Chapter 1835


    “As for Morrison Witt''s birthday bash, it had no conflict with my press conference. I mean, the


    Spotlight Beautyunch isn''t exactly a 24-hour marathon, right? It''s practically wrapping up as we


    speak."


    RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    The reporter piped up, "What about Witt''s ex-girlfriend? Her sudden return and staying at the same


    hospital—why are both of them hospitalized at the same time?"


    "His ex just got back to town, and now Witt''s throwing this massive birthday shindig. You sure she''s


    not a factor in this?"


    Rose shed a casual smile. "Just wanted to have a birthday celebration, you know? Sometimes,


    there isn''t a hidden agenda. My husband and I are solid. I wish folks wouldn''t read into things too


    much. Like my colleague just said, today''s all about the new line from Spotlight Beauty. Let''s keep


    things professional and focus on the product, shall we? Thanks for your support."


    Once these issues were on the table, there was no way the focus would shift back to thepany''s


    new products. For them, gossip was a far juicier story than any productunch.


    Handing the mic off to the host, Rose turned with a smile and headed backstage. Only when she


    was out of sight did her smile fade.d2


    A colleague, worried, followed her backstage where she was sipping water from a thermos. "Mrs.


    Witt, you okay?" they asked.


    Rose set down her cup and smiled, shaking her head. "I''m fine, really."


    "But are you and Mr. Witt really all good?"


    The questions from the reporters weren''t baseless. Spotlight Beauty''sunch and Witt''s birthday


    party were the talk of the town in R City. This couple, always so private yet always the talk of the


    town, suddenly found their high-profile events shing head-on. It was hard not to pay attention.


    Was everything between her and Morrison really okay? She didn''t know.


    And as for what was happening at Morrison''s birthday party, she was in the dark. From the


    reporters'' questions, it was clear Mona hadn''t shown up at the party yet. If she had, the reporters''


    reactions would have been far more intense.


    The situation was already tense, but if Mona made an appearance, Rose would be in the eye of the


    storm. The whispers, the sneers, and the vilements online would all be amplified by Mona''s


    presence at Morrison''s party. She''d have to face the usations she''d always tried to ignore, the


    ones she pretended didn''t bother her:


    The homewrecker.


    The schemer climbing the socialdder with a child.


    The ruthless woman.


    --


    Standing outside the hotel, Rose watched the heavy snowfall paint the night white. Passersby


    seemed to delight in the sudden flurry.


    Hands tucked into the pockets of her down jacket, she caressed the velvet lining, her gaze distant.


    Her mind wandered back to a snowy day years ago.


    She had worked night shifts for two months at a jewelry counter, all to afford a tinum bracelet.


    Yes, a bracelet for Morrison''s birthday. A man wearing a bracelet might seem absurd to some—a


    cumbersome essory, typically feminine. A watch would be the more conventional choice for a


    man.


    But she felt Morrison suited the bracelet perfectly. His hands were elegant, his wrists artfully


    slender. A ring would look amazing on him, but where did she stand to gift him that?


    His hands, born to luxury, were well-formed, suited to adornment.


    A watch was toomonce, and far beyond her means. Even a year''s wages wouldn''t buy a


    watch Morrison would truly appreciate.


    She wanted to give him something meaningful, something earned with her own money.


    He definitely would use some sarcastic words at that time, but he had always been like that to her


    anyway. Over time, she had also be ustomed to it.


    Their strange rtionship looked like mutual disdain, but there was an unspoken understanding


    between them. They supported each other''s social events like "friends." Their dynamic was odd, but


    as long as there was a connection, any form would do.


    He might scoff at the bracelet, might not treat her kindly, but that didn''t mean he wouldn''t wear it.


    After two months of night shifts and bonuses, she was still short on cash. Skipping sses and


    working nonstop, she finally had enough to buy the bracelet the day before his birthday.


    On Morrison''s birthday, when she arrived at the party, all dressed up, he was nowhere to be found.


