My husband came home with a nanny one day, and she had a five-year-old boy in tow. He told me the child was adopted from an orphanage. But late that night, in the basement, I saw Michael savagely making out with the nanny. “Thank you, my love, for giving me a son.” The nanny trembled, whimpering softly. “So when are you finally going to divorce her and marry me?” Five years ago, I was badly burned on my back saving Michael from a fire, leaving me unable to have children. He had held me then, crying hysterically, repeating over and over that it didn’t matter if we never had children, as long as he had me. It was all a lie. I stood in the shadows, a cold, mocking smile twisting my lips. That kind of man, tainted to the core, was not worth keeping. Victoria POV Michael and I had been married for nine years, known in our social circle as the quintessential power couple. That perception shattered completely the moment I saw Michael holding a five-year-old boy. The reason was simple: that child wasn’t mine. Michael, usually so aloof in public, was now softly coaxing the child in a doting tone. “Alex, listen to your mom.” My mind went blank with a loud buzz, as if I couldn’t hear anything else. Five years ago, I was badly burned on my back saving Michael from a fire, and I lost the ability to have children after that. I remember Michael kneeling by my hospital bed, clutching my hand tightly, his eyes red as he swore, “I don’t want children, Victoria, I only want you.” Those vows still echoed in my ears, yet the scene before me crushed everything. He was holding a child, a child he had with another woman, calling his name so tenderly. I clamped a hand over my mouth, desperate to stifle my sobs, and spun on my heel, fleeing. At the gallery entrance, my friend Jennifer looked startled by my pale face. I held her, my fingertips cold, my voice dry and hoarse. “Jennifer, I need you to look into Michael. He might have a son.” Only then did I finally understand: all these years he had held me like a precious treasure, it was all just a sweet, cruel deception. When I got home, I received a text from Michael. “Three more days until my business trip ends. Miss me?” followed by a kiss emoji. I stared at the message, tears streaming down my face. For the past five years, he’d always gone to Europe for a month every autumn. I always thought he was working tirelessly for his business empire, but now I understood. That month was for his other family. Outside, snow had begun to fall, silently blanketing the old oak trees beyond my window. I scrolled through the files Jennifer had sent. The woman’s name was Emma, and she’d grown up with Michael. He’d once gotten into a fight for her on the football field, breaking a bone. He’d bought her a rare antique wristwatch. He’d even defied his entire family to marry her. All those grand, dramatic gestures from our past… they just twisted the knife deeper into the gaping wound of his betrayal. My phone rang, Michael’s name flashing on the screen. I bit my lip hard, letting it ring again and again, but eventually, I answered with a trembling hand. “Why did it take you so long to pick up?” His voice on the other end was as gentle as ever. “Are you being disobedient again, not eating properly?” My fingers curled into fists. He used to hold me like this too, laughing softly as he asked, “Are you not eating properly again? If you get too thin, I’ll worry sick.” I shook my head. “No.” He would then kiss my earlobe, whispering with a low laugh, “Such a naughty girl? Victoria, do I need to keep an eye on you at all times?” I used to think we’d be like this forever. For the first time, I lied to him, my voice muffled, like I was genuinely sick. “A bit of a cold. I’m already in bed.” “A cold?” His tone immediately tensed. “Is it serious? I’ll fly back right now.” “No need.” I quickly stopped him, a hint of detachment in my voice that I hadn’t even realized was there. “I’ve taken medicine. I’ll be fine after a good sleep.” I was about to hang up when a woman’s languid, intimate voice came through the receiver. “Michael, Alex is asleep. We can-” The call was abruptly disconnected by Michael. He was with that woman right now. I stared at my silent phone, unable to hold back any longer, and burst into tears. Jennifer rushed into the room, pulling me into a heartbroken embrace. “It’s okay, sweetie. I’m here.”
