My wife was mentally impaired. I stood by her side for six years, never leaving her, caring for her devotedly. Then, suddenly, she wasn’t impaired anymore. It turned out her first love was back, and she wanted me to step aside for him. “You’ve had it good, haven’t you? Living off my family for so long, you’ve milked us dry. Now it’s time for you to go!” “Be smart and walk away, and I won’t hold it against you. But if you cause any trouble, I have a thousand ways to make your life miserable!” Her eyes were clear, and she smiled as she threatened me. I didn’t argue. I readily agreed to her demands, even wishing them a lifetime of happiness. Genevieve froze, but I smiled. She had no idea I’d been waiting for this day for a long, long time! “Sign this divorce agreement immediately!” Perhaps because she had only just recovered, and her position wasn’t entirely secure yet, Genevieve had specifically added a clause at the end of the agreement: “Officially effective one year from now.” “Don’t get the wrong idea. This isn’t for me.” Her eyes flickered. “You’ve always relied on the Sinclair family’s support. I’m giving you a year to prepare yourself. After that, don’t ever bother me again.” I couldn’t help but find her words ridiculous. Her true intention couldn’t have been clearer: she didn’t want to be branded as ungrateful. After all, I had cared for her for six long years while she had the mind of a child. If she abandoned me the moment she recovered, it would definitely damage her reputation. In short, it wouldn’t help her ascend to power and become the head of the Sinclair empire. That’s why she insisted on us maintaining our marriage for another year. I had to admire her incredible nerve and audacity. My parents, however, urged me not to argue with Genevieve. They told me to use this year to win her heart back. “Wealthy people often have affairs, Spencer,” they said. “As long as they don’t bring anyone home, just pretend you don’t see anything they do outside.” “Spencer, why are you making this so difficult? As long as you stay by Genevieve’s side, once she’s done playing around, she’ll come back to you eventually,” they tried to convince me. I just sneered and shook my head. “Mom, Dad, the gap between us is too wide. Her heart was never truly mine. Would you two want to live this kind of life?” “Mom, Dad, you’ve really disappointed me.” If Genevieve had ever cared for me, this divorce agreement would never have appeared before me. Back then, when Genevieve was fighting for control of the family corporation, she was unfortunately ambushed. A car accident left her mentally impaired, her IQ regressed to that of a five-year-old. After that, from among the many eligible heirs, she chose me, an ordinary man from a humble background, to be her husband-in-name-only. Though it was merely a contract, I still devoted myself to caring for her for six years. But now it seemed, perhaps, it was all part of her elaborate plan. The competition for the Sinclair Group’s heir was fierce, but in the end, it was she, the seemingly ignorant “fool,” who played the long game and became the biggest winner. Now that she’d achieved her goal, she naturally had no need to continue this charade with me, an outsider from a lesser family. The night before she took control of Sinclair Inc., she changed into a designer gown, looking regal and distant. Every movement she made seemed to announce that everything was under her control. She coldly called my name: “Spencer Thorne.” It was that one call that made me realize I could no longer see the innocent girl who used to shyly grab my shirt and sweetly call me “brother.” Perhaps Genevieve was afraid I’d cling to her. Even though she was the one who stipulated I could only leave after a year, she kept warning me not to covet what wasn’t mine. And so, I, her titular husband, was forced to watch Genevieve parade her “first love” in front of me every single day. When Asher Hayes moved into Genevieve’s mansion, every corner of the house was adorned with festive decorations, as if they were about to have a wedding. Genevieve, true to the corporate powerhouse she was, generously paid for all sorts of expensive custom suits and luxury sports cars for Asher. It made me recall my own wedding to Genevieve. Because she was mentally impaired back then and understood nothing, our wedding was rushed and incredibly simple. She used to cry and tell me she would become really strong so no one could bully her big brother. But now, she was the one bullying me. And now, Genevieve, worried Asher would be bullied by outsiders, showered him with endless affection in public. Anyone unaware would assume he was Genevieve’s legitimate husband. But it didn’t really make a difference. My status as “husband” was just an empty title anyway. To put it harshly, I was just her unpaid caretaker for six years.
