In the second year of their marriage, Charles Gramer was diagnosed with cancer.

That night, he held Catherine Rutherford tightly, asking for her again and again.

They did not leave a single room untouched.

His voice trembled in her ear, full of regret, "Cathy, I'm sorry I can't be with you till the end. I hope we can still be husband and wife in the next life."

Catherine cried herself to sleep in his arms.

The next morning, she made up her mind. If Charles was going to die, she would go with him.

However, when she walked into his study, she heard his voice on the phone, cold and composed. "You've really decided to fake the medical reports and stage your death? Just to go abroad and marry Mari?"

Catherine froze, hand still on the doorknob.

"Fake reports? What did that even mean?" she thought.

"Yeah," Charles said simply.

"Are you out of your mind? Mari is your adopted daughter on paper, and you're already married to Catherine. That's bigamy. It's illegal! What do you think Catherine will do when you disappear? She was falling apart last night when you told her!"

His friend on the other end sounded shocked.

Charles just lit a cigarette. Through the haze of smoke, his expression softened.

Catherine followed his line of sight and saw the photo on the wall. It was a picture of Charles with Mari snuggled in his arms, smiling sweetly.

She had always thought they were just close. However, staring at that photo now, her blood ran cold.

"The marriage certificate with Catherine is fake," Charles said flatly. "I never planned to marry her. She's proud and too independent—not my type. Mari and I, we're the same. She gets me. She's the only one who does.

"Also, I'm leaving for Mari in five days. I'll be good to Catherine for now to make it up to her. Once Mari's stable, I'll come back and build a quiet life with her."

There was a stunned silence on the line. "What if Catherine loses it or leaves you?"

Charles did not even hesitate. "Impossible. She's too in love with me. She'd never leave me."

Outside the door, Catherine's heart shattered at every single word.

She staggered back, her mind completely blank.

After two years of marriage with Charles, they had been deeply in love.

Now, she realized the marriage certificate was fake, and everything had been a lie to cover up his love for Mari.

The man in the study had ended the call. Immediately, she rushed into the bathroom like she was fleeing, turned on the faucet, and broke down crying.

Two years. Seven hundred and thirty days and nights, yet all she got was a false marriage.

Catherine could not stop herself from remembering the day they first met.

She was the daughter of the Rutherford family, and Charles was the illegitimate son adopted by the Gramer family.

At a banquet, Charles had been locked in the attic by a group of spoiled heirs and heiresses. Then, Catherine happened to walk by and rescue him.

The boy was in a sorry state, and she, in a white dress, pulled him up from the dusty floor. "Are you okay?"

Charles had not said much back then. He just stared at her nervously like a scared little mouse.

Catherine had always hated injustice. So, she dragged him into the banquet hall and scolded those who bullied him.

From that moment on, she always protected him, helping him step by step into the position of the heir of the Gramer family.

Fifteen years. They had known each other for fifteen years. Charles remembered the dates of her period, her love for blue roses, and even ran twenty kilometers at dawn just to buy her favorite pastries.

Catherine believed he loved her, so she humbled herself and asked to marry into the Gramer family.

And now, he said he had no feelings for her, only guilt toward Mari, the girl he called his adopted daughter. He even faked medical records and planned to marry someone else.

Her two years of love and companionship had ended in a fake marriage certificate and an empty title.

Catherine cried until she was numb. Then, she looked up at herself in the mirror. The once radiant princess of the New York elite was now chasing love to the point of nearly ending her own life.

"What an amazing guy you are, Charles. You betrayed the person who once saved you and fell for someone who had nothing to do with your past."

Catherine wiped away her tears.

"Since you've abandoned me, then I don't want you either!"

She grabbed her phone and dialed a number. "It's me. Last time you asked me to divorce him and be with you. I've thought about it, and I agree."

The man on the other end of the line went silent, clearly caught off guard by her sudden call.

After a pause, a deep voice finally responded, "Have you really thought it through? Doesn't he love you? What if he refuses?"

Catherine recalled the indifferent look on Charles's face in the study.

She let out a cold laugh. "I don't need his consent. It was all fake anyway."

"Fine. I'll give you half a month. All the previous deals still stand. As long as you marry me, I can offer you half of the Gramer family's cooperation."

With that, the man ended the call.

Catherine stared at the contact name on the screen, lost in thought.

