I married Lucas Ashford during his poorest year, giving up everything without hesitation—even cutting ties with my parents. For six years of marriage, I stood by him as he rose from nothing to become a billionaire. When I discovered he’d spent $880,000 buying a dog for his assistant Miranda Lane, I demanded furiously: “Lucas, how could you do this to me!” Lucas looked at me with contempt: “You were the one who crawled into my bed when you were eighteen.” Miranda nestled in his arms, laughing triumphantly: “I’m spending Lucas’s money. What’s it to you? You’re just a useless housewife.” I swallowed my tears and turned to leave. Then I called my mother: “Mom, this time I’ll listen to you. I’m coming home for the arranged marriage.” The woman standing before me, Miranda Lane, was dressed head to toe in haute couture, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Around her neck hung this month’s new Chanel piece—something I’d mentioned to Lucas I really liked at the beginning of the month. Back then, Lucas’s eyes had been full of impatience: “The company needs money everywhere right now. Can’t you be more understanding?” I’d felt so guilty then, thinking about how hard he worked building his business, that I shouldn’t add to his burden. But now that necklace sat securely around Miranda’s neck. So there was no budget crisis after all. He just didn’t think I was worth it. When I was young, I asked for nothing, marrying him with nothing but sincere devotion. Back then, my parents were furious that I’d left home for a man, cutting off all my financial support. At first, Lucas and I could only afford the cheapest basement apartment—dark and damp. In those terrible conditions, I stayed up late with him revising proposals until my eyes were bloodshot, never daring to complain about being tired. After surviving on bread for a week straight, he cried while writing me a guarantee, swearing he’d make something of himself in this life and never let me suffer again. But promises change so easily. The hardships I endured have now become evidence that I threw myself at him. Noticing my gaze, Lucas instinctively stepped in front of Miranda, as if I were some kind of threat. He cleared his throat lightly: “It’s the end of the year. She’s worked hard too—consider it her year-end bonus.” I laughed bitterly, suddenly feeling utterly exhausted. Seeing my pale face, Lucas softened his expression and came over to steady me: “Alright, honey, if you like it, next year…” I shook my head, cutting him off: “Forget it, Lucas. Let’s get divorced.” At those words, Lucas’s expression instantly changed: “Over a dog?” “Natalie, can you be more mature? I built this from nothing. It wasn’t easy getting where I am today. Miranda’s been by my side helping me tremendously. What’s wrong with buying her something?” The same old excuses. Last Valentine’s Day, I waited for him at home until midnight, only to see a post on Miranda’s social media. The caption read: [Spending Valentine’s Day with the one I love most. Perfect.] In the photo, she smiled with eyes like crescent moons, and on the hand of the man beside her was the diamond ring I’d personally chosen. I cried and asked Lucas why. He placated me: “We’ve been working overtime for a month straight. Just relaxing with the staff for one day.” And there was that other time—I accidentally found a trendy bubble tea bag in the car. It was from a shop I’d been wanting to try forever but never had time to visit because of company matters. I confronted him about it, but he dismissed it lightly: “Miranda said she wanted some. I was passing by anyway and picked it up. Just looking after my employee.” Only later did I learn that he’d waited in line for three hours that day. On my birthday, he said there was an emergency meeting at the company, but a friend spotted him spending the entire day with Miranda at an amusement park. On our wedding anniversary, he claimed he had to travel for a business deal, yet I saw matching hotel scenery photos on Miranda’s Twitter. Time after time, my heart completely froze over. I pushed Lucas’s hand away and headed for the door: “I’ll send you the divorce papers later.” “Natalie!” Lucas roared behind me, but I didn’t look back. I hadn’t gone two steps when Miranda’s dog charged straight at me. I lost my balance and my abdomen slammed into the corner of a table. “Honey!” Lucas finally panicked, rushing over to pull me into his arms, his voice full of concern. “Are you okay? Where did you hit? Does it hurt?” I instinctively grabbed his arm, about to ask for help, but the next second, Miranda’s delicate cry came from the distance: “Lucas, I think I twisted my ankle. It hurts so much. Come check on me.” Lucas’s arms around me froze. His eyes struggled for a moment before he gently pushed me away. “Honey, just hang on a bit longer,” his voice carried a trace of apology but no intention of staying. “I’ll take Miranda to the hospital first. I’ll come right back for you.” I was already losing consciousness from the pain, and couldn’t help clutching at his sleeve: “Don’t go.” But he didn’t hesitate to pry my hand away and turned to stride quickly toward Miranda. Everything went black, and I lost consciousness completely.
