I scrolled past a post. “What’s the most thrilling thing couples do?” I paused for a moment, about to type: “We both grew up in the foster care system, and at 18…” But a shocking comment suddenly caught my eye. “I’m his intern, and now I’m his mistress.” “We’re true love. He’d do anything for me…” “The most thrilling thing, you ask? His wife has a unique condition. Whenever she gets emotional and feverish, cherry blossom-like red marks appear on her skin.” “He always says he loves watching her ‘bloom’ for him, but he’s actually making bets with me on how long those marks will take to fade.” “The most exciting part is, whenever his wife is most emotional, her skin covered in the fullest ‘bloom,’ he’ll quietly pull back the curtains, letting me watch everything clearly from outside the window.” I looked down at the cherry blossom-like red marks still visible on my own skin. My blood instantly froze. The comments section exploded with outrage, netizens expressing their condemnation. But the woman remained completely unfazed, her replies brimming with blatant pride. Someone asked, “Watching from outside? Aren’t you afraid of being discovered?” She instantly replied, “His penthouse apartment has floor-to-ceiling windows leading out to a small balcony. No one goes out there but him. His wife thinks it’s reflective glass and that you can’t see anything from outside, tee hee.” “Haha, she looks so pathetic and funny crying and calling his name when she’s emotional.” “Can’t chat anymore, I’m going to put on his favorite white T-shirt now. He said it’s a reward for me guessing correctly how long the marks would take to fade last night.” My fingers clutched the phone until they were white, a cold dread seizing my heart. Last night, Ethan said a company project was wrapping up and we should celebrate. He prepared a candlelit dinner, uncorked an expensive red wine. In the throes of passion, he carried me to the giant floor-to-ceiling window. Outside were the city’s dazzling lights. He whispered, “Mia, look at all these city lights. They don’t hold a candle to even a fraction of the cherry blossoms blooming on your skin for me.” I was so touched I couldn’t think straight. Now, remembering it, my stomach churned with nausea. All those words of love I thought were for me were actually meant for someone else outside that window. Calming myself, I followed the woman’s account, then sent Ethan a message. “Ethan, are you still working late tonight?” He replied almost immediately: “Yeah, still some loose ends to tie up with the project. What’s up?” I didn’t reply again, instead heading straight downstairs to the security office. Our years of shared history couldn’t be dismissed by a single anonymous post. The security guard on duty, Carl, looked surprised when he saw me. “Mrs. Ethan, what brings you down so late?” I forced a stiff smile. “I suspect someone might have tried to climb onto our balcony last night. Could you help me pull up the surveillance footage from outside our balcony between ten and twelve last night?” Carl nodded, immediately bringing up the footage. “Of course.” But I caught a flicker of something in his eyes. Just as I expected. On the monitor, everything appeared normal. “Could you also pull up the footage from the main entrance?” I asked. His hand trembled slightly, but after a moment’s hesitation, he clicked. A slender figure, dressed in a white shirt and short skirt, furtively appeared at the main entrance. That face, I knew all too well. It was Chloe, the intern Ethan had hired six months ago. The tension that had coiled in me finally snapped. A tidal wave of hurt, anger, and disgust instantly washed over me. My first instinct was to confront him. But my feet were rooted to the spot. “Don’t do anything rash.” A deep male voice came from behind me. I spun around. Liam was standing there, a box of medicine in his hand. I hadn’t even noticed him. “You have a sensitive stomach. Don’t drink cold water this late.” He handed me the medicine and a glass of warm water, his eyes full of concern. I fought desperately to suppress my trembling, just to keep the tears from falling. “I’m fine, just feeling a little unwell. I should go.” Without waiting for Liam’s reaction, I turned and ran. Back home, I locked myself in the bathroom. I turned on the shower, letting the ice-cold water pour over my head. My phone buzzed. It was a new post from Chloe.
