Five years into our marriage, I went to the hospital, complaining that the ‘Vitamin C’ Julian insisted I take was making me feel off. The doctor looked at the bottle, then at me. “This isn’t Vitamin C, young lady.” “Doctor, could you say that again?” “I could say it a hundred times, it wouldn’t change,” the doctor pointed to the bottle. “This is Mifepristone, Blair. Taking too much of it can not only cause irreversible sterility but also severe damage to your health.” My throat tightened, a leaden weight settling there. My hand, clutching the bottle, went white. “That’s impossible. Julian, my husband, prepared this for me. He’s Dr. Davies here at this hospital.” The doctor looked up at me, his eyes holding a strange, unreadable expression. Finally, he gave a small, almost pitying smile. “Honey, maybe you should see a psychiatrist. We all know Dr. Davies’ wife. She just had their baby two months ago. You’re young, don’t get carried away with silly notions. There’s no hope for that.” He pulled out his phone and showed me a group photo. In the picture, Julian, in his white coat, was holding a baby. Standing next to him, smiling broadly, was Serena. Serena. The ‘foster sister’ he always mentioned. A sudden *buzz* filled my head. My mind went utterly blank. But the doctor had just called her Julian’s wife, and that was their baby. My breathing grew heavy. I stumbled towards the elevator, needing to reach the fifteenth floor, needing to find Julian and demand answers. The elevator doors had just closed when two familiar voices drifted through. I must have been bundled up too much today, my hat pulled low, because the people in front of me didn’t recognize me. They spoke freely, without any caution. “Julian, aren’t you worried Blair will find out? Why did you even bother begging her to come back? If you’d just married Serena earlier, you wouldn’t have to sneak around to see your kid like this.” It was Cody’s voice. Julian’s voice was cold. “She won’t find out. Cody, watch your mouth. You know what to say and what not to say around Blair.” “I really don’t get you,” Cody scoffed. “Serena was practically raised to be your wife, living in your home since she was five. You were so good to her back then, and then Blair came along and stole you away.” “You sent Serena away for Blair, then went to such lengths to bring her back. Who do you even love?” Julian was silent for a long moment before he spoke. “I love Blair, but I can’t let go of Serena either. The thought of how hard those years abroad were for her… it just messes with my head.” “Blair has the title of my wife. Let Serena have the child. At least it will give her something to lean on.” Cody sighed, then asked, “But what if you and Blair have a child? Will you be able to treat them both equally? Serena is my cousin, after all.” *Ding!* The elevator chimed as it reached a floor. The doors opened, and Julian’s words cut through the air, “That won’t happen.” Cody froze, not sure if he meant they wouldn’t have a child or he wouldn’t show favoritism. He walked out, looking utterly confused. But I understood. He meant *we* wouldn’t have a child. Because he’d already prepared the sterility drug for me, eliminating any “threat” to his child bride. The elevator was packed and stifling, but I felt like I’d plunged into an ice bath, every inch of me freezing. It wasn’t until the elevator reached the first floor again that I gasped for air like a drowning person, coughing violently. My phone vibrated in my pocket. The screen lit up—it was a screenshot of a flight ticket from Julian: [Blair, see you at the track tomorrow. Remember to wear the good luck charm I got you.] Looking at that message, my tumultuous emotions broke like a dam. Tears streamed down my face. Doctors were busy people, but for every single one of my races since we got married, even if it meant a red-eye flight, Julian would always be there, waiting for me at the finish line. He would book a restaurant in advance, buy flowers, and welcome me back victorious. Every single year. I remembered his friends teasing him, saying I was the ‘love of his life,’ the one he practically gave half his soul to get back. To get me back to the country, he’d fought with international clubs for me, sometimes putting himself in dangerous situations. To keep me, he’d invested heavily, hiring a top coaching team and opening a racing club just for me. After we got married, he spoiled me rotten. I once mumbled in my sleep about missing my mother, and he moved mountains in the middle of the night, using all his connections, finding my mother’s keepsakes before dawn. But this same Julian had secretly built another family behind my back. It all clicked. No wonder Serena knew every corner of Julian’s family home better than I did. No wonder someone who’d lived abroad for years could rattle off all his friends’ nicknames. No wonder a “foster sister” could make him cancel six months of surgeries to accompany her to the race track. There was no “foster sister.” She was the girl he’d been practically betrothed to since childhood. Just moments ago, I’d been thinking that if Serena dared to interfere, I wouldn’t tolerate it. Now I understood. I was the interloper. I was the one who needed to leave. A bone-chilling cold crept up from my feet, numbing my