When I woke again, I was lying in a hospital. The young nurse beside me saw me wake and showed a hint of sympathy on her face: “I’m sorry, Miss White. You missed the optimal window for treatment. By the time you reached the hospital, you’d already miscarried.” My breath caught, and tears streamed down my face the next second. This wasn’t my first child with Lucas. The year we got married, Lucas was in his career’s ascent phase with endless business dinners every day. People at those drinking parties would find all sorts of ways to force drinks on him. To secure more investment, he could only drink glass after glass. I felt bad for him because of his weak stomach, so I’d always step in front of him and drink in his place. Until one day I suddenly passed out. When Lucas rushed me to the hospital, the baby was already gone. The doctor said I’d damaged my body from drinking too much alcohol, and getting pregnant again would be very difficult. When Lucas found out, he held me and broke down crying, kneeling by my hospital bed and slapping himself repeatedly, saying he’d never let me suffer such grievances again. But now, I still couldn’t protect this child that came with such difficulty. Perhaps it was for the best. Now that I’d decided to leave, the baby must have been disappointed in his father too, and left in a hurry. Maybe he couldn’t bear to put his mother in a difficult position either. In my daze, the hospital room door opened. Lucas walked in, with Miranda following behind him. Miranda wore just the right expression of concern, her eyes rimmed red as she rushed to speak first: “I’m so sorry, Natalie. I didn’t know Snow would suddenly run over there.” I scoffed and couldn’t help glaring at her: “Did you really not know, or was it deliberate?” Pet store puppies are trained before being sold, and besides, the puppy was gentle-natured and wouldn’t go wild for no reason. Before I passed out, I clearly saw puppy treats by my feet. But Lucas spoke impatiently: “Enough. Don’t be so petty. Miranda didn’t mean it.” Looking at the man before me—who looked no different from years ago—I only felt like he was a stranger. Tears blurred my vision as I spoke almost trembling: “Lucas, what we lost was our child!” Lucas avoided my gaze: “We can have more later.” Miranda pretended to be concerned, stepping forward to help me, but accidentally revealed the jade bracelet on her wrist. I knew that bracelet all too well. Lucas had bought it for me after successfully landing his first project. A small character “L” was carved on the bracelet’s body. Back then, he’d placed it on my wrist, his eyes determined: “Honey, I’ve decided on you for this lifetime. Jade nurtures people—when I’m not by your side, let it protect you for me.” Later, when I had my first miscarriage, I accidentally broke the jade bracelet in my emotional breakdown. Lucas, with red eyes, said he’d find the best craftsman to repair it, to let it accompany us for a lifetime, and when we grew old, we’d pass the bracelet on to our child. But now, this bracelet he’d promised to me and our child was on Miranda’s wrist. Miranda seemed to notice my gaze and instinctively pulled down her sleeve, yet smiled as if unintentionally: “Natalie, do you think this jade bracelet looks nice? Lucas brought it back for me when he traveled last month. He said it brings peace and safety.” At those words, panic flashed through Lucas’s eyes, afraid I’d make a scene like before. But I only said coldly: “Get out.” All these years, the care and favoritism that should have been mine—Lucas had given it all to Miranda. Now the child was gone, and even the token of our love was gone too. If that’s the case, I don’t want him either. But Lucas thought I was still throwing a tantrum. He frowned: “Alright, honey. Year-end is approaching and the company’s busy. I’ll head back first and come check on you later.” Miranda tugged at his sleeve, saying with concern: “Natalie doesn’t look well. She won’t actually leave, will she? Maybe you should stay and keep her company?” But Lucas scoffed: “She’s always throwing little tantrums like this. She’ll be fine on her own in a bit.” “As for leaving—who would want her without me?” With that, he turned and left without looking back.
