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Aiden's fever wouldn't go down, so I took the only available car and drove to the hospital, causing Rafael to miss his ten-year anniversary with Holland. In a fit of anger, he locked Aiden and me in the walk-in freezer at home. "You made me miss my anniversary with Holland. She was hurt, and now you'll pay twice over for it!" I cradled my son, crying uncontrollably, pleading with him over and over to let us out. He watched us with cold detachment, indifferent as he walked away. In the freezer, we endured the biting cold, our bodies turning numb, while he partied every night with his beloved. When I opened my eyes again, it was the day Aiden's fever returned. I put down the car keys and changed our flight plans. He had no clue—I had been preparing to leave for some time now. --- I set down the keys and held my feverish child as we stepped out of the villa. Behind me, Rafael's voice called out. "I have something important today. Keep your kid in check and don't bother me." I tightened my hold on Aiden and swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat, replying softly, "Don't worry, soon neither of us will be bothering you ever again." Rafael seemed satisfied with my answer, his previously furrowed brow relaxing. Knowing he was in a better mood, I saw no reason to provoke him. I headed toward the door. "Wait, Holland just mentioned she loved the honey spice cake you made. Can you make some more for her?" Aiden whimpered in my arms, his eyes shut in discomfort, but Rafael, oblivious, spoke to me in an authoritative tone. I knew he wouldn’t let us leave unless I complied. Gently soothing Aiden, I whispered, "Hold on a bit longer, sweetheart. Mommy will get you to the hospital soon." Saying this, I took a new fever patch from the first aid kit and replaced the one on his forehead, then hurried to the kitchen. As soon as I finished, Rafael, standing outside the kitchen, received a call from Holland. He changed his mind, "Holland suddenly wants almond cake instead. Make that." I glanced at my son lying quietly on the couch, my fists clenching. A few days ago, Holland wanted to move into our home, and I refused her. That night, Rafael made Aiden stay on his knees in the study for hours as punishment. He knew exactly how to hurt me and manipulate me. Without protest, I continued making the cake. Once done, I placed the pastries carefully in front of him. Only then did I notice he was in a video call with Holland, openly flirting. Holland, her face bright with undisguised glee, feigned surprise, "Wow, Lilian, you really are talented. But... I've been feeling off lately, and the doctor advises against trying new foods. Why don't you taste it first?" I'm allergic to almonds and have suffered anaphylactic shock before. Rafael's expression remained unchanged, his eyes silently endorsing her words. I stood frozen, unmoving. Rafael, however, grew impatient and grabbed Aiden roughly, "If you won't eat it, let the kid take your place." Aiden inherited my allergy; he's allergic to almonds too. My face went pale as I quickly said, "No, I’ll eat it..." Seeing him set Aiden down, I awkwardly knelt by the coffee table, forcing myself to eat the almond cake. Freshly baked, the cake was still warm, its sweet scent in the air. Yet each bite felt like swallowing nails, piercing my heart. The allergic reaction didn't take long. Red welts appeared on my skin, the itching unbearable. Holland widened her eyes, covering her mouth with a giggle, "Rafael, doesn’t Lilian look like a toad?" Rafael laughed at her words, disdain in his eyes as he looked at me, "She does. She's certainly not as pretty as you." Facing their mockery, I looked up and said plainly, "Now can I take my child to the hospital?" This time, he didn't stop me. Ignoring the itch on my neck and the stabbing pain in my chest, I struggled to pick up Aiden and slowly made my way out.In West City, the rain had been relentless for a week, and today was just another rainy day. The streets were barren, and no ride-hailing apps had any cars available. I found myself awkwardly juggling an umbrella in one hand while carrying Aiden with the other, heading toward the hospital. After finally arriving and getting Aiden the care he needed, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. A passing nurse noticed me slumped on a bench, panting heavily. Concerned, she asked, "Are you okay, ma'am? Do you need me to call the police?" My hair was plastered to my neck and cheeks, soaked from the rain. The rashes from my allergy hadn't cleared up, leaving certain areas swollen and painful. Along the slippery road, I had lost a shoe. Curled my toes in the chilly air, I forced a smile, "I'm fine, thanks for asking." The doctor asked me to pay via my phone, and as I did, I mistakenly opened Facebook instead. There was a status update from Rafael Diaz just moments ago. “Today, I was three minutes and one second late, humbly accepting Miss Jordan's critique.” In the photo, Rafael had a dab of cream on his high-set nose, looking somewhat ridiculous. Yet, his smile was genuine, bright, and charming. A stark contrast to the cold, unfeeling demeanor he displayed around Aiden and me. As I stared blankly at the screen, he posted another update. "The first year I met you, I knew no one else could compare." "By the second year, I was planning how to make you my wife." … Each post was accompanied by carefully chosen gifts for Holland and a record of a significant money transfer. I looked at it indifferently and quietly closed Facebook. I then opened the flight app to adjust our tickets, moving them from seven days out to