《When Your Cheating Husband's Dream Become Your Divorce Evidence》 Cheating 1 At 3 AM, my husband¡¯s sleep talking woke me up: ¡°¡­baby, daddy¡¯s buying you and mommy a new house tomorrow.¡± Hold up-WE DON¡¯T HAVE KIDS. I shook him awake: ¡°What did you just say?¡± He just rolled over: ¡°Just a nightmare, go back to sleep.¡± Official source is findnovel Something was OFF. Like, majorly off. But I didn¡¯t push it. Instead, I quietly grabbed his phone- Clue #1: His Venmo showed a fifty-thousand-dor transfer from three months ago, with a note: ¡°Down payment.¡± Recipient: Rain Sullivan. 3 Clue #2: I searched that name on Instagram. Same day as the transfer, she¡¯d posted an ultrasound photo with the caption: [Little angel is already three months along! Daddy says we¡¯ll live in a big house.] I immediately screenshot everything and sent it to my dad: [Dad, your precious son-inw didn¡¯t just cheat-he¡¯s got a bastard kid on the way. I¡¯m gonna make him leave with NOTHING!] Dad texted back almost instantly: [That son of a bitch! Don¡¯t you worry, sweetheart. I¡¯m calling our attorney right now. Nobody crosses the Hartwell family and lives to tell about it!] Fighting back nausea, I kept scrolling through Rain Sullivan¡¯s feed. One month ago: [Picked out our love nest today! The location is chef¡¯s kiss! Thank you babe for giving me and our little one such a perfect home.] The photo showed her arm-in-arm with Marcus at some fancy real estate office in Westchester. She was wearing a form-fitting dress that showed off her bump, beaming at the camera. Marcus had his arm around her waist, looking at her with a tenderness I¡¯d never seen before. Two months ago: [Babe says me and baby are his whole world, and he¡¯s gonna give us everything. This steak is divine!] The picture was from some upscale steakhouse-the kind of ce that serves Wagyu beef I could never justify buying. I remembered that exact night. I¡¯d suggested we celebrate my promotion at that same restaurant, but Marcus had grimaced and said it was too pricey. We ended up ordering DoorDash instead. Three months ago: [Two pink lines! Baby, your timing is absolutely perfect-Mommy and Daddy are so ready for you!] The photo showed her and Marcus¡¯s hands intertwined over her still-t belly. Every single image felt like a knife twisting in my chest. I cried silently in the dark, tears soaking into my pillowcase. Next to me, Marcus slept peacefully with a slight smile, probably dreaming about his perfect little family again. Looking at his lying face, every ounce of love I¡¯d felt transformed into pure hatred. Marcus, you really thought you could pull this off? I¡¯m not some pushover you can just screw over. I slipped out of bed and padded to the home office, firing up myptop. As heir to Hartwell Industries, I had resources he couldn¡¯t even imagine! First, I needed to know everything about Rain Sullivan. Through a private investigation firm, I got herplete background within hours. Rain Sullivan, 23, recent graduate from some no-name state school in Ohio, working as a receptionist at Marcus¡¯spany. Lower-middle-ss family from Clevnd-both parents work blue-cor jobs. ssic gold-digger trying to social climb her way out of mediocrity. What really pissed me off was her start date at Marcus¡¯s firm: exactly six months after our wedding. So she¡¯d targeted a married man from day one. That conniving bitch! Cheating 2 The next morning, Marcus woke me up with his usual sweetness. ¡°Morning, gorgeous. Made you breakfast.¡± He kissed my forehead. ¡°Got a huge client meeting today, so I¡¯ll probably be home I forced a smile. ¡°No worries, workes first.¡± Something flickered in his eyes-probably surprised I wasn¡¯t giving him grief. ¡°Actually, babe, I might be swamped all week. Don¡¯t read into it or anything.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± I nodded like the dutiful wife, thinking: Yeah, busy ying house with your side piece. After Marcus left, I drove straight to his Midtown office. As a business partner, I had every reason to be there. Sure enough, there was a young woman at the front desk-Rain Sullivan in the flesh. She was even more striking in person than in her photos. Long blonde hair, bright eyes, that whole innocent girl-next-door thing going strong. Who would¡¯ve guessed this sweet-looking college grad was a husband-stealing bitch? ¡°Hi there! Who can I help you find?¡± she chirped, all sunshine and rainbows. ¡°I¡¯m here for Marcus.¡± I studied her carefully. She was wearing loose business attire, but I could still make out the small bump. Definitely showing. ¡°He¡¯s in meetings right now. And you are?¡± ¡°Vivian Hartwell.¡± I dropped my name like a bomb and watched her face go white. Of course she knew exactly who I was-Marcus¡¯s legal wife. ¡°Oh! Mrs. Hartwell! Let me buzz him right away.¡± She fumbled for the phone. I caught her whispering, ¡°Marcus, your wife is here.¡± Secondster, Marcus came rushing out, looking like he¡¯d seen a ghost. ¡°Viv! What brings you by?¡± His eyes darted nervously toward Rain. ¡°Thought I¡¯d check out your workspace, maybe grab lunch together.¡± I linked my arm through his. ¡°Absolutely, let¡¯s hit the restaurant upstairs.¡± He practically dragged me toward the elevators. In the elevator, I yed dumb: ¡°That receptionist seems nice. How old is she?¡± ¡°No clue, some intern who just started. I don¡¯t really pay attention to that stuff.¡± His answer came way too fast. ¡°Ah.¡± I nodded, filing away yet another lie. Over lunch, I yed the concerned wife perfectly, asking about his stress levels and health. He ate up every bite I fed him, gushing about how lucky he was. ¡°You¡¯re the best thing that ever happened to me, Viv.¡± Watching his Oscar-worthy performance made me sick. ¡°Oh, that reminds me,¡± I said casually, ¡°my friend mentioned this amazing new development in Greenwich. Maybe we should start house hunting?¡± Marcus¡¯s fork froze midway to his mouth. ¡°House hunting? Our ce is pretty solid as is, right?¡± ¡°Sure, but it¡¯s kind of cramped. If we ever have kids, we¡¯ll need more space.¡± His face wentpletely pale. ¡°Kids aren¡¯t really on the table right now. Money¡¯s tight, you know?¡± Right. Too tight for your legal wife, but plenty loose for your pregnant mistress. ¡°You¡¯re totally right. Let¡¯s table that.¡± I smiled sweetly while mentally cataloging his bullshit. That afternoon, I excused myself to use the restroom but took a detour past the reception desk. Rain was chatting with a coworker, and I caught her saying, ¡°The doctor says the baby¡¯s super healthy. Due date¡¯s around Christmas.¡± ¡°Rain, you¡¯re literally living in a fairy tale! Your man is like total husband material-buying you a house, taking such good care of you.¡± ¡°I know, right? He promised we¡¯ll get married as soon as the babyes.¡± Rain¡¯s face lit up with pure joy. Married? He¡¯s still married to me, but already nning wedding number two? Rain spotted me and went ghost-white. ¡°Mrs¡­ Mrs. Hartwell,¡± she stammered, jumping to her feet. I walked over with my sweetest smile. ¡°Rain, right? Congrattions on the baby.¡± She instinctively covered her bump. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°The father must be over the moon. He¡¯s treating you well, I hope?¡± ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? f?ndnovel ¡°Very well,¡± she whispered, avoiding my eyes. ¡°Good. You¡¯re young-don¡¯t let some deadbeat take advantage of you.¡± I gave her a meaningful look before walking away. Outside the building, I took a deep breath of fresh air. Rain Sullivan, you think hiding in in sight makes you untouchable? Time to show you what happens when you mess with the wrong wife. Cheating 3 That evening, Marcus came homete as expected, reeking of women¡¯s perfume. ¡°Client dinner, had a few drinks.¡± He hupped, ¡°Babe, I¡¯m gonna grab a shower first.¡± While he was in the bathroom, I went through his phone. Rain: [Babe, checkup went perfect! Doctor says we can tell the gender now-it¡¯s a boy!] Marcus replied: [That¡¯s amazing! I have a son! I¡¯ll take you baby shopping tomorrow.] Rain: [You¡¯re the best, I love you so much!] Marcus: [Love you and our little guy too. Once he¡¯s born, we¡¯ll finally be a real family.] Reading their disgusting lovey-dovey messages made me want to puke. They had it all nned out-just waiting for the legal wife to disappear. Not happening. I put his phone back exactly where I found it and stered on an innocent smile. When Marcus came out of the shower, I went up to massage his shoulders. ¡°You work so hard, honey. All these client dinners must be exhausting.¡± He enjoyed my attention, a smug look shing in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all for our future.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± I said casually, ¡°I noticed that receptionist at your office today-she looked pretty pregnant. So young to already have a baby.¡± Marcus¡¯s body went rigid. ¡°Really? I hadn¡¯t noticed.¡± ¡°Looked like she was pretty far along too, maybe three or four months.¡± ¡°Kids these days, don¡¯t know how to protect themselves.¡± He scrambled for something to say. I smirked internally while keeping up my concerned act. ¡°Yeah, I hope her boyfriend¡¯s the responsible type. Would be awful if he just left her hanging.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll do right by her.¡± Marcus was starting to sweat. The next day, I had my PI continue tracking them. Sure enough, Marcus took Rain to some high-end baby boutique, the two of them cozying up while picking out nursery stuff. In the photos, Marcus had one arm around Rain¡¯s waist, the other hand on her belly, looking at her with the same tenderness he used to show me when we were newlyweds. Even worse-they hit up a jewelry store afterward, where he bought Rain a twenty-thousand-dor diamond ring. I remembered when we got married, I told him not to spend too much on my ring. He nearly cried from gratitude. Now he¡¯s dropping twenty grand on his side piece? I saved every single photo as divorce evidence. That afternoon, I headed to the shopping district where Rain liked to hang out, using clothes shopping as my excuse. I spotted her quickly at a coffee shop, chatting with her friend. I grabbed a corner table within earshot and listened in. ¡°Rain, are you sure about this? He¡¯s married,¡± her friend said worriedly. ¡°So what? He doesn¡¯t even love his wife-he only stays with her because her family¡¯s loaded.¡± Rain¡¯s voice was full of disdain. ¡°He said once I have his son, he¡¯ll find an excuse to divorce her.¡± ¡°But what if he¡¯s just ying you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not. Look how good he treats me.¡± Rain shed her hand smugly. ¡°This ring cost twenty thousand, plus he bought me a house. You think he¡¯d spend all that if he wasn¡¯t serious?¡± Her friend still looked worried. ¡°But if his wife finds out¡­¡± ¡°So what if she does?¡± Rain rubbed her belly triumphantly. ¡°I¡¯ve got his son-that¡¯s my ace in the hole. Men always want their own bloodline. He won¡¯t abandon us.¡¯ ¡°Besides, that old hag¡¯s been married to him for three years and hasn¡¯t popped out a single kid. I got pregnant right away with his son-who do you think he¡¯s gonna choose?¡± Hearing ¡°old hag,¡± I nearly lost it right there. Twenty-eight makes me an old hag? Official source is find?novel I bit back my rage and kept listening. ¡°He promised me that once the baby¡¯s born, he¡¯ll go public with our rtionship and make me the real Mrs. Zenith.¡± Rain¡¯s eyes were dreamy. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be a proper rich wife-never have to kiss ass again.¡± ¡°Does that Vivian Hartwell woman know about you yet?¡± ¡°Probably not. Marcus is such a good actor at home-never slips up.¡± Rain smirked. ¡°But even if she knew, so what? I¡¯ve got the son, she doesn¡¯t. I¡¯m the winner here.¡± Enough! I couldn¡¯t take another second of this crap. I got up and walked out. Outside, I called my dad. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s time to move.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve pushed me too far. Time to show them what happens when you cross the Hartwells!¡± ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve got my full support. We start tomorrow.¡± I hung up and stared at the sunset, revenge burning hot in my chest. Cheating 4 The third day was Saturday. Marcus imed he had client meetings-really going to y house with Rain. Chapters first released on Find_Novel(. I acted like I bought his lies and watched him drive off. Then, as CEO of Hartwell Industries, I called an emergency board meeting. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement.¡± I stood at the head of the conference table, my voice cold andmanding. ¡°Effective immediately, all Hartwell Industries partnerships with Zenith Tech are terminated.¡± The board members exchanged confused nces. Zenith Tech was Marcus¡¯spany. ¡°Vivian, why the sudden change? Zenith¡¯s been a valuable partner,¡± one director asked. ¡°Because their CEO, Marcus Zenith, has serious character issues,¡± I said icily. ¡°His values don¡¯t align with Hartwell Industries¡¯ standards.¡± ¡°But breaking contracts this suddenly will mean penalty fees¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cover the penalties,¡± I said without hesitation. ¡°This is about principles. Nopromises.¡± After the meeting, I immediately contacted several other major clients of Marcus¡¯spany. Using Hartwell Industries¡¯ influence and mywork, I quickly nted seeds of doubt about doing business with Marcus. By afternoon, Marcus¡¯s phone was blowing up with panicked calls from clients. I sat at home sipping tea, listening to him frantically taking calls on the balcony. ¡°Mr. Parker, why the sudden contract termination? Our partnership¡¯s been solid¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Rodriguez, is there some misunderstanding? We can negotiate pricing¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Thompson, please reconsider-ourpany depends on this project¡­¡± Watching him scramble filled me with satisfaction. That evening, Marcus came home looking defeated and stressed. ¡°Babe, I ran into some work issues today.¡± He tried to act strong in front of me. ¡°What happened?¡± T ¡°Several major clients suddenly want out of their contracts. I have no idea why.¡± He rubbed his temples in frustration. ¡°Think apetitor might be sabotaging you?¡± I suggested innocently. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± His eyes shed with suspicion. ¡°A fewpanies have been trying to poach our businesstely.¡± He still has no clue his real enemy is sitting right next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t stress about it. We¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Iforted him gently. ¡°Worst case, my family can help out.¡± Marcus looked at me gratefully. ¡°God, I¡¯m so lucky to have you. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡± Fake as hell! If I¡¯m so great, why the hell are you cheating on me? But he wouldn¡¯t be saying that much longer. Early the next morning, my phone rang. It was Rain Sullivan. ¡°Mrs. Hartwell, I need to talk to you.¡± Her voice oice was shaking. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s meet somewhere.¡± I kept my tone neutral. An hourter, we met at a quiet caf¨¦. Rain was wearing loose maternity clothes, her face pale and eyes red-clearly she¡¯d been crying. ¡°Mrs. Hartwell, I know you probably already know the baby is Marcus¡¯s.¡± She could barely get the words out. alinata no anger or shock. I stared at her silently, showing This made her even more nervous. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to wreck your marriage.¡± ¡°He told me he didn¡¯t love you, that you were just married on paper¡­¡± ¡°What else did he tell you?¡± I asked tly. ¡°He said your marriage was just for business, no real feelings¡­¡± Her voice got smaller and smaller. I let out a coldugh. ¡°And you believed that?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± She had no answer. ¡°Rain Sullivan, do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done?¡± I suddenly stood up, my presence intimidating. ¡°You think seducing a married man and getting pregnant makes you the winner?¡± She instinctively protected her belly, scared by my intensity. ¡°Mrs. Hartwell, I¡¯ll disappear. Just give me some money and I promise you¡¯ll never see me again.¡± ¡°Money?¡± I scoffed. ¡°How much do you think you¡¯re worth?¡± ¡°Five hundred thousand¡­¡± she said tentatively. ¡°Five hundred thousand?¡± My voice rose. ¡°You think you¡¯re worth that much?¡± I sat back down, crossed my legs, and stared at her coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you a damn thing. Because soon enough, you¡¯ll both have nothing.¡± I stood to leave. ¡°Mrs. Hartwell!¡± Rain called after me. ¡°You can¡¯t do this! I¡¯m carrying Marcus¡¯s son! You can¡¯t just ignore that!¡± I turned back, ice in my eyes. ¡°You sure that baby¡¯s Marcus¡¯s?¡± Rain¡¯s face went white as a sheet when she heard my words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she stammered. Cheating 5 Instead of answering directly, I pulled a document from my bag and ced it gently on the table. ¡°What is this?¡± She reached for it with trembling hands. ¡°Marcus¡¯s medical report,¡± I said coldly. ¡°From three months ago.¡± Rain opened the report, and when she saw the critical data, she looked like she¡¯d been struck by lightning. The report clearly showed: severe oligospermia, natural conception probability nearly zero. ¡°Still think that baby¡¯s his?¡± I asked with a cold smile. Rainpletely broke down, clutching her head and sobbing. ¡°No! This can¡¯t be right! I never slept with anyone else, only Marcus!¡± ¡°Never slept with anyone else?¡± I scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of your type-sugar daddies lined up around the block. Amazing you even got pregnant.¡± ¡°Stop pretending. You know damn well whose baby that is.¡± I stood up, looking down at her. ¡°I suggest you think carefully-disappear on your own, or wait for me to make you disappear.¡± With that, I walked out of the caf¨¦ without looking back. When I got home, Marcus was in the living room frantically making calls-hispany was finished, all the major clients were pulling out. He hung up and looked at me withplete desperation in his eyes. ¡°Babe, could you get your dad to help? Please, I¡¯m begging you.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try calling him,¡± I said, pretending to hesitate. ¡°Thank you, honey!¡± He grabbed my hands excitedly. ¡°I knew I could count on you when it really mattered.¡± Just then, his phone rang. Caller ID: Sweetie. Marcus quickly declined the call, but it kept ringing over and over. ¡°You gonna answer that?¡± I said casually. ¡°Just some unimportant call,¡± he said, trying to stay calm. ¡°If it¡¯s not important, why not answer it?¡± I pressed him. Sweat started beading on Marcus¡¯s forehead. ¡°It¡¯s work stuff¡­¡± Just then, the doorbell rang. I went to open it. Standing there was a haggard-looking woman-Rain Sullivan. ¡°Vivian Hartwell!¡± she screamed. ¡°This is all you! You deliberately gave me fake medical reports! You¡¯re trying to break us up!¡± Marcus rushed over, staring at Rain in horror. ¡°What are you doing here? Get out of here, now!¡± ¡°Why should I leave?¡± Rain was crying hysterically. ¡°Marcus, tell her we¡¯re really in love! Tell her I¡¯m carrying your baby!¡± ¡°Well, Marcus? Care to exin?¡± I asked calmly. Marcus looked deathly pale, his lips trembling as he struggled to speak. Seeing his silence, Rain became even more frantic. ¡°Say something! Didn¡¯t you say you loved me? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d marry me? Didn¡¯t you say she was just your personal ATM?¡± Hearing ¡°personal ATM,¡± my heart wentpletely cold. So that¡¯s all I was to them-an ATM machine. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? findnovel ¡°Enough!¡± Marcus finally spoke, ring viciously at Rain. ¡°Are you insane? Coming to my house spouting this nonsense?¡± Rain was stunned-clearly she hadn¡¯t expected him to turn on her like this. ¡°Marcus, what do you mean?¡± ¡°What do I mean?¡± Marcus sneered. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I never promised to marry you! That apartment was severance pay! We¡¯repletely done!¡± ¡°No!¡± Rain screamed. ¡°You can¡¯t treat me like this! I¡¯m having your baby!¡± ¡°Baby?¡± A cruel glint shed in Marcus¡¯s eyes. ¡°You sure that¡¯s my kid?¡± Cheating 6 Chapter 6 Readplete version only at F¦ÉndNovel Rain was shocked speechless by Marcus¡¯s words. Marcus¡¯s eyes were full of cruelty. ¡°Someone who used to work as a bar hostess-hard to say whose baby that really is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Rain screamed in breakdown. ¡°I never did that kind of work! You¡¯re the one who pursued me! You said you loved me!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your proof?¡± Marcus sneered. ¡°The chat logs only show you throwing yourself at me, and those photos-you forced me to take those.¡± ¡°What about the apartment!¡± ¡°That¡¯s apany benefit housing unit for temporary employee use. You thought it was a gift?¡± Marcus lied without batting an eye. Rain waspletely stunned, crying as she tried to grab his hands. ¡°You touched my belly, you said you loved me and the baby¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Marcus shoved her away. ¡°You crazy woman! Keep harassing me and I¡¯ll call the cops!¡± Rain staggered backward, nearly falling. ¡°Marcus!¡± I called out sharply. ¡°Whatever happened, she¡¯s pregnant!¡± Marcus realized he¡¯d lost control and quicklyposed himself. ¡°Sorry, babe. I¡¯m just so angry. This woman¡¯s shameless,ing to my house with these lies.¡± Rain looked at me desperately, then back at Marcus. Suddenly, she startedughing maniacally. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ I get it now!¡± She wasughing and crying at the same time. ¡°Vivian Hartwell, you win. You rich people y with us poor folks like we¡¯re toys.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t yed with anyone,¡± I said coldly. ¡°You chose to be the other woman.¡± ¡°Yeah, that was my choice.¡± Rain smiled bitterly. ¡°I thought I¡¯d found true love. Turns out it was all a joke.¡± She touched her belly, madness shing in her eyes. ¡°Since neither of you want this baby, then I don¡¯t want it either!¡± With that, she turned to ram herself into the wall. Much as I hated her, I couldn¡¯t watch a life be lost. I rushed over to stop her. ¡°Calm down!¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± Rain struggled wildly. ¡°Let me die! Let us both die together!¡± I held her tight. ¡°Even for the baby¡¯s sake, you can¡¯t do this!¡± Hearing the word ¡°baby,¡± Rain suddenly stopped struggling. She copsed in my arms, her voice hoarse. ¡°The baby¡¯s all I have left. But he doesn¡¯t want us¡­¡± Looking at this pitiful woman in my arms, my feelings wereplicated. Yes, she¡¯d done wrong, but ultimately she was a victim too. The real viin was Marcus. Just then, Marcus said impatiently, ¡°Babe, don¡¯t bother with her. Just let her go. Women like this use kids to manipte people.¡± Hearing this, Rain got agitated again. ¡°Marcus! You¡¯re an animal! How can you treat your own child this way!¡± ¡°My child?¡± Marcus sneered. ¡°What proof do you have it¡¯s mine? Go get a paternity test!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Rain said through gritted teeth. ¡°We¡¯ll get a paternity test! I¡¯ll show you whether this baby is yours or not!¡± I smirked internally. Oh Rain, don¡¯t you get it? Even if the baby really was Marcus¡¯s, he¡¯d never acknowledge it. Because acknowledging the child would mean losing everything the Hartwell family provided. And now, with hispany on the brink of copse, he needed the Hartwells more than ever. by Ms than 5 q q V % x y Q Q Q X J ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it.¡± Marcus shrugged. ¡°But if the test proves the baby isn¡¯t mine, you publicly apologize to me and my wife, plus pay damages for emotional distress!¡± ¡°What if it is yours?¡± Rain asked. Marcus paused, a cruel glint in his eyes. ¡°If it really is mine, I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± I knew he was lying. Even if the test came back positive, he¡¯d find a way to weasel out of it. But I didn¡¯t call him out, because I had a better n. ¤Ê¤¯¤Ê ¡°Since you both agree to the test, let¡¯s go tomorrow,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for it-we¡¯ll use the most authoritative facility.¡± Cheating 7 The next day, the three of us went to the paternity testing center. The blood draw was quick, but getting results would take three days. Back home, Marcus immediately locked himself in his study, doing god knows what. I took the opportunity to call my private attorney. ¡°Attorney Lawrence, there might be quite a show in three days. Be ready.¡± ¡°Understood, Ms. Hartwell. All the divorce papers are prepared.¡± During those three days, Marcus was incredibly sweet to me, desperate to get my father¡¯s help. I deliberately brought up thepany situation. ¡°Honey, Dad¡¯s willing to help, but there¡¯s one condition. He wants you focused on work, not distracted by other things-especially that receptionist situation.¡± Marcus quickly promised, ¡°Babe, I swear, there¡¯s absolutely nothing between me and her!¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± I pretended to buy his story. ¡°Once the test resultse out tomorrow, everything will be clear.¡± Day three, afternoon, at the testing center. When I opened the report, I deliberately looked surprised. ¡°ording to the test results, the baby is indeed Marcus¡¯s.¡± ¡°I told you so!¡± Rain was so excited she nearly jumped. ¡°Marcus, what do you have to say now?¡± But then I changed my tone. ¡°However, there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°What problem?¡± Rain asked urgently. I flipped to the second page of the report. ¡°This shows the fetus has a severe gic disorder with very low survival rates.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Rain snatched the report. ¡°Every prenatal checkup said everything was normal!¡± ¡°Maybe the earlier tests weren¡¯t thorough enough,¡± I said tly. ¡°These disorders usually can¡¯t be detected until after four months.¡± The report was fake, of course. I¡¯d arranged everything in advance. The real test results showed the baby wasn¡¯t Marcus¡¯s at all. But I wanted both of them to crash and burnpletely-that was the only way to achieve my goal. ¡°Doctor, can this condition be treated?¡± Rain asked through her tears. ¡°Very difficult.¡± The doctor I¡¯d bribed yed his part. ¡°And treatment would be extremely expensive-at least several hundred thousand dors.¡± Several hundred thousand? Marcus¡¯s face got even uglier. Hispany was nearly bankrupt-where would he get that kind of money? ¡°What should we do?¡± Rain asked desperately. The doctor made a passionate¡± suggestion. ¡°In my experience, I¡¯d rmend terminating the pregnancy. It would be best for everyone involved.¡± ¡°No!¡± Rain screamed. ¡°This is my baby! I won¡¯t kill him!¡± She turned to Marcus, her eyes full of hope. ¡°Marcus, say something! This is your son! You have to save him!¡± Marcus¡¯s expression kept changing. If he acknowledged this baby, it would mean admitting to the affair, and the Hartwells would never support him again. He¡¯d bepletely finished. Content originallyes from find?novel After an intense internal struggle, Marcus made his choice. He looked at Rain, his voice cold as ice. ¡°The doctor¡¯s right. Under these circumstances, termination would be best for everyone.¡± Cheating 8 ¡°No!¡± Rain shook her head frantically. ¡°This is your biological son! How can you say that!¡± ¡°Precisely because he¡¯s my son, I can¡¯t watch him live in pain.¡± Marcus forced justifications for his cruelty. ¡°Rather than let him suffer after birth, it¡¯s better to just¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Rain screamed. ¡°You¡¯re an animal! You don¡¯t deserve to be a father!¡± She went crazy trying to hit Marcus, but I held her back. ¡°Calm down!¡± I gripped her shoulders. ¡°Calm down?¡± Rain was crying hysterically. ¡°He wants to kill his own child-how can I be calm?¡± Seeing her despair, a flicker of sympathy stirred in my heart. But quickly, I remembered all her arrogant words from before, and the sympathy vanished instantly. This was the price she had to pay for seducing a married man. ¡°Rain, I can help you,¡± I suddenly said. Both of them looked at me in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re willing to help me?¡± Rain couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°I can pay for the baby¡¯s treatment,¡± I said tly. ¡°But there are conditions.¡± ¡°What conditions?¡± she asked urgently. ¡°First, you leave this city and nevere back. Second, you promise to never tell the child who his father is.¡± Rain hesitated, looking between me and Marcus. Marcus was obviously relieved-this solution was perfect for him. He could get rid of the problem without taking any responsibility. ¡°I need to think about it,¡± Rain said. ¡°Think about what?¡± Marcus said impatiently. ¡°This is already the best oue! What more do you want?¡± His callousnesspletely broke Rain¡¯s heart. Looking at this man who had once sworn eternal love, the love in her eyes turnedpletely to hatred. ¡°Tine, I agree,¡± she said through gritted teeth. ¡°But Marcus, I want you to remember-what you owe me and this child, someday you¡¯ll pay back!¡± ¡°Think whatever you want,¡± Marcus said coldly. ¡°Either way, we have nothing to do with each other anymore.¡± Back home, Marcus suddenly hugged me. ¡°Babe, thank you for helping me handle this.¡± ¡°We¡¯re married-shouldn¡¯t we weather storms together?¡± I said gently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through this,¡± he kissed my forehead. ¡°I swear, nothing like this will ever happen again.¡± ¡°I believe you,¡± I smiled. ¡°By the way, Dad wants to see you tomorrow about thepany situation.¡± Get full chapters from Find¡ïNovel ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Marcus said excitedly. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to perform well and not disappoint him!¡± Watching his excitement, a cruel smile curved at the corner of my mouth. Cheating 9 The next day, at Hartwell Group headquarters. I apanied Marcus to my father¡¯s office. ¡°Good morning, Dad,¡± Marcus greeted respectfully. ¡°Sit down,¡± Dad said coldly, without his usual warmth. Marcus felt uneasy but sat down anyway. ¡°Vivian tells me yourpany is having difficulties?¡± Dad got straight to the point. After Marcus exined his troubles and carefully requested investment or client referrals from Dad. Dad was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, ¡°Marcus, what do you think of my daughter?¡± Marcus was startled, not understanding why he¡¯d ask this suddenly. ¡°Vivian is the most wonderful woman in the world. Marrying her is the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.¡± ¡°Since you say that, let me ask you,¡± Dad¡¯s gaze suddenly became sharp, ¡°what would the most wonderful woman be worth to you?¡± ¡°Any price!¡± Marcus said without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯d do anything for her!¡± Checktest chapters at find?novel ¡°Including giving up other women?¡± Dad stared directly into his eyes. Marcus¡¯s heart tightened, but he remained outwardly calm. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t understand what you mean. Vivian is the only woman in my heart.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Dad sneered. ¡°Then how do you exin this?¡± Dad pulled out a stack of photos and mmed them on the desk. The photos showed Marcus and Rain in intimate moments, crystal clear. The moment he saw the photos, all color drained from Marcus¡¯s face as he stammered: ¡°Dad, I can exin!¡± ¡°Exin?¡± Dad stood up abruptly, his presence imposing. ¡°Exin how you betrayed my daughter? Exin how you got another woman pregnant with your child?¡± ¡°Sir! I know I screwed up!¡± Marcus finally cracked, falling to his knees with a thud. ¡°Give me one chance-I swear it¡¯ll never happen again! I can sign any agreement, transfer all my assets to Vivian!¡± Hearing this, I finally spoke. ¡°Marcus, do you think I need your little bit of property?¡± My voice was terrifyingly calm. ¡°What assets do you have? Yourpany uses my family¡¯s startup capital. The house you live in, the car you drive, the clothes you wear-they¡¯re all from my family. Tell me, what assets could you possibly transfer to me?¡± Marcus was speechless, begging me in the most humble tone not to abandon him. ¡°Dogs at least know loyalty. You¡¯re worse than a dog.¡± I pulled out the divorce papers I¡¯d prepared and threw them in front of him. ¡°Sign it.¡± Marcus looked at the agreement and firmly refused to sign. ¡°You don¡¯t have to sign,¡± I said coldly. ¡°I can file for divorce. Then not only will you leave with nothing, I¡¯ll also pursue legal action for transferring marital assets.¡± ¡°What asset transfers? I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Marcus tried to argue. ¡°That fifty thousand you gave Rain for the apartment-isn¡¯t that marital property?¡± I sneered. ¡°Plus all those restaurants, hotels, and gifts you two spent money on-that adds up to tens of thousands more.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sign¡­¡± He picked up the pen with trembling hands. Just as he was about to sign, there wasmotion outside. ¡°Let me in! I need to see Marcus!¡± It was Rain¡¯s voice. She¡¯d actually tracked us down here. Soon, Rain burst in with several security guards behind her. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Hartwell, we couldn¡¯t stop her¡­¡± the guards said apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Dad waved them off. ¡°Let her in. I want to see what this woman thinks she¡¯s doing.¡± Rain came in and immediately saw Marcus kneeling on the floor with divorce papers in his hands. ¡°Marcus! Are you really going to abandon me and the baby?¡± ¡°I went to the hospital today-the doctor said there¡¯s nothing wrong with my test results! The baby is perfectly healthy!¡± Cheating 10 ¡°The doctor also said,¡± Rain continued, ¡°that gic disorder test yesterday doesn¡¯t even exist! And that testing center has no legitimate credentials!¡± ¡°Vivian Hartwell!¡± Rain pointed at me, her eyes full of hatred. ¡°You deliberately lied to us! You just wanted to break us up!¡± ¡°So what if I did?¡± I finally dropped my mask, looking at her coldly. ¡°A homewrecker thinks she deserves the truth?¡± ¡°Did you think I¡¯d let a cheater¡¯s childe and im a share of the Hartwell family fortune?¡± Then Dad spoke up. ¡°Marcus, as a man, you should take responsibility for your actions.¡± ¡°Mr. Hartwell, could you please, for the sake of our years of cooperation¡­¡± Marcus made onest appeal to Dad. ¡°Cooperation?¡± Dad sneered. ¡°Do you think we could possibly continue cooperating? From now on, Hartwell Group terminates all business rtionships with yourpany.¡± ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯ll notify all our partners and let them know your true character.¡± Hearing this, Marcus waspletely devastated. He knew that once the Hartwell family cklisted him, he¡¯d never work in this industry again. ¡°Time¡¯s up,¡± I said coldly. ¡°Sign the papers.¡± Marcus looked at Rain, then at the divorce agreement, finally picked up the pen and viciously signed his name. ¡°There! It¡¯s signed!¡± He mmed the pen on the desk. ¡°Vivian Hartwell, we¡¯re even now!¡± ¡°Very good.¡± I collected the agreement with satisfaction. ¡°Now please get out of my house. Take all your belongings today.¡± ¡°And,¡± I added, ¡°leave the car keys. That¡¯s my family¡¯s car.¡± Marcus¡¯s face turned ashen, but he had no strength left to resist. He silently ced the car keys on the desk and stumbled toward the door. ¡°Marcus!¡± Rain chased after him. ¡°You can¡¯t just walk away! What about our baby?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t look back. ¡°That kid isn¡¯t even mine!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Rain screamed in breakdown. But Marcus had already left the office. Rain turned to me, her eyes full of hatred. ¡°Vivian Hartwell! This is all your fault! You destroyed everything I had!¡± ¡°Destroyed you?¡± I sneered. ¡°You chose to be the other woman. Now you¡¯re facing the consequences-who else is there to me?¡± ¡°You fucking bitch! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Rain charged at me like a madwoman. But she forgot she was pregnant-after just a few steps, she tripped herself. ¡°Ah!¡± She cried out in pain, curling up on the floor clutching her belly. I looked at her with no sympathy whatsoever. ¡°Call an ambnce,¡± I told the security guards. ¡°Take her to the hospital.¡± ¡°As for the medical bills,¡± I looked down at the suffering Rain, ¡°figure it out yourself.¡± With that, I picked up my bag and prepared to leave. ¡°Vivian Hartwell,¡± Rain called out weakly, ¡°are you really this heartless?¡± I stopped and looked back at her. ¡°Heartless? When you were seducing my husband, did you think about my feelings? When you were gloating over your victory, did you think about my heartlessness then?¡± ¡°Rain Sullivan, there¡¯s no love without reason in this world, and no hatred without reason either.¡± ¡°Your fate today-it¡¯s all the result of your own choices.¡± With that, I walked out of the office without looking back. Behind me came Rain¡¯s desperate sobs, but I didn¡¯t want to hear them anymore. Everything was finally over. Official source is f¦É?dn¦Ïvel Cheating 11 The new female neighbor next door keeps texting my husband in the middle of the night: ¡°Your wife is so damn loud! Are you really that good?¡± My husband Den Hayes, always cold and aloof, would respond with disgust every time: ¡°Desperate much? If you¡¯re that horny, go find a male escort. Stop being such a thirsty bitch!¡± Until my second month of pregnancy. I identally saw his reply in their chat thread had changed: ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Wanna find out.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe it. I kept reopening Den¡¯s profile, checking over and over. It was definitely sent by him. ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Wanna find out.¡± Those words zed in my mind, bold and magnified like some kind of curse. Cold sweat broke out all over my body. Beside me, Den was still chatting away casually. Every gesture refined and elegant. Swirling his wine ss with his left hand while holding mine with his right. Screech. ¤¯ Thy by byly th h I yanked my hand away from Den¡¯s and shot up. My chair scraped harshly across the floor. The sound was grating. I was drenched in cold sweat, my whole body trembling. With a bitter twist of my lips, I fled awkwardly: ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± Looking at my reflection in the mirror-still beautiful and polished thanks to good skincare-I couldn¡¯t help but think of Jenna Walsh. She¡¯d moved in two months ago. When we first met, her wine-red hair paired with that ckce bodycon dress made her impossible to ignore. During polite small talk, I¡¯d barely managed a smile when Jenna gasped, covering her mouth: ¡°Your husband is so hot!¡± She shamelessly looked Den up and down: ¡°Damn, not only does he look like a movie star, but that body too.¡± ¡°Look at that his shirt can barely contain those abs underneath, right?¡± At the time, I didn¡¯t take her seriously at all. Den and I were childhood sweethearts. I¡¯d been head cheerleader since middle school. Meanwhile, Jenna was thirty-five with fine lines creeping across her face. The excess around her waist was squeezed into rolls by that tight dress. So for the past two months, I¡¯d ignored Jenna¡¯s tant attempts at seduction. I just didn¡¯t take her seriously. In those brief few minutes, I imagined the worst-case scenario: miscarriage, then divorce. But when I stumbled back to our private dining room, I found Jenna standing right next to Den. She¡¯d clearly dressed up for the asion. Thick falseshes, dramatic eyeliner, and bold crimson lips. Standing next to the young, handsome Den, they had this weirdly harmonious look. My expression turned ice-cold, my voice hoarse: ¡°Den.¡± I shattered the cheerful atmosphere. Everyone¡¯s smiles froze as all eyes turned to me. For a moment, you could hear a pin drop. Jenna was the first to speak, coquettishly tucking her hair behind her ear. Latest content published on Find~Novel She smiled sweetly: ¡°Oh! I thought maybe you weren¡¯ting out much since you¡¯re pregnant!¡± She yfully tapped Den¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Pregnancy is so hard on women. You better treat Sophia right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen so many women turn intoplete hags after having kids-faces covered in spots and e, boobs and belly sagging like deted balloons¡­ Some moms even get mistaken for their kid¡¯s grandma when they¡¯re out!¡± With that, Jenna gave an exaggerated shudder. Cheating 12 The men at the table, watching her chest bounce with the movement, shared knowing smiles. Seeing that Den had no intention of defending me, I lost itpletely. I strode forward, grabbed a wine bottle, and held it over Jenna¡¯s head- Then poured the entire thing on her. As she shrieked, I snarled through gritted teeth: ¡°Bitch!¡± Just as I was about to p her, Den¡¯s face darkened. He grabbed my wrist and pulled Jenna behind him, roaring: ¡°Sophia!¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind?!¡± ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find[?]ovel 45, 14 24 I couldn¡¯t stop the tears. Den¡¯s expression was vicious, his eyes cruel. He¡¯d never looked at me like this before. I stared directly at him, my whole body shaking. ¡°Den¡­¡± I pointed at Jenna: ¡°You¡¯re yelling at me over this bitch?¡± All my grievances came flooding out. Morning sickness had kept me awake all night, and eating had be torture. In just two months, I¡¯d lost over ten pounds. And during my most miserable time, my husband was screwing around with our older female neighbor. Looking at the two of them, I couldn¡¯t help imagining them in bed together. Mixed with memories of Den and me making love, Ipletely broke down sobbing: ¡°Fine, Den. Tomorrow we¡¯re getting div-¡± ¡°I was introducing Jenna to Marcus! What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Den mmed his hand on the table in fury. I stared up at him in a daze. Den¡¯s veins were bulging as he looked embarrassedly across the table at Marcus Chen: ¡°My wife¡­ her emotions are unstable during pregnancy. Don¡¯t take it personally¡­¡± ¡°And¡­ Jenna¡¯s a good woman, not what Sophia¡¯s making her out to be¡­ you two should keep getting to know each other¡­¡± His face reddening, he avoided looking at Jenna and pulled me along: ¡°You guys take your time. I¡¯m taking her home.