From that day on, I often locked myself in my room, sketching and painting.
Whenever Julian wanted to see, I would desperately stop him.
I explained that I was preparing a birthday surprise for him, since his birthday was coming up.
Julian would smile knowingly, "To me, the best gift is you."
"Adelaide, let's have a child."
As he said that, he walked over, trying to pick me up in his arms. I hurriedly stepped back.
"I'm still not feeling well, let's talk about it after your birthday."
For the past few weeks, I had used this excuse to avoid intimacy with Julian.
Although Julian seemed a bit disappointed, he didn't push me.
I took the memory book from under the table.
In it, I wrote about the process and details of falling in love with Julian, and at the end, I poured out the despair I felt after discovering his infidelity.
This memory book, along with my death notice, was the gift I was giving to Julian.
But even that wasn't enough.
I had pre-scheduled the time for the message to be sent.
After my "death," an email exposing Julian Moore and Victoria Harrington's affair would be sent to everyone they knew.
After finishing the memory book, I began selling off my things.
Though I no longer wanted anything to do with Julian, I wouldn't leave anything of mine behind for anyone else.
Besides, once I was abroad, I didn't want to burden Sebastian any further.
But as I packed up, I couldn't find the diamond ring Julian had once given me.
It was as if to answer my confusion, Victoria posted something on her social media.
"Look, daddy gave me this gift."
The diamond ring, which I had never dared to wear, shone brightly on her finger.
I remembered the scene when Julian bought that ring.
He had picked it out for its meaning—unwavering love.
Surrounded by everyone, he had kneeled before me, eyes filled with tears.
He said the promise he made as a young man—he had fulfilled it all.
At the age of twenty-three, he had spent all the money he had on a plain band.
At that time, he promised me, "One day, I'll buy you the most beautiful diamond."
Later, he bought me plenty of beautiful diamonds, but the twenty-three-year-old Julian was gone forever.
Now, recalling that moment, I truly felt the distance between us. It was as though a lifetime had passed.
I smiled softly and liked Victoria's post.
If you can't be loyal, no matter how beautiful the diamond, it's just an industrial product.
If she wanted it, I wouldn't fight for it.