just three. Aiden’s condition was serious; the doctor recommended staying under observation for a day. Rafael was unaware that with every hurtful act towards Aiden and me for Holland’s sake, I had already decided to divorce him. In my past life, on this exact day, I had packed our bags, ready to leave after Margot's birthday in a week. But we never had the chance to discover a new world; we were stuck in the old one. This time, I won’t repeat past mistakes. I will take Aiden and leave, to live the life we deserve. During the two days at the hospital, Rafael didn’t call once. Instead, his Facebook was filled with updates. Each post revolved around Holland. Suddenly, I remembered the day Aiden was born. After our marriage, Rafael seemed dedicated to our family. He was either at work or at home. But slowly, his business trips and social events grew more frequent. I never doubted him, always concerned for his health, crafting nutritious meals for him. Even during the hardest times of pregnancy, I personally managed his diet. Until my water broke, on the day Aiden was born. I called him twelve times, but he didn’t answer. I thought he was busy at work and was about to give up when someone finally picked up. “Hello? Rafael’s exhausted and asleep; whatever it is, call back tomorrow…” Before she could finish, a breathy, suggestive voice from the background interrupted, “Holland! What do you mean exhausted?” Holland's laugh was crisp, but then her breathing grew labored, teasingly she said, “Take it easy, Rafael, it hurts…” That was when I realized, as I was bringing Aiden into the world, Rafael was entangled with another woman. Later, I confronted him in tears and fury, only to hear, “I married you, you should be thankful.” I once believed he proposed out of love, thinking his heart changed later. But eventually, I learned the truth: Holland rejected his proposal and left the country. In a fit of spite, he chose me. All the genuine love I showered on him met nothing but a void.The day Aiden was discharged from the hospital, he seemed exhausted and lacked energy. As soon as we got home, he groggily asked, "Mom, when can we leave here?" Despite his age, he understood everything. He knew Rafael wasn't fond of him, so he always tried to stay out of his father's sight, clinging to me since he was little. Before I could answer him, Rafael's voice interrupted from not far away. His brows furrowed as he brusquely asked, "Where do you think you're going?" When I was ten, my parents divorced, remarried, and started new families. They weren't fond of me, and we lost contact long ago. My grandmother, who raised me, passed away before I got married. In his eyes, I had no other option but to stay. I composed myself and replied coolly, "Wherever we want to go." Rafael appeared dissatisfied with my response, a flicker of annoyance crossing his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, Holland emerged from our bedroom wearing my nightgown, yawning. "Rafael, I'm starving. When's breakfast?" Seeing her speak through a yawn, the annoyance in Rafael's eyes melted away, replaced by a resigned smile as he playfully brushed her nose. "You're just like a kid, always thinking about food." She stuck out her tongue playfully, nestled into his arm, and reached up for a kiss. Spotting Aiden and me from the corner of her eye, she paused, reflexively hiding behind him. She lightly tapped his back in jest, "Did you do this on purpose? Not telling me we had company?" Then she feigned shock, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh, sorry, Mrs. Diaz, I spoke too bluntly. Don't mind me." Throughout this, I remained composed, calmly saying, "Suit yourself." Rafael sneered, casting a cold glance at me. "You're not wrong. This is my home, after all. Naturally, you're both outsiders here." We've known each other for six years, married for four. To him, I'm less than a stranger. I ignored his words, intending to take Aiden to rest in our room. As we passed Holland, Aiden's face suddenly turned pale, and he vomited uncontrollably, the mess landing squarely on her feet. Her face turned ashen as she let out a startled scream. Rafael, alarmed, scooped her up without hesitation, brushing past me and heading for the bathroom in a hurry. Caught off guard, I stumbled, hitting the wall hard. I instinctively used my hand to shield Aiden's head, ensuring he wasn't hurt. The impact left my hand stinging painfully. I gasped in pain, while Aiden, frightened, burst into tears. I tried to console him, but Holland's soft sobs reached my ears, "Rafael, does Aiden not like me? Why would he throw up on me?" "Or maybe Lilian doesn't want me around and is using him to embarrass me. If so, I'll just leave. Why humiliate me like this?" Rafael suppressed his anger, gently reassuring her, "As long as I'm here, no one can make you leave. This is your home, and you can stay as long as you want." I didn't care to hear their affectionate exchange, so I carried Aiden back to the room. After settling him, I intended to clean up the mess. But as soon as I stepped out, Rafael dragged me back to Holland. His expression was dark, his eyes burning with anger, as he demanded, "Apologize!" Aiden had caused a mess. I didn't argue and bowed at a ninety-degree angle, apologizing. Still unsatisfied, Holland continued to cry. I bowed once more, only to feel a forceful shove from behind that sent me to my knees with a thud. "Kneeling makes the apology more sincere," Rafael said coldly. Ignoring the pain in my knees, I obediently knelt and apologized again. Once wasn't enough, so I did it twice. After today, Rafael and I would be out of each other's lives.