Author: Momo Chan

When Liam Sterling first cheated, he dragged his mistress before me, eyes blazing, and declared I could do as I pleased with her. Back then, I loved him fiercely, so I forgave him this supposed “accidental lapse.” The second time he strayed, I sent the woman overseas, forbidding her to ever return. But on the night of our engagement party, Liam grabbed my throat, pressing a blade cold against my stomach, his eyes bloodshot as he demanded: “Where’s Chloe? She’s pregnant, do you know that?” “It’s my fault I couldn’t control myself. Take your anger out on me. Chloe’s just a young girl, she shouldn’t suffer for this. Please, I’m begging you, once the baby is born safely, I’ll never see her again.” “You’re afraid of the pain of childbirth, aren’t you? What if we just have this one child, the one in Chloe’s belly? I promise, the child will only recognize you as their mother; that’s my vow to you.” The blade pierced my skin, and blood welled around the cut. I looked at him, smiling faintly, and told him Chloe’s whereabouts. After he slammed the door and left, I fumbled for my phone, my hands trembling, and dialed a familiar number: “You were right this time. Can you still help me?” A string of curses came from the other end, the man’s voice laced with exasperation: “Why didn’t you say something sooner? I’m already out of the country, how can I help you now?” “Aubrey Hayes, I’m telling you, how can someone as smart as you fall for the same guy twice? Did you use all your emotional intelligence just to throw yourself at him?” I pressed hard against the wound on my abdomen, my voice growing increasingly bitter: “I’m sorry. I owe you this one. Next collaboration project, thirty percent off. Is that enough?” The man on the other end instantly perked up, his tone brightening with excitement: “Send me the time and location. I’ll be there, no doubt.” “Next time you have a ‘collaboration’ like this, remember to call me! Absolutely fair and square.” I sent the complete wedding plan to Jax. He quickly responded with an ‘OK’ emoji. The wedding suite, once meticulously prepared, was now a wreck, vandalized by Liam, much like my own shattered heart. After tending to my wound alone, I stumbled out of the villa. As soon as I checked into a hotel, Liam’s call came through. Despite the loud hum of the airplane engines, I still acutely picked up the suppressed fury in his voice: “Aubrey, I’m on a flight out of the country right now. I can’t be with you tonight, so get some rest. I was just too emotional earlier, I never meant to hurt you.” “Is the injury serious? Should I send my private doctor over to check on you—” “No need,” I cut him off coldly. Liam’s tone immediately dropped, growing sharper: “Aubrey, didn’t I tell you? Chloe and I were just an accident. Someone drugged me, and I mistook her for you. It’s happened, are you going to let a Sterling child be born overseas?” “You forgave me once before, didn’t you? Why are you being so unreasonable this time? The wedding is in a week. Just calm down tonight.” I stared at my chat history with Jax, and said coldly: “No need. I won’t marry you.” “Liam Sterling, I told you, I don’t tolerate infidelity.” I was about to hang up when he suddenly erupted: “Not marry me? What kind of joke is that? The engagement party’s done. The whole world knows the Sterlings and the Hayes are uniting. You’re saying this now? Using our alliance to threaten me?” “Aubrey, we grew up together. I know you better than anyone. Unless I was set up, I would never betray you!” “They say the third time’s the charm, and I’ve only made two mistakes. Once the child is born, I promise Chloe will never appear before you again. Isn’t that enough?” Tears suddenly welled up, and a bitter smile touched my lips: “So, what? You want me to look at the child you had with another woman every day, to remind myself of your mistakes every day?” “Liam Sterling, I can’t do it. I’m sorry.” The moment the words left my mouth, his enraged roar came from the other end: “Fine, remember what you said! Don’t you dare regret it!” “Which man of my status doesn’t have a mistress? I handed Chloe over to you to deal with; I’ve done all I can. If you can accept it, marry me. If you can’t, get out, and do whatever you want!” The call ended, and the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window mirrored my disheveled appearance. Suite 13520. It used to be his favorite meeting spot. He said it was filled with memories of our love. Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries… This room had practically become ours. But now, only I remembered those things. Liam broke the news of the broken engagement to my parents, and they immediately called to question me. “Aubrey, what happened? Liam said you want to call off the wedding?” “This isn’t a game, you can’t be so reckless.” I buried myself deep under the covers, my voice catching in my throat: “His mistress is pregnant.” “Which man doesn’t make mistakes? Just have it taken care of—” “I’m not calling off the wedding. I’m just changing grooms. You know him too, Jax Carter.” My father’s attempts to persuade me caught in his throat, and my mother gasped in astonishment: “Jax Carter? Aren’t you two sworn enemies? Have you forgotten when he almost set your hair on fire when you were kids?” I smiled, trying to keep my voice light: “Exactly. So I want to marry him. To torment him for a lifetime.” 2 Tossing and turning, the wound on my abdomen kept me awake all night. When morning broke, I contacted a real estate agent to sell the wedding villa. Returning to pack my things, I saw Liam’s private jet still parked on the lawn. Pushing open the door, my eyes fell on walls covered in warm photos. Only, the figures in the pictures weren’t me; they were Chloe Adams. The Arctic glaciers, the Eiffel Tower, the burnt-out Notre Dame. All the places we had once visited together, he had taken Chloe to see them all again. He used to say he hated taking pictures. Being in his position, who knew what reporters or rivals would do with his photos. No matter how much I begged or promised, we never had a single photo together. But now, Chloe was his exception. They stood together beneath the photo wall, Chloe caressing her barely noticeable bump, her smile bright. “Liam, when the baby’s born, let’s take them to these places, okay?” “They’ll love it, I’m sure! Feel, they’re kicking me already!” The sound of the door opening drew their attention. They turned and saw me. Chloe immediately dropped to her knees in front of me, embracing my waist, begging and apologizing. “Aubrey, it’s my fault. I didn’t keep my promise to stay overseas. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?” “I just love Liam too much… I swear, I’ll leave once the baby is born. I won’t be in your way…” Before I could speak, Liam scoffed. “No need to apologize to her. You were drugged too, and met me by accident. If anything, I’m the one who owes you.” He lifted his eyes and looked at me. “Aubrey, I’ve found out who drugged us. That company will be shut down within a month.” “Chloe is innocent, forced into a mistake. You shouldn’t blame her. I can overlook this incident; just apologize, and we can move past it.” I looked back at him, my gaze devoid of any emotion. It was just laughable. “Me apologize? Liam Sterling, have you lost your mind?” The next second, the hand on my waist tightened sharply, hitting my wound. I gasped in pain, cold sweat drenching me. I quickly pushed her away. I hadn’t used much force, but Chloe stumbled back and fell against a cabinet. “What do you think you’re doing!” Liam abruptly shoved me, and my forehead hit the doorframe hard. Blood immediately trickled out. “I think you’re the one who’s lost your mind!” “Chloe has already bowed to you, and I’ve explained everything. What more do you want?” “Apologize, or you can try me!” I clenched my jaw, swallowing a wave of humiliation, and enunciated each word: “No. Way.” “Apologize to your mistress? Liam Sterling, you must be dreaming!” “Unbelievable!” Liam’s eyes turned red with anger. He quickly scooped Chloe into his arms and carried her to the bedroom to rest. As he came out, he called all the villa staff. “Get the restraints. My fiancée is clearly delirious. Make her kneel on the grounds until she calms down! She’s not to get up without my permission!” 3 My eyes instantly turned bloodshot. I looked at him, disbelief flooding me. “Liam Sterling, you’re insane! She’s just a mistress, and you dare to treat me like this?” “This is my house!” “But I’m the man of the house.” Liam gave me a cold glance and said nothing more. The staff quickly dragged me outside. A long trail of blood stained the ground. The moment the villa gates closed, a sudden clap of thunder echoed in the clear sky. Then, the heavens opened, and a torrential downpour began. I was quickly soaked to the bone. Kneeling in the rain, the cuts on my forehead and abdomen began to burn. My consciousness slowly blurred. I looked at the supervising staff member, my voice weak to the extreme: “Let me go… please, call Liam over, please…” The staff member, observing me with a look of amusement, stood under the eaves, a mocking smile on their face. “Save it. I’ve seen enough of your pity parties.” “Mr. Sterling just called the private doctor. He’s busy tending to Ms. Adams’s injuries right now.” I strained my eyes upwards. Figures were faintly visible on the second-floor balcony. The next second, my vision went black, and I collapsed completely onto the ground. In my unconscious state, I heard the staff’s urgent shouts: “Oh no, Ms. Hayes has fainted!” “There’s blood on the ground! Quick, get the doctor to come here!” Familiar footsteps approached, and an umbrella was held over my head. Liam’s voice was unusually cold. “Had enough of acting?” “Anyone would think you were the pregnant one.” “Aubrey, it’s time you learned to control your temper. I’m doing this for your own good.” Footsteps receded. He and Chloe stood embracing under the eaves, looking in my direction. Chloe weakly nestled into his arms, her voice aggrieved: “Liam, Aubrey doesn’t seem to be faking. Are we being too harsh on her?” “After all, she’s your fiancée. If the Hayes family found out…” Liam’s face hardened. “I’ve worked my way up for years. I don’t need to be dictated by the Hayes family.” “She was being unreasonable first. Chloe, you still have eight months until the baby’s born. You can’t let her bully you constantly. Her temper needs to be reined in.” A flicker of triumph crossed Chloe’s eyes, quickly replaced by an innocent expression. “I heard that arranged marriages in elite families often lack emotion. Is it the same for you and Aubrey?” The relentless downpour mercilessly battered my pale face. For a moment, I felt as if my heart had stopped. The next second, Liam’s emotionless voice sounded beside my ear. “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. Born into the Sterling family, a marriage alliance is my inescapable destiny. Since I have no choice, I can only accept it.” “Aubrey is beautiful, and innocent. Compared to other domineering heiresses, she was the best choice.” Tears streamed from the corners of my eyes, mixing with the mud. Liam looked at Chloe with doting affection, his eyes finally showing genuine emotion. “I thought I would live my entire life that way. Your appearance, Chloe, is a gift from above.” “Thank you, Chloe.” Each biting word pierced my heart. I couldn’t tell which hurt more, my body or my soul. The memories of our childhood together grew hazy. What I thought was innocent young love, what I believed was deeply rooted affection, turned out to be nothing but lies. How ridiculous that my only wish for twenty years of my life was to marry him. To help his career flourish and soar to great heights. The boy who, under the willow tree, broke off a branch to make me a crown, had truly faded into memory. My taut nerves suddenly snapped, and fresh blood began to gush from my abdomen. Liam finally noticed something was wrong and roared at the staff nearby: “What are you waiting for? Go check on her!” “If anything happens to Ms. Hayes, none of you will have a job!” 4 In my haze, my body was repeatedly shaken. Then, I was enveloped in a warm embrace. The familiar scent of pine wood seemed to take me back to when it was just the two of us. But when I opened my eyes, I had been moved into a guest room. Liam sat by the bed. His face was full of anger and coldness. “Why didn’t you tell me you were injured?” “Aubrey, are you really that stubborn? When will you ever change your temper?” Ignoring his emotions, I turned my head to survey the room. It was shabby and disorganized, worse than the staff’s quarters. And who was staying in my original master bedroom was clear without a doubt. A cold smile touched my lips. I didn’t even glance at him. “My temper has nothing to do with you.” “The person you should be most concerned about right now is Chloe.” I propped myself up and tore off the gauze bandage from my abdomen. “Also, a reminder: this is my house. Please have your mistress move out as soon as possible.” Liam was completely enraged by my indifferent attitude. He immediately stood up and roared furiously: “Enough! Are you really that intolerant?” “I had Chloe move in because I wanted you two to look after each other, not for you to act so irrational!” “Forget it. Chloe still has eight months until the baby is due. You can use that time to calm down. When the child is born, I don’t want their mother to be a lunatic!” He threw down these words and left without looking back. I lifted the duvet; the wound on my knee had already been treated by the doctor. I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. Everything I had suffered was thanks to him, and now he was trying to act like a good person? The laughter from downstairs continued. I took out my phone and lowered the villa’s asking price again. I didn’t want to see this painful place for another moment. That evening, the staff prepared a table full of food. Most of it was seafood, which Liam was allergic to. I stood on the second floor and watched for a moment, recalling how Liam used to order in restaurants, unwilling to compromise for me. It turned out love and not loving were so obvious. Returning to what was once the master bedroom, my original luggage had already been thrown out. That saved me some trouble, at least. After ordering a cab on my phone, I turned to leave. Chloe appeared in front of me, carrying a tray of food. She smiled sweetly. “Aubrey? What, are you here to see your room? Oh, sorry, Liam said the pregnant woman gets priority, so this room is mine now.” “If you’re looking for any trash, you might want to check the garbage bin. There’s nothing here, sorry.” What she called trash were the gifts Liam had once given me. A cold smile played on my lips as I looked at her. “Chloe, what you value as treasure isn’t necessarily treasure to me.” “I can let you have the house, and I can let you have the man. But remember, what’s taken by force will be taken by force. You weren’t his first woman, and you won’t be his last.” Chloe’s face hardened, and she deliberately smashed the food tray in her hands. “Who are you trying to fool? A worn-out plaything like you, only tough talk!” “I don’t need you to ‘let’ me have him. Liam will only choose me. Don’t believe it? Just watch!” With that, she suddenly shrieked, ran her hands through her long hair, and dashed towards the terrace, stumbling back and falling off the terrace. Only one arm was supporting her weight as the cold night wind whipped around her. Chloe cried more and more miserably. “Aubrey, why are you doing this to me?” Before I could react, Liam kicked the door open. He rushed forward in three strides, pulling Chloe up from outside and holding her tightly in his embrace. Turning back to me, he furiously slapped my face. “Aubrey, are you never going to stop?” Chloe hid in his arms, both hands clutching her stomach, her voice weak. “Aubrey, I’ve already apologized to you. Why can’t you just leave me alone?” “The baby is innocent. When the baby is born, I’m willing to atone with my life. Please, spare the Sterling family’s bloodline…” I frowned, about to speak. Liam said coldly: “Aubrey, kneel!” I looked at him in disbelief. “You suspect me?” Placing Chloe on the bed, Liam turned and walked towards me, his eyes full of ruthlessness. “Why shouldn’t I suspect you? First, you sent Chloe overseas, then you deliberately pushed her. This is the third time!” “Aubrey, how am I supposed to trust you?” The love I once held for him vanished in that moment. Without giving me a chance to explain, Liam carried Chloe and quickly left the villa. I tore down and burned the photos on the walls, one by one. At midnight, the real estate agent sent me a message. “Ms. Hayes, someone is willing to buy the house at full price, no discount needed. When are you available to sign the contract?” “Tomorrow.” I dismissed all the villa staff. For a whole week, Liam never showed up. Photos of him, secretly taken by passersby, occasionally surfaced from the hospital. He was either registering at the obstetrics and gynecology department or picking up medication for Chloe on the first floor. On the morning of the wedding, Liam drove the wedding car to the villa to pick me up. He opened the door and was met with a stranger’s face. His brow instantly furrowed. “Where’s Aubrey? Who are you?” His assistant rushed up behind him, breathless. “Mr. Sterling, you’ve made a mistake! Ms. Hayes already sold this house!” “Ms. Hayes is marrying into the Carters today!”

