Six years. That’s how long I played the part of Lawrence Langford’s "ghost wife"—a secret hidden in the shadows of his glittering empire. I thought my devotion could thaw his frozen heart, but on our son’s birthday, the cold reality finally shattered my illusions. I wasn’t his partner; I was a convenience. So, I walked away. No drama, no tears, just a signed divorce petition and a promise to never look back. I traded my wedding ring for a lab coat, returning to the world of medical technology where I belong. Within a year, the "submissive Mrs. Langford" was dead. In her place stood a tech visionary, the very person the Langford Group desperately needed to save their crashing stocks. Now, the cold-blooded CEO is on his knees, eyes bloodshot, begging me to come home. He says he can’t live without me. He says he’s finally realized his mistake. I just slide the gold-plated pen across the desk and smile coldly. "Mr. Langford, save your breath. Just sign the papers."

Chapter 1Wren pushed open the doors to the banquet hall just as the massive screen on the stage lit up.In the photo, Lawrence wore a sharp black suit, standing in the center of the spotlight with a cold, aristocratic elegance. Beside him stood a woman in a white evening gown, bending slightly to adjust a little boy's bowtie.The boy was smiling brightly.That was her husband, Lawrence.Her son, Leo.And her half-sister, Willow.The three of them stood together, looking exactly like a picture-perfect family.Wren's fingers tightened around the gift box, the sharp edges pressing uncomfortably into her palm.She had purposefully ended her meeting early today, rushing here from the north side of the city and sitting in traffic for nearly an hour. Terrified of missing Leo's sixth birthday party, she hadn't even stopped to grab dinner.But she never expected that this would be the first scene to greet her upon arrival.The banquet hall was bustling.Deep blue starry sky decorations covered the room, with overhead lights adjusted to a soft galactic glow. The walls were adorned with Leo's favorite aerospace models, and even the cake was shaped like a rocket.Wren was intimately familiar with these details.Because half a month ago, she had asked Leo what theme he wanted for his birthday this year.At the time, Leo had been building blocks. Without even looking up, he mumbled, "Whatever."She assumed he was just burnt out from homework and extracurriculars. She had spent hours researching, planning to handcraft a glowing planet model for him.Looking at it now, it wasn't that Leo lacked interest.It was that he had already given his expectations to someone else."Wren?"A soft voice suddenly called out from behind her.Wren turned around.Willow stood a short distance away. The white gown highlighted her slender, gentle frame, and her eyes widened slightly as if she had just noticed Wren's arrival."Why are you just getting here?" Willow hurried over, her tone laced with just the right amount of concern. "Leo was just asking about you."Wren stared at her.Willow was three years younger, the daughter of Quentin and Lydia Whitaker. When they were young, Willow was always sickly, and everyone in the family constantly told Wren to give way to her.She had given up toys, given up her bedroom, and given up her father's favoritism.Later, when Willow went abroad to study rehabilitation medicine, Wren had paid for half of her tuition and living expenses.Back then, Willow had held her hand, her eyes rimmed with red as she promised, "Wren, I'll definitely repay you one day."Now, she had certainly returned.Returned to the Langford Estate, returned to Lawrence's side, and returned to her son."Traffic was terrible," Wren replied flatly.Willow's gaze landed on the gift box in her hands, and she smiled. "You brought a gift? You really didn't need to go to the trouble. I already got something for Leo, and he absolutely loves it."Wren didn't respond.She looked past Willow toward the center of the stage.Leo was surrounded by a group of kids, wearing a birthday crown on his head and flashing a bright, toothy smile. Lawrence stood behind him, leaning down to listen to whatever he was saying. Though his expression remained predictably cool, he showed far more patience than usual.Willow glanced over her shoulder and said softly, "The schedule is a bit packed today. I was worried you'd be too busy to handle it, so I went ahead and organized everything for you. You don't blame me, do you, Wren?"Her volume was perfectly pitched—not too loud, not too soft—just enough for a few nearby Langford relatives to overhear.One of the older women chuckled, trying to smooth things over. "Wren, Willow means well. You're always so busy. It's good to have someone help out with things like the kids' birthdays."Another chimed in, "Exactly. Willow is so thoughtful. She remembers everything Leo likes."Wren stood rooted to the spot, suddenly finding the whole situation almost comical.She was always so busy?Over the past six years, for every fever Leo had, every parent-teacher conference, every drop-off for his after-school activities, she was the one who went.Lawrence was busy, the Langfords were busy, and Willow was studying abroad.Only she wasn't busy.Because in everyone's eyes, her time inherently belonged to the Langfords.But now, simply because Willow had been back for a few months, knew how to coax a child, and spoke sweetly to the elders, everyone suddenly felt it was perfectly natural for