Julian Hayes dragged me into a compromising situation, busting me with his rival. A barrage of cameras and microphones were shoved into my face, completely ignoring my half-naked body. Julian spoke with a smug, confident tone, “So, Mr. Vance, are you so desperate for women that you’d dare to sleep with my wife?” “Wife, come here.” But I just laid out my divorce certificate and marriage certificate, linking my arm with Caleb Vance’s. “Excuse me, but we’re legally married.” “Julian, did you forget? We got divorced. You were the one who asked for it.” “You wanted me to orchestrate a fake divorce, using my reputation to set up Caleb?” Seriously? I *just* got remarried, thank you very much! Go back to him? Dream on! I stared at the antique clock on the wall. The hour hand pointed to nine. The elaborate dinner on the table had long gone cold, and the candles on the candelabra were burning down to their stumps. “Madam, should I clear the table?” Martha stood at the dining room entrance, hesitant to speak. I shook my head, my fingers unconsciously tracing the embroidery on the napkin. “Just a little longer. He said he’d be home early tonight.” It was my third wedding anniversary with Julian. I’d started preparing a month ago: booked his favorite restaurant, bought a new dress, and even secretly practiced the piano piece he’d been listening to recently, hoping to surprise him after dinner. My phone vibrated. I practically lunged to answer it. “Madam, Mr. Hayes asked me to inform you that he has an important client meeting tonight. He won’t be back for dinner.” It was Daniel, Julian’s assistant, speaking in a strictly businesslike tone. I bit my lower lip until I tasted a hint of blood, then released it. “Did he say… when he’ll be back?” “Mr. Hayes didn’t say. Is there anything you’d like me to relay?” “No, thank you.” I hung up, feeling my eyes sting, but no tears came. In the past three years, I had learned not to show weakness in front of others. Martha sighed and began clearing the table. I stood up to help, but she gently pressed my hand. “Madam, please go rest. I’ll handle this.” I knew she pitied me. Everyone in the Hayes household knew how Julian treated me. In three years of marriage, he’d been home a handful of times. Even when he did return, it was usually late at night, when I was already asleep. Sometimes, I even wondered if he deliberately avoided me. Back in the bedroom, I peeled off the expensive custom-made dress and tossed it onto a chair. The woman in the mirror had a beautiful face and figure, but her eyes were dim. I was only twenty-six, but I felt like I was already old. That rainy night three years ago suddenly flashed before my eyes. My father’s company had plunged into crisis overnight. Creditors blocked the doors, banks demanded payments. The Lin family had fallen from the heights of prosperity into the depths of despair. My father, out of options, humbled himself before the elder Mr. Hayes, desperately pleading for help. “I can help you, but I have a condition.” The elder Mr. Hayes was puffing on a cigar, his eyes sharp. That condition was me. Aurora Lin, the only daughter of the Lin family, would marry Julian Hayes, the heir to the Hayes empire. I still remembered the first time I saw Julian. He stood by the huge floor-to-ceiling window at the Hayes mansion, his back to me, his figure as tall and straight as a pine. When he turned, I was stunned by his handsome face, but his eyes were as cold as ice when he looked at me. “It’s just a business arrangement. Don’t expect me to fall in love with you.” That was the first thing he ever said to me.
