Liam Hayes and his older brother, Dominic, got married at the same time, both to twin sisters. But Dominic’s wife, Isabelle, died in a tragic accident. His mother-in-law, Mrs. Carter, wept with heart-wrenching grief. Then, she made a shocking proposition: she suggested Liam’s wife, Audrey, should bear a child for Dominic. … “My poor daughter, she left us without even a child,” Mrs. Carter sobbed, wiping her tears. “Liam, Audrey and Isabelle were twins. Their genes are identical.” “Please, Liam, as your mother, I’m begging you. Let Audrey have a child for your brother. Our family used to have a tradition of surrogate pregnancy. Since the sisters shared the same genes, biologically, it’s like Isabelle left Dominic a child.” Liam’s face turned deathly pale. Before he could speak, his own father, Mr. Hayes, also pleaded, “Liam, ever since your sister-in-law passed, your brother has been like a ghost, unable to eat or sleep… Seeing him like this, I genuinely worry he won’t make it.” “I’m begging you too, son. Just agree. Let Audrey bear a child for him. With a child, he’ll have hope to live on. It’ll be good for both our families.” They spoke as if Liam’s refusal would make him responsible for his own brother’s death. Liam bit his lip, remaining silent. His father had always favored Dominic, a fact he’d grown accustomed to. What truly mattered to him was the opinion of his wife, Audrey Carter. Liam was the middle child, with an older brother and a younger sister. Growing up, Liam had always been the least favored in his family. He’d never felt truly loved until he met Audrey Carter. Unlike everyone else, Audrey always put him first. When he fell ill, his parents would impatiently tell him to see a doctor. But Audrey would drop everything, rushing to his side to comfort and care for him, even if it was just a common cold. When they went shopping, she’d always be mindful of him. If he so much as glanced at something in a store, it would mysteriously appear on his bedside table the very next day. No matter how hard to find his favorite trendy snack was, Audrey would wake up hours early to queue up and buy it for him. An heiress like her, who didn’t need to bend for anyone, was willing to stand in line for hours, just for him. Everything related to him, Audrey handled personally. Even their engagement ring was her own design. On the day he proposed, Audrey gazed into Liam’s eyes and promised with deep affection, “Liam, your parents may not love you the most, but from this day forward, I promise I will be the one who loves you most. I understand all your unspoken grievances and insecurities.” “I swear, after we get married, I will always prioritize you. You will forever be my first priority, and no one will ever shake your place in my heart!” Before their marriage, no matter what happened, Audrey would always stand firmly by Liam’s side. And now, she stepped forward again, shielding Liam without hesitation. “Dad, Mom, stop pressuring Liam,” Audrey declared firmly. “Your idea is ridiculous. Not only does Liam disagree, but so do I!” As she spoke, she knelt before her parents. “Although Isabelle sacrificed herself to save me, I should compensate Dominic… But I cannot betray Liam. Besides bearing a child for my brother-in-law, I’m willing to do anything else for him!” Mrs. Carter cried until her eyes were nearly dry, but Audrey remained unmoving. She just knelt silently before her sister’s tombstone, staying there for an entire day. Liam’s eyes welled up. He truly hadn’t married the wrong person. Audrey was indeed the person who loved him most in this world. But that very night, as the city slept, Liam faintly heard the sound of his brother’s unrestrained panting coming from upstairs. Liam froze. His first thought was, *had Dominic remarried?* The panting continued, intermittently, seeping into Liam’s ears. Unable to contain his curiosity, Liam threw on a jacket and crept upstairs. Upstairs, Dominic’s bedroom door was ajar. The room was a mess. His tall, well-built brother was pressed against a fair-skinned woman, his strong, lean waist thrusting vigorously. The woman’s figure was blurry, but she looked incredibly familiar. A sense of foreboding instantly rose in Liam’s heart. Just then, moonlight streamed through the curtains, illuminating the woman’s face. This time, Liam finally saw clearly. The woman lying beneath his older brother, panting softly, was none other than his wife—Audrey Carter—who had stood so firmly by his side just that afternoon! 