Victoria POV When I opened my eyes again, the window outside was dazzlingly white. “Victoria, how are you feeling? Is there anything else bothering you?” I heard a familiar voice, and as soon as my eyes opened, I saw Jennifer’s face, etched with worry. Jennifer sat by the bed, her eyes bloodshot. She must have stayed up all night watching over me. “I’m fine.” Memories from before I passed out flooded my mind, and I forced myself to sit up. “I’m sorry to have worried you.” Jennifer nodded, her voice filled with lingering fear. “You scared me half to death yesterday. I was genuinely afraid you’d do something drastic.” Mid-sentence, my phone rang. I answered, my voice already calm. “Richard.” “Victoria, why is your voice a little hoarse? Did you pull another all-nighter?” “No, Richard. Isn’t the Zurich branch short on staff? I’d like to go help out there.” My father on the other end paused. “Why the sudden urge to go to Switzerland?” “I want a change of scenery.” I glanced out the window. “Jennifer is also going back next month. I want to go with her.” My father was silent for a long time, then finally sighed. “Alright, whatever you want.” I hung up, and Jennifer looked at me worriedly. “Are you really sure about this?” I nodded. The lawyer had emailed the draft of our divorce papers. I stared at the screen, every word stinging my eyes. I still hadn’t figured out how to bring it up with Michael. Too much bound us together: the business alliance between our families, decades of friendship. As I was leaving Jennifer’s apartment and getting into my car, I saw a familiar figure. Michael. Why was he here? Wasn’t he supposed to be away for three more days? The man wore a perfectly tailored custom suit, his figure tall and lean, but his eyes showed signs of fatigue. He walked quickly, opening the car door. “Your voice sounded off on the phone. I was worried, so I flew back last night.” He said, pulling me into his embrace. That embrace, which once brought me immense comfort, now made me tremble uncontrollably. My mind was filled with Emma’s voice and the image of that child calling him “Daddy.” I clenched my hands, forcing myself not to push him away. He used to hold me like this too, laughing softly as he asked, “What are you overthinking now? Hm?” I shook my head. “Nothing.” He pulled me closer, whispering with a low laugh in my ear, “My sweet little liar, you’re never allowed to leave me. No matter where you run, I’ll find you. Understand?” I used to think I could never escape, but this time, I wanted to leave on my own. “You look like you’ve lost weight.” He caressed my cheek with his thumb, his eyes full of tenderness. “Are you not eating properly again when I’m not home?” I couldn’t understand how a man who’d been with his mistress the night before could so calmly say such things to his wife. I didn’t want to explain, just shook my head. “No, I’m just a little tired.” I could see he was about to say more, but my gaze caught a slender figure standing a short distance away. Emma. She was in a white dress, her long hair loose over her shoulders, looking utterly fragile. Just then, Michael’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen; I saw it too. It was Emma calling. Michael’s face looked troubled. He quickly hung up and kissed my forehead apologetically. “Something urgent came up at the office. I have to go there. You wait for me at home, and tonight I’ll take you to your favorite Italian restaurant.” With that, he hurried into his car. After the car drove away, Emma slowly walked towards me in her high heels. “Ms. Victoria,” she said, introducing herself with a smile, her eyes full of scrutiny and challenge. Seeing me, Emma knew I had figured everything out, and the smile on her lips deepened. “It seems Ms. Victoria already knows about Alex and me.” She paused, her voice brimming with ill-concealed triumph. “Ms. Victoria, Michael’s wife will only ever be me.”
Victoria POV I took a taxi and followed Emma’s car to a private clinic. Her car had just pulled up to the entrance. I paid the driver and followed her inside. I walked to the end of the hallway and saw a boy lying in a hospital room. It was Alex. His face was pale, an IV drip in his arm. Michael was yelling at a doctor in a white coat. “Why did he suddenly get a high fever? Is this how you take care of patients?!” “Michael, calm down!” The doctor seemed quite familiar with Michael and tried to reason with him. “What good does it do to yell at me?!” I hid behind the wall, my heart growing colder with every word I heard. “I told you long ago, if you only want one child, you shouldn’t keep Emma around! And now? The child cries without her, and you can’t bring yourself to be firm. What kind of mess is this?” “Victoria is the only woman I love, but the family cannot be without an heir.” Michael’s voice was weary. “Emma… she did bear me a child, after all. I can’t treat her badly.” The moment he finished speaking, the hospital room door opened. Emma walked in, carrying a cup of water, her eyes red. As soon as she saw the child on the bed, tears began to fall. “It’s all my fault… I should’ve looked after Alex better.” She sobbed, shoulders trembling, looking utterly helpless. Michael’s heart softened. He stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace, murmuring comfort. “Don’t blame yourself. Alex is our child. I will find the best doctor.” “Our child.” The words hit me like a blow, crushing my heart. Emma leaned into his embrace, sobbing, “Michael, I know I shouldn’t ask for anything, but as long as I can be with Alex as he grows up, I’ll be perfectly content…” Michael was touched by her words and raised his thumb to wipe away her tears. That intimate gesture stung my eyes. I clenched my hands, my fingernails digging into my flesh, but I felt no pain. The pain in my heart had already overshadowed everything else. I turned and left, my steps numb. Snow had started falling again outside. The flakes landed on my face, melting into icy streaks, making it impossible to tell if they were snow or tears. I walked into the corporate building, drenched. The receptionist looked up, startled by my disheveled appearance. “Ms. Victoria, what happened? Should I call Mr. Michael? He’ll be heartbroken if he sees you like this.” Those words, which would sound normal to anyone else, were the greatest irony to me. Heartbroken? He was busy being heartbroken over another woman right now. I said nothing, walking directly into the conference room and locking the door. I leaned against the door, slowly sliding down until I was on the floor. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I buried my face in my knees and wept uncontrollably. I thought I had become numb, but seeing that little family of three with my own eyes had completely broken me. Nine years of love, a childhood sweetheart connection, those moments of life-and-death reliance… it all meant nothing compared to “the family cannot be without an heir.” I don’t know how long I cried. Only when my tears ran dry did I lean against the wall and stand up. I walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. My eyes were raw, my skin bloodless. A laugh escaped me. What was the point of crying? I changed into a spare business suit, transforming back into the aloof corporate heiress. I didn’t even glance at the string of messages and missed calls from Michael on my phone. In the evening, I dragged my exhausted body back to the mansion. I had decided: I would pack my things and leave tonight. But when I pushed open the front door, I saw Emma and Alex sitting in my living room.
