Three years ago, I entered into a business arrangement for the sake of my family’s company, agreeing to a three-year marriage contract with Gideon Reed of Reed Corporation. During these years, whenever rumors surfaced about Gideon and Phoebe Walters from Walters Corporation, I would always step forward to clarify the situation on their behalf. But today, when Phoebe confronted me with ultrasound results, I had to face the truth. “Gideon hasn’t been with you all these years, has he? You’ve held this title for three years. It’s time you acknowledge reality and stop dreaming about something that’s not yours.” At that moment, I knew it was time. “Let’s get a divorce.” I presented the divorce papers to Gideon. After three years, this contractual marriage was finally reaching its end. He sneered, tapping his elegant fingers on the table. “Don’t forget, I paid for you!” I laughed. The next day, at the company’s shareholders’ meeting, I attended as the CEO. Holding another man’s hand, under Gideon’s pale gaze, I calmly announced, “I am divorced, and this is my new fiancé.”
Three years ago, I stood by the floor-length window in the top office of Reed Corporation, clutching the newly signed marriage agreement. The edges of the paper were crumpled from my tense grip. “Miss Adeline Reed, I hope you remember your role.” Gideon’s voice came from behind, cold and businesslike. “This is merely a transaction.” As I turned to leave, Phoebe Walters passed by me, her eyes filled with challenge and disdain, silently reminding me that I was just a pawn bought with money. She threw herself into Gideon’s arms, his eyes soft and tender as he looked at her. But when he looked at me, his gaze was always distant. Three years ago, when my father suddenly fell ill, our family business faced a crisis. Even in decline, our company held valuable core nanotechnology. My father agreed to Reed Corporation’s investment proposal, with the condition that Gideon and I marry. Gideon, always the astute businessman, agreed after some thought but demanded that I sign a marriage contract in private. For three years, Gideon consistently reminded me that ours was a contractual marriage. So, when rumors about him and Phoebe frequently emerged, I always remembered my role and helped clear them up. But today, Phoebe invited me to a café and confronted me with the ultrasound results. “Gideon hasn’t been with you all these years, has he? You’ve held this title for three years. It’s time you acknowledge reality and stop dreaming about something that’s not yours.” “Will you leave voluntarily, or do you need Gideon to force you out? Let’s keep this dignified, shall we?” When I returned home in the evening, finding Gideon there was unusual. His usual cold gaze sent a shiver down my spine. After hesitating for a moment, I finally said the words that should have ended this farce long ago. Unexpectedly, we both spoke at the same time. “Have you eaten?” “Let’s divorce.” The atmosphere instantly cooled. I saw Gideon’s slight frown. “Adeline, you don’t have the right to bring this up. Don’t forget, you were bought for a high price. I decide when it ends.” He dropped these words and headed to the bathroom. I was grateful to him for spending three billion to save the Reed Family, but every time he humiliated me, my heart still ached. Touching the wedding ring on my finger, its cold texture reminded me of the essence of this marriage—a three-billion-dollar investment in exchange for the empty title of Mrs. Reed. On our wedding night, Gideon didn’t even toast with me. He signed the marriage agreement and rushed back to the company for a ‘meeting.’ Not long after he left, Phoebe sent a photo of herself nestled in Gideon’s embrace, with a hotel in the background. The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. I hastily wiped my eyes. Gideon emerged in a robe, his hair still dripping. Upon seeing me, he frowned noticeably: “Why are you still here?” Since our marriage, we had slept in separate rooms. Gideon confined my activities to the guest room. “I…” I stood up nervously and accidentally knocked over the scented candle on the table. The sound of glass shattering was particularly piercing in the silent bedroom. “Sorry, I’ll clean it up right away…” He grabbed my wrist. “No need.” I froze, smelling the faint scent of cedarwood and shower gel on him. This was the first time we were so close. Close enough for me to see the shadow his eyelashes cast. “Mrs. Reed,” he let go of my hand, his tone warning, “remember your role. Play your part well. You have no right to have your own thoughts.” Role. What a ridiculous word. I crouched down to pick up the glass shards, not realizing my palm was cut and bleeding. It wasn’t until I heard the sound of the master bedroom door being locked that I realized I was crying. As night deepened, I curled up in the guest room bed, staring at the message my father sent me. “Adeline, you’ve worked hard all these years.” Suddenly, lightning flashed outside, followed by pouring rain. Driven by a strange impulse, I walked to the master bedroom door, raising my hand to knock—when I was little and afraid of thunder, I always hugged a stuffed animal and went to find my mom. But my hand fell back down, remembering this wasn’t home, and Gideon wasn’t someone who would comfort me. Just then, my phone screen lit up, a text from an unknown number appeared. “Miss Reed, how have you been? You’re such a heartless woman. I was planning to propose to you when I returned to the country.” I stared at the unknown number, my heart skipped a beat. I knew who it was. Asher Greene. Gideon’s biggest overseas business rival, and… my first love.
