At the company’s annual Christmas party, Jack won the grand prize in the raffle draw – a luxurious three-day stay at a five-star hotel. Everyone congratulated him on his luck in both career and love. Soon after, he sent me a message: “Rachel, you’re always so understanding and generous.” “I’m doing this for our future happiness. You’ll support me, right?” I didn’t reply. He added, “We’ll get married after my promotion. For now, could you buy me a box of cantaloupe-flavored condoms? Olivia likes those.” I smiled, applauding along with everyone else. He didn’t know that I had another proposal message on my phone. I had just replied, “Yes.” … Three hours later, Jack called, urging, “Rachel, I just asked you to deliver some condoms. Can’t you even do that right?” “Don’t overthink it. I only want to have children with you. I just admire and look up to Olivia.” “If I keep her company for a few days, the project manager position is mine.” Today was our eighth anniversary. I laughed bitterly, “I understand. Congratulations on achieving your goal.” His voice was excited on the other end, “Exactly! Olivia finally recognizes my talent.” “Where are you? Hurry up and bring them over. She doesn’t like other flavors. I specifically asked around.” I gently wiped away my tears, my voice bitter as I spoke, “Jack, let’s break up.” He yelled angrily, “Rachel, why are you being jealous at such a crucial moment? Men sometimes have to play along for their careers. Do you want me to be stepped on for the rest of my life?” “Both our families are waiting for us to get married. How can you talk about breaking up now? Are you crazy?” I bit my lower lip hard, my heart aching. Trying to stay calm, I said, “Yes, I’m crazy. This is it. I don’t want you anymore.” He sneered, “Fine, let’s break up then! Let’s see how long you can hold out.” The call ended. I stood dazed outside the hotel. I watched them embrace. He held her waist and turned to kiss her. We had known each other since childhood, growing up together. When he was eighteen, he pursued me relentlessly. I was twenty. I loved his profile the most, and his deep voice, calling me “baby” in a low tone during intimate moments. He said he would love me forever, be good only to me. Just eight years, and he was willing to sacrifice himself for his career. My young love had rotted away. I sat downstairs for a long time. Suddenly, Jack transferred me ten thousand dollars. I didn’t know if this was his bonus or payment for selling himself. Just when I thought he was going to apologize, he sent a voice message: “Quickly go to the mall and buy Olivia a set of silk pajamas.” “Get a size larger than yours. Her figure is better than yours. She’s not used to the hotel’s pajamas.” I accepted the payment and silently took a cab home. I found the $9.99 pajamas he had bought me from Wish in the closet and called a delivery service to send them over. Before, he always told me to save money for our wedding. None of my clothes cost more than fifty dollars, but he took out ten thousand to fawn over the female CEO. I laughed bitterly and started packing. I’d make him move out first thing in the morning. After all, I was the one paying the rent. Two hours later, he came back furious. As soon as he entered, he slapped me. “Rachel, how dare you humiliate Olivia by making her wear your cheap clothes.” I looked at the red marks on his neck. Things must have been intense. “If she’s willing to take someone’s leftovers like you, isn’t she just picking up trash?” Olivia, with her striking red hair, blew smoke rings in my face. “I didn’t expect you to be such a spitfire.” “Let me treat you both to dinner. It’s not a big deal. Jack, you shouldn’t hit women.” “No need!” I stepped back silently. Our tiny rented room was probably smaller than her bathroom. “The CEO is inviting you to dinner. It’s an honor for you. How did your parents raise you to treat a superior like this?” Jack warned me with his eyes to behave. “You’re just a country bumpkin, while Olivia is a phoenix. You should be grateful,” Jack said, trying to make me listen. “What should my parents have taught me? To thank her for choosing my fiancé in a raffle and generously inviting me to dinner?” I laughed coldly. “Or should I rush up and call her a slut for stealing other people’s men?” I retorted. He could be despicable if he wanted, but he wasn’t going to drag me down with him. I refused! “You!” Jack grabbed my wrist, his eyes cold. “Ouch!” Olivia looked down at her foot. She had kicked the broken chair. Jack rushed over anxiously, cradling her foot. “Honey, does it hurt? I’ll take you to the hospital right away.” “It’s bleeding! Jack, can’t your woman even keep the house tidy?” Olivia angrily slapped his face. He offered his other cheek after being slapped on the left. “It’s all her fault for being stupid. How could she compare to someone as capable as you, honey?” In the past, when I accidentally touched his face while playing around, he would get angry immediately, saying a man’s face couldn’t be touched, it was his dignity. Now he was kneeling in front of Olivia like a dog, wagging his tail to please her right in front of me. “Low-class women need to be trained.” Olivia gave Jack a look. He turned to me, his face full of disgust and disdain, as if I had committed some terrible sin. “Are you