She posted a selfie. The caption read: “My man is amazing, my legs are shaking.” In the photo, she was wearing Ethan’s shirt, the collar wide open, her collarbone bearing ambiguous hickeys. I bit down hard on my lip. A sharp pain and nausea twisted in my stomach. I rushed to the toilet, vomiting until I saw stars. Ethan and I both grew up in the foster care system. I’ve always had a weak constitution, especially with this unusual condition of mine. When I get emotional or feverish, cherry blossom-like red marks appear on my skin. The other kids used to call me a freak. Only Ethan would carefully cup my face and say, “Mia, you’re not a monster. This is a gift from God. It’s so beautiful.” To help me with my condition, he worked his fingers to the bone to earn money. In the early days of his startup, he once drank himself to a perforated stomach for a project. Lying in the hospital bed, he still held my hand and said, “Mia, when we have money, we’ll buy a big house with the best glass, so you can see the most beautiful scenery every day.” Now, those vows felt like the most cynical joke. I hugged the toilet, laughing and crying like a lunatic. After I’d vented, I wiped my tears and lay on the bed, scrolling through Chloe’s account. She hadn’t created the account long ago, and most of her posts were about luxury goods. Only a few posts were related to Ethan. One was from six months ago. She showed off her job offer from Ethan’s company, with the caption: “Now I can see my crush every day!” Another was from a month ago. That day was my birthday. Ethan said he had to work late and ordered takeout for me. But I saw in Chloe’s post that he had taken her to the mountaintop restaurant I’d always dreamed of, for a candlelit dinner. The screen went dark, reflecting my bloodless face. Ethan came home very late. “Why aren’t you asleep yet? You look terrible.” His hand had just brushed my forehead when I flinched away. He paused, then frowned, a hint of impatience in his voice. “I’ve had a long day. I’m not in the mood to guess what’s on your mind. Let’s talk about it tomorrow.” After he fell asleep, I picked up his phone. Instinctively, I typed in my birthday. Incorrect password. I didn’t give up, trying our anniversary next. Still wrong. Finally, on a strange impulse, I typed in the date Chloe started her internship. It unlocked. The pinned chat was with Chloe. I opened it, revealing sickening messages. “Playing flight attendant tonight, Master. When are you coming?” “On my way. Make sure you put on your toys like a good girl.” “Got it, Master.” I scrolled through every one of their messages. My jaw clenched tight, but tears still flowed uncontrollably. Ethan, sleeping beside me, seemed to sense it. He instinctively pulled me into his arms, gently stroking my back. “Mia, don’t be scared, your husband’s here.” His embrace was still warm, his voice as gentle as ever. In a daze, my mind drifted back to when I was eighteen. I had a high fever, and the cherry blossom marks on my body erupted in a large area for the first time. I was completely delirious. The staff at the children’s home were at a loss. It was teenage Ethan who carried me on his back for several miles, taking me to the hospital. The road was bumpy, and he fell several times, bruising and bleeding his knees and elbows. But he didn’t say a word, just kept whispering in my ear, “Mia, don’t fall asleep, please don’t fall asleep. We’re almost there.” “If you dare to fall asleep, I’ll never buy you your favorite chocolate again.” Back then, he truly loved me with his whole being. I lay stiffly in his arms, wide awake until dawn. The next day, after Ethan left for work, I contacted a private investigator. The detective was efficient. Three days later, I received the first batch of information. Among them was an audio recording.
“Ethan, what do you even like about Mia? She’s always so cold, like a statue.” Ethan chuckled softly, his voice laced with the familiar tenderness I knew so well. “I like the way she blooms beneath me, like a living painting.” “But even the most captivating painting eventually loses its charm if you stare at it every day.” The recording ended with their unbearable lewd laughter. I clutched my phone, but not a single tear fell. That evening, Ethan came home with my favorite cake. He lit the candles, gazing at me with deep affection. “Mia, this is our twentieth year. Thank you for being with me.” I looked at his face and suddenly smiled. Yes, from six to twenty-eight, we had been through so much. “Ethan, do you remember? You used to say the marks on my skin were a gift from God.” He paused, then nodded. His eyes overflowed with tenderness. “Of course, I remember. In my heart, they’re more beautiful than any star.” “Are they?” I picked up the red wine from the table and walked to the giant floor-to-ceiling window. “But lately, I keep having nightmares. I dream that someone is watching me from outside this window.” I turned back, staring into his eyes. A flicker of panic crossed Ethan’s face. He frowned, walked over, and pulled me into a hug. His voice held both pity and reproach. “What are you thinking?” But then, his tone shifted, and he chuckled softly. His fingers idly twirled my hair, a smile spreading in his eyes. “Mia, actually, there’s something I’ve been keeping from you for a while.” “Six months ago, at a party, someone drugged me, and I ended up sleeping with an intern.” “The girl was quite something, but I hurt her. She cried all night.” He withdrew