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Mr. Harrison Sr. owed the Miller family a life-altering debt. Mrs. Collins used that debt to force Grandpa Harrison to make Jake marry me. For ten years, he’d hated me. He’d even paraded countless women into his bed just to spite me, to drive me away. I became the joke of our elite circle, yet Jake would just coldly tell me, “What right do you have to feel wronged? You brought this on yourself.” Everyone believed I’d cling to Jake forever. He thought so too. Until the person I trusted most, betrayed me. My resolve shattered. The moment I handed him the divorce papers, a wave of relief washed over me. I smiled, a genuine, unburdened smile. “Finally,” I whispered, “this charade of a marriage can end.” 1 I stepped onto the yacht, the party’s wild energy already hitting its peak. In the center of the crowd, Jake Harrison lounged on a sofa, his posture effortlessly casual. That familiar back, a sight that still made my heart ache. She was perched on Jake’s lap, looking alluring, her fingers playfully tracing his neck. Men and women raised their champagne glasses, shouts of “Kiss! Kiss!” echoing around. Brittany Collins’ cheeks were flushed, her eyes gleaming with a reckless desire. Jake’s eyes narrowed slightly, sweeping over the crowd. A slow smirk curved his lips. Without a flicker of hesitation, he pointed me out. “Look over there,” he drawled, “your best friend is watching us.” A collective turn, and then silence. Their eyes, filled with open mockery, landed on me. Someone, I couldn’t tell who, broke the silence with a snide “Hey, Mrs. Harrison!” Others quickly followed suit. Brittany, still on Jake’s lap, glanced at me, showing no intention of moving. I clenched my fists, my gaze locked on her. My heart was bleeding, gushing tears of blood I couldn’t shed. I never imagined Brittany would betray me. She was family, chosen by me, the person I relied on and trusted above all else! I wanted to scream, to demand why, but not now. Not like this. Brittany let out a sickly sweet laugh. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted to see?” she purred. “I betrayed her, I chose you. Can you love me now?” The atmosphere crackled with anticipation. Everyone waited, unspoken, for the drama to unfold. My marriage to Jake was a sham, a hollow shell. He flaunted his affairs openly, women cycling in and out of his life like a revolving door. But this time, the woman at his side was my most trusted friend. I ignored Brittany, my gaze fixed on Jake. My face was blank, my voice flat. “The media are swarming the dock, waiting for your yacht to pull in.” “Jake, come with me.” He tilted his head, drawing out a lazy “Hmm…” then a definite “No.” Seeing his refusal, Brittany brazenly burrowed deeper into his embrace, flashing me a triumphant smirk. As the yacht neared the dock, an array of high-powered cameras were already zeroed in, shutters clicking furiously. Flashbulbs erupted like a relentless storm. I curled my fingers, my palm stinging. They got the shot. The Harrison family wouldn’t let this go easily; I knew that much. Suddenly, Jake’s teasing voice reached my ear. “Like it, Mrs. Harrison?” he drawled. “Those old fogies probably won’t let you off the hook easily, will they?” “How about you divorce me? I could help you out.” I bit my lip, forcing the words past a choked throat. “Jake, do you… do you really want a divorce?” In ten years, this was the first time I’d even hinted at it. Jake’s playful smirk instantly vanished, his deep eyes suddenly filled with a complex, unreadable emotion. Before he could react, I stated plainly, “Then let’s get one.” It felt like a sentence I’d been waiting a decade to say. The moment the words left my lips, I felt an incredible lightness. What wasn’t mine, was never truly mine to begin with. The heavy emotions I’d suppressed for so long finally found an outlet, beginning to dissipate, thread by thread. “Chloe, are you serious?” Brittany’s voice was an uncontrollable burst of delight. However, the hand Jake had around her waist tightened, a painful squeeze. Brittany winced, a sharp gasp escaping her. “Ow!” she pouted, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. “Jake, you’re hurting me.” Jake ignored her completely, his gaze fixed solely on me. In an unprecedented move, he released Brittany, walking directly to my side. “Let’s go. Home.” He added, his voice smooth and possessive, “Mrs. Harrison.” I clearly saw the cruel amusement dancing in his eyes. He was doing this on purpose. He knew how much Brittany meant to me. And he knew that if paparazzi captured these photos, if a scandal erupted, I’d be the one punished. Jake had gone to great lengths to make me say the word “divorce.” 2 I put on a blank face and casually linked my arm through his. “Let’s go.” Jake immediately let out a harsh, sarcastic laugh. I was used to it, I just tuned him out. As Mrs. Harrison, I had to be perfectly composed in public. Soon, I wouldn’t have to endure days like this anymore. The moment we stepped ashore, I released his hand. He quickly clasped mine, fingers intertwining, his tone mocking. “Better act the part, Mrs. Harrison. Don’t go half-hearted.” “The paparazzi are still snapping away.” I frowned slightly, turning my head to look out the window. Whatever. Let him. The ride home was silent, a heavy quiet that lingered until we reached the front door. The instant we walked in, he pushed me against the wall. In the dim, hazy light, I caught a glimpse of the dangerous amusement in his eyes. I was utterly drained, my voice a soft murmur. “Jake, I don’t want to.” I tried to push him away. Jake’s grip tightened, and he bit my collarbone, a subtle punishment. He scoffed. “Mrs. Harrison, those old fogies are still waiting for you to get pregnant.” My body stiffened. Every time he said “Mrs. Harrison,” it was a cold reminder to remember my place, my identity. Once, I willingly wore these shackles, without the right to call for a stop, simply accepting my fate. Now, I could. My only reason for compromise had betrayed me. I no longer had anything holding me back. For the first time, I bravely pushed Jake Harrison away. “Jake, I don’t have to be Mrs. Harrison anymore.” He froze for a moment, his gaze holding mine, intensely. “Chloe Miller, are you serious?” My heart plummeted. “I’m willing to give you what you want. Isn’t that good?” “I’ve clung to you for ten years, and you’re tired. I’m tired too. Let’s just release each other.” Before the words fully faded, Jake’s hand gripped mine, a vice-like hold. His body pressed against mine, as if he wanted to meld me into the wall. After a tense standoff, he spoke, his voice thick with suppressed rage. “Chloe Miller, your tactics are transparent. I won’t let you get what you want!” With that, he turned, furious, and stormed out without a backward glance. I was bewildered. Staring at his retreating back, I fell into thought. This was what he’d always wanted, and I’d given it to him. Why was he angry? A sharp slam echoed through the house, pulling me back. No matter what, my decision was made. But the thought of Brittany still brought a dull ache to my chest. My phone vibrated again. I pulled it from my pocket, my finger tracing the screen, hovering over Brittany’s constantly popping up messages. Finally, I tapped open the chat. “Chloe Miller, you know everything now.” “Since that’s the case, give Jake to me.” “You two have been together for ten years, and he still doesn’t love you. Why don’t you let me try?” “Maybe he’ll fall in love with me?” “I know it’s wrong to steal my best friend’s man, but I really can’t control myself.” “The moment you introduced us, I was deeply drawn to him.” “I tried, I avoided seeing him, but you kept bringing him around. I didn’t mean to.” “You forced me!” … The more I read, the more my heart bled. This was the person I once trusted the most. I laughed, a bitter, self-deprecating sound. “Brittany Collins, I truly misjudged you.” “Since you want him, I’ll grant you your wish!” I typed these two sentences quickly and sent them. After that, our friendship was completely shattered. For a man, she betrayed me. It was me who misjudged her, in the end. That night, I couldn’t sleep a wink. When I woke, my eyes were red and swollen. It took a long time with ice packs to make them look remotely normal. 3 My mind drifted for a few minutes. Then I remembered the tough battle ahead today and quickly grabbed my phone. I opened the trending news feed and, sure enough, saw last night’s story plastered at the top. The photo showed Brittany sitting on Jake’s lap, with me standing opposite them. The comments were a chaotic mix: “Mrs. Harrison is just too generous, practically serving up her best friend to the heir.” “The heir plays dirty! Hooking up with his wife’s best friend and making his wife stand guard, savage!!” “The heir is so hot! If I were Chloe, I’d line up all his conquests for him!” “Don’t you guys feel bad for Chloe? She’s being betrayed by two of the people closest to her at the same time. My heart aches for her.” “LOL, she deserves it! The heir never wanted to marry her. If she hadn’t used that debt to threaten Grandpa Harrison, how would he have ever married her?!” “Exactly! And she keeps clinging to him, no self-respect! This is happening, and she still won’t divorce him, so pathetic!” “Wait, seriously? The heir is clearly a jerk, and you’re all roasting Chloe? Why aren’t you yelling at the heir and that disgusting best friend? What kind of people are you?!” “Let me be fair. It’s a classic case of ‘one party willing to suffer, the other willing to inflict pain.’ We, the online peanut gallery, don’t know the full story, so let’s just enjoy the drama.” The gossip forums were a mess of arguments. In the blink of an eye, the trending topic vanished. The Harrison family’s PR team had stepped in. A sound came from the entryway. Jake was back. He gave me a curt glance. “Be at the family estate in thirty minutes.” I nodded. What was coming would come. It was a Harrison family tradition that everyone had to return to the family estate every weekend. Any deviation would face family consequences. Even the notoriously free-spirited Jake had never broken this rule. “Chloe Miller, good luck with that!” He smirked faintly, his tone brimming with schadenfreude. At the entrance to the Harrison family estate. Jake didn’t even bother with pretenses. He strode ahead, leaving me to walk into the main hall alone. When I entered, he was already charming Grandma Harrison, making her chuckle with delight. “Grandma,” I greeted, performing the proper etiquette. “Mm,” Grandma Harrison responded, neither warm nor cold. “Your parents are waiting for you in the study.” I nodded slightly. “Understood.” I knew exactly what was coming. Meanwhile, Jake, the instigator, wore a slight smirk, not even bothering to lift an eyelid. The moment I stepped into the study, Mrs. Harrison’s hand cracked across my face. My head snapped to the side, my mouth filling with the faint taste of blood. She blew lightly on her hand, then returned to her poised, elegant demeanor. Mrs. Harrison looked at me coldly, every word laced with disdain: “Chloe, you’ve disappointed me greatly.” “A woman who can’t even hold onto her husband’s heart, how can you be Mrs. Harrison?!” “If I had known, I never would have agreed to Grandpa making Jake marry you!” “What a mess!” I kept my head bowed, my hands unconsciously clenching. “Chloe, if you still can’t make Jake love you, then you two should get a divorce as soon as possible!” I snapped my head up, my eyes filled with an undeniable resolve. “Fine. I’ll divorce him!” Mrs. Harrison’s eyes widened in disbelief. Mr. Harrison also frowned slightly, asking uncertainly, “Are you serious?” “Absolutely!” My voice was firm. Mr. Harrison waved a hand, signaling me to leave. I stood outside the study door, faintly hearing the conversation inside. “You, what are you doing blaming her for your son’s foolishness?!” Mr. Harrison sighed. “Who else should I blame?!” “Before Jake married her, he never did anything so outrageous!” Mrs. Harrison couldn’t help but complain: “If you two hadn’t forced Jake to marry a woman he didn’t love, would he have turned out this way?” “You don’t know how much pain he’s in!” Mr. Harrison looked at her, helpless. “Don’t you know what kind of person your son is?” “If he really didn’t like it, who could force him?!” “Now Chloe wants a divorce, just watch, it’s going to be a huge mess…” Mrs. Harrison froze. “That’s impossible, right? If Jake really loved Chloe, how could he act like that…?” “He can keep playing his games, until he finally pushes his wife away…” 4 Yes, how could Jake Harrison ever love me? I turned and left. Walking down the long corridor, I saw Jake waiting for me at the end. He stood with his arms crossed, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers. I silently tried to walk past him. But he grabbed my wrist, his hand gently touching the side of my face that had been slapped. He scoffed lightly: “Tsk~ That’s it?” “Was the punishment a little too light?” His deep voice was laced with a lazy laugh, giving no hint of his true emotions. My eyes were clear, unruffled. “Yeah, I told Mom and Dad about the divorce.” He paused, taking a sharp drag from his cigarette. “What did they say?” I shook my head. “They didn’t say anything.” Grandpa Harrison was still in charge; Mr. and Mrs. Harrison couldn’t make the final decision. And if I wanted a divorce, I’d have to wait for Grandpa Harrison to return. “Right, what right do they have to say no!” His voice was faint, but a harsh edge seeped in. “Damn it, you brought this on yourself, you deserve it.” Jake left abruptly. Leaving me to suffer, once again, the Harrison family’s veiled insults, disguised as lessons in marital duties. I accepted it all, without a trace of humility or defiance. I waited. After leaving the Harrison estate, I had the driver take me to the nursing home as usual. Halfway there, I received a call from the nursing home: “Mrs. Harrison, it’s not good.” “Mrs. Collins’s condition has worsened. Please come as soon as possible.” My heart plummeted. I frantically pulled out my phone and called Brittany. I kept calling all the way to the nursing home, but no one picked up. Finally, at the door of the hospital room, the call connected. “Brittany, get to the nursing home right now! Mrs. Collins is in trouble!” Brittany sneered: “Chloe Miller, you were so generous letting Jake fill his life with other women, so why is it a problem when it’s me? And now you’re cursing my mom?” “Don’t I know how my mom is feeling?!” “Even if something was really wrong, she has you, after all, she always treated you better than me!” “I don’t even know who her real daughter is, for her to make you marry Jake Harrison!” Before I could reply, she hung up. I tightly clutched my phone. Pushing open the door, I saw the emaciated woman in the bed. My eyes instantly blurred with tears. “What happened?” Mrs. Collins had been much better when I visited her two days ago. The nurse dared not look at me. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Harrison, I couldn’t stop her, Mrs. Collins saw the online news…” I froze. “Chloe,” she whispered, struggling to speak. I rushed to the bedside, grasping her hand. “Mrs. Collins.” She patted my hand reassuringly, her cloudy eyes welling up with tears. “Chloe, Mrs. Collins apologizes for Brittany. It’s all my fault… I didn’t raise her well…” “If it weren’t for her heart attack back then, you… wouldn’t have resolutely married Jake Harrison…” “It’s all Mrs. Collins who ruined you…” The more she spoke, the heavier her breathing became. I wiped her tears, my voice soft. “Mrs. Collins, everything I did was my own choice. It has nothing to do with you; don’t blame yourself.” “And when I was little, if you hadn’t taken me in, I probably would have died already.” Her tears flowed even more. “It was our Miller family who dragged you down… Now Brittany treats you like this… I… I’m so sorry, Chloe!” “You… don’t worry, I told Grandpa Harrison to let you divorce Jake Harrison. After this… Chloe must be happy… you won’t have to suffer so much anymore…” Tears blurred my vision, but I managed a faint smile. “It’s not hard at all. Being Mrs. Harrison in the Harrison family is very comfortable. Famous, rich, what’s not to like?” She looked at me for a long time, then turned her head away with a pained expression. After a long moment, Mrs. Collins cautiously asked, “Chloe, can you ask that ungrateful daughter to come see me?” I nodded repeatedly. “Okay.” But the call I made went unanswered again. I tried Jake, but his phone also got no reply. Finally, I called Jake Harrison’s assistant. The assistant told me Brittany and Jake had gone to the Arctic to see the Northern Lights together. Tears I couldn’t hold back streamed down my face. Mrs. Collins saw my tears, as if she understood everything. She chuckled softly. “Forget it, Chloe. Don’t torment yourself anymore. You don’t owe our Miller family anything…” With that, she closed her eyes, a look of peace on her face. I cried hysterically. After Mrs. Collins’s funeral, the two of them were brought back by Grandpa Harrison. At the Harrison family estate. I stood to the side. Jake was kneeling on the ground. Brittany had been sent to Mrs. Collins’s grave site. Grandpa Harrison’s cane struck Jake’s back again and again. In the past, whenever Grandpa hit him, I’d step in front of him, my heart aching. Each time, I’d take a blow or two myself. Now, I stood unmoving to the side. Grandpa Harrison saw my unyielding resolve, knowing my heart had truly been broken. He beat Jake almost to death, then said in a deep voice, “Tomorrow, you two will get a divorce.” Jake, sprawled on the ground, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Then, he gritted his teeth. “I don’t agree! Why should she get to marry when she wants and divorce when she wants?!” Grandpa Harrison struck his back again. “You don’t have a choice! You’ve completely broken Chloe’s heart; do you really think she’ll ever come back?!” I bowed to Grandpa Harrison. “Thank you, Grandpa.” He sighed. “Jake wronged you. You may go.” Dragging the luggage I’d already packed, I left the Harrison family estate.