¡± My mind wentpletely nk. Only those two words from the text remained: ¡°find out.¡± Just as I was about to question him again, Den cut me off coldly: ¡°Enough. Haven¡¯t you embarrassed yourself enough?¡± Before leaving, I watched Marcus get up to drape his jacket over Jenna¡¯s shoulders. I felt¡­ confused. Was that really what this was? Cheating 13 All the way home, Den kept a stony expression and didn¡¯t say a single word to me. He wouldn¡¯t even look at me. Seeing him gearing up for the silent treatment, I blocked his path as he grabbed a nket to sleep in the study: Th?s chapter is updated by Find[?]ovel ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡± That question set him offpletely. He rubbed his temples irritably, turned to face me, and bellowed: ¡°What¡¯s MY deal?¡± ¡°I should be asking YOU that, Sophia! A whole table of friends, and you pull that stunt, making me look like an idiot! Tell me! How am I supposed to face them after this?!¡± I jumped: ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me ahead of time you were setting them up¡­¡¯ ¡°Besides, Marcus is still single, and Jenna¡¯s a widow-¡± ¡°So what if she¡¯s a widow?¡± Den snapped: ¡°You look down on widows?¡± g ¡°Marcus may be single, but he¡¯s thirty years old. He¡¯s an orphan without even his own ce. What young girl would want him?¡± ¡°And even if it¡¯s none of your damn business whether they work out or not, what you did tonight was humiliating for ME!¡± Den rattled off this whole speech without stopping. Watching him, chest heaving with anger, I felt indescribably hurt. After a moment of silence, Den said tly: ¡°I can¡¯tmunicate with you.¡± ¡°Just¡­ cool off.¡± ¡°Then what did you mean by those texts to Jenna?¡± I asked. When he looked confused, I grabbed his phone and asked again: ¡°What did this mean?¡± The phone screen showed the conversation history, clear as day. Den¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. A sh of panic crossed his eyes: ¡°You went through my phone?¡± Cheating 14 But it onlysted a second. He scoffed and said coldly: ¡°Well, that exins it.¡± ¡°So you think I¡¯m cheating.¡± Den ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, turned away, then back again. He pointed toward the right, in the direction of Jenna¡¯s apartment: ¡°With HER?¡± He seemed to find itughable, scrolling up to show all his previous insulting messages to Jenna: ¡°You know how much I can¡¯t stand her, right? I can barely bring myself to insult her¡­¡± ¡°Besides, even if I were cheating, I wouldn¡¯t go for someone young and hot instead of¡­ that? What am I, brain-dead, Sophia? Or are you the one who¡¯s lost it?¡± I calmed down: ¡°None of that exins-¡± ¡°Whether when you said ¡®find out,¡¯ you meant you were nning to sleep with her.¡± I stared into Den¡¯s eyes: ¡°Or if you already have.¡± His tone mellowed too: ¡°I was just trying to give her a taste of her own medicine.¡± ¡°Fight fire with fire. See? She was just talking shit-got scared and stopped texting back, didn¡¯t she?¡± Den became gentle again. He leaned down, gripping my arms, exining softly: Updates are released by FindN()vel ¡°Besides, I really was trying to set her up with Marcus. You saw that yourself.¡± ¡°Marcus is honest and straightforward. Don¡¯t you think he and Jennaplement each other? They¡¯re a good match.¡± Seeing I still wasn¡¯t convinced, Den picked up his phone. ¡°Alright, babe.¡± ¡°Since this upsets you, I¡¯ll block and delete Jenna, okay?¡± Originally, she¡¯d yed the pity card about being a widow living all alone. Said she could die at home and nobody would know, begging us to keep in touch just in case. Even though I disliked her, I¡¯d agreed. After all, she was just running her mouth-she¡¯d never actually made a move. Before I could respond, Den¡¯s fingers moved across the screen. Jenna¡¯s name disappearedpletely from his contacts. Decian spent a long time consoling me. He cursed out Jenna all night long. apter Usually soposed, he only lost control when talking about Jenna. I didn¡¯t fall asleep until dawn. Everything seemed to have an exnation, but something still felt off-I just couldn¡¯t put my finger on what. Until I went for my prenatal checkup. The doctor said I was already three months along, the fetus was stable, and we could resume intimate rtions. So I tried initiating when Den came home from work, wrapping my arms around him. But he avoided eye contact and pushed me away repeatedly. When I asionally touched him, I discovered that despite three months of abstinence, my advances had zero effect on him. ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep at allst night, then worked all day.¡± Den soothed me, exining: ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, babe.¡± With that, he imed he had a headache and needed to lie down: ¡°With you being pregnant, it¡¯s probably better not to.¡± ¡°For the baby¡¯s sake.¡± Watching his retreating figure, I came to a realization: When someone doesn¡¯t eat at home, they¡¯ve probably already eaten elsewhere. Once suspicion takes root, it grows like wildfire. I spent every day paranoid and sleepless. Finally, after a week, I suggested: ¡°I want to visit my parents¡¯ graves while my belly¡¯s still small.¡± Den paused, looking at me with concern: ¡°Should I take a few days off toe with you?¡± I shook my head considerately: ¡°Work¡¯s more important.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just be gone four or five days.¡± Cheating 15 The day I left, Den seemed genuinely reluctant to let me go. He hugged and kissed me over and over: ¡°Take care of yourself and the baby. Call me as soon as you get there.¡± Fighting nausea, I said ¡°Okay.¡± I got in the car without looking back. After taking photos at the airport, I decisively got up and found a hotel. I turned on the security camera facing the hallway. Sure enough, Den didn¡¯t go to work. He was on the phone all the way down in the elevator. I turned up the volume and heard himughing: ¡°Sophia¡¯s parents died in a car ident years ago. Who else would want her if she left me?¡± ¡°Besides, she¡¯s pregnant. What man could go a whole pregnancy without sex? As long as she turns a blind eye, we¡¯ll be fine. I do still love her, after all.¡± ¡°But even if it came to that, she¡¯d be the one too scared to divorce.¡± Hearing it with my own ears, I felt oddly calm. The rightful source is f?ndnovel Watching him return home, I didn¡¯t hesitate to book an abortion. At noon, Den texted: ¡°Did you make it?¡± I found photos of our hometown¡¯s bus station on Maps. I screenshotted a clear one and sent it to Den: ¡°Waiting for the bus.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± As expected, after getting my confirmation, Den changed into easily removable loungewear and opened our front door. Then went next door to Jenna¡¯s ce. My heart pounded frantically. I got up, packed my bags, and took a cab home. Through the door, I could clearly hear Jenna¡¯s voice: ¡°Wow, can I touch it?¡± Same disgusting, clingy tone as always: ¡°It¡¯s so big and dark! Don¡¯t be like that, so aggressive! You¡¯re scaring me!¡± Tm experienced, baby. I¡¯ll make you feel so good!¡± Stone faced, I gripped my baseball bat. I knocked on the door. After some rustling sounds, Den opened it¡ª I was drenched in cold sweat. My hands wouldn¡¯t stop shaking. Seeing Den answer the door shirtless, I fought back nausea. I raised the baseball bat, ready to charge in. His expression went nk for a moment: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Then Den let out a sarcastic ¡°oh.¡± He leanedzily against the doorframe with a smirk: ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still suspicious, so you¡¯ve cooked up some spy thriller in your head?¡± My eyes welled up with tears. I thought about our childhood friendship. How when my parents died, Den was so worried about me doing something stupid. He stayed awake for twenty-four hours straight, never leaving my side¡­ After we married, even though I¡¯m terrified of pain, I made the bravest decision of my life because he said he wanted kids. I always thought we were meant for each other. That we¡¯d be happy forever¡­ Seeing my silence, Den rubbed his temples impatiently: ¡°Sophia, I think maybe your pregnancy hormones are causing-¡± He looked me up and down, speaking with some embarrassment: ¡°Mental issues?¡± Cheating 16 Before I could react, Jenna walked over from inside and casually draped herself over Den¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Oh! Look who it is! Hey there, Sophia!¡± Seeing me, she didn¡¯t avoid anything. Instead, she looped her arm through Den¡¯s: ¡°We were just about to eat. Want to join us?¡± I kept my expression cold. Just as I was about to speak, I saw Marcus emerging from the kitchen. And there on the floor was a fat, huge ck cat. Seeing my silence, Jenna stuck out her tongue awkwardly and sheepishly let go of Den: ¡°Your wife is upset again.¡± She shrugged helplessly at me: ¡°Marcus and I are getting married next month.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, why don¡¯t we eat together tonight-¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± Den cut her off coldly. He stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. ¡°Sophia¡¯s not hungry.¡± He snatched the baseball bat from my hands. And threw it hard onto the ground. ng. I jumped. Instinctively, I covered my belly. But Den didn¡¯t care at all. The way he looked at me was ice-cold, without a trace of warmth: ¡°Still making a scene?¡± I was still trembling. Just barely holding back tears. And Den, who¡¯d always been incredibly gentle with me, reached out and shoved me hard toward the exit- Bang. He mmed the door shut. I immediately fell to the ground, instinctively calling out: ¡°Den!¡± From inside, Jenna¡¯s fake concern drifted out: ¡°She is pregnant after all. What¡¯s one more ce setting? Maybe we should-¡± Den sounded thoroughly irritated: ¡°So what if she¡¯s pregnant? Does the whole world have to revolve around her?¡± ¡°A little fall won¡¯t kill her. Other pregnant women work right up until their due date. She¡¯s just spoiled and looking for drama!¡± From inside the apartment, Den¡¯s voice continued to echo in my ears: ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know why Sophia¡¯s so paranoid, acting like a psycho.¡± ¡°Should I really take her to see a shrink? I¡¯m so sick of living like this!¡± I smiled bitterly as I struggled to my feet. The day I found out I was pregnant, Den had cried andughed at the same time. Happy about our love bearing fruit. A But also worried about what I¡¯d have to go through. For days, he¡¯d toss and turn at night. Just thinking about me going through childbirth, walking through death¡¯s door, made him hold me tight with overwhelming tenderness. In just two months, that tenderness and love seemed to have expired. I slowly walked back to our apartment. The cheerfulughter from next door rang in my ears. Especially hearing Jenna¡¯s seductive giggles made me even more irritated. The source of th?s content is FindN0vel After scheduling tomorrow¡¯s consultation about the abortion, I simply pulled the covers over my head. I drifted into a restless sleep. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯d been out when a series of banging sounds woke me up. Intense rhythmic pounding. Listening carefully, I could hear a woman¡¯s moans mixed in. I snapped awake instantly- Cheating 17 This apartmentplex was pretty old. The soundproofing wasn¡¯t great. Because of that, Den and I had moved our bedroom to the other side. But I never expected the noise from next door to be this loud through just one wall. I felt lost. After all, I¡¯d been wrong twice before¡­ Sure enough, within a few minutes of my hesitation, Den came home. His footsteps were light. He stood in the bedroom doorway. Seeing I wasn¡¯t asleep, he looked relieved: ¡°Marcus had too much to drink.¡± Den exined unprompted: ¡°I helped them clean up, then came home.¡± As he spoke, he pulled off his shirt. Looking at his still lean, sexy waist and abs, I didn¡¯t rush over to hug him and act cute like I used to. Instead, I gave a t ¡°oh¡± and asked the question Den most wanted to hear: ¡°Are they living together now?¡± Seeing my calm tone, his tense body visibly rxed. He smiled: ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re still in the honeymoon phase.¡± With that, Den casually asked when my next prenatal appointment was. The source of th?s content is f?ndnovel After brushing him off, I went to the living room. Once Den was in the shower, I went to the study and started updating my r¨¦sum¨¦. When Den woke up, I was still sleeping. He didn¡¯t see his favorite breakfast waiting on the table like usual. He seemed pissed. From brushing his teeth and washing his face on, he deliberately kicked chairs and stools, making them tter loudly. I pretended not to hear. Lying in bed, I touched my belly. My emotions wereplicated. But I hadn¡¯t wavered. I couldn¡¯t let momentary weakness turn this child into my burden. Besides, its father was such a selfish, horny bastard. Once I had this baby, I¡¯d never be able to cut ties with Denpletely. While I was lost in thought, I suddenly got a text from Jenna. After sending me nine photos in a row, she taunted me without any attempt to hide it: [After he went to that birthing ss with you at the hospital, he came back saying just thinking about a babying out of there¡­ that bloody scene gave him nightmares just imagining it. [Sophia, what good does being young do you? Everyone was young once. The point is you have no clue what men actually want. [You know what? Den loves it when I wear that tight ckce dress. Once in the parking garage, he called me and we did it in the car-didn¡¯t even have time to take the dress off¡­] The ellipsis left little to the imagination. I calmly opened each photo. Double-tapped to zoom in. Every single one showed Den¡¯s handsome sleeping face. In several, Jenna had deliberately exposed half her chest, pressed against him. Fighting back disgust, I carefully saved them all and screen-recorded everything. After a while, Jenna sent another message: [You have no idea how wild I¡¯ve trained Den to be.] If this had been me a few days ago, receiving this kind of provocation, I probably would¡¯ve lost itpletely and charged over there to tear her hair out, screaming hysterically. But now, my heart was dead. I simply replied: [Free whore.] [Are you proud of that?] Cheating 18 Jenna¡¯s side kept showing ¡°typing¡­¡± but I never got a response. So I turned off my phone and got up to go to the hospital. I¡¯d prepared for everything. But the doctor told me I was too far along for a regr abortion-I¡¯d need to inducebor. The fetus was healthy. Labor induction required a family member¡¯s signature. Looking at that flimsy consent form, I begged repeatedly. But no matter what, the doctor wouldn¡¯t agree. Without the signed form, I¡¯d have to wait until after the divorce and bring the divorce papers¡­ But the cooling-off period was a whole month. The longer I waited, the more damage to my body. I had no choice. Finally, I could only clutch that form and leave the hospital. Just when I was feeling stuck, Jenna sent a selfie. The mall¡¯s ss reflection showed her in a low-cut top and bodycon skirt. Thendmark in the background made it obvious where she was. Jenna was near Den¡¯s office right now. I didn¡¯t hesitate. I immediately called a cab to go there. On the way, I contacted ten local social media influencers. This kind of juicy drama shouldn¡¯t be enjoyed by just me alone. Unfortunately, only five of the ten influencers were avable on short notice. But one of them had a million followers. That would be enough to make them inte famous. Read full story at Find~Novel Den usually just napped at the office during lunch. But since Jenna coulde over, they must have made ns. Lunch break was only two hours, so they wouldn¡¯t go far-definitely a nearby hotel. I got out of the cab and waited downstairs for Den to get off work. Meanwhile, in front of the influencers, I called Marcus. He was defensive at first: ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re just calling to trash-talk Jenna. I know you don¡¯t like her, but she¡¯s never done anything to hurt you. She¡¯s just got a certain personality¡­¡± Hearing his dull voice, I interrupted impatiently: ¡°When you had dinner at her cest night, what time did Den leave?¡± Marcus paused, then gave an embarrassedugh: ¡°Jenna kept pouring me drinks and I drank too fast. I got wasted before the end¡­¡± ¡°It was only around ten, but before I passed out, Dec said he was leaving soon to give us space.¡± His voice was earnest as he chuckled: ¡°But I got way too drunk and wasted Dec¡¯s good intentions.¡± My expression turned cold. Because I clearly remembered Dening home close to dawnst night. Thinking about everything that happened next door, I felt physically sick. Marcus and Den had been college roommates for nearly ten years. And this was how he and Jenna were screwing over his so-called good buddy! On the other end, Marcus was still asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The words were on the tip of my tongue. But thinking of his honest nature, I swallowed them: ¡°Nothing, just wondering.¡± ¡°By the way, are you two really getting married next month?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Marcus answered: ¡°I don¡¯t have any family, and Jenna¡¯s situation is what it is. Plus we¡¯re both getting older-we don¡¯t want to wait anymore.¡± I made a couple of ¡°mm-hmm¡± sounds and quickly hung up. If that was the case, what was Jenna¡¯s goal in provoking me? Cheating 19 After Den came out, he made a phone call. Then he turned around and went back into thepany. Seeing this, the ready influencers grew restless: ¡°Why¡¯d he go back? We¡¯re not here for nothing, are we?¡± Just as I was puzzling over this myself, I suddenly remembered something from Jenna¡¯s previous messages. ¡°The parking garage.¡± I put on a face mask and baseball cap, calmly standing up. The influencers followed behind me, somewhat skeptical: ¡°No way, right? I mean, it¡¯s broad daylight. The parking garage has peopleing and going-what normal person would do that kind of thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, and cars are so cramped. What woman would be willing to do it in such an ufortable ce? At least find a hotel.¡± For some reason, I¡¯d never felt as confident as I did right now: ¡°For the thrill.¡± Under their astonished gazes, I calmly pressed the elevator button for the underground level. During those brief yet endless few minutes, I thought about a lot of things. Den and I had been neighbors since we were ten. We were always the most stable couple in ss. The kids who gave both sets of parents the most peace of mind. Even the embarrassment and anxiety of my first period-Den had been there for me through that too. He used to be so sincere, kind, and bright. I couldn¡¯t understand how he¡¯d be what he was now. I didn¡¯t get it. Was it really that hard to control yourself below the belt? ¡°Sis¡­ is that the car?¡± ELAL The million-follower influencer gently poked my arm: ¡°I think the license te looks like¡­¡± I squinted, looking for a long time before I could make it out clearly. I had to admire her. No wonder she was a big influencer-her observation skills were sharp. The few of us moved through the dim parking garage. Our steps were hurried yet we instinctively made no sound. When we were still several meters from the car, I realized it was sitting there quietly. Not moving at all. There wasn¡¯t even a hint of light inside. Everyone else noticed this too. After lowering their phones, an older woman said softly: ¡°Maybe nothing¡¯s happening. Could this be a misunderstanding?¡± She looked at me with some sympathy: ¡°It¡¯d be best if nothing was wrong.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t charge you. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Iposed myself, hid around the corner, and called Den. Checktest chapters at find~novel I knew they felt sorry for me and meant well. But I couldn¡¯t fool myself. I didn¡¯t believe Den would stop. The phone was answered almost instantly. Before I could speak, Denunched into usations: ¡°What now? How are you going to lose it this time?¡± ¡°Sophia, I really don¡¯t understand how you became like this. Yesterday you pulled that stunt, and I didn¡¯t fight with you because you¡¯re pregnant¡ª¡± ¡°But look at you, giving me the silent treatment, not even making breakfast¡­¡± I looked at the faint glow emanating from inside the car. My expression was calm. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your childhood dream was to marry me and make me your princess forever?¡± ¡°Just two months ago, you said you wanted to work hard to be a good father and husband¡­¡± ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Den let out a low moan, then raised his voice: ¡°You¡¯re in your twenties-can¡¯t you stop being so childish?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± I walked toward the car as I spoke: ¡°I understand. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Denughed: ¡°I work hard every day to support the family too. As long as you stop looking for trouble and giving me headaches, that¡¯s all I ask.¡± ¡°Jenna¡¯s getting married to Marcus anyway, so we¡¯ll inevitably see them often. From now on, you should¡­¡± Knock. Knock. Knock. I bent down and knocked on the car window, one tap after another. The next second, what came into view was Den¡¯s face, pale with shock. ? Cheating 20 I kept my expression cold as I yanked hard on the car door. But Den had already locked it from the inside. Seeing the several people behind me holding phones and cameras, he instantly understood my intention. He locked the car even more securely. Before I could make another move, Den hurriedly pulled out his phone: [Who are these people? I¡¯m just taking a nap in my car. Are you trying to get me cyberbullied? Isn¡¯t that going too far? [This vites my portrait rights and privacy! Make them leave! [It¡¯s gettingte-you haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you, honey? There¡¯s a convenience store on the first floor, Go buy something to eat and wait for me there. I¡¯ll be right¡­ I didn¡¯t bother reading the rest of his messages. I pressed against the car window and peered inside. There was no one in the back seat or passenger seat. But I was absolutely certain Jenna was in that car. I looked around and quickly walked to the fire extinguisher, pulling it from its case. I put my phone in my pocket, my expression calm: ¡°Keep filming. I¡¯ll handle this myself.¡± I hefted the fire extinguisher, my steps heavy and deliberate. I aimed at the car window and smashed it hard- Den waspletely stunned. He looked up from his phone screen, his expression shocked. This car was the first one we¡¯d bought after paying off our mortgage It represented our hopes and dreams. We¡¯d cherished it all these years. Not only did we wash it meticulously, we never even ate crumbly snacks inside. And now, I was holding a fire extinguisher, personally smashing its front windshield. Crystal-clear ss shards scattered everywhere. Checktest chapters at find?novel Now we could all clearly see the jacket draped over the steering wheel. I sneered, watching Den¡¯s slightly trembling thighs. Without hesitation, I positioned myself in front of the driver¡¯s seat again. ¡°Honey, let me exin! I can exin everything! Let¡¯s go home and talk!¡± Den¡¯s voice was no longer muffled by the car window. He screamed hoarsely. ¡°Stop smashing it, I¡­¡± Looking at his flushed face, I sneered: ¡°Toote.¡± Crash! Metal struck ss. Den instinctively covered his head and dodged backward. Camera shes shone directly on his face, exposing his disgrace and filth. He squinted and reached out, trying to cover the phones: ¡°Stop filming!¡± Just as Den was about to explode in rage, I reached in and unlocked the car. I yanked off the jacket from Den¡¯sp. I grabbed Jenna¡¯s hair hard and dragged her out. At that moment, the million-follower influencer held a phone in each hand, excitedly announcing: ¡°One hundred thousand viewers in the livestream!¡± Cheating 21 Compared to Den¡¯s embarrassment and pain, Jenna seemed much moreposed. She even tried to find an opportunity to grab my hair and fight back. But I didn¡¯t give her that chance, keeping a tight grip on her hair. ¡°Den,¡± I said coldly, ¡°Putting aside the fact that you¡¯re messing around with this kind of woman, don¡¯t you know the saying ¡®Don¡¯t covet your friend¡¯s wife¡±?¡± ¡°Is this how you treat your good buddy?¡± Seeing his affair exposed, Denpletely deted. His face red, he shouted loudly: ¡°Stop fucking filming!¡± He even looked like he might get violent. But the influencers weren¡¯t scared at all. Instead, they mocked him: ¡°Weren¡¯t you acting all tough? You can do it but can¡¯t own up to it?¡± Den gritted his teeth but was helpless. He decided to go all out: ¡°Jenna seduced me.¡± He instantly changed his demeanor, bing submissive: * This update is avable on find?novel 74.91 ¡°You know, honey, she¡¯s liked me from the beginning and kept trying to seduce me¡­ Look at her, everyone. What¡¯s there to like about a woman like this?¡± ¡°To put it bluntly, even if I really wanted to cheat, I¡¯d definitely find someone young and pretty, not someone like this.¡± ¡°This vixen has no shame! She¡¯s destroying my family! Honey, I was wrong about you. You saw through her from the start-she¡¯s no good. I was¡­¡± ¡°Den!¡± Seeing him badmouth her in front of a hundred thousand people, Jenna snarled through gritted teeth: ¡°Have you no shame?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t said you missed me, would I havee to find you? I even said I wasn¡¯t feeling well, but didn¡¯t you say you wanted to try something new?¡± Watching the two of them argue was both ridiculous and pathetic. I let go of Jenna¡¯s hair and stepped back, giving the influencers a clear shot. Honestly, when Jenna lost it, she was pretty vicious. She pulled down her neckline, exposing the scattered red marks all over her body: ¡°Did a fucking dog bite these? Want to get them tested?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said your wife was pregnant and asked if I wanted to try it? I didn¡¯t see the message, so you came banging on my door in the middle of the night! Started tearing my clothes off right away-I haven¡¯t even reported you for rape yet! Fuck! Are you even human, Den?¡± I tugged at the corner of my mouth and pulled her clothes back up: ¡°Say what you want, but don¡¯t get their livestream shut down. Everyone¡¯s just trying to make a living.¡± This didn¡¯t interrupt Jenna¡¯s train of thought at all-she kept shouting. Even as more and more onlookers gathered, including many of Den¡¯s coworkers hiding in the back to watch the drama unfold. She poked Den¡¯s chest with her long nails: ¡°You have two moles up there-want to take your shirt off and show everyone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got photos too! Anyone want to see them?¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Den couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He grabbed me and tried to leave: ¡°Let¡¯s go home and talk about this properly. Stop making a scene here.¡± I shook off his hand, confused: ¡°What do I have to be ashamed of?¡± The crowd began whispering, along with unmistakableughter. Feeling humiliated and with nowhere to vent his anger, Den suddenly grabbed my cor and yelled: ¡°Haven¡¯t I been good enough to you? Since you got pregnant, I haven¡¯t made you work a single day! But I¡¯m a man with normal physical needs-isn¡¯t that normal? Just because of this, you¡¯re giving me the death sentence?¡± ¡°Besides, Sophia, don¡¯t forget-you¡¯re just an orphan. Your parents are long dead! You can¡¯t survive without me, so what¡¯s the point of this tantrum?¡± ¡°Fine, you just want me to admit I was wrong, right? I was wrong, okay? I just made the same mistake every man in the world makes¡­¡± p! I swung my arm and pped him as hard as I could: ¡°Den. We¡¯re done!¡± Cheating 22 Denughed coldly and licked his bloodied lips. ¡°Fine, Sophia. You¡¯re still carrying my child. Let¡¯s see how long you can stay tough!¡± ¡°You¡¯lle crawling back to me on your knees, crying!¡± I pulled the consent form from my bag. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? Find?Novel Just as I was about to speak, Den snatched it away: ¡°Divorce papers all ready?¡± ¡°Fine, Sophia, don¡¯t regret this!¡± He didn¡¯t notice my hesitation. He bent down to get a pen from the car. With a grand flourish, he signed his name. Then used lipstick as an ink pad and pressed his thumbprint. Before leaving, he was still smug: ¡°I gave you a way out and you wouldn¡¯t take it. You¡¯ll regret this! Let¡¯s see which sucker will want you!¡± I knew he understood me too well. He knew my weaknesses, my vulnerabilities. But what he didn¡¯t know was that this time, we really werepletely finished. The day before my surgery, I hired a movingpany. On the principle of not leaving anything valuable behind, I took everything worth money. I also gave all the videos Jenna had sent me, along with the parking garage footage, to mywyer. Not wanting any more ties to Den, I decided to file for divorce. Unexpectedly, just as I finished packing and was leaving, I ran into Jenna, who was justing home. She was covered in purple bruises, her right eye ck and blue, like she¡¯d been severely beaten. I was somewhat surprised but didn¡¯t want to talk to her. As we passed each other, Jenna asked resentfully: ¡°You must be pretty pleased with yourself, huh?¡± ¡°He was so obsessed with me¡­ but even after all this drama, he still won¡¯t agree to marry me.¡± I made a nomittal ¡°oh¡± sound, indicating I¡¯d guessed as much. When she mentioned Den, she looked ready to kill him: ¡°Said I was just some slut to y around with, that I wasn¡¯t worthy of him.¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s not what he said when he was begging me to spice things up with him!¡± Seeing she was about to continue her endlessints, I found the right moment to slip away. I never expected that would be thest time I¡¯d see Jenna. 3 Cheating 23 I heard about her sudden death after I got out of the hospital. Because of the parking garage incident, Den had be inte famous, earning the nickname ¡°Two-Mole Guy.¡± Many gay men had messaged him privately, wanting to see them. People had even doxxed hispany and went directly to the parking garage to corner him. The incident was so scandalous that Den couldn¡¯t keep his job-thepany fired him outright. Now he was trapped at home, unable to even leave. Within a few days, word of this reached Marcus, including what Den had said about Jenna: ¡°Marcus is honest-we can keep this going long-term.¡± ¡°Plus, he¡¯s an orphan with no connections. Even if he found out, what could he do? He¡¯s worthless.¡± Marcus beat Jenna up, then paid people to corner Den at home and beat him every day. Finally, worried about someone getting killed, he had Den stripped naked, took photos, and posted them online. A group of gay men lined up, waiting to visit Den. Only after enduring all this torture did Den learn that Jenna had been deliberately sending me photos and videos from the very beginning, specifically so I would find out. So we would get divorced. From the start, Jenna¡¯s target had been the wealthier, more sessful Den. Even Marcus had just been her cover. But things had spiraled out of control. Den had lost everything. One night, he took a kitchen knife and, just like before, knocked on Jenna¡¯s door. BY V W Z W x y // 14 y 1 ht The day I received an offer from my dreampany, Den, who had disappeared for a long time, suddenly appeared before me. He was bundled up tightly, catching me off guard as he appeared downstairs from my apartment: ¡°Sophia¡­¡± Den looked around nervously, his eyes panicked: ¡°I really know I was wrong. Believe me, I¡¯ll never do it again¡­¡± As he spoke, afraid I would leave, he knelt on the ground and grabbed at my pants, pleading desperately: ¡°I never thought about us getting divorced or anything. From the beginning, I just treated Jenna as free entertainment¡­¡± ¡°I really know I was wrong now. Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s go back to our hometown and start over, okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! This time I really learned my lesson. For you and the baby, I¡¯ll work hard to live right, treat you both well, be a good father and husband!¡± I kept my head down, pretending to casually nce at my phone. Thinking I hadn¡¯t left because I¡¯d epted his apology, Den continued hurriedly: ¡°When you get further along, I won¡¯t feelfortable with you not having me there to take care of you¡­ I¡¯ll sell the house tomorrow and take you back to our hometown. From now on, we¡¯ll live honestly¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t listen to a single word he said. Just seeing him made me physically sick. But I held it in. Until after he¡¯d pleaded desperately and humbly for fifteen minutes, he looked up and asked: ¡°Honey. Can we start over?¡± I looked toward the row of police cars behind me and smiled: ¡°Den, I won¡¯t be participating in your new life.¡± Den was arrested. The weight in my heart finally liftedpletely. When we processed the divorce papers, he finally realized what document he¡¯d signed that day. Thispletely shattered hisst shred of hope. Den knelt at the entrance to the civil affairs bureau, crying like a fool. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? I didn¡¯t spare him another nce. Because today was my first day at my newpany. My brand new life was just beginning. Cheating 24 I was using my husband¡¯sputer to binge-watch a series in his office when suddenly an AI assistant notification popped up. [Hey there, boss man~ Time to take a break from work! You¡¯ll need your energy for our wild night ahead~] Staring at the cutesy font surrounded by pink heart bubbles, I froze. I screenshot it and stormed over to him while he was meeting with clients outside. ¡°Are you cheating on me?¡± He paused for a beat, then chuckled while pinching my cheek. ¡°Babe, that¡¯s just the AI virtual girlfriend ourpany¡¯s developing. I¡¯m beta-testing it myself.¡± I nodded calmly but immediately have someone investigate. Once I got the IP address behind this ¡°virtual girlfriend,¡± I immediately posted in thepany group chat: Original content can be found at Find_Novel(. [Step forward now, and I might consider letting you keep some dignity.] Taking my money while ying me for a fool? Better be ready for absolute devastation! The usually buzzingpany group chat went dead silent. Five minutester, Preston ckwell burst through the door. Sweat beaded his forehead, his breathing was ragged, and panic filled his expression. ¡°Honey, that really is just program testing-you have to believe me!¡± Several senior employees followed him in, all jumping to his defense. ¡°Ms. Sullivan, that¡¯s the beta version-absolutely no real person operating it.¡± ¡°The dialogue content is all pre-programmed too. It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking.¡± The tech director pulled out meeting records and ced them in front of me. ¡°These conversation temtes were designed by the whole team to increase user engagement and stickiness.¡± ¡°The boss personally tested it for our team¡¯s project. If you misunderstand him, we¡¯d all feel terrible.¡± Their words were earnest, every sentence defending Preston. Preston grabbed my hand, his eyes full of sincerity. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry I upset you. If you don¡¯t like me using this thing, I¡¯ll never touch it again.¡± He knew his sincerity always got to me. Back when he was dirt poor, I saw his character and supported his startup without hesitation. To make something of himself, he pulled all-nighters for half a month straight. I never doubted him-just kept the house perfect and waited for him toe home. When he needed funding, I begged my father for investment, even agreeing that he¡¯d control all profits for the first five years. When the business failed, I didn¡¯t me him. I even used his ¡°valuable experience¡± as an excuse to rmend him for a position at my father¡¯s corporation. The day he became CEO, at his celebration party, he proposed to me for the second time. He said his love for me would always be as pure and passionate as when we first fell in love-that he¡¯d only ever love me. Every anniversary after that, he¡¯d propose again. To prove he stayed true to his word. His loyalty to me should¡¯ve been rock solid by now. I rubbed my temples wearily and waved them off. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t pursue this any further.¡± They left the office looking relieved. Preston rxed too, walking over to hug me. However, I pushed him away. I¡¯d already seen the chat logs between Preston and the Al assistant. It messaged him every few minutes-mostly weather reminders or schedule updates, but thenguage was flirty, even suggestive. There were also faceless personal emojis, clearly all sourced from the same person. No matter how much I trusted him, I couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious. I had to get to the bottom of this. I still had contacts in the corporation¡¯s tech department. Using the bathroom as an excuse, I sent them the IP address. They got back to me quickly. The user was inside our corporate building. Cross-referencing with HR resources, I found her name. Summer Hayes. A new intern in Operations Department. My chest suddenly felt tight. They¡¯d all sworn up and down there was no real person operating it, right? Now I had her name and profile. I took the elevator straight downstairs and spotted her immediately. Everyone else was working with their heads down, but her screen was ying a variety show at full volume. Her desk was loaded with expensive hand creams and snacks, plus a personal humidifier just for her. As I entered the office, she caught sight of me and seemed to sense something, quickly flipping over a photo of two people on her desk. Cheating 25 Only when I got closer did shezily pause her show. My hands clenched unconsciously-wondering if Preston had given her all these special privileges. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re watching shows during work hours. Are you caught up on all your tasks?¡± Summer nced at me dismissively. ¡°I worked hard and got tired, so I¡¯m taking a break. What¡¯s the big deal? You here to collect recycling? Break room¡¯s that way, hang a right.¡± The nearby employees looked like they didn¡¯t want to get involved, but one still whispered a warning: ¡°That¡¯s Ms. Sullivan, daughter of our corporation¡¯s founder and CEO ckwell¡¯s wife.¡± Summer looked at me with fake innocence. ¡°Oops, sorry. I thought the CEO¡¯s wife would be ssy and beautiful, so I didn¡¯t make the connection. My bad.¡± Rage red in my chest. I was about to tear into her when Summer nced somewhere else, and her eyes instantly filled with tears. ¡°Sorry, Ms. Sullivan¡­ I¡¯ll get back to work now¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Preston¡¯s stern voice came from behind me. Several employees immediately crowded around, talking over each other: ¡°Ms. Sullivan was criticizing Summer¡¯s work ethic. The poor girl got upset.¡± ¡°Summer¡¯s been doing great work. Her supervisor said she could take a break, but Ms. Sullivan¡¯s being way too strict.¡± I was surprised. Just moments ago, these people had stayed silent, afraid of getting caught up in my confrontation with Summer. But the second Preston appeared, they found their voice and started defending her. ¡°I see.¡± Preston pointed at Summer. ¡°You-report to my office tomorrow to go over your work. I want to personally review your output.¡± Summer hung her head in agreement, but I caught the slight smirk tugging at her lips. My heart suddenly clenched, acid burning in my chest. Was this supposed to be a warning, or was he creating opportunities to be alone with her at the office? I steadied myself and raised my voice: ¡°I¡¯m not here to micromanage. I¡¯m here to announce that thepany¡¯s upgrading equipment gradually, starting with your department. Allputers are getting reced.¡± The employees looked thrilled at this news. Only Summer pouted unhappily. ¡°Why so sudden? I¡¯m used to myputer. Can¡¯t I keep it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Preston shut down her protest immediately, then turned to me with a gentle smile. ¡°My wife speaks for me. Everyone follow her n!¡± Summer stared at him in disbelief, her face turning red with frustration. I couldn¡¯t be bothered watching her act and told Preston I was heading home. Not long after, Preston came home early, looking frazzled. He carried my favorite cake in his left hand and a purse I¡¯d admired a few days ago in his right, guilt written all over his face. Updates are released by find~novel ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve handed off the Al girlfriend testing to someone else. I absolutely won¡¯t touch anything that might make you think I¡¯m distracted ever again. I epted his gifts calmly. ¡°It¡¯s work. I understand.¡± He sighed and pulled me into his arms, his voice full of concern. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been neglecting you I¡¯m sorry. My phone password is your birthday-if you¡¯re worried, you can check it anytime.¡± I nodded without saying more. That night, while Preston was in the shower, I opened his phone. Clean as a whistle. Nothing suspicious. Suddenly, a text popped up: [Your Ibuprofen and ginger tea deliverers have arrived.] So before apologizing to me, he¡¯d been thinking about her period cramps. My heart seized, and I almost threw his phone. Preston had actually be someone who¡¯d say one thing to my face and do another behind my back. Before he got out, I went to sleep in another room. But I didn¡¯t sleep a wink. Cheating 26 The next day, all equipment in Operations Department Two was reced. I had Summer¡¯s old hard drive and got a specialist to recover all the data. Herputer had an AI assistant client program installed. Sure enough, she was the Al assistant-Preston¡¯s ¡°virtual girlfriend.¡± My suspicions from the sleepless night were confirmed, and my hands started shaking. Usingpany resources, even getting all those employees to lie-all for their love affair? With trembling fingers, I opened the chat logs and discovered that what I¡¯d seen on Preston¡¯s end was the edited version. In Summer¡¯s records, Preston was incredibly attentive. To openly buy her bubble tea, he treated the entire fifty-person department. To keep her happy at work, he lowered the whole department¡¯s performance requirements. He¡¯d even ask what color stockings she was wearing, what style underwear. They had a meeting spot they called their ¡°love nest.