Maybe Charles did not know that behind his back, his brother—the former heir of the Gramer family—had approached her more than once, wanting to team up and take everything back.

And out of love, she had shielded Charles for fifteen years in silence.

But now?

None of it mattered anymore.

She would let Charles see that she, Catherine, was always the one who made the choices—never just someone to be chosen.

After a sleepless night, when Catherine woke up again, there was someone new in the house. Mari was sitting at the dining table, smiling as she ate breakfast with Charles.

"Morning, Catherine." She looked up at the sound of footsteps on the stairs and gave Catherine a bright, mocking smile.

That smile was full of sarcasm and challenge.

Catherine shot Charles a cold look. "Why is she here?"

When they got married, it was agreed that this was their space, and no other woman was allowed inside.

That promise came from Charles. And now, he was the one breaking it.

Charles walked over, his voice soft and apologetic. "I was worried you'd be upset, so I asked Mari to keep you company."

"No need."

He probably thought she would be touched by his concern. Instead, Catherine pulled her hand away and gave a clear, firm order.

For a moment, the living room fell into a tense silence.

"I'm sorry, Charles. I didn't mean to intrude. I'll go now." Mari's eyes instantly filled with tears as she grabbed her bag and turned to leave.

Charles panicked and grabbed her arm, then turned back and snapped at Catherine, "What's your problem? Mari's trying to help. Can't you just be a little understanding?"

He was the one who brought her here without permission, and now somehow Catherine was the one being blamed. She was so furious she nearly burst into laughter.

"Mari will be staying here tonight. Whether you like it or not." With that, Charles turned away and led Mari to the guest room.

Watching them walk off together, Catherine felt a chill settle in her heart.

"Charles, how desperate are you? You couldn't even wait before I left to bring someone else in."

Since moving in, Mari had been relatively quiet. Maybe she sensed Catherine's dislike and tried to stay out of the way.

That night, after Catherine came out of the bathroom from her shower, Charles hugged her from behind. His body was warm against her back, and his hands started wandering.

"Charles, I'm on my period," she said flatly, trying to steady her emotions.

He immediately stopped, pulling his hand back with a weird tone in his voice. "Didn't you have two days left?"

Catherine did not know whether to feel touched or just laugh at the absurdity.

It was nice, in a way, that he remembered even the smallest things. Yet, the sad truth was that he did not truly care about her.

"It came early."

"Okay. Then I'll just hold you while we sleep." Charles did not say anything else. He wrapped her in his arms and fell asleep.

Late at night, Catherine woke up thirsty. The air around her felt chilly.

She heard a faint rustling coming from the next room. So, barefoot, she stepped into the hallway.

The sound was coming from Mari's guest room.

The door was slightly ajar, and through the gap, she saw Charles kneeling beside Mari's bed.

Mari's eyes were closed, seemingly asleep.

Charles held her hand near his mouth, while his other hand moved quickly under his body.

As his movements grew faster, a low moan escaped his lips, "Mari..."

Catherine could not take it. She covered her mouth and ran to the trash can to throw up.

Disgust surged in her chest.

"Charles, how could you say you love me and then do this?"

That night, she sat alone, facing the photo of the two of them on the bedside table.

At dawn, she got up, took the photo, and headed for the door.

"Why did you take the photo down?" Charles asked, frowning.

Catherine did not answer. She walked straight to the balcony and, with a loud thud, tossed it into the trash pile below.

"What are you doing?" Charles rushed toward the balcony, trying to stop her.

However, it was too late.

He turned and stared at her, confused and shocked.

Catherine forced a sad expression. "I just... I'm afraid that after you leave, I'll feel worse if I see it."

Charles's anger faded a little at that. He sighed. "You didn't have to throw it away."

It was their only photo together. Catherine had always treasured it, carefully wiping it clean every day so it would not gather dust.

However, she threw it out without hesitation.

"I'm sorry. I'm just scared. When I think about it..." Catherine covered her face, pretending to be in deep pain.

Charles believed her. Maybe his plan to leave had really hurt her more than he thought.

Feeling guilty, he pulled her into a hug and gently comforted her. "It's okay. It's my fault I can't stay."

Watching from the living room, Mari clenched her fists.

Maybe out of guilt, Charles became more patient with Catherine. He stayed close to her every day and even planted her favorite blue roses in the garden.

Meanwhile, Catherine sipped tea upstairs, watching him through the window. Then she turned and met Mari's gaze.

