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00:03my husband and i both double income no kids retired together we were planning to travel
00:07the world together when he suddenly came clean i've publicly claimed we were child free for 30
00:13years now it's time to bring my children back home where they belong but i had seen this coming long
00:18ago and smiled meaningfully he thought i had lost my mind and continued a man passing on his line
00:24is only natural you couldn't have kids so i played along but now i owe my children an explanation
00:32he proposed a divorce wanting to take his pair of children and their mother on a family trip
00:37together i agreed immediately gracefully stepping aside and leaving when news of the divorce spread
00:42everyone sympathized with me
00:47an elderly neighbor felt my pain at her age abandoned by her husband what a miserable old age
00:53so tragic a college girl from the same apartment complex fumed on my behalf
00:59that old bastard charles is such a scumbag back then he said they'd never have kids
01:04just enjoy their twin stem now look his own son and daughter are old enough to make him a grandfather
01:10chatting with old friends they couldn't help but so glamorous in your youth successful career living
01:15freely but you insisted on being child free and now you're old and all alone even my parents advised
01:21as long as you don't divorce his children become yours they'll care for you in old age when we pass
01:28on we'll have peace mind
01:32they all thought i was forced into divorce that i was devastated that i had no one to rely on
01:37in old age
01:38that my whole life had become a joke i didn't explain nor could i be bothered to refute them one
01:43by one how things would turn out for the two of us when the time came they would know charles
01:48on the
01:48other hand was writing hi he posted a family photo on social media with the caption starting today i
01:54finally have a real family in the photo he stood in the center a young man and woman on either
01:58side
01:59their faces radiating youthful pride and the woman who could carry on his bloodline had her arm linked
02:03through his smiling warmly and gracefully someone commented look at that now that's a winner in life
02:10indeed charles had one big in his youth he enjoyed the twosome life with me living freely his whole
02:17life never suffering through midnight feedings and diaper changes yet in his old age he had both a son
02:22and a daughter to bring him joy how could that not count as winning at life now that he was
02:27retired
02:27his career and reputation would no longer be affected and me at my age abandoned by my husband
02:33and left with nothing naturally invited people's size but little did they know i had been prepared
02:38all along in this marriage he wasn't the only one acting the divorce proceedings went quickly so quickly
02:50i felt somewhat dazed charles personally drove me to the courthouse when signing his hand didn't
02:55tremble at all instead it was as if he had finally shed some burden swift and decisive he smiled at
03:01the clerk what can you do we're both old and the love is gone but at least i still have
03:07my son and
03:08daughter with me i can enjoy family happiness too the clerk looked at me apologetically eyes full of
03:13sympathy and comfort i smiled too but said nothing after the divorce with a grand gesture he hired people
03:19to clear out the bedroom i had lived in for over 30 years eagerly bringing vivian and the children home
03:23i didn't fight or argue i didn't even bother hiring a lawyer i just took my half of the savings
03:29and a few
03:29important items and moved out cleanly and efficiently the day vivian moved in i came back to pack up my
03:34last belongings as soon as i opened the door i saw brand new photos displayed in the living room
03:40our wedding photos had been replaced by their family portrait the four of them
03:46charles sat in the center vivian holding his arm with two similar looking young adults in their
03:5120s standing on either side full of vigor when i walked in the lively atmosphere instantly turned
03:56cold as if announcing my unwelcome presence vivian greeted me with a smile
04:03oh stella did you leave something behind let me help you look for it playing the hostess like she
04:10owned the place just a few last things i'll take them all today i said indifferently charles sat on the
04:16sofa without looking up as if waiting for me to get the hint and leave
04:24charles sat on the sofa not even lifting his head casually flipping through the newspaper as if waiting
04:29for me to get the hint and leave on my phone chloe and connor stood to the side their eyes
04:33filled with
04:33undisguised distance and wariness treating me like a stranger who had barged in mom this place looks a
04:38bit dated and the living room is kind of dark how about a renovation with a new style chloe said
04:43casually
04:43yeah the sofa needs replacing too so old-fashioned how did dad live in a place like this connor chimed
04:49in i listened to the nitpick and watched charles remain silent i felt like laughing this was the
04:53home charles and i had shared for 30 years every piece of furniture carefully chosen now i was being
04:57dismissed as worthless vivian affectionately held charles's arm see how opinionated the children
05:01are this house needs a complete makeover we can't short charge ourselves charles finally looked
05:06up slowly and glanced at me stella are you done packing take everything at once so you
