Back in her suite, she stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, taking a slow sip of the rich wine as she looked down at the endless, bustling surge of city traffic.

Her mind automatically drifted back to the past.

Before the fake cancer scare, she had spent her entire life compromising and suppressing her own feelings.

Faced with her supervisor's relentless corporate manipulation, she had stayed silent, paralyzed by a misplaced sense of loyalty and career anxieties.

Enduring her in-laws' passive-aggressive barbs and mocking insults, she had swallowed her pride, constantly sacrificing her own sanity just to preserve a fragile domestic harmony.

Subjected to Charles's freezing, emotional distance over the years, she had continuously brainwashed herself into staying.

She had spent her entire existence running on the rigid tracks laid down by her late parents, never possessing the courage to utter a single word of refusal.

But the moment she believed death was imminent, those heavy shackles had vanished into thin air.

In the face of mortality, every ordinary anxiety became entirely trivial.

Back then, a single profound realization had taken root in her mind.

The second life begins the exact moment you realize you only get one.

Fortunately, her second life was turning out to be incredibly vibrant and beautiful.

Sera let out a soft, genuine laugh at the thought, draining her glass as a wave of unshakeable peace washed over her.

Gazing up at the brilliant moon suspended in the night sky, she murmured to herself.

"Thank you, universe, for playing such a massive trick on me. It finally forced me to open my eyes."

"Since I'm going to live, then from this day forward, Sera Moss is officially stepping into a brand-new future."

Setting her empty wine glass down, she picked up her phone.

She logged into the municipal portal and officially scheduled a divorce consultation for herself and Charles.

She hadn't pushed for a divorce sooner solely because she refused to squander her precious remaining days on legal proceedings.

But now that she had a long, beautiful life ahead of her, she had no intention of letting a toxic, broken marriage drag her down.

Before returning to Seattle, Sera traveled out to a coastal city, booking a luxury five-day ocean cruise.

The cool, crisp sea breeze washed over her, allowing her mind and body to relax completely.

While out on the open water, she turned off her phone entirely, immersing herself in the peaceful rhythm of the voyage.

No internet access, no incoming notifications.

She relied solely on her eyes and her camera lens to document the breathtaking oceanic vistas.

The moment she disembarked and powered her phone back on, the very first notification that flashed across her screen was a message from Charles.

"How has your body been feeling? Did you go in for your follow-up evaluation?"

Sera chose not to ignore him this time. Instead, she dialed his number directly.

The call was answered almost instantly, Charles's crisp, detached voice cutting through the line.

"Where are you right now? How are your test results?"

Sera scrolled through her airline app to secure a flight as she replied, "I'm landing in Seattle tomorrow. Wait for me at the apartment, we have matters to settle."

On the other end of the line, Charles's throat tightened slightly, though his tone remained perfectly measured.

"Understood. I'll be waiting at the arrivals terminal to pick you up tomorrow."

Before Sera could offer a response, he promptly ended the call.

The following day.

Sera touched down in Seattle.

As she pulled her suitcases out of the bustling arrivals terminal, her eyes locked onto Charles almost immediately within the crowd.

Though three months had passed since their last encounter, looking at him now stirred absolutely no emotion in her heart.

Charles closed the distance between them, automatically reaching out to take the handles of her luggage.

"Welcome back."

As he spoke, he presented her with a vibrant, fresh bouquet of lilies.

Sera stared at the delicate blooms cradled in her arms, a flash of genuine confusion crossing her features.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Charles's voice was entirely flat, betraying no emotion whatsoever. "I stumbled upon your travel gallery online and noticed you photographed these flowers quite frequently. I wanted to welcome you home properly."

Sera offered a terse nod, choosing not to press the matter, and followed him out to his car.

The moment the passenger door of his luxury sedan swung open, Sera raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.

The vehicle's interior maintained his usual sterile, minimalist preference, except the front passenger seat was now outfitted with a plush ergonomic cushion and a soft wool blanket.

Noticing her gaze, Charles offered a quiet explanation.

"I picked them up on my way to the terminal. I was worried the long flight might have left your body feeling sore and fatigued."

With that, he handed her a chilled bottle of spring water and a container of freshly sliced fruit.

"If you experience any dizziness or discomfort during the drive, let me know immediately. You don't have to push through it."

Sera looked down at the soft blanket draped over her lap and the container of fruit in her hands.

A moment later, she cast a brief glance at the man focused on the road beside her, her heart entirely empty of warmth or gratitude.

If she hadn't faced a terminal diagnosis, she likely would have gone her entire life without ever discovering that Charles was actually capable of showing consideration for another human being.

The affection and care she had spent five agonizing years begging for now struck her as deeply pathetic and almost comical.

Sera accepted his sudden attentiveness with absolute tranquility.

After all, she had poured five years of silent sacrifice into this man; she was well within her rights to enjoy the luxury now.

An hour later, they arrived at the apartment.

The moment the front door swung open, Sera's brows knit together instinctively.

The interior was somewhat untidy; it was obvious someone had made an effort to clean, but it lacked the pristine, meticulous order she used to maintain when she lived here.

Charles set her luggage aside, slid his tailored trench coat off, and walked straight into the kitchen.

He began pulling premium ingredients from the refrigerator as he called out, "What would you like for lunch? I can whip up something quick."

Sera remained standing in the center of the living room, watching his busy movements in a state of mild disbelief.

In the old days, the moment he crossed the threshold, he wouldn't utter a single syllable to her.

Much less step into the kitchen to prepare a meal.

Charles's domestic devotion and culinary talents had only ever belonged to Chloe.

The sudden shift was purely because he believed she was drawing her final breaths.

Suddenly, Charles materialized right in front of her, offering her a glass of warm water.

"What's caught your attention? I called your name twice but you didn't seem to hear. Why don't you take a hot shower to wash off the travel fatigue? Lunch will be ready in a few minutes."

Sera didn't reach for the glass, her gaze perfectly level and icy cold.

"Charles, we need to talk."

Meeting her detached stare, Charles felt an automatic knot of anxiety tighten in his chest.

"Whatever it is, let's sit down and enjoy lunch first."

"I want a divorce."

Both statements echoed through the quiet living room at the exact same moment.

Charles's grip on the glass tightened to the point of turning his knuckles white, his throat bobbing.

After a long, heavy pause, he finally spoke. "You are dealing with a severe medical condition, Sera. There is absolutely no way I am going to divorce you right now."

"It's precisely because I am sick and running out of time that we need to finalize this divorce immediately."

Sera's expression remained entirely flat, her delivery carrying an unshakeable finality.

"A clean divorce sounds far more dignified than leaving you a widower. We both know you never truly got over Chloe. Marrying me was nothing more than a convenient compromise to satisfy your family's expectations."

"We've spent five miserable years draining the life out of each other. Your parents have never hidden their disdain for me, and your heart has always been entirely empty of my presence. There is absolutely no logical reason to keep dragging out this dead marriage."

"I refuse to let my resting place bear a monument identifying me as the wife of Charles Vance."

"So, let's end this cleanly."

Charles's brows snapped together, his gaze locked onto her distant expression as he spoke heavily.

"Your parents passed away years ago, meaning you have no immediate family left to look after you through this battle. I am your legal husband, and I refuse to abandon you in your hour of need. I intend to fulfill my responsibilities to you."

"Your responsibilities?"

Sera couldn't contain a sharp, mocking chuckle. "Fulfilling your duty is entirely unnecessary, Charles. You don't need to stress over public backlash or a ruined reputation; I will issue a public statement clarifying that the divorce was entirely my decision and has nothing to do with you."