¡± Justst week, they¡¯d nned to meet at the love nest, and Summer asked if she should get n B. Preston¡¯s response was no need. [Our baby would definitely be healthier than Sophia Sullivan¡¯s.] Reading that line, I stared at the screen like I¡¯d been struck by lightning. Last year, I¡¯d been pregnant with his child. After a client dinner, he drove home drunk and had me open the garage door, but crashed into me instead, causing me to lose the baby. Latest content published on Find1Novel When he sobered up, he knelt on the ground sobbing, saying he¡¯d pray daily for our child in heaven. For our future, I forgave him. But now, the man who killed our baby was telling another woman that my children weren¡¯t healthy. My whole body shook with rage, my grip on the mouse nearly crushing it. Before I knew it, it was dark outside. In thirty years of life, I¡¯d never been this close to aplete breakdown. After collecting all the evidence, I rushed to the office to find Preston, who imed to be workingte. Reaching the VIP section of the underground garage, I saw Preston¡¯s car lights sh a few times. Then Preston and Summer emerged from separate elevator entrances. I instinctively hid in the shadows. The moment they saw each other, they didn¡¯t even make it to the car-just embraced and kissed passionately, like lovers who¡¯d been suppressed for too long. After the kiss, Preston tenderly stroked Summer¡¯s face. ¡°Wait for me. Once 1 get the chairman position tomorrow, I¡¯ll find a way to make Sophia Sullivan disappear. We¡¯ll be together forever.¡± Summer gazed at him adoringly. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been preparing for this day for years. I¡¯ll wait for your sess.¡± Ice cold terror shot up my spine, and I nearly copsed from weak knees. My heart felt like it was being stabbed by countless knives, torn to shreds. Turned out Preston had been using me this entire time! How could he face my parents and our child?! After they drove off, I stumbled out from my hiding spot. That night, I didn¡¯t go home. Preston called and texted like a maniac, searching for me. I only replied: [See you at tomorrow¡¯s board meeting.] Only then did he rx and tell me to get some sleep, not caring where I¡¯d spent the night. Cheating 27 The next day, I walked into the conference room right on time. Preston¡¯s eyes lit up instantly as he brought me the proxy form to sign. Since I¡¯d inherited thergest shareholding, I usually let him exercise my voting rights. Today he was presenting for the chairman position. With my proxy, he could vote himself 40% approval. I signed and turned to see Summer standing proudly in the employee representatives¡¯ section. I controlled my rage and sat down calmly. The meeting began. After one candidate¡¯s presentation, Preston took the stage andunched into an impassioned speech. ording to him, he was exceptionally capable with outstanding performance-the perfect choice for chairman. As slide after slide shed by, I spotted Summer in multiple activity photos. The charitable him also loved sponsoring underprivileged students. When those students¡¯ names appeared, I recognized them from Summer¡¯s profile-they were all her rtives. My hands clenched into tight fists, my heartbeat elerating violently. Back then, Preston had begged me to sell my parents¡¯ house to donate to poor students. He¡¯d been teary-eyed, looking heartbroken by their unfortunate circumstances. Turns out all that money went to showing off in front of Summer! Watching this man deliver his passionate speech, he feltpletely foreign to me-even nauseating. I couldn¡¯t imagine that the person I¡¯d loved for seven years could be this despicably shameless! After his speech, a shareholder immediately asked, ¡°Preston, there were rumors about your Al assistant being¡­ suspicious. Is that true?¡± Preston was well-prepared. He spoke eloquently, not only clearing himself of any cheating allegations but highlighting Summer¡¯s significant contributions to the project and rmending her for direct promotion to project manager after graduation. After his exnation, Summer beamed from the audience while shareholders instinctively looked at me. Newest update provided by f¦É?dn¦Ïvel Seeing my silence, they said nothing more. Before the meeting, they¡¯d all seen me sign the proxy. Combined with Preston¡¯s own resources, he¡¯d definitely be chairman today. No point antagonizing the future chairman. One shareholder took the lead: ¡°Summer deserves promotion. Whatever position you want to arrange for her is just a word from you.¡± Preston smiled, confidently putting away his materials. Other shareholders began fawning over Preston: ¡°I believe ckwell Corp will only grow stronger under Chairman ckwell¡¯s leadership!¡± ¡°Chairman, you¡¯re so aplished at such a young age. ckwell Corp is definitely heading for a bright new era!¡± In the employee section, people started quietly congratting Summer. ¡°Future Manager Hayes, don¡¯t forget to look out for us little people.¡± ¡°Manager level right after graduation-what a future!¡± Both of them glowed under all the praise. Preston smiled and bowed to the shareholders. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to everyone¡¯s guidance. I¡¯ll definitely fulfill my duties and not disappoint anyone! Thank you, thank you!¡± ¡°What chairman? I haven¡¯t agreed yet!¡± Among the chaos, I slowly stood up. Simultaneously, the slideshow shed, and everyone froze. F Cheating 28 The screen showed Preston and Summer passionately kissing in the underground garage. Preston¡¯s face darkened. Before they could finish their kiss and conversation, Preston shut down theputer. ¡°Sophia, did you put up that video?¡± I nodded, curious to see how he¡¯d spin this. Preston frowned deeply. ¡°I know you¡¯re upset with me, but you could discuss it with me privately. Why humiliate me in front of all these important people?¡± ¡°Do you think anyone would believe this? The parking garage-a public ce-me openly making out with a female intern?¡± His words triggered whispered conversations. ¡°Ms. Sullivan acts like she¡¯s over it, but she¡¯s clearly still hung up on that AI assistant thing.¡± ¡°How could Ms. Sullivan resort to such childish, underhanded tactics¡­¡± Hearing thesements, Summer, who¡¯d been red-faced moments before, straightened up again. ¡°Ms. Sullivan, I¡¯m still a college student! How can you nder my reputation without cause!¡± nder? Reputation? I scoffed and mmed my prepared documents on the table. Last night, after filming their intimate moment, I immediately found awyer to notarize the video, proving it was authentic footage. All to prevent them from stubbornly denying everything. ¡°If the video¡¯s fake, please, sue me for defamation! I, Sophia Sullivan, willpensate you with my entire fortune!¡± Summer¡¯s face paled as she bit her lip and looked at Preston. Preston sighed helplessly, showing slight regret. ¡°Sophia, there must be some misunderstanding. I can exin everything slowly. With all these people here, I hope you¡¯ll leave us both some dignity.¡± Preston was definitely a seasoned businessman-he knew how to deflect. Using ¡°misunderstanding¡± to brush me off, then using ¡°dignity¡± to pressure me. But havinge this far, I absolutely wouldn¡¯t give him an out! I shook my head at him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin slowly-you need time to think up excuses. I don¡¯t need that.¡± Preston¡¯s expression grew uglier. ¡°Sophia, are you really going to burn bridges here today? We¡¯ve been married seven years-we¡¯re one unit now. When one prospers, both prosper. When one falls, both fall!¡± ¡°We¡¯re supposed to spend our lives together. When problems arise, we solve the problems, not eliminate the people.¡± Summer finally couldn¡¯t hold back, rushing forward. ¡°Preston, why are you reasoning with her? She¡¯s obviously out to destroy us.¡± ¡°Just hurry up with the voting process. She already gave you her voting rights, so you¡¯ll definitely be chairman. Then cancel all herpany privileges, and she can¡¯t control you anymore!¡± Everyone turned to stare at her in amazement. Amazed by her naivety. I said calmly, ¡°I did delegate my voting rights to him, but since I¡¯m here in person, I can revoke that delegation anytime.¡± ¡°As for whether he can be chairman and kick me out¡­ have you considered that I control 40% of the corporation¡¯s shares? Who exactly is kicking out whom?¡± Summer was stunned, mouth agape, unable to say another word. Preston clenched his fists, looking at her with eyes that could shoot fire. ¡°In any case,¡± I announced loudly. ¡°I move to suspend today¡¯s meeting agenda and suggest everyone seriously consider Preston ckwell¡¯s continued employment at my corporation!¡± After unanimous shareholder agreement, the meeting was dismissed. Everyone needed to consider whether to fire Preston and, ording topany bws, find a new chairman candidate. Preston caught up with me in the hallway. ¡°Sophia, let¡¯s talk. After all our years together, you can¡¯t just write me offpletely!¡± He couldn¡¯t leave me-or rather, he couldn¡¯t leave my wealth and power. I looked at him coldly. ¡°The video was clear enough. You cheated. What¡¯s left to discuss?¡± Latest content published on find[?]ovel ¡°I was drunk! I didn¡¯t mean to-I thought that person was you.¡± His eyes were incredibly sincere. I just felt sick again. After all this time to think, that was hisme excuse. And he had the nerve to say it so righteously-what did he take me for? I simply pulled out my phone and yed that video at full volume from start to finish. His voice echoed through the entire hallway, saying he¡¯d make me disappear. Preston listened in stunned silence. ¡°I said that? I don¡¯t remember at all! Really!¡± I looked steadily into his eyes. ¡°I believe what I saw and heard. Preston, save your energy for worrying about your future livelihood.¡± ¡°Sophia!¡± Preston grabbed my hand desperately. ¡°Give me one chance. If our baby in heaven saw us like this, he¡¯d be heartbroken.¡± Hearing this, rage exploded in me. I shook off his hand and pped him hard. ¡°You have no right to mention my child-you killed him! And you told Summer he wasn¡¯t healthy. You deserve to die!¡± Preston looked shocked, as ifpletely unable to understand my words. ¡°Sophia, I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Suddenly I felt deeply powerless. Seven years of love, and it came down to wasting time listening to him lie after lie. From his expression, lying had be second nature. But I only understood now. At least I understood before it was toote. ¡°Get away from me.¡± I pushed him aside, strode into the elevator, and jabbed the close button to shut him out. Only when the elevator reached the parking garage did my breathing steady and my thoughts clear. Preston¡¯s n to be chairman had failed this time. But the shareholders wouldn¡¯t necessarily agree to fire him. In their eyes, as long as someone could manage thepany and create profits for shareholders, they were a qualified CEO. As for the CEO¡¯s personal morality, they could turn a blind eye. In this uncertain situation, I had to act-give him a hard push. I had to personally watch him fall off the cliff and shatter into pieces! Cheating 29 That day, I had mywyer deliver a message to him. I was drafting divorce papers demanding he leave with nothing but the clothes on his back, effective immediately. Preston seemed to still harbor hope, calling me obsessively, Until I blocked all his contact methods and finally had peace. The next day, I led a team straight into Preston¡¯s office. He had dark circles under his eyes-clearly hadn¡¯t slept all night. After seeing who was behind me, he stared in shock. ¡°Sophia Sullivan, what are you doing!¡± I made room for the officers behind me as they solemnly showed their badges. ¡°Preston ckwell, you¡¯re suspected of vehicr manughter due to drunk driving. Pleasee with us for questioning.¡± Preston¡¯s face changed drastically, but he forced himself to stay calm and stand up. ¡°Officers, I¡¯ve never done such a thing. My wife and I had a fight recently-she¡¯s throwing a tantrum, just joking around.¡± The lead officer pulled out documents. ¡°We don¡¯t arrest people without evidence. You¡¯d bettere with us.¡± Preston grabbed the papers and read them carefully. After going through them several times,rge beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He was looking for a way out. If he went with them obediently, everyone would see. The mighty CEO Preston being escorted out by police would be social death. But vehicr manughter was fact-the police were already here, and he had no escape. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? F¦Énd£Îovel He looked up at me with growing desperation. ¡°Sophia Sullivan, I never thought you were this kind of person! What happenedst year-I already apologized to you. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so scheming, hiding evidence this whole time!¡± I snorted coldly. ¡°When ites to scheming, I¡¯m not even a tenth as good as you! If I hadn¡¯t discovered you going around destroying surveince evidence back then, I never would have thought to keep that footage.¡± Preston was speechless, his face dark as thunder. Two officers moved to handcuff him, but I politely stopped them. ¡°Sorry, please give us a bit more time.¡± A sh of hope appeared in Preston¡¯s eyes as his tone softened: ¡°Honey, you still can¡¯t bear to let me go, right? I can go to prison to atone for you and our child-you need to find a way to get me out early.¡± I didn¡¯t respond, simply pulling the divorce papers from my bag. ¡°Sign this before you go in.¡± Seeing the title, Preston frowned deeply. ¡°I won¡¯t sign!¡± I didn¡¯t want to argue further, efficiently putting the documents away. ¡°Then wait for me to sue you.¡± On our way downstairs, we passed through the office space and thepany lobby. Seeing the police and handcuffed Preston, employees couldn¡¯t help standing up to stare. Some even pulled out phones to record videos. I was certain that within half an hour, news of Preston being arrested on criminal charges would spread nationwide. It was all what he deserved. Later, Preston was detained pending investigation. Besides providing surveince footage and medical records, I also found witnesses from the restaurant that night. Although it had been over half a year, the restaurant staff still remembered their regr customer Preston¡¯s behavior that evening. Preston told me then that clients had forced him to drink. But the server¡¯s testimony was that he¡¯d been in high spirits, drinking everything-wine, liquor-getting all the clients drunk, then trying to drag them up to drink more with him. Moreover, despite everyone¡¯s warnings, he¡¯d insisted on drunk driving. While he was locked up, I sent people to investigate his assets. Having finally gotten him imprisoned, I was determined to keep him there for a long, long time! Sure enough, they discovered he¡¯d registered a shellpany on an overseas ind. He¡¯d long used his position to conduct fake transactions between hispany and the corporation, embezzling over a hundred million dors through empty schemes, even making Summer a high-level executive. Summer had been an executive before joining our corporation, proving they¡¯d been together from the start. Looking at these investigation results, only rage remained in my heart. That money-I¡¯d make them spit out every penny! Cheating 30 I submitted this new evidence to police while providing Summer¡¯s information too. After yesterday¡¯s interrupted board meeting, she hadn¡¯t even processed her resignation-just packed up and fled. Clearly, not only had the exposed affair humiliated her, but she¡¯d likely participated in the asset embezzlement as well. After handling the evidence, the board meeting reconvened. I passed around the police receipts-Preston faced multiple charges, definitely a criminal suspect. One shareholder wiped cold sweat from his forehead. ¡°We almost made someone like that our chairman!¡± I bowed deeply to them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Regardless, Preston is my husband, and I rmended him to the corporation. I bear responsibility for causing such massive losses.¡± Chapters first released on ¡°I¡¯ll do everything possible to recover the stolen funds and handle this matter fairly and justly.¡± The shareholders nodded in agreement. ¡°Ms. Sullivan, it¡¯s not really your fault. Preston held all the power and fooled even experienced people like us-) s-he was just too cunning.¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t stopped the meeting yesterday, Ms. Sullivan, we probably would have fallen into an even bigger trap!¡± Looking at these elders, my eyes moistened. They were all my parents¡¯ close friends, following the Sullivan family from their youth until now. Even after my mistake, they stillforted me with the warmth of caring elders, deepening my guilt. I bowed again. ¡°Thank you!¡± The closest one stepped forward to help me up. ¡°Ms. Sullivan, we actually have a suggestion for the chairman position-all shareholders unanimously rmend YOU for our chairman.¡± My heart jolted as I stared at him wide-eyed. His face wore a kind smile, and the others nodded approvingly too. ¡°Ms. Sullivan has noble character and decisive action-the perfect chairman candidate!¡± My eyes stung even more. All my life, wherever I went, I was respected. Because I was my father¡¯s heir, the corporation CEO¡¯s wife. I¡¯d never imagined I¡¯d earn such high regard purely on my own merit. Looking at this, tears couldn¡¯t help but well up in my eyes. I steadied my thoughts for a moment, looked gratefully at everyone present, and said solemnly: ¡°Thank you all for your support. I, Sophia Sullivan, willpete fairly and work hard to earn the chairman position!¡± Enthusiastic apuse filled the conference room. After voting, I became chairman with an overwhelming majority. 1 threw myself actively into work, busy but thoroughly engaged, establishing my own authority. A monthter, Preston¡¯s case went to trial. With multiple chargesbined, he received five years in prison. Summer was also found guilty of cooperating in fraudulent transactions and sentenced to one year. She¡¯d spend her final year of college in prison. Her mother knelt crying outside the courthouse, begging my forgiveness. I ignored her and went straight to my car. I didn¡¯t understand-their whole family had posed as impoverished students to take Preston¡¯s money, and Summer deserved her punishment. Where did they get the nerve to ask for my forgiveness? Few dayster, mywyer told me the stolen funds were in overseas banks, and Preston refused to provide information, making recovery impossible. I decided immediately to visit him in prison. In just one month, he¡¯d lost considerable weight. His hair was cropped short, but his chin was covered in stubble. Seeing me, he smiled self-mockingly. ¡°I knew only this would make youe see me.¡± I nodded. ¡°Right. If not for thepany,¡± I¡¯d never want to see you again for the rest of my life. What do you want?¡± He avoided answering, just staring into my eyes as if trying to see through to my soul. 1 ¡°Sophia, I heard you became chairman. Was that your ultimate goal? Use my talents to help you manage thepany, then when you thought the time was right, send me to prison so you could take the highest position yourself.¡± I was used to his twisted psychology by now, calmly meeting his gaze. ¡°I never had such thoughts.¡± I, Sophia Sullivan, waspletely above board. I had truly loved him once and wanted to help him, but now I truly hated him. ¡°Then why? Why did you push me to such desperate straits-just because I cheated once?¡± Preston¡¯s face showed anger, his tone urgent. The fire in my chest gradually rose. ¡°Haven¡¯t you realized your mistakes? You betrayed me, killed our child, embezzled corporate assets for personal gain, and wanted to make me disappear.¡± ¡°These are all real crimes. You¡¯ve been judged-what more do you want to argue about?¡± Preston grew more agitated. ¡°I still love you! I just slept with her a few times, never brought her home. Everything I told her was lies to fool her-my heart is still yours!¡± ¡°And I tookpany money for our future. The stock market is vtile-only cash is reliable. I umted it bit by bit. It wouldn¡¯t significantly impact thepany while letting you live better!¡± I sneered. ¡°For me? If it was really for me, why didn¡¯t you tell me? Why make Summer an executive and pay her huge sries?¡± Preston fell silent, clearly unaware I knew this detail. ¡°Thornfield Corporation was my parents¡¯ life¡¯s work and dream. As my husband, you cheated with an intern and stole from the corporation. What do you think others would think of me? How would my parents¡¯ spirits feel!¡± Getting angrier, I suddenly mmed my fist on the table. I only regretted the thick ss between us preventing me from hitting him. After a moment¡¯s silence, Preston¡¯s eyes gradually reddened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Sophia, I loved you too much. I thought I¡¯d hidden Summer well enough¡­ I just wanted you to have lots and lots of money, the more the better, so you could live carefree by my side¡­¡± Only anger and contempt filled my heart. ¡°Stop pretending. Your behavior doesn¡¯t deserve to be called love.¡± ¡°Preston, I¡¯m not here today to beg you for financial information. I¡¯m telling you-I have plenty of methods and resources. Even if I have to turn every ¡°No¡­¡± Preston¡¯s eyes held some pleading. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to exhaust yourself. I¡¯ll tell you. Can you promise¡­ to visit me asionally¡­¡± bank in the world upside down, I¡¯ll find that stolen money!¡± E Cheating 31 I shook my head, saying coldly, ¡°You forgot-our divorce trial is starting soon.¡± Preston froze slightly, looking at me with vacant eyes full of defeat. My gaze was resolute. ¡°I¡¯m divorcing you no matter what.¡± Finally, he sighed deeply, wiped his eyes, and gave me the bank¡¯s name and address. All funds were at this bank. With his permission, they¡¯d transfer the money to thepany ount. With this major problem solved, the weight in my heart finally lifted. This recovered money could be used for many things. I was determined to use it well to make up for Preston¡¯s damages. Work became busy again, and though tasks were numerous, I handled them expertly. I didn¡¯t attend the divorce hearing with Preston, letting mywyer handle everything. Thewyer reported back that the trial went smoothly-Preston agreed to all my conditions without hesitation, leaving with nothing. I wasn¡¯t surprised by this result at all. He could surely see I waspletely done with him. Thewyer handed me an envelope, saying it was a letter from Preston. He¡¯d written me once before, but I¡¯d blocked the mailing address so his letters couldn¡¯t reach my residence. This time I didn¡¯t ept the letter either, telling thewyer to handle it. If it concerned property matters, he could represent me. If it was a sentimental letter, put it through the shredder. I¡¯m a stubborn person-once I decide something, nine oxen couldn¡¯t pull me back. However firmly I¡¯d chosen him before, I was now leaving him just as decisively. Whatever the letter said, I didn¡¯t want to know, nor was there any need to know. After work, I had the housekeeper thoroughly clear out everything Preston had left at home. Including our photos together, pillows and bedding we¡¯d shared. I never wanted to see anything rted to him in my space again. Preston¡¯s portion of the marital assets quickly reached my ount. I pooled the money together and bought back my parents¡¯ house. It was where I¡¯d lived as a child, full of memories with my parents. Though it had been vacant for a long time, I still wanted to go home and visit. Preston had deceived me, convincing me to sell the house to sponsor poor students-a good deed. So, I¡¯d easily fallen for it. But after selling the house, I often regretted it. I only forced myself to ept it, telling myself not to dwell on good deeds done. Now I¡¯d used money that should have been Preston¡¯s to buy it back at twice the price, finally resolving this burden in my heart. With the remaining money, I sponsored genuinely impoverished students. Without Preston¡¯s constraints, I threw myself even more into work. By my fourth year as chairman, the international business line I¡¯dunched achieved tremendous sess, and the corporation¡¯s total sales increased fivefold. I At the celebration banquet, executives and clients took turns toasting me. Unable to drink anymore, I temporarily stepped outside e banquet hall for air. The rightful source is find{n}ovel In the corridor, a familiar figure stood frozen: in nce. Preston. So he¡¯d been released early for good behavior. ¡°Soph¡­ Chairman Sullivan, rattions.¡± He forced an awkward smile. Looking more carefully, saw he was wearing a server¡¯s uniform and carrying a tray. His smile gradually turned bitter. ¡°It seems you¡¯re very sessful without me¡­ Every day inside, I thought about you, hoping you¡¯d be happy and healthy. Did you read my letter?¡± I shook my head, feeling no emotional stirring whatsoever. ¡°What difference would it make? We¡¯re strangers now.¡± He lowered his eyes, his expression indescribably deste. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I didn¡¯t respond further, walking straight back to the banquet hall. We belonged to different worlds now-no need to revisit old times. At this point, wasting even a moment¡¯s thought on him would be wasteful. I picked up my wine ss and thanked all the guests again. Immersing myself in enjoying the apuse and cheers that belonged to me. I believed this was just one small step in my life. In the future, I could shine even brighter! Cheating 32 Two days before our engagement party, Kaden Hartwell grabbed my hand and kissed my fingertips. ¡°Cora, don¡¯t all girls love getting their nails done? Howe you never do?¡± I was scrolling through engagement dress options from our wedding nner,ughing. ¡°I¡¯m glued to myptop all day. Long nails are a nightmare for typing.¡± ¡°You should totally get some. French almond nails are gorgeous.¡± His thumb traced my nail edge with suspicious expertise. ¡°The sheer pink base with that gradient effect¡­ would look incredible on you.¡± My heart STOPPED. I looked up at him, rm bells going off. ¡°Since when are you a nail art expert?¡± The air went dead for a few seconds. Panic shed in his eyes before he forced a smile. ¡°Just saw it scrolling online.¡± Fifteen years of knowing him, ten years together-I knew him way too well. When he lied, he¡¯d look away and sh that stiff smile. Then he¡¯d change the subject. ¡°Oh, I just remembered-I never grabbed that package downstairs. Be right back.¡± He ruffled my hair like always and headed for the door. Didn¡¯t even change out of his slippers. His phone was just sitting there on the couch. I stared at it for a few seconds, punched in the passcode, and unlocked it. Everything was clean. TOO clean. I was his only pinned contact, saved as ¡°Wifey.¡± His chat history showed nothing but family and mutual friends. Plus some coworkers. By this point, I should¡¯ve felt relieved. But that heavy feeling in my chest wouldn¡¯t budge. On impulse, I clicked into his contacts and scrolled to recently added friends. Only one person in the past three months. Profile pic was Irving in a jersey-Kaden¡¯s favorite basketball yer. Clicked on her info-a girl named Tessa. The chat history had been deleted. Even the ¡°friend request epted¡± notification was gone. I backed out and searched her name. Found a group chat called ¡°Drinking Buddies,¡± Kaden had muted It, but all the messages were still there. Five people total: Kaden, Tessa, and three of his childhood friends. Had no clue that for the past three months, all those nights Kaden imed he was workingte¡­ he¡¯d been hitting up bars. Tessa was a bartender. The four guys were regrs at her ce. July 6th, his buddy Chase posted a photo- Tessa was curled up in Kaden¡¯s arms, eyes zed from drinking,ughing as she clung to his arm. I spotted those long fingers right away-French almond nails. [This shot is EPIC!] [Yo Kaden, if you weren¡¯t with Cora, I¡¯d totally set you up with Tessa Sterling.] For more chapters visit find~novel Kaden replied: [Without Cora, would I need you ying matchmaker?] July 15th, Kaden sent a message: [Whatever you do, don¡¯t share that video of me and Tessa fromst night. That was just¡­ an ident.] Chase: [Got your back, bro.] Tessa Sterling: [It was just a drunk kiss, no biggie.] Your girl isn¡¯t THAT uptight, right?] Followed by a string of emojis. uly 25th, Chase messaged: Dude, what the hell? Tessa¡¯s a LEGEND-she gave you a hickey!] His friend Marcus: [Kaden, you¡¯re screwed if Cora sees that. She¡¯ll murder you!] Kaden: [Haven¡¯t been home in two days. Staying at Tessa¡¯s ce.] That¡¯s when I realized those two days he said he was on a business trip¡­ he was just hiding the marks on his neck. Kept scrolling to August 1st-the day Kaden proposed to me. That night he left me to ¡°hang with the guys¡± and didn¡¯te home. Next day he showed up with scratches on his face. said one of his buddies got drunk and started a fight. Total lie. Chase: [Kaden¡¯s a beast! Way to y the hero!] Kaden: [That asshole was hitting on Tessa. Should¡¯ve broken his damn hands.] Tessa Sterling: [Thanks forst night. Who¡¯s gonna protect me like that once you¡¯re married?] Kaden: [You¡¯re My girl. Married or not, I¡¯ll protect you forever.] My heart felt like it was being crushed by a giant fist Couldn¡¯t breathe. After reading all the messages, everything from the past few months finally made sense. Kaden¡¯s random overtime, the cat hair on his clothes, the weird new ylists on his Spotify.. All of it led back to Tessa Sterling. It took me about a minute to fully process this reality. During the year we were supposed to be getting ready for marriage, my fianc¨¦ had been cheating. Cheating 33 Clicked on his payment history. A week ago, Kaden spent nine hundred bucks at a nail salon downtown. The nails¡­ it all clicked. Hearing footsteps outside, I quickly put his phone back. The package he brought up was full of stuff for me. ¡°This is thatyer cake you¡¯ve been craving.¡± ¡°Got you the phone case you liked-three different colors.¡± ¡°And this Funko Pop blind box I snagged for you on the app.¡± He unpacked everything with this big smile. When he smiled, his eyes crinkled into crescents. Used to think it was adorable. ¡°You¡¯re so good to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna be my wife. Who else would I be good to?¡± But now, I just watched him quietly, my heart breaking. Next morning, I went to that nail salon. ¡°Could you pull up security footage from this date?¡± On the screen, he walked in hand-in-hand with Tessa Sterling. Kaden was carrying her blue canvas bag. Four hours of getting her nails done, and Kaden sat on that couch the entire time. The rightful source is Find_Novel(. Tessa kept turning around to chat with him. Even through the grainy footage, you could see the adoration on his face. When her nails were done, Tessa bounced over to Kaden and showed him her hands. He smiled and gently took her fingertips. I watched in silence until the salon worker handed me tissues. That¡¯s when I realized I was crying. I remembered that day perfectly-I was swamped at work and had a stomach bug. After pulling an all-nighter, I still had to push through the pain to buy engagement party favors and flowers. Because he told me there was a crisis at work and he couldn¡¯t help. He even gave me this whole story about his boss losing his mind. All lies. For those four hours, he was at the nail salon with Tessa Sterling. ¡°Have they been here before?¡± The worker hesitated. ¡°Miss Sterling¡¯s a regr. Comes in twice a month.¡± Sincest month, this gentleman¡¯s beening with her.¡± I nodded. ¡°Can you do the same style for me? French almond nails, sheer pink base with gradient.¡± That evening when I got home, Kaden¡¯s face went white as a sheet when he saw my nails. ¡°Like them?¡± I waved my hand at him. Yet he actually took a step back. I got the style you mentioned. You don¡¯t like it?¡± They¡¯re¡­ pretty.¡± stared straight into his eyes. ¡°You sure there¡¯s nothing you want to tell me?¡± His eyes swirled withplex emotions. Barely contained panic and guilt, hesitation, shame. inally, he shook his head, pulling me close like always. Cora, let¡¯s get some sleep. Tomorrow¡¯s our big day.¡± Actually, Harper needs to talk to me about something. I¡¯m gonna head to her ce.¡± His brow furrowed. Your bestie¡¯s got terrible timing. It¡¯s past ten. I¡¯ll drive you.¡± shook my head, pulled away, and left. Maybe I wanted to torture myself with the truth. o I ended up at Tessa Sterling¡¯s bar-Velvet. Cheating 34 Dim, moody lighting withzy jazz ying. I spotted the girl behind the bar immediately. She had perfect makeup, bright pink hair, sliding a lemon wedge onto a ss rim. I always thought Kaden couldn¡¯t fall for someone so shy. He used to say he loved how sweet I was-gentle, understanding, like a delicate flower. I walked up to the bar and said softly. ¡°Long Ind Iced Tea, please.¡± Tessa nced up and gave me a sad smile. ¡°Coming right up, hun.¡± ¡°You look upset.¡± ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? findnovel ¡°¡­Is it that obvious?¡± She dabbed at her eyes. ¡°The guy I¡¯m crazy about is getting engaged tomorrow.¡± ¡°Did you try to stop him?¡± She shook her head, stubborn as hell. ¡°What right do I have? What we had was wrong from the start.¡± I took the drink she handed me, voice shaking. ¡°Make another one. This one¡¯s for you.¡± Maybe she just needed someone to vent to. Just one drink was all it took for her to spill everything: ¡°I knew he had a girlfriend, but I fell for him anyway.¡± ¡°I threw myself at him, and he knew¡­ but never said no.¡± ¡°When I was drunk, I kissed him. We were both waiting for that moment. He pushed me against the bathroom stall¡­ that was our first time.¡± ¡°After, he said he couldn¡¯t betray his fianc¨¦e, but when I said I was scared being alone, he still came over.¡± I know he stopped loving his girlfriend ages ago. She¡¯s this thirty-year-old woman who dresses like a grandma and can¡¯t even do her makeup right. Can¡¯t Delieve he put up with her for so long.¡± ¡°When he told me about the engagement, I cried forever. He just held me the whole time until I fell asleep.¡± I must¡¯ve lost it because I went to their ce. He said I was crazy, but we ended up in his bed-the bed he shares with his fianc¨¦e. No protection or anything.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even take the morning-after pill. I thought if I got pregnant, maybe he¡¯d choose me.¡± ¡°When he held me, I could feel how much he loved me. If I¡¯d met him first, how could he have chosen that old hag?¡± Her eyes were red as she smiled apologetically. You don¡¯t think I¡¯m awful, do you?¡± That moment, I felt like part of my soul had been ripped out. The pain of betrayal mixed with the humiliation. When pain gets that intense, you just go numb. ust then, her phone rang. She checked it and smiled through her tears. she put in speaker Kaden¡¯s Voice drifted through Hans you at the hate I¡¯ming over? You¡¯re getting engaged tommurow Em already outside, onest time I just want to hold you.¡± By the time kaden walked in, I was already gone From the street corner, I watched Tessa sterling throw herself into his arms. Their kiss was desperate and passionate. pressed my hand to my chest, didn¡¯t do anything else, just turned and walked away. Cheating 35 Back at our ce, my phone buzzed twice-message from Kaden: [Cora, don¡¯t stay up toote chatting with Harper. I¡¯ll pick you up bright and early.] [Love you.] Seeing that word ¡°love¡± just made me sick. Didn¡¯t text back. Just deleted and blocked his ass. At this moment, my emotions were all over the ce and I needed a drink. Opened the fridge and saw rows of wine coolers lined up perfectly- Same exact brands as in Tessa Sterling¡¯s bar fridge. downed two whole bottles. Once the alcohol hit, I finally lost it. Smashed every piece of furniture in the ce. All those photo albums full of our memories, those hundreds of love letters he wrote me-stuff I¡¯d treasured like gold-went up in mes. Looking at the destruction, I left that house of lies. The second I stepped outside, Harper called: She teased: ¡°Cora, your boy just called asking if we were hanging out.¡± Where¡¯d you go? Why am I your alibi?¡± couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and broke downpletely. Harper, can Ie over?¡± What happened?¡± I don¡¯t want this engagement.¡± I¡¯m breaking up with Kaden.¡± When Harper heard the whole story, she was more pissed than I was. That BASTARD! How dare he cheat!¡± By then I was calm. Even grateful I¡¯d found out when I did. f I¡¯d married him first and THEN discovered all this¡­ couldn¡¯t even imagine how pathetic I would¡¯ve looked. That night, Harper and I talked for hours. My emotions gradually stabilized. After the pain came the anger of betrayal. didn¡¯t tell anyone to cancel the engagement party-just turned off my phone and slept straight through until noon the next day. When I turned my phone back on, I had a million missed calls. Meanwhile, someone was pounding on the door non-stop. Harper pulled out her earplugs and groaned. ¡°They¡¯ve been at it for an hour. I¡¯m worried the neighbors will call the cops.¡± Ically brushed my teeth and washed my face before slowly opening the door. When Kaden saw me, his face was pure rage. ¡°Cora, do you know what day it is?¡± TODAY is our engagement party! You disappear right before it starts?¡± He grabbed my wrist and tried to drag me out. ¡°The apartment¡¯s trashed too. What the hell is wrong with you?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting for us!¡± yanked my hand away. I¡¯m not doing this engagement.¡± ¡­Cora, have you lost your mind? Do you hear yourself?¡± went back inside, pulled out nail clippers and cut off each fake nail. Kaden went from raging mad topletely frozen-his pupils dted in shock as he stood there like a deer in headlights. Kaden, I gave you a chance.¡± If you¡¯d been honest with me, I would¡¯ve broken up with you peacefully and canceled the party. At least it wouldn¡¯t have been this ugly.¡± But you kept treating me like an idiot. So I don¡¯t need to spare your feelings anymore.¡± Velvet bar. Have funst night?¡± Kadenpletely panicked. He dropped to his knees and grabbed my hands. Cora, let me exin¡­¡± I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± All the buried hurt and rage exploded at once. pped him as hard as I could, again and again. My nails left bloody scratches on his face, ripped the buttons off his shirt like a madwoman, taking out all my pain on him. He never dodged, never said a word. Not until my wrists went numb and my palms stung did I finally stop. was panting, staring daggers at him. Dead silence. Finally, he grabbed my arms, trembling. ¡°Cora, you done being mad?¡± This content belongs to Find?Novel Fifteen years. Just this once. I only slipped up this one time.¡± ¡°¡­Forgive me, okay?¡± I didn¡¯t answer, just stared at him with empty eyes, tears streaming down my face. ¡°Cora, you can¡¯t give up on me. You can¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? I love you down to my bones.¡± Those sweet words felt like spoiled cake-disgusting. You¡¯re my whole life. How am I supposed to live without you?¡± I looked at him and said, word by word: Cheating 36 Chapter 5 Follow current nov?ls on find?novel ¡°You¡­¡± Kaden probably never imagined I¡¯d say something so cold. All these years together, I¡¯d suppressed my feelings, trying to be the perfect girlfriend. He said I was gentle and understanding, that I knew him better than anyone. I thought that was apliment. Didn¡¯t realize my goodness had be something he took for granted. I was like a ss of water-he couldn¡¯t live without me, but found me boring. ¡°Pink hair, pretty nails, colorful tattoos all over her body.¡± That¡¯s what you like, right?¡± Kaden¡¯s body shook again, his face paper-white. ¡°How old is she? Twenty? Even graduated college?¡± Kaden, you make me sick.¡± Cora¡­ I never meant for anything to happen with her. Please believe me.¡± He tried to grab my hands, his fingers shaking. ¡°Three months ago, I got assigned to a new project. The supervisor who liked me transferred out.¡± I was depressed, so I went drinking with Chase and them. We ended up at Velvet and met¡­ Tessa Sterling.¡± ¡®I never nned anything with her. I just got drunk and vented some stuff I had bottled up.¡± You were so busy with work, you didn¡¯t have time to listen to mein. But I¡¯m human too-I needed to let it out somewhere¡­¡± ¡®So this is all MY fault? Because I didn¡¯t take care of your feelings, you went and found another woman to be your soulmate?¡± He shook his head frantically. No, that¡¯s not what I meant. I know I messed up¡­ I ruined everything, but I never wanted to break up with you!¡± We¡¯ve been together for TEN YEARS. You¡¯re in my blood, you¡¯re part of my soul.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t live without you!¡± His eyes were bloodshot, like he was about to break down. Yeah, you can¡¯t live without me. So you chose to LIE to me.¡± I pulled out my phone and showed him the photo fromst night. Under those dim bar lights, Kaden and Tessa locked in a kiss. ¡°Ten years together. The night before our engagement, you ran to some bar to make out with another girl.¡± Picture¡¯s pretty clear, right? I¡¯m not making this up this time, am I?¡± If you think that¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ve got the nail salon security footage on my phone. Your little Drinking Buddies¡¯ group chat history.¡± ¡°Oh, and your inttle girlfriend treated me like her therapistst night-told me ALL about your hookups.¡± Second time was in OUR apartment. You screwed her in MY bed- STOP! Please, just STOP!¡± 21 Kaden frantically covered my mouth, tears streaming down his face. I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault, I¡¯m a piece of shit. For the sake of our ten years together¡­ just forgive me this once.¡± shook my head. If I forgive you, I¡¯ll spend every single day after this living in hell.¡± I¡¯m not gonna be that stupid again.¡± Cheating 37 Just then, the pounding on the door started up again. N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on f?ndnovel Harper went to answer it. ¡°Oh¡­ hi, Mr. and Mrs. Hartwell¡­¡± I turned around to see both sets of parents. Kaden¡¯s mom looked pissed as hell. The second she saw me, she went off. ¡°What the hell is going on? Cora, today¡¯s your ENGAGEMENT PARTY. All the rtives and friends are there waiting, and you just DISAPPEAR?¡± ¡°Do you have ANY idea how embarrassing this is? We chose you to be our daughter-inw because you were supposed to be mature and responsible.¡± If I¡¯d known you were this ky, I never would¡¯ve agreed to this marriage!