Nine Years of Silence The Final Goodbye

My husband Alexander Sterling's personal assistant is pregnant.

On my birthday, he brought her home.

He said casually, Sophia is picky about food, so from now on, every meal must be varied and nutritionally balanced.

She needs someone to care for her at night. Move out from the bedroom, she will sleep there.

I silently picked up my already packed carry-on and headed for the door.

The old butler looked like he wanted to say something, but Alexander cut him off with a sneer, "Don't bother stopping her, it's not the first time. She always comes crawling back anyway."

Hearing this, the friends who came with him burst out laughing.

They made bets right in front of me, wagering on how long I'd last this time. A day? Maybe just a few hours?

Just like before, no matter how awful he treated me, I'd always weaken in less than a day.

I'd return to him, begging for forgiveness.

But I'm tired. I don't want to apologize anymore.

No one knew the black Rolls-Royce was already parked outside the mansion gates.

This time, I wouldn't look back.

My fingertips had just touched the door handle when a cold voice called from behind.

"Emily, take off your heirloom talisman." He stroked the woman's slightly rounded belly. "Sophia has been having nightmares lately."

This talisman was the last thing my parents left me.

Seeing my red-rimmed eyes, a sneer touched his lips. "Name your price."

How much could nine years of a humiliating marriage be worth?

I only remembered last winter on an Alpine slope, when I refused to give up my anti-fog goggles.

He stripped me naked and left me in the minus twenty-degree snow.

Now, humiliated once more, I slowly unclasped the talisman and fastened it around Sophia's wrist.

I looked at her flat stomach and whispered, "I wish your baby peace and safety."

No sooner had the words left my mouth than the talisman slipped, fell, and shattered on the floor.

A shard nicked her bare ankle.

Alexander immediately scooped her into his arms, his voice unusually panicked. "Call a doctor, now!"

His frantic demeanor made the friends around us chuckle.

This ridiculous scene overlapped with last night's memory.

Last night, when a sudden heart attack had me curled on the floor, he was adjusting his cufflinks for a date with Sophia. His dress shoes cruelly stepping over my twitching fingers.

Through the haze of pain, I heard him tell the butler, "Remember to disinfect the living room."

"Sophia is coming tomorrow. Don't let her catch anything unclean."

I tightened my grip on the suitcase, As I turned to leave, his fingers clamped around my wrist.

"Apologize," he commanded coldly. "Right now."

Before I could respond, he shoved me to the ground.

My knees hit the floor with a sickening crack, blood immediately staining the surface.

Seeing the crimson, he frowned and released me. "You broke the talisman on purpose and hurt Sophia. Don't you think you owe her a sincere apology?"

The words "I'm sorry"I'd said them countless times before.

When the soup was overcooked, when I worried about his late nights and called during his meetings, when I accidentally saw flirty texts on his phone...

I got up and apologized to Sophia.

I looked at him and asked quietly, "Are you... satisfied now?"

Seeing the look of utter disappointment on my face, his expression faltered.

"Who are you putting on this pitiful act for? Stop making everyone sick."

Just then, the doctor arrived. He shoved me aside and hurried the doctor to Sophia.

I didn't bother explaining. Amid the chaos, I pulled my suitcase and walked out of the mansion.

Seeing the black sedan parked outside the gates, I quickened my pace.

But I hadn't taken more than a few steps, bodyguards forcibly brought me back inside.

In that quiet room, Alexander coldly instructed his subordinates to bring a thick needle, plunging it into my arm without hesitation.

The moment it pierced my skin, agony shot through me, draining all vitality from my body.

Through the half-open door, I faintly heard the doctor whisper to Alexander, "Mr. Sterling, Mrs. Sterling has a heart disease. Drawing this much blood could trigger acute shock."

"I recommend taking Mrs. Sterling to the hospital for a full check-up first, then transfusing blood for Miss Sophia laterit's safer..."

"Don't mention the hospital to me," Alexander said icily.

"Just do your job and make sure Sophia recovers quickly. Keep your opinions to yourself."

After 800 milliliters were taken, my lips turned purple, and I was so weak I felt I might collapse at any moment.

Just then, Sophia in the bedroom let out a cough.

That sound was like an urgent summons to Alexander.

He rushed to the doctor's side and pressed down on the hand about to remove the needle.

He urgently demanded double the amount of blood.

The doctor, sweating profusely from fear, anxiously advised, "Mr. Sterling, any more and Mrs. Sterling's body might not handle it. It could be fatal! Please reconsider..."

"Sophia is pregnant, her safety comes first."

As the doctor tried to protest again, I interrupted.

"If I let you draw the blood, will you let me leave?"

Seeing my pale face, Alexander's eyes filled with anger.

He seemed to want to ask how long I'd keep up this act.

Just then, Sophia cooed, "Alexander darling~"

That sound instantly captured his complete attention.

He released my arm and hurried over.

I went into shock and was rushed to the hospital.

Two days later, when I groggily opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was Alexander sitting nearby, reading files.

Seeing me awake, he softly asked, "How are you feeling? Any discomfort?"

Instead of answering, I replied calmly, "Give me my phone."

Perhaps my tone was too distant, Alexander paused for a few seconds before handing it over.

Seeing dozens of missed calls, he, who never cared about such things, abruptly asked, "Who are all these from?"

I frowned lightly. "I don't know, no one important."

Alexander suddenly snapped, "Emily, how long are you going to keep this up? You get a little leeway, and you actually think about rebelling?"

