When I saw my husband Ryan and the intern Quinn having sex against the mirror in the company break room, I didn’t burst in screaming and making a scene. Instead, I went to the legal department, printed out divorce papers, and waited in the office for them to finish. When they emerged, Ryan had Quinn wrapped up tight, shielding her behind him. “I couldn’t control myself in the heat of the moment. It’s my fault. Name your terms, but leave her out of this.” The way he protected that intern was exactly like how he’d stood before my parents defending me ten years ago. “If you won’t treat her, I will! It’s just cancer, isn’t it? I’ll spend every penny I have to cure her! If you don’t want her, I do! From now on, I’ll be her only family!” I smiled through the pain in my chest. Calmly, I pushed the divorce agreement toward him. “Consider this divorce agreement repayment for saving my life back then. Now we’re even.” Quinn’s trembling moans announced the end of their session. Ryan Miller slowly led Quinn out, his movements casual. When he saw me, panic flashed in his eyes. But he quickly regained his composure. He settled Quinn, her steps unsteady, onto the couch, his expression indifferent. “I was planning to find the right time to tell you, but since you found out first, I’ll just be honest.” “I’ve lost the passion of love for you. All that’s left is the habit of companionship. As long as you can accept her, we can continue as before.” His words cut through my heart like a knife. I never imagined he could be so brazen—as if cheating wasn’t even wrong. I clenched my fists, my voice shaking. “How long has this been going on?” He played with the wedding ring on his finger. “A year and a half.” Right when I finished my last round of chemotherapy. I opened my mouth to say something. Suddenly, Quinn clutched her stomach. “Ryan, I… my stomach hurts.” Ryan didn’t bother asking what I wanted to say. He immediately called the family doctor. Within fifteen minutes, Dr. Smith arrived. After checking her pulse, his expression grew troubled, and he glanced at me inadvertently. “Quinn is pregnant. It’s probably from overstimulation due to excessive intercourse. She should go to the hospital for a proper checkup.” Quinn’s eyes reddened as she complained coquettishly. “It’s all your fault! You didn’t use protection last time! And just now you were so rough, going so many times. I told you I couldn’t take it anymore but you wouldn’t stop!” Ryan apologized without a care for anyone watching. “My fault. I won’t do it again.” The doting tone in his voice made my heart tremble. He hadn’t spoken to me so gently in a very long time. I gripped my palms hard to hold back tears. Only then did Quinn seem to notice me. She pulled away from his embrace, her voice full of grievance. “Ryan, don’t do this in front of her. She’ll be hurt. Maybe we shouldn’t keep this baby after all. It’s not legitimate anyway.” Ryan frowned and grabbed her hand. “What do you mean we shouldn’t keep it! If I got you pregnant, I’ll take responsibility! You focus on your pregnancy and having this baby. Don’t worry about anything else. We’re going to the hospital right now!” Ryan hurriedly carried her out. As he rushed past, the wind from his clothes knocked me over. He paused for just a moment but didn’t look back. “Go home first. Don’t come to the office unless necessary—she gets scared easily.” The pain I’d been suppressing spread through my body from where I’d been knocked down. Tears flowed like water, but he was completely oblivious. I knew I was no longer the person whose single tear would make him panic. Looking at the office filled with traces of a young girl— Condoms in the drawer. Quinn’s complete sets of intimate clothing. Several tubes of bright-colored lipstick that had appeared in the pen holder. Cute labels on the file rack that read “Think of me today too.” His evasiveness at home, the phone he wouldn’t let me see. His constant late-night excuses to go out—it was all because he had someone more important. And the fact that I owed him my life meant I couldn’t even rightfully ask “why” when faced with betrayal. I laughed bitterly at myself. I dialed the lawyer’s number. “Help me draft divorce papers. I’ll leave with nothing.”
