My husband’s mistress really knows how to manipulate him. Every so often, she pulls a disappearing act. Adrian adores her. Each time she vanishes, he drops everything—his work, his responsibilities—and frantically searches for her like a madman. Once he finds her, they reconcile as if nothing happened, their love even sweeter than before. Their little game of cat and mouse is so touching, even I, the actual wife, find myself moved by their romance. The third time Rain disappeared, Adrian shoved divorce papers in my face. “Sign them. You know how Rain is—she gets jealous easily.” I calmly took the papers and read through them carefully. “Don’t worry, it’s just for show. I’m not really divorcing you,” he said. I nodded and signed my name. “When you find her this time, can you come home a little earlier?” Adrian frowned impatiently. “All you ever do is nag me to come home. What, you can’t survive without me?” With that, he grabbed the signed divorce papers and left, eager to show off to his mistress. As I watched him disappear through the door, a smile curved my lips. I’m just worried you might come home too early…
After Adrian left, I started taking inventory of my assets. The dream of love was over. It was time to settle accounts. I made a list of everything that belonged to me and checked off each item one by one. Occasionally, I glanced out the window at the peach blossoms falling, petal by petal. I stood and walked to the backyard. I called the butler and told him to hire someone to uproot all the peach trees in the garden. The butler looked confused. “Ma’am, you’ve carefully tended these trees for years. Why remove them now?” His words pulled me into memories. During our first year of marriage, I was curled up in Adrian’s arms scrolling through videos on my phone. One video showed a vast grove of peach blossoms. After watching it, he said wistfully, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had our own peach grove? It would be our romantic sanctuary.” The next day, I cleared out all the flowers and plants in the backyard and planted peach trees. Five years flew by. The trees grew tall, the blossoms bloomed. But the man who once yearned for that peach grove had long lost interest. Looking at the now-barren ground, I sighed and returned to my room to continue packing. I picked up a sapphire necklace. The moment I saw it, my eyes stung and my heart ached. Years ago, Adrian’s grandfather approached me about an arranged marriage. He wanted me to marry Adrian. But I worried Adrian wouldn’t like me. So I took out this necklace—a gift from my late mother—and asked Grandfather Blackwood to give it to Adrian. The sapphire was unique, shaped like half a heart. I hoped he would decide according to his own heart. After receiving it, Adrian had another sapphire necklace made—a men’s version—and sent it to me as a gift. He included a note: My heart is yours too. That necklace’s sapphire was also shaped like half a heart. Together, the two halves formed a complete heart. That night, I clutched the necklace to my chest, too excited to sleep. No one knew I’d loved Adrian for years. Finally, my wish had come true…
I placed his necklace on the desk and continued packing. Suddenly I found the property deed Adrian gave me on our wedding day. I fell into thought. On our wedding day, Adrian presented me with property documents. When I opened them, I saw only my name on the deed. I looked at Adrian in confusion. He gazed at me with adoring eyes. “Clara, from now on, this is your home. You’re no longer an orphan without parents.” I was moved beyond words. I vowed to love him forever and be the best wife possible. Women are so emotional—especially orphans like me who lost both parents. Anyone who showed me the slightest kindness could have my whole heart, my very life. But happiness lasted only a year before Adrian grew tired of me… “Clara, do you have to wait by the door for me?” “Clara, I told you not to hover around me when I’m working. You’re distracting.” “Clara Hayes, can you stop following me everywhere? You’re so annoying.” … What was wrong with wanting to be with the person I loved? He used to enjoy having me close. It wasn’t until I noticed Rain’s existence that I understood. When a man’s heart changes, everything you do for him becomes a burden, every kindness an annoyance. I gathered all these belongings and moved them to the study. Looking at the now-empty room, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Thinking about how Rain would soon move in here… To avoid disgusting her, I collected our custom wedding dress and wedding photos and burned them in the backyard. After finishing everything, I checked the villa once more, carefully and thoroughly. I made sure there wasn’t a single trace of my existence left behind. Finally done. I let out a long breath. Walking outside, I looked at the empty villa and felt a moment of disorientation. All the sweetness, sadness, arguments, and compromises of these years in this villa felt like a dream. Now the dream was over. It was time to leave. Butler Wilson looked at me with pity. After joining the Blackwood family, only Grandfather Blackwood and Butler Wilson had been kind to me. “Ma’am, perhaps wait a bit longer. Mr. Blackwood does love you, he just doesn’t realize it. When he returns…” I smiled and interrupted him. “No need, Wilson. Thank you for everything these years. Goodbye.” With that, I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the front door. Five years. It was time to say goodbye to the past…