Victoria POV The crystal chandelier in the living room shone brilliantly, but my gaze was utterly cold. Emma, dressed in a brand-new maid’s uniform, stood up immediately when she saw me and curtsied respectfully. “You’re back.” And the boy named Alex was busy smashing a limited-edition model car against the floor. It was from my favorite collection, one I’d worked hard to complete. “What is going on here?” My voice was as cold as ice. Michael hurried down from upstairs, forcing an unnatural smile. “Victoria, you’re back. This is… a nanny sent by my mother. She said the house was too empty, and she’s here to look after this child.” He gestured towards Alex, telling a pathetic lie. “My mother brought this child back from an orphanage. She felt sorry for him, so she brought him home to raise.” I was trembling with rage. “An orphanage? Michael, do you take me for a fool?” I pointed at the child, who was practically a carbon copy of him, my voice shaking. “Do you find it amusing to carve away at my heart, piece by piece, like this?” Seeing my genuine anger, Michael panicked. He stepped forward and grabbed my hand. “Victoria, don’t be angry,” he pleaded, eager to state his position. “If you don’t like him, I’ll send him away immediately!” His phony love only disgusted me. Alex seemed startled and suddenly burst into tears, pointing at me and screaming, “Bad woman! You’re bullying my mommy!” “Alex!” Michael snapped sternly. Emma immediately rushed over and hugged her son, then looked at Michael with red-rimmed eyes. “Sir, please don’t blame him. He’s just… he’s just shy around strangers.” Michael’s tone indeed softened. I looked at the glaring scene before me, feeling a chill run through my entire body. I yanked my hand free from Michael’s grasp and walked upstairs without a word. The bedroom door slammed shut, cutting off everything. Michael stood by the door for a while, murmuring a few comforting words, but when he heard no response, he turned and left. Not long after, my phone received a message. It was from Emma: “Ms. Victoria, if you lock Michael out, don’t blame him for coming to me for comfort.” I deleted the message and got up to leave the bedroom. The villa was quiet. I found myself walking towards the basement wine cellar door. It was ajar, a dim yellow light spilling out. I drew closer and distinctly heard a woman’s gasps and a man’s low grunts coming from inside. “Michael… be gentle… it hurts…” “Isn’t this what you asked for? Afraid of pain, yet you still tried to lure me down here?” Michael’s voice was hoarse and impatient, but his actions didn’t stop. “I’m warning you, Emma. Don’t provoke Victoria again, otherwise…” The woman’s moans drowned out the rest of his words. I froze in place, utterly cold. I lay back in bed just before dawn, staring blankly at the ceiling. Nine years of love, a whirlwind courtship. All of it shattered in this moment. This time, I was the one who didn’t want him.
