The day I took our daughter, Lily, for her check-up, Damon, my husband, who had been away on a business trip for days, drove to pick us up. The moment he saw us, he pulled both me and Lily into a tight hug. My nose twitched. A faint, unfamiliar scent hit me. Lily snuggled into him, giggling. I stood by, smiling, watching them play-fight. It wasn’t until we settled into the car that I noticed another woman in the back seat… The woman had a small, round face and wore a crisp business suit. She smiled sweetly. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Thorne. I’m Chloe, the new assistant from Damon’s office.” I glanced at Damon. He said calmly, “She was on my way, so I offered her a ride home.” But since when did Damon, the CEO of Thorne Enterprises, personally pick up an employee? Especially when he was on his way to get *us*. Chloe explained earnestly, “Please don’t misunderstand, Mrs. Thorne. I just wanted a chance to apologize to you.” She handed me a gift bag containing a tube of my favorite hand cream. “When I was on the business trip with Mr. Thorne, I forgot my hand cream. You happened to have some in the car, and I… accidentally used it all up.” “This is a new one I bought. I hope you’ll accept it.” I didn’t reach out for it immediately. A hint of nervousness flickered across her face, and she couldn’t help but glance at Damon beside her. “Take it,” Damon said, his voice soft but firm. I took the bag and tossed it onto the seat beside me. Lily, strapped into her car seat, stared curiously at this new lady. Her eyes lit up when she spotted candy in Chloe’s hand. Just as Chloe prepared to unwrap a piece of candy for Lily, I couldn’t hold back anymore. “She just saw the dentist. No candy.” “But this is imported! Not just any cheap brand. You can rest assured—” “So imported candy isn’t candy?” Damon, who had been focused on driving, frowned. “Elara, she’s just trying to be nice.” I fell silent. But Lily, ever the sensible one, nodded. “Lily will listen to Mommy. No candy.” Chloe had no choice but to withdraw her hand, her expression stiff. The car soon pulled up smoothly outside an older apartment complex. She got out, apologizing profusely once more. I just nodded slightly in acknowledgment. On the way home, Damon’s tone softened. “Don’t be mad at her. She’s a young woman, fresh out of college, too much of a perfectionist. Sometimes when she’s stubborn, even I can’t talk her out of it.” A faint smile played on his lips. “Quite strong-willed, actually.” As the car pulled up to our house, he suddenly leaned over and kissed my cheek. I didn’t pull away. From the back seat, Lily suddenly piped up, “Mommy, the lady’s scent smells like Daddy’s.” Damon’s smile froze for a moment. I pretended not to notice, laughing lightly. “That’s because Daddy’s car should naturally smell like Daddy. It has nothing to do with anyone else.” “Oh,” Lily said, sounding half-convinced, half-confused. I got out and lifted her from the car. Looking up at Damon beside me, he spoke calmly. “If taking care of Lily makes you feel tired, I can hire a professional.” His voice was even. “She’s a Thorne, our little princess. She shouldn’t be neglected or anything less than perfectly cared for because *you’re* tired.”
From the moment I married into the Thorne family, I knew I’d have to put up with Damon’s wandering eye. He’d had casual flings, even scandals. The year Lily was born, I had a huge fight with him. It was the first time I’d ever seen him truly angry. His eyes turned icy, making the air around us freeze. He said, “You need to remember, Elara, the status I gave you, I can take away just as easily.” For Lily’s future, I didn’t argue anymore. That storm ended quietly, without even a ripple. Later, I learned my lesson. Because no matter how many women he brought into his life, he always knew this home existed. Sometimes I even felt a genuine attachment in his gaze when he looked at me. After all, I was his wife, and I held a different place in his heart. He drew an invisible line between his family and his girlfriends. I pretended to be oblivious inside that line. They, outside the line, played out one romantic escapade after another with him. Until Chloe appeared, that balance was shattered— She brazenly climbed over that wall and stood right in front of me. After putting Lily to sleep, I returned to our bedroom. Damon stood by the balcony, flipping through documents, a slight smile on his lips. “You’ve had a long week. Get some rest.” He rarely spoke so gently to anyone. A flash of Chloe’s delicate face from earlier that day flickered in my mind. I didn’t respond, walking straight into the bathroom. The water was barely running when a warm, strong body pressed against me from behind. His husky voice whispered from above, “Did you miss me these past few days?” I gently turned, grabbing a towel and wrapping myself tightly. “I’m a bit tired. Not tonight.” As I turned to leave, my wrist was suddenly yanked back. He raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of playful mischief. “I’ve been saving myself for you. If you won’t take it, should I give it to someone else?” He loved to make lewd jokes like that in bed. No matter how I reacted, he always seemed so sure I wouldn’t truly push back. When I pushed him away again, the smile in his eyes only deepened. “Jealous?” “There’s nothing going on between me and her. It’s just that she looks a lot like you…” “If you don’t like it, I won’t do it again. Alright, just for you.” As he spoke, he kissed my neck. What should have been a burning touch sent a chill through me. “Damon, please, don’t touch me.” The bathroom filled with steam, and his expression instantly darkened. “Don’t be difficult, Elara. Not while my patience is wearing thin.” I froze, my fingers slowly turning white. Seeing that I wouldn’t soften, he simply scooped me up, tossing me onto the bed. In the dark, he gritted his teeth and said, his voice quiet but chilling, “If you want things to go smoothly, just behave.” My entire body stiffened. I couldn’t utter a word. Much later, tears silently streamed down my face. The next morning, Lily burrowed into my bed, kissing my face. “Mommy, Daddy’s taking me to the park today!” I was surprised. Damon never liked taking her to places like that, let alone personally. Damon leaned against the doorframe, a gentle smile on his face. “Come on, my little princess. Time to get up.” The moment they left, I went to the hospital. Last night’s events still felt off. When I received the test results, I was stunned myself. The doctor said calmly, “You’re four weeks pregnant. The first few months are unstable, so try to avoid intercourse. If you don’t plan on keeping the baby, decide soon. Waiting too long can have a significant impact on your body.” I clutched the diagnostic report tightly, sobbing uncontrollably in the car.