Wren to be an absent mother.Wren lowered her eyes and handed the gift box to a passing waiter."Please set this aside for me."The waiter reached out to take it, but Willow casually blocked him with her hand."Wren, the gift table is already full," she said, looking conflicted. "Why don't we just put it in the lounge for now? You can give it to Leo after the party, so we don't ruin the display."Wren stared at her, finally asking, "Why can't his birthday gift be placed at his birthday party?"Willow's complexion paled slightly."Wren, that's not what I meant...""Then what did you mean?"Wren's voice wasn't loud, but it made the immediate vicinity fall silent for a brief second.Willow bit her lip, a shimmering layer of unshed tears quickly welling up in her eyes."I was just worried that things would get chaotic when Leo goes up on stage later. There are so many guests today, Wren. I'm only thinking about the Langford family's image."The Langford family's image.Those words again.Wren had heard them far too many times.When she was struggling through a difficult pregnancy and Lawrence was away on a business trip, the Langfords told her to stop making a fuss—to maintain the family's image.When she spiked a fever postpartum and Lawrence didn't come home because of a meeting, Eleanor told her to be understanding, claiming a man's career came first and she shouldn't make a scene for outsiders to laugh at.She had swallowed her grievances time and time again, constantly telling herself that marriage required compromise.But after all that compromising, she felt like a stone whose edges had been entirely worn away, unable to even cry out in pain."Mom!"Leo had finally spotted her.He ran down from the edge of the stage, the bright smile still plastered across his face. Wren's heart softened, and she instinctively knelt, opening her arms to pull him into a hug.But when Leo reached her, he didn't throw himself into her embrace.He only glanced at the gift box she had taken back, asking curiously, "What's that?""Your birthday present," Wren said. "I made you a planet model, it has your favorite—""But Willow already gave me a rocket base," Leo interrupted, his eyes sparkling. "It even goes up and down by itself. It's way cooler than a model."The rest of Wren's words died in her throat.Leo turned around and waved at Willow. "Willow, come here!"Willow approached with a gentle smile, bending down to affectionately ruffle Leo's hair. "What is it?""Didn't you say you were going to help me cut the cake later?" Leo grabbed her hand. "Don't go too far away."Willow shot a hesitant glance at Wren. "But your mom is here now. Of course she should be the one to help you cut the cake."Leo frowned."But you planned the whole thing. Mom doesn't even know how I want to do it."Kids said whatever came to their minds.But sometimes, innocent words cut deeper than the sharpest knife.Watching her son hold Willow's hand, Wren suddenly found the lights in the banquet hall blinding.She remembered staying up until two in the morning the night before, carefully installing the final micro-LED into the planet model. Terrified he wouldn't like it, she had even engraved his name on the base.Leo.When she named him, she hoped he would have a vast, free universe all his own.But now, it seemed he no longer needed her in his universe."Leo."A deep male voice called out from ahead.Lawrence walked over.He was tall and imposing in his perfectly tailored suit, his features carrying the natural, aloof authority of a man accustomed to power. He glanced first at Leo, then shifted his gaze to Wren."Why didn't you let us know you were coming?"Wren met his eyes. "I texted you yesterday."A nearly imperceptible frown touched Lawrence's brow.Willow immediately offered a soft explanation. "Lawrence, I might have accidentally swiped it away when I was using your phone to check the schedule yesterday. I'm so sorry, Wren. I really didn't mean to."It was always like this.She never meant to.Always a breezy apology, and everything was supposed to just be brushed under the rug.Wren looked at Lawrence.She was waiting for him to say just one thing.Even if he only asked: Have you been waiting long?But Lawrence simply said in an indifferent tone, "It's Leo's birthday. Let's not ruin the mood over something trivial."Something trivial.She had rushed all the way here, only to be iced out of her own son's birthday party—that was trivial.The message she sent her husband, deleted by another woman holding his phone—that was trivial.Her own child choosing someone else over her in front of a crowd—also trivial.Wren felt a sudden, suffocating wave of exhaustion.So exhausting that she didn't even have the energy to argue.On stage, the emcee cheerfully announced, "Birthday boy, it's time to cut the cake!"Leo instantly perked up, dragging Willow toward the stage.After two steps, he paused as if remembering something, and looked back at Wren.Wren thought he was going to call for her.She had even stepped half a pace forward.But Leo just said earnestly, "Mom, you can just watch from down here. Willow said you've been really tired lately, so you don't need to worry about everything."With that, he pulled Willow up onto the stage.The venue's spotlights converged on them.Willow stood beside Leo, and the emcee invited Lawrence to join them.The three of them gripped the cake knife together.The audience erupted into applause.Someone laughed and said, "What a gorgeous family of three."Wren