"You saw everything that night, didn't you?"

The woman's proud eyes were laced with mockery as if the blue roses Charles planted were nothing more than a way to make up for sleeping with her.

Mari knew Charles liked her. That night, she had her eyes closed not because she was asleep, but because she was enjoying it.

Suddenly, everything before Catherine felt sickening. "What are you trying to say?"

"If I were you, I'd be smarter about this. Since you already know he doesn't love you, you should leave."

Mari was like a fox that had waited in hiding for too long. She put on a sweet act in front of Charles but bared her fangs the moment he was gone, ready to strike.

"This is my house. You're the one who should get out. And what makes you so sure he doesn't love me? If he didn't, why would he marry me and stay with me all these years? Instead, you're nothing but a mistress hiding in the shadows."

Catherine rarely spoke with such sharpness, but now, her every word was laced with poison.

Mari, still young and hotheaded, was provoked. Her face flushed red. "You! Even if he loves you, I'm still the most important person to him. Don't believe me? I'll show you."

Without warning, she lunged at Catherine. Catherine's eyes widened—behind her was a balcony, and she had no room to dodge.

Thud!

With a loud crash, both of them fell.

The instant her back hit the ground, pain exploded through Catherine's body. Her insides felt like they were tearing apart.

Through the haze, she saw Charles running toward them from the garden, calling out Mari's name.

He rushed over, grabbed Mari in his arms without hesitation, and turned to leave.

Catherine used the last of her strength to clutch his pants leg. "Charles, help me... It hurts..."

She could practically hear her bones breaking.

Charles did not even glance at her. Cradling Mari tightly, he said without looking back, "Wait here. The family doctor's coming."

Then he walked off in a hurry with Mari.

Catherine stared at his disappearing figure and gave a bitter smile. Whatever love she had left for him vanished completely.

She shut her eyes in agony.

The sharp smell of disinfectant jolted Catherine awake. She opened her eyes and saw Charles sitting by her bedside in exhaustion and holding a bowl of medicine.

"You're awake. Drink this," he said flatly. She had no strength, so she let him feed it to her.

While spooning it into her mouth, he added with no emotion, "You'll need to give Mari a blood transfusion later."

It sounded more like an order than a request. Catherine froze, staring at him in disbelief. She was not sure she heard him right.

Seeing her stunned expression, Charles frowned. "You pushed Mari down the stairs and she's got internal bleeding. Don't you think you owe her that much?"

That was when it hit her.

Mari had twisted the whole story. She turned herself into the victim and made Catherine the villain.

Her lips cracked as she whispered hoarsely, full of disbelief and bitterness, "So, you believe that? You think I pushed her?"

"Cathy, you really need to work on your temper. Mari's done nothing wrong. How are you going to manage on your own after I'm gone?"

Before he could finish, Catherine raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

"Get out!" she shouted, grabbing the pillow and hurling it at him.

Charles did not look the least bit guilty, instead, he just looked annoyed. "Catherine, you will give the blood. You don't get a choice."

He nodded at the bodyguards nearby, and they moved quickly, grabbing her by the arms.

Then one of them pulled out a black leather belt and snapped it open.

Hiss!

Suddenly, several black snakes slithered out, their tongues flicking and crawling slowly toward her.

Catherine's eyes flew open in horror, her whole body stiffening as if her blood had turned to ice. Her throat felt like it was being gripped tightly, and not a single sound could escape.

She looked at Charles in horror.

He absolutely knew she was terrified of snakes!

"Cathy," he said, calmly, "if you behave, you won't have to suffer. I'm not well, and you don't want to upset me, right?"

He gave the guards another signal. Then, one of them forced her hands down, and the other plunged the needle in.

She felt the sting, her scalp tingling with fear. Her heart raced, and then everything went black.

When she came to again, she was back in her bedroom. Night had fallen.

With what little strength she had left, she pulled the needle out. Not a single drop of blood was left behind as it had all been drained for someone else.

When she coughed, her whole body was weak and trembling.

Then, a knock came at the door. Charles walked in with a faint smile. "Cathy, you're awake."

"Don't come any closer!" Catherine was terrified, and the scene from last night that shattered her flashed through her mind.

Charles stood at the head of the bed and pulled out an exquisite box from behind him.