In the past, whenever he got angry, I'd apologize immediately and try to comfort him.

But now, I just pointed at his vibrating phone and said flatly, "Sophia is calling."

His anger vanished. Habitually turning away from me, he strode quickly out of the room

The moment he left, my phone rang.

I answered the call. Before I could speak, the person on the other end anxiously asked, "Emily, why didn't you get in the car? Did you change your mind?"

"Not changed, just... something came up," I whispered.

"Something came up? Are you okay? I have to come back right away..."

The person on the phone was frantic, wanting to return immediately.

I cut off the incessant worry. "Give me a few more days, I'll handle it."

When Alexander returned to the room, I'd just ended the call.

He noticed a smile on my lips he hadn't seen in a long time, and it inexplicably annoyed him.

But he'd promised Sophia he'd return immediately to comfort her.

So he didn't have time to ask who I was talking to.

Probably, in his mind, it was just that female cousin who often visited me.

Since marrying him, it seemed that I only have contact with the female relatives.

He took his files and said coldly without looking back, "Emily, something came up. I'll be back tomorrow."

But days passed, and the man who promised to return never showed up again.

Yet, through mutual friends, I passively received updates about him and Sophia.

He took Sophia to banquets and dinners, acting like they were the legitimate couple.

On the day I was discharged from the hospital, he posted photos on Instagram.

In them, they were kissing passionately on a romantic hot air balloon.

The image was painfully sweet.

I commented, "[Wish you two always be together]"

A minute later, Alexander called, but I didn't answer.

I handled the discharge alone but saw Alexander and Sophia at the OB-GYN entrance.

I heard a nurse say to Sophia, "Mrs. Sterling, your husband is so devotedhe accompanies you to every check-up. He even gave gifts to the whole department, worried we wouldn't be thorough."

Pregnant women around looked envious.

I instinctively touched my abdomen.

There had once been a tiny life there too.

It was after a sudden car accident. I lost too much blood, and the baby was gone.

I cried hysterically, calling Alexander for help.

But Sophia answered, smugly saying, "Mrs. Sterling, Alexander is busy making love to me right now. What do you need?"

I hung up.

Instantly, Alexander called back.

He yelled at me, venomously saying.

"You can't even keep your own childwhat good are you? Why didn't you just die in that crash?"

"What are you doing standing here?" Alexander's voice snapped me out of the memory. Sophia's eyes flashed with jealousy.

"I was just..." I stepped back, instinctively explaining, "passing by. Sorry to disturb you!"

"Wait." Sophia stopped me.

"Mrs. Sterling, thank you so much for the blood transfusion. Without you, I might have lost my baby."

Then she turned to Alexander, "Alexander darling, please let Mrs. Sterling come home with us."

Alexander nodded. "Anything for you."

I needed to get my luggage anyway, so I didn't refuse.

Once in the car, I saw, just as Sophia intended. A pair of pale pink panties, edges stained with unmistakable moisture, lay discarded on the seat.

"Oh my! How is this still here?" Sophia feigned surprised.

"Alexander, you said you threw it away!"

She wrapped her arms around Alexander and planted a kiss on his lips.

Alexander chuckled lowly, murmuring an apology while holding her close, but his gaze flickered subtly toward me.

Seeing me expressionless remain unmoved and indifferent, that familiar, inexplicable irritation appeared on his face again, just like that day in hospital.

"Emily, glued to your phone the moment you get in the car? Chatting with some other man?" He snatched my phone.

As he took it, I turned off the screen.

"Password," he demanded.

"My birthday."

Nine years married, he never remembered my birthday.

Back at the mansion, he still hadn't unlocked it.

Parking at the entrance, he carried Sophia inside.

He tenderly put her in the bedroom and told the servants to prepare her favorite roast turkey.

I went to the other room.But when I opened the door, I froze.

All my clothes were shredded, scattered on the floor. Luckily, my important documents were hidden in the suitcase lining, untouched.

As I gathered them to leave, Sophia blocked the doorway with a bottle of undentified liquid.

"Emily, I didn't know you could endure so much."

"I'm already here, yet you cling to the Sterling home. Don't you realize you've become a laughingstock?"

She paused, smiling as if recalling something fun.

"Oh, remember when your grandma was critically ill? You begged Alexander to arrange a flight so you could see her one last time, and he refused. Know why?"

"He was taking me to the seaside. I picked the date on purpose!"

Rage overwhelmed me. I grabbed her neck and slammed her against the wall, gripping hard.

Sophia struggled in terror, the bottle in her hand clattering to the floor, releasing the pungent smell of alcohol.

"You're insane!" I released her and stepped back, but she tripped me.

In the chaos, she pulled out a lighter and ignited the alcohol!

Flames roared up. Thick smoke made me cough as my vision blurred.

Dazed, I heard Alexander's frantic shout. "Emily!"

"Sir! It's too dangerous! Wait for the fire extinguisher"

"Get lost! Emily's in there!"

Alexander shoved past the servants and charged into the fire.

But when he saw Sophia coughing in the corner.

He scooped her up and left without looking back.

An hour later, he finally thought to search for me, but found no trace.

Late that night, I dragged my suitcase through the airport, boarding a flight to the UK, my body wracked with coughs.

Before takeoff, ma message from Alexander appeared.

[How long will you keep this up? Sophia's prenatal check-up is at 10 AM tomorrow. Be there, and get yourself checked too.]

I removed the SIM card and powered off the phone.

Alexander, from now on, we're done forever.