Chapter 1

"Ms. Lavien, we can't treat your condition."

The doctor's words detonated like a bomb in Camilla Lavien's chest. Her ears rang.

She'd taken such careful care of herself over the years. None of it mattered. Her family's hereditary disease had found her anyway.

Walking out of the examination room, her hands and feet were ice-cold.

Six months. She had six months left to live.

She didn't even know how to tell her husband and son.

She sat numbly in the hospital corridor for a long while before finally calling her husband.

A familiar ringtone echoed from the other end of the hallway. Camilla turned her head and froze.

Her husband, Theodric Clifford, emerged from the elevator with his arms around a woman. A small boy trailed at their heels—her son, Ollie Clifford.

Ollie held Theodric's phone. He glanced at the screen and looked up at his father with something like disdain. "Dad, it's Mom calling."

"Hang up." Cold. Flat. Perfectly matched to his naturally aloof demeanor.

Ollie hung up without hesitation.

His innocent child's voice carried thick impatience. "Mom knows we're here with Serena for her rehab today, but she still has to call. So annoying."

The woman in Theodric's arms, Serena Nelson, laughed softly. "Ollie, your mother is just a housewife. She spends every day revolving around you two—she doesn't have anything else. You should understand her."

Ollie's little face fell. "My mom is so useless. All my classmates' moms have their own jobs. Only my mom stays home bossing me around all day. I wish Serena were my mom instead."

The words hit Camilla like a blade. The pain made her fingertips tremble.

Through the crowd, she looked toward Theodric.

His gaze rested entirely on Serena. He didn't contradict a single word his son had said. As if he agreed with all of it.

Serena laughed and patted Theodric's shoulder. "Theodric, your son knows quite a lot! But next time I'll come for rehab by myself. I'm not like your wife—I'm not so delicate. Don't want her throwing a tantrum at you."

Ollie rushed to reassure Serena. "My mom doesn't have a job. All she does is spend Dad's money. She wouldn't dare make Dad angry. Next time, Dad and I will come with Serena again!"

Theodric added, "Don't worry about Camilla. She's not important."

She's not important.

The words circled through Camilla's mind like a curse.

People came and went in the corridor. Theodric's party of three walked right past her. Father and son's attention stayed fixed on Serena—they didn't notice Camilla sitting in the corner at all.

Camilla lowered her gaze. The diagnosis in her hand crumpled under her grip.

Tears she'd held back finally broke free.

She should have seen it. Ever since Serena returned to the country this past year, the changes in Theodric and Ollie had been warning her all along.

When Camilla was ten, her parents died. Heath Clifford—her father's close friend and Theodric's father—took her in. Publicly, she was the Clifford family's adopted daughter. Privately, Theodric's mother, Amara Coleman, groomed her as a future daughter-in-law.

The year Theodric fell for his childhood rival Serena, Heath nearly beat him to a pulp. Theodric knelt outside the villa for a full day and night.

It was Camilla who couldn't bear it. She voluntarily proposed breaking off the engagement. Only then did Heath's anger subside.

The year they graduated, Theodric confessed to Serena. She rejected him and went abroad with another man.

Theodric drowned himself in alcohol night after night. One time, while Camilla was taking care of him, they slept together.

Marriage followed naturally.

Camilla loved Theodric. Even though the beginning wasn't honorable, she tried her best to be a good wife.

He had a sensitive stomach, so she spent years researching specialized, gut-soothing menus. Every meal took hours to prepare, a labor of love she practiced for five years straight.

He was absorbed in work, so she managed every household matter. Even when she had a difficult labor with Ollie, she gritted her teeth and endured it alone.

Gradually, Theodric's attitude toward her softened.

But from the moment Serena came back, everything changed.

Theodric was rarely home. Ollie grew close to Serena. And now a terminal diagnosis—as if destined to make her step aside.

Camilla smiled bitterly.

This lifetime, she seemed fated to lose everything.

Late night. Serenity Villa.

When Theodric returned with Ollie, the villa was completely dark.

Theodric frowned. Even when he didn't come home, Camilla usually left a light on.

Ollie pursed his lips. "Mom went to sleep without waiting for us. So lazy."

Theodric didn't correct him.

They entered through the front door. The crystal chandelier clicked on, warm light flooding the living room.

Theodric immediately spotted Camilla sitting on the sofa.

So she had waited after all. Just like always.

He walked over with Ollie. "Why didn't you turn on the lights?"

Ollie had played himself to exhaustion with Serena today. Seeing his mother—who always nagged—made him uncomfortable. He greeted her reluctantly. "Mom."

He braced for the usual lecture. Coming home too late. Children need sleep.

But Camilla just glanced at him. Cool. Detached. "Ollie, go to your room first."

Mom wasn't angry.

Ollie blinked, surprised. But no nagging was a win. He turned and ran upstairs.

Theodric noticed something was off too.

He'd brought Ollie home near midnight. In the past, Camilla would have called hours ago, urging them back, insisting Ollie was too young to stay up late. Today—not a single call.

Impatience flickered through his eyes. He tugged at his tie and sat on the sofa.

"This afternoon when I hung up on you—I was busy."

Simple. Blunt. He assumed she was sulking. He couldn't even be bothered to fabricate a decent excuse.

Camilla laughed bitterly. All those years of devotion. Suddenly so ridiculous.

She pushed the document on the coffee table toward him.

Her voice was hoarse, but underneath ran a quiet, unshakable resolve.

"Divorce agreement. Sign it."

Theodric stared at the words on the paper. Divorce Agreement. He almost laughed.

He scoffed. "Divorce? Just because I hung up on you?"

Camilla didn't explain. "Yes. Sign it. You get custody of Ollie. I leave with nothing."

Six months. She had six months. She wasn't going to waste another minute on people who weren't worth it.

Theodric saw the seriousness in her eyes but still didn't believe her. A housewife who knew nothing, daring to walk away with nothing—maybe it was time she learned a hard lesson.

He sneered. "Fine. Let's divorce. Just don't regret it later."