It was the third year of my marriage to Lucas. He was 35. I was barely 21, just starting my senior year in college. I hadn’t decided yet whether I wanted to be a full-time housewife. Then I overheard him chatting casually with a group of big shots in his circle: “Sophia has nothing going for her except her youth.” “Compared to her, Bella is much more sophisticated.” “I’m starting to regret getting married. It would have cost so much less to just keep a young mistress. Now if I divorce, I’ll lose too much.” Without hesitation, I handed him divorce papers. Seeing the black and white text stating that I would leave the marriage empty-handed, he let out a long sigh of relief. He then feigned generosity and said, “I’ll give you $2 million as compensation.” I smiled and refused, “I’m still young. I can afford to play around.” What he didn’t know was that my brother was the prince of the city’s elite circle. All these years, Lucas had only managed to squeeze into the big shots’ circle thanks to my brother’s support. Divorcing me? His losses were just beginning.
For my senior year internship, I decided to work at Lucas’s company. All so I could catch a glimpse of my handsome husband every day. As a lowly intern, I kept such a low profile that even Lucas didn’t know I was there. I didn’t want to bother him or distract him from work. Occasionally, I’d overhear other interns discussing Lucas. I’d listen carefully but never chimed in. “Mr. Evans is so handsome. 35 is really the golden age for a man.” “Too bad he’s married. I heard his wife is some unknown young girl.” “Ugh, why can’t I be that lucky…” When I was 18, Lucas pursued me with the intention of marriage from day one. He gave me the engagement ring right away to express his sincerity. I responded with equal enthusiasm. We got married after dating for a year. It was impulsive and exhilarating. Sweet and blissful. He gave me a fairytale romance beyond my wildest dreams. The love of a domineering CEO was straightforward and overwhelming, leaving me dizzy and disoriented. If I hadn’t come to intern at his company this time, I might never have discovered his secrets. Bella. Lucas’s secretary. Sexy and beautiful, the typical mature woman. She often accompanied Lucas on business trips and social engagements. She handled all company affairs, big and small, and even knew more about the company than Lucas did. So, before everyone learned about Lucas’s marriage, they all thought Bella was the real boss’s wife. While getting lunch in the cafeteria, I’d overhear old employees who had worked with Bella complain: “Mr. Evans really has poor taste. He doesn’t know how to cherish a beauty like Bella right by his side.” “Bella even gave up her high-ranking position at a listed company to be Mr. Evans’ secretary.” “Mark my words, once the passion fades, Mr. Evans will definitely divorce and end up with Bella.” There were many rumors, but I didn’t take them to heart. After all, the passion between Lucas and me was still burning hot every night. Until one night at a social event, a drunk Bella confessed her love to Lucas in front of everyone. It wasn’t so much a confession as it was forcing Lucas to make a choice. Bella asked Lucas if he had feelings for her. Lucas remained silent for a long time. Bella pressed on: “If you don’t have feelings for me, why won’t you approve my resignation letter?” Lucas’s face was grave as he replied with one word: “I do.” Then he gazed at Bella intently and said, “I do have feelings for you. I can’t be without you. That’s why I can’t approve your resignation. Is that okay?” Bella smiled, downed a glass of white wine, grabbed her purse, and walked out. The air froze for two seconds. Then Lucas chased after her. Everyone at that gathering had worked alongside Lucas and Bella for years. I wasn’t there. But Emma, a chubby girl I was friendly with who loved gossip, had recorded the scene and sent it to me privately. Emma asked me: [Do you think something will happen between Mr. Evans and Secretary White tonight?] I replied: [Probably not… right?] [They’re both adults who’ve known each other for years and have such deep feelings. They’ve had drinks, confessed their love… how could nothing happen?] I firmly typed back: [Mr. Evans is married. He should know better. Besides, Secretary White has no reason to be the other woman!] [You’re right. But whether something happened or not, we’ll know tomorrow.] I didn’t understand what Emma meant by “we’ll know tomorrow.” But the moment I exited our chat, I got my answer. Lucas messaged me saying he wouldn’t be coming home tonight due to a last-minute social engagement. My heart sank. I immediately called him. At first, no one answered. I called several times in a row. Finally, Lucas picked up. “Baby, my phone was on silent. I didn’t hear it. What’s wrong?” I held back my emotions, my fingernails digging into my palms. “Honey, are you really not coming home tonight?” “Yeah, we’re all still here at the gathering. I can’t get away. Try to understand, baby.” I gritted my teeth and continued, “Are there any women at your gathering?” He paused, then chuckled, “No. Since when did you start checking up on me? Do you want to video call so I can prove my innocence?” As he spoke, I heard a rustling sound – the kind made when expensive shirts rub against hotel sheets. In the past, when our love was wild and passionate, I often heard that sound too. “Mmm…” A muffled groan escaped Lucas’s lips. In that instant, all the knots in my heart unraveled. After three years with Lucas, we’d done plenty of intimate things. I knew exactly what that “mmm” meant. It was the sound he made when he was trying to stifle his pleasure. This detail – he probably didn’t even realize it himself. Well, well. I didn’t even need to stop him from cheating. He’d already crossed that line. I laughed bitterly, “No need for a video call…” I was afraid I’d go blind. “Enjoy yourself. I’m going to bed.” My heart felt dead as I prepared to hang up. But Lucas spoke again, his voice low and husky. “Baby, we just closed a big deal tonight. Starting tomorrow, everyone will be working overtime. I might be working late for a while, so don’t wait up for dinner.” Working overtime. Or spending overtime with Bella. It didn’t matter to me anymore.