Ever since Genevieve secured her position as the head of the Sinclair Group, her actions became increasingly brazen. She and Asher were joined at the hip, and I, her husband-in-name-only, had become completely invisible in her world. While playing a game with my friend Kyle, he was still fuming on the voice chat, advocating for me. His clenched-jaw tone amused me. “Hey, what’s gotten into you? You’re more worked up than I am, and I’m the one living it. Chill, it’s not a big deal.” Kyle scoffed. “If I’m not angry, who will be? We’ve been friends since childhood, and I know your personality inside and out. If I don’t stick up for you, who will?” “You’re always so unfazed, so calm and collected. Even if someone rode all over you, you probably wouldn’t fight back!” he scolded, frustrated with me for not fighting back. “Anyone with half a brain knows how good you’ve been to Genevieve these past few years. Remember when she was pushed to the ground and called ‘brain damaged’? You were the one who stood up and protected her. Every hardship you’ve faced all these years, wasn’t it because of her?” “Now she dares to shamelessly bring another man home! She’s so ungrateful, all your kindness was wasted on her!” Kyle ranted indignantly about Genevieve’s faults, getting more and more heated. I knew my friends were all furious about my situation, but truthfully, I didn’t care much about Genevieve’s attitude. At most, I’d occasionally sigh to myself, “How things have changed.” So, I changed the subject, pulling Kyle into a conversation about other things. “Forget about that for now. I’m looking for a job recently. Do you have any good connections?” “Speaking of which, our company is hiring. I remember you studied administrative management. You could come and apply sometime soon.” “Honestly, our boss is a total stunner. Who knows, maybe you’ll even have a beautiful encounter with her.” As soon as he mentioned his boss, Kyle’s spirits lifted, and he enthusiastically gushed about her captivating beauty and unparalleled grace. He even dragged Genevieve into the comparison, praising his boss for being so pure, loyal, and thoughtful. If I didn’t know Kyle so well, I’d suspect he’d been bribed by his boss to set me up. I chuckled. “Haha, well, I’ll take your word for it then.” I didn’t take Kyle’s words too seriously. I just thought that my marriage contract with Genevieve had only a year left. As long as nothing unexpected happened, my future life would return to normal. But life is unpredictable. Just when I didn’t want to stir up trouble, trouble found me. As I was about to leave, I happened to walk in on Genevieve and Asher canoodling in the living room. They were so intimately entwined that I, an outsider, felt incredibly awkward in that situation. I was about to turn and leave when I heard Asher suddenly speak. “Oh, isn’t that Spencer? Where are you off to?” “Why are you suddenly interrupting Genevieve and me being all lovey-dovey? That’s pretty rude of you.”
This was the first time I’d directly interacted with Asher. He was undeniably handsome, barely in his early twenties, with those sly, captivating eyes that could charm anyone. If I were a woman, I probably couldn’t resist the urge to pull him into my arms. But my attention was drawn to the prominent hickeys on his collarbone. It wasn’t hard to guess what he and Genevieve had been up to last night. Actually, I didn’t even need to look. We all lived under the same roof, and I heard the noises from my room every night, loud and clear. At Asher’s call, Genevieve seemed to only just notice me. She turned her head, a clear look of displeasure on her face. It seemed I really had interrupted their good time. Knowing my place, I didn’t go closer, just apologized from afar. “I was just going out to grab a bite. My apologies for disturbing you two. I’ll leave right now.” However, my discretion wasn’t accepted by Asher. I watched as he gently rubbed his cheek against Genevieve’s hand, looking down pitifully. “Does Spencer dislike me? Why does he leave as soon as he sees me? Did I upset him somehow?” Hearing this, Genevieve immediately soothed him with a kiss. “How could anyone in this world dislike my Asher?” Then she glared at me fiercely. “Now, get over here and apologize to Asher!” I obediently walked over, head bowed, trying to make my presence as minimal as possible, determined to be a silent background fixture. “Gen, is it because I’m too ugly that Spencer keeps looking down and won’t look at me?” Asher seemed to want to make the atmosphere even more awkward, putting on another pitiful act. He wrapped his arms around Genevieve’s neck, ready to give an award-winning performance of despair. “Nonsense! My Asher is clearly the most adorable boy in the world. Anyone who can’t see how captivating you are must be blind!” As she said this, Genevieve’s gaze was fixed on me, making sure I knew the implied “blind person” was me. That look wasn’t new to me. Years ago, when I first married Genevieve, the Sinclair family’s eldest daughter, Isabelle, tried to assert her dominance by constantly provoking Genevieve in front of everyone. After I subtly retaliated with a few sharp words, Isabelle became furious and raised her hand to slap me. Back then, Genevieve was the one who stood in front of me, glaring fiercely at Isabelle, shouting, “No one is allowed to bully Gen’s Spencer!” The way Genevieve looked at Isabelle back then was exactly how she was looking at me now: cold, disgusted, and with a clear warning. I just never imagined that the little girl who once said she’d protect me would now use the same method to protect someone else.
