A Wife's Silent Exit

"Mom, has Dad's birthday party already started?"

Light rain drizzled down as Serena Vale stood outside the ornate iron gate of the hillside villa, holding her daughter's hand. The rain had dampened her bangs, a few strands of hair sticking to her forehead.

The villa was brightly lit inside.

Serena forced a smile and ruffled her daughter's hair. "Probably. Let's go in and see."

She took her daughter's hand and was about to push open the oak door when the sound of laughter and conversation from inside clearly reached her ears.

"Silas, if you ask me, now that Luna's back, you should get back together with her. As for Serena, you should just divorce her as soon as possible."

"Exactly, a homewrecker who put Luna's sister in a coma and forced Luna to go abroad to study medicine. She only just came back. If she hadn't gotten pregnant with Silas's child, would she have what she has today?"

"I feel sick just looking at her. If it weren't for the Sterling Family stopping me, I would've had someone get rid of her to make Luna feel better."

Each word was like a poisoned needle stabbing into her heart, the pain turning her face pale.

Through the crack in the door, she saw the man in the center of the sofa wearing an expensive black suit, his collar open. His high nose bridge and brow bone gave him a striking appearance, his phoenix eyes deep and narrow, dangerous yet captivating.

His slender fingers held a cigar, pale smoke blurring the expression in his eyes.

He showed no reaction to those harsh comments, his silence seeming like tacit agreement.

Serena's heart sank bit by bit.

Seeing this, the woman inside smiled gently. "Let's not talk about what happened before."

"Besides, don't blame her. She just liked Silas too much, so her methods were a bit extreme."

"Alright, let's drop this. Luna, what gift did you give Silas today? Silas has been staring at your hands since he walked in."

Luna smiled. "Just some ordinary things, nothing special."

"You're too modest. Anything you make yourself, Silas treasures it, right, Silas?"

A cold draft swept through the hallway.

During those few seconds waiting for a response, Serena's heart went completely cold.

She looked at her reflection nearby—a palm-sized face, fair skin, wearing a light brown sweater, looking gentle and soft overall. She didn't look at all like the "evil woman" they described.

But she was.

Everything they mentioned, every single thing, was done by her. She didn't even have the standing to defend herself.

Aria's small hand trembled slightly in her palm. Serena took a deep breath, suppressing the lump in her throat, and pushed the door open.

The voices in the room stopped abruptly.

Eyes swept over, filled with undisguised contempt and surprise.

"Why did Silas invite her too?" someone muttered quietly.

Silas Sterling frowned, his thin lips pressed tightly together, looking unwelcoming.

Everyone understood—Serena had come uninvited.

Serena stood in place, her heart feeling like it was being pricked by needles, one after another, the intense pain spreading, making even her lips lose color.

"Daddy." Aria broke free from her hand and ran happily toward Silas. "Happy birthday!"

Silas leaned back, avoiding Aria's hug. "Who told you to bring her here?"

Serena smiled bitterly.

Aria was conceived that night five years ago.

Because he hated her, he didn't like Aria either.

Aria clutched a beautifully wrapped gift tightly, the light in her big eyes dimming, her little face drooping.

Seeing this, Luna sighed softly. "Silas, Aria means well."

She looked at Aria and said gently, "Come, let me see what gift you prepared for Daddy. When it comes to gifts, it's the thought that counts most."

Aria timidly held out the gift. Luna was about to take it when Serena stepped forward and took it first.

Luna's expression soured for a moment, then became calm again.

Serena crouched down and said gently to Aria, "Aria, can you unwrap it yourself and show Daddy?"

Aria nodded and carefully unwrapped the packaging, revealing a handmade photo album.

The cover was decorated with colored paper forming a pattern of "a family." Though childish, it was clearly made with great care.

"Daddy, I made this. Inside, there are pictures of Mom and me, and you..."

When Aria held up the album for Silas to see, he didn't even look at it, casually setting it aside and picking up Luna's gift instead.

It was a good belt.

Watching Aria's gift—something she'd worked on for two months—just tossed aside like that, Serena's heart felt like it was soaking in ice water, cold and painful.

Before coming, she knew no one would welcome her and Aria.

But she came anyway, because Aria wanted to give Silas the gift she'd made herself.

Yet disappointment never seemed to let her down.

Aria's eyes instantly dimmed, her little mouth pouting slightly, looking like she wanted to cry but was holding back.

