The Last Leaf of Devotion

Ansel smiled affectionately, his eyes fixed on Sydney's flushed lips. Unable to resist, he gently lifted her chin and kissed her.

One kiss led to another, and soon they slipped into the car. The vehicle began to rock with a steady rhythm.

Hidden behind a nearby pillar, Odessa stood motionless, her face drained of color. She pressed a hand over her mouth, fighting to hold back a sob as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Ansel had gotten Sydney pregnant.

He had told Odessa she was the one he loved most, yet here he was, sharing their most private moments with another woman.

For a fleeting instant, she felt the urge to scream at them for answers. But instead, she quietly turned away.

She didn't even realize how she left. Rather than returning to the hospital, she wandered aimlessly through the streets.

Not far ahead stood the Halberg Group's headquarters, its massive LED screen looping a video from two years ago.

The footage captured the wedding that every woman in Brightmoor had once envied—a fairy-tale castle, adorable flower girls, and a tearful Ansel and Odessa exchanging vows.

It all felt as though it had happened only yesterday.

As Odessa watched the screen, tears quietly began to stream down her face once more.

All of a sudden, a message from Ansel lit up her phone. "Hey Odessa, there's a last-minute meeting at the office. I won't be home tonight. Let's talk tomorrow, okay?"

Tears dropped onto the screen as a bitter, hollow laugh escaped her lips.

Tomorrow?

Tomorrow was a luxury she no longer had.

Before she discovered the affair, Ansel often sent messages like these, insisting he had "emergency meetings" to attend.

Now, looking back, maybe every single one of those meetings had been a lie—perhaps he'd been with Sydney all along.

"Are you with Sydney?" Odessa typed back.

The typing indicator flickered almost at once, but no message followed.

After what felt like forever, Ansel finally replied, "You're overthinking things. If you don't trust me, feel free to ask my assistant."

Odessa said nothing.

Moments later, a message from Sydney popped up.

"Hey Odessa, I'm sure you heard everything in the parking garage. To be honest, it's only a matter of time before I take your place.

"Half of Ansel's heart already belongs to me. I'm younger, and I know how to make him happy. If you don't want to end up being just another discarded trophy wife, do yourself a favor and get that divorce."

Attached to Sydney's message were several photos of torn stockings and an open condom wrapper.

Odessa's hands shook as she stared at the screen.

She might have wanted a divorce after her death, but that didn't mean she was prepared to endure such a blatant and humiliating insult.

A sudden crack of thunder ripped through the sky as rain began to pour.

Raindrops traced the curve of her pale jaw, blending with her tears.

Finally, she typed a message to Ansel, "Let's get a divorce."

By the time she got home, night had already fallen. Odessa collapsed onto the couch, her fever burning through her veins.

A bitter laugh escaped her. She was nothing but a ghost, lingering on borrowed time… yet even a ghost's fragile body could succumb to illness.

After a long, heavy silence, Odessa forced herself to stand. She climbed onto a chair and reached for the wedding photo hanging on the wall.

Her fingers hesitated briefly on the frame before she ripped it apart with a pair of scissors.

After discarding the shredded photo, she pulled out every album and frame in the house. One by one, she tore each picture of her and Ansel into jagged, broken pieces.

Next, she gathered every gift Ansel had ever given her.

The valuable items were sold off at a steep discount, while the handmade pieces were smashed and thrown away without hesitation.

At last, Odessa entered the exhibition room.

Behind the spotless glass case hung the wedding dress she had worn years ago. She paused for one last look before ruthlessly cutting it apart.

Also on display was the exquisite diamond ring crafted by Ansel himself, its pink diamond alone worth tens of millions.

Odessa held onto the ring for what felt like an eternity before finally flushing it down the toilet.

She and Ansel had once shared a profound love. Those memories were too sacred to be tarnished by anyone else. So, with that in mind, she decided to be the one to destroy them.

When it was all said and done, Odessa collapsed to the floor, utterly exhausted.

Just then, Ansel stormed through the door.