After hanging up, I couldn’t sleep all night. With dark circles under my eyes, I arrived at the office the next morning. My mind was still blank when Emma sidled up to me to continue gossiping about last night. “Something definitely happened between Mr. Evans and Secretary White last night.” I frowned slightly. She went on, “This morning, Mr. Evans’s clothes were all wrinkled, and… he was wearing the same outfit as yesterday. Doesn’t that mean he never went home last night?” I nodded, too drained to compliment her observational skills. She continued, “Secretary White was late this morning too. When she came in, she looked radiant. Usually, she’s all business, but today she seemed like a whole new person.” I asked her, “How so?” She chose her words carefully: “More cheerful, more sexy, more coy… you’ll see for yourself.” I looked up and saw Bella walk in wearing a tight-fitting dress. I’d seen that dress before. When Lucas and I were shopping together, I had my eye on it. But they didn’t have my size, so I just paid and asked them to send it to Lucas when it came in stock. Now I see. The dress arrived alright. But the recipient had changed. Bella was in a great mood. As soon as she came in, she asked everyone what they wanted to drink, her treat. Everyone cheered excitedly. I sat in the corner, my emotions a jumbled mess. I tried to numb myself with work. But it didn’t help much. In a daze, lunchtime arrived. I sat at my desk eating takeout. Bella, carrying bags of gourmet food, headed to Lucas’s office. She went in. And didn’t come out all afternoon. When she finally emerged, it was almost time to leave work. Emma next to me clicked her tongue twice and sighed, “The world really is going downhill. Of all people, why did Secretary White have to fall for a married man? Jack, who sits close to the CEO’s office, said that as soon as Secretary White went in, she threw herself into Mr. Evans’s arms. They almost turned the office into a hotel room!” With that, Emma sent me the photo Jack had secretly taken. Bella was sitting on Lucas’s lap, feeding him lunch. Their intimate posture and expressions were unmistakable. “I wonder how Mr. Evans’s wife would feel if she saw this scene,” Emma sighed softly. Mr. Wilson, sitting across from us, frowned. “They’re in love. Why are you two meddling?” Emma didn’t catch Mr. Wilson’s tone and joked, “That’s right, she is the mistress after all!” Mr. Wilson was not pleased. He tossed a ledger at Emma, “Since you’re so free, finish this. You’re not leaving until it’s done.” Emma pouted. I quietly sent her a message: [Mr. Wilson and Secretary White go way back. He’s definitely on her side, so don’t say stuff like that anymore.] Emma sent back a crying emoji. I comforted her: [I’ll help you with that ledger. Let’s finish it quickly and get off work. I’ll treat you to crayfish.] She perked up again. That evening, we finally finished our overtime work and were ready to go for crayfish when Mr. Wilson stopped us. “Thanks for working late. Let’s all go grab a late-night snack.” Mr. Wilson didn’t give us a chance to refuse. He took us straight to a restaurant near the office. After eating, he dragged us to a karaoke bar. We didn’t want to go, but we had no choice. As lowly interns, we had no say. Sitting in a dark corner, Emma and I decided to play mobile games instead. We got so into it that we didn’t notice more people entering the private room. Until I heard a familiar voice. That’s when I saw Lucas, surrounded by a group of big shots, sitting in the main seat. At first, they were discussing business. Then, they started talking about their personal lives. Kids, wives, in-laws… and of course, mistresses. “I saw Bella’s social media post. Something about true love prevailing. What’s up? Did you finally come to your senses and take Bella to bed?” Someone asked. I couldn’t help but prick up my ears. Lucas replied calmly, “You guys don’t understand the situation that day. I had no choice. Bella was forcing my hand. If I didn’t accept her, she was going to quit. You know Bella’s been with the company for so many years. The company can’t function without her. And… I guess you could say I can’t function without her either.” “So Bella’s okay with being the mistress? Lucas, don’t let this backfire on you later.” “Yeah, we all saw how much effort you put into marrying that young girl back then. Forget about keeping your mistress stable, what