stood at the very back of the crowd, watching in silence.She offered no explanation, nor did she step forward.She just looked down, unlocked her phone, pulled up her contacts, and found the lawyer's number.She stared at the name for a long time.Then, she hit dial.The moment the call connected, Leo was on stage, smiling brightly as he made a wish.Wren heard herself speaking in a chillingly calm voice:"Mr. Clarke, I'd like to consult with you about a divorce agreement."As the call connected, the strains of the 'Happy Birthday' song swelled inside the banquet hall.Muffled by the heavy double doors, the children's laughter, the guests' applause, and the emcee's exaggerated enthusiasm spilled out in layers.Wren stood at the end of the corridor.Her back was turned to the festivities, her arms still cradling the gift box she had prepared for Leo.On the other end of the line, Mr. Clarke sounded hesitant."Mrs. Langford, did you just say you wanted to consult about a divorce agreement?"Wren lowered her eyes.The corridor lights were glaring, casting stark relief on the prominent veins on the back of her hand. Her fingertips gripped the edge of the box, turning white from the force.She heard herself say, "Yes."Silence hung on the line for several seconds.Mr. Clarke had dealt with her a few times. He knew she was Lawrence's wife, and he knew just how flawless this marriage appeared to outsiders.The CEO of Langford Medical Group, and the eldest daughter of the Whitaker family.A perfect match in status, a stunning couple in looks.Whenever people brought them up, they always mentioned how lucky Wren was to land a man like Lawrence.But only she knew the truth about her so-called luck.Mr. Clarke lowered his voice. "Are you absolutely sure? A divorce agreement involves shared assets, child custody, visitation rights, as well as equity in Langford Medical and marital property. If this is just a momentary emotional reaction...""It's not."Wren cut him off.Even she was slightly startled by how easily the words slipped out.She hadn't realized she was capable of admitting it so calmly.It wasn't a momentary reaction.It wasn't a rash impulse born from tonight's cold shoulder.Nor was it simply because Willow stood beside Lawrence and Leo, looking like the true matriarch of the household.It was the culmination of countless agonizing moments piled up over six years.It was the time she was eight months pregnant with Leo, writhing in agonizing abdominal pain in the middle of the night. She called Lawrence three times, but no one answered. Later, his assistant called back, explaining that Mr. Langford was in a transatlantic conference and couldn't be disturbed.It was when she suffered a postpartum fever, holding her premature baby as she sat in a hospital corridor until dawn, while Eleanor simply told her over the phone, "Lawrence is busy. You're the mother. It's only right that you bear a little hardship."It was when two-year-old Leo caught severe pneumonia, and she stood vigil alone for three days and nights. When Lawrence finally arrived at the hospital, his first question wasn't if she had slept, but rather, "Why didn't you let my mother know sooner?"She had tried to explain.She told him she had called, that he was out of the country, that the family chauffeur had an emergency, and that she couldn't afford to wait any longer with a sick child in her arms.But Lawrence only frowned."Wren, you always manage to make things look so pathetic."At the time, she had just returned from paying the emergency room bill. Her hair was a mess, her coat was stained with medicine the baby had thrown up, and the back of her hand was bruised from an IV drip.Standing before him, she found herself completely speechless.It turned out that in his eyes, her messy reality wasn't a result of having no one to rely on.It was a result of her not being polished enough.Over the years, she had felt wronged more times than she could count.But every time the bitterness surged, she forced it down, telling herself to just wait a little longer.Lawrence was just too busy.Leo was still small; he would eventually understand his mother.The Langford family was strict, and she just needed more time to adapt.Willow was her sister, frail from childhood, and yielding to her wasn't that big of a deal.Chapter 2Wren pushed open the doors to the banquet hall just as the massive screen on the stage lit up.In the photo, Lawrence wore a sharp black suit, standing in the center of the spotlight with a cold, aristocratic elegance. Beside him stood a woman in a white evening gown, bending slightly to adjust a little boy's bowtie.The boy was smiling brightly.That was her husband, Lawrence.Her son, Leo.And her half-sister, Willow.The three of them stood together, looking exactly like a picture-perfect family.Wren's fingers tightened around the gift box, the sharp edges pressing uncomfortably into her palm.She had purposefully ended her meeting early today, rushing here from the north side of the city and sitting in traffic for nearly an hour. Terrified of missing Leo's sixth birthday party, she hadn't even stopped to grab dinner.But she never expected that this would be the first scene to greet her upon arrival.The banquet hall was bustling.Deep blue starry sky decorations covered the room, with overhead lights adjusted to a soft galactic glow. The walls were adorned with Leo's favorite aerospace models, and even the cake was shaped like a rocket.Wren was intimately