I was away on a business trip for a month. When I returned, I discovered the smart lock on my house had been changed. I asked my husband David for the password. His response? Call his physical therapist. Only when she arrived could I enter. I couldn’t accept this humiliation. At the family gathering, I pulled out divorce papers. Everyone thought I was just drunk and joking around. David sat in his wheelchair, staring at me in disbelief: “Just because of a password lock, you want to divorce me?” I looked at him coldly and sneered: “Yes. Just because of a password lock. Isn’t that enough?” “Shut up!” “Katherine, if it weren’t for that car accident leaving me unable to move properly and needing rehabilitation, I wouldn’t have become so dependent on others!” “You’re so busy with work, you can’t even take care of me. The therapist knowing the password makes it easier for her to look after me. What’s wrong with that?” “This ridiculous reason for divorce—I won’t accept it!” David pointed at my nose, his eyes reddening. I didn’t even bother looking at him. I closed my briefcase and said coldly: “Sign it. Don’t make me force you.” With that, I picked up my things and left. The entire family stared at David trembling in his wheelchair and at me walking away with determination. They whispered among themselves. The Katherine who used to put David first in everything—why would she insist on divorce over such a trivial matter? David froze for a moment, then tried to wheel himself forward to grab me. Mr. Anderson struggled to stand up. Just as I left my seat, David’s physical therapist Sophia grabbed me and shoved me back down. “Katherine, your husband needs long-term rehabilitation and companionship after his car accident. He’s extremely dependent on others’ care.” “He did this just to get timely help! How can you be so harsh as his wife?” “It’s because you keep picking fights that David’s emotions have become increasingly unstable!” The relatives all sided with Sophia. “Sophia’s right!” “I think she’s just upset and taking it out on her husband!” “Everything she has comes from this family, and she’s this ungrateful? Only our David would spoil her like this, otherwise where would she be today!” David silenced his relatives with a glance, then looked at me with a vulnerable expression, softening his voice to coax me: “Honey, I’m sorry.” “I know my limited mobility has made you feel wronged. You never used to raise your voice at me. For the sake of our ten years of loving marriage, please calm down.” “Is it your father’s medical bills again? Don’t be embarrassed to ask. Your dad is my family too.” Everyone watched David in his wheelchair humble himself to coax me, nodding repeatedly, but their gazes toward me grew sharper. “Katherine, David has limited mobility. For him to treat you this way, you should be grateful.” “Your father’s situation—when hasn’t our family taken it to heart? However much is needed, just say it. There’s always a solution.” Mr. Anderson tapped his cane and spoke deliberately. I knew he thought I was too proud to ask the Anderson family for help again, so I’d resorted to this desperate measure. I looked calmly at David as he prepared to take my hand, deftly dodged it, and said flatly: “There are no feelings left. Let’s divorce.” The entire room fell deathly silent. David tried to get closer to me, shouting through tears: “Katherine, don’t lie to me…” I stepped back two paces, avoiding his touch. “The truth!” “Let’s end this here. Leave each other some dignity.” David froze in place, stunned. I ignored everyone and got up to leave. “Crash.” A glass smashed hard in front of me. Sophia had thrown it. She rushed forward, slapped the divorce agreement back at me, and pointed at me furiously: “Katherine, do you have any heart at all?” “David gave up an excellent opportunity to develop his career overseas to marry you! He loves you so much! This is how you repay him?” “Now that he needs care, you’re abandoning him!” “You’re absolutely ungrateful!” I looked calmly at the agitated Sophia, finding it laughable. “Sophia, my divorce with my husband has nothing to do with you, does it?” Sophia grabbed my collar, spittle flying as she shrieked: “You still know he’s your husband!” “Do you have any conscience? For your seriously ill father, how much money has the Anderson family spent! Don’t you know in your heart?” “If David hadn’t been softhearted and liked you, with someone like you, your father would have been finished long ago!” I kicked Sophia. She stumbled backward. “Get lost. A family gathering isn’t the place for a physical therapist to boss people around.” David suddenly wheeled himself between me and Sophia. “Katherine, why are you taking your anger out on her! She’s innocent!” “I’m hitting someone who can’t keep her mouth shut!” I glanced at the two people on the floor in their intimate position, my tone becoming even more resolute. The relatives’ cursing immediately grew louder. The abuse contained a wholesale denial of my ten years of dedication. They said I was ungrateful, that David had tolerated so much by marrying me. Sophia patted David’s hand: “It’s okay, David. I was wrong.” “I’m an outsider. I shouldn’t interfere so much with Katherine. Don’t get upset, be careful of your health.” Her tone was aggrieved as she shook her head and sighed. “How could this be your fault.” The heartache in David’s eyes was practically overflowing. He looked up with a tearful voice: “Honey, do we really have to make everyone uncomfortable?” “You know I love you. All the relatives are here today. Can you give me some face? Let’s go home and talk it through properly?” His tears fell one by one onto Sophia’s chest. I just found it ridiculous. He cried even harder. The relatives all comforted David. With him as a contrast, I became everyone’s target. “Katherine, you’ve taken care of David very well all these