Chapter 2

A loud slam of the front door snapped me back to reality.

I looked down, took off my pajamas, and slipped into the black lace lingerie.

Years of illness had worn me down to skin and bones. The fabric hung loose on me, leaving wide, empty gaps.

When Julian walked into the bedroom and saw me lying on the bed in that slip, he froze.

Pale and drained, I forced a smirk and looked at him.

"Well? Do I look good?"

Julian seemed to realize who the lingerie belonged to, his expression turning strange.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I lowered my gaze. The gnawing ache in my body made me pinch the back of my hand, leaving a sharp red mark against my ghostly pale skin.

"I was just thinking... since my husband likes this sort of thing, why can't I change for him just this once?"

Julian stiffened. When he looked back at me, a hint of unexpected eagerness flashed in his eyes.

"Clara... you're... willing?"

Before I could say another word, he stripped off his jacket and leaned down to kiss me.

Yet I clearly caught the flicker of disgust in his eyes when he saw my emaciated, curve-less frame.

I smiled—and slapped him hard across the face. My voice turned ice-cold.

"Julian, you really are a shameless piece of trash."

Stunned by the slap, he realized I was just playing him. Pure rage flared, and he shoved me violently off the bed.

"Get the fuck out! Are you crazy, Clara? Trying to humiliate yourself in Melanie's clothes? Look at you—you look like a walking corpse. You think you're worthy?"

I hit the cold floor, sharp pain radiating through every nerve in my body, both physical and emotional.

It hurt so much. But no matter how bad it got, I refused to show an ounce of weakness in front of Julian.

"Julian, I want to know why the hell you let another woman leave her sexy lingerie in our daughter's bedroom!"

A flicker of panic crossed his face. It took him a while to stammer out a defense.

"Melanie probably just left it by accident... If you found it, just throw it away! Why do you have to throw such a damn tantrum?"

I lowered my head. Tears fell one by one, scalding the back of my hand. A wave of profound grief for our years of marriage crashed over me.

How did the man who once held me while I was pregnant, who treated me like his most precious treasure and couldn't wait for our child to be born, turn into this monster?

We hadn't even had any major blowouts. We had just drifted apart, almost by unspoken agreement.

I had spent years analyzing it, and the only conclusion I could come to was simple:

He just didn't love me anymore.

Even if his love faded, I never imagined he could become so utterly indifferent to our daughter. If I really died one day, how could I ever leave Lily in his hands?

I lifted my head, eyes wet with tears.

"Julian, I put up with every single woman you brought home in the past. But this Melanie? Never."

Julian let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Clara, you're thirty-four, and now you're competing with a girl in her twenties? It's just a piece of clothing! Why are you blowing this out of proportion?"

"You don't want me with Melanie? Let me tell you, she happens to be my absolute favorite."

With an irritated scowl, he grabbed his suit jacket and stormed out of the house.