I sat alone on the couch waiting until late at night before Ryan came home. When he saw my face, his smile faded. Out of habit, he got my sleeping pills. “Can’t sleep again? Didn’t I tell you not to stay up late?” I didn’t respond. I handed him the signed divorce agreement. My voice was hoarse. “She’s pregnant. I thought about it for a long time. Since you like her, I’ll step aside. Consider it repayment for saving my life.” Ryan paused. A flash of barely perceptible anger crossed his eyes. He tore the agreement to shreds in a few quick motions. “Her pregnancy was within my expectations. Your health hasn’t been good these years—you can’t have children. Her child will be your child in the future.” “I won’t divorce you. After all these years, you only have me. I’ll give you dignity and respect, but as for love—I’ll give it all to her as compensation.” “I’ve already talked to her. She doesn’t want status, she just wants to be with me. You don’t need to worry about her affecting your position. Just wait to raise the child. Don’t think about meaningless things.” A belated sharp pain stabbed through my heart. I could never connect this distant man before me with the boy who once sat by my bedside promising he’d never let go of my hand. Right after college graduation, I was diagnosed with early-stage cancer. My parents, who had wanted to marry me off for money, abandoned me when they found out I was sick. Ryan gave up graduate school and entered the business world. He worked his way up from nobody to CEO of a publicly traded company. He gave me the best medical resources, allowing us a few more years of love together. During that time, Ryan’s mother repeatedly tried to make me leave. He threatened to die, saying I would be his only wife in this lifetime, that he would only ever love me. I once thought this was the perfect ending to a fairy tale—the hero and heroine overcoming countless hardships to finally be together. But reality delivered a crushing blow just when I thought I could be happy forever. Seeing my pale face, Ryan softened his tone. “You’re wonderful. I just don’t have feelings anymore.” “It’s late. Get some rest. I’ve assigned Dr. Smith to take care of her. Your health is mostly recovered now—if there’s a problem, just go to the hospital.” Dr. Smith had taken care of me for five years. Ryan had hired him at great expense as my personal physician. I’d mentioned before that my health was mostly recovered and I didn’t need a family doctor anymore. He’d said my condition could never be taken lightly. I said nothing and carried my things to the guest bedroom. Ryan instinctively grabbed my hand, then paused. “That’s fine actually. She’s pregnant and emotionally unstable. Sleeping separately will give her security. Move all your things to the guest room tomorrow.” During chemotherapy, I’d been in so much pain I couldn’t sleep all night, disturbing his rest too. I’d tried sneaking to another room in the middle of the night once, but he got very angry and carried me back. He said he couldn’t rest easy without staying by my side. He said he couldn’t sleep without breathing in my scent. From then on, for over two thousand nights, we slept in each other’s arms. Not even arguments or cold wars separated us. Now, he was preserving himself for someone else. I bit my lip hard, each step feeling like walking on nails as I left the bedroom that held the weight of our relationship. That night, tears soaked my pillow. I’d lost the last person in the world who loved me. The next morning, I went to Ryan’s mother’s house with a pounding headache, bringing the divorce agreement. She’d never liked me, thinking I was a burden to her son. Hearing that Quinn was pregnant with their grandchild made her even more eager for me to leave. She happily prepared a new divorce agreement. Out of her “generosity” for my “self-awareness,” she gave me ten percent of the assets. She subtly warned me not to pester Ryan after taking the money. I didn’t refuse. After all, half a month ago, I’d been diagnosed with a recurrent tumor. They still weren’t sure if it was benign or malignant. She couldn’t be bothered with small talk. Unusually, she spoke with some softness. “I’ll use every method possible to make him sign. You prepare for your future.”
