finale, eight years after we married, Caleb and Aurora were thousands of miles apart. He wasn't under any control.

His kindness to Aurora, from beginning to end, had been genuine.

He was doing it because he *wanted* to.