The wife he never loved

Stella walked toward the villa, her heart racing with excitement. She couldn’t wait to see her nine-year-old daughter, Aurora, whom she hadn’t seen for three months. She wondered how Aurora would react when she saw her. For the past two months, the girl had been acting strangely—ignoring her calls and sounding impatient whenever she finally decided to pick up. Stella had thought about it countless times, wondering if she had done something wrong. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t think of anything. She sighed and looked around the villa. It had only been three months, yet it felt like three years. She stepped into the elevator, which took nearly ten minutes to reach the third floor. Without even dropping her luggage, Stella walked straight to Aurora’s room. Meanwhile, Freda was walking down the hallway to clean Stella’s room. Stella had texted earlier saying she was on her way home. When Freda saw Stella heading toward Aurora’s room, her face lit up with a bright smile. She quickly ran toward her and spread her arms for a warm hug. “Ma’am, you’re back!” Freda said happily. “I missed you so much.” “Aww, I missed you more,” Stella replied with a smile. “Aurora’s inside, right?” “Yes, ma’am. She’s in her room.” “Okay, I’ll see you downstairs.” Stella gently opened Aurora’s door. Aurora was sitting on her bed, knitting a small tooth bag. The sight made Stella smile. When Aurora was seven, Stella had taught her how to knit and crochet so she wouldn’t feel bored when she was alone. Since then, it had become one of her favorite hobbies. “Honey, I’m back,” Stella said warmly, spreading her arms for a hug. Aurora didn’t move. “You could’ve knocked,” she snapped coldly. “Besides, you didn’t call to say you were coming.” The words stabbed Stella’s heart. “What’s wrong?” Stella asked softly. “Are you mad? Did someone hurt you? Did someone bully you again?” Aurora rolled her eyes. “Oh, it’s almost dinner time. I have to get ready.” She jumped down from the bed and walked into her beauty room, completely ignoring her mother. Stella stood there, frozen. Something had definitely changed. Aurora had never treated her this way before. Three months ago, Stella had received a message saying she would be sent on a three-month business trip to Chicago. She had been worried about leaving Aurora behind and had planned to take her with her. But when she told Aurora about the trip, the girl surprisingly insisted on staying with Austin. Stella had felt uneasy. She knew very well how much Austin despised her, and she feared he might pass that hatred on to their daughter. But Stella couldn’t bear to see Aurora sad. She had always made it a habit to give Aurora everything she wanted. So in the end, she agreed. After all… he was still Aurora’s father. Later that night, Stella returned to her room and lay on the bed sadly. The daughter she had rushed all the way back to New York to see wasn’t even happy to see her. She picked up her phone and texted Austin. “I just got home.” She almost deleted the message. There was no point anyway. Austin wouldn’t care. But before she could erase it, she had already pressed send. Surprisingly, he read it immediately. “Okay.” That was his reply. Stella stared at the screen before typing again. “Should we take Aurora out for ice cream before she comes back to Seoul with me?” The moment she sent the message, she regretted it. She still had feelings for him. Yet Austin treated her like she was nothing. Her phone buzzed again. “I’ll go,” Austin replied. “But Aurora isn’t going back. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” Stella’s eyes widened in shock. Aurora wasn’t going back with her. Frustrated, she threw her phone onto the bed. Her mind was filled with one question. What happened to Aurora? Meanwhile, Aurora was rushing to fix her press-on nails. She didn’t want to keep Jasmine waiting. Aurora called Freda to help her. “So, how did you feel seeing your mom after three months?” Freda asked gently. Aurora scoffed. “Honestly, I don’t even know why she came back,” Aurora said coldly. “She’s never around anyway.” Freda froze. She was grateful Stella wasn’t there to hear those words. But outside the door… Stella had heard everything. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the floor. Even her own daughter was beginning to despise her. Tears streamed down her face as she ran back to her room. At that moment, Stella made a painful decision. She would move on. She would divorce Austin. Stella woke up to the bright morning light streaming through the window. For a moment, she stared blankly at the ceiling before reality came crashing back. She had cried herself to sleep. Slowly, she sat up and walked toward the mirror. The moment she saw her reflection, she froze. Her eyes were swollen and red, with dark bags forming underneath them. She covered her face with both palms. “How did things end up like this…” she whispered softly. Her daughter—the one she loved more than anything—couldn’t even stand her anymore. Stella walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The warm water ran down her body, but it couldn’t wash away the pain in her heart. Tears mixed with the water as she cried quietly. Just three months. Three months living with Austin and his lover had completely changed Aurora. When she finished bathing, Stella wiped her face and stepped out of the bathroom. Her eyes slowly swept across the room. Every corner of the villa carried memories. The couch where she used to read bedtime stories to Aurora. The window where Aurora would sit and knit while talking endlessly about school. Now everything felt cold. Empty. Without hesitation, Stella opened her suitcase and began packing her belongings. Clothes. Documents. Accessories. Everything she had in the villa. She neatly arranged them into her luggage. Once she finished, Stella called Freda into the room. Freda arrived quickly, looking worried the moment she saw Stella’s face. “Ma’am… are you okay?” Stella forced a small smile. “I’m fine.” She handed Freda a brown envelope. “Please give this to Austin.” Freda looked down at the envelope and noticed the bold letters written on it. Divorce Agreement. Her eyes widened in shock. “Ma’am… are you sure about this?” Stella nodded slowly. “There’s nothing left for me here.” Freda felt her heart ache for her employer. For seven years, she had watched Stella endure Austin’s cold treatment. And now even Aurora had begun to reject her. Stella gently placed a small box into Freda’s hands. “These are some of my things. Keep them.” Freda shook her head quickly. “I can’t accept this, ma’am.” “You’ve taken care of Aurora for years. Think of it as a thank you.” Freda’s eyes turned red, but she didn’t argue anymore. A few hours later, Stella stood outside the villa with her luggage. She turned around one last time to look at the house. The house she once believed would be her forever home. But now it felt like a place she no longer belonged. A car pulled up in front of her. Her Uber had arrived. Stella took a deep breath, lifted her luggage into the car, and got in. As the car drove away, she watched the villa grow smaller through the window. Memories of Austin flooded her mind. How she had loved him for years. How she had ignored his coldness. How she had convinced herself that one day he might love her back. But now she knew the truth. Austin had never loved her. And he probably never would. The car finally stopped in front of Mayor's Hotel. The sudden stop snapped Stella back to reality. She stepped out of the car and walked into the hotel lobby. After showing her ID at the reception desk, she checked in and received her room key. A thin, tired-looking staff member led her toward the elevator. As Stella followed behind, she quietly thought to herself. Maybe her problems weren’t the worst in the world after all. Everyone had something they were struggling with. But this time… She would finally choose herself.