In the two years I was most infatuated with Damon, I once thought of using a child to keep him. So I got pregnant with Lily. He did start coming home more often, and his care and thoughtfulness slowly returned. It felt like we were back in college, during that period when he was actively pursuing me. But everything changed completely the day Lily was born. I was alone in the delivery room, in pain and terrified, while he suddenly went unreachable. I later found out that on that very night, he had finally succeeded in winning her over. He was with that woman, enjoying a night of passion in the penthouse suite of the city’s tallest skyscraper. In that moment, I truly hated him. Five years were enough to completely erode any expectations I had of Damon. During this time, there were many who urged me to have another child. “The more powerful a man is, the more women he’ll have around him. Especially in that kind of circle. Damon’s actually not bad.” “You should just have a few more kids. No matter what he does outside, as long as you’re firmly in place as the primary wife, that’s what matters.” The Thorne family had only ever had one male heir for generations. If I could have another child, boy or girl—even if Damon intended to make things difficult for me, his parents wouldn’t allow it. Right. No one would act against their own interests. Besides, I had Lily. She was almost the entire meaning of my life. I carefully put away my pregnancy report, drove home, and started a pot of slow-simmered soup, waiting for Lily to return. As dusk settled. After failing to reach Damon for the tenth time, I felt increasingly anxious. I couldn’t wait any longer. Grabbing my car keys, I decided to go look for them myself. I went to his office first, but he wasn’t there. The amusement park was closed. Just as I was about to turn toward the Thorne family estate, our housekeeper, Maria, called. “Mrs. Thorne, Lily just got back. Mr. Evans dropped her off. She’s fast asleep now.” I leaned back in the driver’s seat, closed my eyes, and felt my entire body relax. Maria added, “Mr. Evans also asked me to tell you that Mr. Thorne won’t be home tonight.” I responded with a quiet “Okay.” Hanging up, I started the car and drove back. Just as I turned onto another street, I saw Damon’s car.
Damon’s figure cast a long shadow under the dim streetlights. A tiny red glow flickered between his fingers, and several cigarette butts lay scattered on the ground. This place—I’d been here just yesterday. It was Chloe’s apartment building. He looked up at a lit window, his gaze fixed, unblinking. Following his line of sight, a slender silhouette appeared vaguely through the curtains, like soft gauze fluttering in the wind. He looked like a man from a movie, utterly consumed by love, just standing there, watching her silently from a distance. Something inside me was slowly crumbling. I sat in my car all night. It wasn’t until the sky began to lighten that Chloe emerged from the building. She looked well-rested, and a startled expression crossed her face when she saw Damon. The man, who had been looking so dejected, seemed to get a jolt of excitement. He smiled, said a few words, and then stepped closer—she retreated slightly, but her cheeks flushed. Then, they got into the car together. I remained seated, feeling a thin thread wrapped around my heart, tightening until I could barely breathe. When Damon pursued me years ago, he was just like this—a smile on his lips, approaching step by step, giving no chance to escape. That aloof, arrogant rich boy act, when he was chasing someone… it was impossible to resist. Only this time, the leading lady in his eyes wasn’t me. I followed them to the company building. From a distance, I watched them walk to the entrance, instinctively putting a little space between them. Damon walked ahead, acknowledging greetings from colleagues, then nonchalantly waved to Chloe a short distance away. Drawing envious stares from everyone around, she stepped into his exclusive elevator. In that moment, it was as if she was telling everyone: *she* was special, treated differently. The scene stung my eyes. I sat in my car, trying to calm my emotions, until Maria called. Lily had woken up and was looking for me everywhere. I rushed home. The moment I walked in, Lily lunged at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, and my nose burned with unshed tears. She sat on my lap, swinging her legs, chattering away about the fun she’d had last night. “I even saw Aunt Chloe yesterday! She dressed up as a little bunny and played with me for a long time.” My breath hitched. So that’s why he suddenly decided to take Lily to that place that day—it was to be with Chloe. It was surprisingly easy to find out about Chloe. Her university, her humble family background, her job application process, her past part-time job at an amusement park… even her Ins account. When I clicked on her Ins, I saw a familiar sight—a photo of Lily and Chloe, faces pressed together. The string that had been tightly wound in my heart finally snapped. The reflection in the photo faintly showed Damon’s tall, strong silhouette; he was crouching nearby, diligently taking their picture. It was as if *they* were the truly happy family of three. Scrolling through her Ins posts, it was clear Chloe was genuinely infatuated. The warm brown sugar water Damon sent her when she was on her period; the image of him spending the night in her hospital room when she was sick on a business trip; even small trinkets she’d accidentally lost, he carefully kept them all… For some reason, a strong wave of nausea suddenly washed over me. Tears blurred my makeup, and the mirror showed a disheveled, haggard face. I looked pathetic. All this time, I’d believed that as long as I pretended not to care about other women, this superficial happiness could last forever. But in reality, someone who puts themselves in such a humble position in a relationship can never truly be happy.