After being discharged, I went to the company with the resignation letter and divorce papers I’d prepared long ago. But as soon as I entered, I noticed everyone’s strange looks. I’d just reached the entrance to the office area when I heard deliberately lowered but clearly audible teasing voices. Following the sound, my blood instantly ran cold. Lucas was leaning against his desk with Miranda nestled in his arms, her hands hooked around his neck as she tilted her head up and kissed his lips, drawing laughter from those around them. “Is it really true, Mr. Ashford? Did Natalie White actually give up her parents for you?” “God, if I gave birth to something so heartless, I’d rather have strangled her at birth.” Lucas didn’t push Miranda away. Instead, he pulled her waist closer, his face showing satisfaction: “It’s not that big a deal.” His tone was frivolous, deliberately loud enough to ensure everyone present could hear: “Back then she cried and begged to come with me. When her family disagreed, she threatened to die. To be honest, being with her has been pretty stifling. If it weren’t for her ‘deep devotion’ back then, I wouldn’t have wasted all these years on her.” Miranda laughed coquettishly and snuggled deeper into his embrace: “So that’s how it was. She threw herself at you desperately but acts like she did you some huge favor.” People around them chimed in: “Exactly. I always thought she didn’t match Mr. Ashford. She’s always got that cold face—nothing like Miranda’s warmth.” The cruel words drilled into my ears one by one. Standing there, I felt cold all over. So the entire company knew they’d been entangled for ages, even making me the subject of their gossip. Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I walked in as expressionlessly as possible. Since I was here, I had to finish what I came to do. Seeing me, everyone’s faces stiffened. One by one they dispersed awkwardly, heads down pretending to be busy, yet unable to resist stealing glances at us from the corners of their eyes. Miranda quickly withdrew from Lucas’s embrace, looking innocent and pitiful: “Natalie, why are you here? Your body just recovered—why didn’t you rest a few more days?” Her tone was full of concern, but her eyes held provocation: “Don’t misunderstand. Lucas and I were just discussing next quarter’s project proposal. Don’t take it to heart.” Lucas pulled her closer: “Enough. What’s there to explain?” I didn’t want to argue with them anymore. I just looked at Lucas calmly and handed him the documents directly: “Project agreement. Just sign it.” Hearing this, Lucas indeed didn’t look carefully and signed his name in a few strokes. I breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he signed, the rest would be easy. Six years of marriage finally came to a complete end. I turned, preparing to leave and draw a clear line with this man forever. Lucas frowned and grabbed my wrist: “Where are you going? What are you upset about now?” I said flatly: “Home.” Before leaving, I naturally had to go home and take what belonged to me. Lucas relaxed at those words, understanding in his eyes. In his mind, I’d long since severed ties with my family. No matter how excessive he was, I could only obediently go home and wait for him. Understanding this, he smiled: “Good. I’ll come home to keep you company after I finish up here.”
Winter taxis were hard to get. By the time I returned to the apartment, it was already late. Light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Someone was already home. After the miscarriage, I hadn’t returned to the apartment Lucas and I shared. Opening the door, in the warm yellow light, two overlapping figures caught my eyes without warning. Seeing me, Lucas showed not a trace of panic. He lit a cigarette and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke: “Why are you back so late?” Miranda’s voice was sweet: “Natalie, you just had a miscarriage these past few days. I’m helping you keep Lucas company. You don’t mind, do you?” I didn’t respond, just surveyed the apartment before me. After the miscarriage, I hadn’t come back. Only a few days had passed, yet the apartment had completely changed. Everything in sight was Miranda’s favorite pink. The coat rack by the door was full of her clothes. This apartment was Lucas’s and my first property. Every tile, every lamp was chosen by my own hands. The painting in the living room was drawn by Lucas—a cartoon version of the two of us. Now it had been replaced with Miranda’s portrait. The swing on the balcony was assembled by Lucas himself so I could get more sun during my leisure time. Now it too had been replaced with Miranda’s easel. The current apartment showed no trace of my life here. I felt sick to my stomach, but Cookie was still at home. I had to take her away. Cookie was a puppy Lucas and I raised together. Lucas found her the winter right after my first miscarriage. Cookie had been crouched alone by a dumpster, shivering from the cold. Lucas brought her home as comfort for me. To me, Cookie was my child. I couldn’t possibly leave her with Lucas. “I’m here to get Cookie.” I clenched my fists, nails digging deep into my palms, suppressing the choking in my throat and the nausea churning in my stomach. “Where’s Cookie?” Usually when I came home, Cookie would wag her tail to greet me, but today there was no movement. I couldn’t help feeling panicked. “Cookie?” Miranda laughed lightly and stood up, walking over to me. “You mean that stray dog? Why would you keep such a crazy dog? Yesterday she tried to steal my Snow’s dog food and almost bit me.” I suddenly looked up at her: “What did you do to her?” “Nothing much.” Miranda shrugged, a glint of triumph in her eyes. “Lucas said she doesn’t know the rules and made her go out to reflect properly. After all, she’s not some precious breed—a little cold won’t matter.” At those words, I trembled with rage and used all my strength to slap her. But the next second, Lucas rushed over and shoved me hard. My body hadn’t recovered. This push made me fall directly to the ground, my knee hitting the tile so hard I gasped in pain. Looking down, I saw my knee was scraped, blood slowly seeping out. My lower abdomen began throbbing dully too. Lucas glanced at me and said coldly: “There are cotton swabs in the drawer. Take care of it yourself.” Then, without another look at me, he carried Miranda upstairs. I didn’t dare delay any longer. Struggling up from the floor, I headed outside. It was so cold out. Cookie didn’t know where she’d gone. I had to find her. Fortunately, Cookie was hiding near the apartment and hadn’t gone far. When I found her, she was curled up in the grass, whimpering continuously. I wrapped her in my coat: “Don’t be afraid. Mommy’s taking you away.” This time, I didn’t look back. Holding Cookie, I went to the train station. …… When Lucas woke the next day, somehow he thought of the look Natalie had given him yesterday. He felt instinctively uncomfortable, sensing something was wrong. So as usual, he skillfully dialed her number to smooth things over, but this time all he heard was a busy signal: “Sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable…”
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