familiar with these details.Because half a month ago, she had asked Leo what theme he wanted for his birthday this year.At the time, Leo had been building blocks. Without even looking up, he mumbled, "Whatever."She assumed he was just burnt out from homework and extracurriculars. She had spent hours researching, planning to handcraft a glowing planet model for him.Looking at it now, it wasn't that Leo lacked interest.It was that he had already given his expectations to someone else."Wren?"A soft voice suddenly called out from behind her.Wren turned around.Willow stood a short distance away. The white gown highlighted her slender, gentle frame, and her eyes widened slightly as if she had just noticed Wren's arrival."Why are you just getting here?" Willow hurried over, her tone laced with just the right amount of concern. "Leo was just asking about you."Wren stared at her.Willow was three years younger, the daughter of Quentin and Lydia Whitaker. When they were young, Willow was always sickly, and everyone in the family constantly told Wren to give way to her.She had given up toys, given up her bedroom, and given up her father's favoritism.Later, when Willow went abroad to study rehabilitation medicine, Wren had paid for half of her tuition and living expenses.Back then, Willow had held her hand, her eyes rimmed with red as she promised, "Wren, I'll definitely repay you one day."Now, she had certainly returned.Returned to the Langford Estate, returned to Lawrence's side, and returned to her son."Traffic was terrible," Wren replied flatly.Willow's gaze landed on the gift box in her hands, and she smiled. "You brought a gift? You really didn't need to go to the trouble. I already got something for Leo, and he absolutely loves it."Wren didn't respond.She looked past Willow toward the center of the stage.Leo was surrounded by a group of kids, wearing a birthday crown on his head and flashing a bright, toothy smile. Lawrence stood behind him, leaning down to listen to whatever he was saying. Though his expression remained predictably cool, he showed far more patience than usual.Willow glanced over her shoulder and said softly, "The schedule is a bit packed today. I was worried you'd be too busy to handle it, so I went ahead and organized everything for you. You don't blame me, do you, Wren?"Her volume was perfectly pitched—not too loud, not too soft—just enough for a few nearby Langford relatives to overhear.One of the older women chuckled, trying to smooth things over. "Wren, Willow means well. You're always so busy. It's good to have someone help out with things like the kids' birthdays."Another chimed in, "Exactly. Willow is so thoughtful. She remembers everything Leo likes."Wren stood rooted to the spot, suddenly finding the whole situation almost comical.She was always so busy?Over the past six years, for every fever Leo had, every parent-teacher conference, every drop-off for his after-school activities, she was the one who went.Lawrence was busy, the Langfords were busy, and Willow was studying abroad.Only she wasn't busy.Because in everyone's eyes, her time inherently belonged to the Langfords.But now, simply because Willow had been back for a few months, knew how to coax a child, and spoke sweetly to the elders, everyone suddenly felt it was perfectly natural for Wren to be an absent mother.Wren lowered her eyes and handed the gift box to a passing waiter."Please set this aside for me."The waiter reached out to take it, but Willow casually blocked him with her hand."Wren, the gift table is already full," she said, looking conflicted. "Why don't we just put it in the lounge for now? You can give it to Leo after the party, so we don't ruin the display."Wren stared at her, finally asking, "Why can't his birthday gift be placed at his birthday party?"Willow's complexion paled slightly."Wren, that's not what I meant...""Then what did you mean?"Wren's voice wasn't loud, but it made the immediate vicinity fall silent for a brief second.Willow bit her lip, a shimmering layer of unshed tears quickly welling up in her eyes."I was just worried that things would get chaotic when Leo goes up on stage later. There are so many guests today, Wren. I'm only thinking about the Langford family's image."The Langford family's image.Those words again.Wren had heard them far too many times.When she was struggling through a difficult pregnancy and Lawrence was away on a business trip, the Langfords told her to stop making a fuss—to maintain the family's image.When she spiked a fever postpartum and Lawrence didn't come home because of a meeting, Eleanor told her to be understanding, claiming a man's career came first and she shouldn't make a scene for outsiders to laugh at.She had swallowed her grievances time and time again, constantly telling herself that marriage required compromise.But after all that compromising, she felt like a stone whose edges had been entirely worn away, unable to even cry out in pain."Mom!"Leo had finally spotted her.He ran down from the edge of the stage, the bright smile still plastered across his face. Wren's heart softened, and she instinctively knelt, opening her arms to pull him into a hug.But when Leo reached her, he didn't throw himself into her embrace.He only glanced at the gift box she had taken back, asking curiously, "What's that?""Your birthday present," Wren said. "I made you a planet model, it has your favorite—""But Willow already gave me a rocket base," Leo