Serena pulled her into her arms. "Daddy's just too busy. He'll look at it later."

Silas scoffed coldly, his icy voice like a knife stabbing into her eardrums. "Getting like this over such a small thing—Serena, is this how you raise a child? Does everyone have to pamper and coddle her?"

Luna advised from the side, "Silas, she's just a child. Just teach her properly, don't be angry."

Then she looked at Serena, explaining gently.

"Ms. Vale, don't be upset either. Silas always talks like this."

Serena almost wanted to laugh. After all these years with Silas, when did she need someone else to tell her what kind of person he was?

She ignored her, her gaze falling on Silas.

Silas's expression softened slightly because of Luna's words, but he didn't look at her or Aria again, as if they were just irrelevant strangers.

The atmosphere quickly became lively again. Everyone happily celebrated Silas's birthday, while only Serena and Aria were left aside, just like that photo album.

She watched Silas and Luna standing together, a picture of warmth, and her thoughts drifted to the past.

At eighteen, she met Silas.

Back then, he was just a poor guy, living in a damp basement, working three jobs a day.

She was the one who, despite her family's objections, resolutely stayed with him. The two of them squeezed into a rental room smaller than ten square meters, sharing a sandwich and still laughing happily.

In ten years, Silas went from having nothing to being worth hundreds of millions, from a basement to a villa.

Everyone only saw his success and glamour, but forgot that during his hardest seven years, she was the one who walked with him step by step.

He succeeded, but their relationship was gone.

He was no longer the young man who would warm her hands, and she was no longer the Serena she used to be. The days when they shared their love seemed as distant as something from long ago.

How did she and Silas end up like this...

The party ended, and guests gradually left.

Silas naturally picked up Luna's coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"I'll take you home."

Luna smiled slightly, looking at Serena. "Ms. Vale, would you like to ride with us? It's so late, it's not convenient to take a taxi with a child."

"No need."

Before Serena could speak, Silas had already refused. "They can get home on their own."

Luna shook her head disapprovingly and urged gently, "We should still give them a ride."

Silas put his arm around her shoulder, his expression softening slightly, but still insisting, "It's fine, they're used to getting home on their own."

The autumn chill seeped into her bones.

Serena walked with Aria for a long time before finally getting a taxi.

It was already late at night when they got home. After settling Aria in, she came downstairs to find Silas sitting on the living room sofa.

In ten years of marriage, he rarely came home.

She happened to have something to say to him, too.

Silas glanced at her coldly and spoke first. "About today—I don't want it to happen again. Don't keep bringing the child to those kinds of occasions."

Serena stood on the stairs, quietly looking at him, her heart still aching bitterly.

From eighteen to twenty-six, she gave him her best years.

Who would have thought that in the end, she wouldn't even have the right to stand by his side?

How ridiculous and sad.

"Silas."

She spoke softly, her voice gentle but carrying an exhausted calm.

"Let's get divorced."

A flash of surprise crossed Silas's eyes, then his gaze instantly turned cold as he mocked, "What new trick are you trying to pull? You think divorce will get my attention?"

Serena pulled at her lips. "I'm serious."

The mockery in Silas's eyes disappeared. He stepped closer, his sinister presence enveloping her. "Talking about divorce now? When you did everything you could to get pregnant with my child and force me to marry you, why didn't you think about today?"

"I was wrong. I wasted so many years of your life."

Silas suddenly flew into a rage, grabbing Serena's wrist. "You think you can just leave? Fine! You want a divorce? Then take your kid and leave with nothing. Don't expect to take a single penny."

"Mommy and Daddy, don't fight..."

Aria had somehow come out of her room, sobbing. "I'll be good. Mommy and Daddy, don't get divorced..."

Serena's heart clenched painfully. She broke free from Silas's grip and quickly went to hold Aria. "Aria, don't cry. Mommy's here."

Silas looked at the mother and daughter embracing and sneered. "Look at the child you've raised—crying at the drop of a hat, just like you, only knowing how to manipulate."

Serena's head snapped up. "You can humiliate me, but you can't talk about Aria like that!"

"Am I wrong?" Silas mocked. "If you hadn't used tricks, would she even exist?"

All the blood in Serena's body went cold.

Her throat worked hard as she said word by word, "Fine. I'll leave with nothing. We'll go handle the paperwork tomorrow."