2 That afternoon, Audrey had stubbornly refused to bear a child for her brother-in-law. As punishment, her father had confined her to the old study for the entire night, telling her she could only leave when she came to her senses. Liam had assumed Audrey was still there, serving her punishment. He’d even gone to check on the study just now, but it was empty. Seeing the scene before him, Liam let out a self-deprecating laugh. The bed upstairs creaked incessantly, throughout the entire night, finally falling silent only when dawn broke. Liam hadn’t slept a wink. At daybreak, he found a lawyer and drafted a divorce agreement. Infidelity, deception… his entire family had treated him like a fool, putting on such a grand show for him. He had clearly misjudged her. A marriage like this was worthless. Liam took the drafted divorce agreement and entered Audrey’s study. He deliberately flipped to the last page and handed it to Audrey. “Sign here.” Audrey signed her name without hesitation. “Aren’t you going to look at what this is? Just sign?” Liam said calmly. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll sell you off?” “Not afraid,” Audrey replied, her tone full of affection. “No need to look. Whatever it is, if my husband asks me to sign, I’ll sign. Even if you sell me, I’d gladly count the money for you.” Audrey was always like this, sweet words always on her lips. Liam had once believed this was a sign of her love for him. Now he knew, it was nothing more than casual flattery. As night fell, her father, Mr. Carter, again coldly ordered Audrey to be confined to the study. Audrey’s face was resolute: “Dad, you can forget about it. I’d rather die in that study than agree to bear a child for Dominic!” She spoke with righteous indignation, but that very night, Liam again heard the muffled sounds of panting from upstairs. Later, Audrey seemed unable to control herself, even letting out explicit cries… The next few nights were the same. Pregnancy isn’t something you can guarantee with just one try; naturally, they needed to try multiple times to ensure success. Liam began to suffer from sleepless nights. The moment he closed his eyes, he couldn’t help but imagine: Just a wall away, upstairs, his wife, the woman he loved most in this life, was at this very moment lying beneath another man, panting softly… Due to insomnia, Liam gradually grew gaunt, his face so pale it was almost bloodless. In contrast, Dominic, his brother, looked rosier by the day, clearly well-cared for and thriving. The house was filled with a joyful atmosphere. Liam truly felt like an invisible man. So many people in the house, yet not a single one noticed his dark circles, his vacant expression, or his pale, increasingly thin face. Yet, when Dominic had been thin and drawn, the entire family had been frantic. Mrs. Carter would cook him all sorts of delicious food, just hoping he’d eat one more bite. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes would spend all day with Dominic, terrified he’d be even slightly unhappy. Even Audrey racked her brains to prepare surprises and cheer him up. Now, Liam’s dwindling physique was met only with accusations: “Who are you putting on that gloomy face for? If Isabelle hadn’t sacrificed herself to protect your wife, you’d be the one alone right now!” “You have no empathy at all, not even helping your own brother. Your conscience must have been eaten by dogs!” And so, Liam understood: they weren’t oblivious; they simply didn’t care about him. Liam said nothing more, quietly preparing his documents, and then applying to his company for an overseas work assignment. Since no one in his family cared about him, he didn’t want this family anymore. Not long after, under Dominic’s nightly efforts, Audrey finally became pregnant. The family was overjoyed, even setting off fireworks. Liam calmly drank his cereal, then lifted his eyes to look at Audrey. “Audrey Carter, is the child in your womb truly mine?” Audrey paused, then immediately bristled. “Husband, what do you mean by that? Are you doubting me?” To prevent Liam from suspecting anything, Audrey had deliberately spent a few nights with him during this period. Liam felt disgusted and had resisted touching Audrey, but one night he drank too much. Even though he was drunk, he