Chapter 3

"But, did Connor agree to you coming?"

"Connor and I are divorced. I'll tell you the details when I see you in person."

Actually, landscape design has been my dream since I was a little girl. I was once on a promising path, but for the sake of Connor, I made the firm choice to become a full-time housewife.

I thought my sacrifice would be rewarded with happiness.

It turned out to be nothing but a joke.

In the early morning, after a sleepless night, I saw Lidia post a photo of a hotel suite in the company group chat.

Lidia was scantily clad, nestled in Connor's arms.

Connor appeared to be sleeping soundly, a sweet smile gracing his lips.

It instantly ignited a firestorm of discussion among all the employees.

"Lidia and boss are living together!"

"So steamy first thing in the morning. Give the rest of us a break."

But Lidia immediately deleted it, claiming she'd sent it by mistake.

Fortunately, I had already taken a screenshot.

Not long after, Connor arrived at the hospital carrying Starbucks.

"I bought your favorite Caramel Macchiatos, and some blueberry scones," he said with a smile.

I leaned in, sniffed his shirt, and said coolly, "The smell of coffee can't mask the perfume on you."

Connor froze for a moment, then shoved me away, his brow furrowing coldly. "How long are you going to keep this up? Is this never going to end?"

"Sign the papers."I took out the divorce papers, slapped them against Connor's chest, then paused before continuing, "So, we've finally come to this."

"You're so heartless. Do you really want our son to grow up without a father?"

Connor was livid and flustered, desperately avoiding the question and grasping for other excuses.

"Since the day our son was born, have you celebrated his birthday with him even once? Do you know his favorite color, his favorite toy, or the vegetable he hates the most?"

I pressed him with one question after another.

"That... That doesn't prove anything..."

In a rage, Connor tore the divorce papers to shreds, threw his breakfast down, and stormed out.

Gazing at his retreating back, I let out a soft sigh.

The boy who once prided himself on his devotion, swearing he would only love one person his entire life, had ultimately succumbed to the allure of youthful vitality.

And young girls are always captivated by the warmth of a mature man.

As someone who had been there, I knew that both were just consumables.

I came from a single-parent family. My father ran off with his mistress when I was young, and my mother worked herself to the bone to support us.

So I often stayed over at our neighbor's house.

Connor was five years older than me. He would help me with my homework and tell me stories to lull me to sleep.

He listened to all my unhappiness.

When other guys asked him to go play ball, he would always say, "I have to take care of Stella. I don't have time."Once, when I had a high fever, he stayed by my bedside all night.

Another time, when I was being bullied in class, Connor rushed in without a second thought to teach my tormentors a lesson.

He even got disciplined for it.

Back then, hiding behind him, my heart would fill with a gentle warmth, as if he were a great mountain sheltering me from the wind and rain.

When he graduated from high school, he was heading out of state for college.

I cried all night, terrified that I would never see him again, and on impulse, I confessed my feelings.

"Connor... I... I love you... I want to marry you..."

"Then you have to study hard. When you get into college, we'll be together. And when you graduate, we'll get married."

In the naivety of our youth, every love is pure, and every promise is made in earnest.

It was like a shot of adrenaline, and I threw all my energy into following in Connor's footsteps.

He liked short hair, so I cut mine short.

He liked collecting plant specimens, so I stayed up all night studying them.

When I got into college, we officially got together.

Back then, I became his confidant.

At dusk, he would always rest his head on my lap and tell me what was on his mind.

And I would always listen patiently, offering gentle comfort.