After being politely escorted out of the family estate by the butler, I walked home numbly. But before I could even enter, Ryan’s people grabbed me and dragged me to the hospital. Outside the operating room, his eyes bloodshot, he slapped me hard across the face. “Who told you to tell my mother about Quinn’s pregnancy? Don’t you know she hates illegitimate children most of all! If I’d been one minute later, she would have dragged Quinn to get an abortion!” “Yesterday you acted like you didn’t care—turns out you were playing hard to get! If anything happens to her, what will you compensate me with?” After the burning pain on my cheek came numbness and shock. Ever since he took that slap from my father for me years ago, he said he’d never let anyone hurt me again in this lifetime. But in the end, he was the one who struck me without mercy. I held back tears and was about to explain when the operating room doors opened. He looked more anxious than when I’d miscarried a year ago. The doctor’s expression was grave. “The patient is showing signs of bleeding. She’s still being treated. The family should prepare a blood source immediately.” He stared at me hard, fury spilling from his eyes. “Are you satisfied now! If anything happens to her and the baby, you won’t get off easy either!” He dragged me to the blood donation room. “She has the same blood type as the patient. Draw hers for backup.” I looked at him in disbelief. A year ago, we’d had a child too. But because of my poor health and severe anemia, not long after the pregnancy was discovered, I bled and miscarried. Dr. Smith frowned. “Mr. Miller, your wife’s health isn’t good either. Last time she hemorrhaged… why don’t you use mine instead?” Ryan’s eyes flickered with hesitation, but under the doctor’s urging, he gave the order coldly. “Use hers. The blood type matches.” The needle stirred in my vein. I trembled from the pain. But his eyes remained fixed on the operating room door, not sparing me a single glance. When the surgery light finally went out and voices began exchanging information nearby, my consciousness had faded so much I couldn’t hear. After a long while, when I thought I could finally leave, someone pinned my arms down. Another needle was inserted into my other arm. Ryan’s urgent voice rang in my ears. Not because I was losing consciousness. But because— “Don’t switch donors! Quinn is weak. It’s best if one person provides all the blood to avoid complications. However much it takes, I only care about keeping mother and child safe!” As my consciousness blurred, I almost wished I would just die. Return this life to him. Then we’d be even. But somehow I survived. When I woke again, it was evening at dusk. I started to sit up when rustling sounds came from beside me. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been so insecure back then, insisting you terminate her pregnancy, she wouldn’t have hemorrhaged and her health wouldn’t have declined so much.” “You already lied to her for me. Now you’ve hurt her again because of me. I feel so guilty.” Ryan sighed. “Terminating her pregnancy had nothing to do with you. I didn’t want it myself. Her health was poor—keeping that baby would’ve been a burden. Besides, I can’t give you status anymore. My child can only be born by you.” “If you really feel guilty, then from now on, protect our child well.” Listening to their intimate voices, my heart felt like someone had gouged out a piece of flesh. The pain was suffocating. He’d said even without a child, we’d be just as happy together. He’d said having me alone in this lifetime was enough. I never imagined the child whose loss tormented me through countless nights had actually been terminated by the person I loved most—just to appease his mistress. I gripped the bedsheet tightly, but tears still fell. After the muffled sound of water hitting the floor, the privacy curtain was pulled open. Meeting my desperate, anguished eyes, guilt flashed through Ryan’s expression. He reached out to wipe away my tears. But I dodged him. He sighed almost imperceptibly. “Since you heard, I have nothing to explain. Your health was already poor. Losing the baby was for your own good. Rest well. I’m taking her to the new ward.” The door closed. I finally broke down sobbing. Like a madwoman, I smashed everything in the hospital room. The IV needle twisted in my vein, piercing through my skin. But I felt no pain. If I could choose, I wished I’d died on the operating table during that cancer surgery years ago. Instead of being here, helpless as the person I loved most stabbed me again and again.