    He had given her the address himself and invited her toe, albeit grudgingly, but when she got


    there, she was informed the party had moved.


    She didn''t want to believe it was a cruel joke on her. She trusted Morrison wasn''t that kind of


    person. Yet, he wouldn''t answer her calls.


    After several attempts, Mona picked up. "Sorry, Morrison decided to switch up the venuest minute


    for a new club opening. Where are you? It''s gettingte—are you stilling? I''ll text you the


    address."


    The snow began to fall heavier as she took a cab to the new location. But Morrison''s phone went


    unanswered.


    She stood outside like that for a whole night, and the heavy snow almost buried her into a


    snowman. The velvet box in her pocket turned icy cold.


    That snowy night became a day she could never forget in her life, something she couldn''t erase


    from her memory no matter how hard she tried.


    It was Morrison''sst birthday before leaving school. Afterward, the holiday break began, and the


    university emptied.


    As the new school year unfolded, the chill in the air between Morrison and Rose had turned


    downright cial. From barbed exchanges and frostyments, he had moved to a state of


    complete indifference.


    She became invisible to him, not even warranting a single spoken word. She no longer had any


    opportunity to close that growing gap.


    And then, graduation came, and they drifted apart, each going their own way. The birthday present


    she''d never had the chance to give him remained undelivered.


    A gust of cold wind whistled through the trees, sneaking under her cor and making her shiver.


    Shaking off the chill, Rose blinked and looked down, slowly pulling her hands out of her coat


    pockets.


    In her palmy a purple, rectangr velvet box. She opened it with her other hand, and the hotel''s


    lights gleamed off the simple tinum bracelet nestled inside.


    A single snowke danced through the air andnded gracefully upon it.


    tinum jewelry had been all the rage back then, and although it had somewhat fallen out of style,


    it still held a timeless charm.


    Morrison had professed his love for her.


    Whatever happened in the past, Rose could always turn the page. This year, on his birthday, she


    wondered if this long-held gift would ever reach him.


    Taking a deep breath, she closed the box with a snap and slipped it back into her pocket. She


    stepped down from the porch and made her way to the parking lot.


    As she unlocked her car, a beam of light suddenly cut through the darkness. Shielding her eyes,


    she was met with the sound of another car door opening.


    "Rose."


    A tall figure stood before her, backlit and imposing.


    She frowned, lowering her arm to look up at him. "Who are you?"


    "Rose, are you here for Mr. Witt''s birthday party?" the stranger inquired.


    On her guard, Rose asked, "What about it?"


    "Pleasee with me."


    "Who exactly are you?"


    The man did not respond.


    --


    The Spotlight Beauty productunch was still in full swing, withpany reps tirelessly promoting


    the new line. However, the buzz among the journalists and guests was all about Morrison and Rose.


    Some spected that Morrison''s public opposition to Rose was just a warning, a signal for her to


    step aside now that an old me had resurfaced.


    The room was abuzz as everyone spected openly about the fate of the two.


    Morrison arrived just as the discussion reached its peak. His sudden appearance, with a stern face,


    silenced the crowd. They approached to offer pleasantries but recoiled at the aura of hostility


    emanating from him.


    The staff''s mood was soured, having heard so many cutting remarks about their boss. How could


    they be happy? They knew better than anyone the kind of person Rose was at thepany.


    They knew the slights Rose had suffered, and now she was belittled and gossiped about behind her


    back, all thanks to this man.


    Even though he was a man not to be trifled with in R City, that didn''t change the fact that he was the


    culprit.


    "Where''s Rose?" Morrison asked bluntly, his voice cold.


    "We don’t know. She might have been tired and gone home to rest."


    "Yeah, Mr. Witt. Did youe here in person to force the issue after a remote warning didn''t


    suffice?"


    The sarcasm in the voice made Morrison''s expression darken. "What are you implying?"