limbs. I used to think people broke down with screams and tears, but now I knew. True breakdown was silent. Only the relentless tears and the heart sunk to the abyss told me I was dying inside. That heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand, trying to wring out every last drop of blood from me. My phone vibrated again. It was a family photo from Serena, with a caption: [Sister Blair, stop holding onto a position that doesn’t belong to you. I thought you’d be more self-aware, but I guess you’re just thick-skinned. Julian says the baby looks like him. What do you think?] I only glanced at it before closing the app. She wanted it? She could have it. But I knew Julian too well. When he set his mind on something, even if he didn’t want it anymore, he wouldn’t easily let go. My finger hovered over the dial pad for a long time before finally pressing that number I had almost forgotten. The moment the call connected, I heard my own voice trembling. “Rhys, that bet we made… is it still on?” There was a pause on the other end. Then Rhys’s deep voice came through: “Two weeks from now, the Davies family is moving. I’ll come pick you up.” I froze for half a second, then laughed. I hadn’t said anything yet, but he already knew I wanted to leave. And he was right. “Okay.” With Rhys’s influence, two weeks from now, Julian could turn the whole city upside down, and he still wouldn’t find me. That night, late into the evening, I didn’t reply to any of Julian’s messages. Julian genuinely panicked. He left work early, caught the soonest flight, and burst through the front door, only to stop short. The anxious look in his eyes instantly softened. In the warm yellow glow of the living room, I was sitting on the couch, watching TV. “Blair? You’re back?” He rushed over. “I sent so many messages…” He didn’t finish his sentence, pulling me into a tight embrace, resting his chin on my head and nuzzling me. “Thank goodness you’re okay. I was so scared… Blair, I can’t live without you.” The love in his eyes was real. I knew he truly loved me. But I also knew his love wasn’t exclusively mine. A lump welled up in my throat. I squeezed my palm hard to suppress it. For a moment, I almost spilled everything. But then I extinguished the thought. If I told him, I’d truly be trapped. I gently pulled out of his embrace, trying to keep my voice steady. “The race was postponed. My phone was off, I didn’t see your messages.” Julian didn’t catch the tremor beneath my calm. He smiled, lifted a hand, and playfully tapped my nose. “It’s fine if you didn’t see them. Why the tears? I wouldn’t blame you.” “Hungry?” He rattled his car keys. His crisp shirt and trousers made him look tall and elegant, his jacket casually draped over his arm. “I booked that hot pot place you’ve been talking about. Let’s go, princess. I’ll treat you to all you can eat.” He held out his hand to me, palm up. My gaze fell on that hand, and for a moment, I was lost in thought. That afternoon, when I was eighteen, a boy on the basketball court held out his hand to me the same way. His white T-shirt was drenched in sweat, a basketball tucked under his arm, his smile more carefree than Julian’s was now. “Let’s go, princess! I’ll treat you to all you can eat today!” Back then, his heart held only me. I didn’t want to neglect my hunger, so I followed him into the hot pot restaurant. He was still the same. Julian, who never waited on anyone, now expertly rolled up his sleeves, meticulously picked out food for me. The first bite, perfectly cooked, was always for me. My bowl was piled high like a small mountain when my phone suddenly rang, jolting me back to reality. If not for that persistent ringing, I might have drowned once more in his seemingly endless affection. “Go ahead and answer it.” I lowered my gaze, stirring the sesame paste in my bowl. Julian glanced at his phone, gave me a reassuring look, and got up to take the call outside. When he returned, his eyes were filled with urgency and apology. “Blair, the hospital has an emergency surgery. I need to go quickly. I’m so sorry I can’t finish dinner with you. Tomorrow, I’ll request leave and spend the whole day with you.” I had already seen the caller ID, but I didn’t expose his lie. I just nodded. “Okay, you go.” With my permission, Julian didn’t linger. He turned and left the restaurant. Looking at the empty seat across from me, my heart felt like it was being pricked by needles, a constant ache. I had just composed myself and reached for my forks when a video call from Serena popped up. I hung up, but she called again, and again. After more than a dozen times, I finally answered. Serena’s voice was filled with her usual faux innocence. “Sister Blair, are you eating hot pot? I knew it! Julian came home today smelling of hot pot.” She emphasized the word “home,” and I heard the blatant provocation in her tone. My face went cold. “Serena, you’re being childish.” “Have you forgotten who the legal wife is? What do you think would happen if I sent our chat history to Julian right now? Who do you think he’d choose, you or me?” Serena’s eyes flickered but quickly regained their smile. “Go on, then. Send it. And don’t hang up. Let’s see who’s really childish.” I couldn’t explain why, but I actually didn’t hang up. Soon after, the