05:11won't have to keep coming back it's awkward for everyone he meant for me to leave and never come
05:14back so i wouldn't be an eyesore to their family of four i looked away picked up my bag stood
05:19at the
05:19doorway and glanced back one last time at what had once been my home vivian leaned weakly against charles
05:24peeling an orange while the two children sat side by side on the sofa watching tv the three of them
05:28chatting and laughing as if this home had always been like this composed of their family of four with no
05:33place for me the way charles looked at vivian was with respect for the mother of his children
05:37and guilt for having kept her as a secret lover all these years as for me i was just an
05:41old woman
05:42he had grown tired of with no children by my side deserving to fend for myself a cold laugh echoed
05:47in
05:47my heart fine since you want me gone i'll leave cleanly so you can enjoy this brief pretense of
05:52affection after all in a few days it will be turning on each other after the divorce i moved into
05:58an
05:58apartment it wasn't far from my former home but it felt like a different world i didn't feel any
06:03particular discomfort without charles in the house i actually enjoyed the peace and quiet
06:08but outsiders didn't see it that way no matter how capable and free-spirited you are in your youth
06:13you still lost in the end this was the shared opinion of relatives and friends my mother couldn't
06:18hold back tears when she saw me you're living alone now with no one to take care of you what
06:23if you get
06:23sick someday you insisted on being child free before look at you now wouldn't it be nice to have a
06:29child at least you wouldn't end up like this my father sighed his face full of regret we shouldn't
06:33have let you have your way back then if we had persuaded you more you wouldn't be in this situation
06:38now their words implicitly blamed me for insisting on being child free saying that's why i lost my
06:42husband's heart the most ridiculous thing was that my friends also thought charles hadn't done
06:45anything terribly wrong a man needs to have children charles was willing to play along with you for so many
06:51years that's already going above and beyond you were too stubborn back then all these years i've never
06:57understood what were you thinking honestly you're both old now vivian would still have to call you
07:02big sister why not just make do and live together i thought at most they'd advise me to accept charles
07:07as children i never imagined they'd suggest vivian and i share one husband but they never considered
07:12that neither child shared a single drop of blood with me even if i stayed how many good days could
07:16i
07:16possibly have what they didn't know was that the infertile one had never been me
07:23when i first insisted on being child free bearing the pressure from everyone my declaration that i
07:28would never have children was denounced as selfish and unfilial charles's parents pressured him to
07:32divorce me but he said he didn't mind as long as we could live happily together moved by his words
07:38i became even more resolute in my decision for decades i bore all the blame myself protecting his
07:44reputation even his confidence and dignity as a man only to discover he had given me nothing but a
07:48complete and utter deception he never pressured me to have children because i wasn't his only woman
07:53if i didn't give birth he could have other women bear his children and he could maintain his
07:58reputation as a loving husband while gaining my parents trust and support why wouldn't he play along
08:02when i discovered the truth i never imagined that my seemingly gentle husband was so deeply calculating
08:07i was wrong but my mistake was not having children my mistake was taking it upon myself to protect
08:13his dignity as a man for that i was even willing to give up my right to be a mother
08:17so i planned for
08:18years waiting for the moment when his act fell apart to deliver him a devastating blow
08:25soon i received the wedding invitation for charles and vivian's wedding the invitation was in
08:29vivian's handwriting saying that as charles's ex-wife i must want to see him happy too and my
08:34presence would mean the world to them i let out a derisive laugh what beautiful words so high-sounding
08:39they made me sick mean the world to them vivian had been charles's secret lover for 30 years having
08:43finally made it to the altar she naturally couldn't wait to gloat in front of me i took
08:47the invitation and casually glanced at it the ceremony was at the city's most luxurious five-star
08:51hotel quite an upscale venue charles must have wanted to compensate vivian for 30 years of hidden
08:56suffering with the grand wedding when my friends heard that vivian had invited me to her wedding
09:00with charles they were all furious what does he mean by this he's obviously trying to humiliate you
09:08exactly you just moved out and he's already marrying his mistress in style he's clearly
09:13trying to embarrass you you absolutely shouldn't go going would just be asking for humiliation
09:18i listened to their angry voices without feeling a single ripple in my heart in fact a smile crept
09:22to my lips of course i'm going don't worry i'm not going to make myself miserable my friend looked
09:28at me in confusion i'm just going to watch a comedy show stella
09:34the show is about to begin