    The person scoffed. "Thisunch was going fine until your birthday party started drawing all the


    attention. The press has been all over your marital status and about your beloved ex-girlfriend. Most


    folks here are betting on when you''ll get divorced."


    "Mr. Witt''s tactics are truly unmatched. Thankfully, you didn''t bring your ex to add insult to injury for


    Ms. Rose. If you had paraded your ex here to pressure her, that would''ve been utterly despicable."


    Someone tugged at the sleeve of the outspoken woman.


    "What are you pulling me for? So what if he''s handsome and rich? I''m a woman too, you know.


    Don''t think that just because you''re desirable, every woman''s into you. There are plenty of better


    men out there. What good is a good-looking but useless man who shows affection to other women?


    I''d rather spend on some fun gadgets from online shops – they''d be more useful than him!"


    Morrison''s eyelids twitched. "What the hell is with women these days?"


    Were sex toys really more useful than him?


    The room fell silent, everyone sweating for the audacious woman, yet also admiring her courage.


    To speak so boldly, and to Mr. Witt, no less? Mr. Witt was less useful than sex toys?


    "Ha!"


    Miles away in a luxurious manor in P City, a soft chuckle resonated. Chloe, with a Bluetooth


    earpiece clipped to her ear, covered her mouth with her hands as her eyes twinkled with


    amusement.


    Where did this gem of an employeee from? She was a rare find.


    A man approached her, scooping her into his arms.


    "What''s so funny?"


    Chloe giggled, "Morrison got a tongueshing from Rose''s coworker."


    Damon smirked, "What about?"


    "She said Morrison is less useful to Rose than some fun gadgets from online shops. Bute to


    think of it, she''s right. They''ve been married for over two months, and isn''t it just a charade?"


    Damon held her as they entered the bedroom, his dark eyes narrowing slightly.


    "Don''t talk as if you''ve used those things."


    Chloe''s cheeks flushed. "Of course, I haven''t."


    "You seem to know quite a bit about them."


    "There''s no end to learning."


    Damon raised an eyebrow. "You''ve studied them?"


    "No..."


    "We might consider trying them out for a show and tell."


    Damon cut off her protest, heating Chloe’s cheeks even more. "Get your mind out of the gutter."


    "That''s reserved for you now. You''ll need to get used to it." He kissed the corner of her lips. "Sit


    tight, I''ll warm up some milk for you."


    Chloe nodded, settling back on the bed, with her phone in hand.


    --


    Back at the Spotlight Beautyunch, the atmosphere was tinged with awkwardness.


    People around were unsure whether tough or stay silent, and Rose''s coworkers took a while to


    pull the outspoken woman aside.


    "Ahem. Mr. Witt, don''t mind me, but I saw Mrs. Witt heading backstage. She''s probably off to your


    birthday bash. After all, it''s your birthday, and it''s not like her to miss out, right?"


    Morrison''s gaze snapped to him, "Are you sure?"


    The colleague nodded, "Yeah, if she wasn''t joining your birthday party, I doubt she''d duck out early."


    Someone from behind chimed in, "Definitely going to the party, I reckon. Saw her earlier with a gift


    box in her hands – must be a birthday present for you."


    Morrison''s usually frosty expression melted as if someone had suddenly shone a blinding light into a


    chasm of shadows. In a sh, the mood went from storm clouds gathering to full-blown sunshine.


    Before the voice had even finished echoing, Morrison was already strides away.


    Approaching the entrance of the banquet hall, he stopped abruptly, turned on his heels, and walked


    up to a reporter. Grabbing the microphone, he dered, "When I decided to get hitched, I didn''t do it


    with the intention of ever getting a divorce. In this lifetime, there''s only one Mrs. Witt, and that''s


    Rose. She''s the only one with that right. No one else stands a chance."


    The entire hall erupted into a buzz of excitement.


    "And another thing, the woman I like, and the woman I love, has always been only Rose."