The rain battered the floor-to-ceiling windows. I stared at the text, my fingers hovering above the screen, unable to reply. Asher Greene— That name was like a sharp knife, easily cutting open the memories I had carefully sealed. The phone suddenly vibrated, startling me nearly into dropping it. It was an unknown number, and I couldn’t resist pressing the answer button. “Hello?” I lowered my voice, fearing to wake the person in the master bedroom. “Adeline, long time no see.” A deep male voice came from the other end, with a lazy smile. “How’s life as Mrs. Reed?” I gripped the phone tightly: “How do you know my number?” “I always know what I want to know.” He paused, “Like I know you’re hiding in the guest room crying right now.” I quickly looked around, feeling as if he was watching me from a corner: “Are you spying on me?” “I just happened to see your husband with another woman going to a hotel yesterday after I returned to the country, so I guessed you weren’t doing well.” I bit my lip, a sharp pain piercing my heart. His voice suddenly turned serious, “Open the door, I’m downstairs at your house.” “What?” I rushed to the window and indeed saw a black Maybach parked in the rain, its headlights casting blurry halos in the rain. “Are you crazy? This is Gideon’s mansion!” “So what?” He chuckled, “Afraid your husband will be jealous?” “Your husband already has a new girlfriend. I don’t mind being your boyfriend. It’s fair like that.” I bit my lip, not answering. He always teased like this, often leaving me blushing and at a loss for words. In the sound of the rain, I heard the car door close on the other end, followed by the sound of leather shoes stepping into a puddle. He really got out of the car. “Asher Greene! Don’t you—” “Either you come down, or I ring the doorbell.” He interrupted me, “Choose one.” I hurriedly put on a coat and slipped downstairs barefoot. As I opened the side door of the mansion, cold rain splashed on my ankles. Asher stood at the bottom of the steps with a black umbrella, his tailored suit accentuating his broad shoulders. In three years, a small scar had appeared at the corner of his eye, adding a dangerous allure to him. “You…” I was about to speak when he suddenly stepped forward, tilting the umbrella to cover me. Too close. Close enough for me to smell the faint ebony scent on him, just like I remembered. “Why are you crying?” He wiped my tears with his thumb, the warmth of his touch making me flinch. Then he lifted my arm, placing my foot on his shoe. “Did Gideon bully you?” I quickly stepped back, my back hitting the cold door frame. “It’s none of your business.” Asher’s eyes darkened, and he suddenly pulled a shell from his pocket. “Remember this?” In the moonlight, the crack on the shell was clear— It was from when I accidentally cut him by the sea in our junior year. Memories surged like waves, merging the Asher who stayed on the phone with me all night because I was afraid of the dark, with the dangerous man before me. “Adeline…” He took a step forward, the umbrella shielding us from the world, “I can help you.” “Help me with what?” “Leave Gideon.” His voice was a soft sigh, “Just say the word.” Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking came from the second floor. I looked up, the master bedroom curtains swaying violently—someone was there. Asher followed my gaze, a smirk forming on his lips. “Looks like your husband is awake.”