interrupted, his eyes sparkling. "It even goes up and down by itself. It's way cooler than a model."The rest of Wren's words died in her throat.Leo turned around and waved at Willow. "Willow, come here!"Willow approached with a gentle smile, bending down to affectionately ruffle Leo's hair. "What is it?""Didn't you say you were going to help me cut the cake later?" Leo grabbed her hand. "Don't go too far away."Willow shot a hesitant glance at Wren. "But your mom is here now. Of course she should be the one to help you cut the cake."Leo frowned."But you planned the whole thing. Mom doesn't even know how I want to do it."Kids said whatever came to their minds.But sometimes, innocent words cut deeper than the sharpest knife.Watching her son hold Willow's hand, Wren suddenly found the lights in the banquet hall blinding.She remembered staying up until two in the morning the night before, carefully installing the final micro-LED into the planet model. Terrified he wouldn't like it, she had even engraved his name on the base.Leo.When she named him, she hoped he would have a vast, free universe all his own.But now, it seemed he no longer needed her in his universe."Leo."A deep male voice called out from ahead.Lawrence walked over.He was tall and imposing in his perfectly tailored suit, his features carrying the natural, aloof authority of a man accustomed to power. He glanced first at Leo, then shifted his gaze to Wren."Why didn't you let us know you were coming?"Wren met his eyes. "I texted you yesterday."A nearly imperceptible frown touched Lawrence's brow.Willow immediately offered a soft explanation. "Lawrence, I might have accidentally swiped it away when I was using your phone to check the schedule yesterday. I'm so sorry, Wren. I really didn't mean to."It was always like this.She never meant to.Always a breezy apology, and everything was supposed to just be brushed under the rug.Wren looked at Lawrence.She was waiting for him to say just one thing.Even if he only asked: Have you been waiting long?But Lawrence simply said in an indifferent tone, "It's Leo's birthday. Let's not ruin the mood over something trivial."Something trivial.She had rushed all the way here, only to be iced out of her own son's birthday party—that was trivial.The message she sent her husband, deleted by another woman holding his phone—that was trivial.Her own child choosing someone else over her in front of a crowd—also trivial.Wren felt a sudden, suffocating wave of exhaustion.So exhausting that she didn't even have the energy to argue.On stage, the emcee cheerfully announced, "Birthday boy, it's time to cut the cake!"Leo instantly perked up, dragging Willow toward the stage.After two steps, he paused as if remembering something, and looked back at Wren.Wren thought he was going to call for her.She had even stepped half a pace forward.But Leo just said earnestly, "Mom, you can just watch from down here. Willow said you've been really tired lately, so you don't need to worry about everything."With that, he pulled Willow up onto the stage.The venue's spotlights converged on them.Willow stood beside Leo, and the emcee invited Lawrence to join them.The three of them gripped the cake knife together.The audience erupted into applause.Someone laughed and said, "What a gorgeous family of three."Wren stood at the very back of the crowd, watching in silence.She offered no explanation, nor did she step forward.She just looked down, unlocked her phone, pulled up her contacts, and found the lawyer's number.She stared at the name for a long time.Then, she hit dial.The moment the call connected, Leo was on stage, smiling brightly as he made a wish.Wren heard herself speaking in a chillingly calm voice:"Mr. Clarke, I'd like to consult with you about a divorce agreement."As the call connected, the strains of the 'Happy Birthday' song swelled inside the banquet hall.Muffled by the heavy double doors, the children's laughter, the guests' applause, and the emcee's exaggerated enthusiasm spilled out in layers.Wren stood at the end of the corridor.Her back was turned to the festivities, her arms still cradling the gift box she had prepared for Leo.On the other end of the line, Mr. Clarke sounded hesitant."Mrs. Langford, did you just say you wanted to consult about a divorce agreement?"Wren lowered her eyes.The corridor lights were glaring, casting stark relief on the prominent veins on the back of her hand. Her fingertips gripped the edge of the box, turning white from the force.She heard herself say, "Yes."Silence hung on the line for several seconds.Mr. Clarke had dealt with her a few times. He knew she was Lawrence's wife, and he knew just how flawless this marriage appeared to outsiders.The CEO of Langford Medical Group, and the eldest daughter of the Whitaker family.A perfect match in status, a stunning couple in looks.Whenever people brought them up, they always mentioned how lucky Wren was to land a man like Lawrence.But only she knew the truth about her so-called luck.Mr. Clarke lowered his voice. "Are you absolutely sure? A divorce agreement involves shared assets, child custody, visitation rights, as well as equity in Langford Medical and marital property. If this is just a momentary emotional reaction...""It's not."Wren cut him off.Even she was slightly startled by how easily the words slipped out.She hadn't realized she was capable of admitting it so calmly.It wasn't a momentary reaction.It wasn't a rash impulse