satisfied now that you’ve hurt Olivia? Is there anything you can do right? You can’t even keep a room tidy, yet you want to marry me? What a pipe dream.” I laughed mockingly, “How I keep my room is none of your business. I won’t be marrying you anymore.” Hearing this, Jack felt I had made him lose face in front of Olivia. He grabbed my cat and viciously threw it to the ground. I rushed over, my head hitting the table hard. Blood flowed from my forehead. But the cat was still killed by the impact. It struggled for a few moments before going still. “Kneel down and apologize to Olivia, now!” Jack grabbed the back of my neck, forcing me to kneel. He pressed my head down, making the injured area touch the ground again. The piercing pain left me speechless, at his mercy. Olivia pretended to be considerate, “Forget it! I forgive her. If you don’t want to go out to eat, then have her make me some hangover soup. My head hurts a bit. We shouldn’t have finished that whole bottle of red wine earlier. It’s all your fault.” Jack quickly went to massage her head, scolding me, “Hurry up and make it. Don’t you have any common sense?” “I won’t. I’m not your maid,” I refused, holding my head as I stood up. “Someone like you isn’t fit to be Olivia’s maid. This is an order. Don’t forget your mother told you to listen to me,” Jack threatened. Seeing I still wasn’t moving, he dragged me to the small kitchen converted from the balcony. “Don’t come out until it’s done properly.” He locked the door and went outside to comfort Olivia, making her laugh. “Actually, it’s fine if she doesn’t make it. We can order from a restaurant.” “You’re so well-educated, young, and capable. Do you really plan to marry her?” Olivia lifted Jack’s chin with her finger. “After being with you, she’s completely tasteless. I don’t want to marry her,” Jack leaned in to kiss her, and they started rolling around on my bed. I turned away, not wanting to watch them. Three years ago, when my father was critically ill, he wanted to see us get married. Jack said what era still believed in marriage bringing good luck to the sick? After my father passed away, he said that as a daughter, I should observe a three-year mourning period. All along, whenever I brought up marriage, he always had various reasons to delay. I was just his fallback option. Once he found a better prospect, he would kick me aside without hesitation. Yet all these years, I had treated him as my salvation. The wildflowers he casually picked, letting me eat the first bite of instant noodles, choosing the biggest watermelon from the field for me. I thought these were acts of love. Now I realize he was just using the smallest investment to gain a woman’s unwavering devotion. The kitchen door opened, and his voice came through, “How dare you be jealous of Olivia? What right do you have?” “Here’s a band-aid for you. Don’t look, Olivia just used it for a moment, it’s still usable.” “When you were little and your mom beat you up so badly, you could just rub some mud on it and be fine. Don’t be so delicate now.” I looked at him, “Do you think that because I’ve suffered before, I should suffer for the rest of my life?” Jack raised an eyebrow mockingly, “What else? Don’t tell me you want to be a gold digger. With your looks, you couldn’t even if you tried.” “Ugly, bad figure, sensitive personality, mediocre college degree, lack of ability, and your family situation – who wouldn’t run away if they saw all that?” “Only I would have you! So you better listen to me, be good, and don’t threaten me with breaking up, understand?” He reached out to touch my face, but I turned away in disgust. Years ago, he had said, “Rachel, you’re a wild lily from the mountains. You’ll definitely have your spring.” I took a deep breath and said very seriously, “Jack, I’m not desperate for you, and I’m not playing hard to get now.” “If I’m so bad, I won’t hold you back. We’re done. Now give me back my dad’s watch.” Jack angrily dragged me to the bed, still verbally attacking me. “Trying to force me into marriage to secure me as a potential asset?” “I just wanted you to wait a bit. I didn’t expect you to be so greedy. It’s really disgusting.” I struggled desperately, “Let go of me! I don’t want this!” He tore at my clothes, but lost interest when he saw the cheap underwear. I curled up in the innermost part of the bed where they had just been, sobbing, on the verge of a breakdown. He smoked, somewhat impatient, “What are you crying for?” “You need to understand how difficult it is for men. I’m moving to Olivia’s mansion to make it convenient for her to guide my work.” “Pack up my things. I’ll come back to get them tomorrow.” After he left, I went downstairs to dig a hole and bury the little cat. It was a stray cat I had picked up. It had kept me company for a year. I let it down. I hope it can have a better life in its next incarnation and not be a stray again. On my phone, I received a video message from Olivia. I watched it numbly and saved it. Acting like a man with potential in front of me, but bending over and taking a whipping like a puppy for her. Olivia even used her authority to fire me without any compensation. When I confronted Jack about it, he told me not to bother him and to go to the train station to pick up his mother. My mom had asked her to bring a bunch of