09:40on the wedding day the ballroom was decorated magnificently charles stood in the center of
09:45the crowd receiving blessings from relatives and friends while vivian held his arm smiling
09:50warmly and elegantly the picture of a dignified hostess and i walked in with a confident expression
09:55completely unabashed when the guests saw me the smiles on their faces instantly became knowing
10:00and significant why is she here someone whispered she's not here to cause trouble is it well who can
10:06blame her being abandoned by charles anyone would feel upset they all thought i had come to cry to
10:14argue to seek sympathy but they were wrong if only one person could have the last laugh at this wedding
10:19that person would definitely be me i picked up a glass of champagne walked slowly to charles and
10:23vivian and smiled congratulations you finally got what you wanted a flicker of triumph flashed in
10:30vivian's eyes she leaned against charles lightly her tone gentle yet provocative thank you for coming
10:35after all back then you pretended to be child free because you couldn't conceive
10:41charles didn't want to hurt you so he came up with this solution the best of both worlds charles walked
10:47over with a drink and raised his glass it's all in the past i believe i stayed by your side
10:53and did my
10:53duty now i'm old and want to enjoy my later years surrounded by children i hope you can understand i
11:02i lowered my head and chuckled softly my gaze sweeping over chloe and connor behind them
11:06let them enjoy their moment of triumph for now because the storm is about to descend
11:16the wedding proceeded as planned on stage charles and vivian were exchanging bows holding hands and
11:21gazing at each other with tears in their eyes chloe and connor went up to give them flowers charles
11:26looked at the two young adults in their prime as of seeing his own youth reflected in them
11:29he thought perhaps this was the price of continuing one's bloodline stella would never understand this
11:34feeling which is why he had resolutely abandoned her halfway through the wedding charles suddenly produced a
11:39property deed i once thought i would die childless and alone in my old age but heaven has been kind
11:46to me my beloved vivian has given me a son and a daughter allowing me to live a complete life
11:53vivian looked at charles tears already glistening in her eyes i have little to give them so i've
11:58decided to transfer the property under my name to the two children to help them thrive cheers erupted from
12:05the audience chloe and connor covered their mouths excitedly and looked at vivian the three of them
12:11were expressions of assured victory but i stood up and shouted i object vivian hadn't received the
12:17property deed yet interrupted by me she was furious stella today is a wonderful day for our family of four
12:24what kind of trouble are you trying to cause charles looked at me with disgust his eyes contemptuous
12:29yet resigned stella i know you're upset about not being able to have children and jealous seeing my
12:35family but you have to accept reality we're divorced the house may have both our names on it but we're
12:43old
12:43now what use is it to us chloe and connor nodded continuously even encouraging the guests to boo me
12:49the mc also tried to persuade me mrs stella as mr charles's ex-wife you must want him to have
12:55a harmonious family and someone to care for him in old age right i put down my glass and said
13:00indifferently
13:02of course but i need to correct one thing the one who can't have children isn't me the hall fell
13:11into
13:11dead silence vivian was taken aback and charles frowned too what do you mean by that it means nothing
13:18special i shook my head gently a touch of pity in my eyes my eggs are still frozen at the
13:22egg bank
13:22perfectly healthy the doctor said they can be retrieved for embryo cultivation anytime charles
13:29understood i had frozen my eggs for ivf and he was completely enraged didn't you say you didn't want
13:34children with me now we're divorced and you want ivf are you out of your mind you really don't want
13:41to bear my child that badly i slapped him hard across the face rob the mc's microphone and spoke
13:47loudly enough for everyone present to hear because the one who can't have children has never been me
13:51it's you charles you have severe olive spermia you have no fertility whatsoever the hall fell
13:58into dead silence in an instant then came an uproar charles is infertile is that true but vivian
14:05already gave him two children didn't she stella must have gone crazy she couldn't have children
14:10herself and now she's slandering charles the guests whispered among themselves and then he had already
14:15pulled out their phones to record charles's face turned dark with fury vivian stood frozen her face
14:20pale her lips trembling slightly what nonsense are you spouting charles stepped forward aggressively
14:24his gaze so dark it seemed he wanted to tear me apart i let out a derisive laugh reached into
14:29my
14:29bag pulled out my phone and played a recording the clear voice instantly filled the entire wedding hall
14:34through the microphone to stella after examination your fertility is completely normal and your ovarian
14:39function is excellent but mr charles's situation is not very optimistic what does that mean his sperm
14:43motility is extremely low basically there is virtually no chance of conception his condition is quite