born from tonight's cold shoulder.Nor was it simply because Willow stood beside Lawrence and Leo, looking like the true matriarch of the household.It was the culmination of countless agonizing moments piled up over six years.It was the time she was eight months pregnant with Leo, writhing in agonizing abdominal pain in the middle of the night. She called Lawrence three times, but no one answered. Later, his assistant called back, explaining that Mr. Langford was in a transatlantic conference and couldn't be disturbed.It was when she suffered a postpartum fever, holding her premature baby as she sat in a hospital corridor until dawn, while Eleanor simply told her over the phone, "Lawrence is busy. You're the mother. It's only right that you bear a little hardship."It was when two-year-old Leo caught severe pneumonia, and she stood vigil alone for three days and nights. When Lawrence finally arrived at the hospital, his first question wasn't if she had slept, but rather, "Why didn't you let my mother know sooner?"She had tried to explain.She told him she had called, that he was out of the country, that the family chauffeur had an emergency, and that she couldn't afford to wait any longer with a sick child in her arms.But Lawrence only frowned."Wren, you always manage to make things look so pathetic."At the time, she had just returned from paying the emergency room bill. Her hair was a mess, her coat was stained with medicine the baby had thrown up, and the back of her hand was bruised from an IV drip.Standing before him, she found herself completely speechless.It turned out that in his eyes, her messy reality wasn't a result of having no one to rely on.It was a result of her not being polished enough.Over the years, she had felt wronged more times than she could count.But every time the bitterness surged, she forced it down, telling herself to just wait a little longer.Lawrence was just too busy.Leo was still small; he would eventually understand his mother.The Langford family was strict, and she just needed more time to adapt.Willow was her sister, frail from childhood, and yielding to her wasn't that big of a deal.Chapter 3Wren pushed open the doors to the banquet hall just as the massive screen on the stage lit up.In the photo, Lawrence wore a sharp black suit, standing in the center of the spotlight with a cold, aristocratic elegance. Beside him stood a woman in a white evening gown, bending slightly to adjust a little boy's bowtie.The boy was smiling brightly.That was her husband, Lawrence.Her son, Leo.And her half-sister, Willow.The three of them stood together, looking exactly like a picture-perfect family.Wren's fingers tightened around the gift box, the sharp edges pressing uncomfortably into her palm.She had purposefully ended her meeting early today, rushing here from the north side of the city and sitting in traffic for nearly an hour. Terrified of missing Leo's sixth birthday party, she hadn't even stopped to grab dinner.But she never expected that this would be the first scene to greet her upon arrival.The banquet hall was bustling.Deep blue starry sky decorations covered the room, with overhead lights adjusted to a soft galactic glow. The walls were adorned with Leo's favorite aerospace models, and even the cake was shaped like a rocket.Wren was intimately familiar with these details.Because half a month ago, she had asked Leo what theme he wanted for his birthday this year.At the time, Leo had been building blocks. Without even looking up, he mumbled, "Whatever."She assumed he was just burnt out from homework and extracurriculars. She had spent hours researching, planning to handcraft a glowing planet model for him.Looking at it now, it wasn't that Leo lacked interest.It was that he had already given his expectations to someone else."Wren?"A soft voice suddenly called out from behind her.Wren turned around.Willow stood a short distance away. The white gown highlighted her slender, gentle frame, and her eyes widened slightly as if she had just noticed Wren's arrival."Why are you just getting here?" Willow hurried over, her tone laced with just the right amount of concern. "Leo was just asking about you."Wren stared at her.Willow was three years younger, the daughter of Quentin and Lydia Whitaker. When they were young, Willow was always sickly, and everyone in the family constantly told Wren to give way to her.She had given up toys, given up her bedroom, and given up her father's favoritism.Later, when Willow went abroad to study rehabilitation medicine, Wren had paid for half of her tuition and living expenses.Back then, Willow had held her hand, her eyes rimmed with red as she promised, "Wren, I'll definitely repay you one day."Now, she had certainly returned.Returned to the Langford Estate, returned to Lawrence's side, and returned to her son."Traffic was terrible," Wren replied flatly.Willow's gaze landed on the gift box in her hands, and she smiled. "You brought a gift? You really didn't need to go to the trouble. I already got something for Leo, and he absolutely loves it."Wren didn't respond.She looked past Willow toward the center of the stage.Leo was surrounded by a group of kids, wearing a birthday crown on his head and flashing a bright, toothy smile. Lawrence stood behind him, leaning down to listen to whatever he was saying. Though his expression remained predictably cool, he showed far more patience than usual.Willow glanced over her shoulder and said