I stood there, saying nothing, doing nothing, yet I was blamed for ‘hating Asher.’ Genevieve’s biased protection made Asher’s face light up with joy. He shot Genevieve a playful, adoring glance. “Gen, I knew you were the best to me.” “Yes, yes, Asher Hayes and Ms. Sinclair are truly a perfect match. Anyone who sees you two would say you’re meant to be.” To escape this uncomfortable situation quickly, I played along with Asher’s words. But perhaps it was my imagination, because after I said that, Genevieve’s gaze on me seemed to sharpen even more. Maybe she connected my words to the humiliation of being a ‘fool’ who had to be subservient to others back then? My mind drifted for a moment, but I remembered not to draw unwanted attention at a time like this. In contrast to Genevieve’s reaction, Asher was very pleased with my response. “Spencer, you really know what to say.” “Aren’t you going out to eat? Go on, don’t starve yourself.” Seeing that he was finally willing to let me go, I quickly smiled and said, “Then I won’t disturb you two. I’m leaving now.” Throughout the entire exchange, Genevieve didn’t say another word, her eyes solely focused on Asher in her arms. But this outcome was exactly what I expected. I just wanted this year to pass quickly so I could finally escape them for good. I didn’t notice, however, that as I left, Genevieve’s eyes, watching my retreating back, grew a touch darker and more unreadable. There was an indescribable something in her gaze, but she concealed it well. Even Asher only thought she was mad at me for interrupting their intimate moment and didn’t pay attention to Genevieve’s brief lapse. When I returned, Asher was no longer at the house. I scanned the living room and didn’t see Genevieve either, immediately understanding. “Looks like they won’t be back tonight.” However, just as I was about to go upstairs to my room, I suddenly heard a low, cold voice from behind the sofa. “I didn’t realize my not coming home would make you so happy.” I turned around and saw Genevieve, her face cold, leaning on the sofa and staring at me, her gaze ominous and dangerous. Who in their right mind sits in the dark, dressed in all black, on a sofa late at night?! I grumbled to myself, but on the surface, I feigned surprise and walked over to Genevieve. “Ms. Sinclair, if you’re home, why aren’t the lights on?” Genevieve suddenly gripped my shoulder. “Spencer Thorne, have you forgotten we’re still married?” Her expression was unpleasant. I guessed she was in a bad mood because I’d walked in on her and Asher earlier. But I had no experience dealing with Genevieve in this state, and I didn’t want to stir up more drama, so I forced myself to answer, “Of course I remember.” “But Ms. Sinclair, please rest assured, today was just an accident. Next time, I’ll be more careful and won’t disturb you and Mr. Hayes.”