14:48severe also most no possibility even with ivf the success rate would be extremely low i understand
14:53dr lewis please don't tell him about this yet don't tell anyone else either let this be between you me
14:59and god miss stella this kind of thing can't be hidden forever when you can't conceive after marriage
15:03it will naturally come to light it's fine i'll tell him and our parents that i don't want children
15:09that i insist on being child free that way no one will know the problem lies with charles the recording
15:16finished playing a deathly silence fell all eyes turned to vivian and her two children
15:23suddenly everyone's eyes turned simultaneously toward vivian and the two children behind her
15:27her face had turned completely white and her fingertips were trembling chloe and connor fidgeted
15:32restlessly trying to flee the hall oh my god so all these years stella insisted on being child free to
15:39protect
15:39charles's dignity because he's the one who's infertile then vivian's children vivian's lips moved
15:44slightly her voice trembling you must have had someone forge it i gave a cool laugh opened a second
15:49file and a video immediately began playing on the projection screen the footage showed a dimly lit
15:54hotel room with a man and woman entangled on the bed the woman's face was flushed panting softly
15:58her voice seductive and triumphant honey i'm pregnant the man's voice followed carrying a hint of
16:04panic and resistance no way this child can't be mine can it vivian chuckled softly her voice alluring
16:09and of course it's yours but don't worry neither i nor the child need you to take responsibility
16:18what do you mean charles doesn't have children yet his wife insists on being child free and he's
16:24desperate he's been begging me to bear his children i'll just say the child is his he'll definitely
16:30treasure me like a gem the man was silent for a moment then laughed softly you really are something
16:34else vivian hooked her arm around his neck whispering softly we'll seize all the property and inheritance
16:41then we can enjoy our golden years in peace as soon as she finished speaking the man got excited and
16:47lunged down to entangle with the woman beneath him again the video ended abruptly there everyone was
16:52stunned a silence like death vivian completely collapsed onto the floor her hands clutching her wedding gown
16:57tightly her eyes filled with terror and despair charles's face had reached its most terrible expression
17:02he clenched his fists his body trembling slightly veins bulging at his temples he was clearly at the
17:08peak of rage vivian he roared through gritted teeth vivian he roared through gritted teeth wishing
17:17he could tear her limb from limb vivian's body shook her eyes instantly reddening as she desperately
17:22tried to explain it's not it's not charles please listen to me explain what is there left to explain
17:29charles kicked the chair aside grabbed a champagne glass from the table and smashed it on the ground
17:33the sound of shattering glass exploded in the quiet wedding venue sharp and piercing you
17:37bitch how dare you deceive me i was your secret lover for 30 years and you dare to cuckler me
17:46charles's eyes turned red as if he had lost all reason he rushed forward wrapped vivian's shoulders
17:52and slapped her heart across the face the crisp sound of the slap echoed throughout the entire hall
17:56vivian staggered backward clutching her cheeks tears streaming from her eyes
18:01and you dare to cry you deceived me for 30 years cuckled me and i've spent so much money on
18:09these
18:09bastards charles charles calm down someone rushed up to restrain charles but he had already gone
18:13completely mad he shoved everyone aside and like an enraged feast overturned the dining table plates
18:18wine glasses and flowers scattered everywhere the scene was utter chaos chloe and connor stood to
18:22the side their faces ashen their bodies trembling completely out of locks the guests erupted in an
18:27uproar pulling out their phones to capture photos and videos my god how did this wedding turn into this
18:33so vivian's two children aren't even charles's this is incredible it's the drama of the year the entire
18:39wedding had completely spiraled out of control eventually with security's intervention charles
18:44was forcibly pulled away the median was dragged out of the hotel in disgrace while chloe and connor
18:49fled in terror the wedding had become a complete joke i stood among the crowd still holding half
18:53a glass of champagne quietly savoring everything the wedding had become a complete joke and i had
18:58finally waited for this day wedding videos were uploaded online and quickly shot to the top of
19:06trending topics topics like paternity truth revealed at wedding ex-wife's calm counter-attack against
19:11cheaters and child-free husband cuckolded for 30 years exploded across the internet charles had become
19:17a complete pariah wherever he went there were pointing fingers and mocking jeers he valued his face above all
19:23else his reputation was the most important thing in his life now his dignity had been completely
19:29shattered turning him into a laughing stock known across the entire country and i on the contrary had
19:35become the object of everyone's sympathy stella is so pitiful to protect her husband's dignity she took
19:41the blame herself and then was treated like this she's the truly good woman she endured for 30 years
