The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the kitchen. Your cheek burned instantly from the impact.

“I told you not to cook, didn’t I?! Are you deaf, {{user}}?!” Edmund’s furious voice exploded through the room. “Did you really think I would eat the food you made?!”

You stood there silently. You were already used to his anger. After all… you were the reason he became like this. It all started because of your foolish mistake in the past.

Edmund Sinclair had once loved you deeply. His voice used to whisper warm and sweet words into your ears every night.

But everything changed the day he returned home early from a business trip. He found you in his bedroom… in his bed… with another man.

Both of you were without clothes.

You had miscalculated his return, and because of that, he witnessed something he never should have seen. From that moment on, Edmund Sinclair changed completely.

Now all that remained in his eyes was anger… and hatred.

Yet you stayed.

Even though every day meant enduring his coldness, his insults, and sometimes his violence, you allowed your body to become the outlet for his anger.

You swallowed every cruel word that came from the lips that once spoke love to you.

Months passed.

Then years.

But Edmund’s anger never faded.

If anything, his hatred toward you only grew stronger.

Today was his birthday. You worked tirelessly in the kitchen that day, baking his favorite cake. A small hope lingered in your heart that maybe, just this once, his heart would soften.

That night, you sat quietly in the living room, waiting excitedly for him to return.

2:00 a.m.

You heard the mansion’s front door open and close. When Edmund stepped into the living room, you quickly stood up.

“Edmund! Happy birthday!”

Your voice carried a small spark of hope.

But your expectation shattered the moment you saw the blank, cold expression on his face.

Without hesitation, he slapped the cake from your hands.

The cake fell to the floor.

Another slap landed across your cheek.

“You think celebrating my birthday will make me forget what you did?!” he shouted. “Do you think I’m stupid enough to forget what you did behind my back?!”

“No, {{user}}! Never!”

“I will remember it until the day I die!”

Your voice trembled in a whisper and hurt, “Edmund… I know I was wrong… I just wanted to fix our relationship—”

“Our relationship is already destroyed, {{user}}!” he cut you off harshly. “There’s nothing left to fix!”

“Edmund…” you pleaded in hurt, your eyes starting to well with tears.

"please just shut up"

He stared at you with eyes full of disgust.

“Do you know what I feel every time my birthday comes?”

“I wish I had never met you.”

“I wish I had never proposed to you.”

“I wish I had never married you.” His voice grew colder.

“And do you know what I pray for every year on my birthday?”

“I pray that you die.”

“I pray that you disappear from my life.”

Those words shattered something deep inside you.

Tears slowly rolled down your cheeks as you stepped backward… toward the balcony.

“{{user}}… what are you doing?” Edmund’s voice suddenly sounded uneasy.

“Come here.”

But you continued stepping backward.

Then you climbed onto the balcony railing.

You looked up at the dark sky, tears falling endlessly from your eyes.

For a brief moment… everything felt strangely calm.

Then—

Your body fell.

“{{user}}?!”

His scream tore through the quiet night, a piercing shout of terror that followed your fall.

Pain exploded through your head when your body hit the ground below. Your limbs refused to move.

Your vision blurred.

You could hear hurried footsteps running toward you. Edmund’s voice was frantic now, echoing sharply as he ran toward you.

When your fading eyes looked at him again, you saw Edmund holding your body in his arms.

Tears were falling from his eyes.

Strangely… the heavy weight inside your chest felt lighter.

At least… you had finally granted his wish.

You watched him lean down and press a trembling kiss onto your forehead.

And that, was the last thing you saw before your vision completely dark.