I’ve been in love with Michael Montgomery for ten years. During this time, I’ve used all the Sullivan family’s connections and resources to propel him to the top of the business world. I even went as far as offending Lucas Anderson, the heir to a wealthy family in the city and my childhood friend, for Michael’s sake. As a result, Lucas has held a grudge against me for as long as I’ve been with Michael. On the eve of our wedding, at the company’s celebration party, Lucas showed up with a seductively dressed woman. Right in front of me, he pushed Anna into Michael’s arms, making sure I saw their ambiguous interaction. I calmly called Lucas out, but my hand trembled as I tried to slap him, shaken by his words. “Sophia, do you still think Michael truly loves you?” 0 Lucas and I stood outside the private room. The sound of my slap was drowned out by the laughter from inside. Lucas gripped the back of my neck tightly, pinning me against the doorframe. He hissed through gritted teeth: “Take a good look! Do you still think this Michael loves you?” Inside, Michael had his arm around Anna’s waist. They were laughing about something, their faces full of joy. Anna wore a low-cut evening gown, and Michael’s gaze never left her chest. Her hand traced his Adam’s apple, causing Michael to chuckle repeatedly. He caught her hand and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. The guests in the room were still teasing: “No wonder even the self-controlled Mr. Montgomery is smitten with Miss Anna’s charm!” “You flatter me,” Anna replied coyly. “I’m no match for Mrs. Montgomery. Isn’t that right, Mr. Montgomery?” Anna boldly took Michael’s hand and removed his wedding ring, playing with it. That ring was specially designed with both of us involved in every step, from material selection to production. Michael frowned and reached out to take it back, but Anna deliberately leaned in and kissed him directly on the lips. He didn’t push her away. After the kiss, he looked at Anna nestled in his arms and smiled helplessly: “Fine, play with it if you like.” I leaned against the door, my face ashen, watching as they started kissing again. I finally couldn’t take it anymore and turned to push Lucas away. Lucas let out a cold laugh and started questioning me: “Sophia, are you really willing to ruin the rest of your life for ten years of feelings with this scumbag?” “It’s because he’s drunk!” I retorted, my eyes red. I suddenly turned back, making sure my outburst hadn’t alerted the people inside. Then I grabbed Lucas’s collar and pushed him into a corner. “You deliberately took advantage of him being drunk to send that woman to ruin his reputation!” I deliberately lowered my voice, feeling my throat go dry. I instinctively continued to defend Michael. “We’ve been in love for ten years! Ten years, do you understand? I know him better than anyone!” “And you, heir to a wealthy family, what are you? You’re just a jerk!” I composed myself and pushed past Lucas to enter the private room. Inside, Michael and Anna had already resumed their proper postures upon hearing the commotion. Seeing me enter, Michael habitually stood up to pull out a chair for me, placing a plate of prepared seafood in front of me. The ring was still in Anna’s hand, and Michael deliberately avoided that empty hand as he held the plate. Noticing my upset expression, he pulled me into his arms, asking with concern: “What’s wrong, Sophia? Are you feeling unwell?” I buried my head deeper into his chest and said softly, “It’s nothing. I might have had too much to drink. I feel a bit tipsy.” Michael called over a waiter, giving him a generous tip to buy some stomach medicine and prepare a bowl of sobering soup. He was always like this, attentive to every little detail about me. I looked up at him steadily and tentatively asked, “What were you talking about with Miss Anna just now? You seemed so happy.” Michael hesitated for a moment before responding, “Oh, nothing much. Just some work stuff.” But as I lowered my head, I saw what was happening under the table. Anna kept rubbing her leg against Michael’s, and Michael was using his shoe to lift her skirt and caress her, the atmosphere incredibly intimate. A wave of nausea hit me, and suddenly Michael’s embrace felt utterly disgusting. I abruptly stood up, grabbing my bag to leave. “I’m not feeling well. I’m going home first.” Michael instinctively wanted to follow, but Anna caught his hand and placed it on her collar: “Mr. Montgomery, I’m feeling a bit drunk too.” Michael hesitated for a moment, choosing not to move his hand away. He only called for a driver, instructing him to take me home safely. As I was leaving, I bumped into Lucas, who hadn’t left yet. He was smoking, and through the smoke, I couldn’t clearly see the look in his eyes as he gazed at me. But I imagined it must have been mockery. On the way home, I looked at the ring on my finger, tears falling uncontrollably. Michael, did he truly love me? 0