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Ethan Carter never showed up that night we were supposed to pick out my wedding dress. When I arrived at his office, the place was buzzing. “Congrats, Ethan! You won the case, and you won the girl!” “Yeah, after all these twists and turns, Chloe, your childhood sweetheart, is finally back by your side.” “Ethan, does this mean your wedding with Jenna Miller is indefinitely postponed?” Ethan, surrounded by his colleagues, kept his eyes downcast, his voice chillingly cold. “Don’t compare Jenna to Chloe. Chloe would die if I left her, but Jenna wouldn’t.” I stood outside the door, clutching the bottle of wine I’d made just for him, before dropping it into a nearby trash can. Ethan Carter, I have no use for a love that leaves me half-dead. As I walked out of the law firm, my phone vibrated with his call. His voice was low, laced with apology. “Moon, the firm’s celebrating tonight. Can we postpone picking out the wedding dress?” I watched Chloe Davies walk into the firm and simply smiled. “Sure. No need to pick one.” The man on the other end chuckled, sounding perfectly pleased. “Moon, you’re so understanding. Pick whatever style you like, anything you love, I’ll love too.” I’d heard that line countless times. I used to believe it was trust, a boundless sense of security. Now, it felt like an endless mockery. Perhaps indifference was the only true freedom. I raised an eyebrow slightly. “Okay, I’ll arrange everything.” After hanging up, I canceled the wedding dress appointment. A weight lifted from my chest, yet I felt no trace of reluctance. I had never doubted my feelings for Ethan Carter. I truly believed we were deeply in love. Ethan and I met through winemaking. In the cellar, his perfect profile seemed to sweeten the very air. From that day on, my wine gained a new flavor—one called ‘love.’ I started chasing him with my wines. “Ethan Carter, I just made this. Want to try it?” “Ethan Carter, doesn’t this smell amazing?” “Ethan Carter, do you like this flavor?” Every day, I flitted around him like a chirping little bird. Slowly, we started talking, drinking together. He tirelessly served as my winemaking guinea pig. And I, with equal devotion, became his escape from loneliness. Until that deafening, drunken declaration: “Ethan Carter, I like you.” That ended our thirty days of unspoken. My love was always proactive, but Ethan was like a puppet. He mechanically agreed to all my requests, even when it came to affection. Yet, I happily believed this was unconditional favoritism. It wasn’t until I saw Chloe Davies that I finally understood. Ethan Carter’s time with me seemed to have been spent chasing her shadow. I was merely a fleeting distraction. Just as I was about to drive away, my phone buzzed incessantly with unfamiliar messages. “Hey Moon, Ethan’s really busy right now. Could you send two bottles of wine over?” “Ethan specifically asked for the Memory’s Embrace one.” “He always tells me your wine is so much like me. Thank you for always making him remember me.” Memory’s Embrace. That was the wine Ethan and I had crafted together. I provided the skill, he provided the tasting. It took twenty tries before I finally earned his smile. After that, Ethan named it Memory’s Embrace. What was thought of, never forgotten. I thought he was describing our love, so I treasured the wine. But I never imagined his childhood sweetheart had already surpassed everything. My hands trembled, too weak to reply. In that moment, I felt like a general defeated on the battlefield. Unable to return to the past, unable to move forward. But a voice deep inside me resonated with unwavering conviction. This one-sided love affair needs to end. It’s time to wake up. Back in the cellar, I pulled out four bottles of Memory’s Embrace. The production of Memory’s Embrace was very low. Not because I didn’t want to mass-produce it, but because Ethan wouldn’t allow it. He said it was our exclusive wine, meant only for us, something he didn’t want to share with anyone else. So, Memory’s Embrace was only brought out on our anniversaries. We’d toast under the moonlight, our hearts full. We’d celebrate our love for each other. We’d promise ‘forever and always.’ His tears would trail down his cheek and onto my shoulder, over and over again. At the time, I joyfully believed he loved me to his core. Now, I understood he was just longing for another woman. Inside the private room, Ethan Carter was expertly deflecting drinks for Chloe Davies. He hadn’t even noticed me standing at the door. His cheeks were flushed, a constant smile gracing his lips. This was the first time in three years I’d seen him like this. In that moment, Ethan Carter was joyous, fulfilled. There was none of the carefulness he always showed when he was with me. They complemented each other perfectly, completely oblivious to the teasing of their friends. “Well, well, well, let’s congratulate Ethan on finally getting his true love!” “Yeah, he’s finally not moping around like a lovesick puppy anymore!” “Chloe, you wouldn’t believe it, when you got married, Ethan disappeared for a whole month. We were worried sick!” “Exactly! Good thing he met Jenna Miller back then, otherwise who knows what state he’d be in now.” My name, like a needle, instantly chilled the atmosphere around them. I looked at the silent crowd, my heart yearning for Ethan’s affirmation. I stared at him intently, as if by doing so, he would acknowledge our relationship. But persistence doesn’t always yield answers. After a long moment, Ethan tightened his grip on Chloe’s hand, then slowly, unhurriedly spoke. “Chloe is my true remedy.” Suddenly, the whole room erupted in cheers. Chloe Davies had noticed me at the door long ago. Her arrogant gaze already proclaimed her victory. Knowing I wasn’t welcome in such a boisterous scene, I signaled for a server to deliver the wine. “Mr. Carter, this is the wine you requested.” The man, who had been smiling moments before, looked flustered for an instant when he saw me at the doorway. Just as Ethan was about to step towards me, Chloe unabashedly kissed him. Meeting his gaze, I chose to turn away. In that moment, I fled the battlefield. I was a coward in love. I didn’t have the courage to reclaim what was mine in front of everyone. In the taxi, Chloe Davies’s messages kept pinging. In the video. Ethan Carter, urged on by the crowd, grandly confessed his love to Chloe. He knelt before her, holding a bottle of Memory’s Embrace. “Chloe, this is the wine I made for you. Do you like it?” “Chloe, this wine is my essence, and so are you.” Ethan spoke with conviction, and Chloe’s face flushed. Then, a message from Chloe popped up: “Jenna Miller, thank you for the wine you made for me. Ethan Carter was never yours. I hope you know your place.” After three years, the lioness had reclaimed her territory. And for the other contender, it was either death or exile. Because none of this ever truly belonged to me. When I got home, memories invaded me like poison. Our matching slippers were neatly arranged, but Ethan’s pair looked brand new. Our couple’s mugs were brightly colored, but Ethan’s was already dusty. Our matching pajamas swayed in the breeze, but Ethan’s had never been worn. Ethan and my life was hollow, like two lines that intersected only to immediately run parallel again. We looked united, but our souls had long drifted apart. He never liked anything I prepared for him, yet for Chloe, he tacitly allowed it. Ethan Carter had never betrayed Chloe Davies; I was just an accidental detour. A phone call pulled me back to reality. The wedding photographer politely inquired. “Ms. Miller, I heard you canceled the wedding dress fitting. What about tomorrow’s photo shoot?” I looked at the repeating images on my phone, my voice devoid of any lingering emotion. “Cancel everything.” I was about to throw away all our paired items when Ethan’s key in the lock made me freeze. Ethan’s tense shoulders relaxed when he saw me. He took my hand, his smile incredibly gentle. “Thank you, Moon, for being so understanding.” “I really liked the wine tonight, and Chloe did too.” Seeing my silence, he patiently explained. “Chloe Davies, you know, we grew up together. We’re like siblings. You’re not jealous, are you?” “My Moon is so sweet, she would never be jealous.” No sooner had he spoken than he leaned down and kissed my forehead. Ethan was always different when he was drunk. He was like a loyal dog. “Ethan Carter, say you love me.” “Moon, I love you.” “Ethan Carter, say you miss me.” “Moon, I miss you.” “Ethan Carter, call me your wife.” “Moon, wife.” All the words he couldn’t utter when sober, he spoke without hesitation when drunk. I used to secretly delight in this for a long time. His tenderness, his thoughtfulness, his deep affection – I only truly had them under the influence of alcohol. Each time, I used repetitive questions to test my importance in his heart. Thankfully, I always got the answers I wanted. I filled my anxieties with this illusionary love. But now, I was tired of it. The dream needed to end. I clenched my hands, my voice firm as I spoke. “Ethan Carter, do you love Chloe Davies?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Ethan blurted out. “Yes, Chloe, I love you.” I staggered backward, step by step. This was the secret he had hidden for three years. “Ethan Carter, do you want to marry Chloe Davies?” At this, the man’s eyes reddened, his lips trembling with an unspoken grievance. He stepped forward, pulled me into a tight embrace, and buried his face in my shoulder, pleading. “Yes… more than anything. I’ve dreamed of it.” “Chloe, will you marry me?” Fueled by alcohol, Ethan had mistaken me for Chloe Davies. The high-and-mighty Attorney Carter, now begging so humbly. His indifference felt like a thousand knives, each one piercing my heart. I trembled with pain, with crushing disappointment. Yes, from the very beginning, had he ever truly loved me? I was just a shadow, and now his light had returned. The shadow should fade away. I didn’t humiliate myself further or respond. In the vast room, only the ticking of the clock could be heard. I stood rooted to the spot, letting him lean heavily on me, letting his warmth spread over me. I had always craved his warmth. On cold winter nights, I would instinctively lean into him. In biting winds, I would tightly hold his hands and refuse to let go. But now, with a gentle breeze, a chill ran through me. I stood motionless until my feet grew numb, until his strength completely gave out. I forcefully pushed Ethan away, and he collapsed onto the sofa, falling into a deep sleep. That night, for the first time, we slept in separate beds. His snores echoed, while my tears flowed silently. The next morning, Ethan Carter’s phone woke me up. “Attorney Carter, you and Chloe really moved fast! The wedding planner has been waiting forever, and Chloe’s here too. Hurry up!” “Attorney Carter, what about your wedding with Ms. Miller? Should I notify them to cancel?” The wedding planner was someone Ethan had contacted himself previously. He had said that I was too busy planning the wedding alone and that he wanted to share the burden. At the time, I had smiled so happily, completely unaware that he was personally preparing this for Chloe Davies. Ethan’s voice was barely a whisper. “Keep it down, don’t let Moon hear.” He quickly got up and rushed into the bedroom, our eyes meeting. All traces of awkwardness had vanished from Ethan’s face. He walked towards me with a slight, low chuckle. “Moon, I’m so sorry I couldn’t go wedding dress shopping with you yesterday.” “Did you pick one out? Do you have pictures? My Moon looks beautiful in anything.” He spoke, a polite pretense of concern, as he went through his morning routine. In reality, his mind was crystal clear. His concern for me was just a routine courtesy. His response to my choices was just polite acknowledgment. I watched him move around the room, huge dark circles under my eyes, until he was ready to leave, then I called out to him. “Ethan Carter, are you really willing to marry me?” A week ago, Ethan had proposed to me out of nowhere. There were no flowers, no diamond ring. “Moon, will you marry me?” I hadn’t doubted him; I simply saw it as an unexpected joy in my life. My eyes filled with tears, and I nodded silently, again and again. “Moon, are you really willing to marry me?” Ethan had asked for reassurance multiple times, and I had answered firmly, “Yes.” But I had never asked him if he was willing to marry me. I wanted an answer that would utterly crush my hope, once and for all. Ethan’s hurried steps hung suspended in the air. Three seconds later, he offered comfort in an incredibly gentle tone. “What’s wrong? Are you unhappy about planning the wedding?” “It’s okay if you can’t get the wedding wine right away, don’t put too much pressure on yourself.” “Good girl, the firm has something urgent. We can talk about it tonight, okay?” I still pressed on, unwilling to give up. “But we arranged to take our wedding photos today.” Ethan never liked my stubbornness. What he said wouldn’t change, and I couldn’t change it. A ripple crossed the man’s calm face, and his voice began to show impatience. “Didn’t I tell you the firm has something urgent? Jenna Miller, what is wrong with you today?” “If you don’t want to go, just go take them yourself. Leave a blank space and I’ll just be Photoshopped in later.” “And, forget about the invitations for now. The firm just landed a big case, so let’s just go get our marriage license first.” No sooner had he spoken than the man left without looking back. Overnight, Ethan Carter was like a stranger had taken over his body. He felt like a dream I’d had. I no longer recognized the man I had loved for three years. Through the window, I saw his frantic silhouette for the first time. So this was the pace someone takes when rushing to meet the person they truly desire. In that moment, I knew for certain that Ethan Carter no longer loved me. In the days that followed, he was always out early and back late. It was through Chloe Davies’s social media that I learned. In three days, they had completed three years of my plans. Day one: they picked out wedding dresses together. Day two: they took their photos together. Day three: they finished writing the invitations together. And I completely gave up on everything to do with Ethan Carter. Day one: I rented out the vineyard. Day two: I sold all my wine. Day three: I packed my bags, alone. Day four: It was the day of Ethan Carter and Chloe Davies’s wedding. And it was the day for me to wisely leave. At four in the morning, Ethan rushed out, citing a court appearance. My sleepy eyes caught him. “Ethan Carter, this is a new wine I made. I wish you all the best.” Since I was leaving, a dignified farewell was the best outcome. We met over wine, so let it end with wine. Ethan paused, then smiled and agreed. “Okay, when this busy period is over, we’ll drink it together.” I lowered my head, looking at my curled toes. “Take it with you. If you win the case, consider it a victory toast.” Ethan looked at my unusual behavior with a puzzled expression. He knew I always trusted him unconditionally. So, he knew I wouldn’t find out he was getting married today. At that moment, he naturally couldn’t be bothered with me. His bride was eagerly awaiting him; how could he bear to make her wait? He gently patted my head and disappeared into the night. At the wedding venue, Chloe Davies immediately spotted my wine. “Ethan, can I use this bottle for our toast?” “You know I’m not a big drinker, but Jenna’s wine is always so sweet, perfect for today, don’t you think?” Ethan couldn’t bear to refuse, so he immediately poured the wine. But the moment he tasted it, he froze. The wine glass slipped from his hand and shattered. He tore off the celebratory boutonniere and started to leave. Just as I was about to board the plane, my phone suddenly rang. Caller ID – Ethan Carter.