19:48and still showed the scumbag some dignity vivian is the truly ruthless one she tricked charles into
19:53raising bastards for 30 years and almost swallowed his entire fortune public opinion had completely
20:00turned around but none of this mattered to me anymore what mattered more was how this farce would end
20:04after the wedding charles locked himself in his former home and hadn't stepped outside for three
20:09full days he smashed everything in the house coffee table tv basis the place was a complete mess but
20:15after the destruction he sat alone on the sofa staring blankly at a family portrait hanging on the wall
20:20it was a photo of him vivian chloe and connor the four of them in the photo he was smiling
20:26happily
20:26as if he owned the whole world now looking at it again he only felt the irony
20:34he picked up the frame and smashed it onto the ground glass shattered the photo splintered into pieces
20:39fake it's all fake he held his head curled up on the floor like a helpless child he had lost
20:46everything while i was just beginning my new life after the wedding my life returned to peace
20:53no it was calmer and freer than before i started doing things i truly enjoyed i went to several
20:59art exhibitions attended concerts and enrolled in a pottery class my friends laughed at me
21:05you're living more freely than young people now i smiled without saying a word actually they had
21:12forgotten that i should have been living this way when i was young it's just that back then i had
21:15poured all my energy into charles and the family now i finally had the chance to live for myself
21:20one day my mother called her voice carrying a hint of relief stella you seem different lately
21:27different yes more energetic than before as if you've let go of something i smiled softly yes i had let
21:34go
21:34i had let go of the self that endured grievances to protect a man's dignity i had let go of
21:38the foolish
21:39notion that endurance would bring happiness i had let go of the man named charles mom i've made up my
21:43mind about what i want to donate my eggs there was a long silence on the other end of the
21:50line
21:50have you thought this through i have my voice was firm since the eggs are still there rather than
21:57keeping them frozen forever i might as well help people who want children but can't have them
22:03you always thinking of others i smiled without denying it letting go of the past donating eggs to help
22:08others my life is starting anew meanwhile charles's days grew more unbearable by the day vivian had
22:15been thrown out of the house and chloe and connor no longer acknowledged him as their father after all
22:19everything in the video was crystal clear they weren't charles's children but vivian's illegitimate
22:24children with another man they left with vivian not even glancing back at charles let's go he's not
22:30our father chloe said coldly charles sat alone in the empty house suddenly feeling a loneliness unlike
22:35anything he'd ever experienced he had once believed that having vivian and two children meant he had a
22:41real family but now he realized this family had never belonged to him he himself had been deceived
22:46by vivian for a full 30 years he opened his phone and saw news about me the headline stella decides
22:52to
22:52donate eggs to help infertile families jumped out at him he stared at the screen his fingers trembling
22:57slightly the woman who had borne his shame for 30 years to protect his dignity was now doing something
23:02even more meaningful and what about him he had nothing left no family no children no dignity he
23:08had lost everything charles put down his phone leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes images
23:13from 30 years ago flooded his mind back then we were still young building our careers together
23:18planning our future stella when we're old let's travel the world just the two of us he had once said
23:23with a smile sure it's a promise i had agreed without hesitation but he had broken that promise
23:28it wasn't that i wasn't willing to grow old with him it was that he chose betrayal first
23:32a tear slid from the corner of charles's eye he regretted it but there's no medicine for regret
23:37in this world after hesitating for a long time charles finally dialed my number the phone rang for
23:45a long time before i answered hello stella it's me i was silent for a few seconds then spoke calmly
23:52is something the matter i i want to see you i chuckled charles do you think there's anything
24:00left to say between us i know i was wrong his voice was hoarse stella i truly know i was
24:05wrong
24:05i said nothing i know you're doing well now and i know you don't want to see me
24:10but i still want to tell you i'm sorry face to face i repeated my tone indifferent charles it's been
24:1730 years you're telling me sorry now don't you think it's a little too late i know it's late but
24:23i cut him off charles you chose betrayal so you bear the consequences that was your choice there was
24:29a long silence on the other end stella if if we hadn't divorced would you have forgiven me i didn't
24:35answer because i didn't know the answer myself or rather this question no longer needed an answer
24:41charles live your life well those were my final words before hanging up
24:48live your life well this was the last thing i could give him
24:54the egg donation process was more complicated than i had imagined it required a series of physical