remembered clearly: he hadn’t touched Audrey. Yet, when he woke up the next morning, Audrey had a shy, demure look, even hugging him and praising his “prowess” from last night… “Husband, I haven’t spent much time with you lately, but you can’t doubt me! And aren’t you well aware why I haven’t returned to our room to be with you at night?” “I wasn’t out with some toy boy! I was confined to the study as punishment by my father! And wasn’t I punished entirely because of you?” “I openly defied my parents for you, and yet you misunderstand me like this. Husband, anyone can doubt me, but you must believe me. I will only love you in this life.” Audrey reached out and hugged Liam, her face filled with grievance. Liam remained unmoved, calmly continuing to eat his cereal. Seeing this, Audrey sighed softly. “I shouldn’t have told you this, but if I don’t, you’ll just keep doubting me… Fine, I’ll tell you!” “Dad found a new woman for Dominic. She’s Isabelle’s best friend. The elders want a child, so let’s keep this between us, and don’t tell anyone else.” “Now you can rest assured, right? Someone else is bearing a child for Dominic, so I’m no longer needed!” “Now that I’m pregnant, we just need to take good care of our own child… Liam, promise me you’ll love the child in my belly with all your life!” 3 Liam nearly laughed. His entire family truly thought he was a fool. Not only did they secretly arrange this surrogate pregnancy scheme behind his back, but they also tried to trick him into becoming a cuckold, to raise this bastard as his own child! Audrey was already pregnant. That evening, her father no longer punished her with the “study confinement.” Audrey didn’t go upstairs to find Dominic either; instead, she returned to Liam’s room. But shortly after she entered, Mrs. Carter’s anxious voice came from outside: “Audrey, Dominic isn’t feeling well. Go check on him quickly.” Audrey’s face showed a flicker of hesitation, but in the end, she chose to go upstairs. “Liam, I’ll just go check on him and be back soon,” Audrey said. “Dominic isn’t well; he can’t manage alone.” Liam’s heart was already dead, and he was too weary to hold her back. And so, that night, Liam again heard faint panting sounds from upstairs. Audrey was clearly pregnant, yet they were still carrying on upstairs… Liam thought he was beyond sadness, but tears still soaked his pillow. Audrey didn’t return until dawn approached. She hugged Liam from behind, sounding weary. “I’m exhausted… Liam, don’t overthink it. Dominic had a stomachache, and I massaged his stomach all night. We didn’t do anything else.” She still carried the scent of Dominic’s men’s cologne. Liam felt a wave of nausea and pushed her away. “You should just stay with Dominic from now on,” Liam said coldly. “My brother-in-law is widowed and needs a woman. I don’t.” Audrey paused, then erupted in anger. “What do you mean? Isabelle sacrificed herself to save me! Now Dominic isn’t well, what’s wrong with me helping her care for him?” She glared at Liam, her eyes full of disappointment. “Liam, you don’t actually think there’s anything going on between Dominic and me, do you? If you think that… fine then, I won’t get involved in Dominic’s affairs anymore.” “I’ll avoid any hint of impropriety, then!” After saying this, Audrey slammed the door shut and left. For the next few days, she indeed had no further contact with Dominic. Even when Dominic fell ill and needed to go to the hospital, she kept her distance. “Dad, Mom, you take Dominic to the hospital. I can’t go, lest Liam overthink things and believe there’s something between Dominic and me.” With that one sentence, she successfully redirected the conflict to Liam. Mrs. Carter shot Liam a venomous glare. “I’ve never seen anyone so petty! We’re all family, what’s wrong with Audrey helping to look after her brother-in-law?” “Since you’re so petty, then from now on, you’ll be responsible for Dominic’s daily care, and you’ll take him to the hospital if he falls ill!” After saying this, she rudely urged Liam to start the car. Liam said nothing, simply grabbed the car keys and went to the garage. As soon as the car pulled out, Dominic suddenly swayed and fell, landing beneath the car wheel. Liam hadn’t even registered what had happened before he heard Dominic’s voice: “Ah… my leg… my leg hurts so much!” His cries drew everyone’s attention. Audrey rushed forward, darting to his side. “Dominic, are you alright?” “It hurts so much,” Dominic whimpered, clutching Audrey’s hand. “Audrey, my leg isn’t broken, is it?” Audrey was filled with distress. She whispered, “Dominic, don’t be afraid. I won’t let anything happen to you.” In her deep emotion, she no longer called him brother-in-law, but affectionately used his first name. Liam’s eyes involuntarily welled up. But before he could even register his sadness, Mrs. Carter suddenly pointed at the car and shouted, “Liam Hayes was driving! He hit Dominic!” 