if your wife finds out? Won’t that cause a huge scene?” “It’s not like that. If Bella doesn’t mind, why should that young girl care?” “After being spoiled by Lucas all these years, how could that girl go back to an ordinary life? Even if she finds out about the affair, she definitely won’t do anything rash. At least with the title of Mrs. Evans, she’s set for life and can be someone important.” Everyone chimed in with their opinions. In the end, they concluded that as long as Lucas kept Bella happy and quiet, his wife at home wouldn’t cause any trouble. They even congratulated Lucas on having the best of both worlds. Emma listened, her face scrunching up in disgust. She couldn’t help but whisper in my ear, “Disgusting.” Then she added, “Even though Mr. Evans is being a jerk, what they’re saying isn’t entirely wrong. That young girl hasn’t even graduated yet, right? With no family background or skills, making a fuss really wouldn’t do her any good. What do you think?” I nodded, “She won’t make a scene. In today’s society, everyone wants to keep up appearances.” Anything can be discussed calmly and rationally. Even divorce. At this point, Lucas put down his glass and spoke: “It’s true, Sophia has nothing going for her except her youth. Compared to her, Bella is much more sophisticated.” “But Bella’s proud personality, who knows how long she can tolerate being the other woman.” “I’m starting to regret getting married. It would have cost so much less to just keep a young mistress. Now if I divorce, I’ll lose too much.” So, he was calculating his losses. Of course, Lucas and I were legally married. A divorce would mean splitting his assets acquired during our marriage. Well, I’ll grant Lucas his wish. I can leave the marriage empty-handed. But the price he’ll pay after I walk away with nothing – that’s something he’ll have to bear.
When everyone finally dispersed, Bella left with a drunk Lucas. From a distance, I watched them embrace, their lips pressed together. Perhaps they had been holding back for too long. As soon as they got in the car, it started rocking up and down. Silently, I recorded everything that had just happened. Then, I called my brother. “What’s up, little sis? Why are you calling so late?” My brother’s voice instantly touched the softest part of my heart. With a “plop,” I couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears started streaming down my face. “Sweetie, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” I was choking on my sobs, unable to speak. My brother immediately asked where I was. I mumbled an address through my tears. Half an hour later, he appeared in front of me. I was huddled on some steps by the street, my body shaking. My brother took off his coat and draped it over me, sitting down beside me. “Where’s Lucas?” “He cheated.” My brother froze, his jaw clenching tight. “Where is he? I’ll kill him.” I grabbed my brother’s hand, shaking my head, “There’s no need. It would only dirty your hands.” My brother angrily stomped on the ground! But he wasn’t satisfied with just that. He asked me, “Do you want a divorce?” I nodded without hesitation. “Could it be a misunderstanding?” I showed my brother all the videos and photos stored on my phone. Although I didn’t say anything, my brother had already made his decision. He immediately took out his phone and made several calls. First, he contacted his lawyer friend to draft a divorce agreement for me. Second, he contacted Lucas’s suppliers, telling those who had just negotiated contracts but hadn’t signed yet to not sign, those whose contracts were expiring to not renew, and those whose contracts weren’t up yet to withdraw all discounts and charge market prices. After making those calls, my brother took my hand, “Come on, let’s go home.” I shook my head, tears still hanging in the corners of my eyes, “Before we go home, I want to move out first.” My brother didn’t hesitate. He drove me to the marital home Lucas and I shared. The house was bought by Lucas. I had nothing to be nostalgic about. It’s just that after living here for three years, I never thought I’d leave like this. “If you want this house, I’ll get you the best lawyer to help you keep it.” “No need, bro. Anything that’s touched by Lucas, I find it all quite dirty now.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295853”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance
Leave a Reply