24:59examinations psychological evaluations and legal procedures but i walked through each step with
25:03steadiness the doctor told me my egg quality was excellent even after being frozen for so many years
25:08their viability remained very high mrs stella your eggs are extremely valuable they can help many
25:14families realize their dreams i smiled valuable i had once thought these eggs were the fruit of my
25:20love with charles the hope for our future children but now they had become a gift to help strangers
25:27perhaps this was better at least they would no longer be bound by charles's name after news of
25:32my egg donation spread many people started paying attention to me the media wanted to interview me
25:37asking why i was doing this i simply answered indifferently because i have the ability to help
25:42others it's that simple and what about you and mr charles do you hate him the reporter pressed i
25:49thought for a moment and said i don't hate him but i don't love him either he was part of
25:55my life but
25:56that's in the past the reporter seemed somewhat disappointed by my answer but i didn't care i didn't need
26:01others to define my emotions after the egg donation i decided to travel the round the world trip i had
26:06planned with charles although i couldn't complete it with him i could do it alone my first stop was
26:11paris standing beneath the eiffel tower watching the sunset slowly descend i felt the peace unlike
26:16anything i had ever experienced this city had once been a dream destination for charles and me
26:20now i had come alone but i didn't feel lonely instead i felt that this was truly my own moment
26:25without charles without the constraints of that marriage i could finally be my true self during my
26:31days in paris i visited the louvre walked along the seine and tasted authentic french pastries every
26:36day was fulfilling and joyful traveling alone freedom alone i have finally become myself again
26:42during my travels i occasionally received news from back home i heard that after being thrown out
26:47of the chen household vivian's life hadn't been easy she had once relied on charles's money to live
26:51now without a source of income she could only make ends meet by doing odd jobs chloe and connor no
26:57longer had
26:57anything to do with her either after all once the video was exposed everyone knew the truth they
27:03weren't charles's children but vivian's illegitimate children with another man this news was undoubtedly
27:08a devastating blow to chloe and connor they had always believed they were of the chen bloodline proud
27:13of it all these years only to discover they had no connection to the chen family whatsoever
27:19chloe confronted vivian mom what exactly is going on don't believe those videos they're all fake
27:26vivian was still trying to deny it mom the video is crystal clear you told someone else we were charles's
27:31children and said you were going to swing his property i was just enough chloe cut her off i never
27:37want to hear your lies again chloe and connor moved out of vivian's house found jobs and started new lives
27:42and vivian curled up alone in a dilapidated rental apartment crying day after day her former elegance
27:48and nobility had long since vanished mom do you think stella is feeling pretty pleased with herself
27:53right now chloe had once asked vivian vivian didn't answer because she knew i was no longer an enemy they
27:59needed to worry about i was living too well so well that they didn't even have the right to be
28:06jealous
28:09after leaving paris i flew to kyoto this ancient city had a completely different charm from paris
28:15i strolled along the bamboo grove path in arashima listening to the rustling of bamboo leaves in the
28:20wind feeling exceptionally peaceful here there was no charles no vivian none of those troubling memories
28:27from the past only myself i stayed at a traditional japanese inn rising early each morning to soak in the
28:33hot springs and savor exquisite kaiseki cuisine the innkeeper was a kind middle-aged woman seeing me
28:39alone she couldn't help asking ma'am are you traveling alone yes i answered with a smile doesn't
28:48traveling alone feel lonely i thought for a moment and said sometimes but more often it's a kind of
28:55freedom the innkeeper nodded showing an understanding smile you're right freedom is more precious than
29:01anything during my days in kyoto i also visited kaya mizudora and drew a fortune slip the fortune read
29:06withered trees meet spring old matters become empty the road ahead is bright freedom lies within the
29:11heart i looked at the fortune and couldn't help but smile withered trees meet spring wasn't this exactly
29:16my current state after 30 years of winter i had finally welcomed my own spring i carefully put away the
29:22fortune slip into my wallet old matters become empty the road ahead is bright these words i would always
29:28keep in my heart on the last night before leaving kyoto i sat in the inn's courtyard gazing at the
29:33star-filled sky my phone rang it was an unfamiliar number i hesitated for a moment but answered anyway
29:38hello stella it's me it was charles's voice he had come looking for me again
29:50charles how did you get this number i found i asked your friend his voice was hoarse stella i want
29:54to
29:54see you see me i gave a cold laugh charles what is there left for us to see i know
30:00i was wrong and i
30:01know you don't forgive me but but i really want to talk to you face to face i was silent