¡± let out a bitterugh. From day one, Kaden¡¯s mom never liked me. The Hartwells were better off than my family. They always wanted someone more ¡°suitable¡± for their son. That¡¯s why I¡¯d been walking on eggshells for years, trying to win her over-all wanted her to actually ept me. Looking back, what a joke. Mrs. Hartwell, no need to be such a bitch about it. Whether I¡¯m reliable depends on what your precious son¡¯s been up to.¡± showed her the photo of Kaden and Tessa kissing. If you saw your fianc¨¦ making out with some other chick the night before your engagement and could still show up the next day with a smile, then I¡¯d be mpressed.¡± If you can¡¯t handle that, then don¡¯t stand there acting all high and mighty.¡± You¡­ how DARE you talk to me like that? So disrespectful! Your parents clearly didn¡¯t raise you right!¡± Hey, WATCH your mouth! My daughter¡¯s been nothing but good to your family. Your son¡¯s the one who screwed up first!¡± My usually mild-mannered dad was shaking with rage as he got in Kaden¡¯s face. Kaden Hartwell! My Cora gave you everything, and you pull this shit?¡± Kaden¡¯s mom coughed. Even if our boy messed up, he apologized, didn¡¯t he? No need to make such a big deal out of it.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s be real here¡ªwhat guy doesn¡¯t cheat? You¡¯ve been together ten years. Any other guy would¡¯ve gotten bored ages ago.¡± It¡¯s because our Kaden¡¯s been so devoted to Cora all this time. He slips up once, and that¡¯s not forgivable?¡± You want a man who¡¯ll never look at another woman? Then stay single forever!¡± ¡°MOM! Shut Up!¡± Kaden¡¯s face was getting darker by the second. ¡°This is between me and Cora. Stay out of it.¡± ¡°Sweetie, I just can¡¯t stand watching her act all holier-than-thou! She should be grateful to marry into our family! What¡¯s she got toin about?¡± ¡°Say that again, I DARE you!¡± My dad was rolling up his sleeves, ready to throw hands. ¡°ENOUGH!¡± I shouted, and everyone went quiet. ¡°Mrs. Hartwell, I know you¡¯ve looked down on me from the beginning. Thought I wasn¡¯t good enough for Kaden.¡± ¡°Well, since we¡¯re never gonna see each other again anyway, let me set the record straight.¡± ¡°YOUR precious son was the one who chased after MC, wrote me love letters every damn day, brought me breakfast.¡± YOUR precious son was the one who proposed to ME, begged me to marry him.¡± ¡°How I treated him all these years-you know damn well.¡± YOUR precious son is the one who cheated on me. By rights, you and your husband should be apologizing to ME.¡± ¡°Instead, you¡¯re here giving me attitude? Acting like I¡¯m the problem? That¡¯s RICH.¡± ¡°Keep pushing me, and I¡¯ll post all the disgusting shit your son did online. Let everyone decide who¡¯s right and who¡¯s wrong.¡± With that, I pointed at the door. This is my friend¡¯s ce. GET OUT.¡± Tm not going to that engagement party. I¡¯m not marrying Kaden. From now on, leave me and my parents the hell alone.¡± Kaden¡¯s mom was red-faced with fury but couldn¡¯te up with aeback. ¡°Fine! We¡¯re DONE with you anyway! We don¡¯t want you as a daughter-inw!¡± The old couple stormed out, cursing under their breath. ¡°Mom, Dad¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I embarrassed you guys.¡± I¡¯d held it together through all of that, but seeing the hurt in my parents¡¯ eyes broke me. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for being selfish. Now people are gonnaugh at you.¡± Mom squeezed my hand. ¡°Whatughing? Honey, you did the right thing. If you¡¯d gone through with marrying him, you¡¯d never be happy.¡± Your happiness matters more than some stupid reputation.¡± I hugged Mom tight, finally feeling some peace. Your dad and I are gonna head back and exin things to everyone.¡± Come home for dinner tonight. I¡¯ll make all your favorites.¡± Cheating 38 After my parents left, it was just me, Kaden, and Harper. I pointed at the door. ¡°You can leave too. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again.¡± Kaden¡¯s eyes were swollen from crying. In all our years together, I¡¯d never seen him cry this much. Were those tears real? Was he actually sorry? Maybe. But what was the point? ¡°Cora¡­ I¡¯m not giving up on you.¡± That¡¯s all he said before leaving too. Watching him walk away, I felt this weird sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu-like I was back to the first time we met. All that intense love I¡¯d held onto for ten years, and it still ended up going nowhere. Harper patted my shoulder. This too shall pass.¡± When one door closes, another opens. Maybe there¡¯s someone even better waiting for you.¡± nodded. That evening, Harper and I went back to my parents¡¯ house. The smell of home cooking hit me the second we walked in. Mom and Dad were still bustling around the kitchen. When they saw use in, Mom immediately came over with a te of fresh-fried mozzare sticks. Dinner¡¯s almost ready. Made your favorite BBQ ribs and Harper¡¯s favorite garlic butter salmon.¡± let out a long breath. urns out everything wasn¡¯t so bad after all. d just lost the wrong person, while the people who loved me still loved me. still had a chance to start over. fter dinner, Harper and I decided to grab some drinks. Fresh chapters posted on F¦ÉndNovel We found a random bar and ordered a whole bottle of wine. Harper was leaning against me, getting tipsy. It¡¯s been forever since we hung out like this.¡± Ever since you moved in with Kaden, you went full housewife modeing home from work thinking about groceries and cooking instead of just chilling.¡± Every time I wanted to grab drinks, you had ¡®something to do.¡¯ I knew you had to stay home with Kaden. He didn¡¯t like you going out with us.¡± You changed so much for him. I worried you were gonna lose yourself.¡± But now it¡¯s good. Endings are new beginnings. Things are gonna get better.¡± Harper squeezed my fingers like when we were kids, My eyes welled up and I started crying. Halfway through the wine, my stomach started doing flips. I stumbled to the bathroom and threw up everything. Sshed water on my face at the sink, and when I opened my eyes, someone was holding out a tissue. ¡°Cora, what are you doing here?¡± That voice made me freeze. I turned around and saw a familiar face. ¡°Mr. ckstone¡­¡± It was Damien ckstone from thepany I¡¯d been working with. ¡°What a coincidence¡­¡± He nodded. ¡®Sure is. Which table are you at? Want to join us for a drink?¡± At that point, I couldn¡¯t really say no. brought him back to our booth. Harper¡¯s eyes instantly went wide. Where¡¯d you find this hottie?¡± shot her a look. He¡¯s the director I work with.¡± le politely extended his hand to Harper. Nice to meet you.¡± We ended up drinking together for the next two hours. james, music-time flew by. Damien could really hold his liquor-still lookedpletely sober by the end. le even called a rideshare to take me and Harper home. he car stopped outside my building. Harper stumbled out first. ut Damien grabbed my arm. I need to talk to you.¡± waved for Harper to go up without me. itting in the car, my head was spinning like I was floating underwater. Cora, why didn¡¯t youe to the meetingst week?¡± Mr. ckstone, I got transferred off the project¡­¡± was getting annoyed. Why was he talking work right now? You requested the transfer?¡± nodded groggily. ¡®d been working on this project for six months and gotten pretty attached to it. Normally, I wouldve seen it through to the end, The only reason I requested a transfer¡­ was because I could tell Damien was interested in me. Every time a meeting ended, he¡¯d drive me home. If I yawned during meetings, he¡¯d have his assistant get coffee for everyone. When I posted about having a fever on Instagram, he immediately had medicine delivered. I was an adult. When someone showed me that kind of attention, I knew what it meant. But I wasn¡¯t like Kaden. When I was with someone, I wouldn¡¯t let myself get distracted for even a second. Love should be all or nothing. So I requested the transfer. Cora, say something,¡± Cheating 39 ¡°Mr. ckstone¡­ I thought¡­¡± If I¡¯d been sober, 1 would¡¯ve made up some excuse. But right now, my brain was total mush and I couldn¡¯t think straight. ¡°Earlier when you were drinking, you said you broke up with your boyfriend, right?¡± ¡°He cheated and you caught him kissing some other girl.¡± I rubbed my temples. Mr. ckstone¡­ you don¡¯t need to remind me of all that depressing shit.¡± So you¡¯re single now?¡± I nodded. Single as theye. If you know any hot, sessful guys, keep me in mind.¡± I fumbled for the door handle. ¡°Gotta go. See you around.¡± How much was drinks tonight? I¡¯ll Venmo you¡­¡± took a few steps but got pulled back. Next thing I knew, he was kissing me. My brain wentpletely nk. I pushed weakly at his shoulders, but not very hard. Do I count as sessful?¡± Am I good-looking?¡± Do I meet your standards?¡± His face was so close. Part of me knew this was wrong, but I couldn¡¯t help thinking he was pretty damn attractive. The kiss was overwhelming. I couldn¡¯t escape, so I just went with it. After a moment of heated passion, he pulled back, breathing hard. Alright, let me walk you upstairs.¡± You¡¯re something else¡­¡± wiped off my smudged lipstick, silently noting how he just kissed and ran. But I didn¡¯t have the nerve to say the rest out loud. He walked me to my door. Before leaving, he tilted my chin up and whispered in my ear: ¡°We¡¯ll take this slow.¡± Next morning, I thought it had all been a dream. But the breakfast that showed up right on time, with his note on the delivery app saying ¡°Have some soup, it¡¯s good for your stomach,¡± made me realizest night was very real. ¡°Holy shit, Director ckstone¡¯s making a move on you?¡± couldn¡¯t nod or shake my head, just stayed quiet. Open your damn eyes! This guy¡¯s a million times better than Kaden!¡± Harper was more excited than I was. For more chapters visit I figured it was just Damien acting on impulse. But after that day, he actually started pursuing me for real. Fresh yellow roses showed up at my desk every day-my favorite flowers. Even with his crazy schedule, he¡¯d find time to text me. This super serious guy even started using emojis to reply to my messages. That¡¯s when I realized what it felt like to be truly cared for. Days went by, and just as I was starting to heal, Kaden showed up again. Truth is, he¡¯d never stopped trying to contact me. ording to mutual friends, he¡¯d been sent to Seattle on business, so he¡¯d been away for a while. ¡°Cora, I came straight here as soon as I got back.¡± Cheating 40 What was he even doing here? Did he think I was dying to see him? ¡°I missed you so much this past month.¡± Looking at his scruffy beard and how thin he¡¯d gotten, I didn¡¯t doubt he was telling the truth. But what did that have to do with me? Please¡­ just give me one more chance.¡± ¡°I know you can¡¯t get past what happened. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here today-to clear up all the misunderstandings.¡± sighed. You¡¯re STILL calling the disgusting shit you did ¡®misunderstandings¡¯?¡± But I had no idea the worst was yet toe. He¡¯d actually brought his ¡°drinking buddies¡± with him-Chase, Marcus, and Ryan. Cora, just give Kaden another shot. He really loves you, and he knows he messed up.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all here to apologize too.¡± ¡°We swear we¡¯ll never take him drinking again!¡± Chase gave me this pathetic smile. I get it-you guys are his ride-or-die friends from childhood.¡± Standing by him makes sense. But after I got together with Kaden, I thought we were friends too.¡± Every joke in that group chat, every time you guys encouraged him and Tessa, every time you put me down-I saw ALL of it.¡± I never thought that years of friendship meant less than some stranger he¡¯d known for three months.¡± Since you¡¯re all here, let me be clear: Kaden and I are done. We¡¯re not friends anymore either. Let¡¯s just pretend we don¡¯t know each other.¡± Cora!¡± Kaden grabbed my hand, eyes red again. n front of his friends, he actually got on his knees. He pulled out his phone with shaky hands and showed me a video. Look, LOOK-I cut things off with Tessa Sterling for good.¡± The video showed Tessa sobbing her heart out and Kaden coldly rejecting her: I was just using you for kicks. Cora¡¯s the only one I love.¡± ¡°I was wrong before. I couldn¡¯t resist temptation, but now I¡¯m thinking straight. We¡¯re never talking again.¡± Tessa cried harder, begging Kaden not to leave. ¡°Kaden, we can still be together in secret. I¡¯ll be your side chick.¡± I won¡¯t let Cora find out¡­Please don¡¯t leave me.¡± I¡¯m never lying to Cora again. Whether she knows or not, I¡¯m gonna be faithful to her forever.¡± Kaden choked up: ¡°That night I went to the bar, I was going to end things with her.¡± ¡°I was being weak before. Cora, 1 really know I messed up!¡± If this had been before, seeing him grovel like this would¡¯ve melted my heart. But now? I felt nothing. The worst pain was behind me. I¡¯d realized I could live better without him. All those obsessive feelings just¡­ disappeared. I pulled my hand away. ¡°Kaden, let me go. Let yourself go too.¡± ¡°Not everything in this world can be fixed. The kind of love I want has to be pure.¡± ¡°Can you put a shattered vase back together? Even if I forgave you, every single day we¡¯re together, I¡¯d remember that you betrayed me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be miserable, bitter, and I¡¯d probably try to get back at you-make you hurt as much as I do.¡± ¡°You really want that kind of life? Forty years, fifty years¡­ for the rest of our lives, I¡¯d never trust you again.¡± * ¡°I don¡¯t want to live like that.¡± ¡°So just go. We¡¯re really done.¡± Checktest chapters at F¦Énd£Îovel Ten years together-you don¡¯t owe me anything, and I don¡¯t owe you anything. Let¡¯s just call it even.¡± I looked at Kaden and remembered the first time we met. He was wearing a tank top, ying basketball on the court, sunk a three-pointer while everyone cheered. That was the best time of my life. really did love him. But it was over. Watching him cry like a little kid in front of me, I didn¡¯t hate him anymore. When there¡¯s no love left, there¡¯s no hate either. turned around and left him in the past. No matter how good the beginning of a story is, you have to ept when it just¡­ ends. believed someone better was waiting for me. ust then, my phone buzzed-a message from Damien: Getting off work early today. Want to grab dinner?] My heart skipped a beat. I took a deep breath, made sure I¡¯dpletely moved on, then replied: Yes.] Cheating 41 My CEO husband loves dragging his buddies home for dinner. Says it makes us feel like ¡°real family.¡± I¡¯m setting down thest dish when one of his friends grins at me. ¡°Damn, you hit the jackpot with this one, Damon. She¡¯s got that whole wife material thing locked down. Real queen bee vibes.¡± I keep my face neutral, but throw out a casual joke. ¡°Oh really? So there¡¯s some other girl I should be worried about?¡± The whole table goes quiet. catch his boys shooting each other those panicked looks. But Damon? He justughs and wraps his arm around me. Don¡¯t listen to these morons, babe. You¡¯re the only woman on this good enough to be my wife.¡± Watching him y it off so cool, I just smile back. But the second I head to the kitchen, I¡¯m pulling out my phone and called my old brother. Leo? It¡¯s Nova. Damon¡¯s cheating. Time to destroy him.¡± Leo¡¯s quiet for three long seconds: Nova, are you sure? Maybe you¡¯re reading too much into-¡± slide my wedding ring off, the diamond cutting into my palm as I squeeze it tight. Ten years of marriage, Leo. I personally ordered every single one of his cufflinks from Italy.¡± ¡°But today he¡¯s wearing some cheap stic knockoff. You think I¡¯m imagining things?¡± You know I don¡¯t take shit from anyone. Dig up every dirty thing he¡¯s done and make it public. And get me the best divorcewyer money can buy.¡± Leo¡¯s voice turns ice cold. ¡°Done.¡± Thirty minutester, my phone buzzes with an encrypted file from him. The first photo makes my stomach drop: Come fresh-faced blonde in a white sundress, hanging off a guy¡¯s arm with this sickeningly sweet smile. The wrist peeking out from his sleeve? Same wolf tattoo as Damon¡¯s. don¡¯t hesitate. Straight to his office building. Cure enough, minutester this girles bouncing out-long blonde hair, white dress, the whole innocent act. Her name tag reads ¡°Emma ke.¡± Latest content published on f?ndnovel The second she spots me, all the color drains from her face. She tries to hide her hands behind her back, but I already saw it. That custom Swiss watch on her wrist. Last year on my birthday, I got a credit card statement from Switzend. A three hundred thousand-dor watch. And a fifty-thousand dor ne. The ne is carefully sitting in my jewelry box at home. The watch? Right there on little Miss Perfect¡¯s arm. I let out a coldugh. Wow. Ms. ke, Your husband has the exact same taste as mine. Even got you the same custom watch design.¡± Emma starts trembling when she hears that, her lips moving for ages before she finally stammers out: Y yeah¡­ I guess¡­ guys all have simr taste, right?¡± Her knuckles are white from gripping her dress. ¡°Cut the act. Emma ke.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the little side piece Damon¡¯s guys were talking about, aren¡¯t you?¡± Now that I¡¯ve called her out, Emma¡¯s shaking even harder, looking like she¡¯s about to have a full meltdown. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand! Mr. Hayes just had another low blood sugar episode and passed out. I was just taking care of him.¡± ¡°His friends thought I was being sweet, they were just joking around for calling me that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the confusion.¡± Then she does this ridiculous ny-degree bow, ying the whole innocent victim card. If I hadn¡¯t seen her Instagram posts showing how she seduced Damon, I might¡¯ve actually bought this pathetic act. Two weeks ago, she posted a video of some guy swiping his card at a Porsche dealership. Her caption read: [A man¡¯s love follows his wallet]. That same day? I was home with a fever so bad I could barely stand. When I called Damon to take me to the hospital, he panicked for like half a second, then his voice got all raspy and strained. ¡°Babe, I¡¯ll have Maria drive you. I¡¯m swamped with something urgent here.¡± An hourter, I¡¯m in the ER with pneumonia. And she posts a photo lying in some car, showing off a guy¡¯s abs covered in fresh scratches. Caption: [Christening the new car and you]. When Damon finally showed up at the hospital, his shirt was still half-unbuttoned. He copsed by my bedside with tears in his eyes. Back then I thought he was worried about me. Turns out it was just guilt from cheating. Right now, I can¡¯t help but feel sick to my stomach. He threw away our marriage for this basic wannabe? I don¡¯t waste another second on her puppy dog eyes and head back to my car. My phone rings before I can even start the engine. Damon. The second I pick up, his voice is pure panic. ¡°Hey babe, uh, what made you swing by the office today?¡± Cheating 42 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I start the engine, my voice casual as hell. Just had a business meeting nearby. Why, is there something you don¡¯t want me to know?¡± Damon clearly wasn¡¯t expecting thateback. His breathing stops short, and after a few seconds of dead silence, his voice goes all soft and maniptive-that tone he uses when he¡¯s trying to sweet-talk me. Babe, what are you even saying?¡± There¡¯s nothing I¡¯m hiding from you. It¡¯s just that my office is a total mess right now. If you wereing by, I would¡¯ve had someone clean it up first.¡± Besides, how could I ever betray you? Feel free to check up on me anytime.¡± Hearing this, I¡¯m actually confused. Emma didn¡¯t tell him I confronted her? m scrolling through all the evidence while listening to his bullshit excuses. hree gigabytes of proof, every single day connected to Damon somehow. Last Valentine¡¯s Day, he imed he was overseas on business and couldn¡¯t call. Actually? He was in d with Emma, watching the Northern Lights. When Dad was in the ICU, I called Damon thirty-seven times. He ignored every single one because he was throwing Emma a birthday party. Fine. I trust you. But what¡¯s the deal with that watch?¡± When I bring it up directly, Damon actually sounds relieved. His voice gets closer to the phone, fake intimacy dripping from every word. Oh that? I had a blood sugar episode at the office and Emma happened to be walking by. She helped me get to the hospital.¡± He pauses, then continues: She stayed with me all night, so I gave her the watch as a thank-you gift. I just forgot to mention it to you.¡± Forgot. Right. His memory must be pretty shot. Not only did he ¡°forget¡± to tell me about that, he also forgot about the penthouse suite they got at the Ritz that same night. Where they stayed for three whole days. She¡¯s so thoughtful. Even washed and ironed that ck shirt you were wearing when you ¡®passed out¡¯ and brought it back the next day, all crisp and clean.¡± Damon clearly freezes on the other end, his breathing hitches for half a second before he forces out augh. Yeah, she¡¯s really detail-oriented, that one.¡± You¡¯re always overthinking things, babe. You¡¯re the only one in my heart.¡± His voice gets closer to the phone, dripping with fake intimacy. ¡°Once I get through this busy period, I¡¯ll take you to the Maldives for a makeup vacation, okay? Just the two of us.¡± That gentle tone used to melt my heart. Now? It just makes me sick. ¡°Sounds great.¡± I watch the neon lights blur past my window, my voice nat as talking about the weather, ¡°But handle your business first. Don¡¯t let me get in the way.¡± ¡°Nothing could be more important than spending time with you. Babe.¡± Damon¡¯s voice is desperate to please, but I¡¯m just getting colder by the second. Not because he¡¯s cheating-but because I can¡¯t believe they¡¯ve been ying me for this long right under my nose. My grip tightens on the steering wheel. 1 fight the urge to confront him right now. Readplete version only at Find~Novel I want him to admit to his rtionship with Emma himself. Then I¡¯ll destroy both of these pieces of trash. After a few more fake pleasantries, I hang up. That¡¯s when Emma¡¯s Insta updates with a new post. She¡¯s in some borate diamond-encrusted wedding dress, grinning like an idiot. [Some crazy side piece came to make a scene today, trying to break us up. But Mr. Hayes made it up to me-he¡¯s finally going to marry me!] I just mentioned wanting a castle wedding, and he bought me an entire castle!] She smirks at the camera, casually panning over property documents. And these wineries too-he wants me to manage them!] Little old me doesn¡¯t know the first thing about wine! Thank God Mr. Hayes promised toe with me tomorrow to show everyone I¡¯m not to be messed with Seeing MY French name on those property documents in her video makes my blood boil. Those wineries were my eighteenth birthday gift from Leo. And Damon¡¯s using them to impress his side piece! Fine. They want to make a power y? I¡¯d love to see how they handle it when the actual owner shows up. Cheating 43 I caught the next flight to France that same night. When the old estate manager saw me at the vineyard, surprise flickered across his face. ¡°Miss, what brings you here? Didn¡¯t you say your husband was hosting some event today? You even had all the family staff cleared out.¡± Hearing this makes my blood pressure spike. Before I can answer, Damon¡¯s calling. Hey babe, I¡¯m stuck in this international conference call. I¡¯ll fly back to you the second I¡¯m done.¡± Before I can even respond, I hear this sickeningly sweet voice in the background. Damon, how does this look on me?¡± Next second, he¡¯s covering the phone and moving away. Gotta go, meeting¡¯s starting. See you, babe!¡± ight then, the vineyard¡¯s ornate gates swing open. ¨C convoy of luxury cars pulls up to the fountain courtyard. ozens of people I¡¯ve never seen before take their seats. slip into a corner spot. nce everyone¡¯s settled, Emma makes her grand entrance in this fire-engine red couture gown, looking like she just won the lottery. Let me introduce myself-I¡¯m Emma ke, the new owner of this vineyard.¡± Mr. Hayes has put me in charge of everything here-the wine, the castle, every single grape in these fields!¡± To celebrate, all wine is seventy percent off today! Consider it my wee gift to you all!¡± eventy percent off? How generous of her! The cheapest bottles here go for a million bucks each. ome of these are collector¡¯s pieces that even British royalty has to beg for! The estate manager, who¡¯s known me since I was a kid, is practically vibrating with rage. Since when is this vineyard hers?!¡± And that Damon guy is cheating on you! Does he have a death wish?!¡± quickly shake my head as he starts to charge forward. How¡¯s not the time to expose her. want Damon to personally admit his rtionship with Emma first. Then I¡¯ll destroy both these pieces of trash myself. ust then, the gates swing open again. Damon walks in wearing a designer suit. Emma throws herself at him. Damon, I told you this brand looks amazing on you!¡± His jaw tenses, but he nods anyway. I¡¯m seeing red That brand! They destroyed my family. Dad died because of them! Damon fucking knows this. And he¡¯s wearing it anyway! H¡¯s pping me in the face in public! Just as I¡¯m about to storm out there, his buddies crowd around them. ¡°Bro, your girl¡¯s hot as hell!¡± ¡°Emma, he just dropped a hundred mil on this ce for you!¡± This whole ce belongs to the ke family now! How you gonna thank him for all this?¡± Emma giggles and blushes on cue. The vineyard manager walks over, frowning. What do you mean ¡®belongs to the ke family¡¯? This is just borrowed from our boss.¡± Dead silence. All the guests start looking around at each other, whispering. Wait, what?¡± Isn¡¯t this Mrs. Hayes¡¯ vineyard? Her name¡¯s Sterling, not ke.¡± So who the hell is this chick?¡± The manager¡¯s already pissed now. ¡°Sir, how could you do this behind Miss Sterling¡¯s back¡ª¡± He starts reaching for his phone to call me. Next second, Damon¡¯s security team swarms him, forcing the manager to his knees. Damon¡¯s cold gaze sweeps across the crowd. Fresh chapters posted on F¦Énd£Îovel Rip his mouth off. Teach him what happens when he talks shit.¡± His voice is low but carries that ruthless edge of someone used to power. The whole hall goes dead silent. Damon doesn¡¯t even look up, casually stroking Emma¡¯s cheek. Emma is the real Mrs. Hayes. Nova Sterling? She¡¯s just our maid.¡± Maid? almostugh. Damon¡¯s really forgotten who put him on top of the fucking world. Without me, he¡¯d still be getting his ass kicked on the streets, begging for scraps! stood by him for ten years. Took two knives to the chest for him. And had Leo pull strings behind the scenes. When I was bleeding out, all I thought about was how to pave his road to sess. And now I¡¯m just the ¡°maid¡±?! Nobody dares cross Damon. They all jump on the bandwagon. Oh! Mrs. Hayes is so generous, letting some maid run around using the Hayes name.¡± Someone actually warns Emma. Mrs. Hayes, watch out for maids like that. They¡¯ll try to seduce your husband.¡± Fire her ass!¡± Throw the bitch in the ocean!¡± Emma can¡¯t hide her smug grin. The manager¡¯s face is white as a sheet, still struggling as they drag him away. I need to see Miss Sterling! She¡¯s the real Mrs. Hayes!¡± he guests sneer. This maid¡¯s got everyone fooled!¡± Don¡¯t keep trash like that around, Mr. Hayes.¡± Damon¡¯s eyes cut through the crowd. I¡¯ll say this once. Emma ke is my only wife. Disrespect her, and you¡¯ll answer to me.¡± Dead silence. Only I start pping. Slow. Deliberate. veryone turns. pull off my baseball cap, staring them down. If she¡¯s Mrs. Hayes¡­ then who the hell am I?¡± Damon and Emma freeze, their smiles cracking. Cheating 44 Chapter 4 Read full story at find?novel The air in the ballroom turns to ice. Every guest stares at me. I watch confusion turn to shock as they recognize my face, Emma¡¯s victory smile shatters. She shrinks behind Damon, fingers shaking as they clutch his sleeve. ¡°Y-you¡­ what are you doing here?¡± Lignore her. My eyes are locked on Damon. His pupils shrink. Panic flickers before his usual coldness takes over. He drops his arm from Emma¡¯s waist, walking toward me with barely controlled fear in his voice. Nova? What¡­ I told you to wait at home.¡± ¡®Wait at home?¡± repeat the words, tilting my head at his familiar face. Wait for you to give away MY vineyard? Or wait for you to call me the fucking maid?¡± Damon¡¯s face goes dark. After a moment, he seems to collect himself. He leans down, voice low and pleading. ¡°Too many people here. This isn¡¯t the ce.¡± Nova,e home with me.¡± We¡¯ll talk there. I¡¯ll exin everything.¡± He reaches for my wrist-that same practiced move he¡¯s used to calm me down a thousand times. But I see that cheap stic cufflink. Smell her perfume on his clothes. My stomach turns. jerk back, dodging his touch. Exin?¡± Exin why you¡¯re wearing our family¡¯s enemy¡¯s suit?¡± ¡®Exin why you turned my brother¡¯s gift into some present for your side piece?¡± ¡®Or exin how fucking good it felt calling me the maid?¡± Damon¡¯s face goes from pale to white. He clearly didn¡¯t expect me to blow this up in public. The panic in his eyes is impossible to hide now. He grits his teeth, voice dropping to a whisper pressed against my ear: ¡°Nova, cut this shit out!¡± You really gonna humiliate me in front of all these people? Juste with me. I¡¯m fucking begging you.¡± Please?¡± He¡¯s trying to use that old sweet tone to manipte me. It¡¯s pathetic. I remember carrying him three blocks when thugs beat his ass on the street, finding him a doctor. When rivals stabbed him. I signed the life-or-death forms and camped outside surgery for three straight days. ¡°Damon.¡± I look up at him, my stare cold as death. ¡°You think there¡¯s gonna be a ¡®home¡¯ after this?¡± All color drains from his face. He clearly didn¡¯t expect me to be this ruthless. Nova, it has to be this way?¡± He¡¯s practically snarling now. ¡°Ten years together means nothing? I don¡¯t even get a chance to exin?¡± Ten years?¡± I pull out a stack of documents and m them into his face. Papers scatter everywhere. The top sheet shows hotel records-him and Emma in the penthouse suite. Where were those ten years when you were screwing her while I was burning up with fever?¡± The documents knock his head to the side, veins bulging in his neck. Next second, he whips back around, and I see pure hatred in his eyes. Nova, then don¡¯t me me for this.¡± Damon spins toward the crowd, voice booming: Everyone look! This woman isn¡¯t Mrs. Hayes! She¡¯s our fucking maid!¡± Her family was dirt poor when I took pity on her. Gave her food, clothes, a roof over her head as our servant!¡± He points right at my face, viciousness pouring out of him. But the bitch got greedy! Saw my sess and tried to crawl into my bed, even faked being my wife to scam people!¡± Emma immediately starts fake crying, hiding behind him. Damon, don¡¯t be so harsh¡­ Miss Sterling just got confused¡­¡± he peeks out to gauge the crowd¡¯s reaction, eyes gleaming with triumph. Several of Damon¡¯s buddies immediately jump in. That¡¯s right! We all know!¡± This bitch is just a maid who thinks she can climb the socialdder!¡± Damon¡¯s been way too nice to her, and she has the balls to cause drama here. Shameless!¡± The guests get louder, staring at me with disgust and contempt. People point and whisper. Someone hisses: ¡°Total fraud. Looks normal but rotten inside.¡± Damon watches this unfold with a twisted smile. He steps closer, getting in my face, voice low enough that only I can hear: ¡°Nova, be smart and get the fuck out. Or I¡¯ll destroy you right here, right now. You¡¯ll have nothing left.¡± Looking at his ugly, twisted face, 1 almostugh. The old estate manager is shaking with rage, pointing at Damon. ¡°You ungrateful piece of shit!¡± ¡°Miss Sterling begged her father to pull strings to save your ass from prison!¡± ¡°She broke with her family for you, took a knife for you and nearly died! This is how you repay her?¡± Damon¡¯s face goes from pale to red to pale again.. He clearly didn¡¯t expect his dirty past to get aired out in public, the viciousness in his eyes about to spill over. That¡¯s when Emma, who¡¯s been ying victim behind him, suddenly lifts her head. There¡¯s pure poison in her eyes. She clutches Damon¡¯s sleeve, voice trembling but words dripping with malice. ¡°Damon¡­ I know this sounds awful¡­ but if Miss Sterling keeps causing problems, won¡¯t she¡­ won¡¯t she ruin everything for you?¡± She pauses, like she¡¯s gathering courage, then looks around at the guests. Her voice shakes but carries clearly. I heard your friends talking before¡­ about dealing with backstabbing bitches like this¡­ they usually¡­ feed them to the shark¡­¡± Cheating 45 The moment those words leave her mouth, the entire hall goes dead silent. Even Damon¡¯s boys freeze. They clearly didn¡¯t expect this sweet little act to suggest actual murder. Damon¡¯s pupils shrink. He nces at me instinctively, somethingplex flickering in his eyes. But that hesitationsts half a second before pure viciousness takes over. He¡¯s made his choice. ¡°Emma¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Anyone who fucks with me on my turf pays the price.¡± He jerks his chin at the security team. ¡°Drag her out. Feed her to the fish.¡± The guards immediately move in with sick grins. Emma hides behind Damon, victory written all over her face. But I don¡¯t move. Hell, I startughing. Laughing so hard my whole body shakes, tears streaming down my face. Damon, you really think you still run this world?¡± The second I finish speaking, the heavy ornate doors explode open. nternational police in ck tactical gear storm in, weapons drawn. he lead officer shouts: ¡°Damon Hayes, drop your weapons! You¡¯re under arrest!¡± ¡®otal chaos. Guests scream and hit the floor. Damon¡¯s crew reaches for their guns but stops when officers yell: Don¡¯t move! Move and we shoot!¡± he viciousness on Damon¡¯s face freezes, reced by pure rage at being outyed. le stares at me with pure hatred. You! Nova, you nned this whole fucking thing!¡± Takes one to know one.¡± stare right back, cold as ice. You hid your little side piece for three years. I wasn¡¯t gonna sit around with no backup n.¡± olice quickly form a perimeter, closing in on Damon step by step. mma breaks down crying. This has nothing to do with me! I don¡¯t know anything!¡± But just as theyre about to grab While everyone¡¯s dodging, he spins and crashes through the floor to ceiling window, CRASH! The massive ss wall explodes. Flying shards slice his arm open. Before escaping, Damon locks eyes with me onest time. Those cold eyes hold rage. Resentment. And something that looks like betrayal. ¡°Go! Go!¡± The officer roars, leading the chase. I run to the broken window. Damon¡¯s on thewn below, rolling and already sprinting toward the woods behind the vineyard. ¡®He won¡¯t get far! We¡¯ve got the whole ce surrounded!¡± The lead cop barks into his radio. ¡°All units, seal every exit!¡± Watching Damon disappear into the forest, my fingers turn ice cold. I know he won¡¯t go down easy. That bastard¡¯s always been good at finding a way out of impossible situations. A detective approaches me with paperwork. ¡®Miss Sterling, here¡¯s the preliminary evidence against Damon Hayes and Emma ke¡¯s involvement. Please confirm and sign.¡± stare down at pages of documented crimes. Emma¡¯s properties and luxury purchases. feel absolutely nothing. Emma, now cuffed, starts thrashing around like a lunatic, screaming at me: Nova! Let me go! Damon forced me! I don¡¯t know anything!¡± Emma ke. Every video you posted showing off, every stolen piece of jewelry-it¡¯s all evidence.¡± My voice stays t. ¡°Thew doesn¡¯t give a shit about your crocodile tears.¡± Th?s chapter is updated by Find_Novel(. she¡¯s dragged away kicking and screaming until her voice fades down the hall. The estate manager approaches me quietly. ¡®Miss, your brother¡¯s here¡­¡± I whip around to see Leo striding in wearing a ck coat, nked by his security detail. His eyes sweep over the destroyed ballroom beforending on me, filled with concern. ¡°Leo.¡± He doesn¡¯t say much, just walks over and drapes his coat around my shoulders, voice deadly serious: ¡°You hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± I shake my head, looking toward the forest where Damon disappeared. ¡°But he got away.¡± Tea pulls me close, patting my shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Theyll catch him.¡± ¡°Come home with me.¡± Looking at my brother¡¯s steady profile, my nerves finally unwind after hours of tension, and my eyes start burning. The tears I held back facing Damon and Emma nearly spill over the second I see family. ¡°Yeah, Home.¡± I nod, letting him shield me as we walk out. After that day, international wanted posters flood border crossings. Coast Guard intercepts suspicious boats over and over. They even caught his bodyguard on a yacht in international waters once, but Damon himself vanished like a ghost-always slipping away before they could close the. Leo¡¯s paranoid now. My ce has threeyers of surveince, electrified fencing, eight guards on rotating patrol, even bulletproof windows. He flies in to have dinner with me every week, same lecture before he leaves: ¡°Lock up tight. Hit the panic button if anything seems off.¡± I smile and agree, but I know the truth. Someone who wed his way out of hell like Damon won¡¯t go down easy. Tonight I¡¯m in bed reviewing files after my shower. Light rain patters against the windows, mixing with the guards¡¯ footsteps outside in an oddly peaceful rhythm. Days of constant tension finally catch up with me. I drift off within minutes. don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been asleep when a soft creaking sound jolts me awake. Cheating 46 My heart leaps into my throat. I bolt upright. The bedroom has only a dim nightlight glowing. In the shadows, a tall figure crouches on the windowsill. Rainwater drips from his soaked jacket onto the carpet, spreading dark stains. He¡¯s lost so much weight-that ck tactical jacket hangs loose on his frame. He reeks of blood and sweat. But his eyes burn bright, locked on me like a predator watching prey. ¡°Nova. Long time no see.¡± ¡°You know they couldn¡¯t keep me away from you.¡± His voice is hoarse but carries this sick, twisted smile. Cold sweat breaks out across my back. My fingers inch toward the nightstand. The panic button¡¯s right there. One press and rms scream through the house. Guards storm in within sixty seconds. But Damon sees what I¡¯m doing and steps closer. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it.¡± His voice drops, almost pleading. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you. Just want to talk.¡± ¡°Talk?¡± I force down the panic, sitting up against the headboard, pressing my back to the wall to put distance between us. ¡°A wanted fugitive breaks into his ex-wife¡¯s bedroom to ¡®talk¡¯?¡± ¡°Damon, did you lose your fucking mind on the run?¡± Heughs-low, hollow, makes my skin crawl. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? Find_Novel(. ¡°Ex-wife? Nova, how can you say that?¡± Ten years together can¡¯t be erased by some divorce papers.¡± He takes two steps closer, stopping about six feet from the bed. The dim light hits his face. see it now-a jagged scar running from his eyebrow to his cheekbone. Noticing my stare, Damon points at his scar with a bitter smile. See what I went through trying to find you?¡± Those cops chased me like a fucking dog. But thinking about you kept me going.¡± Nova,e with me. Let¡¯s go somewhere nobody knows us. Start over.¡± ¡°Start over?¡± I nearlyugh at the absurdity. ¡°Start over with smuggling and moneyundering? Or start over finding a new side piece?¡± Damon, look at yourself. You¡¯re a goddamn fugitive. What makes you think I¡¯d go anywhere with you?¡± At the mention of his mistress, the obsession in his eyes turns vicious Ilis fists clench. 1 was just fucking around! That trash wasn¡¯t worth shit!¡± ¡°She just looked like you from certain angles, made me lose control¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± 1 cut him off sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare me this on me!¡± ¡°Emma was your choice! You gave her the money! She posted those disgusting videos! None of this has anything to do with me!¡± ¡°How can you say that?!¡± He gets agitated, stepping closer until he¡¯s almost at the bed. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t fought me, hadn¡¯t sent me to prison, how would I have ended up like this?¡± ¡°Nova, you know I can¡¯t go to jail! My enemies are waiting to skin me alive in there!¡± ¡°You deserve everything you get!¡± My voice rises, anger overtaking fear. ¡°Damon, every step that brought you here was your own choice!¡± His face turns ashen. ¡°Yes, my choice! But choosing you-was that wrong too?¡± He lunges for my wrist. ¡°Nova,e with me, please¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go back, but we can go somewhere new. I¡¯ll treat you right, never make you angry again¡­¡± ¡°Get away from me!¡± I throw off the covers and scramble backward, but my ankle hits the footboard. The sharp pain makes me gasp. In that split second of hesitation, Damon¡¯s hand grabs my sleeve, gripping so hard the fabric starts tearing. ¡°Nova!¡± Cheating 47 His eyes burn with terrifying intensity, breathing ragged. ¡°Don¡¯t make me¡­¡± Right then, my fingers finally find the panic button. I directly m it down! BEEP! BEEP! Car piercing rms shriek through the house. Every light in the vi zes on. Damon whips around toward the window as guardse running. He turns back to me, his expression a mess of rage, desperation, and something that looks like defeat. Nova, you¡¯re really this heartless?¡± His voice suddenly drops, like all the fight¡¯s gone out of him. Ten years¡­ ten fucking years together, and you can just cut me loose? Send me to rot in prison?¡± Follow current nov?ls on find(?)ovel You cut us loose first. Damon.¡± stare at him, my voice t and emotionless. ¡°The day you cheated. The day you called me the maid. It was over then.¡± Fine. Fine, it¡¯s over¡­¡± He startsughing-wild, brokenughter-then pulls out a knife from his jacket. My heart stops. I shrink back instinctively. Damon, what the hell are you doing?¡± What am I doing?¡± He toys with the de, eyes unfocused as they sweep the room beforending on my face. They can¡¯t catch me. You won¡¯te with me¡­ guess there¡¯s nothing left worth living for.¡± You¡¯re insane!¡± shout at him. ¡°Put the knife down! You still have options¡­¡± Options?¡± He lets out a bitterugh, suddenly pressing the de to his own throat, staring at me like he wants to burn my face into his memory forever. You destroyed all my options, Nova! If I¡¯m gonna die, I¡¯m making damn sure you never forget me!¡± Don¡¯t!