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After hinting and overtly suggesting it to Chad for the ninety-ninth time, I finally found a delicate ring box in his jacket pocket. He looked a little dazed as he saw my beaming face. “I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but if you’re free this weekend, how about we invite your parents out for dinner?” I thought this was it – the proposal. That Saturday, I invited my parents and a few close friends. I had my hair and makeup professionally done, wanting to look my best and capture the moment of a lifetime. But he never showed up. Then, Tiffany, his ‘angel’ he couldn’t let go of, updated her social media. “Spoiled princess and her devoted prince.” The accompanying picture showed two hands, intertwined, wearing matching rings. In that moment, I felt no anger, no sadness. Only exhaustion. Our love, it ends here. When I found the ring box in his pocket, my heart pounded like a war drum. My earlier feelings of hurt and frustration vanished, replaced by a clear, summer-sky happiness. Chad’s gaze flickered from the ring box in my hand to my face, bright as a sunlit morning after the rain. He finally said the words I’d yearned for. I truly believed our seven-year marathon of love was finally reaching its joyful finish line. I spent the following days counting down, too excited to sleep at night. On the day I’d dreamed of, I wore a custom-made dress and spent hours perfecting an intricate hairstyle. My parents and friends teased me, “Never seen anyone so eager to tie the knot!” I wasn’t just eager to marry; I was eager to marry Chad, to give our years of love a proper culmination. But fate had other plans. Chad never showed up, nor did he call, until the restaurant closed. Just as I’d feared. The other shoe, which had been hanging in the air all day, finally dropped. This wasn’t the first time he’d ditched me for Tiffany. I’d lost count. On my birthday, he had to buy medicine for Tiffany’s cramps. On our anniversary, he brought Tiffany home, claiming her toilet was blocked and she had nowhere to stay. Even when I got acute gastroenteritis, he prioritized taking Tiffany’s dog to the vet. Again and again, I felt like I’d turned into a doormat, but truthfully, I just couldn’t bear to let go of the seven years and the prime of my youth we’d shared. I placated my parents, who were seething, and watched the pouring rain outside. Finally, I felt a sense of release. It was time to let go. Somewhere along the way, my words stopped reaching him, my efforts went unnoticed, my emotions were irrelevant to him. We seemed to have nothing left to say. My phone rang. It was Chad, his voice irritable and impatient. “Why aren’t you home so late? If you don’t come back, I’m locking the door!” I sighed. That familiar, inexplicable weariness resurfaced. “Chad, you invited my parents for dinner tonight…” I heard his breath hitch on the other end. After a long silence, his voice came, tentative. “So, are your parents… still there?” Before I could answer, he blurted out, “Riley, can you hold on? I have an important call coming in. Can I call you back in a bit?” He sounded urgent. He hung up before I could reply. I no longer cared whether he truly had another call or if it was just an excuse to escape. Staring at my dead phone, I walked into the rain, letting the downpour drench my expensive dress. The hairstyle that took five hours was plastered to my forehead. Suddenly, I remembered a scene from right after college, when Chad and I waited for the bus in the rain to save cab fare. He had tilted his only umbrella completely over my head. That night, back home with a fever from the rain, he sneezed and mused, “Someday, when I’m rich, I’ll buy a car. I’ll pick you up in all weather, my baby, so you’ll never get a single drop of rain on you again.” I couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears blurring my vision. A cab pulled up beside me. The driver was a kind-looking woman. “Hop in, honey! This ride’s on me!” She was talkative, trying hard to engage me in conversation. As I paid and got out, she called out to me again. “Listen, sweetheart, there’s nothing you can’t get through. Money can be earned back, and men can be replaced. Don’t ever let yourself be miserable.” It dawned on me. She was worried I might be having dark thoughts. I waved gratefully at her. Yes, from now on, I wouldn’t compromise myself again. Before bed, I scrolled through my phone. Tiffany, Chad’s ‘angel,’ had updated her social media. “The princess just couldn’t sleep, so her prince came specifically to sing her to slumber.” The video showed Chad’s profile, gently humming a beautiful melody. Chad had a great voice; he sang really well. When I was down, I used to jokingly ask him to sing for me. What did he say back then? “I’m not a professional singer. If you want to listen, just search online for a song.” Looking back on our seven years together, Chad truly didn’t have much patience for me. I blacklisted both Tiffany and Chad. In a strange way, I suppose it was my own twisted blessing for them to be together. I woke up the next morning to Chad sleeping soundly beside me. Perhaps it was a change in my mindset, but the side profile that once captivated me now looked utterly bland. I quickly got up, showered, and ran downstairs to buy breakfast. By the time Chad woke up, my breakfast was nearly finished. He sat at the table, expecting me to bring him his breakfast, just as I had done countless mornings before. But I simply washed my plate and walked past him. “Where’s my breakfast?” I turned back to him, expressionless. “Starting today, let’s just buy our own breakfast. You always said what I made didn’t suit your taste anyway.” Chad was a picky eater. To cater to him, I used to wake up early, making him different healthy porridges every day. But he would always frown, complaining it was too hot or tasteless. Now, having thought it through, wouldn’t that time be better spent sleeping in a bit or going for a morning run? I expected him to get angry, but instead, he paused, then grabbed my arm. “Riley, yesterday was just too busy with work. I honestly forgot about the dinner with your parents…” Even now, he was still lying and making excuses, but I was tired of deceiving myself and playing along with his pathetic charade. “Was it really just work?” My question hit a nerve. “Riley, what are you implying? You don’t believe me? What do you think I was doing, then?” He was about to say more, but I impatiently pulled up a screenshot of Tiffany’s social media post from yesterday. “You didn’t think I’d recognize you just because your face wasn’t showing, did you?” Chad had a red mole on the back of his right hand. I had one in the same spot on my left hand. I used to be proud of it, thinking we were meant to be. Chad’s self-righteousness instantly evaporated. “Yesterday was Tiffany’s birthday. She doesn’t have many friends in this city, so I just went to celebrate with her.” “Last night, I was actually on my way to pick you up, but Tiffany called, saying she thought there was an intruder in her house…” I pulled my arm away and nodded indifferently. “Right. Of course.” He froze, a flicker of shock in his eyes. He’d probably prepared a whole speech for my tears and arguments, but I hadn’t played by his rules. “My bad, I didn’t manage my time well. I’ll definitely take you to see your parents this weekend.” I casually applied some lipstick, saying, “We’ll see.” His expression softened slightly, as if offering a hesitant apology. He awkwardly suggested, “I have a college reunion today. Want to come along?” In the past, I would have gladly said yes, then spent ages getting ready to go with him. I always believed that loving someone meant integrating into their world. But he used to dislike it and never took me to his friends’ gatherings. I’d once complained. “Why would you go? You don’t know them.” Yet, I’d seen him bring Tiffany to friend gatherings more than once on her social media. “No, thanks. I don’t know them. Besides, my company has a team-building event today.” I used to cling to him whenever I had a moment, so much so that after years of working, I rarely attended company team-building events. My world used to revolve solely around him. His world, however, included games, sports, friends, and his ‘angel,’ Tiffany. Now, I wanted to break free from that enclosed world and see the excitement outside. My repeated, nonchalant rejections of his meek attempts to reconcile finally pushed Chad’s patience to its limit. “Go or don’t go, whatever!” He slammed the door shut, and I calmly changed into a pretty dress. My mood was exceptionally good now that I no longer cared about his temper. But I never expected that my company’s team-building location would be the same as his reunion. After using the restroom, I passed a private dining room and, by sheer coincidence, saw Chad. His close friends were teasing him. “Chad, how come your girlfriend isn’t calling or texting you constantly this time? Did you guys have a fight?” Chad had a sensitive stomach, but his buddies always pushed him to drink. I used to constantly text him to take it easy whenever he was out. “So what if we fought? She’s almost thirty, not eighteen or nineteen. She wouldn’t dare break up with me, would she?” Someone chimed in, “Yeah, she’s become an old hag. Who’d want her if she left you?” “Chad, if you ask me, you’re too responsible. Otherwise, you’d have dumped her years ago and been with Tiffany.” Chad rubbed his temples, looking quite annoyed. “She’s hinted and suggested it so many times. It’s annoying…” So, he knew I wanted to get married. He just pretended not to, dodging the topic. I shook my head, about to leave, when Tiffany’s voice came from behind me. “Riley, did you follow him all the way here? You really keep a tight leash on Chad.” She said this as she pushed open the door to the private room. Everyone inside turned to stare at me. Chad’s friends exchanged glances, as if to say, “See? She followed him again.” Chad’s eyes held an unreadable expression. He leaned back on the sofa as if nothing was amiss, utterly confident. “This morning you were all high and mighty saying you wouldn’t come, but turns out you wanted to sneak around and spy!” “Since you’re here, come in and say hello properly. Why act so timid and petty?” I didn’t want to respond, but then I remembered past grievances. No matter what, I had to settle the score tonight. After Tiffany returned, she excitedly got everyone to play a drinking game: whoever lost had to drink as a penalty. I knew she was deliberately trying to ignore me and make me uncomfortable, but I just browsed on my phone, keeping an eye on their movements, feeling perfectly at ease. Suddenly, their table erupted in shouts again. Tiffany had lost. Annoyed, she leaned against Chad, rubbing her temples. “Chad, I feel so dizzy, I think I’ve had too much. Can you help me out?” Chad had probably drunk a lot that evening. Now, hearing Tiffany, he frowned at the line of drinks in front of him. The scene mirrored the welcome party for Tiffany a year ago. That day was my birthday, but Chad was uncharacteristically unreachable all day. Late that night, I got an unknown call. Later, I found out it was Tiffany, saying Chad was drunk and asking me to pick him up. When I rushed to the private room, they burst into laughter. Tiffany had lost a round of Truth or Dare and deliberately played a trick on me. I was furious and tried to leave immediately, but Chad whispered in my ear, warning me. “Riley, these are all my friends. Don’t make a scene and embarrass me!” Back then, I still loved him deeply, so I swallowed my resentment and sat down. Then, just like tonight, when Tiffany lost and was penalized with drinks, she turned to Chad for help. Chad had already had quite a bit to drink. I knew Chad had a sensitive stomach and felt bad for him. Swayed by his feigned weakness and coaxing, I drank the shots in front of him instead. His buddies seemed to get a kick out of it. Chad kept losing as if cursed, and eventually, I ended up in the hospital. Yet, he showed no gratitude, feeling that my hospital trip ruined their fun. “Riley, look how uncomfortable Chad is. You’re such a good drinker, come on, drink it for him!” My thoughts snapped back to the present. Tiffany looked at me with an air of entitlement. “Chad, hurry up and tell her to come over! She listens to you the most…” Chad stared at me steadily, then carelessly beckoned me over. “I don’t feel well. Drink it for me.” Finally, this moment had arrived. I curved my lips, a smile spreading, and walked toward them.

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I made her a pauper after finding my wife cheating with the butler’s son. It was our wedding anniversary, and Ashley, my wife, had finally set aside her work for a trip together. Just as we were boarding the plane, she suddenly received a message: her father was sick. “Ryan, I’m so sorry, Dad’s suddenly not feeling well. I need to go back and check on him. I can’t go with you this time.” I was a bit disappointed, but her father’s health was paramount, so I agreed. After she left, I tore up my ticket. I decided to go back and see what was wrong with my father-in-law, who had supposedly been dead for three months. 1 I followed her car all the way home. I didn’t rush out of the car. Instead, I pulled out my phone. And that’s when I saw the butler’s son, Chad Peterson, making a grand show of his life on social media. [Your boundless favoritism is the best 21st birthday gift I could ask for!] The picture showed him in a white suit, with an arm around a woman. That woman was my supposedly devoted wife, Ashley Davis. I rolled my wrist, opened the car door, and stepped inside. As soon as I entered the foyer, I saw over a dozen men and women in the massive living room, balloons hanging from the walls. A crowd was chanting: “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” … I don’t know how many times they’d shouted it when Ashley Davis looped her arms around Chad Peterson’s neck and pulled him into a full-on French kiss. The room erupted in cheers. When the kiss finally broke, Ashley lingered, her fingers tracing Chad’s lips. She looked up and her eyes widened in terror, spotting me somehow already at the front of the crowd. She instinctively tried to push him away. I was faster. My hand flew up, and I smacked her across the face. Smack. Smack. The sudden change in atmosphere silenced everyone. Chad turned to look at me, his face draining of color. He grabbed Ashley’s arm, pulling her protectively behind him. I watched her, a cruel smile playing on my lips. “So, when did you get a new sugar daddy? Or is he just your little pet project?” Ashley’s eyes darted frantically, trying to form an explanation, when a guy with bleached blonde hair, Spike, shoved me. “Who the hell are you? Crashing someone’s party and hitting people? Are you crazy? Apologize to Chad and his girlfriend right now! Or else!” His words opened the floodgates. Others chimed in: “Just casually assaulting someone? What kind of lawless behavior is this? An apology is too easy; he should be reported to the police!” “I agree. The police should check his background. He’s hitting people now, who knows what he’ll do next? Psycho!” “How did a lunatic get into a birthday party? And he dares to hit people? Do you even know who you hit?” I gave a faint smile to the loudmouths, then turned to Ashley. “You think I shouldn’t have hit you, don’t you?” Ashley licked her lips, about to speak, when Chad tugged her sleeve and shook his head. I saw their little exchange. I was genuinely curious to see what game they were playing. Then, Ashley glared at me, her face full of fury. “Ryan Miller, what in the hell is your problem? It’s Chad’s birthday! Whatever you have to say, save it for later. Don’t make a scene and ruin his party. Get out!” She was clearly afraid her little side piece would lose face in front of his friends. I sneered, watching her with detached amusement. “Ashley Davis, where exactly do you want me to ‘get out’ of? Or is it that you two have something so scandalous you’re afraid others might find out?” The next second, Chad gripped Ashley’s hand, a declaration of ownership in his voice. “Ryan… bro, I know you’ve always had a thing for Ashley. Seeing her with me probably hurts. But you can’t force love, can you? Ashley loves me. We’ve been together for two years. She said we’d get married after I graduate. Please, just stop harassing her.” Ashley hadn’t expected Chad to say that. Her face cycled through emotions, her eyes flicking to me in a furtive glance. Chad’s words hit me like a gut punch. Today was my and Ashley’s two-year wedding anniversary. And they had been together for two years. Meaning, she had been cheating on me before we even got married. And she’d brought Chad and his father into our home under the guise of hiring a butler. They had fooled me for two whole years. Spike spoke up again. “I get it now! You’re just the male nanny who has a crush on Chad’s girlfriend! How shameless can you be? Trying to steal someone’s girlfriend in front of everyone?” Being randomly labeled a “male nanny” made me genuinely laugh. “Chad Peterson, are you still dreaming? What makes you think you’re in a position to have me as your ‘male nanny’?” My words hung in the air, and then a splash. A drink was flung into my face. Spike stood there, holding an empty glass, a smug look on his face. “I think you’re the one who needs to wake up, pal. We all know who Chad is. His dad runs a huge business, and his girlfriend owns a company. This whole villa is his. As for you? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at you, dressed like you just rolled out of a dumpster, not a single designer label on you. You’re only fit for scrubbing floors and serving people.” Dumpster clothes? My clothes had no visible brand because they were custom-designed by world-renowned tailors. Other girls started defending Chad. “Yeah, why aren’t you apologizing to Chad? Otherwise, you’ll lose your job too.” Then, a girl spoke up, her tone flirtatious. “Hey, old man, maybe you should check your age. Competing with a hunk like Chad for a girl? If you’re that desperate, I can help you out. I’ve never tried a thirty-plus guy before. Can I get you for two hundred a night?” Her words sparked another round of laughter. I wiped the liquor from my face, then slowly, deliberately, fixed my gaze on Ashley. “Ashley Davis, I’m your husband. And you’re just going to stand there and watch them insult me, defending your little side piece? Don’t you dare regret this!” Ashley’s face was cold. “Chad is my boyfriend. You brought this on yourself.” Her words were ambiguous, a careful tightrope walk. With so many friends backing him up, Chad straightened his posture, his voice gaining confidence. “Ryan, bro, I’m calling you ‘bro’ out of respect for your age. But don’t forget your place. You can cause a scene all you want, like today, ruining my party, whatever. But Ashley is a woman, and with all these people watching, how can you just publicly slap the CEO of a whole corporation? Did you even think about how she’d feel?” He then smoothly shifted his gaze to Ashley, his voice softening. “Ashley, even though I’m young, I know how to protect my woman. I’ll always give you face when we’re out, unlike Ryan…” His double meaning successfully played on Ashley’s vanity and, surprisingly, her deep-seated inferiority complex. I scoffed. “You know, you’re right. I was so focused on her, I forgot to hit you too!” The next second, I grabbed his collar and slammed two hard punches into his perfect, pale face. Chad clutched his bleeding face, screaming. “Ryan Miller! How dare you hit me! I’m going to make you pay!” “You wanna keep yapping, poodle?” I raised my hand to hit him again, but Ashley grabbed my waist and shoved me with all her might. Caught off guard, I stumbled backward, crashing into the champagne tower. I fell to the ground, my hand landing on shattered glass. Ashley didn’t even spare me a glance. Instead, she shielded Chad behind her and snapped at me: “Ryan Miller! Apologize to Chad!” I looked at my bleeding palm. Gritting my teeth, I endured the pain, carefully pulling out the glass shards one by one. Two years of marriage. It felt just like these shards, piercing my very being. Chad, peeking from behind her, grinned at me triumphantly. The pain in my palm sharpened my voice, chilling it to the bone. “Ashley Davis, you’re throwing a birthday party for your side piece in my house, publicly cheating on me right to my face, and now you want me to apologize to him? Are you out of your mind? Or do you just think I, Ryan Miller, am some pushover? Don’t forget, I can give you a life of luxury, and I can just as easily make you a pauper in a heartbeat!” My words made Ashley’s eyes tremble. But Chad quickly jumped in. “Ryan, Ashley built her company from the ground up with her own hard work and incredible intellect! She achieved financial freedom on her own terms! Don’t talk like you helped her do anything!” I paused, genuinely taken aback. Incredible intellect? Talent? Financial freedom? She couldn’t even understand the simplest business proposal, and now she supposedly had an “incredible intellect”? When she first wanted to start her company, I gave her a million dollars from my own funds and then pulled several multi-million-dollar projects from my father’s company for her to work on. To avoid hurting her confidence, I even transferred the heads of several core departments from my dad’s company to hers. She was just so ridiculously self-congratulatory, thinking she was some genius. Why else would top-tier professionals in various fields choose to work for her tiny, fledgling company? She actually believed they were just impressed by her “abilities.” If I hadn’t been pulling strings behind the scenes, there’s no way she could have turned a small startup into a major company on the verge of going public in just two years. The other party guests, overhearing our exchange, started whispering. “Did that guy just say this is his house, and Chad’s the side piece? Do you think he’s telling the truth?” “I think it’s possible. Look, that guy looks about the same age as Chad’s girlfriend. I always thought Chad’s girlfriend was way too old for him. Maybe she’s been playing him all along!” “But, Chad’s girlfriend is defending him so fiercely. If it were really the original spouse catching a cheater, would the cheating woman dare to act like this?” “Grab your popcorn, folks! This is about to get interesting. Let’s see how this plays out.” Spike couldn’t stand it anymore. He bellowed, “Don’t spread rumors! This is Chad’s house! I’ve been here plenty of times. I’ve seen Chad and his girlfriend sleeping in the master bedroom with my own eyes. I’ve even met his dad – that’s the real rich guy!” A chill spread through me. The thought of them “rolling around” in my bed filled me with profound disgust. Chad fiddled with the couple’s rings on his finger and spoke again. “This is my home. Everyone here can vouch for that. I think you’re the one who needs to leave. Ashley, I don’t want to see him. Can you make him go?” Ashley nodded. “This is your house, Chad. Whatever makes you happy.” Spike grabbed my hair and started dragging me toward the door. “Old man, you need to know your place! How shameless can you be, trying to steal someone’s girlfriend in broad daylight? You’re a disgrace!” Then, he yelled to the others, “You guys wanna see what this creep looks like naked? Bet he’s got abs under that garbage, perfect way to get some payback for Chad!” My pupils contracted. I instinctively clutched my clothes over my chest. Some of the girls, fueled by the mob mentality, were already reaching out, trying to rip my clothes off. I struggled desperately, screaming at Ashley, hoping she would stop them, save me. Ashley frowned, about to lift her hand to intervene, but Chad grabbed her arm. “Ashley, don’t worry, my friends know their limits. They’re just trying to stick up for me. Besides, this way, won’t it make it easier for you to control him?” Ashley’s eyes lit up with understanding. She squeezed his chin, and together, they watched as I was torn at, stripped of my clothes. “Let go of me! This is illegal!” Spike raised his hand and slapped me. “This is us taking out the trash! Besides, you like to ‘steal’ women, right? We’ve got so many young, beautiful girls here, you should be thrilled!” As his words died out, I felt hands all over me, pulling, grabbing, tearing… Just as despair washed over me, a voice boomed from the doorway. “How’s my boy’s birthday going? Dad’s got your present!” Mr. Peterson, Chad’s father and our butler, appeared in the doorway, impeccably dressed in a black suit, holding a beautifully wrapped box, exuding an air of exaggerated wealth. He took in the scene inside and shrieked. “What in God’s name are you doing?!” Spike, quick as a flash, ran to Mr. Peterson to report. “Mr. Peterson, you were only gone for a minute, and this guy broke in and hit Chad!” Mr. Peterson followed Spike’s pointing finger and, as his eyes landed on my face, his own face went white. His lips trembled, and his eyes darted around, terrified to meet mine. The next second, Chad put on a show of noble generosity. “Dad, I’m sure Ryan didn’t mean to. He’s just upset seeing Ashley and me together. My friends just wanted to teach him a little lesson to defend me. Please, forgive him this once. Don’t fire him.” Mr. Peterson immediately understood, though his tongue still felt thick. “R-right… well, you all carry on. I’ll just go upstairs.” Fury boiled within me, my voice hoarse and icy. “Mr. Peterson, your son is acting like an idiot, and you’re not stopping him? Do you think these people can protect you for a moment, let alone forever?” As I spoke, I had subtly pulled out my phone. Mr. Peterson puffed out his chest, glaring at me, but his voice still held a hint of panic. “You little bastard! Don’t talk nonsense! You think I’m scared of you? Everyone knows my son and Ms. Davis are the real couple now! Only a man like my son deserves to be with Ms. Davis. Men like you deserve a beating. Don’t hold back, everyone! If anything happens, I’ll cover it!” I suppressed my rage, buying time. “Cover it with what? You’re just a butler. Do you really think you’re some rich tycoon?” My gaze fell on Ashley. “Ashley Davis, everyone who’s hurt me today will pay. Every single one of them. And that includes you.” Chad lunged at me, trying to hit me again. I gathered all my strength, lunged up, and rammed into him. He crashed to the ground, and Ashley’s rage flared. “Don’t hold back on him! I’ll take responsibility for anything that happens!” My hair was yanked violently, and I was thrown hard onto the ground. “Ms. Davis said it herself! We don’t have to hold back! Do whatever you want!” “Tsk, just a bastard! Dares to steal Chad’s girl! If I don’t teach you a lesson today, I don’t deserve to be Chad’s friend!” “Strip him down!” Spike jumped on top of me, pinning my stomach, making it impossible for me to move. He began furiously tearing at my clothes. Just as I felt more and more skin exposed, almost completely uncovered, the front door was kicked open. A dozen police officers swarmed in. Chad gasped, clamping a hand over his mouth. The people pinning me froze, terrified, and quickly raised their hands. A police officer shouted, “Who called this in?” From behind them, I slowly raised my hand. “I did!”