things. After bringing Jack’s mother back, she criticized the rented apartment endlessly and complained that the noodles I cooked had no meat. “Rachel, with your conditions, you should be thankful to have snagged our Jack, you know!” “Your mother even asked me for a bride price. What bride price? You’ve been sleeping together for how many years now? You’re practically divorced as soon as you step out the door.” “You’re almost thirty. No one else will want you. Hurry up and give me a grandson. In a couple more years, you won’t be able to have children anymore.” Jack’s mother’s attitude towards me all came from Jack. In the past, I really thought I was inadequate and tried to please them, afraid of being abandoned. Not anymore. “Where are the things my mom asked you to bring? I’ll give you five hundred dollars for your trouble. Give me the things, and then take a taxi to find Jack.” “We’ve already broken up. You can ask your new daughter-in-law to give you grandchildren.” I was a bit impatient. After hearing this, Jack’s mother refused to give me the things and called Jack to come back quickly. “Rachel, what nonsense are you telling my mom! What breakup? What new daughter-in-law? Don’t be ungrateful.” “You got fired because you’re not capable enough. Why are you throwing a tantrum!” Jack yelled at me as soon as he came in, clearly embarrassed and angry. His nervous appearance made me want to laugh. Apparently, he knew that sleeping with the female CEO was shameful. He couldn’t accept it in terms of self-esteem either. Well, he was the top student from our village and town after all. “Getting fired is even better. You two can get married and have children quickly. I’m waiting to hold my grandson.” Jack’s mother said. “Rachel, a woman should regard her husband as the sky, be filial to her mother-in-law. I’ll keep this money.” “Give me all your savings from this period. We’ll use it for the wedding banquet back home.” Jack’s mother demanded haughtily, as if I were Jack’s private property. “The ten thousand I transferred to you, plus your last month’s salary, hand it all over to my mom.” “After she gets her medicine, you two go back to the hometown together to wait for me. I’ll be done in a month at most.” Jack squeezed my arm, warning me with his eyes. My dad’s watch and the things my mom brought were still in their hands, so I could only endure for now. Not resisting, not expressing any stance, just silent. “Mom, my boss wants to treat you to dinner. Let’s go together now.” Jack assumed I agreed and started arranging for his mother to meet Olivia. “Good, good, good. My son is capable and appreciated by his boss.” “Rachel, you’re really lucky. Out of so many girls in town, my son chose you.” Jack’s mother was full of pride as she took out her best clothes to go to dinner. At the dinner table, she made me serve tea and water, fawning over Olivia. “Boss, you’re beautiful and capable. Whoever marries you is blessed.” “Not like Rachel, who’s useless and can’t even do her job well.” “Hurry up and pour water for the boss. Why are you so slow? It must be because your mother didn’t teach you well.” Olivia smiled and asked me to sit down, as if the person who sent me that video and fired me wasn’t her. “Auntie, I’m pregnant. It’s Jack’s.” she said. This statement shocked me at first, but then it just hurt. So they had been together for a long time. The raffle at the annual party was just Olivia forcing Jack to make a choice. No wonder he had been coming home later and later this past month, and was unwilling to touch me. I had stupidly thought he was tired from work and bought chicken to make soup for him, to nourish him. He did replenish his energy, but used it all on another woman. I wanted to throw up all the chicken soup I had made for him. But judging from Jack’s expression, he didn’t seem to know about this either. “Oh my! This is wonderful news.” Jack’s mother held Olivia’s hand and took off her gold ring as a gift. When Jack and I got engaged, she only had him give me a silver bracelet, with a face full of bestowing grace, as if I had taken a huge advantage of their family. Indeed, she showed different faces to different people. Olivia seemed somewhat disgusted by the dirty ring and placed it on the table. “Jack, what do you think?” “Will you marry her or me?” she asked. I stood up, “Ms. Ji, I’m not an object for you to choose. I’m already married. Jack, give me back my father’s watch.” I reached out to Jack for it. He took it out of his pocket and violently smashed it on the ground. “Who did you marry? While I was working overtime, you actually hooked up with some guy?” “Just because I didn’t satisfy you for a month, you’re so desperate for a man!” he yelled. Olivia frowned, her face full of impatience. “Stop making a scene! I’m embarrassed for you.” “I can be an independent woman and have the baby on my own,” she said. “Let’s just pretend I was joking earlier. Rachel, you two can get married as planned.” Jack’s mother spoke up loudly, “That won’t do. My first grandson can’t be left out there.” “Rachel, in ancient times, the boss would be the main wife, and you’d be the concubine.” “How about this: Jack, you register marriage and have children with the boss, but hold a wedding ceremony with Rachel back in the village.” “In the future, Rachel, you’ll serve the boss