I agreed to the marriage. For my father, for the Lin family, I had no choice. The wedding was grand. The Hayes family valued their reputation, wanting even an unwilling marriage to be spectacular. Julian drank a lot that day. He didn’t even step into the bedroom on our wedding night. For three years, I tried to be a perfect wife. I memorized all his preferences, learned about his interests, and even endured his tabloid scandals. I naively believed that if I was good enough, one day he would finally look at me. The sound of water running in the bathroom broke my reverie. I froze. Julian was back? Pushing open the bathroom door, a rush of steam hit me. Julian stood under the shower, water droplets sliding down his muscular back. He turned off the water, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around his waist. He frowned when he saw me. “You’re still awake?” “It’s our third wedding anniversary today.” I said softly, handing him another towel. He took it and dried his hair, his expression completely flat. “Is it? I forgot.” My heart felt like it was pricked by a needle, but I was used to the pain by now. “It’s okay. Work is important.” Julian walked out of the bathroom, pulled out pajamas from the wardrobe, and changed. I stood there, feeling like a useless decoration. “Right,” he suddenly said. “There’s something I need your cooperation with.” I looked up at him, surprised that he actually needed something from me. “Caleb Vance has been trying to snatch a crucial project from Hayes Corporation recently.” His eyes flashed with a hint of malice when he spoke Caleb’s name. “I need you to get close to him, and collect some… compromising information about him.” My eyes widened. “What do you mean?” “It’s simple.” Julian lit a cigarette, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather. “We’ll get a fake divorce first. That way, your approach to him won’t raise any suspicion.” “With your looks, seducing him shouldn’t be difficult.” I felt a chill run through me, unable to believe what I was hearing. “You… you want me to use my body?” “Don’t put it so crudely.” He exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes filled with indifference. “It’s just business strategy.” “After it’s done, we’ll remarry, and your father’s company will get more resources from Hayes Corporation.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. Three years. In his eyes, I was nothing but a tool to be used, not even deserving of basic dignity. “What if I refuse?” I heard myself ask. Julian smiled, and the smile sent shivers down my spine. “Your father’s new government project… seems to have some funding issues, doesn’t it?” The threat was unmistakable. I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of dizziness. So, I didn’t even have the right to say no. “Fine, I’ll do it.” I opened my eyes, my voice eerily calm. Julian nodded, satisfied, and stubbed out his cigarette. “The lawyer will be here tomorrow to handle the paperwork. Remember, it’s just a plan. Don’t take it seriously.” He pulled back the covers and lay down, turning his back to me. I stood there, looking at the man who was legally my husband, and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity. That night, I stood on the balcony, gazing at the distant city lights, and made a decision. Since Julian wanted to play this game, I would play it to the very end. Only, he would be the one to regret it in the end.
The lights of the charity gala hurt my eyes. I stood in a corner, my fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of my wine glass, my gaze scanning the room for Caleb Vance. Julian’s briefing material said he’d definitely be here tonight. “Alone?” A man reeking of alcohol leaned in, his eyes lingering unpleasantly on my exposed shoulder. I took a half-step back, forcing a smile. “I’m waiting for someone.” “Waiting for who? Why don’t you have a drink with me first?” He reached out to put his arm around my waist. “This lady clearly isn’t interested.” A deep voice came from my side. I turned, my breath catching in my throat. Caleb Vance was even more striking than in his photos. A chiseled face, eyes as deep as ink, and a perfectly tailored suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. What surprised me most was the way he looked at me—with a restrained politeness, a stark contrast to the ruthless business shark Julian had described. After the drunken man sheepishly left, Caleb gave a slight nod. “Miss Lin, I hope you weren’t too startled?” He knew my name. My heart skipped a beat. “You know me?” “Who in the business world hasn’t heard of Mrs. Hayes?” A slight smile played on his lips as he offered me a handkerchief. “You spilled some wine.” Only then did I notice the red wine splashed on my wrist from earlier. As I took the handkerchief, I noticed a thin, long scar on his fingertip, strikingly different from Julian’s pampered hands. Wiping away the wine stain, I suddenly realized this was the perfect opportunity to approach him. “Might I have the honor of a dance, Mr. Vance? As a thank you.” Caleb raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised, but quickly extended his hand. “My pleasure.” The music started, and his hand rested lightly on my waist, maintaining a respectful distance. I’d expected to smell heavy cologne, but instead, I caught a hint of crisp cedar. “Miss Lin’s dance steps are quite professional,” he suddenly said. “I studied in college,” I replied casually, but then froze. How did he know