softly, "The schedule is a bit packed today. I was worried you'd be too busy to handle it, so I went ahead and organized everything for you. You don't blame me, do you, Wren?"Her volume was perfectly pitched—not too loud, not too soft—just enough for a few nearby Langford relatives to overhear.One of the older women chuckled, trying to smooth things over. "Wren, Willow means well. You're always so busy. It's good to have someone help out with things like the kids' birthdays."Another chimed in, "Exactly. Willow is so thoughtful. She remembers everything Leo likes."Wren stood rooted to the spot, suddenly finding the whole situation almost comical.She was always so busy?Over the past six years, for every fever Leo had, every parent-teacher conference, every drop-off for his after-school activities, she was the one who went.Lawrence was busy, the Langfords were busy, and Willow was studying abroad.Only she wasn't busy.Because in everyone's eyes, her time inherently belonged to the Langfords.But now, simply because Willow had been back for a few months, knew how to coax a child, and spoke sweetly to the elders, everyone suddenly felt it was perfectly natural for Wren to be an absent mother.Wren lowered her eyes and handed the gift box to a passing waiter."Please set this aside for me."The waiter reached out to take it, but Willow casually blocked him with her hand."Wren, the gift table is already full," she said, looking conflicted. "Why don't we just put it in the lounge for now? You can give it to Leo after the party, so we don't ruin the display."Wren stared at her, finally asking, "Why can't his birthday gift be placed at his birthday party?"Willow's complexion paled slightly."Wren, that's not what I meant...""Then what did you mean?"Wren's voice wasn't loud, but it made the immediate vicinity fall silent for a brief second.Willow bit her lip, a shimmering layer of unshed tears quickly welling up in her eyes."I was just worried that things would get chaotic when Leo goes up on stage later. There are so many guests today, Wren. I'm only thinking about the Langford family's image."The Langford family's image.Those words again.Wren had heard them far too many times.When she was struggling through a difficult pregnancy and Lawrence was away on a business trip, the Langfords told her to stop making a fuss—to maintain the family's image.When she spiked a fever postpartum and Lawrence didn't come home because of a meeting, Eleanor told her to be understanding, claiming a man's career came first and she shouldn't make a scene for outsiders to laugh at.She had swallowed her grievances time and time again, constantly telling herself that marriage required compromise.But after all that compromising, she felt like a stone whose edges had been entirely worn away, unable to even cry out in pain."Mom!"Leo had finally spotted her.He ran down from the edge of the stage, the bright smile still plastered across his face. Wren's heart softened, and she instinctively knelt, opening her arms to pull him into a hug.But when Leo reached her, he didn't throw himself into her embrace.He only glanced at the gift box she had taken back, asking curiously, "What's that?""Your birthday present," Wren said. "I made you a planet model, it has your favorite—""But Willow already gave me a rocket base," Leo interrupted, his eyes sparkling. "It even goes up and down by itself. It's way cooler than a model."The rest of Wren's words died in her throat.Leo turned around and waved at Willow. "Willow, come here!"Willow approached with a gentle smile, bending down to affectionately ruffle Leo's hair. "What is it?""Didn't you say you were going to help me cut the cake later?" Leo grabbed her hand. "Don't go too far away."Willow shot a hesitant glance at Wren. "But your mom is here now. Of course she should be the one to help you cut the cake."Leo frowned."But you planned the whole thing. Mom doesn't even know how I want to do it."Kids said whatever came to their minds.But sometimes, innocent words cut deeper than the sharpest knife.Watching her son hold Willow's hand, Wren suddenly found the lights in the banquet hall blinding.She remembered staying up until two in the morning the night before, carefully installing the final micro-LED into the planet model. Terrified he wouldn't like it, she had even engraved his name on the base.Leo.When she named him, she hoped he would have a vast, free universe all his own.But now, it seemed he no longer needed her in his universe."Leo."A deep male voice called out from ahead.Lawrence walked over.He was tall and imposing in his perfectly tailored suit, his features carrying the natural, aloof authority of a man accustomed to power. He glanced first at Leo, then shifted his gaze to Wren."Why didn't you let us know you were coming?"Wren met his eyes. "I texted you yesterday."A nearly imperceptible frown touched Lawrence's brow.Willow immediately offered a soft explanation. "Lawrence, I might have accidentally swiped it away when I was using your phone to check the schedule yesterday. I'm so sorry, Wren. I really didn't mean to."It was always like this.She never meant to.Always a breezy apology, and everything was supposed to just be brushed under the rug.Wren looked at Lawrence.She was waiting for him to say just one thing.Even if he only asked: Have you been waiting long?But Lawrence simply said in an indifferent tone, "It's Leo's birthday. Let's not ruin the mood over something