Before I reached the door, Wilson called out urgently. “Ma’am! Mr. Blackwood is calling. He wants you to answer personally.” “See? I told you Mr. Blackwood loves you. He’s calling to apologize.” Looking at the phone Wilson held out, I felt indescribable emotions. Adrian and I hadn’t spoken on the phone in nearly a year. When I called him, he never answered. So when I decided to leave, I left behind the phone he’d given me as a wedding gift. It was a matching couple’s phone with matching numbers from our wedding. I wouldn’t need it anymore. “Ma’am, please answer!” Wilson urged anxiously. I bit my lip and took the phone. “Hello.” “Clara Hayes, what took you so long to answer? What are you doing?” I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. “I found Rain. I’m staying here with her for a while before coming back. She’s been through a lot this time. Make her some chicken soup to help her recover.” “Also, Rain likes rooms with morning sun. Clear out our bedroom—she’ll be moving in when she gets back.” “Rain is sensitive and easily upset. Put away the wedding photos, any pictures of us together. Don’t let her see them.” … For a full ten minutes, everything Adrian said was about Rain. Finally, he added, “Even though I can’t legally marry Rain, I need to give her a proper wedding. Help me prepare it.” Ten years of knowing each other. Four years of marriage. In that moment, the last shred of hope I held for Adrian dissolved. “Wilson, you heard everything he asked for. I’ll leave it to you.” I handed the phone back to Wilson. I turned and left the villa without a trace of regret.
Adrian found Rain in Las Vegas. After finding her, he didn’t bring her back immediately. First, Rain wanted to stay and play in Las Vegas for a few more days. Second, he’d already entrusted all the wedding preparations to me, so he felt confident. So he stayed, focusing entirely on keeping Rain company. “Adrian, you’re something else—enjoying Las Vegas with Rain while making Clara plan your wedding.” After hanging up, his friend gave him a thumbs up. Someone asked curiously, “Won’t Clara Hayes be angry?” Before Adrian could answer, his friend jumped in, “Clara is completely devoted to Adrian.” “Forget planning a wedding—even if he asked her to serve him and Rain on their wedding night, she wouldn’t complain. Right, Adrian?” Adrian raised his eyebrows smugly. “Right.” He had every reason to be confident. I’d always been understanding, obedient, with eyes and heart only for him. Even when he said he wanted to give Rain official status, I didn’t resist. I even told him to come home early. Actually, that day he got angry precisely because I didn’t resist. He thought that since I loved him so much, cared about him so deeply, I should have been consumed with jealousy. Why suffer in silence? Adrian liked using this method to repeatedly confirm my love for him. He always said I was too quiet—so quiet he couldn’t feel my love. So he refused to accept it. He needed proof that no matter how terrible he behaved, I would love him unconditionally. As for Rain, he enjoyed her vivacity, her youth, but it was just fondness, not love. Adrian knew Rain was only good for playing around, but I was the one to spend his life with. While Adrian was lost in thought, his phone rang. It was Butler Wilson. Adrian answered with a frown. “What is it?” Wilson’s voice carried hesitation. “Mr. Blackwood, is now a good time to talk?” Adrian’s frown deepened. “Just say it.” “The mistress has left.” “Left? Where?” “I don’t know. The mistress took all her belongings with her.” Adrian shot to his feet. Rain, who’d been leaning against him, jumped in fright, then let out an inappropriate laugh. Adrian looked at her questioningly. “I didn’t expect Clara would learn from me and disappear too. But she’s Adrian’s wife—nothing like me, just a mistress.” As she spoke, Rain’s eyes reddened. “It’s all my fault for making her unhappy. Adrian, let’s go back to New York quickly. If she’s really angry, I’ll feel so guilty.” Hearing Rain’s words, Adrian sat back down with a cold smile and spoke into the phone. “She’s an orphan. Where else can she go without me?” “Don’t worry about her. Don’t go looking for her. I want to see how long she can last out there.” Wilson sighed, about to say something when Adrian hung up. Putting down his phone, Adrian pulled Rain into his arms and said to his friends, “Book another week’s worth of activities. We’re going to have a good time. I want to see just how long she can keep this up.”
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