"This is the Ocean Heart you've always wanted. I bought it for you as compensation. Cathy, I'm leaving in four days. I hope you won't stay mad at me until then. I love you, and only you."

Charles's eyes were deep. They were as pure and sincere as they had been when they first met.

Catherine had been fooled by that face, trapped in the dark for fifteen years, which led to her fate now.

Catherine did not respond.

After Mari was discharged, the three of them lived under the same roof, and Catherine chose to avoid them.

She began packing her bags—just three days left until she left.

The gifts she had picked out for Charles, the brooch from the auction worth millions, the rosary she had prayed over at church, the wedding dress and suit they wore—all of it, she listed online.

The rosary was worthless now, so she hung it around the guard dog's neck.

After doing all that, Catherine took a taxi to Mount Marcy.

It was autumn, and the mountain was full of fiery, withering maple leaves.

She found the tree where they had fallen in love, ran her hand over the trunk, and their days together came flooding back.

That day, they left the City Hall and sat on the hillside all night watching the stars. At dawn, Charles had taken her hand and dug into the soil beneath the tree, carefully burying their marriage certificate.

He said, "Let's leave it here. That way, we'll always be together. Never apart."

That promise then, and the betrayal now, felt like tiny needles pricking at Catherine's arms—deeper and more painful each time.

She bent down, dug up the dirt slowly, and pulled out the marriage certificate.

Then she called Charles. As soon as he picked up, she asked calmly, "Charles, do you really love me?"

"Why are you asking this all of a sudden? Cathy, don't you know how much I love you?" The way he avoided the question said it all.

"All right. It's fine." Catherine ended the call. Then she tore the certificate to shreds and threw it into the wind.

When she returned to the villa and stepped through the door, she saw Mari and Charles sitting at the table waiting. "Where did you go?"

Catherine changed her shoes and brushed off the maple leaves from her body. The moment Charles saw them, his expression softened. "You went to Mount Marcy?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you go so early? It's not even our anniversary yet, and you didn't tell me."

They used to go together every year on their anniversary.

However, this year...

Not this year. He was going to fake his death and leave, and she would remarry.

"Mari made your favorite dishes. Come have some with us."

Catherine had been acting strange lately. Charles did not know why, but he could sense that she had grown much colder.

Maybe he had been favoring Mari too much these days.

So, today, he had asked Mari to cook a full spread, hoping to ease things with Catherine.

Yet, Catherine was not having any of it.

Her stomach turned just thinking about how they were hiding their forbidden relationship from her and sneaking around behind her back.

"Catherine, I know you don't like me, but we still have to eat. If Charles dies, we'll need to lean on each other."

"Lean on each other? What a joke. If he dies, won't you just go with him?" Catherine thought to herself.

Catherine had had enough of the fake kindness from the two of them. However, when she remembered she would be gone in three days, she felt a bit better.

She picked a seat as far away from them as possible and quietly started eating.

Yet, right after the first bite, her whole body began to itch, and her breathing turned rapid.

She looked into the dish—peanuts!

She was allergic to peanuts!

Catherine shot up from her seat and threw the bowl to the floor.

Mari got up too and walked toward her, feigning concern. "Catherine, what's wrong?"

Slap!

Catherine's face turned red with anger, and she slapped Mari hard.

"Ah!" Mari fell to the ground, eyes brimming with tears. "Catherine, I was just trying to check on you..."

"Catherine, what are you doing?"

Charles yelled furiously and pulled Mari into his arms.

Catherine felt like her head was about to burst. Her breathing grew ragged. She turned around and stumbled toward the kitchen, trying to find her EpiPen but Charles grabbed her arm.

"Apologize to Mari!" His expression was dark, eyes full of fury like he wanted to tear her apart.

Catherine had no energy to deal with him. She struggled to break free. "EpiPen... I need my EpiPen."

"Catherine, how long are you going to keep up this act? Even if you hate Mari, don't take it out on her like this!"

Using the last of her strength, Catherine snatched the EpiPen from the counter and stabbed herself in the thigh.

She felt the sting from the needle as cold sweat poured down her back. Then, her vision went black and she collapsed.

When she woke up from the nightmare, the first thing she did was call Harry. "Move the plan up. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow."

Just then, Charles appeared at the door, face clouded. "You're leaving? Where are you going?"

Catherine kept her cool and calmly put away her phone, but Charles had already noticed. "Who were you talking to?"