¡± scream without thinking, lunging forward to stop him, but it¡¯s toote. Damon¡¯s body jerks backward, hits the wall, and slides down slowly. Blood pours from his throat, staining the dark carpet. Those eyes-always so obsessive and vicious-go dark forever. The door explodes open at the same time. Leo storms in with the guards. Everyone freezes at the scene. Leo¡¯s face goes white. He pulls me into his arms, covering my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t look, Nova. Don¡¯t look¡­¡± I lean against him, shaking, tears finally breaking free. Not for Damon¡¯s death, but for those wasted ten years. For the naive girl who thought she¡¯d grow old with him. ¡®Clean this up.¡± Leo¡¯s voice is ice cold as he orders the guards. Call the cops and the coroner. By the book.¡± le carries me out, leaving all the blood and despair locked behind that door. The hallway lights are warm and bright, but I feel frozen. Damon¡¯s desperate stare won¡¯t leave my head. know his death has finally ended this toxic mess. But in my dreams, I still see that boy in the white shirt, smiling bright on the street corner, promising to love me forever. wake up screaming again. .eo holds me close. ¡°It¡¯s over, Nova. Time to live your life.¡± nod, burying my face in his shoulder. eah. It¡¯s over. ime to let go of the past and start fresh. Cheating 48 Chapter 1 Content originallyes from Find¡ïNovel I wanted to give my mother $2,000 monthly for living expenses, but my husband Dn rejected it as ¡°non essential spending.¡± Five years into our marriage, my husband had always controlled our family finances under the guise of his ¡°financial expertise.¡± So even though I was worth hundreds of billions, I still had to consult with him before making any transfers. But I never expected him to be so resolute and cold-blooded over such a small amount. When I tried to ess hisputer to handle it myself, a message that popped up on the interface left me stunned: The $3,000,000 Swiss vi you purchased for your mother is ready for upancy.] So spending $2,000 on my mother was ¡°non-essential,¡± but spending $3,000,000 on his mother didn¡¯t make him bat an eye! I returned to my room and pulled out a business card, dialing the number: Hello, is this the famous financial detective Rex? I want you to help me get back all the money that belongs to me¡­ Yeah! Everyst cent!¡± Mom¡¯s pension got cut off. Thepany notice was politely worded: ¡°Policy restructuring, unified suspension, no further disbursements starting next month.¡± The olddy¡¯s sixty-five now, and aside from that small pension, she had no other ie. When she called me, her voice was barely above a whisper: ¡°Ste honey, I know things are tough for you too. If money¡¯s tight, I¡¯ll just borrow some from m old friends¡­¡± It felt like someone had wrapped a rope around my chest and pulled tight. Tough? I¡¯m the freaking CFO of StarMed Medical Group with a seven-figure sry-what¡¯s tough about that! The real problem is my husband-the VP, and the sole manager of every single one of our bank ounts. pushed through the front door at eleven PM to find the living room lit by a single cold spotlight. Dn sat behind the kitchen ind, theptop screen casting an icy glow across his face. Dn,¡± I kept my voice steady, ¡°Mom¡¯s pension got cut. Starting next month, let¡¯s give her two grand for living expenses, okay?¡± His fingers paused for a second. Two thousand? That¡¯s twenty-four K annually, not counting intion.¡± She¡¯s my MOTHER.¡± I emphasized. He looked up with that warm yet distant smile: ¡°Ste, ording to our annual family budget, elder care falls under Category C expenditures-non-essential djustable. Company cash flow¡¯s tight this year. The budget¡¯s locked.¡± froze. Two years ago, he¡¯d bundled all the Parker and Morrison family assets into an offshore trust with himself as the trustee. Every penny required his electroni signature. ¡°Dn, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m buying random stuff. Mom needs to eat.¡± He closed theptop, voice still soft but cutting like a dull de: ¡°Ste, emotions don¡¯t solve problems. Off-budget expenditures require written consent fro the trust protector-that¡¯s at least a month-long process. Let¡¯s table this for now. Didn¡¯t we just buy rice, flour, and oil for herst time? Tell the olddy to b more frugal.¡± I didn¡¯t sleep all night. All bonuses, dividends, and stock options automatically transferred monthly into ¡°StarMed-Ster Trust Fund No. 1,¡± and Dn was the sole approver for any outbound payments. I poured myself ice water and noticed even the ice cubes were portioned and bagged-he¡¯d applied performance management to every household expense. At lunch, I headed back to the office, avoided Dn¡¯s floor entirely, and met my bestie Zara at the coffee shop downstairs. After hearing everything, she clicked her tongue: ¡°Your husband¡¯s running your home like a publicpany! Don¡¯t you have any money stashed away?¡± I smiled bitterly: ¡°My equity¡¯s all in the trust too. He even holds proxy voting rights for my stock options.¡± Zara lowered her voice: ¡°Then you gotta y hardball-audit his ounts, find the loopholes, force him to give up control.¡± I shook my head. Dn held both CPA and CFA certifications. The man was airtight. Zara thought for a moment and slid me a business card: ¡°This is Rex Hartwell, former financial crimes detective, now does anti-moneyundering consulting. He says behind every perfect budget lies imperfect desires.¡± Cheating 50 ¨C Chapter 3 Two AM. Iy wide awake staring at the ceiling, listening to Dn¡¯s steady breathing. My bedmate felt like he was separated from me by a bnce sheet. Light leaked from under the study door-hisptop was still open, screen disying the Ster Trust No. 1 management dashboard. 1 tiptoed inside, and with just one nce, 1 frozepletely in ce. [Pending Payments This Month] [Swiss Lake Lucerne Condo Final Payment: $3,200,000 (Reserved, pending signature)] [Ste¡¯s Mother Living Expenses: $2,000 (REJECTED ¨C Reason: Non-essential)] The second line was marked in red. [Rejected by: Dn. Time: 11:58 PM.] Ten minutes ago, he¡¯d clicked ¡°DENY,¡± then turned off the lights and went to bed, like casually flipping off a hallway switch. exited the system, my gaze falling on the password-protected fireproof safe on the bookshelf¡¯s bottom shelf-Dn¡¯s ¡°treasure chest.¡± When we married, he¡¯d locked both our property deeds, stock certificates, wedding rings, and matching watches inside. Only he knew thebination. I¡¯d tried his birthday, our anniversary, even his dog¡¯s name. All wrong. Tonight, I decided to try one more time. I crouched down, ear against the cold metal door, fingers slowly turning: O-7-2-1-the date he got his CPA certification. Click. It opened. held my breath and pulled the door open. The firstyer held thick file folders: opened one and my pupils dted-this amended draft showed Dn adding himself as ¡°sole protector¡± with a new use: ¡°Should beneficiary Ste Parke ose civil capacity due to mental, health, or debt issues, her entire share automatically transfers to the protector.¡± Date: three days ago. In other words, if I ¡°identally went crazy¡± or fell ¡°seriously ill,¡± he could legally swallow all my assets. remembered he had a friend at the psychiatric hospital. Fuddenly, a deep chill and retroactive fear washed over me. at the bottom of the safe sat a ck velvet pouch. I opened it-a 10.02-carat D-color diamond ring, certificate number matching exactly the one sold atst ye Christie¡¯s New York autumn auction. Hale price: $1,180,000. Content originallyes from f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l? Buyer: Dn Morrison. Payment ount: Ster Trust No. 1. gripped the ring, remembering the new watch he¡¯d unted on Instagramst week-a Rolex Daytona, paired with this exact diamond. His reply to followers: ¡°Anniversary gift from the wife. Tacky as hell, but whatever.¡± Twenty thousand likes, people calling him a ¡°life winner.¡± Nobody knew his ¡°wife¡± couldn¡¯t even approve two thousand dors for her own mother. I took a deep breath, photographed the documents and ring, encrypted and uploaded them to the cloud, then restored the safe to its original state. Cheating 51 Dn appeared in the doorway in his silk robe, leaning against the frame with azy voice: ¡°Looking for something?¡± My heart stopped, but I kept my expression neutral: ¡°Stomach ache. Looking for those pills the doctor prescribedst time.¡± He stared at me for two seconds, then chuckled softly: ¡°Medical kit in the living room, second shelf. Turn off the lights while you¡¯re at it-electricity bills are Costs too.¡± te turned back to the bedroom, his silhouette stretched thin by the night light, like a cold blooded snake, Saturday morning, Dn had scheduled a video call with Swisswyers at ten sharp. left at nine, saying I needed to grab files from the office, but actually drove straight to the private archive facility in the west end-before marriage, I¡¯d stored my mom¡¯s old house deed and a few paintings my grandmother left behind there. thought he wouldn¡¯t bother with those small items, but the manager told me: ¡°Mr. Morrison was just herest week to pull files, said you¡¯d authorized him to handle the old house demolition.¡± ty heart sank as 1 pulled up the signature page-the flourishing characters spelling ¡°Ste Parker¡± were clearly forged by him, gripped the copies, my knuckles white. The manager looked at me sympathetically: ¡°Ms. Parker, technically it¡¯s marital property. Your husband had all the proper documentation, we couldn¡¯t really top him.¡± nodded slightly, ¡°OK.¡± When I left the archive facility, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number- This text is hosted at find?novel n the photo, my mom sat on a bench at the old street corner, a cup of instant soup watered down beyond recognition in front of her, clutching a crumpled grocery store flyer in her hand. Caption: [Poor Mrs. Parker. Pension cut, daughter won¡¯t help.] My head buzzed as I called back-phone was off. A secondter, Dn¡¯s text popped up: Ste, just got word from the demolition office. The old neighborhood project¡¯s moving up. Compensation¡¯s about $200K. Made the call for you-we¡¯ll take cas nstead of the house, transfer it to my Swiss ount to save paperworkter. Mom can stay in my condo temporarily, saves on rent.] stared at the screen, fingertips ice-cold. He was even taking away my mom¡¯sst refuge. looked up to see the financial news ying on the building¡¯s giant screen across the street-StarMed Medical¡¯s stock hit new highs, with VP Dn Morrison being interviewed, shing that practiced smile: ¡°Steady investment, shareholder returns.¡± The camera caught his wrist-that 1.18-carat diamond ring. A cold smile crept across my lips. He thought Ste Parker was just a line item under ¡°human resources costs¡± in his financial statements? Time to show him that human resources can be a catastrophic storm. called Rex Hartwell: ¡°Rex, need you to check two things-first, that Swiss art consultingpany Dn set up; second, the demolition authorization he forge with my signaturest week. Can we get handwriting analysis?¡± Rex chuckled on the other end: ¡°Girl, you¡¯re ying for real now?¡± I stared at that polished face on the giant screen, my voice barely audible: ¡°He¡¯s tearing down my mom¡¯s house. I¡¯m tearing down his trust.¡± Game on. Dn. Cheating 52 Monday morning, 9 AM. VP¡¯s office on the 28th floor of StarMed Medical. Dn was approving budgets while I watched through the ss-today¡¯s cufflinks were 18K gold with diamonds, bought with trust funds. I walked in carrying an Americano and ced a resignation letter in front of him. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Job hopping? What¡¯s the outside offer?¡± I spoke calmly: ¡°I¡¯m not hopping. I¡¯m quitting to start my own business-a private equity fund. Initial fund size of a hundred million, I¡¯m putting in ten million, Rex will raise the other ny.¡± He looked amused: ¡°You don¡¯t even have a hundred grand in your ounts. Where¡¯s the ten millioning from?¡± pointed to the reports on his desk: ¡°Early exercise of my 1.5% StarMed stock options, then use them as coteral for financing. Exactly ten million.¡± He closed the file, voice soft as a de: ¡°Honey, option exercise requires board approval, and I happen to chair thepensationmittee. I don¡¯t approve it, you get nothing.¡± Td expected this move, so I pulled out the second document- Emergency Shareholder Proposal: Motion to remove VP Dn Morrison from all management positions at StarMed Medical and subsidiaries. Grounds: Suspected rted-party transactions and misappropriation ofpany assets.¡± I signed my name in the proposer section. His pupils contracted sharply as he finally realized I wasn¡¯t here to negotiate-I was dering war. Ste Parker, do you understand the consequences?¡± smiled: ¡°Sure do. You¡¯ve got four nted votes on the board, I only have two. But don¡¯t forget-minority shareholders can vote in person, and I¡¯ve invited nedia to livestream the whole thing.¡± checked my watch: ¡°Ten o¡¯clock, presentation hall. See you there.¡± en sharp, the presentation hall was packed. threw my PowerPoint onto the big screen: lide one: Ownership structure of Swiss Art Consulting Company-ultimate beneficiary: Dn Morrison, 100%. lide two: Past 12 months, StarMed Medical paid Swiss Art Consulting $48 million in ¡°brand consulting fees¡± for promotional posters. Checktest chapters at ?ovelFind lide three: Payment records versus Christie¡¯s auction records-that 1.18-carat diamond ring, buyer: Swiss Art Consulting Company, paid by Ster Trust No. 1. The room erupted. Dn sat in the front row, expression unchanged, just gently spinning the diamond ring on his finger like twisting a dagger. shifted gears: ¡°Fellow shareholders, this isn¡¯t about me personally-it¡¯s about StarMed¡¯s cash flow. That $48 million could have bought a new production line, ould have saved three R&D projects, but instead certain individuals used it for ¡®brand consulting fees¡¯ to cash out and buy so-called promotional posters.¡± clicked the remote, red text shed on screen: ¡°Remove the VP, recover the funds, establish employee stock ownership n.¡± Chunderous apuse. Cheating 53 That evening, I received a risk control email from the brokerage: [Due to abnormal vtility in StarMed Medical, your 1.5% pledged options have been forcibly liquidated.] I stared at the screen andughed. He¡¯d made his move, as expected. But the liquidation was just step one-three days ago, I¡¯d secretly switched the pledge contract to include an ¡°additional coteral use, with my mom¡¯s zoon-to-be-demolished house as backup. He thought that $200K demolition payment was already in his pocket, but didn¡¯t know the demolition office had received mywyer¡¯s letter and suspended the Official source is f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l? ayout. How the brokerage couldn¡¯t find the coteral and could only book the liquidation loss off-bnce-sheet-with ultimate responsibility falling on the ecision-maker: VP Dn Morrison. ext day, financial headlines exploded: StarMed Medical VP Suspected of High-Price Purchase of ¡°Air Art,¡± Possible Eraudulent Cash-Out] Minority Shareholder Ste Parker Files Formal Comint, Demands Removal of Dn Morrison] tock hit limit down, institutions fled. n smashed coffee cups in the conference room, porcin shards cutting his fingers, blood dripping on documents. He gave the PR department a death order: ¡°Kill the trending topics within three days.¡± he PR director whispered back: ¡°Can¡¯t kill them. Mr. Hartwell bought the trending spots.¡± ex Hartwell, former financial crimes detective-he knew exactly how to fan mes to maximum heat. That night, Dn came home without his usual polish, dark circles under his eyes. sat in the living room with an open bottle of 1982 Lafite-his prized collection, sixty-eight thousand a bottle. Mr. Morrison,¡± I swirled the wine, ¡°this bottle was charged to StarMed¡¯s marketing budget. I checked the invoice-listed under ¡®client rtionship maintenance.¡±¡± He stood in the entryway, voice hoarse: ¡°Ste Parker, what exactly do you want?¡± set down the ss, enunciating each word: ¡°Transfer my mom¡¯s two thousand monthly allowance to her ount. Now.¡± Heughed coldly: ¡°Over two thousand dors, you crashed thepany stock to limit down?¡± looked up: ¡°It¡¯s not about the two thousand. It¡¯s about showing you that supporting our parents is our responsibility.¡± He fell silent for three seconds, then pulled out his phone and opened mobile banking. 52,000.00, memo: Support payment.] stood and pushed a new folder toward him: ¡°Second condition-resign from StarMed Medical VP position. Sign here.¡± Dn opened the document, his finger trembling over the word ¡°resignation.¡± Suddenly heughed, voice like shattered ice: ¡°Ste Parker, you think kicking me out of thepany means I¡¯ll leave with nothing? Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m the sol protector of Ster Trust No. 1.¡± leaned down and whispered in his ear: ¡°Let¡¯s see what happens first-you protecting the trust, or me tearing it to pieces.¡± He closed the document and looked up at me, showing an emotion beyond exhaustion for the first time-fear. turned toward the door, hand on the handle, looking back to add: ¡°Tomorrow 10 AM, board meeting. You don¡¯t need to bring a pen-I¡¯ve got plenty.¡± The moment the door closed, I heard ss shattering behind me. That bottle of 1982 Lafite had finally hit the floor. Red wine sttered everywhere. 1 looked down and texted Rex: [Prepare phase two-freeze the trust.] Cheating 54 The night before the board meeting. I was working overtime in Rex¡¯s office. This content belongs to find¡¤novel Two massive flowcharts hung on the projection wall on the left was the operational structure of ster Offshore Trust No. 1; on the right were theint pathways through UK, Swiss, and Cayman regtory authorities. Rex tapped the top circle with hisser pointer: ¡°The key node is here-the sole protector ount. Once the offshore custodian bank receives a judicial freeze order, the money flow stops.¡± I squinted: ¡°The custodian is Credit Suisse Zurich. Will they buy into a US local financial crimes unit?¡± Rex smiled: ¡°Financial crimes alone won¡¯t cut it, but what about adding the Investigation Bureau? Don¡¯t forget, Dn bought a five-million-dor painting in Parisst year using Ster Trust No. 1¡¯s custodial ount.¡± He tossed me a draft anonymousint letter: [Dn Morrison suspected of using offshore structures to illegally transfer $48 million from a listedpany overseas, used to purchase high-value art and jewelry, evading foreign exchange regtions and tax obligations.] Signed: StarMed Medical Minority Shareholders Alliance. I picked up the pen and signed my name in the nk space: Ste Parker. At the same moment, in our mansion. Dn paced back and forth in his walk-in closet, leather shoes clicking against the floor. He¡¯d just received a call from Credit Suisse private banking: the ount had received a ¡°red notice,¡± all securities, cash, and precious metals transactions uspended pending further investigation. His first instinct was to call me, voice full of rage: ¡°Ste Parker, are you insane! That¡¯s marital property!¡± The customer service manager on the other end gave a formic response: ¡°Valued client, the freeze order was jointly issued by the UK SEC and Swiss FINMA. Our bank has no authority to lift it.¡± He hung up, opened the safe, and clutched that 1.18-carat diamond ring in his palm like grasping a lifeline. Next day, 9:30 AM, conference room on the 28th floor of StarMed Medical. Dn was unusually five minuteste. His suit was still impable, but couldn¡¯t hide the dark circles under his eyes, and even his usually perfectly styled hair vas disheveled. wo agenda items sat on the table: .Remove CFO Dn Morrison; . Emergency establishment of ¡°Fund Recovery Task Force.¡± s soon as he sat down, the board secretary pushed a document toward him: ¡°Mr. Morrison, the regtory notice has arrived. Please sign to acknowledge eceipt.¡± ocument header: [Notice of Special Audit Launch Regarding StarMed Medical¡¯s $48 Million Abnormal Expenditure], signed: USA Securities Regtory Commission Supervisory Bureau. His finger trembled, and the fountain pen left a blue-ck smudge on the paper. Quickly, voting began. pulled out the 15% minority shareholder proxy forms I¡¯d collected overnight, plus two institutional seats-just enough for a majority. Dn tried onest desperate move: ¡°Fellow directors, while the $48 million consulting fee is high, the project genuinely exists. Art consulting benefits the ompany¡¯s international image¡­¡± switched the projector directly to transaction records, the screen clearly disying fund flows and fraudulent invoice information: ¡°What promotional posters cost $48 million? Mr. Morrison, even art appreciation doesn¡¯t appreciate that fast.¡± Cheating 55 The conference room fell into dead silence, no one willing to defend him anymore. Finally, the board passed the removal motion 72, effective immediately. After the meeting, Dn cornered me in the emergency stairwell. The dim corridor lighting cast half his face in brightness, half in shadow, making him took particrly menacing. His voice was hoarse: ¡°Ste, do you have to push me to the brink?¡± I turned sideways and pulled a divorce agreement from my bag: ¡°It¡¯s not the brink-it¡¯s an exit. Transfer all my shares from Ster Trust No. 1 back to me, 331 sign the divorce papers, and I won¡¯t pursue thepany ounting issues anymore.¡± He flipped through the agreement, and after scanning the uses, suddenlyughed coldly: ¡°You want me to trade a billion for freedom?¡± ¡°That billion was my pre-marital assets anyway. You were just the trustee.¡± I corrected him, voice calm but brooking no argument. ¡°Now, I just want you to leave with nothing-trust, properties, stocks, leave it all behind. You walk away,¡± He gripped the agreement tighter, eyes full of resentment: ¡°What if I don¡¯t sign?¡± I raised my hand in signal, and Rex walked up the stairs with two uniformed financial crimes officers, their footsteps echoing clearly in the empty corridor. ¡°Mr. Morrison, we¡¯ve received reports that you¡¯re suspected of embezzlement and illegal foreign exchange transfers. Please cooperate with the investigation.¡± The officer¡¯s voice was serious, leaving no room for negotiation. In the detention room, Dn had shed all pretense-hair disheveled against his forehead, yes bloodshot. I sat across from him and pushed over a printed A4 sheet: [Voluntary Relinquishment of Trust Protector Status and All Marital Community Property Deration He stared at the line of text, eyes rimmed red, voice trembling: ¡°Ste Parker, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll drag us both down?¡± This text is hosted at f?ndnovel Your brother Dn Jr. is studying in the UK-tuition is 500,000 pounds a year. After the trust is frozen, he¡¯ll have to drop out next month.¡± I spoke tly, cataloging his vulnerabilities. And your father¡¯s retirement home in NY-I paid the down payment, and the contract is also under the trust name. I just need to submit proof of debt for the court to seize it.¡± I pressed the fountain pen into his hand: ¡°Sign, and you¡¯re free. Don¡¯t sign, and we all sink together.¡± Ten minutester, he finally loosened his grip, the pen tip trembling out one final arc on the paper, like severing our five-year marriage. I collected the document and stood to leave. He suddenly called out to stop me: ¡°Ste, when did you start nning all this?¡± I stood at the door, back turned to him, voice without a ripple: ¡°From the day you refused to give my mom $2000.¡± Walking out of the detention center, I called Rex: ¡°Phase twoplete. Initiate phase three-asset repatriation.¡± Rex whistled on the other end: ¡°Roger. Tonight 8 PM, Swiss custodian bank online hearing. Be on time.¡± I hung up and looked toward the sky. The $2000 was just the fuse. What I really wanted to blow up was the golden cage he thought was impregnable and could keep me firmly in his grasp, along with his vastly different attitudes toward supporting both sets of parents. Cheating 56 Chapter 9 ?????? ???? F¦ÉndNovel Swiss custodian bank online hearing, 8 PM. Representatives from Credit Suisse, FINMA, and SEC sat on the other side of the screen. Rex and I wore headphones, sitting in a temporary war room. The hearing result was unsurprising: .Ster Trust No. 1 terminated immediately due to suspected embezzlement of fund sources; 320 million Swiss francs in frozen assets to be returned proportionally to original sources; 3.Dn, as protector, lifetime banned from establishing any trust or custodial ounts with the three institutions. When the electronic seal fell on the screen, I heard my heart thump-like lifting a boulder that had pressed on my chest for five years. This marriage mprisoned by money had finallypletely copsed. The next day, I handed my mom a newly opened savings card. The olddy clutched the card, confirming repeatedly at the bank counter, voice full of disbelief: ¡°This card is really for me? There¡¯s really money in it?¡± smiled and helped her insert the card into the query machine. The numbers on the screen made her eyes widen. The password is your birthday. There¡¯s 8 million inside-withdraw anytime you need.¡± the gripped my hand, eyes welling up: ¡°Ste, where did all this moneye from?¡± didn¡¯t exin theplex cause and effect, just patted her hand: ¡°You raised me when I was small, now I support you in old age. It¡¯s only natural.¡± Walking out of the bank, sunlight fell on her graying temples, warm enough to make my heart tremble. For the first time, I felt this city that had been wrapped in coldness for years also had such tender moments. After StarMed Medical resumed trading and hit limit down for three days, I convened minority shareholders for an emergency general meeting. At the meeting, I stood before the packed room of shareholders and announced: VP position to be re-recruited through external headhunters to ensure professionalism and fairness;¡± The full $48 million in ¡°phantom art consulting fees¡± recovered and transferred topany R&D fund for new drug research and equipment updates;¡± Establishment of ¡°Employee Stock Ownership n Phase 2,¡± distributing Dn¡¯s relinquished trust shares 1:1 to core personnel to share inpany development dividends.¡± When I finished speaking, thunderous apuse filled the room. An elderly director came over and patted my shoulder with emotion: ¡°Ste, you¡¯ve finally be someone you can depend on yourself.¡± A weekter, I listed my mansion with a realtor. The agent carefully asked about my psychological price range. I answered tly: ¡°I¡¯ll sell 30% below original price if needed. Just close quickly.¡± The buyers were a couple who¡¯d just returned to the States to start a business, with two lively children. During the showing, the little girl bounced to the staircasending and looked up at me: ¡°Auntie, why aren¡¯t there any family photos on the walls?¡± I paused for half a second, crouched down to touch her head, and smiled: ¡°Because the people in the photos have moved somewhere else.¡± When they signed the contract, I handed over the keys on the spot with sincere words: ¡°I wish you happiness living here and that you can make this a truly warm home.¡± The day Dn was released from detention, Rex went to pick him up. He wore the same suit for three days, cuffs stained, one shoce still loose,pletelycking his former high spirits. Res handed him a one-way ticket: ¡°To Toronto, 11 PM tonight.¡± Cheating 57 He looked up and saw me from across the street. I didn¡¯t walk over, just lowered the car window a crack and nodded slightly. 11 PM, Airport runway lights stretched like a golden river into the ck night sky. I stood by the fence outside the control tower, watching a ne slowly lift its nose, finally disappearing into the clouds. Rex handed me an ice-cold beer: ¡°Completely over?¡± I took the beer, popped the tab, and hummed acknowledgment as the cold liquid slid down my throat, washing away thest trace of oppression. Heughed and bumped my arm: ¡°So what¡¯s next? You can¡¯t just stay busy withpany affairs forever.¡± I looked up at the vast sky: ¡°Build a medical group that actually raises grassroots doctors¡¯ sries-starting with $2000 monthly allowances, so every child can support their parents without pressure.¡± Three monthster, StarMed Medical released its first quarterly report. The cover didn¡¯t feature suited executives, but arge group photo of me pushing my mom¡¯s wheelchair through the farmers market-my mom holding freshly bought vegetables with a beaming smile, a small banner stuck to the wheelchair handle reading: ¡°So no mother ever worries about $2000 living expenses again Checktest chapters at Find1Novel Thest page of the report bore a small line: ¡°This report personally signed by StarMed Medical CFO Ms. Ste Parker, sry: $1.¡± In the evening, I set up a small grill on the rooftop of my rental apartment in the old city district. Burger patties sizzled and steamed over the charcoal, the aroma of grilled meat filling the entire rooftop. My mom, Rex, my bestie, and over a dozen former StarMed colleagues who¡¯d quit to follow me sat packed around the small table, holding cups. I raised cup, voice clear: ¡°Here¡¯s to us-to consciences no longer kidnapped by bank ount numbers, to everyone brave enough to send $2000 monthly to thei parents, to the bright life!¡± Everyone raised their cups together, cheers echoing across the rooftop. The city¡¯s neon lights twinkled in the distance, evening breeze carrying early summer osmanthus fragrance, gently embracing everyone. My mom quietly ced a piece of pork in my te, whispering: ¡°Don¡¯t just talk, eat up-it¡¯ll get tough if over-baked.¡± bit, spicy vors instantly blooming in my mouth, so hot tears nearly fell. That scalding heat was like the sweetness of the first toast at our wedding five years ago, and like the first breath of freedom today-vivid and real. looked up at the sky-the moon was full, clear light washing over the earth. On the other side of the world, Dn might be standing at some studio apartment window, looking at the same moon. raised my cup and gently clinked it against the air, silently toasting: -To you, and to me. To us finally finding something more precious than money in money¡¯s ruins: Conscience, freedom, and that human warmth hidden in everyday life. Cheating 58 Chapter 1 ¡°Gabriel, are you seriously nning to keep lying to Elena forever? She¡¯s been working as a waitress during the day and driving for rideshare at night just to pay off your debts.¡± ¡°Last week she got soaked in the rain and ran a fever of 102 degrees, but she still wouldn¡¯t go to the hospital because of the money. How can you stand watching her suffer like this?¡± My husband Gabriel¡¯s voice carried irritation as he replied. ¡°Vera had my kid, and since I can¡¯t marry her, the least I can do is give her everything I¡¯ve got. As for Elena, I¡¯ll stick around and take care of her for life ¨C think of it as making up for what I did.¡± I stood there frozen outside our door, listening to every damn word. Still holding my shitty paycheck, stomach full of stale gas station bread. Get full chapters from find~novel Silent tears ran down my face. So all the money I¡¯d made by destroying my health, all those dark circles from barely eating and working myself to death ¨C hell, it was ALL just so he could set up his side piece with the good life. In his whole perfectly nned future, there was NEVER any damn room for me! After hearing those words, my chest felt like it was being carved up by a rusty dull knife, each breath tasting of blood. When Gabriel¡¯spany went belly up and his business partner screwed him over by taking all the cash, debt collectors were at our door throwing red paint everywhere. He was curled up on the ground with his head in his hands, saying he wanted to kill himself. That¡¯s when I started working as a waitress during the day, running a night market stall, then driving rideshare after that ¨C all just to pay off his debts. During the scorching summer heat, I handed out flyers in 104¨Cdegree weather, my peeling sunburned back sticky with sweat. He held my hands and promised, ¡°Once I get back on my feet, I¡¯ll make sure you live the good life.¡± For five years, I bought discounted expired vegetables from the supermarket, boiling them over and over to get rid of the smell, while I gnawed on rock¨Chard bread. He said starting his business needed cash flow, so I secretly transferred all my savings into his ount. I wouldn¡¯t even buy myself a $2.99 T¨Cshirt. My shopping bag suddenly crashed to the ground with a loud rustle. Half a bag of rice mixed with wilted vegetables spilled out, the rotten leaves still stained with mud from when I¡¯d bargained with vendors. To save fifty cents, I¡¯d argued with that stall owner for ten minutes. Sharp, tearing pain suddenly shot through my lower back. I slid down the wall to sit on the ground as blood drops seeped through my pants, staining the concrete with dark spots. Gabriel heard the noise and rushed out of the house, his pupils contracting when he saw the blood. ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡± I grabbed his pant leg through gritted teeth, my voice shaking with pain. ¡°Quick¡­ get me to the hospital. I think the baby¡¯sing.¡± Gabriel frantically pulled out his phone to call for an ambnce, and his fingers kept trembling over the keypad. ¨C Evidence 37.3% Chapter 1 When they loaded me onto the stretcher, he stood in the hallway doorway looking relieved, like he¡¯d just dropped off some heavy burden. In the delivery room, I woke up from the arguing family next to me after the anesthesia wore off. A nurse stood by my bed holding a bill, ¡°Mrs. Hayes, your husband only paid the deposit. The rest of the fees need to be settled today.¡± I dragged my IV attached hand over to the nurses¡® station. From the end of the hallway came Gabriel¡¯s gentle voice. ¡°Get the kid into the best school, the best sses. If you need more money, I¡¯ll transfer it to you.¡± My heart clenched tight. I leaned against the wall and peered around the corner to see Gabriel looking tenderly at a mother and child in front of him. The diamond bracelet dangling from Vera¡¯s wrist was the ¡°client gift¡± he¡¯d mentionedst week. That kid¡¯s outfit cost more than my monthly sry. Meanwhile, my baby was wrapped in rough hospital clothes, his little face red and irritated from the coarse fabric. I tried to force a smile, but tears came first. So all my life savings I¡¯d gambled on helping him, all that blood money I¡¯d saved up while enduring pain ¨C it was just funding his other family. Gabriel¡¯s idea of ¡°getting back on his feet¡± NEVER included sharing any of it with me! Cheating 59 Chapter 2 I dragged my exhausted body to pay the hospital bill with thest bit of money I had on me. When I got back to the room, Gabriel was sitting by the bed ying on his phone. He looked up and frowned. ¡°You just gave birth and you¡¯re already running around? Are you trying to kill yourself?¡± That irritated look was nothing like the gentle man I¡¯d just seen in the hallway. It reminded me of when I first found out I was pregnant ¨C he¡¯d stared at the ultrasound and sneered. ¡°Get rid of it. Kids are too expensive right now.¡± Back then I was stupid enough to think things would get better once his business picked up. So I worked as a waitress during the day, washed dishes at restaurants at night, juggling multiple jobs. I even squeezed prenatal checkups into my lunch breaks. Now I finally got it. He wasn¡¯t worried about affording a kid ¨C he was worried my baby would take away what belonged to Vera and her child. I covered the needle marks on my hand and gave him a fake smile. ¡°Have you thought of a name for the baby?¡± Gabriel¡¯s fingers paused on his phone screen, not even bothering to look up. ¡°Haven¡¯t thought about it. Just pick whatever.¡± I stared at the ceiling andughed. Last week I¡¯d seen his notebook in the car with over thirty names circled in red pen, with notes like ¡°Vera says this one has good meaning.¡± He remembered every single thought that woman had. But for the baby I¡¯d nearly died giving birth to, he said just pick whatever. My fingers typed ¡°divorce papers¡± into my phone and sent it to thewyer I¡¯d already contacted. Late that night, I went to get hot water from the utility room and heard sticky breathing sounds from the fire exit. ¡°There are cameras everywhere here. If we get caught¡­¡± Gabriel¡¯s voice was full of suppressed excitement. Vera giggled, her fingernail tracing his throat. ¡°So what? She¡¯s stuck in bed and can¡¯t move. Even if she saw us, what could she do?¡± ¡°Tell me, between her and me, who understands you better?¡± Gabriel¡¯s voice was sweet as honey. ¡°You, of course. She doesn¡¯t have half your charm.¡± My hands shook as I held the hot water, steam fogging up my sses and burning the corners of my eyes. So all thosete nights when he came home smelling like strange perfume ¨C that was evidence of their affair! When I got back to the room, I saw a dark figure hunched over my baby¡¯s crib. I rushed over and pulled him away ¨C it was Vera¡¯s son. 18.11 Updates are released by F¦Énd£Îovel When Your Cheating Husband¡¯s Dream Be Your Divorce Evidence 38.09% ¡°What are you doing!¡± He shook off my hand, his eyes full of hate. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you sick freak, and this little bastard too! You stole my daddy! I want you both dead!¡± He lunged at me, biting and scratching my arm. Before I could push him away, he crashed into the bed frame with a loud thud, then clutched his forehead and started wailing. When Gabriel burst in, he saw the kid crying and me protecting the baby¡¯s crib. The p across my face was so hard I could hear my teeth chattering. ¡°Elena! You can¡¯t even deal with a little kid? What¡¯s wrong with you!¡± I held my burning cheek and looked at him. ¡°Is this really what you think of me?¡± Panic shed in Gabriel¡¯s eyes and his lips moved slightly. Then Vera ran in with her clothes disheveled, the red marks on her neck especially obvious under the harsh hospital lights. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for bringing Lucas here.¡± She hugged her crying child while wiping away tears. ¡°He just wanted to see his little brother. How could this happen?¡± The boy immediately screamed ¡°She called me an unwanted bastard and pushed me!¡± I grabbed Gabriel¡¯s arm desperately. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± My nails dug into his skin. Gabriel jerked his hand away, his face cold as ice. ¡°Enough! He¡¯s only four years old ¨C you think he¡¯d lie?¡± Janno Cheating 60 Gabriel picked up that boy and walked out without even ncing at my crying baby in my arms. He never showed up again until my discharge day. Standing at the hospital entrance trying to g down a taxi, even the starting fare made me hesitate. My wallet had three coins left ¨C money that another patient¡¯s family had slipped me. I called Gabriel asking him to transfer me some cash. ¡°No money?¡± His voice was full of irritation. ¡°You know how tight things are at home right now. Figure it out yourself.¡± Through the ss window of a restaurant just fifty feet from the hospital entrance, I could see the three of them sitting around a table sharing cake. Gabriel was wiping cream off Vera¡¯s mouth while the kid clutched a balloon and jumped into his arms. The warm yellow light stretched their shadows long across the floor, like a perfect family portrait. My baby suddenly started crying. I patted his back and turned away, every step feeling like walking on broken ss. When I pushed open the wooden door to our rental, the hinges let out a harsh screech. The wall calendar was still stuck on the day I went to the hospital. The bloodstains on the floor had turned dark brown, mixed with dust and hardened into crusty chunks that smelled like rust when you got close. I didn¡¯t even have the energy to guess where Gabriel had been these past few days or who he¡¯d been with. After putting the baby in his bouncer, I dragged my five¨Cstitch wound down to scrub the floor. When the disinfectant soaked through the gauze, the pain made everything go ck. This tiny 100¨Csquare¨Cfoot room where you¡¯d bump into furniture just turning around had drained every ounce of my strength. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯d been asleep when the sound of the door opening woke me. Gabriel was standing by the bed holding a bag with cartoon prints on it. ¡°Clothes for the kid.¡± He handed me the bag, his voice deliberately gentle. I touched the soft cotton fabric and froze. The carefully stitched cor still smelled like sunshine, and for a moment I thought he¡¯d finally remembered he had a flesh¨Cand¨Cblood child. Then my fingers found a milk stain on the sleeve that wouldn¡¯t wash out. That crusty spot felt like a needle, bursting my fantasy wide open. These were clearly old clothes that had been worn for a long time. My phone screen suddenly lit up with a photo from Vera. She was wearing a new tinum bracelet while her kid was dressed in a luxury outfit. The background showed the VIP lounge of some high¨Cend boutique. wiple ¡°Gabriel was worried my son might feel left outpared to other kids, so he booked the whole floor just for us to shop. Picked me up some new jewelry too while we were there.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re holding are my son¡¯s old clothes. We were going to donate them to charity, but he said not to waste them.¡± ¡°Some people are just born to live off other people¡¯s leftovers.¡± My hands shook violently as I clutched those clothes. He could humiliate me all he wanted, but how could he treat a newborn baby like this? 20 70 I threw the clothes right at his face. This content belongs to ¡°Even if I have to dig through trash, I won¡¯t dress my kid in someone else¡¯s hand¨Cme¨Cdowns!¡± Panic shed in his eyes before his face darkened. ¡°Money¡¯s tight right now. Having clothes at all should be enough.¡± He reached out to hug me, softening his voice. ¡°Once next month¡¯s project paymentes in, I¡¯ll buy the kid the best stuff. Just be patient.¡± I turned away without saying anything. Those promises woven from lies had frozen solid during countless cold nights, The next morning, I pulled out a wooden box from under the bed. Inside were the gold nes and bracelets that grandma and mom had left me. If thendlord wasn¡¯t pushing for rent, I would never touch these things. But I needed to take my child and leave, and that meant having money for travel and somewhere to stay. Cheating 61 The next morning, I went to the jewelry store and ran right into them. The sales clerk was showing them gold bracelets while Vera rested her fingers on Gabriel¡¯s hand, smiling sweetly. ¡°I want this one ¨C the heaviest one. It¡¯s gorgeous.¡± Another clerk nced at my faded jacket with obvious disdain. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we don¡¯t buy back old jewelry here. If you¡¯re looking to sell, try the pawn shop at the end of the alley.¡± Cold sweat broke out in my palms as I gripped the wooden box. When Gabriel turned around, the smile on his face froze instantly. Vera had already linked arms with him and walked over, showing off the gold bracelet on her wrist. ¡°Oh, so sorry! I was going to pick one out for you too, but I didn¡¯t want you to think it was too expensive.¡± Gabriel avoided my eyes and said stiffly: ¡°I had a good monthmission¨Cwise. I was actually nning to¡­ buy you a gold ring.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± I clutched the box tighter and turned to leave. ¡°You two take your time shopping.¡± I went to an old established pawn shop instead and sold all the jewelry from the wooden box, putting every cent into my own bank ount. Walking past a print shop, I made three copies of divorce papers. After reading through the agreement, a breeze crept in through the window cracks, making me shiver, but it also blew away thest trace of attachment I had. Back at our tiny rental, the small table was set with delicious food ¨C all my favoritefort foods. Gabriel was wearing the apron I¡¯d mended for him, just bringing thest te of honey zed chicken to the table. When he saw mee in, he immediately rushed over to take my bag. ¡°What took you so long? The food¡¯s getting cold.¡± After I put the baby to sleep, I quietly sat at the table and picked up my fork. Gabriel ced a piece of chicken in my bowl, his voice unusually warm. ¡°Thepany¡¯s sending me on a business trip next week. I¡¯ll be gone about two weeks, but I¡¯ll bring you back something nice.¡± Then he pulled a small jewelry box from the drawer. Inside was a silver cross ne. ¡°I bought this for the kid. This month¡¯s bonus wasn¡¯t much, so it¡¯ll have to do for now. Once I get promoted to department manager at year¨Cend, I¡¯ll get the baby a gold one right away and buy you a gold ring too.¡± Gabriel sounded so sincere. If I hadn¡¯t caught him buying Vera the most expensive gold bracelet in the store this morning, I might have actually believed this bted show of affection. Updates are released by F?ndNovel I looked up at him, my fork frozen mid¨Cair. ¡°Is thepany really sending you on business, or are you going on vacation with Vera?¡± Gabriel¡¯s soup spoon crashed onto the table with a loud ng, his face instantly darkening. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? It¡¯s just a business trip ¨C why are you dragging Vera into this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sitting at home all day with nothing to do, so your mind¡¯s going to weird ces!¡± He grabbed his jacket from the chair and stormed out, mming the old wooden door so hard it shook the whole ce. Deam Be Your Divorce Evidence 39.3% I stared at the gradually cooling food on the table, then pulled out the divorce papers from the drawer. Carefully, I signed my name at the bottom and ced the agreement under his regr coffee mug. After packing up all my things, I held my baby and got on the bus back to my hometown. Two weekster, Gabriel came home humming a tune, carrying a bag with duty¨Cfree shop logos. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m back!¡± The empty room echoed only with the sound of wind blowing the curtains. All my clothes had vanished from the closet, the baby¡¯s crib was gone too, leaving just faint impressions on the mattress. Gabriel¡¯s shopping bag hit the floor with a thud. He immediately pulled out his phone to call me, but the calls wouldn¡¯t go through. Suddenly, he spotted the divorce papers under his coffee mug, and his whole hand started shaking uncontrobly. Chapter 5 Cheating 62 Chapter 5 On the third day back in my hometown, I stood under the old oak tree at the vige entrance holding my baby, looking at the distant mountains. For the first time, I felt truly at peace. Grandma¡¯s old house was run¨Cdown, but with some cleaning it was livable, I put the baby in a wicker basket and started clearing the dust¨Ccovered furniture. When Aunt Martha from the vige walked by, she pecked into the basket. ¡°Elena, honey, what¡¯s going on here¡­¡± ¡°Got divorced.¡± I wiped the sweat from my forehead, surprised by how calm I sounded. Aunt Martha opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but finally just sighed. ¡°If you need anything, just ask. Nobody in this vige is gonna let you and the baby struggle.¡± I nodded, feeling warmth spread through my chest. Nobody here would ask why I got divorced, nobody would look at me with pity or judgment, and nobody would tell me women should just grit their teeth and bear it. This text is hosted at On the fifth evening, I was hanging diapers in the yard when I suddenly heard urgent footsteps. Gabriel appeared at the gate, his hair a mess and his eyes bloodshot like he hadn¡¯t slept in days. ¡°Elena!¡± He pushed through the gate and rushed in. ¡°How could you just disappear like that? The baby¡¯s so young ¨C have you thought about what this means?¡± I didn¡¯t turn around, just kept hanging the diaper in my hands. ¡°What this means? Like what?¡± ¡°What can a woman do on her own with a baby?¡± His voice was panicked ¡°Come back home. Let¡¯s talk this through. We can work everything out.¡± I turned to face him, my voice as calm as if I was talking about the weather. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to work out. Sign the papers and we¡¯ll make it official.¡± Gabriel¡¯s face went white as a sheet. ¡°You¡¯re serious about this?¡± ¡°More serious than you ever were about Vera.¡± I picked up my baby from his basket as he started to wake up. ¡°You need to leave. You¡¯re not wee here.¡± Gabriel rushed over trying to hold the baby, but I stepped back. ¡°Don¡¯t touch him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s MY son!¡± Gabriel¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°You can¡¯t stop me from seeing him!¡± ¡°Your son?¡± Iughed bitterly. ¡°From pregnancy to birth, when did you ever treat him like your son? Did you hold him once in the hospital? Did you even give him a name?¡± Gabriel opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t get any words out. Old Pete from the vige heard themotion and walked over, frowning when he saw Gabriel ¡°Who are you? What¡¯s your business in our vige?¡± ¡ª-¡®e husband.¡± Gabriel rushed to exin. 40.0% ¡°Husband?¡± Pete looked him up and down, ¡°Elena said she got divorced. So what husband? You here to start trouble? ¡®Cause we don¡¯t put up with that kind of nonsense around here.¡± A few more neighbors gradually gathered around, all looking at Gabriel suspiciously. Gabriel realized he was in a bad spot and softened his tone. ¡°Elena, I know I messed up. I really know I was wrong. Come back with me. I swear I¡¯ll never let you down again.¡± Looking at the panic in his eyes, I felt absolutely nothing. This man I¡¯d once been willing to sacrifice everything for was now just a stranger putting on a fake show to save face. ¡°Gabriel, you know what?¡± I gently rubbed my baby¡¯s back. ¡°I used to think if I just tried hard enough, if I just held on long enough, someday I¡¯d earn your love.¡± ¡°Now I finally get it. Your heart was never with me. All my effort was just a one¨Cwoman show.¡± The sun was setting, casting orange light across the yard and stretching our shadows long across the ground. Gabriel just stood there, opening his mouth but unable to say anything. He finally understood that once some things are lost, they can never be found again. Cheating 63 Chapter 6 Gabriel checked into the vige¡¯s little motel and started hanging around outside my gate every day, but I never let him in. On the seventh morning, I took the baby to the health clinic for his shots. When I got back, I found a bunch of stuff piled up in my yard imported form, a high¨Cend stroller, and a pile of fancy baby supplies. Aunt Martha was standing by my gate looking worried. ¡°Elena, honey, that man said he bought all this stuff for the baby. I didn¡¯t let him in the yard just left everything by the gate.¡± Looking at all those expensive items, I felt nothing but bitter irony. Where was he when I actually needed this stuff? When I was worried sick about paying for a few dors¡® worth of medicine, he was buying Vera gold bracelets. ¡°Aunt Martha, could you get some of the younger folks to help move all this to themunity center? See if any families there need it.¡± I headed into the house with my baby. ¡°We don¡¯t need any of it.¡± That evening, Gabriel came back, and this time he brought Vera with him. Vera was dressed in an expensive trench coat with full makeup,pletely out of ce in our simple mountain vige. She was holding onto Gabriel¡¯s arm with this fake smile stered on her face. C ¡°Elena, you¡¯ve got Gabriel all wrong.¡± Vera¡¯s voice sounded so sincere. ¡°We¡¯re just friends. My son needs a father figure, and Gabriel¡¯s just helping us out of sympathy.¡± I stood at my gate holding my baby, calmly watching her little performance. ¡°See, we came all this way just to clear up the misunderstanding.¡± Vera patted the little boy beside her. ¡°Lucas, say hi to the nicedy.¡± That four¨Cyear¨Cold kid hid behind Vera, ring at me with pure hostility in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not misunderstanding anything.¡± My voice was t. ¡°Whatever your rtionship is, that¡¯s none of my business. I just want to live peacefully. Please stop bothering me.¡± Gabriel got flustered. ¡°Elena, let me exin¡­¡± Official source is Find?Novel ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any exnations.¡± I cut him off ¡°You should go back to your woman and kid instead of wasting time here.¡± Vera¡¯s face changed instantly, but she quickly put the smile back on. ¡°Elena, that¡¯s going too far. Gabriel came here out of kindness to check on you and the baby. How can you treat him like this?¡± Looking at her carefully made¨Cup face, I remembered how she¡¯d looked running into the hospital room with her clothes all messed up, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Ms. Sinir, you¡¯re quite the actress, but I¡¯m not your audience.¡± My voice was quiet but every word was crystal clear. ¡°You already got everything you wanted from him. What more do you need? My gratitude?¡± Vera¡¯s face darkenedpletely as she dropped the fake sweetness. ¡°Who do you think you are? Some useless housewife who can¡¯t do anything but drag people down?¡± Gabriel tugged at her arm. ¡°Vera, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Why should I stop?¡± Vera shook off his hand ¡°She¡¯s the one who can¡¯t get her act together ¨C whose fault is that? Gabriel, you¡¯ve got a good thing going now. Why would you throw it all away for her?¡± Old Pete heard the arguing and walked over, frowning at the group. ¡°If you¡¯re here to cause trouble, you can get the hell out! We don¡¯t want your kind in our vige!¡± Line Unchand¡¯s Dream Be Your Divorce Evidence 40.7% Other vigers started gathering too. Seeing Vera¡¯s fancy clothes and hearing what she¡¯d just said, they all looked disgusted. ¡°Just go.¡± I said to Gabriel. ¡°Take your woman with you before she embarrasses herself any more.¡± §³§á§Ñ§â§ä§Ö§ä / Cheating 64 Chapter 7 Gabriel looked at the hostile stares from the vigers, then at my quiet baby in my arms, and pain shed in his eyes. The day after Gabriel and his crew left, I got a call from the courthouse saying he¡¯d filed for divorce mediation and was fighting for custody. I let out a bitterugh. How thoughtful of him. At the county legal aid center, thewyer pushed up his sses after hearing my story. ¡°Property division shouldn¡¯t be a problem, but custody is the main issue. Courts usually consider financial stability, and he definitely has the advantage there.¡± ¡°But do you have any favorable evidence? Something that proves he¡¯s got character issues?¡± I pulled a USB drive from my bag. ¡°This has Vera¡¯s chat records and photos she sent me, plus copies of the hospital security footage.¡± Thewyer plugged the drive into hisputer. After a few minutes, he frowned deeply. ¡°This stuff definitely helps your case, but it¡¯s not enough. You need more evidence to prove he¡¯s unfit to raise a child.¡± ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? f?ndnovel After getting back to the vige, I started reaching out to old neighbors and friends to gather evidence of Gabriel¡¯s cheating. Surprisingly, lots of people contacted me first, saying they¡¯d been disgusted by Gabriel¡¯s behavior for ages and were willing to testify in court. Mrs. Stone, who used to praise Gabriel to my face, now told me, ¡°Elena, honey, I wanted to warn you for the longest time. That man¡¯s no good. We¡¯re all behind you raising that baby on your own.¡± The day before the hearing, Gabriel came back, this time alone. ¡°Elena, do we really have to drag this through court?¡± He sat on the stone by my gate looking exhausted. ¡°The kid needs aplete family.¡± I was washing clothes in the yard and didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°Byplete family, you mean you, Vera, and her son?¡± Gabriel was quiet for a long time, then said ¡°I admit I screwed up a lot of things. Can you give me another chance?¡± ¡°Another chance?¡± I stopped what I was doing and looked at him. ¡°You want me to ¡± ¡°Whether you did or not, you know the truth.¡± I squatted back down to wash clothes. ¡°See you in court tomorrow. I¡¯m done talking.¡± The next day¡¯s hearing went smoothly. Gabriel¡¯swyer was definitely professional, arguing for custody based on financial stability and living conditions. But when Vera¡¯s chat records and photos were presented as evidence, the judge¡¯s expression clearly darkened. Even more damning was the hospital security footage that clearly showed Gabriel and Vera¡¯s intimate behavior in the hallway while I was giving birth. Gabriel sat in the defendant¡¯s chair, his face white as paper. Hiswyer tried to exin, but with solid evidence, any defense looked pathetic. Your Divorce Evidence 41.3% Finally, the judge awarded custody to me, ordered Gabriel to pay child support, and denied him visitation rights until the child reached adulthood. Walking out of the courthouse, I stood on the steps holding my baby, looking up at the blue sky and white clouds, feelingpletely free for the first time. When Gabriel walked past me, he paused. ¡°Elena, I¡­¡± I didn¡¯t turn around or say anything. Some people, once you lose them, you should never look back. Cheating 65 Three months after winning the case, I opened a small shop in the vige selling daily necessities and snacks. Business was pretty decent. My baby was three months old now, smiling and babbling. Watching him grow a little more each day made all the hardship worth it. That afternoon, I was organizing shelves in the store when little Tommy from the vige rushed in. ¡°Elena, someone¡¯s looking for you outside, They¡¯re driving a really nice car.¡± My heart skipped, thinking it might be Gabriel again, but when I went outside, I saw a middle¨Caged stranger. ¡°Are you Ms. Elena Foster?¡± the man asked politely. ¡°Yes, I am. And you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the legal department director at Cross Corporation.¡± The man handed me a business card. ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss some matters regarding Mr. Gabriel Hayes.¡± I looked at the card. Cross Corporation was a bigpany ¨C what did they have to do with Gabriel? ¡°Mr. Gabriel Hayes is a project manager at ourpany, but we recently discovered he¡¯s suspected of embezzling project funds.¡± The man looked serious. ¡°Our investigation shows most of this money was spent on personal expenses, luxury items, and such.¡± My heart jolted, remembering Vera¡¯s gold bracelet and expensive clothes. ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± I asked. ¡°During our investigation, we found that Mr. Hayes repeatedly imed these expenses were for family needs, including your medical bills and such.¡± The man paused. ¡°We need your cooperation to verify whether these ims are true.¡± I immediately understood ¨C Gabriel had med all the money he¡¯d spent on Vera on me. ¡°I can cooperate with the investigation.¡± My voice was calm ¡°But I need to see the specific records.¡± The man pulled out a file from his bag. ¡°These are his expense records. You can look through them and tell us what was actually spent on you.¡± As I flipped through those records, my heart grew colder and colder. From the baby¡¯s birth until I left, I hadn¡¯t seen a penny of any expenses Gabriel had imed externally. All those supposed nutritional supplements, baby supplies, and medical costs were lies he¡¯d made up to cover where the money really went. ¡°I can provide written testimony.¡± I closed the file. ¡°This money definitely wasn¡¯t spent on me and my child.¡± A weekter, Gabriel was fired from thepany and faced criminal charges. When the news reached the vige, Aunt Martha shook her head. ¡°That kind of person was bound to get what¡¯sing to him.¡± I didn¡¯t feel any satisfaction from his misfortune ¨C just exhaustion. The man I¡¯d once loved desperately had been a fraud from beginning to end. That night, I got a call from Vera. ¡°This is all your fault, bitch!¡± she screamed hysterically. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t ratted him out, none of this would¡¯ve happened!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t rat out anyone.¡± My voice was calm. ¡°He did what he did, now he¡¯s dealing with the consequences.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re so high and mighty?¡± Vera¡¯s voice was sharp as a knife ¡°He¡¯s unemployed now ¨C what are me and my kid supposed to do?¡± ?????? ???? find?novel Divarco Evidence 42.0% ¡°That¡¯s not my problem.¡± I hung up directly, Holding my baby by the window, looking at the distant mountains and peaceful night, I felt for the first time how quiet and beautiful the world could be. All that messy drama from the past could finally be turned to a closed chapter. Cheating 66 Chapter 9 After Gabriel¡¯s troubles, my life actually became more peaceful. Business at the little shop kept getting better, andbined with the court¨Cordered child support, my baby and I were basically worry¨Cfree. Of course Gabriel stopped paying once he lost his job, but we were managing just fine without him. The vige ountant often came by the shop to chat, and we gradually got to know each other well. She suggested I get an ounting certificate. ¡°You¡¯re so smart, ounting wouldn¡¯t be hard for you,¡± she said. ¡°There are lots of businesses in our town that need ountants, and the pay¡¯s decent too.¡± I was tempted. Running the little shop could sustain us, but long¨Cterm I needed a stable career. So I started studying ounting on my own, reading books and doing practice problems under themp every night after the baby fell asleep. Aunt Martha volunteered to watch the shop so I could find time to attend training sessions in the county. Six monthster, I got my basic ounting certificate. Just then the textile factory in town was hiring a finance assistant. I applied on a whim and surprisingly got epted. The factory manager was a woman in her forties named Ms. Miller. After looking at my resume, she said: ¡°Being a single mom isn¡¯t easy ¨C I¡¯ve been there too. I can tell you¡¯re reliable and hardworking.¡± On my first day of work, I dropped my son off at the vige daycare, then hopped on my used electric bike to head to work. My coworkers were all friendly and very supportive once they knew my situation. Especially Molly from ounting ¨C she often volunteered to help with my workload so I could get off on time to pick up my son. This update is avable on find(?)ovel After three months on the job, I received my first official paycheck ¨C $2,800. Holding those crisp bills, tears almost fell from my eyes. This was clean money I¡¯d earned through my own abilities, with no one¡¯s charity and no strings attached. That night, I bought my son new clothes and got myself a lipstick. Even though it was just a cheap $20 one from the drugstore, when I put it on, I felt like I wasing back to life. My child turned one and could say ¡°mama¡± and toddle around. Every day after work, seeing him run toward me was the happiest thing in the world. One day at lunch, the manager called me in for a talk. ¡°Elena, your work is very solid. I¡¯d like to promote you to head ountant. Are you interested?¡± I could hardly believe my ears ¡°Ms. Miller, I¡­ can I handle it?¡± ¡°Of course you can.¡± Ms. Miller smiled. ¡°Skills aren¡¯t born, they¡¯re developed. Besides, I believe in you.¡± After bing head ountant, my sry went up to 4,500, and with the year¨Cend bonus, I could make over 50,000 a year. I started nning to buy a small house in town to give my child a better environment to grow up in. That weekend, I took my son house hunting. The sales rep was very enthusiastic and showed us several floor ns. My child ran around the model unitughing happily. I squatted down to hug him and said: ¡°Sweetie, do you like it here? Mommy will work hard and buy us a new home, okay?¡± ruidance 42.7% He kissed my cheek and said in his little voice ¡°I love mommy.¡± Tears instantly welled up in my eyes. Over this past year, I¡¯d never once regretted leaving that cold household. Though my child and I only had each other, our life was full of hope and warmth. This was the life I wanted ¨C simple, clean, and full of lov Cheating 67 Chapter 10 Two yearster in spring, I used my savings for a down payment on a two¨Cbedroom apartment in town. On moving day, lots of people from the vige came to help. Aunt Martha¡¯s eyes were red as she held my hand and said: ¡°Elena, honey, you¡¯ve made something of yourself, but don¡¯t forget toe back and visit.¡± The new ce wasn¡¯t big, but it had great sunlight. I decorated a little room for my child with cartoon stickers all over the walls. My child was two and a half now, could say lots of words, and loved calling me ¡°mommy¡± most of all. Every night before bed, he¡¯d hug my neck and say: ¡°Mommy worked hard today.¡± That feeling of being needed and loved made life feelplete and fulfilling. In the new environment, I made many friends. Lisa downstairs was awyer who often gave me legal advice. Mrs. Stone across the hall watched her granddaughter, and the two kids yed together well. Life was peaceful and full ¨C I thought it would continue like this forever. Until that snowy winter when I ran into Gabriel at the supermarket. He looked much older, with graying hair, wearing an ordinary down jacket and pushing a cart while shopping for discounted items. The moment he saw me, he froze, then looked withplicated eyes at the child beside me. My son was three now, looked a lot like him, but had apletely different personality ¨C lively and cheerful, pulling my hand and pointing at toys on the shelf. Latest content published on ?ovelFind ¡°Elena¡­¡± Gabriel started to say something. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± My tone was t, like I was talking to any ordinary stranger. Gabriel looked at the child, then at me, and finally said nothing, pushing his cart away. At checkout, the cashier whispered to me ¡°That man was watching you two the whole time, his eyes were all red.¡± I didn¡¯t look back and felt nothing at all. The person who once caused me so much heartache was now truly just a stranger in my eyes. After getting home, while giving my child a bath, he suddenly asked ¡°Mommy, why was that uncle staring at us?¡± I paused, then said softly. ¡°Maybe he thought we looked really happy.¡± ¡°We are really happy!¡± my child giggled ¡°I have the best mommy in the world!¡± Yes, we were happy. No lies, no betrayal, no grievances or tears ¨C just simple, pure love and being loved. That night, I stood on the balcony watching the snowkes dance, feeling more peaceful than ever before. All the past pain and struggle had shaped who I was now. thayen If I hadn¡¯t experienced that darkness, I never would have known that one person could live such a wonderful life. Spring came, and my child was starting kindergarten. While packing his little backpack, I found a drawing he¡¯d made ¨C two people holding hands in front of a house, one big and one small. Janne 43.3% ¡°Mommy, this is our home,¡± my child pointed at the drawing. ¡°Just the two of us it¡¯s the best.¡± I hugged him and kissed him over and over. Yes, our home with just the two of us was the best. All those past experiences that once caused me pain had now be the most precious treasures of my life. They taught me what real love was, what real happiness was. The me now no longer needed anyone¡¯s charity or pity. I had my own career, my own home, and the little angel who loved me most in this world. That was enough ¨C truly enough. Outside the window, spring was beautiful, and my child¡¯s and my life was just beginning. Cheating 68 Chapter 1 1:00 AM. My husband¡¯s phone buzzed with a call from Lily Sinir¨Cthe pregnant widow of his fallen partner. She was sobbing about someone trying to break into her house, scared out of her mind. My husband Ryan had just wrapped up a three¨Cday stakeout without a wink of sleep, but he didn¡¯t even hesitate. Grabbed his keys and bolted out the door to fort¡± her. Didn¡¯te back until sunrise. ¡°Look, Lily¡¯s been through hell, okay? She¡¯s due any day now, and thest thing she needs is more stress.¡± He noticed I was still nted on the couch, stone¨Cfaced, so he tried his usual move¨Cwrapping his arms around my shoulders like that would fix everything. ¡°Babe, she¡¯s carrying Daniel¡¯s baby. As his squad leader, I owe it to him to look out for her. But I promise I¡¯ll dial it back, alright? Don¡¯t be mad.¡± I shrugged off his hands, done with ying the understanding wife. ¡°I want a divorce.¡± Ryan¡¯s cheeks were hollow from chronic exhaustion, his eyespletely bloodshot, even his breathing unsteady. His hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly. He pressed himself against me again, giving me those pitiful puppy dog eyes. ¡°Baby, don¡¯t talk like that. I swear I won¡¯t go over there anymore, okay? I¡¯ll pass Lily duty off to someone else.¡± It was surreal how this tough¨Cas¨Cnails detective could transform into a clingy golden retriever the second he got home. That exact contrast was what made me say yes when he proposed, even knowing his job painted targets on our backs. But now I turned my head away, stood up, and put distance between us. ¡°I¡¯m not talking crazy. Keep babysitting Lily if you want.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m still divorcing you.¡± Ryan¡¯s brow furrowed as his whole intimidating presence kicked in, but the second he caught my tight expression, his face softenedpletely. Still on his knees, he crawled over to me, pressing his head against my stomach like an oversized house cat. ¡°Babe, I fucked up. When I took on this responsibility, I didn¡¯t think about how it would make you feel. I barely get time with you as it is, and now I¡¯m giving what little we have to someone else. And I know you get jealous easily.¡± ¡°Making my gorgeous wife wait up all night while she¡¯s pissed at me¨CI¡¯m aplete asshole. But I¡¯ve been awake for four straight days and I¡¯m dead on my feet. Let me make it up to you properly tomorrow, okay my little jealous baby?¡± He couldn¡¯t suppress a yawn, reaching for my hand to lead me toward the bedroom. Anyone hearing this would automatically take his side¨Chere¡¯s a guy barely able to stand, still patiently coddling his unreasonable wife. But I wasn¡¯t having it. I yanked my hand away and spoke each word clearly: ¡°I SAID I want a divorce!¡± Ryan wasn¡¯t prepared for the force of it. He stumbled backward, knocking over the ceramic vase we¡¯d made together at that couples¡® pottery This content belongs to find[?]ovel ss. 44.09% His eyes went half¨Clidded as reality hit him. My repeated divorce threats finally snapped his patience. ¡°I apologized. I promised to keep my distance from Lily. What the hell else do you want from me?¡± ¡°You always said never to throw around the D¨Cword unless we meant it, but you¡¯ve said it twice tonight. So what¡¯s your game here?¡± He even remembered some throwawayment I¡¯d made, probably when I was drunk. ¡°Ryan, I¡¯m not jealous and I don¡¯t need you to grovel. I just want a divorce.¡± ¡°I want uspletely over.¡± BANG! His fist grazed past my ear and mmed into the wall behind me. I flinched slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll get awyer to draw up the paperwork. I won¡¯t take anything that isn¡¯t rightfully mine¨Cyou just need to sign where I tell you, and I¡¯ll handle everything else.¡± My remaining words were drowned out by his heavy breathing. When he raised his hand, I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut, but he just covered his own face, voice thick with emotion. ¡°Victoria, stop. Please. Tell me what you hate and I¡¯ll change it. Just don¡¯t divorce me.¡± This invincible man showing his one vulnerable spot¨Cit could make anyone forgive him anything. But I firmly pushed past him. ¡°I hate living in constant fear every day. I hate you running off to another woman¡¯s house every night. Can you change those things?¡± Ryan¡¯s eyes went wide with shock, unable to believe that I¨Cthe woman who¡¯d supported his career even after getting a knife pressed to my throat¨Cwould say such things. His expression darkened as I met his stare and finished my thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be by tomorrow for you to sign.¡± The air went deadly quiet except for a barely audible intake of breath from the guest room. Ryan¡¯s parents, who¡¯d gone to bed early, had been woken by our fight and came rushing out. Cheating 69 Ryan¡¯s father kicked him behind the knees, voice heavy with disappointment. ¡°Apologize to Victoria. Right now. You don¡¯t spend all night at another woman¡¯s house thene home and snap at your wife. How did I raise such a thoughtless son?¡± Ryan¡¯s mother wiped her eyes, gently taking my hands in hers. ¡°Sweetheart, we failed to raise him properly. You shouldn¡¯t have to deal with this.¡± Her voice carried quiet authority. ¡°But caring for the widow¡­ it is his duty. Ife can¡¯t just abandon that responsibility¨Cpeople would crucify him if word got out.¡± ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll keep Ryan in line and make sure he maintains appropriate boundaries.¡± The older woman looked at me with such earnest hope in her fifties¨Cworn face. I was about to respond when Ryan¡¯s phone rang sharply. Still on his knees, he answered immediately. ¡°Lily, what happened?¡± Lily¡¯s voice came through the speaker, trembling with a mix of relief and lingering terror. ¡°Ryan, oh God! They just caught him¡ªthe burr. Turns out he killed a family of threest month. During questioning, they found out he¡¯d been specifically casing my apartment.¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯te overst night, I¡¯d be dead right now.¡± Her voice broke into sobs. All three pairs of eyes turned toward me as Ryan murmured reassurances to Lily. She must have heard something off in his voice because she quickly added: ¡°Ryan, you exined everything to Victoria, right? She¡¯s not mad at me?¡± ¡°Last night was genuinely dangerous. As a widow with a baby due any day, I have no idea how to survive without your help.¡± ¡°If Victoria¡¯s still upset, I¡¯lle apologize to her in person.¡± Ryan¡¯s eyes filled with weary frustration as he gently soothed her. ¡°Em did get upset, but now that she knows how dangerousst night really was, she¡¯ll understand. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Right. Any moreints from me would officially make me the unreasonable bitch. I snatched the phone from his hands. Chapters first released on ¡°Actually Lily, save your apologies for Ryan¡¯s second wife. I¡¯m divorcing him tomorrow.¡± I hung up and headed for the door, leaving three shocked faces behind. ¡°Since we¡¯re getting divorced anyway, I should move out. Makes dividing assets cleaner.¡± ¡°Victoria!¡± Ryan¡¯s voice cut through the air like ice behind me, but I didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°I can¡¯t keep giving you unlimited passes forever. Without me there tonight, Lily could¡¯ve been murdered. The facts are staring you in the face¨Care you really gonna keep acting out?¡± His words hit me like a p, making me feel dizzy for a moment. Maybe I really had turned into some unreasonable harpy. But I still walked out ¨C Vaur Divorce Evidence 44.7% that door. After finding a rental ce, I stepped outside only to notice several inclothes officers stationed around my building. Ryan¡¯s work was dangerous¨Cfamily members getting targeted was a regr urrence. Living with him meant safety, but going solo meant double the risk. Even while iming he wouldn¡¯t ¡°endlessly cate me,¡± he¡¯d still filed reports with his department to get me round¨Cthe¨Cclock protection. He¡¯d always said that if anything happened to me because of his job, it wouldpletely destroy him. I looked away indifferently and took the divorce papers from mywyer, who¡¯d been waiting downstairs. I¡¯d been texting Ryan all morning about meeting up to sign the divorce agreement, but he hadn¡¯t responded once. Finally losing patience, I called him directly. He hung up almost immediately. I stood there frowning when my protection detail suddenly got agitated. One officer approached with a grim expression. ¡°Ms. Rodriguez, Detective Rodriguez is in the ICU. He needs family to sign consent forms.¡± His tone was usatory. ¡°Detective Rodriguez was in the middle of an emergency operation when your call came through. The ringtone gave away his position, causing him to take a bullet. He might lose his leg.¡± Cheating 70 Chapter 3 The hospital hallway was packed with Ryan¡¯s teammates, all red eyed and ring at me with barely contained fury. Some turned away to punch walls rather than look at me. I walked past them with steady steps into the hospital room. Ryany ghostly pale against the white sheets, but managed a reassuring smile when he saw me. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look so scared. I¡¯m fine¨Cjust caught a bullet, no big deal. I¡¯ll be back on my feet soon.¡± He reached out trying to take my hand, but I stepped back. Officer Diego couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer, his tone vicious: ¡°Just sign the damn forms already! If we don¡¯t get him into surgery soon, Detective Rodriguez could die.¡± I gave him a cold nce and pulled out the divorce papers from my bag. ¡°I¡¯m not signing any medical consent. If you want to stay alive, sign this divorce agreement and make your parents your primary emergency contacts.¡± ¡°You-!¡± Diego¡¯s temple veins bulged as he lunged forward, looking ready to tear me apart before other officers held him back. I swept my gaze over their varying expressions of disgust. Using my own husband¡¯s life to threaten him into divorce¨Cthey¡¯d probably never seen a more vicious woman. Ryan¡¯s expression shifted through multiple emotions before he finally closed his eyes, ¡°All this because I spent one night watching over Lily?¡± Under the weight of looks that could kill, I answered tly. ¡°Yes. Because you spentst night with Lily Sinir.¡± Suddenly someone grabbed my shirt cor from behind, yanking me backward. When I saw who it was, Ryan tried desperately to sit up before copsing back in pain. ¡°Lily, don¡¯t touch her.¡± voice hoarse. Lily Sinir was covered in dried blood, her previously swollen belly now deted, looking unnaturally weak. ¡°If you hate me, I¡¯ll disappear from your life forever. But Ryan¡¯s injury can¡¯t wait¨Cwithout surgery he¡¯ll lose his leg.¡± ¡°I already owe Ryan everything. If he bes disabled because of me, I¡¯ll never forgive myself.¡± A short¨Chaired woman helped the sobbing Lily to her feet, eyes zing as she stared at me. I recognized her¨COfficer Diana, the only woman on Ryan¡¯s team. ¡°Why the hell did Detective Rodriguez marry such a selfish, stupid bitch? He¡¯s out there risking his life for strangers and all you care about is your petty rtionship drama.¡± ¡°Even if he WAS cheating, it¡¯d be because you drove him to it!¡± That¡¯s when I learned the truth: if Ryan hadn¡¯t been protecting Lily¡¯s unborn baby, he could¡¯ve easily avoided that bullet. I let out a bitterugh and whirled on Ryan. Your Divorce Evidence 45.3% ¡°You told me you¡¯d handed Lily duty off to other officers. So why were you with her today?¡± ¡°Ryan, you¡¯re so protective of Lily¨Cis that baby actually yours?¡± ¡°Victoria!¡± Ryan¡¯s temple throbbed as his hand connected with my face in a sharp p, the force splitting my lip. I spat out blood expressionlessly. ¡°Ryan! How could you hit Victoria!¡± His parents rushed in just in time to see me bleeding, immediately shielding me. Ryan was breathing hard, eyes wild. ¡°She can scream at me, hit me, whatever. But she will NOT disrespect a fallen officer¡¯s widow.¡± His parents stared at me in shock as I lifted my chin defiantly. ¡°Hit a nerve, did I?¡± ¡°Running to Lily¡¯s ce every night, staying until dawn¨Cdon¡¯t tell me nothing happened.¡± Lily¡¯s sobs hitched for just a moment, her eyes flickering with something guilty before she wailed even louder, threatening to ¡°die with the baby.¡± The room erupted in chaos. If Ryan¡¯s parents hadn¡¯t been protecting me, countless fists would¡¯ve been flying. But I didn¡¯t flinch, holding up the divorce papers and mming them against Ryan¡¯s face. ¡°If you don¡¯t sign these divorce papers right now, I cane up constitution can handle it.¡± with plenty more scandalous rumors about you and Lily. Wonder if her delicate ¡°I¡¯ve got all the time in the world to wait this out. Question is¨Ccan your hand?¡± Ryan gritted his teeth but still wouldn¡¯t budge. His parents frantically gathered up the scattered papers, tears streaming. ¡°You can¡¯t get divorced, Victoria! We¡¯ve seen how much Ryan loves you¨Cdivorce would kill him!¡± The entire room was in chaos when Ryan finally spoke. ¡°I never betrayed you. This has to stay ssified for Lily¡¯s protection, but I¡¯ll tell you the truth.¡± Despite everyone trying to stop him, Ryan said slowly: ¡°Every time I went to check on Lily, I had three or four backup officers stationed around the area. Diana has all the duty rosters¨Cyou want to see them?¡± ¡°Look at the records, then drop this divorce bullshit.¡± I snorted. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I want to see them?¡± Diana¡¯s grip on her bag tightened as she reluctantly pulled out a folder under Ryan¡¯s intense stare. Sure enough, the sheets were covered with countless names. Ryan took the papers and was about to hand them to me when his face suddenly went ashen. Ignoring his injured arm, he sat up abruptly and frantically flipped through the duty roster. Finally, his expression dark and unreadable as he looked around the room, he said in a hoarse voice: ¡°I agree to the divorce. Give me those papers.¡± Chapters first released on Find1Novel Cheating 71 The divorce papers were signed with decisive strokes. ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find(?)ovel I reached for the agreement when Ryan¡¯s mother suddenly lunged forward, gripping my wrist with surprising strength that nearly crushed my bones. ¡°Victoria, please wait! Ryan¡¯s just confused right now. You two have so much history together¨Cyou can¡¯t just throw it all away!¡± Her tears burned against my skin as Ryan¡¯s father stood nearby, eyes red¨Crimmed, lips moving before finally managing only: ¡°Stop this nonsense.¡± But Ryan suddenly stood up, the abrupt movement pulling at his shoulder wound. He grunted in pain but still reached out to pull his parents back. ¡°Mom, Dad, don¡¯t.¡± His voice was several degrees colder than usual, stripped of all warmth, left with nothing but harsh finality. ¡°The divorce is the right thing to do.¡± I stared at him, caught off guard. I¡¯d never expected this man who used to act like a puppy around me to be so decisive. His parents were still quietly sobbing, but Ryan had already ced the signed divorce agreement in front of me. Without another word, he helped his parents toward the door. As they passed the threshold, they nearly collided with Lily Sinir standing there. Lily was still in a hospital gown, pale as paper, her belly noticeably deted. Something about the timing feltpletely wrong. When she saw the divorce papers in my hands, her eyes lit up for just a split second before she quickly lowered her head, putting on a guilty expression. ¡°Ryan, I¡¯m so sorry. This is all my fault¡­¡± Ryan didn¡¯t look at her, just said tly, ¡°It¡¯s not about you,¡± and continued escorting his parents out. I turned to leave with the divorce papers when Lily suddenly stepped forward, catching my sleeve. ¡°Ms. Rodriguez,¡± her voice was soft, with a barely detectable tremor. ¡°Don¡¯t you regret this at all? Ryan loves you so much¨Cyou¡¯re really going to give up on him?¡± I looked down at her hand gripping my sleeve. Her nails were perfectly manicured but had an unnatural pink tint, like she¡¯d been digging them into her palms while crying. ¡°Regret?¡± I smiled and pulled free. ¡°My only regret is not seeing through this sooner. Some people¡¯s ¡®love¡® was never exclusive to begin with.¡± Lily¡¯s face went ghostly white as tears started falling again. ¡°I never wanted to destroy your rtionship. I was just¡­ so scared. Ryan was my only support¡­¡± She trembled and sobbed, drawing concerned looks from passing nurses. I couldn¡¯t be bothered with her performance anymore. I turned and walked away. After leaving the hospital, I handled the remaining legal paperwork and moved my belongings out of the house I¡¯d shared with Ryan. I thought that would be the end of it¨Ctime to start a new life. De Your Divorce Evidence 46.0% Until two weekster, while grocery shopping, I spotted a familiar figure: Lily Sinir. She wore a stylish dress, herplexion much healthier, chatting with a middle¨Caged woman with unmistakable satisfaction in her expression. I started to avoid them but heard her mention my name. ¡°¡­ Victoria was just so petty. Ryan showed me a little kindness and she threw a tantrum about divorce. Well, now she¡¯s gone and Ryan finally has some peace.¡± The middle¨Caged woman chuckled in agreement: ¡°You¡¯re so understanding. Detective Rodriguez will definitely take good care of you now.¡± Lily¡¯s smile grew even brighter, though her eyes kept drifting toward me. When she spotted me, her smile instantly froze before she slipped back into that fragile mask, hurrying over. ¡°Victoria! What a coincidence.¡± She feigned concern. ¡°How have you been? Ryan¡­ he really misses you.¡± I watched her fake performance with disgust. ¡°How I¡¯m doing is none of your business.¡± I said coldly, ¡°And stop mentioning Ryan to me. We have nothing to do with each other anymore.