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My wife, barely 22, had never known true joy. Her best friend, worried she was wasting her youth, engineered a plan to get her drunk and send her into the senior’s room. That night, she, shy and wanting to escape, was pulled into his arms and taken with reckless abandon. From that moment, he became the indelible mark on her heart, her deepest desire. Seven years into our marriage, at a high school reunion, my wife, a CEO, feigned losing a game. Egged on by her best friend, she declared she would marry her ‘one true love’ and make it public. Amidst the cheers and commotion, my wife eagerly shoved divorce papers at me, demanding my cooperation: “It’s just a game, why are you taking it so seriously?” I was silent for a long time. Everyone expected me to explode in a fit of rage. Instead, I took the papers and said, indifferently: “Fine, we’ll divorce. But you owe me three things.” She promised wholeheartedly, urging me to sign, even frantically vowing: “Don’t say three, even three hundred! And when we remarry, I’ll give you the most lavish wedding imaginable!” But she didn’t know. The moment she decided on divorce, my mission failed. I was slated for deletion by the system. Only by completing three tasks could I cling to a sliver of hope. 1 Seeing my signature, Sarah gleefully tucked the papers away. Everyone exchanged knowing smiles. It dawned on me then that this entire reunion was a setup, orchestrated for me. Behind Sarah, a virtual screen abruptly appeared, displaying blinding blood-red text: “MISSION FAILED.” A mechanical voice pierced my mind: “Host, you must maintain your marriage with your target for a full seven years to nullify the life-for-life contract. You have ninety minutes remaining until the contract expires, and you will be annihilated in forty-eight hours.” The voice abruptly shifted tone: “However, considering your predicament, if you complete three urgent tasks within the time limit, you may be granted a chance to survive.” “First task initiating now—” “Make Sarah openly confess her true feelings for you.” I let out a bitter laugh. I’d just signed divorce papers. Now I was supposed to get her to confess her love to me? Chad abruptly stood up, adopting a self-righteous pose: “Sarah! If Ethan’s trying to make things difficult because of me, I, Chad, will gladly drink three shots as penance!” Sarah looked at him with an expression full of tenderness: “Don’t worry, he can’t cause any trouble.” I smirked, a self-deprecating twist of my lips. Seven years ago, on our wedding day, Sarah had originally planned to elope for love, but Chad had fled with her money. After that, she became convinced I’d interfered, treating me like an enemy. Our childhood sweetheart bond devolved into a bitter marriage. I’d always believed that treating her with genuine affection could eventually melt her cold heart. For the past two years, she’d gradually settled down, even coming home early to celebrate our anniversary. But then, Chad returned. Only then did I realize she had never forgotten him. She’d even set up this elaborate scheme just to marry him. She’d even forgotten that today was our seventh wedding anniversary. Now, the seven years I’d stolen, had to be returned. But I still wanted to live. I opened my mouth: “Sarah, first thing—confess your true feelings for me, in front of everyone.” “It has to be just like you did for Chad, all those years ago.” Sarah froze, her eyes wide with disbelief. The private room erupted in chaos: “Ethan, stop making trouble! You’re already divorced, why humiliate Sarah like this?” “Sarah, don’t listen to him! He’s clearly just trying to be difficult!” How ironic. These people had once benefited from my help, but now that Maxwell Corp. was powerful, they were quick to kick me while I was down. Chad’s face was flushed with indignation: “Ethan, you truly are despicable! Sarah, I’ll never let you endure such humiliation!” My own wife, expressing her feelings to me, was considered humiliation to him? I coldly surveyed the room, then tiredly covered my mouth: “Sarah and I are having a private conversation. It’s none of your business.” “Sarah, if you don’t want to confess, then we won’t get the divorce finalized either.” After all these years together, I knew her temperament well. Sure enough, she frowned, saying impatiently: “I thought you’d be reasonable today, but you’re still playing games. If I confess, will you really finalize the divorce?” It seemed she was genuinely desperate to tie the knot with Chad. “Yes.” Sarah’s face darkened. She spoke as if going to her death: “Ethan, stay with me. I’ll always make sure your protein shake is blended just right, so every sip feels as comforting as a warm spring breeze…” Chad’s eyes welled up with tears. He whispered, trembling: “Sarah, you actually remember…” The room erupted in applause, everyone marveling at Sarah’s devotion, how she hadn’t forgotten their old vows in eight years. Watching the two of them exchange tender glances. I felt my stomach churn. I stood up and left the table: “Excuse me, I can’t stay.” Behind me, waves of mocking laughter followed, deriding me for my self-inflicted humiliation. As I was leaving, my best friend, Mike, rushed over, demanding answers: “You really divorcing Sarah? Are you out of your mind?! You gave up the billionaire heiress to marry her, you practically broke your knees for her, and now you’re letting that scumbag Chad swoop in and pick up the pieces?” I remained silent. Back then, when Maxwell Corp. was on the brink, I refused a strategic marriage and broke ties with my parents to save her. My family shunned me, and as her husband, I couldn’t interfere with anything at the Maxwell Corp., leaving me in an awkward position. Yet, the moment Chad returned to the country, Sarah immediately made him Vice President, even putting him in charge of billions of dollars. Love or not, it was starkly obvious. I pulled out a cigarette pack, lit one, and with a detached expression, mocked myself: “You think he’s scum, but Sarah treats him like gold. What can I do?” My friend sighed, patting my shoulder: “I’ll always have your back, buddy. Maybe it’s for the best that you’re finally moving on.” As we spoke, Sarah came downstairs, her face radiant with happiness, discussing with Chad: “Chad, let’s go take wedding photos first, then buy rings. When we get the marriage certificate, I’ll have a thirty-car motorcade pick you up!” Her gaze met mine. Sarah’s upturned lips straightened, and she coldly scoffed: “Ethan, there are still two more things. If you cause any more trouble and don’t finalize the divorce with me, I’ll make your life a living hell!” I lowered my gaze and smiled bitterly. She didn’t know I’d wanted to keep my distance from her for a long time, but I had no choice but to interact with her just to stay alive. Seeing her walk away, I called out to the System: “Did that count as completed?” “Barely satisfactory.” The System’s tone remained unchanged. “Now, initiating Task Two.” “Go on a date with Sarah for one day.” 2 My fingertips trembled, ashes scattering onto the floor. “Are you serious? Sarah putting up with me today is a miracle. If I ask her to go on a date with me, she’ll think I’m messing with her!” The System was cold and indifferent: “Host, you have no right to question. You may choose to abandon the task and be annihilated.” Late at night, I tossed and turned, thinking about the System’s task. BANG! Sarah kicked open the door, grabbing my collar. In the darkness, her eyes blazed with astonishing fury: “Are you satisfied? Because of your little scene today, Chad went home sick, and I had to nurse him all night until his fever broke!” I peeled her hand off me, a smirk twisting my lips: “It was just a game. Couldn’t you have called it off? Who’s going to get serious with a CEO like you?” Sarah choked, then sighed softly: “It was just a game, why didn’t you play along?” I said nonchalantly: “Second thing: tomorrow, cancel all your appointments and spend the day with me.” Sarah’s face instantly went cold: “Ethan, are you serious right now? You’re really pushing your luck!” She slammed the bedroom door shut and left. A bitter taste filled my mouth. I knew that would be the outcome. The next morning, however, she still knocked on my door, a scowl on her face: “I lost millions today because of you. What do you want, just say it quickly.” Because of me? More like, to finalize the divorce with Chad as quickly as possible. The System told me the date itself wasn’t important; the key was for Sarah to continuously spend six hours with me. I took Sarah to the mall to kill time. The entire time, she had her face buried in her phone, never looking up. Occasionally, she’d pause outside a men’s clothing store or a luxury boutique, and with a wave of her hand, buy a stack of things. All of it for Chad. In seven years of marriage, she’d never bought me anything. The shirt I was wearing was pilling from being washed so many times. To get back at me, she’d competed with my family’s business. My dad had called me a traitor, and the industry had blacklisted me. No one knew that beneath my polished exterior, I was living on the meager income from online freelance jobs. By midday, Sarah was clearly impatient, so I quickly took her to a hot pot restaurant. Just as we ordered, her expression changed as she looked at her phone. She made a call, her voice anxious and worried: “How can you not eat? No appetite without me? Okay, I’m coming back right now!” She turned, grabbed her purse, and hurried to leave: “Something urgent came up at the office. I have to go.” I knew this had to be Chad’s doing. “Are you coming back?” My task wasn’t complete yet. She thought for a moment, then nodded: “Yes.” But to my surprise, she returned with Chad. Sarah meticulously cared for Chad, feeding him, wiping his mouth, acting as if she were nursing a bedridden patient. They looked like a loving couple, while I was just a stranger sharing a table. Whatever I wanted to order next, Chad would point to it and demand it for himself. I had no appetite. I pushed my chopsticks away. He looked incredibly smug, exclaiming with exaggerated flair: “The food Sarah feeds me is truly exceptionally delicious…” Under the table, he deliberately stomped on my foot. A vein throbbed in my temple. I glanced at the time. Thankfully, just watching a movie would be enough to hit the six-hour mark. I forced myself to tolerate him. But then, we found there were only two tickets left at the movie theater. Chad spoke first, his eyes red and watery: “Sarah, you and Ethan should go. I know he’s just using the divorce as an excuse to spend time with you, but it’s okay, I won’t be a third wheel! I’ll leave right now!” Sarah panicked, quickly pulling him back: “What are you talking about? Forget the stupid movie. I’ll just spend the whole afternoon with you instead, okay?” I pleaded gently: “Sarah, just watch this movie, and I’ll let you go. I promise I won’t bother you anymore.” To my shock, Sarah shoved me away. The popcorn I was holding spilled all over the floor. “Ethan, stop acting! I’ve told you I could never like someone as selfish, conceited, and arrogant as you. Chad is generous and kind enough not to blame you, but that doesn’t mean I’ll indulge you. Me accompanying you to the mall today was already being more than gracious!” She took Chad’s hand and turned to leave. “WARNING: HOST IS NEGLECTING TASK. ELECTRIC SHOCK PUNISHMENT. PLEASE PERSUADE SARAH TO RETURN WITHIN ONE MINUTE.” The next second, a powerful electric current surged through my body. I instantly fell to my knees, my kneecaps hitting the ground with a loud thud, my entire body convulsing. Gritting my teeth, I pleaded with all my might: “Sarah! Please, watch this movie with me, or I’ll die! Please…” Sarah turned around in a hurry, her pupils constricting as she saw me kneeling on the floor. She instinctively took a step forward. “Sarah, you go. Ethan is usually so healthy, but he suddenly collapsed now. He must be seriously ill. Go with him, don’t worry about me,” Chad suddenly interjected. Sarah’s steps halted. Her expression turned cold: “Ethan, now you’ve learned to fake falls? Stop playing the victim. Don’t make me look down on you.” She left me there. No matter how much I called out, she never looked back. After a long while, the System’s punishment ended. I was pale, like I’d been pulled from water. Many people gathered around, offering to take me to the hospital. The System issued a stern warning: “Task Two completion rate is only fifty percent. If Task Three cannot be perfectly completed, Host, you will still be annihilated.” The display panel changed, showing only one line of text: “MAKE SARAH PROPOSE TO YOU.” I laughed a vacant, hollow laugh, losing all strength and collapsing onto the ground. This was an impossible task. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital. My friend quickly brought me water, his voice sympathetic: “The doctor said your organs are failing and you won’t live more than three days. Does Sarah know? Is this why you’re divorcing her?” I knew this was a side effect of the System’s punishment. Three days? Only twenty-four hours left. I still didn’t want to beg and have Sarah pity me. After all, I was once a privileged heir. I still had my pride. I shook my head: “No, Mike. As my friend, I have one favor to ask. After I die, just tell everyone I went abroad to travel and settle down. Don’t let anyone see how pathetic my death was.” My friend’s eyes turned red. He wiped his face: “You saved Sarah’s life during that avalanche, but she thought Chad saved her, and she’s misunderstood and tormented you for all these years, you—” The phone on the table rang frantically. It was Sarah calling. 3 I struggled to get up and stop him. On the other end of the line, Sarah paused for a second, then scoffed coldly: “Did Ethan tell you to play along with his little act? What’s a fall going to do?” “Tell him to hurry up and say the last thing so we can get it over with. I don’t have time for his games.” Seeing her so anxious, I took the phone and said seriously: “The third thing is simple. Just propose to me. Tell me you want to marry me.” CRASH! An ear-splitting sound came from the other end of the line. Something seemed to have fallen over. Sarah panicked: “Chad, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me!” The next second, she started cursing at me over the phone: “Ethan, are you out of your mind? Are you crazy? I’m not playing your games anymore. You can go or not go to get the divorce finalized, I don’t care. In thirty days, we’ll automatically be divorced anyway. I’m not like you, desperate for survival. I can wait!” She hung up. My chest ached. I knew Sarah wanted to get rid of me, but I hadn’t realized she despised me so much. The System was still urging me to complete the task. But now I had no leverage over her left. What else could I do? Fatigue washed over me like a tidal wave. Even if I were to go and beg Sarah on my knees, she’d just think I was pulling another trick. If that’s the case, I might as well die with some dignity. With that thought, I called her. She answered impatiently: “If you’re going to talk any more nonsense about me proposing to you, just drop dead!” She didn’t know her words would be prophetic. My voice was calm: “That was just a joke. See you at the Registry Office tomorrow morning.” Sarah sounded surprised: “That’s it? You’re being this cooperative?” “Don’t want to? Fine then.” “Wait! You better not be playing any tricks!” She quickly agreed. Nine in the morning, outside the Registry Office. Sarah started swearing because I was one minute late: “Ethan, what are you doing now? You were definitely faking that illness yesterday! They say evil weeds live long, so you’ll probably live to be a hundred!” Her girlfriends also looked on with mocking expressions. They were all waiting for Sarah and Chad to get their marriage certificate, specifically holding party poppers, ready to celebrate. I found it amusing. Before, whenever Sarah and I made plans, she was never on time. She’d stand me up repeatedly, deliberately enjoying my miserable appearance. Today, I was only one minute late, yet she was so agitated. “Yeah, I was doing it on purpose. I’ve changed my mind. The third thing is, I want you to carry me inside to finalize the divorce!” From here to the entrance, it was less than a hundred yards. Sarah looked at me skeptically: “That’s it? So simple?” Chad still rushed out to object, as if I were committing some unforgivable crime: “Sarah’s a delicate woman, how could she possibly carry you that far? Forget the divorce papers then! I’ll wait for you forever, Sarah!” Everyone’s faces turned sour: “Ethan, you’re shameless! This is clearly a trick. You obviously don’t want the divorce to go through!” I curved my lips into a smile, perfectly at ease. Sarah, however, said decisively: “Fine. But if you cause any more trouble once we’re inside, I’ll make your life a living hell.” She walked up to me. I jumped onto her back without a single reservation. Sarah let out a small ‘huh?’ She had mentally prepared herself, expecting me to be heavy. But to her surprise. I was too light. Terrifyingly light. Before, I loved car racing, mountaineering, and rock climbing. My muscle mass was significant. She instinctively asked: “Have you been starving yourself?” I said flatly: “Just too disgusted by you and Chad to eat anything.” Sarah’s red lips pursed: “That’s enough of that.” Back when we got married, she was practically forced into the Registry Office by ten bodyguards, her head bowed as she got the marriage certificate, a look of pure disgust on her face. Now, she walked steadily, step by step, towards the Registry Office, but it was to divorce me. In a daze, I remembered that year, when I was seventeen. Sarah was caught in an avalanche while skiing. I rushed into the snowfield, ignoring everything, my throat raw from shouting, until I found her. At that time, she had snow blindness, and her leg was bruised on a rock, unable to stand. I carried her on my back down the mountain for a day and a night, even cutting my hand to make sure she had sustenance to regain her strength. In her daze, Sarah’s hot tears streamed down my neck: “You’re so good to me. I’m going to marry you!” I chuckled wryly, coaxing her not to break her promise. By the time we reached the bottom of the mountain, I should have died from hypothermia. That’s when the System bound itself to me. It said that my love for Sarah was truly magnificent, and as long as I could stay married to her for seven years, it would grant me health and longevity. I agreed, secretly thrilled, thinking it was a freebie. I was sure we’d be happy together. But to my shock, when I woke up, I saw her confessing her love to Chad in front of the entire student body. She had said she would marry me. But what I got was her endless gratitude towards Chad. I’d tried to explain, but she didn’t believe me. “The person who saved me was gentle and reliable. You’re so glib; how could it possibly be you!” Snapping back to reality, I whispered into Sarah’s ear: “Sarah, we’re even now.” She stopped walking: “What did you say?” 4 My throat tickled, and I couldn’t stop coughing up blood. The System’s punishment yesterday had zapped my internal organs, ruining them. Even though I covered my mouth, a drop of blood still splattered onto Sarah’s delicate, pale neck. She became furious: “Ethan, are you trying to die? Coughing on my neck, how disgusting! Wipe it off!” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, then gently pushed her head, which had turned towards me, back into position. I said calmly: “Look ahead, not at me.” Sarah quickened her pace, approaching the divorce certificate window. Before she could put me down, I jumped off her back myself, grabbing a tissue to wipe her neck. She still felt it wasn’t enough, pulling out tissue after tissue, as if she’d been contaminated by something vile. I couldn’t help but speak: “Sarah, since you’ve decided to be with Chad, then don’t let him down.” Sarah frowned, finally looking me directly in the eye: “What nonsense are you talking about? It’s just a day, and you’re already so petty you can’t stand it? Don’t worry, when this game is over, I’ll give you a luxurious wedding. I won’t go back on my word.” A faint, weak smile touched my lips. On the divorce papers, I fumbled around, trying to find the place to sign. My vision was the worst of all my failing organs. Sarah took my hand and pointed to the spot, scoffing mockingly: “What’s wrong with your eyes? Are you so sad about divorcing me that you cried yourself blind?” I scoffed: “More like you and Chad gave me a stye from all the eye-rolling.” Since Chad returned to the country, it had been a long time since Sarah and I had bantered like this. Sarah angrily punched me once: “Ethan, you’re still as rude as ever!” I let out a pained groan and took a long moment to recover. Her face suddenly changed: “Are you really sick?” I acted nonchalantly: “No. Hurry up and get this done. I’m planning to go abroad for a few days. Plenty of fish in the sea, why bother with one single flower?” Upon hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but sneer, looking at me with expressions that screamed ‘stop acting,’ full of contempt. Sarah’s expression remained grim. She suddenly stood up. “I’m not doing it.” “Not doing it?” Chad exclaimed in surprise, then his eyes grew teary and he said, aggrieved: “Sarah, if you can’t bear to, that’s okay. I’m willing to be punished. I’m just a little allergic to alcohol, I won’t die. I’ll go buy some liquor right now!” I was speechless, not understanding what Sarah meant. I deliberately provoked her: “Stop making a fuss. Or are you really just clinging to me?” Sarah, as expected, couldn’t stand the provocation and quickly signed. “If it wasn’t for your pathetic, sickly face, I would…” She stopped speaking. Then, with a grim face, she took the divorce certificate and turned to sit with Chad at the marriage certificate window. Everyone crowded around, their faces beaming with joy. From this point, it was no longer my concern. I turned to leave, but Sarah suddenly called out to me: “Don’t go! After Chad and I get our marriage certificate and post it on social media, I’ll immediately divorce him and remarry you!” Divorce and remarry? Was she treating this like a game? I gave a perfunctory nod and walked out of the Registry Office. On the virtual screen, the countdown showed thirteen hours remaining, enough time for me to settle my affairs. But to my shock, my vision turned blood-red: “HOST ETHAN, MISSION FAILED. DETECTING OFFICIAL DIVORCE BETWEEN TARGETS. COUNTDOWN ZEROED!” I never expected the System to have a trick like this up its sleeve. I instinctively grabbed the doorframe of the Registry Office and collapsed.

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Ethan Miller’s executive assistant sent me a screenshot from social media. His new secretary had posted a picture of a bento box, filled with exquisite dishes. It was the lunch I’d prepared for Ethan. The caption read: “My cold, brooding CEO Knight vanquished the Ramen Demon, saving his Bellyache Princess.” At the same time, Ethan Miller, who almost never posted on social media, updated his own status. The photo was of a cup of instant noodles, spicy beef flavored. The caption read: “A familiar taste I’ve missed.” I was grinding my teeth in fury when my mother-in-law’s call came through. “Didn’t you see him eating instant noodles? Why didn’t you prepare him lunch? He can’t eat spicy food!” I immediately contacted a major supermarket chain. “One hundred cases of spicy beef ramen, deliver them to Miller Corp.” He liked nostalgia, did he? Well, I’d give him all the nostalgia he could handle! I had barely stepped through the front door when Jack Sterling, Ethan’s executive assistant, sent me a message. It was an Instagram screenshot. Chloe Adams, Ethan Miller’s new secretary, had posted a photo of a bento box. The dishes inside were beautifully arranged, with meat, vegetables, and fish, all nutritionally balanced. It was clear someone had put a lot of care into it. Chloe’s caption read: “My cold, brooding CEO Knight vanquished the Ramen Demon, saving his Bellyache Princess.” I frowned, confused. Why was the bento box I’d prepared for Ethan in his secretary’s hands? Before I could react, Jack sent another message: “Check your feed.” I opened Instagram, and my blood immediately began to boil. Ethan Miller, who probably posted once a year if that, had actually updated his status. The picture showed a cup of spicy beef instant noodles and a hand holding a plastic fork. The caption read: “A familiar taste I’ve missed.” That bastard Ethan! He ignored the elaborate bento box I’d carefully prepared for him, gave it to his secretary, and then went and ate instant noodles himself. I was about to call him and demand an explanation when my mother-in-law’s call came through. I pressed answer, and before I could even bring the phone to my ear, a barrage of complaints erupted from the other end. “Olivia, what’s wrong with you? Why didn’t you prepare lunch for Ethan today?” “Don’t you know he has a sensitive stomach and can’t handle spicy food? How could you let him eat that garbage, instant noodles?” “Mom, I made him lunch…” “You made him lunch? If you made him lunch, how could he be eating instant noodles?” My mother-in-law cut me off. “I just called Ethan. He said you went shopping today and forgot to prepare his lunch.” “You don’t do anything all day, you don’t even go to the company. Can’t you even get one meal right?” Too fed up to argue, I hung up. Then, I immediately sent her Chloe Adams’s Instagram screenshot. “See? Your son fed the meal I slaved over to a dog.” Silence from my mother-in-law’s end. My chest tightened with frustration. At that moment, I just wanted to see some blood. That asshole Ethan! Not only did he give the lunch I prepared to his secretary, he also posted on Instagram, clearly responding to that woman. To top it all off, he lied to his mother and said I hadn’t made him anything at all. He’s playing games with his secretary at the company, and I’m the one getting blamed? He knows perfectly well spicy food gives him a stomach ache, but he just had to eat that bowl of instant noodles. Why? Because he knows every time he gets a stomach ache, I’ll be there, waiting on him hand and foot. If he loved that “familiar taste” so much, then I’d grant his wish! 2 That afternoon, a supermarket delivery truck pulled up right in front of Miller Corp.’s main entrance. The unloaders opened the cargo bay and started stacking cases of instant ramen right there in the company lobby. The young receptionist at the front desk rushed over. “Stop, stop! Did you deliver to the wrong address?” I walked out from behind the truck. The receptionist, seeing me, quickly bowed. “Mrs. Miller!” “No mistake, it’s supposed to be here.” I pointed to the pile of instant noodles, which was quickly forming a small mountain. “Later, find someone to deliver all one hundred cases of these instant noodles to the CEO’s office.” With that, I strode directly into the elevator. In his office, Ethan’s face was ashen as he watched case after case of ramen being brought in. “Olivia, can you please stop this childish behavior?” “I just saw she had a stomach ache and was eating instant noodles, so I gave her the meal you made for me.” “She and I have a purely professional relationship. There’s nothing going on between us.” “Ethan Miller, you don’t have to be sleeping with someone for it to count as cheating. You know what you’re thinking deep down.” “You’re enjoying this ambiguous atmosphere right now. You’re enjoying that worshipful look she gives you.” “With so many people in the company, would you give the meal I made to anyone else who had a stomach ache?” “We’ve been married for so long. You don’t seriously think I don’t know exactly what kind of person you are, do you?” “Your mother started lecturing me right after you posted that Instagram photo. Tell me, what did you tell your mom?” The office door swung open. Chloe Adams, wearing a little white dress and white canvas shoes, walked in carrying a coffee cup. She was sickeningly innocent, exactly the type I couldn’t stand. “Ms. Jenkins, your coffee.” I picked up the coffee cup and, without hesitation, splashed it all over her. Chloe gasped. Her steps, which should have taken her backward to dodge, instead faltered, sending her tumbling towards Ethan. Ethan reached out and caught Chloe. His face was visibly alight with anger. “Olivia Hayes, are you seriously not done with this?” “This is the company, not our home. No one here is going to pamper you!” I sneered, looking at the little shrinking violet on the verge of tears in his arms. “Hold her tighter. Press a little harder. Your CEO Knight might just divorce me and let his Bellyache Princess take my place.” At my words, both their faces flushed, and they quickly separated. I pointed at Chloe, who was now covered in coffee. “Ethan Miller, you still have the nerve to say you don’t play favorites?” “What did she just call me when she walked in? Ms. Jenkins? Am I not married to you? Or am I some shady mistress?” “Is the ‘Ms. Jenkins’ title something you’ve silently approved? Are you planning to divorce me?” “All the female employees here wear business suits and skirts. Black stockings and heels are mandatory, even for me. What’s up with her outfit? Is this your new fetish?” Ethan’s eyes flickered with embarrassment, like a student caught cheating with a cheat sheet by a strict proctor. “What are you talking about? She just hasn’t had time to buy suitable clothes, so I let her wear her own clothes to work. Don’t overthink it.” “Ethan Miller, she’s been working here for almost a month! What kind of clothes take a month to buy? Even a pig would have found clothes by now!” “I’m done with this. You handle it yourself.” I pointed to the instant noodles in the hallway. “Starting tomorrow, I won’t be making you meals. Whenever you’ve eaten your fill of those hundred cases of instant ramen, that’s when I’ll consider cooking for you again. You don’t like my cooking, do you? From now on, you can live with these instant noodles.” Ethan’s face grew impatient. “Can you stop being so unreasonable? When did I ever say I didn’t like your cooking?” “So, you do like it, then?” I pulled a bento box from my bag, opened the lid, and set it in front of him. “Eat up. You said you liked it, didn’t you?” Ethan slammed his hand on the table. “Olivia Hayes, are you insane? What do you mean by putting dog food in my bento box?” “It’s the meal I prepared for you. You like feeding my food to dogs, don’t you?” My gaze fell on Chloe Adams, standing nearby. “Bellyache Princess, this is the supper your loyal servant specially prepared for you.” “Eat up. What are you waiting for?” 3 Chloe Adams, stained with coffee, stood behind Ethan, head bowed. Tears flowed like a broken faucet, hitting the floor with a rhythmic pitter-patter. Anyone walking in would think the CEO had installed a new sprinkler system in his office. “Chloe Adams, if you harbor ambitions of becoming the CEO’s wife, you should know that these pathetic men might like delicate little hothouse flowers like you, but they would never let a whiny, crying waste of space become their partner.” “If you only want to be a rich man’s plaything or an illegitimate mistress for life, then keep crying. See if your CEO Knight will actually marry his Bellyache Princess.” “If you want to kick me out and take my place, then show some of the guts a mistress needs to become the wife.” I pushed the bento box filled with dog food closer. “Eat it. If you eat it, Ethan will a hundred percent side with you against this old hag. Then you’ll be one step closer to becoming Mrs. Miller.” “You want to be a wealthy socialite, but you’re too afraid to lose face? Then you’re destined to be nothing more than a template and a trophy for rich men.” Chloe Adams clearly hadn’t heard a word I said. Her tears flowed even more profusely. “Ms. Jenkins, I’m just a secretary, but that doesn’t mean I have no dignity. You’re insulting my character.” “Mr. Miller and I have never crossed a line. You’re just speculating with your malice!” “Insulting your character? You don’t have a mirror, but you must have a phone camera, right? Why don’t you take a look at yourself?” I scoffed. “Never crossed a line? You really have the nerve to say that?” “As a secretary, you can’t even dress appropriately. Does that outfit look like a secretary’s attire? If you went out with the boss to negotiate a deal looking like that, do you think people would see you as his secretary or a toy he brought along to show off?” “A secretary eats her boss’s lunch and feels smug about it. As a secretary, you’re supposed to solve problems for your boss, not create them.” “If you truly had any dignity, you’d proudly resign and leave right now, instead of standing here whining and playing weak, begging for your CEO Knight’s protection.” “Enough!” Ethan kicked the bento box with dog food across the room. “Olivia Hayes, don’t push your luck!” “This is the company. This is my private secretary. What right do you have to treat my staff like that?” Dog food scattered everywhere. I stood there like a statue, letting the kibble hit me, unmoving. “Ethan Miller, I’m giving you two choices right now.” “One: you keep your Bellyache Princess, and we get a divorce.” “Two: you fire her. I can pretend none of this ever happened, and I won’t bring it up again.” “One or two, you choose.” “Impossible!” Ethan answered without hesitation. “The company has its rules and regulations. No one has the right to fire an employee without cause.” I nodded. “Alright, I understand.” With that, I stood up and walked straight out. Ethan rushed after me, grabbing my arm. “Olivia, can you please stop acting out?” “Let go!” I shook his hand off. “Ethan Miller, you made your choice. Why are you clinging to me now?” “It’s the twenty-first century. Don’t tell me you’re planning on building a harem.” “Are you going to elevate her to a co-wife, or make her your concubine?” “Olivia, can you just listen to me—” “Get lost!”