Michael didn’t come home all night, only returning at dawn to freshen up before preparing to leave again. Last night’s events had kept me awake all night. I listened to him making phone calls while washing up in the bathroom, his tone intimate. Before leaving, he came to the bedside to kiss me, his voice gentle: “Sophia, I’ve prepared breakfast in the kitchen. Remember to eat when you get up. I’m off to the company now. Love you.” The moment he closed the door, I opened my eyes and walked to the laundry basket near the bathroom. His shirt collar was covered in lipstick marks, and his suit jacket and pants were stained with countless wet spots. The maid knocked and entered upon hearing movement. I threw the clothes back into the laundry basket and instructed her: “No need to wash these. Just throw away this entire basket. And ask the chef to prepare a lunch box for my husband. I’ll take it to him at noon.” The maid was momentarily stunned but quickly regained her composure and agreed. The reason was simple: previously, I had always personally prepared Michael’s meals, never letting anyone else handle them. But today, strangely enough, I didn’t feel like doing any of these things for him. When I arrived at the company with the lunch box, it was just around lunchtime. The employees coming and going all greeted me with “Mrs. Sullivan.” After all, the company’s successful IPO was largely due to my networking efforts. But I failed to notice the hesitant looks from the secretary and receptionist when they saw me. Just as I reached the office door, I saw two intimate silhouettes through the transparent glass. Michael’s clothes and a woman’s garments were scattered on the floor, accompanied by a series of seductive moans. The woman sitting on Michael’s lap turned her head, flashing me a challenging smile before leaning down to kiss Michael. It was Anna. I fled in panic, only wanting to escape this place. My hands shook so much I repeatedly pressed the wrong elevator buttons. When I finally escaped to the lobby, I leaned against the wall, repeatedly dry heaving. The receptionist, seeing my condition, hurriedly brought me a glass of water to help me calm down. I waved her off, thanking her, and handed her the lunch box: “Thank you for your trouble. Please share these dishes with your colleagues. Don’t tell Michael I was here.” I got into my car to compose myself, but message notifications kept interrupting my thoughts. I opened my phone to check, and an unknown number was continuously sending photos. The photos showed intimate poses between Michael and Anna, with Anna wearing my engagement ring on her ring finger. I felt as if I had fallen into an icy abyss. I don’t remember how I got home, only that when I came to my senses, I had already packed up all my belongings. I sat powerlessly by the bed, listening to Michael’s voice message playing on the phone: “Sophia, I have to work overtime tonight, so I’ll stay at the company and won’t be coming home. Get some rest early.” I laughed bitterly. Men are all the same, always using such clumsy excuses. My phone rang, and I answered: “Hello? Is this Mrs. Sullivan? This is City Hospital. The results from your previous check-up are ready.” Only then did I remember that I had gone to the hospital for a check-up due to feeling unwell. At that time, because Michael said the company needed an investment, I had been too busy attending business dinners to secure funding and hadn’t picked up the report. “Congratulations, the report shows that you’re pregnant. When would you like to come in with your husband for—” “I want to schedule an abortion,” I interrupted. The person on the other end of the line clearly hadn’t expected this development and uncertainly asked, “What?” I repeated, “I said, I want to schedule an abortion.” The doctor was silent for a moment before saying, “Alright. Come in tomorrow for a check-up, and we’ll arrange it for you.” I suddenly felt that Lucas was right. I no longer wanted to be trapped in this ten-year relationship, sacrificing my own lifelong happiness. 0
The next day, Michael came home early, taking care of both breakfast and lunch. At the dining table, he took out a jewelry box and proudly opened it in front of me. Inside was a necklace I had once admired in a shop window, casually mentioning how beautiful it was. At that time, Michael’s company hadn’t gone public yet, and all the money my family had given me had been invested in it. No matter how much I liked it, I didn’t dare to even think about buying it. But now, seeing it, I felt no joy at all. Seeing my reaction, Michael’s smile faded a bit, and he cautiously asked, “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” I shook my head, took it, and put it aside, saying, “I do like it. Let’s eat first, I’m hungry.” Michael’s face immediately lit up with a smile, and he started putting my favorite dishes into my bowl: “If you’re hungry, eat up. Here, Sophia, have some more. You’ve gotten so thin.” However, Michael’s phone kept ringing incessantly, annoying me. I glanced at it and said flatly, “You should answer it. It might be something important.” Michael observed my expression, and seeing how calm I was, he hurriedly went to the balcony to take the call. After a while, Michael came back, starting with an apology: “Sophia, I can’t stay with you today. The company…” “Go ahead. The company’s matters are important. I’ll be fine on my own.” I smiled, letting him put his guard down, and watched him leave in a hurry. What Michael didn’t know was that as soon as he hung up, I received an audio file. In the conversation, Michael and Anna addressed each other intimately. Anna was complaining about feeling unwell in a coquettish voice, and Michael sounded very concerned. I left the house right after him and headed straight to the hospital’s obstetrics department. At the hospital entrance, I ran into Lucas. He glanced at the registration slip in my hand, then looked behind me, frowning as he said: “You’re having this procedure, and Michael didn’t come with you?” I ignored him and followed the doctor for various examinations. Lucas kept following behind me, asking questions. I felt a bit annoyed: “What do you want? Are you here