background in the video shifted, and Julian’s figure appeared in the frame. Serena immediately turned, leaning softly into his arms, perfectly blocking his view of the screen. “Julian, are you still mad at me for running off with someone else back then? If I hadn’t left, would you never have found Sister Blair? Would you have married me instead?” Julian frowned. “Why are there so many ‘if only’s?” “I was just asking…” Serena’s eyes welled up, her voice even softer. “No other meaning…” After a few seconds of silence, I saw Julian open his mouth. His voice was hoarse. “Yes.” That single “Yes” emptied my heart instantly. So, even back then, his heart hadn’t been solely mine. I suddenly remembered our wedding day. Julian held my hand, facing a room full of guests, swearing an oath by his most beloved grandmother: “I, Julian Davies, will love only Blair Davies, now and forever. My body, my fortune, my life—they all belong to her.” “She can be capricious, she can make mistakes, she can even stop loving me, or fall in love with someone else, as long as she doesn’t leave me.” I had cried buckets then, believing I held the truest love in the world. Now I understood. That vow had been a lie from the very beginning. I was never his only one. Not then, not now, and certainly not in the future. I was merely a tool in his fit of pique with Serena, and after spending so much time together, he’d developed *some* feelings, reluctant to discard me. Thinking this, I forced a grotesque smile. As I smiled, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I thought I’d had at least one moment, one taste of that fervent love, but I hadn’t. From beginning to end, I was just a thief, stealing someone else’s place. I lowered my head, clutching the front of my shirt, desperate to catch my breath. But the lump in my throat wouldn’t go down. I could only let the tears fall, one by one, splashing onto the table. Julian didn’t come home that night. But I received a real-time photo of him sleeping, sent by Serena. I stared at his face for a long time, until dawn. My heart felt dead, utterly calm. I picked up my phone and called my lawyer friend, Harper. “Harper, can you draft a divorce agreement for me?” When I woke up, the house was still empty. There was a message from Julian on my phone: [Honey, the hospital was crazy busy today. My day off is canceled. Don’t be mad. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, no matter how busy I am. I got you a gift. Wait for me.] Below his message was a photo Serena had sent an hour ago. They were together by a hot spring, smiling, their faces an infuriating blur. I gripped my phone, my fingertips burning. I almost called him to ask if he was busy with surgery or busy with his child bride. But remembering my plan, I swallowed my anger and replied, “Okay.” It was better he didn’t come back. It gave me a chance to pack. All the clothes Julian had given me, I packed up, ready to donate. The framed photos on the wall, I took down and shredded. The hundred little wish cards I had written for him, I pulled out and burned to ash on the balcony. I didn’t dare get rid of too much, fearing Julian would notice something was off when he returned. The next day, Julian finally came home. The moment he saw me, he immediately put down the cake he was holding and opened his arms, walking towards me. “I’m so tired, Blair. I need a hug to recharge.” I subtly took a step back, and his embrace landed on empty air. Julian raised an eyebrow. “Still mad? Don’t be. Let me show you the surprise I prepared for you.” Without waiting for me to speak, he took my hand and led me to the car. The car drove all the way to the training track. I was curious, but then he pulled me out of the car. “Do you like it?” Julian gestured to the car in front of us. It was a custom-built race car, its body covered in shimmering pink rhinestones that dazzled the eye. A flicker of surprise crossed my face. The club’s coaches stood nearby, their voices full of envy. “I heard the modifications on this car cost almost a million dollars. He really went all out.” “Expensive? You don’t know the half of it. Our boss painstakingly put every single one of those rhinestones on himself. He almost got corneal inflammation from it.” “Blair, you have to try it! When you’re done, let us take it for a spin. The boss really spoils his wife.” Listening to their words, my initial surprise slowly faded, my eyes stinging. I forced a bitter, self-deprecating smile. Everyone said he spoiled his wife, but who knew who his “wife” truly was in his heart? His love was indeed as passionate as a summer’s day, but that passion never shone on me alone. The emotions I’d suppressed for days finally found an outlet. I slid into the driver’s seat, floored the accelerator, and the race car shot forward like an arrow. I raced around the track, channeling all my grievances, anger, and resentment into the roar of the engine. Julian stood by the track, hands in his pockets, a smile playing on his lips, his eyes fixed on me without blinking. On the fortieth lap, I saw Julian form a heart with his hands for me. Distracted, I lost my grip on the steering wheel, and the race car *thudded* against the track barrier. A sharp pain shot through my toes. Before I could fully react, Julian rushed over, pulled open the door, and scooped me into his arms, carrying me into the lounge. “Does it hurt?” He frowned, carefully lifting my foot. He dipped a cotton swab in iodine and dabbed at the wound. “This is all my fault, for letting you drive for so long.” His touch was as gentle as if he feared I would shatter like glass, and the tenderness in his eyes was thick and undeniable. But all I felt was a chilling cold. Love truly could be acted out so perfectly. My mind wandered as I reached out to touch his hair. Julian, seizing the opportunity, caught my wrist and leaned in to kiss me. “*Bang!