Just as she was about to come up with an excuse, he suddenly grabbed her phone and tried unlocking it with his birthday.

The phone buzzed—wrong password.

Charles froze, and Catherine quickly snatched the phone back.

"You changed your password?"

She looked indifferent. "Yeah."

"Why?"

Since they got together, all of Catherine's passwords had been his birthday as she never hid anything from him.

And now, the way she looked at him, guarded and distant, felt like a punch to the gut.

"I'm just tired of using it. What do you want?" she asked, not bothering to explain more.

"Because of you, Mari burned her hand. Once you've rested, go apologize to her."

Catherine looked up, stunned. "Apologize?"

He wanted her to apologize to Mari? The same Mari who purposely added peanuts to her food, nearly triggering a severe allergic reaction?

Catherine laughed in disbelief. "She's the one who nearly killed me, and you want me to say sorry? Charles, are you out of your mind, or am I?"

She thought the truth would make him reconsider. But instead, he snapped back, "Don't be ridiculous. Mari said she didn't know, and you did it on purpose."

"And you believe her?"

Charles sighed. "Catherine, there's no need to pick on Mari just because you're jealous. She's just my adopted daughter."

Still lying. Still defending Mari.

Yet, Catherine had had enough. "Charles, I wouldn't trade my life for yours."

He knew how severe her allergy was because she had nearly died from it in the ICU once. And yet he still believed she would fake it out of jealousy?

Catherine could not believe how blindly confident he was.

Then again, it made sense—she really had been that naive back then.

"Fine, we're all family. Cathy, you know I haven't been well lately, and I don't have much time left. I want to travel a bit. You're still recovering, so stay here and rest. Mari will go with me."

He spoke like it meant nothing. Yet, in the end, everything—the plan, the lie—was about Mari.

Catherine was tired of caring, so she gave a flat nod. "Okay."

Actually, she knew the so-called trip was just because Mari got upset and acted spoiled to make him go with her.

It just so happens that she also needs to prepare to leave.

On the first day Charles left, he made breakfast for Catherine. It looked like a feast, but Catherine did not feel like eating at all.

Because everything on the table was what Mari liked.

Charles thought her silence meant she was touched, and for some reason, he smiled a little.

He walked up to Catherine and ruffled her hair. "I'll only be gone for two days. I'll be back soon, so wait for me."

Charles was about to say something else when the phone on the table rang, and Mari's ringtone echoed through the living room.

Charles picked up the phone right away as if afraid she would wait too long.

"Charles, how long will it take you? Oh, and don't forget your coat. I'm freezing. And you still have my lipstick..." The woman's sweet voice came through, and Charles's face instantly softened as he spoke to her gently.

"I'll be right there." He said while grabbing his coat and heading out.

At the door, he suddenly turned around and asked Catherine, "Aren't you mad?"

Before, when Mari clung to him like that, Catherine would have definitely reacted. However, she stayed calm when he was leaving—like a still lake with no ripples.

"No, have fun." Catherine smiled.

Charles looked like he wanted to say more, but Mari kept urging him, so he did not have time.

The moment the door shut, Catherine stood up and dumped the food on the table into the trash can one dish at a time.

"Miss, you're not going to eat?" The housekeeper was surprised when she saw the pile of untouched food in the trash. After all, Catherine had asked Charles to cook for her so many times before.

"Can humans eat what's meant for dogs?"

On the third day of the countdown, Catherine went to Gramer Group and handed in her resignation.

The person who accepted it was the acting CEO under Charles. "Ms. Rutherford, are you sure you want to resign?"

Catherine looked around the office. She had built this place from scratch with Charles and even designed the space herself.

All of it was just for an illusion.

Catherine came back to her senses. "Yes."

While packing up, she noticed details she had never paid attention to before.

On top of the bookcase were photos of Charles and Mari, and the cups on the table had Mari's doodles on them.

Turns out her presence was everywhere.

Catherine suddenly felt sick. They had done all of this right under her nose, and she never saw it.

"By the way, don't tell Charles I resigned. You know he hasn't been doing well lately." With that, she turned and walked out with her box.

Just as she reached the door, she overheard people whispering outside.

"Ms. Rutherford is really pitiful. She's been with Mr. Gramer for five years, but I heard he already transferred all the shares to Ms. Gramer."

"So are you saying she walked away with nothing?"

"Nothing at all. She worked so hard for five years and was always the first in and the last to leave. She was the one who helped him get to where he is today..."