trivial."Something trivial.She had rushed all the way here, only to be iced out of her own son's birthday party—that was trivial.The message she sent her husband, deleted by another woman holding his phone—that was trivial.Her own child choosing someone else over her in front of a crowd—also trivial.Wren felt a sudden, suffocating wave of exhaustion.So exhausting that she didn't even have the energy to argue.On stage, the emcee cheerfully announced, "Birthday boy, it's time to cut the cake!"Leo instantly perked up, dragging Willow toward the stage.After two steps, he paused as if remembering something, and looked back at Wren.Wren thought he was going to call for her.She had even stepped half a pace forward.But Leo just said earnestly, "Mom, you can just watch from down here. Willow said you've been really tired lately, so you don't need to worry about everything."With that, he pulled Willow up onto the stage.The venue's spotlights converged on them.Willow stood beside Leo, and the emcee invited Lawrence to join them.The three of them gripped the cake knife together.The audience erupted into applause.Someone laughed and said, "What a gorgeous family of three."Wren stood at the very back of the crowd, watching in silence.She offered no explanation, nor did she step forward.She just looked down, unlocked her phone, pulled up her contacts, and found the lawyer's number.She stared at the name for a long time.Then, she hit dial.The moment the call connected, Leo was on stage, smiling brightly as he made a wish.Wren heard herself speaking in a chillingly calm voice:"Mr. Clarke, I'd like to consult with you about a divorce agreement."As the call connected, the strains of the 'Happy Birthday' song swelled inside the banquet hall.Muffled by the heavy double doors, the children's laughter, the guests' applause, and the emcee's exaggerated enthusiasm spilled out in layers.Wren stood at the end of the corridor.Her back was turned to the festivities, her arms still cradling the gift box she had prepared for Leo.On the other end of the line, Mr. Clarke sounded hesitant."Mrs. Langford, did you just say you wanted to consult about a divorce agreement?"Wren lowered her eyes.The corridor lights were glaring, casting stark relief on the prominent veins on the back of her hand. Her fingertips gripped the edge of the box, turning white from the force.She heard herself say, "Yes."Silence hung on the line for several seconds.Mr. Clarke had dealt with her a few times. He knew she was Lawrence's wife, and he knew just how flawless this marriage appeared to outsiders.The CEO of Langford Medical Group, and the eldest daughter of the Whitaker family.A perfect match in status, a stunning couple in looks.Whenever people brought them up, they always mentioned how lucky Wren was to land a man like Lawrence.But only she knew the truth about her so-called luck.Mr. Clarke lowered his voice. "Are you absolutely sure? A divorce agreement involves shared assets, child custody, visitation rights, as well as equity in Langford Medical and marital property. If this is just a momentary emotional reaction...""It's not."Wren cut him off.Even she was slightly startled by how easily the words slipped out.She hadn't realized she was capable of admitting it so calmly.It wasn't a momentary reaction.It wasn't a rash impulse born from tonight's cold shoulder.Nor was it simply because Willow stood beside Lawrence and Leo, looking like the true matriarch of the household.It was the culmination of countless agonizing moments piled up over six years.It was the time she was eight months pregnant with Leo, writhing in agonizing abdominal pain in the middle of the night. She called Lawrence three times, but no one answered. Later, his assistant called back, explaining that Mr. Langford was in a transatlantic conference and couldn't be disturbed.It was when she suffered a postpartum fever, holding her premature baby as she sat in a hospital corridor until dawn, while Eleanor simply told her over the phone, "Lawrence is busy. You're the mother. It's only right that you bear a little hardship."It was when two-year-old Leo caught severe pneumonia, and she stood vigil alone for three days and nights. When Lawrence finally arrived at the hospital, his first question wasn't if she had slept, but rather, "Why didn't you let my mother know sooner?"She had tried to explain.She told him she had called, that he was out of the country, that the family chauffeur had an emergency, and that she couldn't afford to wait any longer with a sick child in her arms.But Lawrence only frowned."Wren, you always manage to make things look so pathetic."At the time, she had just returned from paying the emergency room bill. Her hair was a mess, her coat was stained with medicine the baby had thrown up, and the back of her hand was bruised from an IV drip.Standing before him, she found herself completely speechless.It turned out that in his eyes, her messy reality wasn't a result of having no one to rely on.It was a result of her not being polished enough.Over the years, she had felt wronged more times than she could count.But every time the bitterness surged, she forced it down, telling herself to just wait a little longer.Lawrence was just too busy.Leo was still small; he would eventually understand his mother.The Langford family was strict, and she just needed more time to adapt.Willow was her sister, frail from childhood, and yielding to her wasn't that big of a deal.