4 Everyone swarmed forward, pulling Liam out of the car. “Liam Hayes, how could you be so cruel? He’s your own brother!” Mr. Carter immediately slapped Liam across the face. “Your sister-in-law died saving your wife, and now you’re trying to run over your brother… Do you have no conscience at all?!” The slap was brutal, splitting the corner of Liam’s lip. But Mr. Carter wasn’t satisfied. He grabbed Liam’s hair and continued to beat him. Mrs. Carter also stepped forward, slapping Liam while sobbing uncontrollably. “My daughter is dead! And now you’re trying to run over her husband? What kind of monster are you?!” “You wouldn’t even agree to the surrogate pregnancy; you not only want to end Dominic’s lineage, but you want to end his life!” Liam was beaten until his face was covered in blood, but Audrey just stood by, watching coldly. It wasn’t until Mr. Carter shoved Liam so hard that he slipped, his head smashing against the car door, bleeding profusely, that Audrey finally spoke, her voice cold. “Enough! Stop hitting him!” “Dominic is injured; the priority now is to get him to the hospital.” After saying this, Audrey helped Dominic into the car. Dominic kept claiming his leg was broken, yet there wasn’t a single drop of blood on it. In contrast, Liam was covered in blood, beaten by his in-laws and his own parents. But Audrey didn’t spare him a glance, only drove Dominic to the hospital. Liam collapsed onto the ground, his heart frozen solid, so cold that not even tears would come. In the end, he went to the hospital by himself. He received five stitches on his head, his face was swollen beyond recognition, and his body was covered in bruises, from the pinches of his parents and in-laws, almost no patch of skin left unmarred. The young nurse applying medicine to him tried her best to hold back but eventually couldn’t resist asking, “Brother, were you domestically abused by your wife? Do you need me to call the police for you?” Liam gave a bitter smile and shook his head. He had indeed been abused, but not by his wife. It was by his entire family. Just then, Audrey emerged from another hospital room, shielding Dominic. The doctor walked out alongside her, saying, “Your husband is fine, just a scrape on his leg. Apply some ointment, rest for a few days, and he’ll be good as new.” Audrey nodded repeatedly. “Thank you, Doctor. I’ll make sure to take good care of him.” She didn’t bother to explain that Dominic wasn’t her husband, but her brother-in-law! After bidding the doctor farewell, Audrey carefully helped Dominic walk out. Dominic suddenly chuckled, “Audrey, don’t we look like newlyweds right now?” Audrey smiled back. “Indeed! And I’m even pregnant.” Hearing this, Dominic looked smug. “Pregnant right after getting married? I must be quite the man then.” Audrey blushed, then playfully punched Dominic. “Brother-in-law, you’re awful.” Dominic caught Audrey’s soft little hand and continued to laugh, “Am I not? Who was it crying, ‘No more!’ last night?” The two began to flirt openly in broad daylight. Liam averted his gaze, no longer wanting to watch. The young nurse beside him suddenly gasped, “Oh dear, why are you crying?” “Does your wound hurt too much? Should I get you some pain medication?” It was then that Liam realized, a grown man, he didn’t know when he had started to weep. He smiled through his tears, wiping them away. “Yes, the wound hurts too much.” Physical wounds could be treated with medicine; they would heal. But what about the wounds of the heart? How could they ever be mended? 