I was dancing professional ballroom, not just a social dance? Caleb seemed to sense my confusion, letting out a soft chuckle. “A guess. Your way of following the rhythm is quite unique.” When the dance ended, he politely escorted me back to my seat, not lingering. I should have felt relieved, but a strange sense of disappointment washed over me. “How’s the progress?” Back at the Hayes mansion, Julian was waiting for me in the living room. “I’ve made contact. It will take more time.” I slipped off my high heels. My ankles were already chafed and bleeding. Julian frowned. “Too slow. Hayes Corp. has a private reception next week. Find a way to get an invitation.” He stood up and walked closer, his fingers pinching my chin. “Don’t tell me you’re getting soft? Remember, he might act like a gentleman, but he uses every dirty trick in the book behind the scenes.” I lowered my gaze. “I know.” Three days later, I used the excuse of following up on the charity project to arrange a meeting with Caleb at his company. His secretary led me to his office, but then informed me he had an urgent conference call. “Mr. Vance said you could wait here, or relax in the adjacent study.” The secretary said respectfully. I chose the study. The room was spacious and bright, with a wall-to-wall bookshelf filled with books and files. As I looked closer, I suddenly found a plain black photo album tucked away in a corner. Driven by an inexplicable impulse, I picked it up. Turning the first page, my breath hitched. It was me at eighteen, standing on a piano competition stage, smiling brilliantly. Flipping through, there were nothing but clippings about me: college debate champion, charity performances, even candid shots of me feeding stray cats on campus. “That was seven years ago.” Caleb’s voice came from behind me, startling me so much the album slipped from my grasp. He bent down to pick it up, gently brushing off non-existent dust. “You… why do you have these?” My voice trembled. He gazed at the photos, his eyes incredibly tender. “Because that day, your music made me want to live.”
That evening, Julian returned unusually early. The moment I stepped through the door, he dragged me into the study. He flung a gilded card at me, his eyes full of disdain. “The reception invitation. Friday night. Don’t mess it up.” I rubbed my aching wrist. “I’ll be ready.” “Ready?” Julian sneered. “You’ve only had coffee with him a few times in two weeks. Your progress is like a snail’s pace.” “I need evidence to ruin Caleb Vance, not to see you discussing some damn classical music with him.” He slammed a stack of photos onto the table. They were all candid shots of Caleb and me at a coffee shop. My stomach twisted in a painful knot. He had been having me followed all along. “I need time to build trust.” I tried to keep my voice steady. Julian grabbed my chin. “Listen, your father’s new project is signing the contract next week.” “Before that, I want to see results.” His thumb brushed my lips, but his eyes were cold as ice. “If necessary, use some… special methods. Understand?” I understood. Too well. For three years, I had learned to interpret the meaning behind his every threat. Friday morning, the sky was heavily overcast. I stood across from the Vance Tower, hesitating whether I should “accidentally” run into Caleb for lunch as planned. A drop of rain landed on my nose, and instantly, a downpour began. I hurried to take shelter under the eaves of a convenience store, watching the rain create countless splashes on the ground. It was twenty minutes before our scheduled time, but my clothes were already soaked through. “Looks like we both underestimated the weather.” A black umbrella opened above my head. Caleb had appeared beside me without me noticing. He took off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders. The fabric still held his body heat. “My car is just ahead,” he said. The rain blurred my vision as I followed him into a discreet black sedan. “Address?” he asked. I instinctively gave him the address of the Hayes mansion, immediately regretting it. It was like telling him I was going back to my “husband’s” house. But Caleb just nodded and set the navigation. Soft piano music suddenly filled the car. My body tensed. It was a rare, obscure piece, an anodyne I often listened to when I couldn’t sleep. “This song…” My voice trembled. Rain streamed down the car windows. I gripped the towel tightly, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. He knew my coffee preference, remembered my phone’s ringtone, and now he was playing this almost unknown piece of music. Too many coincidences stopped being coincidences. “What exactly do you…” “We’re here.” Caleb cut me off, stopping the car a block away from the Hayes mansion, thoughtfully giving me room to explain. Caleb turned to look at me. The rain cast flowing shadows on the car window, making his expression hard to read. After a long moment, he reached out and gently brushed a drop of water from my hair, his voice soft. “Aurora, why haven’t you understood yet?” The civil affairs office door clicked shut behind me. I looked down at the brand-new divorce certificate in my hand, its red cover stinging my eyes in the sunlight. “Don’t make that face.” Julian adjusted his cufflink, his eyes full of mockery. “We’ll remarry in three months. This is just a formality.” I quickly composed my expression and shoved the divorce certificate into my bag.
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