¡± After that, I pushed my cart past her without another nce. She clenched her shopping bags tighter, nails nearly digging into her palms. ¡°Victoria Rodriguez, you think leaving solves everything? Ryan can only be mine!¡± Chapter 5 Cheating 72 Chapter 5 My phone buzzed in my pocket while I was organizing my post divorce asset inventory on myptop. An unknown number shed on the screen with urgent static, followed by the hoarse voice of one of Ryan¡¯s teammates: ¡°Ms. Rodriguez, Detective Rodriguez¡­ he¡¯s been hurt.¡± My grip on the mouse froze, fingertips going cold against the stic. The officer exined that Ryan had sessfully apprehended a suspect during a routine operation when Lily suddenly burst onto the scene, screaming about the suspect being ¡°wrongly used.¡± She was clutching an old photo frame, crying that the criminal was ¡°a good friend of herte husband¡± and desperately trying to force Ryan to look at the photos. Those few seconds of distraction were all the suspect needed. He pulled a concealed knife from his sleeve and drove it straight toward Ryan¡¯s chest. ¡°The de missed his heart by less than a tenth of an inch. He¡¯s still in surgery.¡± The teammate¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°Lily¡¯s outside crying, saying it¡¯s all her fault¡­ but if she hadn¡¯t interfered, Detective Rodriguez never would¡¯ve been hurt!¡± My carefully maintainedposure since the hospital crumbled like a burst bubble. I rummaged through my closet for the most haggard¨Clooking dress I could find, messed up my hair in the mirror, then grabbed my bag and raced to the hospital. The moment I reached the ward lobby, I spotted Lily sitting on a hallway bench, clutching that same photo frame, shoulders shaking with sobs. Several teammates stood around looking ufortable but not daring to say much¨Cafter all, she was a ¡°fallen hero¡¯s widow¡± who¡¯d just lost her baby. Nobody wanted to be used of bullying the vulnerable. I clicked across the linoleum in my heels, deliberately amplifying the tremor and fury in my voice to grab everyone¡¯s attention: ¡°Lily Sinir! You have some nerve crying here!¡± She jumped at my sudden outburst, looking up with red¨Crimmed eyes and tear¨Csoakedshes, the picture of pitiful innocence: ¡°Ms. Rodriguez, I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen. I was just trying to help Ryan¡­¡± ¡°Help him? You nearly got him killed!¡± I stepped forward and snatched the photo frame from her arms, hurling it to the floor. The sound of shattering ss echoed sharply through the quiet corridor. Everyone froze in shock, including Officer Diana who¡¯d been protecting Lily. They¡¯d never seen me lose control like this before, no matter how angry I got. ¡°Ryan went three days and nights without sleep protecting you, and now he¡¯s nearly been stabbed to death because of you!¡± I pointed toward the operating room, raising my voice deliberately so passing nurses and patients could hear. ¡°You keep calling yourself a fallen hero¡¯s widow, but if yourte husband could see you from beyond¨Cclinging to his squad leader every day and nearly getting him killed¨Cdo you think he could rest in peace?¡± Lily went pale as paper at my words, lips trembling speechlessly as tears poured down her face: ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I was just scared¡­¡± ¡°Scared? Being scared gives you the right to endanger other people¡¯s lives?¡± 46.7% ridonro I pressed closer, deliberately raising my volume. ¡°Last time there was a break in, he stayed with you until dawn. This time you interfered and got him stabbed! Lily, do you think the whole world should revolve around you? Do you think Ryan owes you his life?¡± Murmurs began rising around us. Some people pulled out phones to secretly record, others pointed and whispered about Lily. Even the teammates who¡¯d previously med me were looking ufortable¨Cthey protected Ryan fiercely, but they also knew this time was definitely Lily¡¯s fault. Checktest chapters at FindN0vel Diana tried to defend Lily, but I cut her off immediately: ¡°Diana, don¡¯t defend her! Ryan is your squad leader¨Cwatching him risk his life over and over for this woman, doesn¡¯t that hurt you inside?¡± Lilypletely panicked. She tried to stand up and grab my hand, but I violently shoved her away: ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! You¡¯re bad luck! If something happens to Ryan, I¡¯ll never forgive you for the rest of my life!¡± I shouted while deliberately moving toward the crowded areas, making sure my words reached as many ears as possible: ¡°Everyone listen to this! This woman uses her status as a fallen hero¡¯s widow to cling to other people¡¯s husbands every single day, and now she¡¯s nearly gotten him killed! Doesn¡¯t someone like this deserve divine punishment?¡± Lily waspletely stunned by my aggressive disy. She shrank back onto the bench, sobbing and trembling all over, repeatedly muttering ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡± but unable to exin herself clearly. Watching her panic, a cold glint shed in my eyes. This was just the beginning¨CI wanted everyone to see her ¡°true face¡± and make her understand that what she owed Ryan, what she owed me, would have to be paid back eventually. Just then, the operating room light went out. The doctor emerged saying Ryan was temporarily out of danger. I immediatelyposed myself, pretending to rush over anxiously to ask about his condition. But from the corner of my eye, I caught Lily sneaking out her phone, hiding in a hallway corner to take a call, her voice carrying an urgency I¡¯d never heard before: ¡°¡­He¡¯s still alive, don¡¯t worry¡­ I¡¯ll figure something out¡­¡± My heart skipped a beat. I quietly followed her, pulling out my phone to start recording, aiming it at Lily in the corner. The voice on the other end was muffled, but I vaguely caught a familiar name¨CLily¡¯s supposedly ¡°deceased¡± husband. Cheating 73 The hospital corridor recording. Back at my rental apartment, I reyed the inuffled conversation over and over before finally calling Detective Frank at the station. ¡°I need you to check on someone¨CLily Sinir¡¯s husband, Daniel Sinir.¡± I kept my voice low. ¡°Focus on the files from his ¡®sacrifice¡® mission and Lily¡¯s recent financial transactions.¡± Three dayster, Frank sent me the intel: During Daniel¡¯s narcotics operation, three kilos of fentanyl went missing¨Cthankfullyter recovered. Only his bloodied badge was found at the scene, leading to his presumed death, but his body was never found. And Lily had been receiving anonymous monthly wire transfers, all traced back to underground money exchanges near the border. Studying the files, I formted a n. To draw Daniel out, Lily was the perfect bait. I sent Lily a message from a burner phone, deliberately mimicking the urgent tone of Ryan¡¯s teammates: ¡°Ryan¡¯s awake and wants to see you. Abandoned warehouse on the city outskirts. He¡¯s worried you¡¯ll get dragged into this, soe alone.¡± I was counting on her feelings for Ryan and betting she wouldn¡¯t dare alert anyone¨Cafter all, with Ryan barely out of danger, making a scene would only cast more suspicion on her previous ¡°innocent mistakes.¡± Sure enough, thirty minutester, Lily took a cab to the warehouse. She wore a ck coat, looking around nervously before carefully pushing through the door. The warehouse was lit by a single dim bulb. I hid behind storage shelves, watching her call out anxiously: ¡°Ryan? Where are you?¡± I didn¡¯t respond. Instead, I pressed y on a pre¨Crecorded device with my imitation of a gruff kidnapper¡¯s voice: Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n F¦Énd£Îovel ¡°Lily Sinir, if you want to save Ryan Rodriguez, get fifty grand ready. No cops, or you¡¯re both dead!¡± After that, I hid the recorder in a cardboard box, circled to the other side of the warehouse, and used my backup phone to text a pre¨Carranged informant: ¡°Execute the n. Spread word that Lily¡¯s been kidnapped, they want Ryan in exchange.¡± The informant was an undercover agent the department had ced in the ck market. Soon, news of ¡°Detective Rodriguez¡¯s wife kidnapping fallen hero¡¯s widow to force Rodriguez¡¯s surrender¡± spread through Ryan¡¯s team and even reached Daniel¡¯s ears. I was banking on the fact that if Daniel was still alive and in contact with Lily, he¡¯d never let anything happen to her. Sure enough, twenty minutester, the warehouse¡¯s metal door was kicked open violently. A man in a hoodie burst in, gripping a knife¨CDaniel! He scanned the area, calling out in a hushed voice: ¡°Lily! Where are you? I¡¯m here to save you!¡± Lily whirled around at the sound, shock written across her face: ¡°Daniel? How did you get here? I thought you said¡­¡± Before she could finish, Daniel grabbed her wrist: ninnan Evidence 47.3% ¡°Don¡¯t talk, let¡¯s go! This ce is dangerous!¡± At that moment, the officers I¡¯d coordinated with burst from both sides of the warehouse, batons raised: ¡°Freeze! Police!¡± Daniel reacted lightning fast, pulling Lily in front of him as a human shield, pressing the knife to her throat, eyes wild and threatening: ¡°Stay back! Come any closer and I¡¯ll kill her!¡± Lily trembled at the cold steel against her neck. She looked at Daniel, then at us, suddenly understanding: ¡°You nned this? Victoria Rodriguez! You lured Daniel out!¡± I stepped out from behind the shelves, walking toward her with ice¨Ccold eyes: ¡°Lily Sinir, you and Daniel faked his death, stole fentanyl, and used Ryan¡¯s guilt to cover your crimes. Did you really think you could get away with it?¡± Without warning, I lunged forward, my left hand mping down on Daniel¡¯s knife¨Cwielding wrist while my right elbow drove hard into his ribs¨Ca closebat technique from police academy training: fast, precise, brutal. Daniel cried out in pain as the knife ttered to the floor. The officers immediately swarmed him, mming him down and cuffing him with a sharp ¡°click.¡± Seeing this, Lily spun around to run, but I stuck out my foot and tripped her after just two steps. I pounced, driving my knee into her back, pressing my left hand against the back of her head while my right twisted her arm behind her¨Ctextbook police restraint technique executed wlessly. Lily struggled, her disheveled hair stered to her face, eyes filled with terror and disbelief: ¡°You¡­ how do you know how to do this? Aren¡¯t you just a regr housewife?¡± I pulled out my police badge from my pocket and flipped it open right in front of her eyes. The red leather case gleamed, the badge particrly striking under the dim warehouse lighting: ¡°Victoria Hernandez, Detective, FBI Criminal Investigation Division, Metropolitan Police Department. Lily Sinir, you¡¯re under arrest for harboring fugitives, essory to drug trafficking, and conspiracy.¡± Just then, a voice called from the warehouse entrance: ¡°Detective Rodriguez! We¡¯ve got Daniel secured!¡± Lily copsedpletely, her body going limp as tears mixed with dust fell to the ground. She finally understood that from the moment she first used her ¡°widow¡± status to manipte Ryan, she¡¯d already walked into the web I¡¯d been weaving. Chapter 7 Cheating 74 Chapter 7 The interrogation room lights burned all night long until Lily Sinir and Daniel¡¯s psychological defenses finally crumbled, and they confessed to everything. N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find?novel This ¡°Daniel¡± wasn¡¯t the real Daniel at all. The real Daniel had died protecting his teammates during that narcotics operation. This imposter had stolen three kilograms of fentanyl, staged the crime scene, and used a bloody police badge plus an unidentified corpse to fake Daniel¡¯s death before fleeing to the border to profit from drug sales. His real name was Marcus Williams. Lily knew the truth from day one but chose to cover for him for money and so¨Ccalled ¡°love.¡± Because Marcus was Lily¡¯s first boyfriend. Not only that, she¡¯d used her ¡°fallen hero¡¯s widow¡± status to stay close to Ryan¨Cboth to use his guilt to cover their tracks and to exploit his position to gather intelligence on police operations, feeding information back to Marcus. When I walked into the hospital room with the interrogation records, Ryan was propped up against his pillows, looking much better though his chest bandages were still prominent. Seeing me enter, his initially serious expression immediately softened as he patted the empty space beside his bed: ¡°Sit.¡± I handed him the records. He¡¯d suspected something was off about Daniel¡¯s ¡°sacrifice¡± for a long time. After marrying Ryan, I¡¯d identally caught Lily making furtive calls to the border, her tone filled with panic that didn¡¯t match her ¡°grieving widow¡± persona. Following that lead, I¡¯d requested permission from my superiors to go undercover as a ¡°housewife¡± to gather evidence. ¡°So when you asked for a divorce, that was part of the n too?¡± Ryan looked up, eyes holding a trace of hurt but mostly concern. ¡°You deliberately picked fights with me, deliberately acted ¡®unreasonable¡® in front of everyone¨Call to make Lily let her guard down, thinking you were just some jealous ordinary wife, right?¡± I nodded, remembering how I¡¯d deliberately provoked him in the hospital room, even letting him p me. My throat tightened slightly: ¡°I had to make her believe there were cracks between us. That way she¡¯d feel safer approaching you, and when I ¡®kidnapped¡® her, she¡¯d immediately think to have Marcus rescue her¨Cafter all, she thought I was just some woman blinded by jealousy, never imagining it was a trap.¡± Ryan took my hand, his palm¡¯s warmth flowing through my fingertips with that familiar sense of security: ¡°I know you had your reasons, but you shouldn¡¯t have carried all this alone. When you said you wanted a divorce in the hospital room, I really panicked.¡± He paused, voice dropping. ¡°And when I pped you, I¡­¡± ¡°I know you were performing for Lily.¡± (bit) I interrupted him with a smile. ¡°That p looked forceful but didn¡¯t actually hurt me at all. I bit my own lip for the blood. When have you ever been able to really hit me?¡± Ryan smiled too, reaching up to ruffle my hair, eyes full of tenderness. Just then, the hospital room door opened and Ryan¡¯s parents walked in with his teammates, carrying fruit baskets. His mother immediately grabbed my hands, eyes red with emotion: Diamon Evidence 48.0% Chapter 7 ¡°Victoria, I¡¯m so sorry for misjudging you before. I had no idea you and Ryan were carrying such responsibility, having to put on this whole performance for a case.¡± Officer Diana came over too, face full of guilt: ¡°Detective Victoria, I¡¯m sorry. I misunderstood you before, calling you stupid and selfish¡­ turns out I was the stupid one, falling for Lily¡¯s crocodile tears all this time.¡± Ryan looked around at everyone, clearing his throat with a note of seriousness: ¡°We couldn¡¯t have sessfully apprehended Marcus and Lily without Victoria¡¯s contribution. She¡¯s not just my wife¨Cshe¡¯s an outstanding detective and someone we should all be proud of.¡± Everyone nodded, looking at me with genuine admiration. Watching this scene, warmth flooded my heart¨Call the pretending, hurt, and fear of these past weeks had meaning now that the truth was out. A few dayster, Ryan was discharged and I returned to work at the Criminal Investigation Division. The department held amendation ceremony for us. Marcus and Lily were formally charged with drug trafficking, harboring fugitives, and endangering national security, facing the full punishment of thew. And the three kilograms of fentanyl that had gone missing years ago were sessfully recovered based on Marcus¡¯s confession, prevented from reaching the streets. That evening, Ryan and I sat on our living room couch, looking out at the lights of the city. couple In the days ahead, we¡¯d be like any ordinary married couple¨Csupporting each other, protecting each other. Except this time, we weren¡¯t just protecting our little family¨Cwe were protecting the peace and justice behind all those twinkling lights. Chapter 1 Cheating 75 Jake Ashford and I were the poorest couple in Millfield, Montana. He couldn¡¯t walk right, his parents were sick all the time, and our baby boy died from a fever we couldn¡¯t afford to treat. When the flood hit, I strapped Jake to my back and started hauling ass up the mountain. His mom was screaming behind us: ¡°ra, leave his ass! Save yourself, honey!¡± I gritted my teeth and didn¡¯t let go. Just when I thought I couldn¡¯t take another step, Jake suddenly moved, He untied himself and stood up in the water like nothing happened. That¡¯s when a helicopter dropped out of the sky. His ¡°sick¡± parents ran up to it like they were in the Olympics or some shit. Jake reached out his hand, casual as hell: ¡°Congrats, babe. You passed the test. Get in¨Cour son¡¯s waiting.¡± After he said that, I nearly face¨Cnted. My son¡­ wasn¡¯t he supposed to be dead? I just stared at this asshole. Ten years I¡¯d been sleeping next to him, and turns out I didn¡¯t know shit about who he really was. Under that soaked, raggedy shirt were real fucking muscles. His face had this cold look I¡¯d never seen before. My throat felt like I¡¯d been eating ss: ¡°What test?¡± ¡°Ashford women gotta prove they won¡¯t bail when shit gets tough. Gotta be loyal, you know?¡± He didn¡¯t even try to exin, just grabbed my arm. ¡°You did great, babe. Grandpa¡¯s pumped.¡± Ashford? Grandpa? Updates are released by find~novel That hit me like a freight train. He dragged me onto the helicopter. As doors mmed shut, I watched our shitty little trailer disappear under all that water. Inside, his ¡°parents¡± went from freaking out to looking all¡­ respect? Total 180. They nodded at me: ¡°Mrs. Ashford.¡± Then they walked over to Jake and literally fucking bowed: ¡°Mr. Ashford, missionplete.¡± Jake waved them off and they sat in the corner like robots. I was shaking like crazy, but not ¡®cause I was cold. Tidanco 48.7% Chapter 1 ¡°Who are they?¡± I asked Jake. ¡°Company employees. They¡¯re pros.¡± With that, he peeled off his wet jacket. Underneath? Perfect dry shirt. Not one wrinkle. Even his damn clothes were fake. ¡°So these ten years¡­ all fake?¡± My voice was all fucked up. ¡°Your leg, your parents being sick, us being broke¡­ all of it was bullshit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a test.¡± He handed me coffee. ¡°ra, you should be stoked. You passed. No more living like white trash.¡± Stoked? I stared at this piece of shit. Ten years. I broke my arm falling off cliffs looking for herbs for his ¡°bad leg.¡± Ten years. I worked three jobs till I was puking blood to buy medicine for his ¡°dying parents.¡± Ten years. I ate fucking ramen for months to save money. Thought we were struggling together. Turns out I was just hisb rat. ¡°My son¡­¡± I grabbed onto the only thing left. ¡°Tommy, he¡¯s really alive? ¡°Yeah, duh.¡± Jake nodded. ¡°Goes by Carson now. He¡¯s nine, healthy as hell, smart little shit too.¡± Nine? He was barely walking when he supposedly ¡°died.¡± Eight years. Eight fucking years I cried myself to sleep, visited his grave, wanted to kill myself ¡®cause I couldn¡¯t save him. Yet he was out there the whole time. That felt like getting stabbed in the chest. ¡°Why the fuck would you DO this?¡± I stared him down. ¡°Family tradition.¡± Like it was no big deal, he said. ¡°Had to make sure you¡¯d be loyal to the Ashfords, you know?¡± Iughed till I was crying. Loyalty? He wanted loyalty through ten years of lies? Wended on this massivewn. Behind it was basically a fucking castle. I¡¯d never seen anything this fancy, not even on TV. This was Ashford Manor- My new ¡°home,¡± bought with ten years of hell. Cheating 76 Chapter 2 This woman in a power suit walked out with like twenty staff behind her. ¡°Mr. Ashford, wee back.¡± She took Jake¡¯s coat like he was the damn president. Jake pointed at me: ¡°This is ra Montgomery. She¡¯s Mrs. Ashford now.¡± The woman gave me this tiny bow with the fakest smile ever: ¡°Mrs. Ashford, I¡¯m Margaret Walsh, head of staff.¡± I just stood there like a zombie. Walking through those doors was like entering another fucking- Chandeliers everywhere, floors so shiny you could see your reflection, paintings that probably cost more than most people make in a lifetime¡­.. None of this shit had anything to do with me. Jake dragged me down this crazy long hallway, stopped at a white door. ¡°Carson¡¯s in here,¡± he said. ¡°Sophia¡¯s with him.¡± He opened the door and holy shit¨Cit was like Toys¡°R¡°Us threw up in there. This kid in a little button¨Cdown was on the carpet, building with LEGOS. He looked just like Jake, but had my eyes. ¡°Carson,¡± Jake called. Kid saw Jake and totally lit up, came running over: ¡°Daddy!¡± Then he saw me. His face changedpletely. Suspicious as hell. ¡°Daddy, who¡¯s she?¡± This sweet voice answered. ¡°Carson, honey, don¡¯t be rude.¡± This woman in a white dress walked over, knelt next to the kid and took his hand: ¡°This is your dad¡¯s¡­ friend.¡± Then she looked at me with this fake¨Cass apologetic smile: ¡°Sorry, Miss Montgomery. We¡¯ve spoiled him¨Che¡¯s not great with strangers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Sophia Laurent. Carson¡¯s nanny.¡± Jake jumped in: ¡°Sophia¡¯s got her Master¡¯s from Columbia. She¡¯s been taking care of Carson since he was tiny.¡± I watched this bitch with my son. How they just¡­ fit. My son was hiding behind her, looking at me like I was gonna kidnap him. Eight years. While I was losing my fucking mind, this woman got bedtime stories and hugs and first steps. Now I¡¯m just some creepy stranger. Jake was still grinning, totally clueless I was falling apart: ¡°Carson, say hi to your mom.¡± He hesitated on that word. Kid backed up even more, ¡°I don¡¯t want another mom,¡± he whispered, looking at Sophia like she was his whole world. Every word was a p in my face. Read full story at Sophia immediately got down on his level: ¡°Carson, sweetie, that¡¯s not nice. Thisdy is your dad¡¯s friend¨Cwe gotta be polite, okay?¡± She turned to me: ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss Montgomery. He¡¯s just a kid, you know?¡± ¡°Lady.¡± ¡°Miss Montgomery.¡± Making it crystal clear I didn¡¯t belong. Jake looked pissed but didn¡¯t push it. ¡°ra, go shower and change.¡± His arm around my shoulders felt like a cage. ¡°Margaret, show Mrs. Ashford to her room.¡± Margaret led me to what was basically a pce. Walk¨Cin closet full of designer shit with price tags I couldn¡¯t even read, bathroom bigger than my old trailer. Margaret ran my bath, polite but cold as hell. ¡°Mrs. Ashford, I got rid of your old stuff. Mr. Ashford picked these out¨Chope they work for you.¡± Got rid of. That beat¨Cup nnel I¡¯d lived in for five years, stained to shit, sleeves falling apart. The nicest thing I owned. My whole fucking life. Just¡­ gone. I sank into that fancy bathtub, but felt cold down to my bones. Ten years¨Call one big fucking joke. Love was fake, family was fake, my grief was fake. After showering, I put on this silk nightgown that felt like wearing air. Mirror showed someone I didn¡¯t know¨Cpale, empty, broken. ¡°How you feeling? Getting used to everything?¡± Jake came in, sat down on the bed, and handed me some wine. But I didn¡¯t take it. ¡°Jake, you think ¡®cause you gave me all this fancy shit, I should kiss your ass?¡± His smile died. ¡°ra, I get that this is a lot. But you¡¯re smart¨Cthis is the best thing that could¡¯ve happened. No more being poor, Carson¡¯s alive, we can all be together.¡± ¡°Together?¡± Iughed. ¡°What am I in this little fantasy? Your personal baby factory?¡± His face went dark. ¡°ra, don¡¯t you fucking dare act like this. You know how many chicks would die for Mrs. Ashford? I spent ten goddamn years testing your ass¨Cyou should be kissing my feet.¡± Kissing his feet. So all that shit, all the hell I went through¨CI was supposed to get on my knees and thank this asshole? ¡°What if I stared right at him, ¡°what if I¡¯d said fuck it and left you to drown today? What then?¡± Jake went quiet. ¡°Then I¡¯d¡¯ve been wrong about you. You and Carson would be gone right now.¡± He said it like he was talking about the weather. But I got it. If I¡¯d failed, my son and I would¡¯ve just¡­ disappeared. ¡°Get the fuck out.¡± I pointed at the door. Jake tried to get all sweet, arms open like old times. ¡°ra, baby¡­¡± Fuck it. I just curled up in a ball, arms wrapped tight around myself. Jake wrapped his arms around me. This used to feel safe. But now the bed was too soft, too perfect¨Cnothing like that piece of shit mattress with springs poking through. Sure, it was fancy andfortable, but somehow it felt colder than that crappy trailer with holes in the roof. Jake Ashford¨Cspoiled rich asshole who slept on plywood for ten years just to mess with my head. And I was supposed to thank him? Cheating 77 The next morning, I woke up smelling like a damn perfume store. New clothesid out¨Csome designer dress that probably cost more than I used to make in a year. I put the damn thing on, and it felt like wearing a costume that wasn¡¯t even close to being me. Downstairs, this old guy was at a dining table the size of a small country.. Expensive suit, ying with some gold coin thing, radiating ¡°I own your ass¡± energy. Had to be the big boss¨CJake¡¯s grandfather. Jake and Sophia were eating while my son sat next to her, letting her cut his pancakes. Perfect little family. I looked like the psycho ex crashing breakfast. ¡°Sit.¡± Old man barely looked up. I sat next to Jake. Some servant brought me fancy coffee and croissants and shit I¡¯d only seen in movies. Somehow, it made me think of back home¨Cstale cereal if I was lucky. ¡°ra, say hello to Grandpa,¡± Jake said. I looked at the old man. My mouth opened but nothing came out. ¡°No fucking manners.¡± He mmed his fork down. ¡°Jake, this is what you picked? Trailer park trash who can¡¯t even pretend to have ss.¡± Jake¡¯s face went red: ¡°Grandpa, she just needs-¡± Discover more novels at F¦ÉndNovel ¡°Needs what? A miracle?¡± Old man¡¯s eyes were like ice. ¡°You¡¯re an Ashford now, girl. Act like it or get out. I won¡¯t have this family embarrassed by some hillbilly cunt.¡± Sophia jumped in at the perfect moment, voice sweet as fucking sugar: ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t get yourself all worked up. ra just walked in the door¨Ccut her some ck, you know? Jake¡¯s got good taste. If he picked her, she¡¯s gotta have something going for her.¡± Sounded like she had my back, but the bitch was totally setting me up. And it worked. Grandfather¡¯s face went from pissed to fucking livid. ¡°Something going for her? All I see is trailer trash who can¡¯t even fake having manners.¡± Carson mumbled: ¡°She made Dad really mad yesterday.¡± Sophia patted his back: ¡°Carson, don¡¯t say things like that, honey.¡± But she smirked at me. This cunt wanted my husband and my son. Question was: if she was already ying house, why bring me back? I drank my coffee. Bitter as hell, but it cleared my head. V¡­ Divorce Evidence 50.0% That¡¯s when it hit me. Losing my shit wasn¡¯t gonna help me one damn bit here, Time to get smart. After that shitshow breakfast, Jake left for work. Before leaving, he pulled me aside: ¡°ra, just¡­ go along with Grandpa for now, okay? Eventually we¡¯ll run this ce.¡± ¡°We?¡± stared at him. ¡°You actually mean both of us?¡± He looked confused. ¡°Well, yeah. You¡¯re my wife. Mrs. Ashford.¡± Right. Like that meant shit. After he left, Sophia took Carson to the garden. I watched from upstairs¨Cthey were so fucking happy. My son holding her hand,ughing at something she said. Seeing that just fucking killed me. I couldn¡¯t watch anymore, so I went back to my room. Time to figure out how this ce really worked- Margaret was polite but I could see her judging every move I made. Other staff acted like well¨Ctrained soldiers. And Grandfather controlled everything¨Che was the real power. But there were cracks¨CJake¡¯s, Ryan Ashford. At dinner, he¡¯d make these littlements, always smiling like it was just jokes. I started ying along. Wore the fancy clothes, learned which fork was which, smiled when I wanted to scream. I became quiet and sweet¨Clike a perfect little doll. Jake was eating this shit up. Thought I¡¯d finally gotten with the program, you know? Like I was cool with this whole setup now. What he didn¡¯t know was that in my mind, this asshole wasn¡¯t my husband anymore. That guy was dead to me. But my kid? The baby I busted my ass to bring into this world? Fuck that. Nobody was taking him from me. Chapter 4 Cheating 78 Chapter 4 Everything changed the next Saturday. Jake wanted family bonding time at the stables. Carson was psyched ¡®cause Sophia promised to teach him to ride. I couldn¡¯t ride for shit, so I just watched. Carson looked like a little prince on this white pony, Sophia leading him around. ¡°Miss Sophia, am I doing it right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re perfect, sweetie!¡± She kept checking to make sure Jake was watching her be the perfect mom. Theirughter made me sick. Jake came over: ¡°See how great they are together? Sophia¡¯s amazing with kids.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, watching my son love someone else. Then the pony freaked out and reared up. Carson screamed and hit the ground. Everyone froze. I stopped thinking and started running. ¡°CARSON!¡± Sophia was screaming too, got there first. ¡°Carson, baby, are you hurt? Tell me where it hurts!¡± Crying like her heart was breaking. Carson was terrified, sobbing. I tried to get close but he shoved me away. ¡°Get away from me! I hate you! You did this! You scared my horse!¡± I was standing like twenty feet away. Hadn¡¯t done jack shit. Newest update provided by FindN0vel But Carson was pointing at me, crying like I¡¯d tried to kill him. Jake came running over and snatched Carson right out of Sophia¡¯s arms. ¡°Where¡¯s it hurt, buddy? You okay?¡± ¡°Daddy, it was her! She gave my horse the evil eye and scared him!¡± Carson was bawling, pointing his little finger straight at me. Jake looked at me like I was a monster. ¡°ra, what the fuck did you do?¡± I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. 50.7% Pridonee ¡°Nothing!¡± I said, ¡°I was just standing here!¡± Sophia was shaking, hugging herself: ¡°It¡¯s not Miss Montgomery¡¯s fault, Jake. Maybe I didn¡¯t hold the lead rope tight enough. It¡¯s my fault. Carson, don¡¯t be scared, honey.¡± She was all gentle with Carson,forting him and shit, but kept side eyeing me like she was scared I¡¯d call her out. Academy Award performance right there. Made it look like I was the jealous psycho birth mom trying to hurt my own kid. ¡°You¡¯re fucking pathetic, ra.¡± Jake¡¯s voice could freeze hell. ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit if you¡¯re pissed at me¨Cdon¡¯t you dare take it out on him.¡± The asshole was right there with me the whole time. Ile fucking knew I didn¡¯t do anything. Didn¡¯t even give me a chance to say anything¨Cjust threw me under the bus. He picked up Carson and walked off without looking back. Sophia followed but stopped next to me, whispered: ¡°Listen up, bitch. This isn¡¯t your house, Carson isn¡¯t your kid anymore, and Jake sure as hell isn¡¯t your husband. They¡¯re all mine.¡± I stood there while everyone stared and whispered about the crazydy. Now I got it- I waspletely alone here. Cheating 79 Chapter 5 I didn¡¯t cry, didn¡¯t lose my shit. Just walked back to my golden prison. That night, Jake didn¡¯te to bed. But I could hearughing from Sophia¡¯s room. ¡°Jake, try these cookies¨CCarson helped me make them just for you.¡± ¡°Carson¡¯s still upset from earlier. I should stay with him tonight.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave¨CCarson wants his daddy.¡± Our rooms were like at opposite ends of this massive house¨CI shouldn¡¯t have heard jack shit. Sophia probably cracked her door wide open, making damn sure I caught every word. But I knew Jake wasn¡¯t gonna spend the night. These rich assholes care way too much about what people think. Jake shacking up in the nanny¡¯s room? Yeah right. That¡¯d be a total scandal. They tested me for ten fucking years¨Cyou think they¡¯d screw up their own image now? This text is hosted at f?ndnovel My being here? That was all part of their twisted little game. Iy there staring at nothing, couldn¡¯t sleep worth a damn. Next day I found Margaret. ¡°I want cameras in my room,¡± I said. Margaret looked surprised: ¡°Mrs. Ashford, your room is perfectly secure.¡± ¡°Not for security. For memories.¡± I met her eyes. ¡°I wanna record time with Carson. Save videos for when he¡¯s older, you know?¡± Reasonable request. Margaret agreed, had them install a basic camera. After the tech guy left, I swapped it for a tiny wide¨Cangle one I¡¯d ordered online, hid it behind some books. Perfect view of the little sitting area where Sophia brought Carson for their ¡°visits.¡± Now, time to wait- Sophia was smarter than I thought. She knew something was up, acted perfect whenever she brought Carson over. Even encouraged him to hug me, making it look like we were bonding. Everything I recorded just her perfect little act¨Ctotally useless as evidence. I needed her to drop the act. That old shirt Margaret said she¡¯d ¡°taken care of¡°? Yeah, I¡¯d actually stuffed it in my backpack when no one was looking. When Sophia brought Carson in and saw it, her perfect mask slipped just a little. After she sent the servants away, her perfect smile finally cracked. ¡°ra, why the hell are you keeping this piece of shit?¡± She stared at my old nnel. ¡°Missing your trailer park days? Feeling all nostalgic about being poor as dirt?¡± I didn¡¯t say anything, just kept wiping down this little ss jar¨Cthe only thing connecting me to my son from before. ¡°You think keeping this crap around is gonna make Jake remember the ¡®good times¡®? Make him fall for you again?¡± Sophiaughed, but it was mean. ¡°He wants someone who can handle his world, who can raise his kid right. Not some hillbilly who doesn¡¯t know shit about anything.¡± Then she walked over to Carson, ran her fingers through his hair. ¡°Carson, honey, tell thisdy who you love most.¡± Carson didn¡¯t even look up from his toys: ¡°I love you, Miss Sophia.¡± The look she gave me was pure victory. She crouched down next to Carson, talking quiet but just loud enough for my hidden camera to pick up. ¡°Carson, baby, you gotta remember: Thatdy over there? She didn¡¯t want you when you were little. She threw you away like garbage. Now she¡¯s back ¡®cause we got money, trying to steal you from me.¡± ¡°Stay away from her, okay? She might try to hurt you or take you somewhere bad.¡± My hands clenched into fists. So that¡¯s how she¡¯d been poisoning my kid against me. I took a deep breath, stood up, walked right up to her. ¡°Sophia, you can say whatever shit you want about me. But don¡¯t lie to my son.¡® ¡± ¡°Lie?¡± She stood up, got right in my face. ¡°Did you or did you not disappear for ten years? Did you or did you not abandon him? I¡¯m just telling him the truth.¡± ¡°The truth is, I¡¯m his mom,¡± I said, every word crystal clear. ¡°Mom?¡± Sheughed like I¡¯d told the world¡¯s funniest joke. ¡°A mom who dumped her kid for ten years and never gave a shit? ra, you¡¯re fucking delusional.¡± I looked at her, then just smiled and walked out. Sophia looked confused¨Cprobably expected me to lose my shit. I didn¡¯t take action right away. That video might get rid of Sophia, but getting rid of her wasn¡¯t my real goal. I put the recording away safe. I was waiting for the right moment. Cheating 80 The Ashford family business was huge¨Creal estate, tech, you name it. Jake was running this new green energy project. Grandfather was using it to test Jake against his cousin Ryan¨Cwhoever did better would inherit everything. The project was happening in this ce called Pine Ridge. When I heard ¡°Pine Ridge,¡± I almost dropped my coffee. Pine Ridge was right next to where we used to live. I knew that ce like the back of my hand. Jake was stressed as hell about it, working till all hours. His office was covered with project files and blueprints. I started bringing himte¨Cnight snacks when he was working. At first, he was suspicious, but when he saw I just dropped off food and left without asking questions, he rxed. I couldn¡¯t read all thoseplicated reports and shit. But I could read maps. I saw exactly where they nned to build the factory¨Cright in this low area near Pine Ridge. That spot flooded every damn year when the snow melted and the underground springs overflowed. All us locals called it ¡°Devil¡¯s Hollow¡°-nobody was stupid enough to build there. Jake had to know. There was a thick geological report on his desk that basically said ¡°HIGH RISK.¡± But he picked that spot anyway ¡®cause thend was cheapest and he could finish fastest, beat Ryan to the punch. He was gambling with people¡¯s lives to win some family pissing contest. Finally, I saw my chance. At a family barbecue, I spotted Ryan sitting alone in the corner, drinking and looking pissed about something. I grabbed some lemonade and walked over. ¡°Hey Ryan, why you sitting here by yourself?¡± He looked up at me with this calcting look. ¡°What¡¯s up, ra?¡± Get full chapters from Find[?]ovel ¡°Nothing really, just saw you looked lonely.¡± I sat down across from him. ¡°Heard you guys are both working on some big project. Must be stressful.¡± ¡°Family business,¡± he said, not giving much away. ¡°I don¡¯t know shit about business stuff.¡± I stirred my drink, acting casual. ¡°Just know you gotta be careful where you build things. Like back 15:16 When Your Cheating Husband¡¯s Dream Be Your Divorce Evidence 52.09% home near Pine Ridge, there¡¯s this spot called Devil¡¯s Hollow that floods every spring, Old¨Ctimers always said anyone stupid enough to build there would lose everything.¡± I said it like I was just making conversation. Ryan¡¯s fingers tapped once on his beer bottle. I knew I¡¯d hit something. ¡°Really? That¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Probably just old wives¡® tales, you know?¡± I smiled and got up. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t let me bug you.¡± ¡°Wait, ra. I got some other questions for you.¡± I turned back to Ryan. I knew he was hooked. That night, I drove out to Pine Ridge alone. Looking at all that construction happening in the moonlight, I made a phone call. ¡°Ryan, I got a deal for you. You interested?¡± Cheating 81 Chapter 7 As days went by, Pine Ridge construction kept going full steam. Jake was getting more confident every day, kept getting praised by Grandfather in meetings. While Ryan was getting quieter and moodier. Sophia was getting more bitchy around me. She started bossing Carson around right in front of me, acting like I was invisible. She even hinted to the other staff that they didn¡¯t need to take the ¡°temporary Mrs. Ashford¡± too seriously. I didn¡¯t give a shit. I was just waiting. Waiting for the spring floods. Spring in Montana hits hard and fast. Weeks of heavy rain and snow melt turned the whole area into a swamp. News started talking about flood warnings in the mountains. Then one night, Jake got a phone call. All the color drained from his face. ¡°What do you mean cracks in the foundation wall?! IMPOSSIBLE! I spent millions on reinforcement!¡± He was screaming into the phone while I sat on the couch reading a magazine. He hung up and just copsed on the floor. Weekter, the rains were stilling. Then came judgment day¡ª ¡°What¡¯s all this yelling about?!¡± Grandfather¡¯s voice boomed through the house. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Jake¡¯s voice was shaking. ¡°Pine Ridge¡­ The factory foundation copsedpletely ¡®cause of flooding and mudslides.¡± Grandfather¡¯s face went ck as thunder. The source of th?s content is find~novel ¡°Didn¡¯t you do soil testing?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ but the rain was so heavy, the groundwater rose way higher than anyone predicted, and when the mudslide hit¡­¡± Jake¡¯s voice got smaller and smaller. That¡¯s when Ryan spoke up. ¡°Jake, I tried to warn you about that spot. It¡¯s called Devil¡¯s Hollow¨Cthe locals know it floods every year. You just wouldn¡¯t listen ¡®cause you wanted to rush the timeline.¡± Jake¡¯s head snapped up: ¡°You¡­ you knew?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know for sure.¡± Ryan shrugged, looking innocent. ¡°I just heard ra mention some local folklore, figured it was worth checking out. 15.17 When Your Cheating Husband¡¯s Dream Be Your Divorce Evidence 52.796 Had my team do a backup n just in case.¡± ¡°Not only that¡­¡± Ryan pulled out his phone, showed a video. Video showed the construction site with workers building, Ryan suddenly appeared on screen. ¡°Everybody out! NOW! We got mudslidesing down the mountain and this ce is about to get hit!¡± Workers looked panicked, but Ryan got them all out safely. Minutes after everyone evacuated, the whole area copsed with a huge CRAS¨ªL Obviously, if Ryan hadn¡¯t given that warning, the Ashfordpany would be dealing with twenty¨Csomething deaths. Losing a project was nothingpared to that. Dead workers would¡¯ve destroyed the whole Ashford empire. Everyone stared at Jake. Especially Grandfather, with the coldest look I¡¯d ever seen. Jake looked at me like he¡¯d seen a ghost. ¡°ra¡­ it¡¯s you?¡± I slowly closed my magazine, looked up at him. ¡°I just told Ryan a story from back home.¡± My voice was totally calm. ¡°Is that against thew or something?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t even finish the sentence. ¡°Enough!¡± Grandfather mmed his cane down. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking disgrace!¡± He was shaking with rage. ¡°Billions! Gone! You arrogant piece of shit! Thank God for Ryan or we¡¯d all be fucked! You¡¯ve turned the Ashford name into a fuckingughingstock!¡± Ryan stood there quiet, shared a look with me. I knew Jake was done. Cheating 82 Grandfather basically grounded Jake¡¯s ass and kicked him out of thepanypletely. Ryan had to deal with all the Pine Ridge bullshit now. The whole house was like a tomb for days straight. Jake holed up in his room, smashing bottles and getting wasted. When he looked at me, he had murder in his eyes. He stormed into my room and grabbed my wrist hard. ¡°ra, why the fuck did you do this to me?! What¡¯s your game?!¡± His eyes were bloodshot as hell, reeking of booze. ¡°Game? What game?¡± I yanked my arm away from him. ¡°All I did was tell Ryan a story I¡¯ve known since I was a kid. You¡¯re the one who didn¡¯t believe some ¡®hillbilly trash,¡® right?¡± ¡°You knew that ce was fucked up! Why didn¡¯t you just tell me?!¡± ¡°Tell you? Would you have even listened?¡± Iughed in his face. ¡°You think I¡¯m just some ignorant hick who got lucky after ten years of kissing ass. You think my word means jack shitpared to your fancy reports?¡± He just stood there with his mouth hanging open. Yeah, that was it. Chapters first released on f?ndnovel He never actually respected me. Not once. To him, everything I was worth came from passing his sick little test. ¡°Real nice, ra. Real fucking nice.