***

Those voices dragged Catherine right back to the past like a nightmare.

She remembered staying up late every night, coming up with ways to help Charles earn his place in the Gramer family.

She had fought with her own family for him and walked straight into a dead end.

In the end, Charles handed over five years of her effort to Mari like it was a wedding gift.

What she got in return was a fake marriage certificate and a carefully crafted lie.

Whatever.

She was leaving anyway.

On the second day of the countdown, Catherine went to the Gramer's residence and said, "I want to get my marriage materials back."

Back then, to make up her mind, she had secretly taken her documentation. After getting the marriage certificate, she left it at the Gramer's residence and never brought it home.

Now that she was about to marry someone else, she naturally needed to take it with her.

"Why?" David Gramer, Charles' father, looked a little puzzled.

"That's mine."

David did not push further but asked, "Did you and Charles have a fight?"

"No, I just want to get it back and put an end to the past," Catherine lied without flinching.

"Fine." David did not question her again and handed over her folder.

After returning home, Catherine gave the villa staff a break and moved out all her things.

As soon as the moving company left, Charles came back with Mari.

"Why is the house such a mess?" The man froze at the doorway, thinking for a second that there had been a break-in.

"Just cleaning up. Some things needed to go," Catherine said, standing up from the pile of boxes. "Weren't you supposed to be at the hospital for surgery today?"

Charles had told her earlier in the week that this was the day of his final surgery.

He paused, clearly having forgotten, but also clearly pleased that Catherine still remembered.

He let go of Mari's hand and walked over to pull Catherine into a hug. "Cathy, having you as my wife is the greatest blessing of my life."

His tone was firm and seemed genuine.

However, Catherine knew all too well. He just felt guilty for leaving her in the dark.

She smiled. "I think so too."

Her gaze shifted to Mari, who stood frozen at the door. Her face had twisted and her eyes were full of jealous fury.

Catherine went with him to the hospital. Before going into the operating room, Charles kept reminding her not to be sad.

Of course, she would not be because she knew the surgery was just for show.

Catherine did not think much of it and simply nodded.

The operation would take several hours, and she did not feel like sitting around in that heavy atmosphere.

As she walked out of the hospital, she spotted Mari arguing with a man on the street. Curious, she moved closer and realized the man was the Gramer family's driver.

"It was the right move to send you to Charles. You said if things went well, you would give me 800 thousand. It's been years now. When's this plan finally going to pay off?"

Mari crossed her arms. "Why so anxious? Once he ditches that woman and marries me, I'll have access to half his assets. You really think you'll go broke?"

"Tsk tsk... Poor Catherine. Used as a tool all these years, and in the end, she got outplayed by a little girl like you. If Charles finds out you only got close to him for the Gramer family's money, he'd lose his mind. Hahaha!"

That wild laughter said it all.

And just like that, Catherine saw the truth.

So Mari had only gotten close to him and become his adopted daughter to get a piece of the Gramer family fortune.

She let out a cold laugh. "Charles, the girl you've been doting on? She's a complete fraud.

"The two of you really are a perfect match.

"I wonder what kind of face you'll make when you find out."

With that thought, Catherine calmly took out her phone and recorded every word of their conversation.

After the operation, Charles acted like a completely different person—gentle, thoughtful, and saying yes to everything Catherine asked.

To be honest, he had not changed. He was like this at the beginning too. Everything only shifted when Mari appeared.

He bought her an expensive handbag, sent 99,999 blue roses all the way from France, and knelt before the media, swearing eternal love.

The whole city of Albany felt sorry for this "devoted, short-lived man." However, only Catherine saw through him.

He gave her a luxury bag but handed Mari an even more expensive painting. He gave her blue roses but discussed a diamond-covered wedding gown with Mari.

None of his affection, romance, or gestures were real.

After the hospital issued the final notice, Charles held her in their wedding room and said, "Cathy, if only I weren't sick, I could keep being with you, eating with you, sleeping beside you, going wherever you wanted to go."

Then he suddenly turned over and said, "Didn't you say you wanted to see Mount Rushmore? The forecast says there'll be frost tonight, so it would be perfect timing. Want to go now?"

He stood up as he said it. Catherine remembered she had mentioned it before.

There was a saying in Albany that if you go to Mount Rushmore with the person you love, you will live happily ever after. She had believed it.