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It was my third year of marriage to Ethan. He was thirty-five. I was not yet twenty-one, still in my senior year of college. I hadn’t even decided if I wanted to be a stay-at-home wife yet, when I overheard him chatting with a group of industry titans: “Audrey has nothing going for her besides her youth. “Compared to her, Veronica is far more sophisticated. “I’m starting to regret getting married. How much does it cost to keep a young mistress? Now, divorce would mean a monumental loss.” Turning around, I handed him the divorce papers. When he saw the words stating I’d walk away with nothing, he breathed a sigh of relief, and then, feigning generosity, said, “I’ll transfer you twenty million as compensation.” I smiled and politely declined, “I’m still young; I can afford to lose.” He didn’t know that my brother, Liam, was a scion of one of the East Coast’s most powerful families. All these years, Ethan’s rise to the top tier of business was entirely due to my brother’s support. Divorcing me, his losses were just beginning. 01 During my senior year internship, to see my handsome husband more often, I resolutely joined Ethan’s company. As a junior employee, I kept such a low profile that Ethan didn’t even know I was there, fearing I’d cause him trouble or distract him. Whenever I overheard fellow interns discussing Ethan, I would listen intently, never interrupting. “Mr. Miller is so charming, thirty-five is the prime age for a man.” “Too bad he’s married; I heard his wife is just some unknown young woman.” “Ugh, why don’t I have that kind of luck…” When I was eighteen, to show his sincerity, Ethan declared on the first day he pursued me that he was aiming for marriage, and immediately gave me an engagement ring. I responded with equal passion. We got married after a year of dating, impulsive and fervent, sweet and blissful. He gave me a dream romance beyond imagination; an alpha CEO’s love, direct as a raging torrent, sweeping me off my feet. If I hadn’t interned at his company, perhaps I would never have discovered his hidden secrets. Veronica, Ethan’s executive assistant, was sensual and stunning, a classically sophisticated woman. She often accompanied Ethan on business trips and client dinners. She managed all company affairs, big or small, often more intimately familiar with operations than Ethan himself. Thus, before news of Ethan’s marriage broke, the entire company believed Veronica was the boss’s wife. While getting lunch in the company cafeteria, I even overheard old employees who had worked with Veronica remarking: “Mr. Miller has such poor taste; he doesn’t appreciate Veronica, a beauty like her right by his side.” “It’s a shame Veronica resigned from her executive position at a publicly traded company just to be Mr. Miller’s assistant.” “Just wait and see; once the passion fades, Mr. Miller will divorce and end up with Veronica.” Rumors swirled, but I paid them no mind. After all, the fiery passion between Ethan and me never waned, night after night. Until one client dinner, Veronica, drunk, openly confessed her feelings to Ethan in front of everyone. It was less a confession, and more an ultimatum to Ethan. Veronica asked him if she was in his heart. Ethan remained silent for a long time. Veronica pressed on, “If I’m not in your heart, why won’t you approve my resignation?” Ethan’s expression was grave as he answered with one word: “You are.” Then, he gazed deeply at Veronica, “You are in my heart. I can’t be without you, so I can’t approve your resignation, okay?” Veronica smiled, downed a glass of expensive wine, and left with her bag. The air hung heavy for two seconds, then Ethan chased after her. That gathering consisted of old associates who had worked with Ethan and Veronica for years; I hadn’t attended. However, Jessie, a curvy girl I was friendly with and who loved gossip, filmed the scene and sent it to me privately. She asked: [Do you think Mr. Miller and Veronica will… hook up tonight?] I replied: [Probably not… right?] [They’re adults, they’ve known each other for years, have deep feelings, drank alcohol, and confessed. How can nothing happen?] I typed with certainty: [Mr. Miller is married, he’ll know his limits. Besides, Veronica isn’t the type to be a homewrecker!] [You’ve got a point. But whether anything happened, we’ll know tomorrow.] I didn’t understand what she meant by “know tomorrow,” but the moment I exited the chat, I got my answer. Ethan sent a message saying he wouldn’t be home tonight due to a client dinner. My heart trembled. I immediately dialed his number. At first, no one answered. After several attempts, Ethan finally picked up: “Baby, my phone was on silent, didn’t hear it. What’s up?” I forced my emotions down, my nails digging into my palm. “Honey, are you really not coming home tonight?” “Hmm, dinner with the team, everyone’s here. Can’t make it back, baby, please understand.” I gritted my teeth and pressed, “Are there any female guests at this dinner?” He paused, then chuckled, “No, when did you start checking up on me? How about a video call, I’ll prove I’m innocent.” As he spoke, I heard rustling. It sounded like a high-end shirt rubbing against a hotel bedsheet. Before, when our love was fervent, such sounds were common. “Ugh…” A muffled groan escaped Ethan’s lips. The turmoil in my heart, it just… dissipated in that instant. Three years with Ethan, we did a lot of intimate things. I knew exactly what that “ugh” meant. It was his emotional release after exerting himself in pleasure. This detail, he probably hadn’t even noticed himself. Good. I didn’t even have to stop him from cheating. He already cheated. I forced a bitter laugh, “No need for a video call… I’m afraid I’ll go blind.” “You have fun. I’m going to bed.” My heart turned to ash. I was about to hang up. Then Ethan spoke again. His voice was hoarse and low. “Baby, we finalized a huge deal tonight. The team will be working extra hard starting tomorrow. I might be working very late, so don’t wait for me for dinner these next few days.” Working extra hard. Or spending extra time with Veronica. To me, it no longer mattered. 02 The call ended. I didn’t sleep a wink all night. Sporting dark circles under my eyes, I arrived at the company. My mind was still a blank slate when Jessie, the curvy girl, came up to me, eager to continue discussing last night’s gossip. “Something definitely happened between Mr. Miller and Veronica last night.” I furrowed my brow slightly. Then she continued, “This morning, Mr. Miller’s clothes were all wrinkled, and… he was wearing the same outfit as yesterday. Doesn’t that mean Mr. Miller didn’t go home at all last night?” I nodded, too tired to praise her keen observation skills. She went on, “Veronica was also late this morning. When she came in, she looked radiant, like someone who usually acts so sharp and efficient just completely transformed.” I asked her, “How transformed?” She thought for a moment before replying, “More radiant, more seductive, more… delicate and pampered. See for yourself.” I looked up. I saw Veronica walk in, wearing a tight, curve-hugging dress. I had seen that dress before. I spotted it when I was shopping with Ethan. But they didn’t have my size, so I paid and placed an order, asking them to ship it to Ethan when it arrived. Now it seemed. The dress had arrived. But the recipient had changed. Veronica was in high spirits. As soon as she entered, she asked everyone what they wanted to drink, offering to treat. Everyone cheered. I sat in the corner, a mix of emotions churning inside me. I tried to numb myself with work. But it didn’t help. I drifted aimlessly until noon. I sat at my desk, eating takeout. Veronica, meanwhile, carried large bags of exquisite meals into Ethan’s office. Once inside, she stayed the entire afternoon. When she finally emerged, it was already evening, almost quitting time. Jessie, next to me, clicked her tongue, sighing, “The world is truly going downhill. Why did Veronica have to fall for a married man? Mike, who sits closer to the CEO’s office, said Veronica practically threw herself into Mr. Miller’s arms as soon as she went in. They almost turned the office into a motel!” After saying that, Jessie even sent me a photo Mike had secretly taken. Veronica was sitting on Ethan’s lap, feeding him. Their expressions, their posture, were incredibly intimate. “I wonder how sad Mr. Miller’s wife would be if she saw this,” Jessie whispered with a sigh. Mr. Davies, the manager sitting opposite us, frowned. “They’re clearly smitten with each other. Why are you two interfering?” Jessie didn’t quite catch Mr. Davies’s meaning and playfully added, “That’s true, she really is the mistress!” Mr. Davies grew displeased, throwing a binder at Jessie. “Since you’re so free, finish this. You’re not leaving until it’s done.” Jessie’s face fell. I quietly sent her a message: [Mr. Davies and Veronica go way back. He’s definitely on her side, so don’t say that kind of thing again.] Jessie replied with a crying emoji. I comforted her: [I’ll help you with that binder. Let’s finish it quickly and go. My treat, gourmet tacos.] She brightened up again. That evening, Jessie and I finally completed our overtime task and were about to head out for tacos when Mr. Davies called us back. “You two worked hard. Let’s go grab a late dinner together.” Mr. Davies gave us no chance to refuse. He turned and led us to a restaurant near the company. After dinner, we were led to a karaoke bar. We were reluctant, but had no choice. Interns had little say. Sitting in a dark corner, we just played a popular mobile game. We were so engrossed in the game, we didn’t even notice that a lot of people from Ethan’s inner circle had entered the private room. Until I heard a familiar voice. Then I saw Ethan, surrounded by a group of industry giants, seated in the main spot. At first, the group talked about projects. Later, they started discussing their personal lives. About children, wives, in-laws… and of course, their mistresses. “I saw Veronica’s social media post saying ‘lovers finally united.’ What’s up, did you finally come to your senses and take Veronica into your bed?” Someone asked. I couldn’t help but perk up my ears. Ethan said coolly, “You don’t understand the situation that day. I had no choice; Veronica was pushing me. If I didn’t want her, she would resign. You know, Veronica has been with the company for so many years; the company can’t function without her. Of course… you could also say I can’t function without her.” “So Veronica is okay being a mistress? Ethan, don’t let this backfire on you later.” “Yeah, remember how much effort you put into marrying that young girl? We all saw it. Never mind how stable your arrangements outside are, but what happens when the wife at home finds out? Wouldn’t she cause a huge scene?” “That’s not fair. If Veronica doesn’t mind, why should the other woman?” “Mr. Miller has pampered that girl for years. How could she accept returning to a normal, ordinary life? Even if she found out about his mistress, she wouldn’t dare make a fuss. As long as she holds the title of Mrs. Miller, she’ll at least be financially secure and live a life of privilege.” Everyone chimed in, one after another. Ultimately, they concluded that as long as Ethan kept Veronica from making a scene, the wife at home wouldn’t be able to turn their world upside down. They even congratulated Ethan, praising his ability to have his cake and eat it too. Jessie listened, her face crinkling in disgust. She couldn’t help but whisper “disgusting” in my ear. Then she added, “Even though Mr. Miller is such a jerk, what they’re saying isn’t entirely wrong. That young girl probably hasn’t even graduated yet, no family background, no real skills. Causing a scene really wouldn’t do her any good, do you think…?” I nodded. “No, she won’t cause a scene. In this society, everyone prefers to be civilized.” Everything could be discussed calmly and respectfully. Divorce, too. At that moment, Ethan put down his glass and spoke: “Yes, Audrey has nothing going for her besides her youth. Compared to her, Veronica is far more sophisticated. “But Veronica’s proud personality, I don’t know how long she can endure this. “I’m starting to regret getting married. How much does it cost to keep a young mistress? Now, divorce would mean a monumental loss.” So, he was calculating the loss. Of course. Ethan and I were legally married. A divorce would mean splitting his marital assets. Then, let it be as Ethan wished. I could walk away with nothing. But he would have to bear the cost of me walking away with nothing. 03 Until everyone dispersed. Veronica drove off with a drunken Ethan. I watched from afar as the two embraced, their mouths pressed together. Perhaps they had restrained themselves for too long. As soon as they got into the car, it began to rock violently. I silently filmed everything that had just happened. Then, I called my brother. “What’s up, sis? Why are you calling me so late?” My brother’s voice immediately touched the softest part of my heart. I couldn’t help but “plop” and tears streamed down my face. “Hey, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” I choked, unable to speak. My brother immediately asked where I was. I mumbled an address. Half an hour later, he appeared before me. I was huddled on the street steps, trembling. My brother took off his jacket and draped it over me, sitting silently beside me. “Where’s Ethan?” “He cheated.” My brother froze, his jaw clenching. “Where is he? I’ll kill him.” I grabbed my brother’s hand and shook my head, “No need. It’ll just dirty your hands.” My brother stomped his foot hard on the ground in anger! But it wasn’t enough to appease him. He asked me, “Are you divorcing him?” I nodded without hesitation. “Could it be a misunderstanding?” I showed my brother all the videos and photos on my phone. Even though I didn’t say anything, my brother had already made his decision. He immediately took out his phone and made a few calls. One was to his lawyer friend, asking him to draft a divorce agreement for me. The second was to contact suppliers associated with Ethan, instructing them not to sign contracts they had just agreed upon if they hadn’t already, not to renew expiring contracts, and to revoke discounts on existing contracts, charging market prices. After making the calls, my brother took my hand. “Come on, let’s go home.” I shook my head, tears still clinging to my eyelashes. “Before we go home, I want to move.” My brother didn’t hesitate, driving us to the marital home Ethan and I shared. Ethan bought the house. I had nothing to be nostalgic about. But I had lived there for three years, and I never thought I would leave it this way. “If you want this house, I’ll get you the best lawyer to help you claim it.” “No, thanks, Liam. Anything tainted by Ethan, I find pretty dirty now.”