5 Although Dominic was completely unharmed, after returning from the hospital, he became the family’s revered patriarch. Everyone in the family treated him with extreme care, especially Audrey, who doted on him endlessly. Whatever he desired, Audrey would find a way to get it for him. Even if he woke up in the middle of the night, suddenly craving a drink, Audrey would immediately get up and go buy it for him. “Liam, don’t you understand? My being so kind to Dominic is all because of *you*!” Audrey always had plenty of excuses. She grandly declared, “I’m atoning for your sins!” “Isabelle sacrificed herself to save me; we already owe Dominic a life. And then you tried to run him over… We owe Dominic far too much!” “The reason I didn’t protect you that day was because I didn’t want everyone in the family to resent you… I hope you’ll stop causing trouble. I’m trying so hard to atone for you; can’t you be more considerate and stop constantly targeting Dominic?” Hearing this, Liam couldn’t help but smile. He nodded, saying calmly, “Don’t worry. I won’t cause any more trouble.” Nor would he shed another tear for her. “Really?” Audrey’s face lit up with surprise. She hugged Liam, then said with immense relief, “That’s wonderful, you’ve finally come to your senses. Dominic and I really have nothing going on. He lost his wife, and I’m just taking care of him in place of my deceased sister.” “If there really was something between us, let alone you, would my sister in heaven ever forgive me?” Audrey didn’t know that true heartbreak wasn’t about shouting or making a scene; it was calmly accepting, then leaving. Shouting and making a scene meant one still loved deeply, still couldn’t let go, still wanted to salvage things. But once he stopped arguing, stopped making a fuss, that relationship had truly reached its end. Liam said nothing, allowing his entire family to treat Dominic like a king. He quietly prepared his documents for going abroad. He was leaving soon. For these last few days before his departure, he wanted to live in peace, without any trouble. But Dominic suddenly sought him out, looking smug, like a victor. “Liam Hayes, you must have guessed already, right? The child in your wife’s belly is mine.” “I hope you’ll be sensible, divorce Audrey on your own, and hand her over to me. That way, I’ll be lenient and let you off the hook.” Liam almost laughed. He asked calmly, “Dominic, are you really so sure that after Audrey and I divorce, she’ll marry you?” “You’re her sister’s husband. Her marrying you would be incest.” Dominic immediately flared up. He grabbed Liam by the collar and snarled, “Liam Hayes, do you think just because my wife is dead and yours is alive, you’re superior to me?” “What do you have to be proud of? You’ve always been inferior to me, ever since we were kids! Do you really think Audrey genuinely likes you?” “Ha! Let me tell you the truth! Audrey doesn’t like you at all! She slept with me not just because of the surrogate pregnancy!” “Even after Audrey got pregnant, she’d still come to my room every other night… She said I was passionate and potent in bed, unlike you, who’s so lifeless and boring!” Liam didn’t even bat an eyelid, just calmly said, “Even a paid escort can be passionate in bed, but no one marries them for love.” That one sentence successfully enraged Dominic. Dominic raised his hand, intending to slap Liam. But his hand paused mid-air. He didn’t actually bring it down. “Little brother, do you still remember a game we used to play when we were kids?” Dominic curved his lips into a wicked, eerie smile. Liam froze. He vaguely sensed what Dominic intended to do, and instinctively reached out to grab him. Unfortunately, it was already too late. Dominic’s face still held that wicked, eerie smile. He leaned back forcefully, tumbling backwards down the stairs! 6 “Little brother, let’s play a game.” That sentence was once Liam’s childhood nightmare. Liam was the middle child in his family, with an older brother above him and a younger sister below. After his sister was born, his parents focused all their attention on her. They had no time to care for young Liam, so they left him with Dominic. Dominic was only a teenager then, in his rebellious phase. He should have been enjoying his youth, but instead, he was cooped up at home babysitting. Naturally, he resented it. But he dared not defy his parents, so he took all his anger out on Liam, often hitting and scolding him. “Waaah, brother, please don’t bully me anymore. If you do, I’ll tell Mom and Dad,” little Liam, powerless against his brother, could only resort to threatening to tell their parents. But faced with the threat of being reported, Dominic suddenly smiled eerily. He