The master bedroom lights suddenly blazed, the glaring light cutting through the rain and shining down. I froze, while Asher calmly stepped forward, shielding me in the shadows. “Looks like Mr. Reed is a light sleeper, interrupted sleep can affect a man’s married life.” “Don’t you think so?” He seemed to be probing something. Once again, I blushed, biting my lip, unsure of how to respond. **2.** The sound of glass shattering suddenly echoed from the second floor. I glanced up to see the master bedroom curtains shaking violently—someone was there. Asher Greene followed my gaze and smirked coldly. “Looks like your husband’s awake.” **3.** The master bedroom lights blazed on, the intense brightness cutting through the rain. I froze, but Asher Greene calmly stepped forward, shielding me in the shadows with his body. “It seems Mr. Reed is a light sleeper. A restless man can have a troubled marriage.” “Don’t you think so?” He seemed to be probing. I blushed again, biting my lip, unsure of how to respond. He seemed quite satisfied with my reaction. Lowering his voice, he gently rubbed the shell with his fingertips, “I’ll give you three days to think it over.” A gold-embossed business card was slipped into my palm, with a hotel room number scrawled on the back. Before I could decline, the second-floor window flew open, and Gideon Reed’s cold voice shouted down. “Who’s there?” Asher Greene elegantly took a half-step back, raising the umbrella to reveal his smiling eyes. “Mr. Reed, sorry for the late visit.” His fingers brushed my wrist, seemingly by accident. “I came to pick up something I left with Adeline.” He pronounced ‘Adeline’ with intimate familiarity. The rain suddenly intensified. I clutched the hot business card, watching Gideon’s expression flicker in the lightning. He stood motionless in his robe, like a cold statue. “Leave.” The word splashed to the ground, mingling with the rain. Asher Greene bowed gracefully, leaving one last whisper in my ear before leaving. “There’s a surprise hidden in the shell.” The Maybach’s taillights disappeared into the rain as I turned to face Gideon’s brooding gaze. He had somehow moved to the staircase, his robe’s collar wide open, revealing ambiguous red marks on his collarbone— The marks left by the Walters heiress on last week’s finance magazine cover. “Explain.” I thought he meant Asher, but then I saw him holding out my antidepressant medication, the one I’d been taking since we got married. I reached for the bottle, but he grabbed my wrist, pinning it against the wall. Pills scattered everywhere, sticking to the wet floor. “Mr. Reed is concerned about what his wife takes, huh?” Before I could finish, he suddenly kissed me, a punishment tinged with the taste of blood. My back hit the doorframe hard, blacking out my vision with pain. When he finally let go, I heard my own ragged breathing mixed with his hoarse questioning: “Where did he touch you?” I licked the split on my lip and suddenly laughed. “Do you really care?” Gideon’s eyes darkened. As he moved closer again, the butler’s panicked voice came from upstairs. “Mr. Reed! The video conference from New York has been moved up!” He released me, his knuckles turning white: “Wait for me to return.” Watching his retreating figure, I slowly uncurled my clenched palm to reveal the shell. Inside the crack was a tiny USB drive— Engraved with “Southeast Asia project vulnerability analysis for Reed Corporation.” The rain stopped, moonlight casting over the mess of scattered pills, each one reflecting my shattered reflection. **4.** The next evening, I opened the USB drive on my computer. As it loaded, the financial vulnerabilities of Reed Corporation spread out on the screen like a web. I stared at those deliberately hidden deficit numbers, my fingers unconsciously tracing the marks Gideon had left on my neck. In the study, my phone suddenly vibrated. A message from Asher Greene: “Did you see the surprise?” I was about to reply when footsteps sounded in the hallway. In a hurry, I pulled out the USB drive, accidentally knocking over the coffee cup. The brown liquid soaked into the divorce agreement, staining the spot where my name was written. “Not asleep yet?” Gideon’s voice came from behind me. He was in a suit, carrying the chill of the night, though his tie was crooked— Unlike his usual meticulous self. “Waiting for you.” I closed the laptop, pushing the wet document into the drawer. “Weren’t you supposed to be in New York for three days?” He loosened his tie, his gaze landing on my neck. “Changed plans last minute.” He suddenly leaned over, pressing down on the hand I was using to close the drawer. “What’s this?” The coffee-stained paper still showed the stark words “divorce agreement.” Gideon’s pupils shrank, and I could smell the strong scent of whiskey on his breath. “Explain.” His voice was soft, but his knuckles were white. “As you see.” I pulled my hand away. “The three-year contract is up.” Gideon suddenly laughed. He threw a stack of documents from his briefcase, the top one being a letter of intent from Walters Corporation. “You think divorcing now will allow the Reed Family to walk away unscathed?” I flipped through the documents, my heart sinking—Walters’ investment terms clearly stated: Gideon’s marital status must remain stable. “Such a pity.” His cold fingertips traced my collarbone. “Old Mr. Walters and your father have agreed, using nano core as leverage, your father has planned the rest of your life.” “Now, your freedom is worth five hundred million.” Suddenly, lightning and thunder lit his eyes with madness. As he lowered his head to kiss me, my phone lit up. The latest email from Asher Greene: “Complete chain of evidence regarding Reed Corporation’s financial fraud.” “No need.” I opened the email in front of him. “Mr. Reed, my father will respect my choice, but do you think Walters will still invest after seeing this?” Gideon’s expression froze. I stood up, slapping the soaked divorce agreement against his chest. “Sign it before dawn.” I’m sorry, it seems there’s no text provided for translation. Could you please provide the specific content that you want translated? 5. Gideon Reed’s hand paused as the divorce agreement slipped to the floor. “And by the way, I’m aware that Phoebe Walters is pregnant. I won’t hide your affair any longer.”
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