his hand, patting my head. “She’s different from other women who only wanted something from me, so I kept her around.” “Lately, the girl got insistent. She really wanted to know my secret, so I told her about the cherry blossom marks.” “She didn’t believe me and insisted on seeing it with her own eyes. So that day, I let her watch from outside.” Even though I already knew the truth, hearing him say it with his own lips, a piercing pain spread through my entire body. My nails dug into my palms, and I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood. I grabbed Ethan’s collar, slapped him across the face with all my strength, my voice trembling. “How could you be so disgusting?” Unconsciously, tears streamed down my face. Ethan’s face darkened. He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek. “If you’re still upset, I can show you a video of us.” “You can learn a thing or two. She’s got quite a few tricks up her sleeve.” I looked at him, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “Let’s get a divorce.” Ethan’s entire body stiffened, his eyes instantly filled with rage. “Because of this? In our circle, who doesn’t have a few on the side?” “I’ve been good enough to you. All these years, it’s only been you.” “Besides, the girl knows her place. She won’t threaten your position. Can’t you stop being so selfish?” “Don’t forget who risked everything to get your condition under control!” With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. I collapsed onto the floor, a sharp, twisting pain in my chest. My condition. That was the deepest thorn in my heart. Over the years, to control my symptoms, I had taken countless medications, suffered immeasurable pain. Ethan was the one who had walked me through those darkest days. I thought he was my savior. I never imagined that the boy who had pulled me from the abyss would now personally push me back into hell. And then use my most painful scar to torture my heart. I wiped my tears, walked into the study, and began drafting the divorce papers.
This time, no one could save him. I didn’t intend to get too entangled. But some people just had to provoke me. Chloe sent me a friend request. The verification message contained only four words. “Let’s talk about the baby.” I accepted. Immediately, she sent an ultrasound report. It was a pregnancy test. “I’m pregnant, six weeks. The doctor says the baby is very healthy.” “Mia, you know, with your unique condition, it’ll be hard for you to ever have your own children.” “Ethan really loves kids. We can’t let him be without an heir, can we?” “Ethan said that once the baby’s born, you can raise it.” “Tomorrow, he’s hosting a celebration party for me at the company, where he’ll officially announce my identity.” “It’s in the top-floor ballroom, at 8 PM. You’re welcome to come, Mia.” She sent another photo. Ethan was gently stroking her belly, his eyes filled with a tenderness and anticipation I had never seen before. I clenched my fists, hatred spreading through every fiber of my being. I remembered when Ethan and I got married, we didn’t even have a proper ceremony. He said, once the company was stable, he’d give me the grandest wedding in the world. I swallowed the bitter taste in my throat. That night, I called Liam. He answered instantly. After hanging up, I sat in the living room all night. I didn’t leave until 8 PM the next evening, heading to his top-floor restaurant. In the ballroom, Chloe wore a custom gown, her arm linked with Ethan’s, smiling brightly and radiantly. They looked like the perfect couple, a match made in heaven. In that moment, the emotions I had suppressed for days finally exploded. I rushed onto the stage, and in Ethan’s shocked gaze, I slapped Chloe across the face with all my might. “Mia, are you insane?!” Ethan reacted, shoving me hard, then turning to shield Chloe in his arms. I fell to the floor, ignoring the sharp pain of glass shards digging into my palms. I scrambled back up and rushed forward again, slapping him across the face. I laughed. “What? Does it hurt?” “Everyone, look closely! This woman is Chloe! She stole my husband and is pregnant with a bas—” Slap— I was struck, falling to the ground, my ears ringing. “Mia, shut up!” Ethan’s hand was still raised in the air, his other hand clenched, veins bulging, as he roared at me. “What the hell are you doing?! This is my project celebration party, what kind of nonsense are you spouting here?” Ethan grabbed my arm, forcing me to kneel on the shattered glass. A searing pain shot through my knees. Chloe cowered timidly in his arms, but when she looked at me, her eyes were filled with undisguised triumph. Someone must have called the police, and when they arrived, Ethan glanced at me coldly. “Officers, she’s my wife, but today she intentionally caused a scene and ruined my celebration. I won’t protect her.” “Please handle it according to regulations. Whatever fines or compensation are due, they should be paid.” “Oh, and she seems emotionally unstable. After you’re done, it might be best to contact a mental institution.” I was led away in handcuffs by two police officers. The people around me were pointing and whispering, their faces full of disdain and mockery. I didn’t struggle. I just stared fixedly at Ethan. Watching him gently wipe away Chloe’s tears. Watching him carefully protect her. I let out a bitter laugh. “Ethan, your surprise will be delivered soon.” The game has just begun.
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