years.” “I’ve seen your capability and sense of responsibility with my own eyes.” “Tell us honestly, what really happened? If it’s the Anderson family’s fault, we absolutely won’t shirk responsibility.” Mr. Anderson limped over with his cane, trying to persuade me kindly. But I still kept a straight face, unwilling to accept this favor, saying coldly: “This marriage must end.” Mr. Anderson coughed violently in anger, his face flushing red. David anxiously wheeled closer, grabbing my hand and pleading, “Honey, don’t leave.” Seeing I remained unmoved, he shouted: “You must be having an affair!” I looked at him calmly, saying nothing. The cane slammed down hard as Mr. Anderson sternly rebuked: “Katherine!” “Everything you have, from head to toe—which part didn’t come from Anderson family resources? Moreover, you still have a father to care for!” “Live peacefully, or leave the divorce with nothing—you choose!” “I advise you to think carefully. You have two days.” It sounded like a threat. The onlookers’ faces were filled with anticipation of my apology. I shook off David’s hand forcefully. And strode out the door. As soon as I got in the car, someone handed me a document.
“This analysis report should be sufficient.” My friend Marcus handed over a tablet, pointing at the data on it. “Thanks for your hard work.” “Don’t forget, tomorrow we’re giving Mr. Anderson that big gift.” With that, I let out a long breath and clicked on the surveillance video Marcus had just sent. Every day before I came home from work, the surveillance showed Sophia walking out of my front door. The time she entered typically lasted at least two hours. Two days was too long. I just wanted to end this as quickly as possible. When paying the bill at the restaurant, the server informed me my card had insufficient funds. For all these years, the Anderson family had strictly controlled all my spending. Ostensibly it was for responsible family finances, but actually it just ensured that I, the “outsider,” could never control any real financial power. David transferred money to my card monthly. When he was in a good mood, he’d give more. When he wasn’t, not a cent. Since he changed the door lock without telling me the password, this card hadn’t received any deposits in a long time. The next day, at dawn, I prepared to go home to get my things. Before I even entered the community, a group of neighbors were pointing and whispering about me. “Isn’t that the Anderson wife?” “I heard she found someone else and wants to abandon her disabled husband!” “David’s such a good man. He’s been so strong after the accident. Poor thing!” The gossip kept coming, their contemptuous gazes following me. I was about to turn around. “Honey~” A car stopped beside me. The window rolled down—David sat in the passenger seat. “I knew you’d come back. I bought you a gift. Come home and see.” I got in the back seat expressionlessly. I immediately spotted that expensive custom shirt and casually tossed it out the window. David’s mouth just moved. He didn’t dare say a word. “My God, that’s a designer brand! Just thrown away like that?” The driver looked at me in shock. “Drive. To the garage,” I commanded briefly. He suppressed his emotions and drove home in silence. The driver got out first, skillfully retrieved the wheelchair from the trunk, and helped David sit in it. The door opened. Sophia was standing in the living room. David looked shocked, forced himself to stay calm, but stuttered slightly: “Sophia… we had an appointment… early this morning… for a rehabilitation assessment.” I didn’t want to deal with them and headed straight for the bedroom. I was only here to retrieve the valuable family heirloom my father had left behind. Now, David didn’t deserve to have it. Before I could step into the bedroom, Sophia moved to block me, her face full of false relief. “Katherine, it’s good that you know to come back.” “Mr. David needs your support. His recovery depends on family care.” She pulled me toward her as she spoke. I shook her off. She forcibly tried to pull me again. Unable to bear it anymore, I flung her hand away, disgusted: “Move.” I quickly walked into the room and opened the hidden compartment in the nightstand to retrieve the velvet box containing the heirloom. Sophia wouldn’t give up and followed me in, trying to grab the box but missing. “My father’s belongings—you think you’re worthy of touching them?” I pushed her away forcefully. Sophia staggered back several steps. Instantly, a cry of alarm erupted as she fell. Sophia collapsed on the floor, clutching her elbow. Seeing this, David anxiously wheeled himself forward and yelled at me without asking questions: “Katherine! What did you do to her!” Sophia immediately got up by herself and went to support him. “David, don’t get upset! It’s all my fault. I just wanted her to care more about your recovery, but Katherine doesn’t care at all. She even… pushed me away.” David suddenly reached out, snatched the box from my hand, and smashed it hard on the floor, his eyes red: “Just for this pile of junk! You’d hurt someone who came to help me?” My head buzzed. I just wanted to check if the items were intact. Fortunately, there was cushioning inside the box. The contents were safe. Sophia shrilly accused me from behind: “You’re absolutely cold-blooded! I fell down and you don’t care, but you go check on some old object! Is this thing more important than your husband’s recovery?” David sat in his wheelchair, staring at me with red-rimmed eyes: “Katherine, you’d better pray nothing happened to Sophia!” “Take your stuff and get out of my house!” “Never come back!” “After tomorrow, I won’t just leave you with nothing in the divorce—I’ll make you pay the price!” “Get out!” He shouted out of control, grabbing things nearby and throwing them wildly. I just calmly protected the box and left this suffocating place.