However, they had both been tied down by the Gramer family's mess and never got the chance. Now that he brought it up, maybe it was his way of making up for everything.

So, she said yes.

That night, Charles drove her up the mountain himself. With the wind brushing past them, they reached the top and saw the figures. Charles stood at her side, tall and shielding her from the chill.

For a brief moment, it felt like old times. She even smiled. However, the wind picked up so they ended up staying at a hotel at the foot of the mountain.

When Catherine came out from washing up, she saw Charles hurriedly grabbing the car keys, ready to go.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"It's raining hard in Albany. Mari's home alone and scared, so I'm just going to check on her. I'll be back soon," Charles said quickly, already at the door.

Catherine looked at him. There was a strange calm in her gaze. "What about me?"

It was pouring outside. And just because Mari was afraid of thunder, he was about to leave her behind.

"Cathy, don't be unreasonable. You know the person I care about most in this world is her..." He paused, then added, "And you."

"So don't make this harder, okay? Just for me. I'll be back soon." Before he could finish, his phone started ringing again.

He did not wait any longer and opened the door, disappearing down the hallway.

At that moment, Catherine's phone lit up.

A message from an anonymous number.

Yet, she knew exactly who it was from.

"Catherine, even on the last day, Charles would abandon you at a single word from me. You're nothing more than a dog he can summon or dismiss whenever he wants." As Catherine stared at the message, she had no reaction. Not even a ripple in her heart.

Catherine never waited for Charles to come back.

She quietly checked out of the hotel and walked down the mountain alone. The rain was pouring, but she felt lighter than she had in a long time.

Four hours later, she returned to the villa.

That night, she came down with a high fever. Her whole body burned, her head spun, and the sharp pain in her abdomen nearly made her pass out. Half-conscious, she picked up her phone and called Charles.

"I have a fever," she murmured. "Can you call a doctor for me?"

There was noise in the background. It was a woman's soft voice, followed by Charles's breathy tone. "Cathy, don't fake being sick just to get me back," he said. "I told you I'd come home."

Before she could say another word, he hung up.

When she came to again, her back was drenched in cold sweat, sticky and sickening.

Charles never came back. He did not even text back.

All she got was a post from Mari's Instagram in the early morning, captioned, "Charles said my safety matters more than anything else." The photo? Charles, busy in the kitchen.

The comment section was full of mixed reactions.

"Mr. Gramer still cared for Mari even at the end of his life. He is truly devoted."

"Wow. I don't think even Catherine got this kind of treatment."

***

They were right. She did not.

Last night said it all.

Yet, it did not matter anymore.

Charles did not come back and she sat in the living room through the night because today was the last day.

The day Charles was supposed to stage his "death".

Right on cue, around noon, her phone rang. On the other end, the assistant's voice was filled with panic, "Ms. Rutherford, something's wrong! Mr. Gramer's in critical condition!"

The act had been rehearsed for two months. Now, the curtain was finally rising.

At the memorial hall, the crowd was dressed in black—everyone except her. Catherine wore a light green dress.

The assistant's expression darkened the moment he saw her. "Ms. Rutherford, this is really inappropriate."

She did not even look at him. "Charles liked this dress," she said simply.

He did. He once told her this dress made her look warm like sunlight.

And now, here she was, wearing it to his fake funeral.

As Charles's coffin was slowly lifted, Catherine cried—loud, heart-wrenching sobs that moved the crowd to tears. Yet inside, she felt absolutely nothing.

The truth? That coffin was empty.

The real Charles had already flown off to Hawaii with Mari.

And Catherine? She was finally ready to disappear from this chapter of her life.

After the ceremony, she went straight back to the villa, packed her luggage, called a ride, and headed for the airport.

Just as she was about to board, she caught a glimpse of Mari and Charles not far off, laughing like nothing had ever happened.

She did not even flinch as she turned away.

"Ms. Rutherford, Sir has been waiting for you. Please come with me," a man in a sleek suit said as he stopped her.

She nodded and followed him calmly. Onboard the private plane, she saw him—Harry Gramer, her new husband.

"Is this everything? Did you leave anything behind?" Harry frowned as he looked at her luggage.

"No."

There was nothing of Charles or Albany with her.

None at all.

As she looked out the window of the plane, she saw another jet lifting into the sky and smiled.

"Goodbye, Charles.

"Let's never meet again."