to laugh at me?” Lucas snorted: “I’m afraid you’ll die on the operating table with no one to claim your body.” I rolled my eyes at him and entered the operating room as arranged by the doctor. Lucas just stood at the door, watching me go in. Fortunately, my body was in good condition, so I could go home the same day without staying in the hospital. When I came out, Lucas was gone, and Anna sent another message. Around her slender neck was the necklace I liked, with Michael standing behind her, smiling as he put it on her. The pain in my abdomen intensified at that moment, reaching deep into my heart. I could barely stand. A hand steadied me as I was about to fall. Lucas held onto me and helped me sit down nearby, opening a thermos flask and handing it to me. A rich, savory aroma and steam hit my face. I looked at him in disbelief, but he just handed me a spoon. “It’s a nutritious soup. Drink some, it’s good for you. It’s still hot. I heard that you feel cold after an abortion, so…” It wasn’t until he reached out to wipe the tears from my cheeks that I came back to my senses, realizing I had just lost my child. And the man I had loved for ten years. I took the spoon and drank the soup while crying. Lucas sighed helplessly: “Slow down, I’m not going to fight you for it.” Catching sight of the ring on my hand, I felt even more miserable. I took it off and threw it into his lap: “Don’t you have a jewelry business? Help me sell this. This piece of junk isn’t worth keeping. Might as well get some money for it.” Lucas seemed to want to say something but hesitated. His gaze shifted between me and the ring. I heard him take a deep breath before saying: “Sophia Sullivan, let me marry you.” 0
I froze on the spot. Lucas scratched his head and laughed awkwardly: “I’m just kidding! It’s… it’s normal if you don’t want to. After all, we… I… ah…” “Okay, I’ll marry you,” I said firmly after some thought, wiping away my tears. Lucas stood up, delighted. “Great! Great!” He even started talking to himself: “Engagement, yes, let’s get engaged first! I’ll notify my family to start preparing. How about we set it on your birthday? What do you think?” I had just nodded in agreement when Lucas turned and dialed his parents’ number. The Anderson family and mine were old friends. Mrs. Anderson had always liked me, but because of my unwavering love for Michael, she had to give up on the idea. Now that I was actively choosing to leave Michael, the Anderson family was overjoyed. They even informed my parents. When my parents called to inquire, I only sent them the messages Anna had sent me. My mother cried uncontrollably after seeing them: “Sophia, don’t make yourself suffer. As long as you’re happy, it doesn’t matter who you choose. You can always come home too. Dad and Mom will always be here for you.” After reassuring them, I specifically instructed them not to say much to Michael’s family. Lucas and I agreed to hold the engagement party on my birthday. Before that, I would completely remove myself from Michael’s life. That night, Michael rarely came home. He hugged me from behind, carrying a strong scent of perfume. “Sophia, your birthday is coming up in a few days. Tell me what you want, I’ll buy anything for you.” “I just want you to be with me. I don’t need anything else.” The person behind me fell silent. I persisted, “What’s wrong? Can’t you be with me, Michael?” “Of course I can!” Michael said softly. “It’s just that there’s an important deal that day, so I might be late coming back to celebrate with you.” I shook my head, indicating it was fine. Only then did Michael breathe a sigh of relief. He didn’t know that Anna had sent me a video clip that evening. In the video, the two of them were lying on the bed in our marital home. Anna, pressed close to Michael, cooed: “Mr. Montgomery, come see me on the 7th too. I have a surprise for you.” “I can’t. It’s Sophia’s birthday that day, I—” Anna silenced him with a kiss, then maneuvered her body in a way that made him breathe heavily, and he immediately agreed to meet her. Perhaps out of guilt, Michael stayed home with me for several days in a row. For a moment, I felt as if we were back to how we were when we first fell in love. However, on my birthday, Michael said goodbye early in the morning, telling me to wait for him to come back and celebrate. I couldn’t wait for him anymore. As soon as he left, Lucas sent people to move all my things to his house, and then personally picked me up to go to the beauty salon. I left my phone in the villa, along with my abortion report and an invitation card. Lucas had a custom-made engagement outfit prepared for me and even invited reporters from the city newspaper. He said he wanted to tell the whole world that I was now his lover, not Michael’s. As soon as the engagement party started, related videos and reports spread everywhere. In our marital home, Michael had just finished his tryst with Anna and was preparing to go home when he was drawn to the news on TV. On the screen, I was arm in arm with Lucas, my face radiating happiness, and we shared a passionate kiss in front of the distinguished guests. Both Michael and Anna were stunned. They heard the reporter announce: “We are now at the engagement party of Lucas Anderson, the eldest son of the Anderson family, and Sophia Sullivan, the daughter of the Sullivan family. Here…” Michael grabbed his clothes and rushed out the door, stumbling several times on the flat corridor. His expression was panicked, more horrified: “Impossible… This can’t be…”
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