The expression on Genevieve’s face seemed to grow even more displeased. She let out a strange, mocking laugh, then slid her hand to my waist. Even through my thin shirt, I could feel the heat of her palm. “Spencer Thorne, I remember you once said you’d never betray me or leave me, didn’t you?” “Yes.” I lowered my head, meeting Genevieve’s aggressive gaze. “But we’ve already signed the divorce agreement, so those words don’t count anymore.” “What? Is this whole charade you’ve been putting on just to remind me about the divorce papers? Or worse, have you actually fallen for me? If—” “No! Ms. Sinclair, I think you’ve misunderstood. Our marriage was a planned arrangement from the very beginning. How could a collaborator possibly fall for their business partner?” Genevieve’s eyes were fixed on mine, deep and unreadable. The emotions within them were truly hard to decipher. And she still held the ‘life-and-death power’ over my family, which was the key leverage that forced me to agree to this year of pretense. “Good, very good.” Genevieve suddenly released her grip on me and scoffed. “Spencer Thorne, you’d better remember your words.” “I trust you’re a smart man. If that’s the case, then for the rest of this year, you’d better fulfill your duties as a husband.” I’d always thought that even if there was no affection between us, considering how dedicatedly I’d cared for her for five years, things wouldn’t end too badly. But Genevieve’s sudden fury now seemed utterly baseless. My first thought was that Asher had badmouthed me to her earlier, but that didn’t make sense. Asher was targeting me only because I’d held the title of Genevieve’s husband for five years, and he couldn’t gauge my place in her heart. After that little test, he got the answer he wanted, so he shouldn’t be bothering me anymore. “I understand.” I followed Genevieve into the master bedroom. By the time I finished showering and came out, Genevieve was already asleep in bed. Only a small nightlight remained lit in the entire room. This was a lingering after-effect from Genevieve’s car accident. In the years she had the mind of a child, even with me by her side, she would always remind me to leave a light on before she slept. I watched her sleeping face for a while before slowly getting into the other side of the bed. I thought I’d lie awake until dawn, but in the quiet atmosphere, it wasn’t long before a heavy wave of sleepiness washed over me.
I had a dream. In it, I was holding a girl’s hand, frolicking freely by the beach. I knew those were memories from before I was forced to marry Genevieve. And that girl had completely vanished from my world the day I married Genevieve. For all these years, despite trying everything I could, I still couldn’t find any trace of her. Just as my dream was about to turn sweeter, I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine. I woke up abruptly to see Genevieve, who knows when she woke up, sitting up in bed, staring intently at me. I was startled. Before I could fully register what was happening, I heard her cold voice. “Who allowed you to sleep next to me?” “I let you in to serve me. You can’t even do that right, you’re useless!” “Get out!” The no-longer-scheming Genevieve was always so temperamental. I couldn’t figure out what she was thinking, but not having to share a room with her was a good thing. I quickly scrambled out of bed, but my brain was still a bit foggy from sleep. Without thinking, I almost stumbled into the nightstand. Luckily, I only swayed and steadied myself before leaving without looking back. Because of this, I didn’t notice Genevieve’s hand, which had reached out halfway before being abruptly pulled back. The next day, Genevieve went to the company early. Although she had swiftly eliminated all dissenting voices in the corporation on the day she took power, Isabelle wasn’t one to sit still. Not to mention the old shareholders who sided with Isabelle were still causing trouble behind the scenes. Thankfully, Genevieve had now allied herself with the Hayes family, otherwise, her path to stabilizing her position in the Sinclair Group might not have been so smooth. As for me, because I hadn’t slept well the night before, Kyle immediately noticed the obvious dark circles under my eyes when we met up. “I swear, Spencer, did you go out robbing banks last night?” Kyle asked. “Just a bit of insomnia,” I gave a flimsy excuse. “I haven’t been working for so long, so I was up late trying to organize my resume.” “Don’t push yourself too hard. I believe with your abilities, you’ll definitely thrive at our company,” Kyle said lightheartedly, patting my shoulder. I naturally believed in my own abilities. I just suddenly thought that with Genevieve staying home all night yesterday, even if nothing truly happened between us, in Asher’s eyes, it was a clear signal of provocation. I was worried he would come looking for trouble.
