Seven Years of Sacrifices

Cassian quickly moved on to someone new.

During one of his dates, he left me behind on a mountain just to deliver flowers to his lover.

That day, I walked hundreds of kilometers down the mountain alone.

My feet were blistered and bleeding and my calves bore scars that would never fade.

I should have realized then. This man was selfish and fickle, never one to settle for anyone.

That so-called contract was merely his excuse to justify his infidelity.

Thinking of this, I left a comment under Tessa’s video. "Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness and many children to come."

Not long after my message was posted, Tessa deleted the video.

Right after that, Cassian called, demanding an explanation.

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I treated him the same way he had always treated me, calmly blocking his number.

Then, a thought suddenly struck me. Today was the day of my grandmother’s cremation.

After explaining my situation, I requested an early discharge.

The attending doctor, concerned but unable to dissuade me, eventually offered to accompany me.

When the staff handed me the urn, I didn’t feel the overwhelming grief I had expected. Instead, I only felt that the chains binding me for the past seven years had finally, completely broken.

I let out a quiet sigh, bid farewell to the doctor and returned to the Harland Family home alone to pack my things.

As soon as I stepped into the living room, I saw Cassian and Tessa sitting on the sofa.

The moment she saw me, Tessa hurriedly pulled up the zipper of her dress.

But the red marks covering her body still betrayed the intensity of what had just happened.

I didn’t feel hurt. I wasn’t angry.

Without a word, without a change in expression, I walked past them into the bedroom as if I had seen nothing at all.

By the time I came back out, Tessa had already left.

Only Cassian remained, sitting there, drinking alone.

When he noticed me, he slowly lifted his head.

The dim lighting cast shadows over his face, making his expression unreadable.

“Leona, where did you go today?”

“It’s none of your business.”

I didn’t want to say more, but Cassian suddenly smashed his wine glass.

He strode toward me, his gaze dark and dangerous. “Stop pretending to be so pure and virtuous. Don’t think I don’t know. You went out to fool around with some pretty boy. Leona, are you that desperate for attention? Are you upset that I’ve been ignoring you lately? Fine, if that’s what you want, I’ll give it to you.”

As he spoke, Cassian violently tore at my clothes, dragging me toward the bed.

His sudden aggression shocked me and I struggled with all my strength.

“Cassian, are you insane? I just gave birth!”

But in his frenzy, he wouldn’t listen.

His teeth sank into my shoulder, a sharp pain spreading through my body.

I pushed Cassian away with all my strength and slapped him hard across the face.

Enraged, he didn’t back down. Instead, he grabbed the wine glass from the table and hurled it at me.

A sharp pain spread across my forehead as a warm trickle of blood slowly slid down.

Cassian froze for a moment, seemingly caught off guard. Instinctively, he reached out to support me.

“Why didn’t you dodge…”