In the evening, Maria brought me a bowl of soup, and it reminded me of my weekly habit of sending soup to Damon. Thinking of Lily, I decided I should talk to him directly. So I drove to his company. Night slowly fell. The lights in his office were on, the entire top floor glaringly bright. The door was ajar. The moment I reached out to push it open, the voices from inside made me stop. “…What do I have to do to make you stay with me?” Damon’s voice was low, filled with earnest pleading. “Stay and then what? Be your mistress?” Chloe’s eyes were red as she spoke softly. “Don’t I have any self-respect? Yes, I fell head over heels in love with you. I couldn’t stop myself from getting close to you, from depending on you.” “But every time I see another woman sitting next to you, I know you can’t give me the kind of relationship I want.” “I want a love that’s seen.” “So, we’re over.” Her voice choked with what sounded like deep grievance. Damon, however, sighed and pulled her into his embrace. My hand tightened on the doorknob. Just as I was about to leave, I heard his voice again: “What if I divorce her?” My heart plummeted into a bottomless pit. Falling, falling endlessly. When I came to, I was already in my car. My hands trembled uncontrollably on the steering wheel, and tears streamed down my face. I cried and laughed at the same time, like a pathetic fool. He said he wanted a divorce, and my first thought was to run. That night, Damon didn’t come home. Watching the sky slowly lighten, I suddenly wanted to go find him and make things clear. Was he really going to divorce me? At the very least, I had to protect Lily from being hurt. Having not slept for two days, my head was heavy as I did my makeup. Then I drove to Damon’s company building. His exclusive elevator went straight to the top floor. I heard he was in a meeting. I sat in his office, and unexpectedly, I saw Chloe. She politely brought me a cup of tea. The moment she bent over, I caught a familiar scent: cedarwood mixed with smoke. Just as Lily had said, it was Damon’s scent. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?” I suddenly asked. Her hand visibly twitched, and hot water splashed onto her hand, immediately turning it red. Her eyes darted around, looking terrified. She frantically squatted down to wipe up the spilled water. But she avoided my question. I watched the top of her head coldly. Suddenly, a man’s hand grabbed her, gently pulling her up. He spoke, his tone unkind. “Elara, did you come here this early just to show off?” “She’s my employee, not your servant.” “Mr. Thorne, Mrs. Thorne didn’t mean to…” I suddenly laughed. Perhaps he had forgotten that during my time as his wife, I was never someone to be easily manipulated. “Mrs. Thorne? I don’t recall when you became his sister.” “I just…” Chloe’s eyes were terribly red. “I just wanted to get closer to you. Perhaps you don’t know, but as a secretary, you have to be thoughtful about everything—” “And how exactly were you trying to get closer to me? By having the boss’s family drive you home? Did you feed your ‘thoughtfulness’ to the pigs?” He stood in front of her, his eyes chilling. “Apologize to her.” The people who had just emerged from the meeting room, whispering, all fell silent. I steadied myself and said calmly, “Damon, I have no reason to apologize.” His voice hardened further. “What did you say? Apologize.” It felt like a cold snake slithered down my spine, sending shivers through me. Yes, this was Damon. Once he made up his mind, no one could change it. Just like when he insisted on marrying me. Now, he was stubbornly infatuated with this new secretary. I had been slow to realize that leaving him was an inevitable outcome. I smiled faintly. “Damon, let’s get a divorce.” A flicker of surprise crossed his face. But it quickly morphed into a sarcastic smile. “Are you trying to use divorce to force me to compromise?”
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