Sure enough, just as Kyle and I finished our interview and walked out, one of Asher’s bodyguards found me. “Mr. Thorne, my young master invites you to a private club. Please come with us.” The bodyguard was tall, a good half-head taller than me, and when he looked down slightly, the corners of his eyes turned up a little. A hint of contemptuous smile played on his lips, making him look rather unpleasant. Kyle immediately bristled, letting out a sarcastic laugh. “Oh, listen to that! Some dogs, after spending too much time with their master, learn a few human tricks and think they’re people now?” “Anyone who doesn’t know better would think you’re hot stuff, but trash should know its place. This isn’t a recycling center, you know.” Kyle’s words were barbed, and his rapid-fire delivery left the bodyguard’s face ashen. “Mr. Thorne, my young master’s invitation is sincere. I hope you won’t be foolish. Control your friend, or else, if you provoke someone you shouldn’t, there will be trouble.” I sneered. “A stray dog with no manners, barking at people in the street—Kyle isn’t out of line for cursing back. You’re so angry, did you just admit that description fits you?” After the bodyguard left, his face livid, Kyle immediately raised an eyebrow at me and grinned. “I can’t believe you didn’t stop me.” “I thought you’d tolerate it again this time. If you ask me, next time we see that scumbag couple, you should curse them back. That’s the real satisfaction!” His words made me grin. “You’re right, you’re right. When it comes to arguing, who could ever beat you, even when we were kids?” Truth be told, my attitude towards Genevieve or Asher had always been one of indifference. Because I didn’t care, I didn’t want to waste my breath. Asher just wanted to flaunt Genevieve’s affection in front of me and mock me. Such words go in one ear and out the other. If I obsessed over every little thing, wouldn’t I be living too exhausting a life? “I know you’re sticking up for me, but we really don’t need to get angry over people like that. Asher just wants me to be jealous of him, doesn’t he? I’ll purposely not give him that satisfaction. Isn’t that the best revenge?” Having my best friend stand up for me naturally made me happy, but I didn’t want him to get dragged into trouble because of it. After all, Asher clearly seemed like an arrogant type. If he felt insulted by me, he’d naturally look for an opportunity to retaliate.
“Spencer, quickly, try this tea. See if it suits your taste?” In the private club, Asher, with a smile on his face, instructed the tea artist to pour me a hot cup of tea. “Anything Mr. Hayes serves certainly wouldn’t be subpar. It’s just a shame a coarse person like me doesn’t appreciate such luxuries,” I replied with a smile. I’d heard Asher liked tea. This very club was apparently bought for him by Genevieve. She’d even spent a fortune to collect various fine teas from all over the world and deliver them to Asher. Genevieve’s favoritism towards Asher was well-known. Asher didn’t get angry at my words. Instead, he just curved his lips and looked straight at me. “I heard Spencer is looking for a job recently?” “Are you short on cash? Why didn’t you tell Gen? She’d definitely be upset if she found out.” “If Spencer feels uncomfortable asking, you can tell me. Though I don’t have many talents, I’m certainly not lacking in money. As long as Spencer asks, I, as your younger brother, wouldn’t mistreat you.” I instinctively pursed my lips, then looked at the black card pushed across the table, feeling a bit amused. I honestly didn’t expect Asher to try the classic “throw money at me” move from a TV drama. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Hayes, but I don’t like getting something for nothing.” “My marriage to Ms. Sinclair was just a contract from the start. I’ve already taken what I was supposed to. Anything extra isn’t necessary.” It seemed Genevieve hadn’t told Asher about our arrangement, which was why he felt threatened by my presence. Thinking this, I simply took off the jade ring that Grandmother Eleanor had given me when I married Genevieve and pushed it back across the table with the black card. My action didn’t just surprise Asher; even the bodyguards behind him looked astonished. Perhaps Asher never expected me to so readily hand over what he wanted, but he still accepted the items with a smile. “Spencer, what are you saying? I’ve always respected you as a brother. Of course, I, as your younger brother, should help out if my older brother is in need.” I suppose Asher had never met a ‘love rival’ as sensible as me in his life. Before he could even make a move, I had already calmly exited the stage. At this point, Asher wouldn’t have anything to be dissatisfied with, though he might, to some extent, look down on me, thinking I was too weak. If I could truly leave him with that impression, that would be absolutely perfect. Asher personally poured me another cup of tea. “Spencer, that necklace on your neck looks nice too. How about you sell it to your little brother?” Hearing this, I instinctively raised a hand to guard the necklace. “This is just cheap stuff from a street vendor. If Mr. Hayes likes it, Ms. Sinclair will surely get you something better and more expensive.”
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