Chapter 5

In the days that followed, Sabrina stayed at the hospital and recovered in peace. Nester came by a few times, bringing expensive supplements and fresh flowers. He never stayed long, and his phone was always ringing. Sabrina never complained or made a fuss. Regardless of what he said, she would answer with a soft hum, leaving him feeling strangely frustrated and powerless. On the day of her discharge, Nester brought flowers and took her to the cemetery on the outskirts of the city. As the increasingly familiar scenery outside the window flashed past, a sense of irony rose in Sabrina's chest. Despite them being married for five years, this was the first time Nester came to pay respects to Emma formally as a son-in-law. The cemetery was quiet as the wind rustled through the pines and cypresses. Standing before the gravestone, Nester stared for a long time at the woman in the photo, whose features closely resembled Sabrina's. After a long silence, he finally murmured in a dry voice, "Emma, I'm sorry it took me so many years to come see you. "I'll take good care of Sabrina from now on, so don't worry. I won't let her suffer again." Sabrina looked at Emma's gentle smile on the gravestone and wore a numb expression. "Mom, did you hear that? The man I loved for ten years says he'll take good care of me from now on, but it's too late. The words came so late that I don't need them anymore," she muttered inwardly. After paying their respects, Nester took Sabrina to a restaurant she had always wanted to visit. It was an exclusive Faehavenese restaurant notoriously hard to book. She had said countless times she wanted to try it out, but he always said he was too busy. Today, he reserved the entire restaurant and arranged a candlelit dinner. "I remember you saying you wanted to come here," he said, pulling out her chair. "See if the food suits your taste." Sabrina took her seat and looked at the beautifully plated dishes spread before her, feeling nothing at all. Halfway through dinner, Nester's phone rang again with a usual call from Della. Her angry voice was so loud that Sabrina could hear it clearly. "Nester! You spent days hosting this grand birthday party for me, so why aren't you here yourself?" Nester frowned and glanced at Sabrina, who was elegantly and calmly cutting her steak, as if she hadn't heard a thing. "I have something to deal with," he said quietly. "What could be more important than my birthday?" Della snapped. "You have to come right now, or I'm not celebrating at all!" Pestered beyond patience, Nester hung up the phone. He turned to Sabrina and was about to explain when she set down her knife and fork. "Go ahead. I'm done eating anyway," she said. "Sabrina, Della just got back from abroad. She wanted to gather all her friends, but didn't know how to plan events, so I helped her out. I didn't mean anything else by it," Nester explained. "I get it. I understand." Sabrina nodded. It was the same old phrase again. Irritation flared in Nester's chest once more before he suddenly said, "I'll take you there. The party's nearby anyway. We'll just make an appearance and leave; just think of it as a little break." Sabrina wanted to refuse, but he was already on his feet. "Let's go." Della's birthday party was hosted in the ballroom of a luxury hotel. When Nester and Sabrina arrived, it was already packed. Dressed in a red gown, Della stood like a proud peacock at the center of the crowd. When she saw Nester, her eyes lit up before she gathered her dress and ran over. "Nester! You're finally here!" Without hesitation, she hooked her arm through his and completely ignored Sabrina beside him. "Della." Nester frowned and tried to pull away, but Della wheedled. "Dance the opening dance with me, Nester. It's been a while since you've danced with me." When Nester glanced at Sabrina, she was looking elsewhere, seemingly absorbed in admiring the paintings on the wall. "Sabrina…" he began. "Go ahead," she said. "I'll grab some food over there." With that, she turned and walked toward the buffet table. Nester was utterly stunned. In the past, just talking to Della would have made Sabrina blink at him with reddened eyes. But now, she was actively pushing him toward Della.