1 a.m.

Gemma Harlow suddenly came across a post from Sophie Linton on her Moments.

"Thank you, Mr. Grayson and little Theo for the gifts. Theo even made the cup himself."

Gemma tapped the photo open.

A necklace and a handmade DIY mug filled her vision.

If she looked closely, she could still make out the words carved into the mug: "Happy Birthday, Mom."

Gemma instinctively glanced at the dining table. The food had long gone cold, and the birthday cake still sat there with its candles unlit. A faint, self-mocking smile tugged at her lips.

She remembered a breaking news alert that had popped up on her phone not long ago.

"Confirmed! Edmund Grayson, the famous aloof 'Buddha-like' heir of the capital circle, has actually been secretly married for years—and even has a five-year-old son!"

In the photo, the tall, handsome man and the slender, beautiful woman were walking through an amusement park, each holding one hand of a five-year-old boy.

Sophie Linton was smiling as she stroked Theo Grayson's head, while Edmund Grayson gazed at her quietly, his eyes softer and more focused than ever before.

A good-looking man, a beautiful woman, and a little boy who looked so much like Edmund Grayson.

Yeah. They really did look like a happy family of three.

Today was her birthday.

It was also the fifth anniversary of her marriage to Edmund Grayson.

But the one celebrating a birthday tonight didn't seem to be her.

If anything, it looked more like Sophie Linton was the birthday girl.

Her husband and her son had not only spent her birthday with Sophie, they had even given Sophie the gifts that should have belonged to her.

Gemma wasn't surprised at all.

She'd gotten used to it by now.

Sophie Linton was Edmund Grayson's first love. She had a terminal illness and only had one year left to live.

Her final wish before dying was simply to see him one more time.

Edmund had told her that he wanted to do a few things for Sophie before the end, and he hoped Gemma could understand.

Gemma didn't want to understand. Not even a little.

But she knew she couldn't stop him.

Because that was the first time Edmund had ever spoken to her with such solemn seriousness.

Her heart felt like someone had gouged a piece out of it, leaving behind a hollow ache.

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there in the dark when the sound of the front door unlocking finally broke the silence.

Edmund Grayson walked in with Theo.

The moment he saw Gemma sitting in the dining room, he clearly froze.

It was obvious he had forgotten what day it was. He looked at her in surprise.

"Why are you still awake?"

Gemma said flatly, "I need to talk to you."

Edmund frowned slightly and lowered his eyes to Theo.

"Theo, go upstairs and get some rest first."

Theo rubbed his eyes and yawned as he walked past Gemma.

Then, as if he had suddenly remembered something, he paused.

"Mom, happy birthday."

He tilted his head up. Those pretty eyes, almost identical to Edmund's, looked straight at her.

"Dad and I didn't mean to forget your birthday. It's just... the three of us still have a lot of time together, but pretty sister only has half a year left."

"Mom, you won't get mad at us over something this small, right?"

Gemma didn't know which hurt more—

being forgotten on her birthday,

or knowing they remembered, and still chose to put her last out of habit.

After Theo went upstairs, the air fell into a dead silence.

Edmund was the first to speak.

"What did you want to talk about?"

He was dressed in a white shirt and black slacks. His features were refined, his aura cold and clean, like untouched snow.

Like a distant moon hanging high in the night sky.

Untouchable. Chilly. Remote.

Gemma drew in a deep breath.

"Edmund Grayson, let's get a divorce."

Something shifted in his eyes, like wind brushing over a still lake and stirring a faint ripple.

But it vanished almost instantly.

"Gemma, I didn't forget your birthday. I already prepared your gift."

"Gift?" Gemma gave a soft laugh. "You mean the necklace my mother left me? Wasn't that given to Miss Linton?"

That necklace had been the one thing her mother left behind for Gemma before she died.

She had lost it the day she gave birth to Theo.

Edmund had promised her he would help her find it.

He had found it.

And then he gave it to Sophie Linton.

Edmund looked calm as ever, not the slightest bit embarrassed about being exposed. Only his already dark eyes seemed to sink a little deeper.

"I only lent the necklace to Sophie. She'll return it to you after a while."

"After a while?" Gemma looked at him. "How long is that? The day she dies?"

"Gemma!" His sharp voice cut her off. Anger rose in his deep-set eyes, completely at odds with his usual detached indifference.

"That's enough."

Enough.

Yeah, it really was enough.

She'd had enough of a marriage where her husband's heart belonged to someone else, enough of a son who never truly got close to her, enough of being looked down on by his family.

Edmund said, "Sophie only has half a year left. Even Theo knows how to be tolerant. Why do you have to be this petty?"

At that moment, Gemma suddenly didn't want to hold it in anymore.

She heard her own voice turn cold.

"How much time she has left has nothing to do with me. She's not my family, not my friend, not anyone to me. Why should I keep tolerating her?"

Edmund seemed genuinely caught off guard.

Gemma had always been gentle, compliant, easy to manage.

He clearly hadn't expected words this harsh to come out of her mouth.

A thin layer of frost seemed to settle in his eyes.

"Gemma, I thought we'd already reached an understanding."

Gemma let out a quiet laugh.

"She wants to relive the beauty of first love, so I have to sit there and watch you fall in love with her all over again."

"She wants to know what getting married feels like, so you handed over the wedding I spent months preparing to Sophie Linton."

"I had to watch you two hold Theo's hand and walk into a wedding hall together like some perfect little family."

"She wants to see the whole world, so you take her traveling everywhere."

"If she wanted the moon in the sky, you'd probably figure out a way to bring it down for her too, wouldn't you?"

She and Edmund had been secretly married for five years, but they had never had a wedding.

Once, Theo had suddenly asked what his mom would look like in a wedding dress. Only then had Edmund decided to make it up to her with a ceremony, even telling her she could be involved in everything and have it all done however she liked.

She had spent half a year preparing for it with all her heart.

Then one sentence from Sophie Linton stole it all away.

Edmund's gaze turned completely cold.

"Gemma, you've crossed the line."

Crossed the line...

Gemma's chest tightened. She closed her eyes in disappointment.

All these years of marriage, she had done everything she could to be a good wife and a good mother.

But no matter how hard she tried, Edmund had always treated her lightly, distantly.

She used to think that was just the kind of person he was—cold by nature, untouchable, restrained.

Only when his white moonlight returned did she realize that Edmund Grayson—the man everyone praised as ascetic and emotionless, like some living saint—could also burn this hot for someone.

She picked up the divorce agreement that had been sitting on the table, ready for a long time.

"I've already signed it. Sign it as soon as you can too. If Sophie Linton can become the real Mrs. Grayson before she dies, I think she'd be very happy."

Edmund pressed his lips into a thin line, his handsome face icing over.

This was how he looked when he was extremely displeased.

"What about Theo?"

Gemma's voice was very soft.

"He stays with the Grayson family."

He was about to say something when his phone suddenly rang.

"Edmund, this is bad! Sophie fainted out of nowhere—she's been taken into emergency care!"