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Back from a business trip, I held the designer bag Olivia had been coveting, ready to give her a surprise. But before I even got home, I received an emergency call from the hospital: Olivia was hospitalized due to acute bleeding. I rushed over, my heart pounding, only for the attending physician to discreetly usher me into his office. “Young man, I know you youngsters have boundless energy, but you can’t be too forceful.” He continued, “The patient has a cervical laceration. She needs plenty of rest, and no marital activity for at least a month.” My vision blurred. A chilling prickle went up my spine. I’d been away on a business trip for nearly a month. Could Olivia be cheating on me? 1 The doctor kept droning on about precautions and medication, but my brain had completely crashed. I couldn’t process a word. “Doctor, are you sure it’s a cervical laceration? Could there be a mistake?” My eyes were wide with disbelief. The doctor pushed up his glasses. “Young man, you need to own up to your actions. There are no outsiders here, no need to be embarrassed.” He added, “You can question me, but instruments don’t lie. Look, the report clearly states it.” With that, he handed me the detailed report. My insides twisted, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. My mind raced. Then, I stammered, “Doctor, is it possible… that my wife, uh… that she was, you know, just relieving loneliness by herself and accidentally did it?” The doctor furrowed his brow, about to say something, but then he noticed the designer bag in my left hand and my suitcase in my right. He paused for a long moment. “Well… that’s not entirely impossible. You could ask your wife about it.” He handed me the prescriptions, giving me a complicated look that sent a searing pain through my chest. Even an idiot like me understood what the doctor was implying. My legs felt like lead, each step impossibly heavy. Olivia showed no unusual reaction when she saw me. Her face was pale from blood loss, but she still said, in a playful, almost childlike voice, “Honey, I missed you so much while you were away.” She reached out to hug me, but just as her hands were about to touch me, I flinched away as if dodging something repulsive. Olivia’s outstretched hands froze in mid-air. She looked at me with confusion. “Honey, what’s wrong?” The doctor’s words echoed in my mind, but I couldn’t find the courage to ask. I just blurted out an excuse. “Ah… you must be hungry. I’ll go grab you some food and pick up some fresh clothes from home.” She smiled at me. “Okay, thanks, honey.” Leaving the hospital, I felt disoriented the whole way home. Olivia and I had been together for three years. It wasn’t a long time, but our relationship had always been strong. She’d even moved across the country for me, and she didn’t demand a huge dowry. I never imagined she would betray me. This year, due to my company’s expansion, I’d been traveling a lot. But whenever I video-called her, Olivia always picked up immediately, showing no signs of anything amiss. Was she cheating? I kept asking myself, then immediately tried to reassure myself that she loved me and wouldn’t cheat. But the doctor’s words clung to me, making it impossible to stop overthinking. Desperate, I started searching online. The answers on Google were wild. I found a popular video that said, “In non-marital circumstances, severe impact to the abdomen or high-intensity exercise can also, to some extent, cause cervical bleeding.” My heart calmed down a little. 2 When I got home, I was greeted by a complete mess. Olivia’s clothes were piled haphazardly on the sofa, and the coffee table was littered with leftover takeout containers and beer cans. It looked like she’d really let loose while I was away. I stepped around the clutter and headed to the bedroom to find her some fresh clothes. As I opened the door, I noticed a newly opened box of condoms and our special little toys on the bedside table. The heavy stone in my heart finally lifted. It wasn’t cheating after all. I truly had been away too long. She must have missed me, otherwise she wouldn’t have resorted to those things to relieve herself. With the alarm bells in my head silenced, my tense shoulders immediately relaxed. I hummed a little tune as I tidied the house and even took out the trash. That’s when I noticed a cigarette butt by the front door, and a small burn mark on the carpet. My heart instantly leaped into my throat. Olivia absolutely hated smoking. I’d quit years ago when we started dating because of her. Someone had definitely been here! Just as my blood pressure shot to my temples, my phone rang. It was Olivia. I answered, and her sweet, almost sugary voice came through. “Honey, where are you? Why aren’t you back yet?” My irritation flared. I replied curtly, “I’m home. I’ll be back as soon as I finish cleaning up.” “Oh, honey, my mom came a few days ago. She even bought a fresh fish. If you’re hungry, you can cook it.” It was my mother-in-law! That made sense. My mother-in-law had a strong smoking habit. Olivia had tried to get her to quit countless times over the years, but she never succeeded. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I had such a good wife; anyone would be lucky to have her. I quickly cleaned the fish, made a savory fish soup, and prepared two of Olivia’s favorite dishes: shrimp and savory scrambled eggs. Under my careful nursing, Olivia recovered quickly and was discharged in less than half a month. Our interactions went back to normal, with no visible signs of anything amiss. But once a seed of doubt is planted, a person inevitably becomes suspicious. Even though thoughts of Olivia cheating would occasionally surface in my mind, every investigation turned up nothing. Then, one day, a glitch in a company project meant the client couldn’t sign immediately. My work was unexpectedly interrupted, so I headed home early. But there, on the shoe rack outside our door, sat a pair of men’s dress shoes. My internal alarm blared. As I opened the door and stepped inside, I heard Olivia’s high-pitched, resonant cries coming from the bedroom. All the suppressed emotions I’d held back for so long erupted. I strode quickly forward, but the bedroom door was locked from the inside. This “other man” was clearly prepared. I pounded on the door, rattling the doorknob violently. Inside, Olivia’s panicked voice cried, “Honey, why are you suddenly back?” I was too furious to waste words. I prepared to kick the door open and catch them red-handed. Just then, Olivia suddenly opened the door. Her face was flushed, and she was wrapped only in a bath towel. The entire room was thick with the scent of passion. I scanned the room. No one. A flicker of awkwardness crossed Olivia’s face. She asked tentatively, “Honey, what are you looking for?” I gritted my teeth, spitting out each word, “I’m looking for the scumbag who left his dress shoes at our door!” With that, I began tearing through the bedroom, checking under the bed, inside the closet – every possible hiding spot. But there was no one. 3 Just as confusion washed over me, Olivia’s sobbing broke through my thoughts. “Ethan, I knew you suspected me. Ever since I was hospitalized for the cervical bleeding, you’ve been acting strangely, always looking at me like I have two heads.” “Have we been together all these years for nothing? Is there no basic trust between us?” Seeing Olivia’s eyes red and swollen from crying, I felt guilty for my impulsiveness. After all, there really was no one else in the house. I picked up a tissue to wipe her tears. She sniffled tearfully, “Ever since I got out of the hospital, you’ve been so preoccupied. And every time I ask you, you just say ‘nothing’.” “Would you rather overthink everything on your own than just ask me directly?” I was speechless. I wanted to hug and comfort her, but she simply pushed me away. “Ethan, don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You’re always finding excuses to sneak a peek at my phone. Last time, after the company dinner, you even tailed me in your car.” “Can you please stop monitoring me like I’m a criminal? You’re really breaking my heart,” Olivia’s voice grew more agitated. She stomped back into the bedroom, packed a suitcase, and declared she was moving out. I stepped forward to block her, but she glared at me fiercely, spitting, “What, I can’t even go clear my head? I’ve had enough of your suspicions. You stay here and do some serious self-reflection!” Her words plunged me into deep self-reproach. I ran my hands through my hair, feeling utterly suffocated. Then, suddenly, it hit me: our apartment was on the first floor! I had clearly heard Olivia’s moans just moments ago. The jerk inside must have simply escaped through the window! I immediately rushed back into the bedroom and yanked open the curtains. Sure enough, the window was wide open. Because it had rained that morning, there was a distinct set of five-toed footprints in the muddy grass outside. I immediately called Olivia, wanting a clear explanation, but she seemed to have blocked me. Calls and texts went straight to voicemail, no reply. I dug out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer – the ones I got at a colleague’s wedding. The nicotine might temporarily numb my brain. Since I hadn’t caught him this time, Olivia would never admit it. I might as well use her absence to dig up clues. My company messaged me: the unsigned project from before was back on. I needed to meet the client at the Grand Gardens Restaurant today and prepare for the signing. To avoid any issues, I arrived an hour early to prepare. As I followed the signs to private room 422, I heard a familiar name. I stopped dead in my tracks. From private room 420, a man’s voice declared, “Olivia, no backing out! Either you drink a bottle of wine, or you kiss Blake as per the dare rules!” Another woman chimed in, “Exactly! Olivia, you and Blake were the campus’s golden couple back in the day. What’s there to be shy about?” “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Olivia’s sweet voice drifted out. “Okay, okay, stop teasing! Blake’s a married man now, he can’t just kiss anyone. Besides, I’m married too. I’ll drink the wine instead.” Another man spoke up. “Olivia, if I hadn’t gone abroad for studies, maybe we would have married years ago. You just got out of the hospital, you can’t drink that much. I’ll do it with you.” The other two chimed in, “Yeah, yeah, it’s fine if you’re married, it’s just a game!” Rage flared in my chest. Standing outside the door, my hands slowly clenched into fists, my nails digging into my flesh, sending sharp pains through me. Just then, a waiter approached, pushed the door open to deliver dishes. I stood to the side, peering in. Olivia was wrapping her arms around a stranger’s neck, straddling him completely, her body facing him. The man’s hands were helpfully cupping her butt, and both of them had their eyes closed, passionately making out. As all the previous details clicked into place – Olivia’s cervical laceration, the footprints outside the window – I stormed directly into the private room…

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I shelled out a million bucks for a rare Platinum Arowana, only for my wife to give it to her intern to feed to stray cats. He even flaunted it on social media: [So grateful for the beautiful and kind Evelyn! Our little Buddy is now a cat who’s eaten a dragon fish~] In the video my friend sent, my wife, Evelyn Hayes, was leaning into the intern, Dylan Miller, both of them cooing over a grubby stray cat, smiling so sweetly. Meanwhile, my prized fish, which was meant to be a gift, lay on the grass, scales ripped off, bloody and unable to move. I immediately called Evelyn. But I tried twenty-something times, and not a single call went through. An hour later, I posted my own update, complete with a video. [Nothing beats a stew made from carefully pampered exotic pets—the dogs just love it!] In the video, all of Evelyn’s expensive exotic pets had been tossed into a large pot, made into a rich stew, and shared among a pack of stray dogs outside the building. 1 Just as I was instructing the household staff to take the contents of the pot out to the nearby strays, Evelyn, who had been missing for hours, stormed back. The rapid clatter of the keypad buttons showed just how agitated she was. “Alex Thorne! Have you lost your mind?!” “Do you have any idea how much effort I put into getting those exotic pets? How precious they are? And you actually ate them all?!” I scoffed, retorting, “Who’s truly lost their mind here?” “Didn’t you casually give away the dragon fish I paid over a million for?” “How is it okay for you to feed cats, but not for me to feed dogs?” “I thought this was your new quirk, you know, buying million-dollar pets just to eat them. So I helped you stew all the exotic pets in the house. Good timing, you’re back just as the stew’s fresh and hot. Want a bowl?” Evelyn choked on her words, a breath catching in her throat. It took a while for the flush to recede from her face. “Isn’t it only natural for cats to eat fish?” “Besides, Dylan just landed a huge order for the company right after getting promoted from intern. I was just rewarding him.” “And once I gave him the fish, how he dealt with it was his business. No one else has a say.” At that, I let out a low chuckle. “Reward?” “Chloe Davis has been working with you since the day you joined the company. She’s done all the grunt work, never a single complaint.” “Funny, I’ve never seen you reward her with anything so extravagant.” I paused, my gaze turning cold. “Or is it that you’re just happy to be generous with my money, giving away things I paid for?” Evelyn was rendered speechless by my retort, but Dylan, who had been lingering behind her, piped up. “It’s just a fish, isn’t it? I’ll pay you back.” “Pay me back?” I craned my neck, sizing him up. “That was a Platinum Arowana worth over two million. Even its shed scales fetch a couple of thousand dollars each.” “Can you even afford it?” Hearing the price, Dylan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “No way! A small fish is worth over two million?!” Seeing his skepticism, I pulled out the payment receipt. He instantly quieted, looking pleadingly at Evelyn. “Evelyn…?” Evelyn was silent for a moment, then patted his hand reassuringly. “You don’t have to pay. I told you it was your reward; you earned it by securing that big deal.” “The company will cover the cost.” Hearing Evelyn constantly claim Dylan had secured a big deal, I grew curious. A two-million-dollar gift, just like that? How massive could this deal be? But I hadn’t heard of Hayes Corporation getting any major new business recently. The next second, Dylan unwittingly enlightened me. “Right, Evelyn, Mr. Thorne even stamped the approval. My bonus is well-deserved…” In an instant, it clicked. So, Evelyn had pulled strings and used my company’s corporate seal without authorization, all to help him gain a foothold in the company. This project hadn’t even passed through my hands, and she’d already given it my seal of approval. “Evelyn Hayes, what project did Thorne Enterprises and Hayes Corporation collaborate on? How is it that I, the CEO, know nothing about it?” “Where did he sign this ‘deal’? On your bed?” Evelyn’s voice suddenly rose. “Alex Thorne! What are you talking about? I’m your wife!” “Dylan secured that project based on his own merit. He couldn’t reach you, so I just stamped it for you. The proposal was genuinely excellent, a win-win collaboration. Would I ever do anything to harm you?” I laughed as if I’d heard the most ridiculous joke. “You still remember you’re my wife?” “I’m a CEO too, and I’m busy, but I don’t spend entire nights away from home like you do.” “And you say you’re ‘working overtime at the office.’ I think you’re more likely ‘playing around’ at the office!” Probably unable to argue back, Evelyn’s face flushed crimson. “You’re absolutely impossible to reason with!” With that, she grabbed Dylan and stormed out of the house. My intense, confrontational demeanor instantly deflated. In elite family marriages, it’s common for couples to appear united but be estranged, with plenty of discreet affairs happening on the side. But I thought Evelyn and I were different. Although we were childhood friends, the Thorne family’s standing far surpassed the Hayes family’s. At the time, countless women were vying to be my fiancée, but I chose her alone. Because she was the only one who didn’t care if I was outstanding, but rather worried if my path to success was arduous. I once believed she loved me too. To get my parents to accept her, I even leveraged my own resources and connections to help the Hayes family rise. At seventeen, I thought true love was invincible, capable of overcoming all odds. But after marriage, as the Hayes family leveraged their connection to the Thornes, skyrocketing to become a top-tier elite family, The Evelyn who was always so gentle and thoughtful with me changed. Perhaps reaching a certain height, she felt she no longer needed the Thorne family’s help. She stopped pretending. She began subtly and unintentionally to distance herself from me, even overtly cheating on me. But no matter. Evelyn Hayes, I’ll make you realize the price of ‘playing around’! 2 Half an hour later, I had the divorce papers sent to her. If Evelyn were a smart woman, she’d understand my stance. The implied message: she could give her lover anything she wanted, just don’t involve me. This was the last shred of dignity I was offering this marriage. But when the papers came back to me, they were nothing but shredded confetti. I knew she was protesting. “Mr. Thorne, Ms. Hayes also asked me to relay a message.” “…” My assistant hesitated, unable to bring himself to speak the words. I knew what he wanted to say; after all, I had taught Evelyn that tactic myself. “Did she say ‘what’s done is done, the deal’s sealed, and if I want to terminate the contract, I’ll have to pay a breach penalty’?” The assistant nodded, his face grim, and added, “And Ms. Hayes said that since you appreciate Ms. Davis so much, Ms. Davis should just come work directly under you at Thorne Enterprises. Hayes Corporation is too small for her talents.” “When I left, I saw that Ms. Davis’s old desk had already been taken by Dylan Miller.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Well done. Truly excellent. She’s certainly the talent I spent five years cultivating.” “Signing contracts behind my back, then swiftly firing the very person I handpicked for her… She’s truly surpassed the master.” Who would have thought I, Alex Thorne, would bring this trouble upon myself? But when I poured everything into teaching her, I certainly never taught her to repay kindness with enmity. The next moment, my gaze turned terrifyingly cold. “Tell the legal department to prepare a lawsuit against Evelyn Hayes for the unauthorized use of Thorne Enterprises’ corporate seal.” “Also, notify the others. They can move.” “Before sunset today, I want to see Hayes Corporation’s stock plummet.” For the next half-hour, I watched my computer screen, observing Hayes Corporation’s stock continually dipping into the red. Seven years of support, twenty-five years of shared life, all to be repaid by her letting some unknown kid publicly humiliate me. As the sun began to set, I finally received Evelyn’s call. I didn’t rush to answer. Call after call, twenty in total, before I unhurriedly picked up. “Alex Thorne, you’re behind the stock, aren’t you?” “Are you crazy? For a fish, you’re abandoning Thorne Enterprises too, aren’t you?” “Hayes Corporation and Thorne Enterprises rise and fall together! What good will this do you?!” I chuckled lightly. “Mind your tone, Ms. Hayes.” “Hayes Corporation is currently teetering on the edge of a cliff. What do you suppose would happen if I gave it another gentle push?” Silence on the other end. After a long pause, Evelyn asked, almost through gritted teeth, “What do you want, then? My dear husband.” Seeing that she had finally recognized her position and softened her tone, I cleared my throat and stated my demands. “Pay three times the project’s breach penalty, as per the contract, and then ban Dylan Miller from the company and blackball him from the entire industry. Do that, and I’ll have them stop.” “Evelyn! I don’t want to leave the company! I just got my promotion!” “You’re the CEO of Hayes Corporation, he’s just your husband! How can he just dismiss me with a single word?!” Dylan grew anxious, no longer caring if I could hear him, loudly and urgently voicing his discontent. Facing his whining, Evelyn seemed to move the phone away slightly. I vaguely heard words like “don’t be silly” and “it’s just a temporary measure.” A temporary measure, is it? Perhaps Evelyn had forgotten how she clawed her way to her current position. Without me, what could she have accomplished? Five minutes passed, and my patience was wearing thin. “Evelyn, there’s only half an hour left until sunset. You’re running out of time.” Evelyn’s voice trembled slightly. “Alex, do you really have to be so ruthless?” Seeing my silence, she understood my meaning. Her voice filled with intense resentment, yet utterly helpless, she said,

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