I hadn’t even left the community when Marcus called and told me to check the news. Overwhelming accusations came crashing down. Cursing me as a heartless woman greedy for money. Cursing me as an opportunist exploiting my husband’s family resources. Cursing me as a cold-blooded person willing to hurt my disabled spouse for profit. Various fabricated accusations were pinned on me. Composite images were interspersed in the reports, looking quite convincing. “Handle all the false information involving my father. For the rest, prepare legal documents.” I hung up the phone, letting public opinion ferment. After lunch, I announced this afternoon’s livestream. David called me over a hundred times. I didn’t answer any of them. Finally, he came to Marcus’s apartment building, holding a sign and shouting through a megaphone: “Katherine, everyone is criticizing you now!” “Your livestream won’t help! As long as you’re willing to apologize and turn back, I’m willing to forgive you.” I stood upstairs behind the glass, looking down at him coldly. Sophia grabbed the megaphone with a tone of reconciliation: “David says he’s willing to let it go. Why make things harder for yourself? The livestream will only get you cursed at worse!” “Just admit your mistake honestly. Your father can still get good care!” Old Mr. Anderson came too, sitting under an awning, saying gravely: “Katherine, young people shouldn’t act so impulsively.” “Where in the world does a wife divorce her husband just because he changed the lock?” The constant voices sounded more like final threats to me. Watching the time reach the scheduled moment. The livestream started. As expected, the live comments were full of attacks. David wasn’t about to back down. He started his own livestream using the company’s verified account and requested to connect. The screen instantly split into two frames. “Katherine, since you’re so stubborn, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” On David’s side of the screen, forged records of my consumption at high-end clubs and compromising chat records scrolled by. [Sure enough, it’s all about money!] [David is so pitiful. I support the divorce!] [I’m a lawyer. This kind of woman definitely won’t get a cent!] “How about it? Today let everyone judge for themselves!” David leaned back smugly in his chair, tapping the table impatiently with his fingers. I smiled coldly, turned down the air conditioning a bit, and said calmly: “Do I need to remind everyone how many times this has happened?” Hearing this, David froze, his movements stiffening. Then he withdrew his hand from tapping the table: “Stop being mysterious. What do you know about the law?” “Whether I’m being mysterious or not, you know in your heart, don’t you, David?” Marcus couldn’t help but laugh beside me. This big gift was about to be revealed. Clearly, everyone was expecting me to drop a bombshell. The screen switched. My side began playing a surveillance video: The timestamp showed late at night. David, wearing a bathrobe, walked freely out of the bedroom door. He walked to the living room with steady steps, even easily bending down to pick up a cushion from the floor. Then he faced his phone camera, showing a smug smile, and deliberately walked a few steps to demonstrate his unimpeded stride. The live comment section exploded instantly: [This can be livestreamed?] [So he’s perfectly fine?] [What’s wrong with that? Can’t he recover well?] The comments started turning toward David again. David collapsed completely in his chair, his lips trembling, not daring to look at old Mr. Anderson. Sophia jumped up to defend him: “Katherine! What’s your intention in showing this video?” “You clearly know David’s rehabilitation training has been remarkably successful! He’s recovered well—is that also a crime?” “How can there be such a narrow-minded woman as you!” Another wave of attacks in the live comments. [She’s right! The wife doesn’t want her husband to recover!] [If he recovered well, isn’t that a good thing?] [So malicious! Publishing someone’s private videos!] Sophia was extremely pleased, comforting David with one hand while distributing lottery prizes in the livestream to attract more viewers. “David was driven to this by a cold wife like you. If you hadn’t neglected him, how would he have become like this!” “You deliberately secretly recorded this kind of video—is your psychology twisted?” “Or do you want to ruin David’s reputation so you can win the lawsuit and divide the assets?” I found it absurdly ridiculous. All the blame was pinned on me, completely absolving David. As if