during her confinement and help raise their children. Be the woman behind the scenes.” Jack nodded, “That’s a good idea! In our village, having a wedding banquet is considered marriage.” “Boss, don’t worry about giving birth. Even if it’s eight or ten kids, Rachel can take care of them all. She has experience. We won’t need to hire a nanny.” They arranged everything for me without even asking, mother and son truly alike. I took out the marriage certificate from my bag and held it up. “Look clearly. I’m already married.” Jack snatched it away, tearing it to pieces without even looking at it. “Making a fake certificate to fool people.” “Cheating on me deserves public humiliation.” He stared at my face, violently grabbing my hair and tearing my clothes, dragging me from the private room to the hotel lobby. No one came to my rescue. They all just took out their phones to record. In my moment of despair, a custom-tailored suit jacket was draped over me. He gently embraced me. “Don’t be afraid. I’m back!” “So you’re that wild man?” Jack sneered. “Let me tell you, Rachel is my woman. We grew up together since childhood. I’ve slept with her for eight years.” “You look like someone of status. Is it worth it to take a second-hand woman? She tried to trick me with a fake marriage certificate. She’ll trick you too.” “Rachel, you think rich men are so easy to get? He’s just playing with you. How could he truly care about you?” Jack ranted furiously, hurling insults. Olivia came out and, seeing us, stood there shocked. Then she respectfully called out, “Uncle.” “Uncle? He’s your uncle, so he must be the group chairman!” Jack couldn’t keep his composure anymore. I let go of his hand. He’s the chairman? Olivia’s uncle? My mind was a bit confused. He hadn’t told me any of this. I had no idea all along. “Uncle, do you really know this woman? She’s not worthy of you. The one she’s always loved is Jack.” “Aren’t you uncomfortable wearing such a big green hat? Grandfather definitely wouldn’t approve.” Olivia stood to the side, trying to intervene. I looked at him, “Chairman, I’d like to go back first.” Ethan gave his secretary a look. “You handle this. I’ll take my wife home first.” He picked me up directly. I clutched his shirt in fear. A group of men in black deleted the videos from the onlookers’ phones. Jack was beaten to the ground, unable to get up. Jack’s mother had just started cursing me when she was slapped twice. He closed the car door, and I couldn’t see what was happening anymore. It was a bit of a pity. I had promised my father I would get married before January 15th. The annual party was on January 14th. Since Jack wouldn’t marry me, I chose him. After getting married, he said he had to go on a business trip and would be back in a few days. I really had no idea he was the group chairman. After all, as a lowly employee, how could I have the chance to meet such a big shot? The walk-in closet was full of unopened women’s clothing. I chose an outfit and put it on before walking out. “Eat something first. We can talk later.” Ethan, wearing home clothes, looked warmer than before. All I knew about him was his name and age. A flash marriage like this – even now, thinking about it seems crazy. I ate while sneaking glances at him. He was actually reading a newspaper. “Um, why did you marry me?” I asked. “If you have any hidden illness, you can tell me in advance. I won’t mind.” I really couldn’t understand why such a big shot would choose someone as cheap as me. I didn’t fit in here at all. Insecurity had taken root and sprouted in my heart. He put down the newspaper and held my hand. “A walk is best for digestion after a meal.” “You still haven’t answered me?” My palms were sweaty. “My father is seriously ill. I needed a wife, and you needed someone to marry. We were both suitable,” he said. “My hidden illness is infertility. If you can’t accept that, we can divorce after a while.” Ethan’s honesty made me breathe a sigh of relief. Infertility meant he couldn’t perform. No wonder such a successful man his age wasn’t married. Seeing that even someone like him had flaws made me relax a bit. I carefully explained my situation, and that I didn’t plan to let Jack off easily. He had smashed my father’s keepsake, killed my cat, and still had my private photos. Those photos were taken while I was asleep. I had asked him to delete them, but he never did. “I know all of this,” Ethan said. After that, I didn’t know what else to say. At the Ji family’s old house, the atmosphere was tense. Over twenty people looked our way. I felt like a lamb waiting for slaughter, so nervous I could barely swallow. Ethan led me to sit down. Olivia and Jack were kneeling. Jack looked up at me, his eyes full of hatred. What right did he have to hate me? I glared back. Seeing his face swollen like a pig’s head, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Grandfather, look at how they’re still making eyes at each other. Uncle is just too kind-hearted. He doesn’t even care about being cheated on,” Olivia said. “Jack, do you still have feelings for her?” Olivia asked angrily, staring at my face with a hint of jealousy. What did I have that was worth her jealousy?
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296582”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic
Leave a Reply