The Last Leaf of Devotion

That night, Ansel never returned.

Odessa lay in the bathtub, scrubbing endlessly at the dirt and shame embedded in her skin. But no matter how fiercely she scrubbed, the painful memories of last night clung stubbornly.

She wept until exhaustion took her, and in the fog of unconsciousness, she felt a pair of warm hands lifting her.

"Odessa!" a familiar voice echoed urgently.

As she fought to open her eyes, she saw Ansel standing above her, his usually cold expression replaced by unmistakable panic.

"Odessa, stay with me! I'm taking you to the hospital!"

She looked at him through the haze clouding her mind, and for a brief moment, the past came rushing back.

When she was 17, a devastating earthquake had shaken Brightmoor. Just before a classroom beam came crashing down, Ansel had thrown himself over her, using his body as a shield.

They were trapped beneath the rubble for five harrowing days. Without food or water, Odessa's grip on reality began to slip, and her will to survive started to fade.

But Ansel never let go. He called her name again and again, pulling her back whenever she began to drift away.

After surviving that nightmare together, they became inseparable.

Deep down, Odessa believed that she and Ansel had already conquered life and death—that no matter what storms came their way, they would face them together.

She never imagined Ansel would betray her by their third year of marriage.

When she finally woke, she found herself lying in a hospital bed.

The first thing she noticed was Ansel, slumped beside her.

He was still in the same clothes as the day before, looking as though sleep hadn't touched him all night. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his face was drawn with exhaustion.

After staring at him silently for a moment, Odessa reached out and gently traced her fingers across his cheek.

Ansel stirred suddenly. The moment his eyes met hers, he embraced her tightly.

"Odessa, you scared me to death yesterday! Thank God you're okay! I shouldn't have said those things last night!"

That morning, he had returned home to discover her lying motionless in the bathtub. Her eyes were shut, and the cold water was tinged with red. In that instant, he feared she was gone forever.

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

Odessa swallowed a sob and gently pushed him away, a faint smile flickering across her lips. "Ansel, can we please have a proper conversation?"

He nodded without hesitation. "Yes. Anything you want. Just promise me you won't do anything reckless again, okay?"

"Last night, I—"

Before she could finish, Ansel's phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and quickly declined the call, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. "Go on, Odessa. What were you saying?"

But it was too late. Odessa had already noticed the name glowing on the screen—"Sydney Baby".

In that instant, something inside her gave way. "Never mind. You should answer it. I'm just a little tired… I think I'll try to rest."

She lay back down without saying a word.

Ansel shot her a brief glance before quietly slipping out of the hospital room.

Moments later, her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number. "Come to the underground parking garage. I dare you."

Odessa clenched her fists, determined to ignore it. But against her better judgment, she found herself heading for the exit.

In the underground garage, Sydney gripped Ansel's sleeve, tears streaming down her face. "Please, can I keep the baby? It's our first. I don't want to lose it!"

Ansel's brow knitted tightly, his voice cold and distant. "Odessa and I don't even have a child yet. How can you have one before her? Once that happens, you can have as many as you want."

Sydney sobbed harder. "But an abortion hurts… I'm scared. You promised you'd take responsibility when you slept with me!"

Ansel let out a weary sigh and pulled her close. "Alright, I'll go with you. After that, I'll buy you some properties. No, I'll get you anything you want. Just say the word."

Sydney slipped her arms around his neck. "I want you to propose to me. Even if I'm not your real wife, at least I can be your pretend one, right?"

Ansel said nothing, his brow tightening.

Sydney immediately pouted. "See? You're going back on your word again!"

"Alright, alright, I promise!" Ansel's heart softened the moment he caught the pleading look in her eyes.

Her tears quickly gave way to a bright smile. "I also want the same ring and wedding dress Odessa had!"

"Sure, no problem."

"And I want to go to the castle too!"

"Anything you want," Ansel said indulgently.