30:06for a moment
30:06then finally sighed fine i'm in kyoto leaving tomorrow i know i'm already here i was stunned
30:14he was already here where are you i asked downstairs that you're in i walked to the window pulled back
30:19the curtain and sure enough saw a familiar figure standing below charles was wearing a dark overcoat
30:24carrying a suitcase he looked much thinner and older than before i hesitated but eventually went
30:29downstairs to meet him in the inn's tea room we sat facing each other charles looked at me his eyes
30:34complicated stella you've changed have i i picked up my teacup and took a sip people always change
30:41you would never have treated me like this before his voice carried bitterness the old you was always
30:46gentle and considerate never willing to embarrass me the old me was a fool i put down my teacup my
30:52tone calm charles you betrayed me for 30 years and now you come to me with this don't you find
30:58it
30:58ridiculous charles lowered his head his hands tightly clasped i know i don't deserve to ask for your
31:04forgiveness but i truly regret it i scoffed regret do you regret losing vivian and the two children
31:13or do you regret being laughed at by the whole world charles's face turned pale he opened his mouth
31:19but couldn't speak charles you don't need to answer me i stood up looking down at him because your answer
31:26no longer matters to me i turned to leave but charles suddenly stood up and grabbed my wrist
31:32stella give me a chance let's start over please his voice was fleeting his eyes full of desperation
31:40i stopped and turned to look at him this man i had once deeply loved now only felt like a
31:44stranger to me
31:45charles i gently freed my hand from his my tone calm yet firm some roads once traveled can never be
31:53retraced we can he said urgently i know you hate me but i can change i can make it up
31:58to you i can can
31:59you can't i cut him off charles you can't make it up 30 years of betrayal cannot be erased by
32:06a single
32:06sorry his eyes reddened his voice trembling stella do you really not love me anymore i looked at him
32:12not a single ripple in my heart love i shook my head gently charles i love the you from 30
32:18years ago
32:18not the you of today that you is already dead charles's body swayed as if he had been struck hard
32:24he released my hand stepped back looking as if he had aged 10 years in an instant i understand his
32:29voice was hoarse and low stella i wish you happiness i didn't answer just nodded faintly then
32:36turned and left the moment i walked out of the tea room i let out a long breath 30 years
32:41of entanglement
32:41had finally come to a close i didn't look back because i knew there were even more beautiful
32:46sights ahead waiting for me i returned to my room packed my luggage and prepared for my next
32:51destination my phone rang with a message from a friend stella charles came looking for you again
32:56don't pay him any attention he's just a scumbag i smiled and replied don't worry i've already
33:03let go letting go is not forgiving but no longer being bound by the past i dragged my suitcase walked
33:09out of the inn and strode forward into the morning sunlight a new journey had begun my brand new
33:19life after leaving kyoto i went to many more places rome barcelona sydney new york every city
33:25left its mark with my footsteps i learned to eat alone watch movies alone go shopping alone things
33:32i once thought required two people to do it turned out i could do perfectly well alone one afternoon in
33:37paris i sat at a cafe by the seine watching the passing crowds suddenly a little girl ran over looking
33:44at me
33:44with big wide eyes ma'am you're so pretty she said in her childish voice i was taken aback then
33:53smiled
33:54thank you little one her mother walked over and apologized with a smile i'm sorry my daughter is
34:00too playfee it's fine she's adorable the little girl held her mother's hand looked back at me and
34:05suddenly shouted mommy that lady has stars in her eyes i was stunned stars i subconsciously touched my
34:13own face perhaps i really had changed no longer the woman who endured grievances to protect her
34:19husband's dignity no longer the fool who took the blame for someone else's betrayal the current me had
34:24light in my eyes and dreams in my heart this was probably what people called rebirth light in my eyes
34:30dreams in my heart this is my rebirth after the trip i returned home there was new progress on the
34:36egg donation the hospital told me my eggs had successfully helped three infertile couples conceive
34:41mrs stella you are truly remarkable the doctor said gratefully i smiled it's nothing remarkable
34:48just doing what i should actually donating eggs wasn't just about helping others it was also about
34:54making peace with my own regrets although i never had my own children my eggs could help others realize
35:00their dream of becoming parents this was probably the best possible ending one day i received a
35:05letter it was from a mother who had received my eggs dear miss stella i don't know what words to
35:10use
35:11to express my gratitude my husband and i have been married for 15 years and have never had children
35:17we tried every method without success just when we were about to give up we received news from the
35:23hospital that someone was willing to donate eggs that person was you now i am pregnant and the doctor
35:29says the baby is very healthy i don't know how to thank you i just want to tell you that