said, “Little brother, let’s play a game.” Then, still smiling eerily, he picked up Liam’s toy and brutally smashed it against his own head! “This game is called ‘Let’s See Who Mom and Dad Believe’,” Dominic said, his head bleeding profusely, yet still smiling. “We’ll go to Mom and Dad together and see who they side with in the end!” After saying this, Dominic dropped the toy, then clutched his forehead and began to wail, “Waaah, Liam, don’t hit brother’s head with a toy, that’s wrong, brother hurts so much…” Liam was very young then, completely terrified by his brother’s eerie smile and blood-covered face. He was so scared he couldn’t even speak… The result was obvious: his parents believed Dominic and locked the stunned Liam in his room for a severe beating. Dominic had tasted victory and became even worse, often secretly beating and abusing Liam, then bloodying himself and tearfully complaining to his parents that Liam had done it. This was Dominic’s favorite game to play with Liam when they were children. As adults, Dominic hadn’t done it anymore. Liam never expected that after so many years, Dominic would pull the same trick again. “Ah——” A piercing scream echoed through the entire living room. Dominic tumbled down the stairs, then lay sprawled in a pool of blood. Audrey rushed over immediately. Seeing Dominic lying in blood, her face instantly turned terrifying. She shot Liam a vicious glare, as if she wished to tear him to shreds. But in the end, she said nothing, only frantically motioned for the house staff to come. Then, together with them, she lifted the unconscious Dominic and rushed him to the hospital. After all, saving him was the immediate priority. After Audrey took Dominic to the hospital, Liam arrived shortly after. But he wasn’t there voluntarily. He was dragged to the hospital like a criminal, while his parents and in-laws violently beat him. “Audrey, I heard you say on the phone that Dominic lost a lot of blood and needs a transfusion,” Mr. Carter asked with concern, twisting Liam’s ear and roughly dragging him forward as he spoke. “If Dominic needs a blood transfusion, use his blood! He and Dominic have the same blood type!” “He pushed Dominic, so he should donate blood to Dominic. However much blood Dominic needs, draw that much from him!” Even though there was enough blood in the hospital’s blood bank, Mr. Carter forcefully pushed Liam forward, ordering the doctor to draw Liam’s blood to transfuse into Dominic! 7 Fortunately, Mr. Carter wasn’t the ultimate decision-maker, so all eyes turned to Audrey. Waiting for her to speak, to decide Liam’s fate. Audrey looked at Liam with immense pain. “Liam, why did you do this?” “I’ve explained countless times that the child in my belly is yours, not Dominic’s. Dominic and I are completely innocent; there’s nothing illicit between us. Why don’t you believe me?” She paused, her eyes growing cold. “Liam, I want to side with you, but you’ve deeply disappointed me… If I don’t punish you for this, I’ll be disrespecting Isabelle’s memory!” “Someone, take him away and make him donate blood to Dominic. However much blood Dominic needs, draw that much from him!” At her command, Liam was seized and dragged away by numerous people. He struggled desperately, crying out through his tears, “It wasn’t me! I didn’t push him! He fell himself!” “Audrey Carter, when we got married, didn’t you promise me you’d always believe me, no matter what the consequences?” “I’m telling you now, I didn’t do it; I’m being framed. Do you believe me?!” He was hoarse, his throat nearly raw from shouting. But Audrey didn’t even glance at him. She didn’t believe he was innocent. His tears seemed to have run dry, only his heart still bled. Liam was forced onto a hospital bed, a thick needle piercing his skin. He trembled uncontrollably from the pain. Crimson blood was slowly drawn away. 200 milliliters. 400 milliliters. 