Chapter 1

On our fifth wedding anniversary, Julian finally gave me a bouquet of roses for the first time.

The moment their fragrance hit my nose, I nearly collapsed from the allergy.

When I got home after getting my allergy shot, I found Seraphina, wearing my nightgown, curled up in Julian’s arms.

Their faces were unnaturally flushed, a clear sign of what I'd interrupted, and they just looked at me with disdain.

“My sister didn’t know you were allergic to pollen. She was being sweet, trying to surprise you. Shouldn't you be grateful?”

“Let’s get a divorce.”

The words hung in the air. I threw the drafted divorce papers at Julian.

“Just because of a bouquet of roses?”

His eyes were filled with disbelief.

I nodded coldly: “Yes, just because of a single rose.”

“I’m hungry, go make some food.”

Julian came home a month later.

I thought the first thing he’d do after I suggested divorce was to actually go through with it.

Instead, he placed a set of skincare products in front of me: “A gift for you. I picked them out myself.”

I’d already seen those so-called gifts all over Seraphina’s SnapChat story.

After all, he’d spent the entire month traveling and living it up with Seraphina.

I even noticed Julian had carved Seraphina’s name into some of the gifts.

They were just the leftovers Seraphina didn’t want.

Just like me, I was merely what Julian had left over.

Julian and I had been happily married for five years, until his father married Seraphina’s mother.

Step-siblings with no blood relation, they gradually developed a bond that everyone mistook for a romantic relationship.

Julian always insisted they were just family.

And because they were “just family,” he’d abandon me in the middle of the night to go to Seraphina.

I sat on the sofa, giving him a lazy glance.

I didn’t rush towards him with a delighted cry, like I used to, nor did I immediately scramble to the kitchen to cook him a meal.

Julian frowned when I didn’t move for a long time. “I said I’m hungry, didn’t you hear me?”

“I’m not your chef. What do you expect me to do if you’re hungry?”

My voice was steady, devoid of any emotional upheaval after so long apart.

Julian’s face instantly stiffened.

“Are you still being ridiculous? It’s just because Seraphina caused your allergy, isn’t it? I even bought you a gift while I was away on a business trip. Haven't you calmed down at all in the past month?”

Clearly, he didn't understand why I was truly upset.

He thought that a month was enough time for me to endure his coldness, then toss aside my dignity and resume catering to him like a desperate doormat.

After all, Julian was a master of the cold shoulder.

If he’d truly been on a business trip, neglecting me for work, why wouldn't I try to win him back?

But he didn't know that Seraphina had shared their entire month’s itinerary on social media.

She’d even personally sent me her social media account details from an unknown number.

While they were living it up, I was alone in the hospital, suffering through my illness.

I suddenly remembered that in those photos, Julian wasn't wearing his wedding ring. Instead, he had a matching couple’s ring with Seraphina.

My gaze fell on Julian’s finger. There was still a faint mark on his middle finger.

He must have taken it off not long ago.

“I’m not angry.”

Julian looked at me twice, realizing I was genuinely calm, without any resentment.

He pulled me into his embrace with his long arm.

“Alright, go make dinner. We’ll just have a proper anniversary next year.”

As he leaned close, the faint scent of Seraphina’s perfume on him made my breathing difficult.

It was her favorite.

I covered my nose and slowly said, “If you’re hungry, figure it out yourself.”

Julian, who had been kneading my waist, stopped.