Perhaps out of guilt, during the week I was hospitalized, nutritional IVs, various supplements, custom meals, and luxury jewelry flowed into my room like water. But Ryan himself never appeared. According to the doctors, he’d been by Quinn’s side constantly these past days. He hadn’t slept for several nights and hadn’t gone to the company either. On the day of my discharge, he came to pick me up. When he reached out to help me up, I dodged him. His brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t insist. “I know you’re upset. I’ll take you to an auction tonight. Bid on whatever you like.” “Try to be more understanding. Don’t worry about saving money for me—it’s the only thing I can give you now anyway.” That evening, the driver picked me up for the auction. As I got out of the car, he was helping Quinn out of another vehicle. Their movements were intimate, exactly like us during our honeymoon phase. I numbly followed them to our seats. As if venting, I participated in bidding for every item. Even items worth ten thousand dollars I drove up to hundreds of thousands. But from start to finish, Ryan kept his attention on Quinn and the items she liked. He didn’t look at me once. In that moment, disgust and resentment consumed me. I couldn’t calm down. I put down my bidding paddle and ran to the restroom. I splashed ice-cold water on my face and looked at my sallow, emaciated reflection in the mirror. Quinn appeared behind me at some point. Her skin was white as jade, her face full of youthful collagen. We were worlds apart. I said nothing and turned to leave, but she grabbed me. She touched her still-flat belly. “I said those things that day on purpose for you to hear.” “As you can see, his heart and eyes are full of me now. If not for years of emotional attachment and responsibility, he would’ve left you long ago.” “If you’re smart, you’ll leave while he still has a shred of feeling for you. Don’t obstruct our happiness.” I paused. The words “as you wish” were on the tip of my tongue, but seeing her provocative expression, I swallowed them. I laughed coldly. “I know you’re desperate to get rid of me and take my place, but your desperation is useless. As long as I’m here, you’ll be a mistress for life, and the baby in your belly will be illegitimate forever.” “He’ll have to call me Mom. He’ll have to support me in old age. I’ll teach him from childhood that mistresses are the most despicable people in the world. Do you think that kind of life will be happy?” Quinn’s anger was visible. Her eyes turned red as she glared at me. “You just won’t face reality! Fine. Keep being stubborn. Since you won’t leave, I’ll send you off myself!” I ignored her empty threats. When I went back out, I saw Ryan’s worried eyes—which turned to wariness when he saw it was me. Only when he saw Quinn emerge unharmed did he relax. After the auction ended, Ryan received a work call. He had the driver ensure both Quinn and I got home safely. He got in another car to go work overtime at the company. We rode in silence the whole way. But I noticed this route wasn’t heading home or to Quinn’s place. I was about to speak when someone struck me hard on the back of the neck with a chop. When I woke again, the roar of ocean waves filled my ears, making me shiver. My arms were tied behind my back. No matter how I struggled, I couldn’t break free. I looked up to see several masked figures playing with knives, standing before us. Quinn was also tied up, standing beside me on the cliff’s edge. But she looked completely at ease, not at all like someone who’d been kidnapped. “What are you doing!” She laughed mockingly. “Making sure you die with full understanding, of course.” As she spoke, thick tape sealed my mouth. They grabbed ropes and suspended us both over the cliff. A phone rang across the empty ocean. Ryan’s anxious voice came through. “What do you want? Come at me! Let them go!” The man laughed, scraping his sharp blade against the rope. “Revenge, of course. You really screwed me over back then.” “Now I have both your wife and your mistress with your child. Choose one. I’ll push the other one down to feed the sharks.” Quinn cried rivers of tears. “Ryan, don’t worry about me! You’re a rising star in business—so many people are watching you. I can’t let you bear the stigma of cheating and abandoning your wife and child.” “Natalie, I’m willing to die for Ryan! Please make this farce stop!” Her words instantly enraged Ryan. “Natalie! You’re getting more and more shameless with your jealous schemes! I already said I won’t divorce you. What more do you want?” “Now you’re staging a fake kidnapping to threaten me! I don’t have time for your games. If Quinn loses a single hair, I’ll make you pay!” I couldn’t speak. I could only cry. The kidnapper looked at me sinisterly. “So you’re choosing to let your wife feed the sharks?” Ryan paused, unease growing in his heart. But the flicker of hesitation and doubt in his eyes vanished the moment he saw Quinn’s terrified expression. “Stop pretending! I’m not falling for reverse psychology! If she wants to jump, let her jump! It’ll wash clean her filthy heart! Just send Quinn back to me in one piece!” I never imagined that in his eyes, I’d become someone whose life could be wagered. I struggled to explain. But the tape sealed my mouth tight. The rope frayed bit by bit. Looking at Ryan’s still unmoved expression, the feeling of free fall and suffocation didn’t seem so unbearable anymore. Tears blown by the wind landed on the screen. His brow twitched. Just as he was about to speak, with a whoosh, I plunged into the abyss. Watching his anxious face in the camera grow more and more blurred, I closed my eyes. But the moment I truly fell into the depths of the ocean, I heard him screaming my name with heart-wrenching despair.
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