“No! We need to monitor your condition for at least one more night,” the doctor firmly declined. Ashley nodded, unwilling to insist on going home.

After all, what was the point? Could she even handle the suffocating loneliness waiting for her? She was sure Gio wouldn’t come home tonight.

And even if Gio did come home, Ashley had no idea how to even start a conversation with him. That night, Ashley stayed awake, unable to sleep, and in the middle of the night, overwhelmed by curiosity mixed with all her negative emotions, she got out of bed.

Peeking into the next room, she wanted to see if Gio was still with Joy. But all that greeted Ashley was an empty bed.

“That patient left yesterday evening,” a passing nurse explained. Joy’s pregnancy wasn’t in critical condition, so she decided to rest at home.

Ashley couldn’t wrap her head around it. How could fate be so unfair to her? The baby she had longed for was taken away before she even knew about it. Yet, on the other hand, Joy—who was having an affair with her husband—had a perfectly healthy pregnancy!

The next day, with swollen eyes from crying too much and barely any sleep, Ashley was finally allowed to go home. Alone, she ignored the occasional pain in her stomach and made her way back home.

“Where have you been? Leaving the house without a word! Letting the place become a mess! No food! I work so hard to pay for everything, and this is what I get?”

Ashley had barely stepped into the kitchen doorway when the familiar sound of Gio’s voice shouting hit her ears. He stood by the counter, coffee spilled everywhere from his failed attempt to make it. It wasn’t even hard to use a modern coffee machine, but he still couldn’t figure it out.

Of course not, because Ashley had never let Gio do it himself. From cooking delicious, healthy meals to peeling his fruit and even pouring his water, Ashley had done everything for Gio.

Her friend used to mock her, saying she was lowering herself too much. But Ashley didn’t care. To her, it was all part of her devotion as a wife to Gio. The result? Gio couldn’t even make his own coffee.

Now, Ashley started to realize the truth in her friends’ words. Gio’s behavior today, combined with yesterday’s bitter reality, flashed through her mind and made her sick to her stomach. Instead of worrying about her, Gio was mad because no one had cooked his meals or done his laundry.

"Am I your wife? Or in your eyes, am I just a free maid?" Ashley hissed flatly. Her voice was low, but the silence around them made sure Gio caught every word.

"What did you just say? Is that how you talk to a husband who works hard to make sure you can live a comfortable life?" Gio snapped, his gaze turning sharp.

Ashley’s heart sank. She stared at Gio with a blank expression. This was the first time she’d spoken harshly since they got married, and Gio immediately lost his temper. The test she’d just conducted showed its results loud and clear.

"Would you treat me the same if I had power? If I could help you at the office and grow the company? Is it because you just want to control me that you never let me work?" Ashley added.

Gio started to sense something was off. Ever since he came home and didn’t find Ashley anywhere, he’d been uneasy. Ashley was always home, and even if she went out, she always told him where she was going.

Gio’s heart raced as a thought suddenly crossed his mind. ‘Did Ashley find out about my affair?’ he wondered anxiously.

Especially with Ashley’s defiant attitude—how could Gio not consider the possibility?

For now, Gio decided to dial down his ego a bit, though he hated being challenged. How dare a woman who contributed nothing to his success neglect her duties? Ashley wasn’t like Joy, who was vibrant, cheerful, and always paved the way for his business success.

"Why are you dragging this into unrelated things? I just asked where you were, and now you’re connecting it to stuff that doesn’t matter!" Gio barked, trying to cover his guilt.

Ashley glared at Gio and scoffed. "Fine, then I’ll ask you the same question. Where were you yesterday? Why didn’t you answer any of my calls? Am I so unimportant to you that you decided to ignore me?" Ashley shot back, refusing to back down.

Gio frowned. His heart pounded again at her last sentence. That was the exact line he’d said to Joy at the hospital. Why was Ashley saying the same thing?

Meanwhile, Ashley still hoped Gio would ask about her, about what had happened yesterday. Even though she knew it was foolish, Ashley was fragile right now. The reality of losing the baby she had longed for was still shaking her to the core.

"Didn’t I already tell you I was busy handling something important for the company yesterday? You should understand instead of bombarding me with calls. Don’t you know basic manners? If someone doesn’t answer your call twice, you should stop," Gio deflected.

Today, Ashley had lost count of how many times her heart had sunk because of her husband. ‘Bullshit about manners,’ she thought. Weren’t they spouses? Ashley wasn’t clueless about manners, but Gio should’ve realized something was wrong if she kept calling nonstop.

This was the first time Ashley had ever crossed the line of "manners." Ah, that’s right. Manners didn’t matter when it came to spouses. If your partner scolds you about manners, it means they’ve built a wall, signifying that you’re no more than just another person to them.

But this time, Ashley was too exhausted to say all that. Her soul was too tired, disappointed, and hurt. She just wanted to be comforted, to tell Gio that she had just experienced an unbearable loss. But Gio, her husband, was utterly lacking in sympathy.

Ashley sighed heavily and said, "Even though this feels pointless, I’m going to say it. The reason I crossed the line of manners. Can you explain this?"

Ashley reached into her jacket pocket and threw the black lace thong straight at Gio’s face.