Elara's POV
When I woke up, my pillow was soaked with tears. I wiped my face, stepped out of the bedroom, and saw the whole family gathered around the table, each wearing a different expression.
One glance was enough. My mother-in-law’s eyes were red, and when she saw me, she quickly looked down in guilt. Briar, on the other hand, leaned against Callum with a bright, triumphant smile.
In that moment, everything became clear. They had confessed everything to his mother.
Even so, I pretended not to notice, quietly walked over, and made myself a cup of malted milk.
“Elara, come here a moment. I need to discuss something with you,” Callum said.
My hand trembled around the cup. Even though my heart had long gone cold, the bitterness still stung.
I answered softly and sat down.
“Elara,” he began, “I’m planning to sell our marital home. The place was assigned to you by the steel factory, so the sale needs your signature.”
My fingers tightened around the cup.
Still, Callum continued, as if nothing were wrong. “I’ve already found a place in Washington. Selling this apartment will be just enough to cover the down payment for that one.”
Briar chimed in too, voice overly sweet, “We picked that apartment after comparing so many! And the bathtub, I love it. It’s perfect for two peop— Ow! Callum, why’d you hit me? Fine, fine, I won’t say it.”
She shot him a teasing, intimate look, then smiled smugly at me. “But don’t worry, Elara. I’ve tested it for you. It’s very comfortable.”
Despite her provocation, I ignored her and kept my head down for a long moment before finally saying, “Alright. I’ll handle the sale tomorrow.”
Callum pressed his lips together like he wanted to say more, but before he could, I stood up, walked straight to the wall, and took down the photo we had taken at the studio the day we got engaged, the one he insisted we capture as a memory.
Without hesitation, I threw it into the trash can.
His pupils shrank as he rushed over to grab my arm. “What are you doing?! How can you throw away our engagement photo?”
I answered calmly, “If we’re selling the house, we should clear out everything inside, right?”
Pretending not to see his complicated expression, I picked up the little ornament he once made for me out of bullets and tossed that into the trash as well.
Piece by piece, I threw away everything tied to our memories until nothing was left.
Callum pressed his lips tight, then suddenly relaxed as if struck by a thought. “Well, you’re right. Once we get to Washington, we’ll have to hold another wedding anyway. And we’ll take new wedding photos. This old picture won’t matter. And these little trinkets are old anyway. Once we settle in, you can buy new decorations.”
Not replying to what he said, I simply murmured, “I’m going to the bedroom to pack. Mom, you should help the kids pack their things, too.”
After that, I closed the door behind me.
A few minutes later, my mother-in-law slipped inside. Her eyes were red as she grabbed my hands, guilt all over her face. “Elara, don’t blame Callum. He had no choice. He was just trying to repay a debt. I know you’re hurting. This is my fault. Mine and Callum’s.”
I gently pulled my hands out of hers. “Please stop. I don’t blame him.”
Her lips trembled as she tried to comfort me over and over. “No matter what happens, you’ll always be my daughter-in-law. Always! I promise you, Callum will treat you well.”
I let out a small laugh and nodded vaguely. “Got it.”
After she left, I began sorting through my belongings and realized that there wasn’t much. Everything I owned fit into a single small suitcase.
