Anya slowly straightened up. There were no tears in her eyes now—only a silence worse than death.
She didn't look at Zain. The mischief on her face was gone. Her heart was once again filled with the bitterness of that old birthday night.Zain started the car, but Anya's silence pierced him.
Anya (in a cold voice, staring out of the window):
"So… you told everyone at the club that I'm the biggest burden of your life?"
Zain:
"Anya, that's old history. Mei Wei was talking nonsense while drunk."
Anya:
"Old history? Two months ago, when you screamed at me and threw my cake away, that was the same truth—and it's still the same today. You said this marriage was just a one-year contract… I forgot my place for a moment—but Mei Wei reminded me."The silence spread through the car like poison. Zain tried to speak several times, but the lifeless look in Anya's eyes stopped him every time.
Anya: (without looking at Zain)
"Take me back to that house you call my 'punishment.' I want to return to my one-year imprisonment."
Zain tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"Anya, that is my home… your home."
Anya:
"No, Mr. Yan. It's just a contract location. Drive."
As soon as they reached home, Anya threw her bag aside and rushed straight into the kitchen. Zain followed her and found her standing in front of the fridge. She pulled out the leftover chocolate cake from the morning and began tearing into it with her bare hands.
The faster she ate the cake, the harder she tried to stop the tears flooding her eyes. Her face was smeared with chocolate, but the redness in her eyes made it painfully clear—she was breaking from the inside.
Zain stood at the doorway, watching her. For a fleeting second, the way she was eating cake looked almost cute to him—like a small child trying to find comfort in something sweet. But the very next moment, guilt crushed him. This innocent girl was in this state because of him.
Zain: (softly)
"Anya… stop. Don't eat so much sugar. You'll fall sick."
Anya: (with her mouth full)
"Why do you care? What difference does it make to you? If a 'burden' falls sick, you'll feel relieved, won't you? At least you won't have to hear my voice anymore."
Zain took a step forward to wipe the chocolate off her face, but Anya immediately stepped back.
Anya:
"Don't come closer. Mei Wei was right. I'm nothing but an obstacle in your life. I'll eat my cake, complete my contract, and then leave your life as if I never existed."
Zain's hand froze mid-air.
Anya walked to her room with the cake and slammed the door shut.
Anya: (crying while eating cake)
"How stupid are you, Anya! You thought he was changing? You thought the concern in his eyes was real? He's just waiting for one year to end—and you… you ended up giving him your heart."
Zain remained standing outside, hatred for his own past words burning inside him so fiercely that he wanted to punish himself.
Anya had locked her room from the inside. From the corner of her wardrobe, she pulled out the wedding photograph she had hidden from everyone. In the picture, she and Zain stood together—Zain's face was hard and distant, while Anya's eyes held fear of the future.
Anya: (gently caressing the photo)
"That day, we were strangers… and today… maybe we still are. The only difference is, now it hurts more."
Just then, a recording sent by Mei Wei started playing on her phone. Zain's drunken voice echoed through the room:
"That girl… Anya… she's the biggest mistake of my life. I'm just tolerating her so the deal can be finalized."
Outside in the hall, Zain paced restlessly. He could hear Anya crying inside and continuously eating chocolate cake. He knew that whenever Anya was deeply hurt, she overindulged in sweets—something that was bad for her health.
He knocked on the door.
Zain:
"Anya! Open the door. Don't eat so much cake, you'll get sick. Please, come out and talk to me."
Anya yanked the door open. Chocolate smudged her face, her eyes swollen from crying. She stood straight, said nothing, and simply played the recording on her phone.
As the recording began, Zain's face turned pale. Hearing his own voice left him stunned. It was from that night—when he had drunk far too much with Mei Wei and his old friends, and in anger, had said things he never truly felt.
Anya: (her voice trembling)
"Is this a lie too? Is this also Mei Wei's imagination? Your own voice is saying that I'm your 'biggest mistake.'"
Zain: (trying to grab her shoulder)
"Anya, listen to me! This is from a long time ago. I was drunk then, and I didn't even know you properly. Mei Wei edited this—she's trying to provoke you! Why don't you trust me?"
Anya shoved his hand away.
Anya:
"Trust? Trust died the day you threw my birthday cake into the trash. This recording is just proof of that hatred. You're not changing, Mr. Yan. You're just trying to protect your 'deal' by deceiving me."
Helplessness and anger filled Zain's eyes. He wanted to scream that he had changed, that he had started falling in love with her—but his words could no longer reach Anya.