600 milliliters. … As his blood was lost, his body temperature began to drop. Liam suddenly felt so cold. It was so quiet around him, as if the whole world had shrunk to just him. So cold, so lonely. In a daze, he felt like he was back in his desolate childhood, his brother coming to play games with him again, his father reaching for the belt to punish him severely, his sister smashing toys at his head, his mother scolding him for being inconsiderate, for not letting his sister have her way… Dominic had his father’s affection, his sister had his mother’s love. They all seemed to belong, while he was always alone, an invisible presence in a home that was anything but warm. He thought everything would change after marriage. He thought his wife would always stand by him, believe in him, support him, and never leave him alone again. But now, the wife who should have been on his side was the one sending him to hell… After extensive resuscitation, Dominic finally emerged from danger. “Audrey, thankfully I’m still alive. Otherwise, leaving you and the child as a widow and orphan in this world, I truly wouldn’t be able to rest,” Dominic said weakly. “How’s our baby? Have you been taking good care of yourself these past few days?” Hearing Dominic’s words, Audrey showed a pained expression. Though it hurt her to do so, she slowly pushed Dominic away. “Brother-in-law, you’re mistaken,” Audrey said. “It’s not *our* child. It’s your child with Isabelle.” 8 Dominic froze instantly, staring at Audrey in disbelief. “Audrey, what do you mean by that?” “Brother-in-law, don’t misunderstand,” Audrey explained. “You’re a very charming man, but I cannot do anything to betray Isabelle.” “And I already have Liam in my heart. I love him, and I won’t divorce him.” “Liam has certainly done many absurd things lately, but he did them because he loves me desperately… I think he must have discovered something, which led to his jealousy and then his frantic, reckless attempts to harm you.” At this, Audrey couldn’t help but smile, seemingly a little smug that Liam loved her so much. “Brother-in-law, we were very clear at the time: our arrangement was purely a surrogate pregnancy. We wouldn’t talk about feelings, only about having a child to leave a legacy for Isabelle.” “So, I hope that after this child is born, you will treat him as *your* child with Isabelle, not as *our* child.” “Once the child is born, I will leave all of the Carter family’s assets to you and the child. Liam and I will move out to avoid Liam harming you again out of jealousy.” Liam, who had just recovered, happened to be passing by that hospital room and overheard everything Audrey said. He couldn’t help but smile: *How grand and selfless!* Leaving all the family assets to Dominic, and her cheap love to him. Liam’s heart was utterly dead. He turned around and walked away without looking back. *Audrey, keep your cheap love to yourself. I don’t want it.* Upon returning home, Liam began to pack his belongings. Over the years with Audrey, he had treasured every single item she had given him. The first bouquet of roses she gave him, he’d pressed into a dried flower bookmark. The movie they saw together, he’d taped the ticket into his meticulously kept journal… And those exquisite gifts, they filled nearly an entire room. This room was full of traces of their love. Once, Liam had cherished these items, not daring to let anyone else touch them. But now, he couldn’t even be bothered to look at them. He threw them all into the backyard and set them ablaze. In the backyard, there was also a peach tree that Liam and Audrey had planted together when they got married. Peach blossoms symbolized love, and Audrey had once smiled, saying she hoped their love would grow as strong as this peach tree… Liam glanced at the peach tree, then swung an axe, chopping it down without hesitation, and burning it along with the other items. After doing all this, he took out the divorce agreement he had prepared long ago and placed it on the dresser in their bedroom. After placing the divorce agreement, Liam thought for a moment, then picked up a pen and left a note for Audrey. 【Audrey Carter, goodbye. Don’t come looking for me. I don’t want to see you again. Our paths have diverged. Let’s never meet again from this day forward.】 After leaving the note, Liam took his suitcase and left. He boarded a plane for a foreign country and flew away without a single backward glance. This land, which had never truly loved him, was not worth looking back at. Meanwhile, after settling Dominic, Audrey went to another hospital room to visit Liam. But the room was empty. “Mr. Hayes has been discharged,” the nurse said with a smile. “You must be Mr. Hayes’s sister-in-law? You and his brother are truly devoted!” “It’s spread throughout the hospital: after your husband was injured and unconscious, you stayed by his bedside for two full days and nights without eating or drinking!” Even the nurse mistakenly believed that Audrey and Dominic were a couple, and Liam was merely their younger brother. Audrey frowned, but she didn’t explain anything. She merely asked with a hint of displeasure, “When was Liam Hayes discharged?” “This morning,” the nurse replied. Audrey nodded, not overthinking it, and drove straight home. She wanted to have a serious talk with Liam. But when she arrived home, she saw the chopped-down peach tree, the emptied bedroom, and on the bedroom dresser, the farewell note and the divorce agreement! 