Victoria POV The next morning, when I went downstairs, Emma had already taken off that irritating maid’s uniform. She wore a sea-green silk dress, her curves exquisitely outlined. Only then did I notice that Emma’s eyes and brows bore a slight resemblance to mine. No wonder Michael had chosen her. “You’re awake? Come have breakfast.” Emma greeted me warmly, as if she were the lady of the house. As she spoke, she deliberately turned sideways, revealing faint red marks on her neck, intimate and jarring. But what truly made my pupils constrict was the brooch pinned to her chest. A vintage brooch, set with a pigeon-blood ruby, dazzling and radiant. I recognized it. It was Michael’s family heirloom, passed down only to the lady of the house. I remembered years ago, Michael had asked his mother for this brooch for me, only to be coldly refused because I couldn’t have children. “A woman who can’t even bear children, how dare she wear our family’s heirloom?” His mother’s cutting words still echoed in my ears. And now, this brooch, symbolizing status and acceptance, was blatantly worn on the chest of a mistress. In that moment, I finally woke up. My previous notion of sparing the families decades of friendship, of not wanting to make things too ugly, seemed utterly ridiculous. It turned out that in his mother’s eyes, and even the entire family’s, Emma, the woman who could bear an heir, was already their recognized daughter-in-law. And I was merely a clown, kept in the dark, clinging to a position that wasn’t truly mine. Michael walked downstairs, dressed in fresh loungewear. He first exchanged a knowing glance with Emma, then quickly approached me, reaching out to feel my forehead, his face full of concern. “Why is your face so pale? Did you catch a chill last night? Don’t go to the office today, I’ll stay and keep you company.” I watched his brilliant acting, feeling a wave of nausea rise in my stomach. Staying with him for even one more second made me feel suffocated. He felt… dirty. “No need.” I coldly pushed his hand away. “There’s still a lot to do at the office.” Just then, Emma walked over with a cup of coffee, saying softly, “Michael, your coffee.” She naturally reached out to straighten his slightly disheveled collar. And Michael instinctively lowered his head, accommodating her actions. It was an incredibly familiar, habitual gesture. More hurtful than any deliberate display. The surrounding staff all gasped audibly. Michael also seemed to realize the impropriety and immediately stepped back, creating distance between himself and Emma. He picked up his jacket, walked to my side, and leaned down to press a light kiss on my forehead. “Wait for me to come back.” He used the same doting tone he had used last night in the wine cellar when speaking to the other woman.
Victoria POV After Michael left, I calmly finished my breakfast. I didn’t spare Emma another glance, walking straight upstairs to pack my luggage. All the things Michael had given me, filling an entire walk-in closet, were packed one by one. I called my assistant and instructed him to send them all to an auction house. “All proceeds are to be donated to charity in my name.” If I was going to cut ties, I would cut them completely. “Ms. Victoria, are you planning to run away from home?” Emma appeared behind me at some point, leaning against the doorframe, a triumphant smile on her face. “Well, a woman who can’t have children, occupying Michael’s wife’s position for so many years, it’s about time she made way.” Her words hit me squarely in my most painful spot. In the past, I might have been furious, lost control. But now, I just looked at her calmly. “Michael’s wife’s position? If you want it so badly, take it.” I pulled the already signed divorce papers from my bag and handed them to Emma. “Here.” Emma’s smile froze, her face a mask of shock as she stared at the document. I looked down at her, a hint of amusement in my voice. “You know how deep Michael’s feelings are for me. Getting him to willingly sign this won’t be easy.” I spoke like a queen bestowing a favor upon a petty schemer. “I’m giving you the divorce papers. If you’re capable, get him to sign it and bring it to me. If you’re not, then be prepared to be an unseen mistress for the rest of your life!” Emma’s face changed colors, but ultimately, temptation won over reason. She snatched the divorce papers, her eyes gleaming with greed and ecstasy. Though she felt suspicious of my swift and decisive relinquishment, she believed even more strongly that I was merely bluffing. How could a woman Michael had doted on for so many years truly be willing to let go? Watching Emma rush away with the document, a flicker of mockery crossed my eyes. After packing my last piece of luggage, I sat in the living room, quietly waiting for Jennifer to pick me up. My gaze swept across the empty living room, and I suddenly realized that I hadn’t seen Alex, the child, since morning. A faint unease stirred within me. Just then, the villa’s front door was violently pushed open from outside. Michael burst in, frantic, followed by his mother, Eleanor, her face ashen, and… Emma, weeping bitterly. “Victoria!” Emma came at me like a feral thing, slamming me hard toward the sharp corner of the side table. “Where is my Alex? What did you do to him?” The blow dazed me. My vision blurred as sharp pain shot through my elbow. I steadied myself and stared coldly at the frantic woman. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “How dare you lie!” Emma suddenly grabbed a fruit knife from the bowl, pressing its sharp tip to my throat. “You can’t stand my child because of some divorce papers? Victoria, how can you be so evil?”
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