35:34you have
35:34given our family new hope thank you miss stella you are the great benefactor of our entire family
35:41after reading the letter my eyes welled up with tears it turned out that helping others truly could
35:46bring happiness to oneself i carefully put the letter away in a drawer this touching moment i would forever
35:52treasure in my heart helping others is also healing oneself after returning home i started reconnecting
36:01with old friends because of the whole situation with charles i had grown distant from many people
36:06now i wanted to pick up those relationships again the first person i reached out to was my best friend
36:10linda when she saw me she was so excited she almost cried stella you're finally back
36:18i thought you'd never speak to me again how could that be i laughed and hugged her i just went
36:25traveling
36:26for a while to clear my head so how are you now has charles caused you any more trouble no
36:33it's
36:33completely over between us linda breathed a sigh of relief that's good stella you deserve someone better
36:42i smiled linda i don't need anyone else to define my worth right now i am enough linda looked at
36:50me
36:50surprise flashing in her eyes then relief stella you really have changed become better stronger have
36:57i maybe i picked up my coffee after going through so much you've got to learn something so what are
37:01your plans next keep living of course i smiled work travel do what i love what about love linda
37:07wait not considering finding someone new i shook my head not for now at this point in my life i
37:17just
37:17want to love myself well linda laughed well said cheers to our new era we clinked cups the aroma of
37:25coffee
37:26filling the air in this moment i felt warmth not because of romance but because of friendship not
37:32because of dependence but because of independence i finally understood that true happiness doesn't come
37:37from others but from oneself after returning home i didn't stay idle i started replanning my career
37:44in my youth i had given up many opportunities for charles now i would pick them up one by one
37:50i open a
37:51small floral design studio this was a dream i had in my youth that i never got to realize now
37:56i finally
37:56had the chance to make it a reality the studio wasn't big but it was decorated warmly every morning i
38:01would
38:02go to the flower market to select the freshest blooms then back at the studio i would trim stems
38:07match colors and create beautiful bouquets when customers came i would recommend the most suitable
38:13flowers based on their needs your mom will definitely love this bouquet these roses for your girlfriend
38:19guaranteed to make her feel your love watching the satisfied smiles of my customers my heart filled with
38:24a sense of accomplishment linda a special customer walked into the line in a young woman holding a
38:30baby in her arms hello she said with a smile i'd like to order a bouquet certainly who is it
38:36for
38:38for myself her eyes sparkled i just had a baby and want to treat myself i was taken aback then
38:45smiled
38:47congratulations that's the best gift of all i carefully arranged a bouquet of pink carnations and white
38:51baby's breath for her she held the flowers held her baby smiling so happily in that moment i suddenly
38:59felt that my choice had been the right one although i didn't have a child of my own i could
39:03bring happiness
39:04to others in other ways this was probably the meaning of life bringing happiness to others is
39:09also the meaning of life time flies in the blink of an eye three years had passed my floral studio
39:15had
39:15grown bigger and bigger now with three branch locations my name had also started to gain recognition
39:20in the industry many people didn't know what storms this elegant and composed florist had once weathered
39:26and i no longer spoke of them because all of that was in the past the present me only wanted
39:31to look
39:31forward one day i received a postcard from alaska no signature just one sentence may the rest of your life
39:38be happy i knew who sent it but i didn't write back some goodbyes don't need a response i slipped
39:45the
39:45postcard into that fortune slip withered trees meet spring old matters become empty the road ahead is
39:51bright freedom lies within the heart these words i had always kept in my heart charles vivian chloe
39:58connor they had all become passers-by in my life and i had finally become the protagonist of my own
40:03story
40:03the sun was setting i sat by the studio window watching the passing crowds outside holding a cup of hot
40:10tea my heart felt a piece unlike anything before my phone rang it was a message from the hospital
40:15miss stella your donated eggs have successfully helped a fifth couple welcome their baby
40:21thank you for your great love i smiled my eyes were a bit moist but my heart was full of
40:26happiness
40:27perhaps this was the best possible ending i didn't have children but i had helped many people realize
40:32their dreams i didn't have romance but i had true freedom i didn't have a family but i had created
40:37a
40:37world of my own in this world there were flowers sunshine laughter and hope that was enough i raised
40:44my teacup and took a gentle sip outside the window the afterglow of the sunset spilled across my face
40:49warm and gentle my life has only just begun
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