*” The lounge door was violently flung open. Julian didn’t even look up. He casually grabbed a water bottle from the table and threw it at the door. “Get out!” I turned my head to look. Standing at the door was Serena. Julian finally saw her, and his expression shifted slightly. “Serena? What are you doing here?” Serena clutched her red forehead, biting her lip and lowering her eyes. Her clothes were splattered with mud, making her look particularly disheveled. “I lost control of the brakes during practice and crashed… I came to get the first aid kit.” Julian was silent for a few seconds, ignoring her. He picked up a bandage and gently applied it to my toe. “Sit here, don’t move. Don’t walk around with that foot injury.” He reached up, brushed a stray strand of hair from my ear, and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I’ll go check on her injury. I’ll be back in a few minutes, right by the door. Call me if you need anything.” He picked up the first aid kit and went out. The lounge suddenly fell silent, so quiet I could hear the wind outside the window. A few minutes passed. I slowly pushed open the door. The doorway was empty. There was no “right by the door.” That flicker of disappointment only lasted a moment before I suppressed it. I should have guessed, shouldn’t I? Leaning against the wall, I limped towards the race car. I really loved that car. The sky was getting dark, threatening rain, and I wanted to put it in the garage. But as I reached the car, I suddenly stopped. The car was gently swaying, accompanied by faint voices leaking from the slightly open window… Two overlapping shadows were cast on the car window, leaving just a finger-width gap. Julian had Serena pressed against the driver’s seat, his fingertips caressing her forehead. “Did that hurt when I threw the bottle?” Serena tilted her head back and pressed her lips to his, her eyes brimming with a fawning smile. “No, it didn’t. I shouldn’t have interrupted you and Sister Blair. I deserved it.” Julian frowned, biting her cheek, not too hard, not too soft. “Stop with that nonsense. You and she are both my treasures.” He squeezed her waist, a hint of roguishness in his voice. “Still got that sassy mouth, huh? Looks like I didn’t hit you hard enough.” Before the words fully left his lips, he used one hand to clamp her waist and the other to cup her jaw, kissing her fiercely. Serena struggled twice, then pushed him away, a hint of bitterness in her voice. “This is the car you gave her. I don’t want to do this here…” “Besides, Sister Blair is still waiting for you in the lounge. You said you’d be back in a few minutes.” Julian pinned her wrist above her head with one hand, while the other slid down her waist. His voice was hoarse and deep. “Still thinking about someone else right now? A few minutes is all I need for you.” Soon after, Serena’s breathing grew shallow and fragmented. She clung to his shoulder. Those intimate sounds drifted out on the wind. I was rooted to the spot, my blood freezing in my veins. My legs went weak, and I almost collapsed. A hole seemed to be brutally gouged out of my chest, the pain so intense that my vision blurred. I suddenly remembered the day the club opened. Julian had waited for my praise like a child asking for candy, but I was too overwhelmed, too busy crying to speak. He simply picked me up and carried me to the back seat of the race car. His breath was hot as he tugged at my clothes. I was equally aroused, but I still gritted my teeth and pushed him away. “Julian, racing is my ultimate dream. I want it to always be pure.” Julian froze then. I thought he would be angry, but he suddenly straightened our clothes, sat up, and held up three fingers, his eyes shining with an astonishing brilliance. “I swear, from now on, this will be my dream too. Forever and ever, I will hold racing in reverence, and I will *never* do anything in this car…” He whispered the last two words into my ear, making my face burn. Because of that promise, I had committed my life to him. But now, he was with another woman in *my* race car, desecrating the thing I held most precious. The pain made it impossible for me to stand. The car key in my hand clattered to the ground. I snapped back to reality, wanting to run, but realizing the people inside the car hadn’t even noticed the commotion outside. I forced a smile, one uglier than a cry, and bit down hard on my knuckles, stifling my sobs in my throat. It was then that the rain started. The window’s narrow gap *clicked* shut. I took one last look at the gently swaying car, bent down, picked up the key, and threw it into the nearby storm drain.
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