9 Seeing the divorce agreement on the dresser, Audrey looked confused. *Why was her name signed on the last page? When did she sign this thing?* In her confusion, Audrey suddenly remembered that Liam had indeed asked her to sign a document a few days ago. After they married, Liam managed all her money. In the past, Liam often brought her financial documents to sign, so she had naturally assumed it was another investment document. She hadn’t even looked at it, just signed it directly. Liam studied finance; he had a good financial mind. His investments in stocks and wealth management products all showed excellent growth, and Audrey trusted him completely with her money. She never scrutinized any documents he asked her to sign, just signed them. But she never expected that the document she signed that day wasn’t an investment document at all, but a divorce agreement! *This shouldn’t count, right?* Audrey thought. *I didn’t sign it voluntarily. Liam tricked me into signing it; it can’t be legal.* Thinking this, Audrey suddenly smiled: *She understood! This divorce agreement had no legal validity. Liam was just having a tantrum with her; he never intended to actually divorce her.* If he truly wanted a divorce, shouldn’t they have a big fight first, and then divide their assets? Leaving without a word like this—what kind of divorce was that? Audrey felt that Liam’s behavior, rather than a divorce, was more like a scene from a TV drama: the male lead, in a fit of pique, leaves home, expecting the female lead to suffer remorse and then embark on a desperate quest to win him back. “He’s just pouting,” Audrey chuckled. “My Liam is so cute.” Once she figured this out, Audrey felt completely at ease. She didn’t take the divorce agreement seriously at all, simply tearing it up and throwing it in the trash. As for the farewell note placed with the divorce agreement, she tossed that aside too. *What ‘paths diverged,’ what ‘never meet again’… it was all just a ploy to entice her to come looking for him.* Audrey was confident that Liam loved her desperately and would never bear to leave her. But confidence aside, when it was time to chase her husband, she had to do it seriously. If she didn’t get him back soon, wouldn’t a fake divorce become a real one? So Audrey immediately ordered her subordinates: “Go investigate and find out where Liam went.” “Yes, ma’am!” Her subordinate took the command and immediately began the investigation. Audrey figured that since her husband wanted to play the “he runs, she chases” game, he would probably hide quite well and wouldn’t be easy to find. If necessary, she’d hire a private investigator; it wouldn’t cost much anyway. However, to Audrey’s disbelief, her subordinate had already uncovered Liam’s whereabouts that very evening. “Ms. Carter, Mr. Hayes went to K-country,” her subordinate reported respectfully. Audrey raised an eyebrow. “You found him that quickly? Is this a trick?” *That was too easy! Did Liam even try to hide properly?* “No, ma’am, I’ve confirmed it,” the subordinate said. “Mr. Hayes’s company recently opened a branch in K-country and needed to dispatch a general manager. Mr. Hayes submitted an application.” This made Audrey a little uncertain. Because such overseas work assignments were usually long-term, requiring at least three to five years abroad before returning. If Liam was just having a tantrum with her, wouldn’t he just escape abroad? Why go through the extra trouble of a work assignment? Though a bit unsure, at least he was found. Audrey wasn’t the type to worry needlessly. Rather than overthinking, she preferred to fly directly to K-country and clear things up with Liam! So, without any hesitation, Audrey booked a flight to K-country for the next morning.
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