Chapter 4

Even the passing breeze was filled with the sweet scent of our love.

When we got married, his startup had just failed, so we couldn't afford a wedding. All he could give me was a ring made from the pull-tab of a soda can.

Later, I borrowed money from my mother and sold the patent for an eco-friendly design I had spent four years developing. I scraped together the funds to help him get back on his feet and deal with all the company's troubles.

But you can't have both a family and a career; someone always has to make a sacrifice.

So, I willingly became a full-time homemaker.

Twenty years of knowing each other.

Fourteen years of being in love.

Eight years of marriage.

Only now do I understand that keeping up with Connor's pace wasn't the same as capturing his heart.

He is like the wind, yearning for freedom.

And I, I just wanted stability.

That afternoon.

The news of Lidia posting a photo from a hotel suite spread like wildfire.

Everyone was saying that Connor and I were getting a divorce.

I remember when the company went public, a similar rumor started, and Connor immediately took me to a high-profile event.

He bought me an emerald necklace worth millions of dollars, crushing the rumors.

This time, however, not only did Connor not deny it, but he posted a notice in the company group chat: [The day after tomorrow at 7 p.m., I'm throwing a birthday party for Lidia. Everyone is invited.]

This was the first time he had ever thrown a birthday party for another woman.

It seems the photo from the suite was real.The group chat erupted, everyone fawning over Lidia.

They were treating Lidia as if she were the lady of the house.

It was as if they had forgotten I was still in the group.

Finally, Lidia put on a show of false sincerity, asking, "Stella, are you coming?"

The next second, the admin kicked me out of the group.

Immediately after, an employee I had once mentored sent me a screenshot, indignant on my behalf.

The people in the group had lost their minds; many were directly calling Lidia "madam" or "the boss's wife."

Neither Connor nor Lidia bothered to correct them.

Laughter.

The beginning of their love.

Silence.

The end of ours.

However, there was something I needed to return to Connor in person.

On the day of Lidia's birthday, I arrived at the party.

The place was opulently decorated, glittering from floor to ceiling.

Lidia stood in the spotlight like a princess. Beside her, Connor didn't seem surprised by my arrival at all; on the contrary, the corners of his lips curved into a smug smile.

Perhaps he thought I had come to apologize.

"Stella."

"I'm sorry, please don't throw me out like trash, okay? I won't celebrate my birthday this time, and I'll stop bothering Connor from now on..."

Lidia suddenly rushed in front of me, collapsing to her knees with a thud as she wailed pitifully.

The entire room was stunned.Connor rushed to help Lidia up, then turned to glare at me, roaring, "Stella, you've become more and more vicious! How could you threaten Lidia like this!"

"I didn't do anything."

In the face of my denial, Lidia pulled out a video.

It showed me holding a golf club, pointing it at her, threatening her to get the hell away from me, or else I'd cripple her.

But the truth was the exact opposite.

That day, she was the one who handed me the golf club, saying she wanted to film a short video.

And it had happened a long time ago.

But she had dubbed new audio over it later, passing it off as so-called evidence.

Logically, the sharp-witted Connor should have been suspicious, but he chose to believe her anyway.

"Stella, what else do you have to say for yourself? You're a lunatic!"

"I am so disappointed in you!"

His fists were clenched tightly as he roared at me again, his eyes looking at me as if I were his mortal enemy.

But my reaction was even calmer than before.

"Lidia."

"I brought you a birthday present."

I set down the gift box.

Then I turned and walked away.

Behind me, Connor's annoyed voice called out, "Do you think giving her a gift can make up for your mistake? That it can undo the harm you've done to Lidia?"