I were the perpetrator. David slumped in his chair, crying so hard he almost passed out. Old Mr. Anderson was so angry his hands shook, pointing at the screen and cursing: “I thought you really had some grievance! Didn’t expect your mind to be so vicious!” “I’ll make sure you leave with nothing. Compensation for damage to my son’s reputation—not a cent less!” One of David’s friends couldn’t sit still either. He rushed to the camera and glared at me viciously: “Katherine, when your father was sick, David’s family paid for everything. If you have any conscience at all, delete the video immediately!” “By spreading this video, how can David face people in the future?” “You’ve ruined him!” The number of viewers in the livestream doubled. Some even threatened to come find me. The comments were filled with all kinds of insults. The trending topics were almost entirely accusations of me being ungrateful and defaming my husband.
“Can you people use your brains?” Marcus looked at the live comments and shook his head helplessly, operating quickly on his computer. I spoke calmly, “Please watch the second video.” Gifts should be unwrapped one at a time for maximum surprise. The screen switched. A figure wearing a dark silk robe swaggered from the master bedroom direction into the living room. She walked straight to the wine cabinet, poured a glass, and elegantly drank it down. Her movements were completely natural and familiar, as if she were in her own home. The woman put down her glass. David walked over from one side of the frame and intimately pulled her into his arms. The live comments paused for a second, then exploded exponentially: [What’s going on?] [Who is this person??] Question marks on the screen nearly buried David’s face. Sophia gasped, her face ashen, her body instantly rigid. After a moment of silence, David immediately lunged at the camera, “Honey, don’t misunderstand!” “This is… this is just a little spice between us as a married couple. The person in the video is you!” “Were you threatened into divorcing me?” “Don’t be afraid. It won’t happen again. Let’s make up.” He begged humbly, hoping I would change my mind. [Are we part of this couple’s kinky game?] [Is this person really Katherine? Doesn’t quite look like her?] I watched the speculation in the comments and sneered. David looked nervous, afraid I would blurt out a denial, and quickly interjected: “Honey, let’s not discuss our private interests in public, okay?” “Stop this. Go offline and let’s talk properly at home.” Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. His meticulously styled hair was starting to get messy. He was desperately trying to hide his panic. I said nothing and signaled Marcus to play the next piece of evidence. The woman in the silk robe put a leather collar around David’s neck, her fingers sliding suggestively across his back. David’s face was full of excitement, without a trace of shame, as if this was exactly what he wanted. “What should you call me when you wear it?” He cooed: “Master~” The comment section jumped even more violently. [Playing this wild?] [The person’s body shape in the video doesn’t look like Katherine?] [Seems more petite, not as tall as Katherine. Did he really cheat?] One video played after another. The two played without restraint. Netizens exclaimed in shock. The comment sentiment shifted, and many people began to sympathize with my situation. “This…” One of David’s friends was completely dumbfounded. She had never imagined that the always respectable David would do such things. Old Mr. Anderson angrily banged his cane, glaring furiously at David: “You’ve brought shame to the entire family! Who gave you permission to do such things?” Faced with the relentless questioning, David deflated like a punctured balloon, completely collapsing on the ground. His eyes stared vacantly at me through the camera. David couldn’t produce a single word for a long time. Seeing the netizens all speaking up for me. Sophia quickly opened her phone, searching for something. “This is Katherine herself!” She waved her phone. The screen showed me washing that silk robe. Obviously, David had taken the photo. That day when I came home, I saw this robe by the laundry basket. I asked David about it. He said it was a performance costume a friend had left behind. Wine had accidentally been spilled on it. It needed washing. He’d forgotten. I said it was no problem, I’d wash it. Now it seemed this was a trap the two of them deliberately set. They wanted me to play the oblivious spouse.
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