¡± He was pointing at me, practically spitting mad. ¡°You think screwing up my project changes anything? I¡¯m still an Ashford, bitch. I¡¯ll bounce back. But you? You¡¯ll always be nothing but my property!¡± He mmed the door so hard the whole wall shook. Whatever. Just a pathetic loser having a tantrum. Sophia could tell Jake was totally fucked, and her meal ticket was gone. She was freaking out. Now she was desperate as hell to hold onto Carson¨Cher only way to stay in this family. She started going full psycho, poisoning my kid against me even worse than before. That day, I had the kitchen make Carson¡¯s favorite dessert and brought it to his room myself. Right outside his door, I heard Sophia¡¯s voice. ¡°Carson, honey, listen to me. You can never, ever eat anything that woman gives you. She hates us, and she might put poison in your food to hurt you.¡± ~ Unshand¡¯s Dream Be Your Divorce Evidence 53.396 Chapter 8 I froze with the tray in my hands. ¡°Poison? Like the evil queen in Snow White?¡± My son¡¯s voice had that innocent, scared little kid sound. ¡°Yeah, sweetie.¡± Sophia¡¯s voice was all sugar and honey, but what she was saying was pure evil. ¡°So you stay far away from her, okay? Only me. I really love you.¡± When Sophia saw me standing there, she looked like she¡¯d been caught stealing for a split second, but then got all calm again. ¡°Oh, Miss Montgomery¡­ you really should knock first¡­¡± I ignored the bitch and walked straight over to Carson, set the bowl down on his table. ¡°Carson, honey, Mommy made this just for you. Try it.¡± Carson looked at Sophia all scared, backed away from me, shaking his head. ¡°Uh¨Cuh. Mama Sophia says I can¡¯t take stuff from strangers.¡± He didn¡¯t knock it over or anything, but that word-¡°strangers¡°-cut deeper than a knife. Sophia looked at me with this smug¨Cass smile, eyes full of ¡°got ya, bitch.¡± She¡¯d fucking done it- Turning my own kid against me. Making him think his real mom was the enemy. This time, I didn¡¯t just walk away like some beaten dog. I turned around, went to the corner, and pulled that tiny camera out from behind the books. Then walked right up to Sophia, holding it where she could see it. ¡°Everything you just said? It¡¯s all on here, bitch.¡± Sophia¡¯s face went white as a sheet. She stared at the camera like it was a bomb, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. ¡°You¡­ you set me up!¡± ¡°Takes one to know one.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Compared to the sick shit you¡¯ve been doing to my son, this is nothing.¡± I pocketed the camera. But this wasn¡¯t enough. I needed to expose this psycho in front of the whole damn family. And I didn¡¯t have to wait long for the perfect chance. Cheating 83 Chapter 9 After Ryan took over the Pine Ridge mess, he handled it like a pro and brought in new investors. Grandfather couldn¡¯t shut up about how amazing Ryan was, so he called this big family meeting. Time to make it official¨CRyan was taking over everything from Jake. Meeting day, all the Ashford bigshots showed up. Jake sat there looking like death warmed over, like some prisoner waiting for his execution. Sophia was standing behind him, pale as hell and shaking like a leaf. Grandfather cleared his throat, about to make his big announcement. That¡¯s when I stood up. ¡°Grandpa, before you make this official, I think everyone needs to see something.¡± Every single person in that room was staring at me. Jake red at me like he wanted to murder me: ¡°ra, what kind of bullshit are you trying to pull now?!¡± I ignored his ass and handed the sh drive to Margaret. Soon, the massive TV screen lit up with my room¡¯s video footage. There was Sophia, spewing her poison at my little boy. ¡°¡­she didn¡¯t want you before, she threw you away like garbage¡­¡± ¡°¡­she hates us, she might put poison in your food¡­¡± ¡°¡­only Mama Sophia really loves you¡­¡± ¡°¡­Carson and Jake are going to be mine¡­¡± The source of th?s content is find?novel Every sick word echoed through that huge room, crystal fucking clear. Everyone in that room went pale as shit. Carson saw it too, staring at the screen all confused, then looking at Sophia like he didn¡¯t know who she was anymore. ¡°Mama Sophia¡­ why¡­ why did you lie to me?¡± Sophia¡¯s face went from white to green, her legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees. ¡°No¡­ no, it¡¯s not what it looks like! Grandpa, Jake, let me exin! I just love Carson so much, I was scared someone would take him away!¡± She was babbling like a crazy person. Grandfather¡¯s face was darker than a storm cloud. The old man cared about one thing above everything else¨Chow his family¡¯s kids got raised. Hell, even his own sons had to stay in line. That¡¯s why he never actually kicked me out, even when he couldn¡¯t stand me. naam Re Your Divorce Evidence 54.09% These people spent ten years testing my character you think they don¡¯t give a damn about their own standards? Sophia just crossed a line you don¡¯t cross with him. I walked right up to Jake and stared him down. ¡°Still think she¡¯s such a great nanny?¡± He looked at me, his mouth opening and closing, but nothing came out. I turned to face Grandfather and gave him a little bow. ¡°Look, I know I¡¯m nobody. Just some poor girl who doesn¡¯t fit in here. But even trash like me knows you don¡¯t turn a kid against his own mom.¡± ¡°I did everything you wanted for ten years. Passed your twisted little test. And what¡¯d I get?¡± ¡°Lies. You took my son away. This crazy bitch poisoned his mind while you all just watched.¡± My voice wasn¡¯t loud, but every single word hit that room like a bomb. ¡°I¡¯m not here begging anyone for help.¡± I looked at Carson¨Cmy boy. ¡°I just need you to know something, baby. Mommy never left you. Ever.¡± Then I told him about the fireflies. ¡°Remember our old ce? Those summer nights when fireflies came inside? You loved them so much. I caught a whole jar for you. Made our room glow like stars.¡± That was our story. Just ours. He was so little then. Maybe he¡¯d remember. Maybe not. I looked at him and waited. Carson¨Cmy little boy¨Cjust stared at me with those big eyes filling up with tears. He pulled away from Sophia but didn¡¯t run to me either. Just stood there, scared and confused. I got it. Kid¡¯s whole world just got flipped upside down. The ¡°good mom¡± he trusted was a liar. The ¡°bad mom¡± he was scared of was telling him she loved him. That¡¯s a lot for a little kid to handle. But I had time now. No rush. Cheating 84 Chapter 10 That day, the whole Ashford family got hit by a fucking earthquake. Sophia got kicked out on the spot. She was bawling her eyes out on the way out, but nobody gave a damn. Grandfather stripped Jake of everything right there¨Cinheritance rights,pany position, the works and shipped off to some shitty branch office in ska. The Pine Ridge fuckup almost cost twenty lives. Plus being a shit father and cheating on his wife¨CJake was done for. With Ryan running things now, Jake would never crawl back from this. Before he left, he gave me this long, dead look. All the anger was gone. Just defeat. Maybe he finally figured out it wasn¡¯t just my ¡°betrayal¡± that destroyed him¨Cit was that cold¨Cass family system and his own arrogance. After the drama died down, Grandfather called me into his study. He looked at me with thisplicated expression. ¡°You¡¯re way smarter than I thought,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Our family fucked you over, I¡¯ll admit that. What do you want? Money? Status? Name it, the Ashfords will make it happen.¡± I looked at this powerful old man and shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from you guys.¡± I took my son¡¯s hand¨Che was looking down, wouldn¡¯t meet my eyes. ¡°I just want the right to see Carson whenever I want. And Carson cane see me whenever he wants.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stop me from seeing my son. That¡¯s all.¡± I didn¡¯t ask for custody. Grandfather would never give it to me anyway. Ryan couldn¡¯t have kids of his own, so Carson would be raised as the only heir. He¡¯d have a better future with the Ashfords. Grandfather thought about it for a long time, his expression getting more and more conflicted. ¡°You¡¯re a good woman, ra. Carson¡¯s lucky to have a mom like you.¡± ¡°I agree. You can see Carson anytime.¡± Outside the study, Ryan was waiting. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smirking at me. -Land¡¯s Droam Re Your Divorce Evidence 54.7% ¡°So that¡¯s it? You¡¯re just walking away?¡± I looked at him sideways. ¡°Hell no. Just ¡®cause I don¡¯t want the old man¡¯s money doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t want yours.¡± ¡°You helped me take down Jake, plus all that other stuff¡­ now you got the inheritance and everything. Asking for a million bucks isn¡¯t too much, right?¡± ¡°And you¡¯re gonna invest in my hometown too. We need better roads!¡± Ryan¡¯s face fell. ¡°You never said anything about investing! That wasn¡¯t part of the deal!¡± ¡°Well, if I told you our area¡¯s got way better resources than Pine Ridge¡­¡± ¡°What?! Are you serious? Okay, fine! Let¡¯s talk business first¡­¡± Before I left that day, Carson came to say goodbye. But he hid behind a big tree, just peeking his little head out. Still looking at me with suspicion and fear. But also¡­ maybe a little curiosity? I turned toward where my son was hiding and opened my arms. ¡°Carson, can I get a hug before I go?¡± For the longest time, nothing. Just this scared little kid peeking out from behind a tree. Then, real slow, he took a step toward me. Then another. When he finally ran into my arms, I held him like I¡¯d never let go. When I finally walked out those heavy front doors, the sun hit me just right. Felt warm and good, like it was washing away all the bullshit. Few yearster, my son was drinking soup I¡¯d been cooking for four hours, talking nonstop about the girl next door. I couldn¡¯t stop grinning, kept piling more food on his te. ¡°Mom, call Grandpa and tell him I¡¯m not going back today.¡± Carson ran to the bedroom, tried to hide under the nkets. ¡°Nope.¡± My voice was firm. ¡°You¡¯ve been here all summer. School starts tomorrow¨Cyou gotta go back.¡± Carson pouted, giving me those puppy dog eyes just like when he was little. ¡°But Mom, the roads are all fixed now! It¡¯s super easy to get around. You could drive me to I pulled out his packed suitcase. ¡°Next week I¡¯lle stay at the main house with you for a few days, okay? I got too much work here in town.¡± ¡°What do you want me to cook for you? I¡¯ll make it and bring it over.¡± Vaur Divorce Evidence 54.9% Walking Carson to the edge of town, all the locals waved and said hi ¡°Hey ra, Carson¡¯s heading back? Look at him, not crying this time¨Che¡¯s growing up!¡± ¡°ra, the irrigation project on the east side is done. Check it out when you get a chance¡­¡± ¡°ra, we might have budget for upgrading the power lines. I texted you the details¡­¡± ¡°Damn. Carson gets more handsome every time I see him. Kid¡¯s gonna be tall!¡± All this friendly chatter while Carson got in the car. He handed me a little ss jar with a firefly in it, looking all sad. ¡°Mom, I caught this one special for you. Took me forever.¡± ¡°And I want you toe see me soon! I want pancakes, curry shrimp, beef skewers¡­¡± Chapters first released on find?novel Iughed and promised, then snuck in a kiss on his cheek. Gotta get my kisses in now. Once this kid hits his teens, he won¡¯t let me touch him! Cheating 85 Chapter 1 Three years into our marriage, mypany hit financial trouble and needed a three¨Cbillion¨Cdor loan from the bank. When I submitted the asset verification to the bank, I asked my husband to get our property deed. My husband, River, who¡¯d always bent over backwards for me, suddenly started hemming and hawing. ¡°Things are crazy at work right now. Once I wrap this up, I¡¯ll personally deliver the deed to the bank. Don¡¯t stress about it, babe¨CI¡¯ve got this handled.¡± Despite my constant nagging, he still wouldn¡¯t produce the property deed. With no other options and thepany¡¯s financial pressure mounting, I took our marriage certificate to the County Recorder¡¯s Office and applied for a recement deed, iming the original was lost. When I held that recement deed in my hands, I finally understood what had been eating at me about my husband¡¯s weird behavior! N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on Find_Novel(. It clearly stated: Property Owner: River Reed. Spouse: Vivian Reed. Vivian Reed? Who the hell is this?? Walking out of the County Recorder¡¯s Office, I kept staring at the recement deed in my hands, almost convinced the clerk had screwed something up. My husband River Reed and I had dated for two years, been married for three, and our rtionship had always been rock solid. He was what everyone called the perfect doting husband¨Cwould¡¯ve moved heaven and earth to spoil me rotten. But now, here was another woman¡¯s name on our property deed. After we got married, I¡¯d handed over most of mypany¡¯s operations to River, and he¡¯d thrown himself into itpletely, often working until the crack of dawn to grow the business. So he could get better rest, I¡¯d bought this ce near the office two years ago, just so he wouldn¡¯t have to shuttle back and forth between work and home when things got hectic. But now, that stranger¡¯s name on the property deed hit me like a freight train. Lost in thought, my phone buzzed¨CRiver calling. ¡°Hey babe, you home? I¡¯m heading back now. We need to talk about this whole house situation.¡± Nice time. I slipped the property deed into my purse and headed straight home. When I got there, River was parked on the couch. Seeing me walk in, he jumped up and took my coat, hanging it on the rack with practiced ease. Smooth as silk, gentle as always¨Cexactly like every single day for the past three years. I looked down, dodging the intensity in his eyes. ¡°You said you wanted to talk about the house? The bank¡¯s breathing down my neck¨Cdid you get the property deed?¡± Guilt shed across River¡¯s eyes. ¡°Maya, I talked to my folks about this whole thing. You know how they are¨Csmall¨Ctown people who don¡¯t get what ¡®asset verification¡® even means. All they know is we¡¯re taking out a loan, and they¡¯re scared we won¡¯t be able to pay it back and the bank will snatch the house.¡± ¡°Look, we¡¯ve got plenty of other assets, right? What if we just leave this house out of it? Give my parents some peace of mind, you know?¡± Watching River¡¯s guilty yet hopeful expression, disappointment crashed over me. Three years of marriage, and he still couldn¡¯t be straight with me. I was about to tear his lies apart and demand to know who the hell that extra name belonged to when his phone rang. ¡°Yeah, okay, don¡¯t panic. I¡¯m on my way.¡± Hanging up, River turned to me with furrowed brows. ¡°That was the office¨Cimportant client just showed up. You know how it is, thepany¡¯s hanging by a thread right now. I gotta bounce.¡± ¡°Maya, sweetie, I¡¯ll probably be pulling an all¨Cnighter. I¡¯ll just crash at the office. Take care of yourself tonight, okay?¡± Without another nce my way, River grabbed his jacket off the couch and bolted out the door. Watching his retreating figure, my heart sank deeper. My gut told me he definitely wasn¡¯t heading to the office. I dialed our project manager¡¯s number and heard his confused voice through the speaker. ¡°Nah, important clients always book appointments in advance. No one mentioned any clienting in today.¡± My suspicions confirmed, I hung up and drove straight to that house near the office. The moment I stepped inside, I froze in ce, my feet refusing to budge another inch. The house was spotless¨Cthe ceramic tiles in the living room gleamed so brightly they were almost reflective, the nts and flowers were meticulously maintained, and even the carpets looked pristine and brand new. Tears started streaming down my face instantly. After three years of marriage, how could I not know River inside and out? He treated me like a queen, was totally on top ofpany business. But when it came to daily life? Complete disaster. The guy couldn¡¯t even keep track of his socks¨Cthey¡¯d be scattered all over the ce. So¡­ this wasn¡¯t the home of such a man living alone. Every corner of the house was screaming at me wildly¨Can invisible ¡°mistress of the house¡± was here. Cheating 86 After scanning the living room, I walked into the first room¨Cthe study. Theputer wasn¡¯t even password¨Cprotected. When I powered it up, the desktop delivered another devastating blow. Howe¡­ there were so many children¡¯s games? I¡¯m the sole heir to Winston Group. River might not match my family¡¯s wealth, but after marrying me, he¡¯d thrown himself intopany work with everything he had. Hisputer was sacred to him¨Che¡¯d never let anyone else touch it. But now, besides the usual importantpany files, this desktop was loaded with game icons. ncing through them, I could see they were all typical games¨Ccar racing, battle games, sports games. ssic little boy games. And right in the middle of all these games, I spotted a folder. Labeled ¡°You Are My Whole World.¡± My hands shaking, I opened that folder to find thousands of photos¨Calmost all candid shots. The woman in the photos had crescent¨Cmoon eyes when she smiled. There were shots of her cooking in an apron, watering nts on the balcony, sweeping and wiping tables in the living room. And some¡­ some were bedroom shots I couldn¡¯t bear to look at. Steadying myself, I copied the entire folder to my email, cleared all traces, shut down theputer, and settled on the living room couch to wait for River¡¯s return. I have no idea how long I sat there. When night fell, I finally heard the door opening. Sure enough, River wasn¡¯t alone. Behind him walked a woman. I recognized her immediately¨Cthe same woman from all those photos on River¡¯sputer. They were both carrying grocery bags, looking exactly like a devoted married couple. The second River saw me, his smile froze. After a long pause, he approached me. ¡°Maya¡­ what are you doing here? Have you eaten? Are you hungry¡­¡± ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find[?]ovel I stared directly at the woman still standing frozen by the door, cutting River off. ¡°Who is she? Aren¡¯t you going to introduce us?¡± Hearing my words, River¡¯s face shifted. He forced himself to make introductions. ¡°Maya, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. This is my foster sister¨Ca girl my grandfather took in years ago.¡± I shot a look at River¡¯s guilty expression. ¡°Oh really? Funny how you¡¯ve never mentioned her before.¡± River set his groceries on the floor, crouched down to meet my eye level, and grabbed my hands. ¡°I swear, it¡¯s just that she always lived with my grandfather out in the countryside, so you never met her.¡± ¡°But you know my grandfather passedst year, and my parents couldn¡¯t handle it, so they brought her to live closer to family. You know me¨CI¡¯m hopeless at everything except work. My parents worry about me, so they have here by sometimes to help with cleaning and cooking.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t read into this. She just came to cook dinner today. We ran into each other at themunity entrance and walked in together. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± I smoothly pulled my hands free and asked the question that was burning inside me. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Maybe thinking I¡¯d epted his so¨Ccalled foster sister, River¡¯s voice turned eager. ¡°Vivian Reed. Samest name as mine.¡± ¡°Maya, I need you to understand¨Ceven though we¡¯re not blood¨Crted, I honestly only see her as a sister. There¡¯s absolutely nothing else between us.¡± I was done listening to his bullshit. I pulled out the recement property deed from my purse and mmed it on the coffee table, cutting him off. ¡°Then exin this!¡± ¡°The house I bought YOU¨Cwhy the hell is your ¡®sister¡¯s¡® name on MY property deed!¡± Cheating 87 The moment River saw that property deed, his face went ghost white, like he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°How¡­ how is this possible? My parents took the deed¡­ this can¡¯t¡­¡± I was about to let him have it with a cold snort when Vivian, who¡¯d been silent this whole time, marched right up to me. ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean? So what if my name¡¯s on there? Didn¡¯t you give this house to my brother? If it¡¯s his, he can put whoever¡¯s name he wants on it. What¡¯s it to you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re having second thoughts? Want to take the house back? Ha! And here I thought you were some rich daddy¡¯s girl. Turns out you¡¯re just petty and cheap¡­¡± Watching Vivian run her mouth with that smug look stered all over her face, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about those disgusting photos in that folder. I¡¯d had enough. My hand flew across her face with a sharp crack, cutting her off mid¨Csentence. Vivian never saw iting¨Cmy p sent her crashing to the floor. River was shocked by my sudden move. He shoved me aside and rushed to help Vivian up. The second their eyes met, Vivian¡¯s filled with tears, putting on this whole wounded puppy actplete opposite of her bitchy attitude from seconds before. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t stand watching her treat you like that. I got a little carried away.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my brother¨Cthe one I¡¯ve always looked up to. How can you let her walk all over you like this? I just wanted to protect you!¡± As she spoke, fat tears started rolling down her cheeks. Forget River¨Ceven I was almost buying this pitiful performance. But now I couldn¡¯t say anything. River¡¯s shove had been brutal¨Cmy lower back mmed hard into the corner of the coffee table, and the sudden pain made it impossible to get up. My abdomen felt like someone was squeezing it in a vise, every pore in my body screaming in agony. Vivian¡¯s shaky voice reached my ears. ¡°Blood¡­ there¡¯s so much blood beneath her¡­¡± I finally couldn¡¯t hold on anymore and cked outpletely. When I came to, I was in the hospital. Before I could process what happened, River¡¯s mom was already going off. moment she finally gets pregnant, she loses it! She¡¯s trying to end our family line!¡± ¡°You heartless witch, I know you did this on purpose! Vivian is our adopted daughter, River¡¯s sister! Just because we added Vivian¡¯s name to the deed, you threw this tantrum and killed my grandson. You¡¯re nothing but a petty, poisonous shrew!¡± Hearing River¡¯s mom¡¯s words, my throat tightened as my hand instinctively moved to my stomach. Had there really been a child there? Before I even knew he existed, he was already gone forever. The thought filled me with rage. I pointed at River and Vivian standing nearby and confronted his mother. ¡°You keep saying they¡¯re siblings¨Ctell me the truth! Are they actually brother and sister or not!¡± Updates are released by Find_Novel(. At my challenge, both River¡¯s parents¡® faces shed with guilt, and my heart plummeted. By now, what didn¡¯t I understand? From the very beginning, River¡¯s parents knew exactly what was going on between them. I was the only one who¡¯d been kept in the dark this whole time. River quickly stepped forward, shielding me as he addressed his mother. ¡°Mom, nobody wanted to lose the baby. Maya¡¯s the child¡¯s mother¨Cshe¡¯s obviously hurting the most. Stop making things worse and just go home.¡± Then River turned and took my hands. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Maya. We¡¯re still young. We¡¯ll have more children. Don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll be right here with you.¡± Looking at River¡¯s tender expression made me want to puke. Without hesitation, I hit the nurse call button. ¡°Nurse, please get all these people out of my room!¡± A nurse arrived quickly. River looked like he wanted to say something, but seeing my stone¨Ccold expression, he swallowed his words. ¡°Maya, I know you¡¯re upset. Get some rest¨CI¡¯lle check on youter.¡± Once all four members of the Reed family left, the room finally fell quiet. I stared at the door and pulled out my phone to call my brother. ¡°Marcus, I need you to look into thepany¡¯s cash flow over the past few years and all of River¡¯s assets. I¡¯m filing for divorce.¡± Cheating 88 Chapter 4 After hanging up, Ipletely lost all my strength, leaning back against the headboard and staring nkly at my t stomach as tears slid down my cheeks. Not for River¨Call for the child I¡¯d lost. I don¡¯t know how long I sat there before the anesthesia kicked in and I drifted back to sleep. Marcus worked fast. The next morning, he showed up at my hospital room with a thick stack of documents. As I listened to Marcus and flipped through the materials, my hands shook uncontrobly. ¡°You¡¯ve always been focused on R&D, never really getting into the business side. River¡¯s been embezzling from thepany for years.¡± ¡°All those cutting¨Cedge products you developed? River¡¯s been selling them to clients way below market value. Not only that, he made it a condition that clients sign dual contracts, with most of the profits going straight into River¡¯s pocket. The money that actually made it into thepany books wasn¡¯t even enough to cover basic R&D costs.¡± ¡°On top of that, River¡¯s been buying real estate and overseas investments over the years¨Call under Vivian Reed¡¯s name, so none of it counts as marital property¡­¡± Marcus kept talking, but my head was buzzing. No wonder! No wonder! Winston Group had always been Houston¡¯s leading electronics R&Dpany, but during the three years River ran things, he kept telling me that the products I developed weren¡¯t selling, that hardly any clients were biting. Even when we did make sales, the prices were terrible¨Cwe were basically operating at a loss, which was why thepany kept hemorrhaging money and needed bank loans to stay afloat. For three years, River and I had a solid rtionship, and he was always workingte at the office, so I never suspected him. I thought it was my fault¨Cthat I wasn¡¯t developing products the market wanted. Turns out River had been sabotaging everything from the inside! Marcus was still talking when I raised my hand to cut him off. ¡°Besides thepany stuff, I need you to dig into this Vivian Reed too.¡± Marcus looked equally puzzled. The source of th?s content is Find[?]ovel ¡°I was just about to ask you¨Cwho is this Vivian Reed? Why are all of River¡¯s private assets under her name?¡± Struggling to contain my fury, I forwarded that folder from my email to Marcus. Over the next few days, Marcus continued investigating River while I recovered in the hospital, preparing for the battle ahead. River tried visiting me several times, but Winston family security kept him out¨Che never got to see me once. A weekter, as Marcus and I were packing my discharge papers, we saw a news report on the hospital room TV. It was a press conference River had called with thepany shareholders. He held up some documents, his face full of fake anguish. ¡°As everyone knows, my wife Maya Winston hasn¡¯t been involved inpany operations these past years. We imed she was focused on product development, but the truth is she¡¯s been suffering from severe mental health issues. Last week, after an ident that caused her to miscarry, she suffered an unprecedented breakdown.¡± ¡°What I¡¯m holding here is her psychiatric evaluation. Starting today, as Maya¡¯s husband, I¡¯ll be handling allpany matters on her behalf.¡± His voice cracked as he continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure the board understands that thepany is facing serious financial problems, but don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll lead us through this crisis.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already applied for a bank loan. Once the fundse through, I¡¯m confident thepany can bounce back quickly! Winston Group is Maya¡¯s everything, and I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to protect thepany and everyone¡¯s interests!¡± The moment River finished, the board members looked at him with admiration, and thunderous apuse erupted from the audience. Watching him perform with such apparent sincerity, I clenched my fists so tight my knuckles went white, staring daggers at that so¨Ccalled psychiatric evaluation in River¡¯s hands. The bastard had some nerve! To steal mypany, he¡¯d actually forged medical documents! I looked at Marcus, my voice ice cold. ¡°Change of ns. We¡¯re not going home¨Cwe¡¯re going straight to the office.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make River spit up every single thing he¡¯s stolen from me!¡± Cheating 89 When Marcus and I arrived at thepany, the livestream had just ended, and a crowd of shareholders and board members were surrounding River. ¡°Winston Group is lucky to have you. Without Mr. Reed, Winston Group would¡¯ve vanished into history.¡± ¡°Ever since old Mr. Winston passed, thepany¡¯s been on a downward spiral. Thank God Mr. Reed secured this bank loan, or we wouldn¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why young Ms. Winston just isn¡¯t cut out for this. All these years, she¡¯s ignoredpany affairs, and the products she developed couldn¡¯t sell for decent prices. Good thing she married well.¡± Everyone chimed in while River stood at the center, barely able to hide his smugness. I let out a cold snort. ¡°I had no idea Winston Group had changed its name to Reed Group.¡± Only then did everyone notice me, all eyes turning in my direction. I nodded at Marcus, and he understood, distributing the documents in his hands to all the shareholders present. River had no clue what Marcus was handing out. Though clearly anxious inside, he had to put on a concerned front. ¡°Maya, aren¡¯t you supposed to be in the hospital? What brings you to thepany at this hour?¡± ¡°What are you giving the shareholders? New product development ns? I¡­¡± Before River could finish, I hurled the documents in my hands right at his face. ¡°You¡¯re really something, River! I bust my ass staying up all night doing R&D, and you turn around and sell it to clients with dual contracts! Hundreds of employees pour their hearts into thispany, and you funnel all the profits into your own pocket!¡± ¡°And now the investment I worked so hard to secure from the bank has be your achievement!¡± P ¡°River Reed, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re too good an actor or I¡¯m too stupid, but I never realized you were such a backstabbing parasite!¡± With every word I spoke, River¡¯s face got whiter, but he still wouldn¡¯t give up. ¡°M¨CMaya, there must be some misunderstanding. Even though you haven¡¯t been at thepany these years, you knew about every business deal. How could what you¡¯re saying have happened?¡± ¡°Did someone whisper something in your ear? Don¡¯t listen to gossip. I¡¯m your husband¨Cdon¡¯t you trust me?¡± A shareholder nearby snorted coldly and mmed the documents on the table. ¡°Mr. Reed, you¡¯re quite the young talent with impressive methods! Without the evidence Ms. Winston brought, us old folks would still be in the dark!¡± River frantically tried to exin, but I wasn¡¯t giving him the chance. I raised my hand to stop him. ¡°Starting today, I, Maya Winston, will personally take over allpany operations. From this moment on, River Reed is banned from setting foot in thispany!¡± Even now, what I¡¯m most grateful for is Dad¡¯s decision before he passed. Chapters first released on Find~Novel Before Dad died, he constantly reminded me that Winston Group was the Winston family¡¯s foundation and that outsiders could never be allowed to interfere. So throughout my marriage to River, while I never let him want for anything materially, I never gave him a single share ofpany stock. As Winston Group¡¯s sole heir, all it took was e word from me to kick River out of thepany. River looked utterly unwilling and ied to approach me to exin. Marcus stepped in front of me at the right moment and called security. ¡°If you have issues, take them up with the judge in court. What you¡¯ve stolen over the years is enough to keep you locked up for life!¡± ??? ??????? ??? The moment Marcus finished speaking, several security guards rushed in and dragged River out. Then it took another hour to calm the shareholders. But when Marcus and I left thepany, we found River waiting outside. The second he saw me, he rushed over. I stopped in my tracks. Perfect timing. I pulled out the divorce papers Marcus had already printed for me. ¡°River, sign this.¡± ¡°You get nothing!¡± Cheating 90 River lookedpletely incredulous, refusing to reach for the divorce papers. ¡°Maya, are you really going to be this heartless? Everything I did was for us! We¡¯re married¨Cdon¡¯t you trust me at all?¡± Hearing River¡¯s words, I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Trust you? River, do you even hear yourself?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve stolen nine figures from thepany over three years! For us? How can you even say that!¡± River grabbed my hand. ¡°Of course it was for us! Think about it¨Cthepany has so many shareholders, and they all get a piece of everything. But we¡¯re married, so the money I took ultimately belongs to both of us anyway, right?¡± ¡°Maya, why can¡¯t you wrap your head around this?¡± Content originallyes from ?ovelFind I yanked my hand away viciously and threw the divorce papers right in his face. ¡°Stop giving me your twisted logic! Every penny you stole from thepany, you¡¯re going to pay back!¡± ¡°And then we¡¯re getting divorced!¡± After saying that, I didn¡¯t spare River another nce and left with Marcus. River¡¯s roar echoed behind me. ¡°Maya, I won¡¯t divorce you!¡± Not bothering to turn around, I gave a dismissive wave. ¡°Then see you in court~¡± A weekter, River¡¯s and my divorce case went to trial. As a well¨Cknown Houstonpany, Winston Groupbined with River¡¯s livestream from the week before¨Cdrew quite a crowd of media and spectators to our divorce proceedings. Before the hearing, River intercepted me outside the courthouse one more time. ¡°Maya, let¡¯s stop fighting, okay?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re upset about Vivian, but I really only see her as a sister. There¡¯s nothing between us. I¡¯ve already removed her name from the property deed, you can check¨Cjust forgive me this once, please!¡± ¡°If you really can¡¯t stand her, I¡¯ll never see her again. I swear!¡± Before I could respond, Vivian spoke up with teary eyes and a pitiful expression. ¡°Maya, it was all my fault that day. I said the wrong things. Please stop fighting with my brother. I¡¯m begging you.¡± ¡°Look at all these reporters out here¨Cit¡¯s so embarrassing.¡± 18.41 When Your Cheating Husband¡¯s Dream Be Your Divorce Evidence 58.7% From what they were saying, they apparently didn¡¯t know I¡¯d discovered their rtionship. I sneered inwardly. Even better¨Cthis would work in my favor during the trial. For now, I couldn¡¯t be bothered arguing with them anymore and walked straight into the courtroom. After the trial began, the judge carefully reviewed the materials I¡¯d submitted and turned to River. ¡°Mr. Reed, Ms. Winston is requesting a divorce with you receiving no assets. Do you have any objections?¡± River shot to his feet. ¡°I object!¡± ¡°While I don¡¯t own shares in Winston Group, I¡¯ve been running and managing it for three years. We¡¯ve also acquired considerable assets after marriage¨Cthese are our joint marital property. Maya has no grounds to demand I leave with nothing!¡± I snorted coldly. At my signal, mywyer stood up, bowed to the judge, and announced loudly. ¡°My client has new evidence!¡± Cheating 91 Chapter 7 The moment mywyer spoke, all the cameras and eyes in the room focused on me. Mywyer gave me a look, then produced the first piece of prepared evidence. Transfer records from River to Vivian. Starting from the first month River and I were married three years ago, River had been transferring one million dors to Vivian every month. N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on F?ndNovel Three years, thirty¨Csix months¨Cthirty¨Csix million dors total! The moment the transfer records appeared, the entire courtroom erupted. ¡°My God, what does this mean? A million a month? Didn¡¯t River say this woman was his sister? Who gives their sister that much money?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it. I heard this Vivian Reed isn¡¯t actually River¡¯s real sister¨Cshe¡¯s their family¡¯s adopted daughter. Now I¡¯m thinking she¡¯s definitely more than just an adopted daughter¨Cprobably his mistress.¡± ¡°Exactly! No wonder Ms. Winston wants a divorce. What woman could stand this?¡± The murmuring was loud enough that River¡¯s face went ghost white¨Che clearly never expected me to have records of his transfers to Vivian. River¡¯s mother quickly stood up to exin. ¡°This is money River asked me to help them save! Everyone knows young people these days spend money carelessly. Maya lost her parents, and River¡¯s father and I are her inws¨Cof course we can help manage their household.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t this prove that our River wants to build a good life with her?¡± Hearing this, Vivian perked up and stood to defend River. ¡°Maya! Stop ndering the rtionship between my brother and me! My brother and I may not be blood siblings, but we grew up together¨Cwe¡¯re no different from real siblings. Stop projecting your dirty thoughts onto us!¡± ¡°In all the years you¡¯ve been married, everyone knows how good my brother has been to you. You clearly just want to dump him and are making up these high¨Csounding excuses! Everyone here is smart¨Cyou think you can smear us with just some transfer records? Dream on!¡± Hearing River¡¯s mother and Vivian¡¯s words, people in the courtroom nodded in agreement. ¡°True, everyone knows Ms. Winston found herself a good husband. His background might not be great, but he¡¯s really devoted to her¨Ca model husband.¡± ¡°Look how worked up his sister is getting¨Cshe¡¯s probably really being wronged. Understandable too, since she¡¯s a young woman and unmarried. Nobody could ept being ndered like this.¡± ¡°What River¡¯s mom said makes sense too.¡± Seeing everyone believe their words, River jumped at the chance to put on a pained act. ¡°Maya, we¡¯ve been married three years. I¡¯ve managed the , okay?¡± Hearing River¡¯s words, every reporter present was moved. ¡°I have to say, aside from his humble background, River really has nothing but good to say about Ms. Winston. Why is she so determined to divorce him?¡± ¡°Ms. Winston probably has someone else. I¡¯ve been a reporter for years¨CI¡¯ve seen this kind of thing plenty. I can tell you that¡¯s exactly what this is!¡± ¡°Even if she has someone else, can¡¯t she part amicably? Why push him to such extremes, demanding he leave with nothing? Poor River.¡± Ha! I watched the Reed family¡¯s performance with cold eyes, then turned to the judge. ¡°I have a second piece of evidence!¡± Cheating 92 The moment I spoke, the noisy courtroom fell silent, all eyes on me once again. Mywyer stood up again and disyed several photos on therge screen¨Cthe ones I¡¯d found on River¡¯sputer. Besides the casual photos, thewyer specifically erged those inappropriate bedroom shots of the two of them. The reporters who had just been sympathizing with River exchanged nces. ¡°This¡­ there¡¯s no arguing with this, right? These two really do have that kind of rtionship. Look at these photos¨Cabsolutely disgusting. These two really went all out.¡± ¡°Just said that million was being saved for them, and looking at River¡¯s mom¡¯s expression, she definitely knew about their rtionship. Even if she¡¯s adopted, this is just explosive.¡± ¡°What adopted daughter¨CI¡¯d say she¡¯s more like a child bride. No wonder Ms. Winston insists on divorce.¡± Once these photos appeared, everyone turned to look at River and Vivian. Vivian shrieked. ¡°They¡¯re fake! These photos are all doctored! River is my brother¨Chow could I possibly do such things with him!¡± River¡¯s mother quickly chimed in. ¡°Exactly, these photos are all fake. Isn¡¯t Maya in electronics? I don¡¯t understand your high¨Ctech stuff, but these photos are definitely fake. How could my son and daughter do such things!¡± ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find[?]ovel ¡°Maya, I have always treated you like our own daughter all these years. How can you do this to us? You just want a divorce, but now you¡¯ve made things like this¨Chow will my River and Vivian face people in the future?¡± River¡¯s mother wailed as she spoke, her grief moving many reporters present. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s really going on? Are these photos actually fake?¡± ¡°Look how the olddy is crying¨Ccould this really be fabricated?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. This is a courtroom¨Cwho would dare present fake photos as evidence? That¡¯s suicide.¡± The judge¡¯s gavel came down hard. ¡°Order! Order!¡± ¡°We have professional personnel to authenticate the photos. Please remain calm.¡± I stood up and looked directly at the judge. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I have a witness!¡± ¡°I request that my witness testify!¡± The judge nodded. The next second, a little boy who looked about five years old walked into the courtroom. The moment he entered, he rushed toward the Reed family. ¡°Daddy, Mommy, Grandma!¡± The instant the child appeared, everyone in the courtroom wentpletely silent¨Cyou could hear a pin drop. River pushed the child away and rushed to exin to me. ¡°Maya, listen to me. This child isn¡¯t mine¨Che¡¯s Vivian¡¯s child, nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°The child never had a father growing up. He¡¯s so starved for paternal love that he calls me daddy. You have to believe me¨Chow could I have such a big child!¡± I couldn¡¯t be bothered responding to him. Mywyer held up a document high in the air. ¡°Mr. Reed, then how do you exin this paternity test!¡± Cheating 93 The moment thewyer produced the paternity test, everything was settled¨CRiver had no room left for excuses. I turned to the judge. ¡°River and I were married for three years, but his child with Vivian is already five years old. This marriage was fraudulent from the very beginning! I demand dissolution of my marriage to River and that River receive no assets!¡± ¡°Furthermore, although River and Vivian have no marriage certificate, they have a child together, constituting amonw marriage. Under these circumstances, River¡¯s marriage to me constitutes bigamy, and I hope the judge will hand down a severe sentence!¡± As my words concluded, mywyer simultaneously submitted evidence of River¡¯s embezzlement from Winston Group over the years. Before the judge could speak, River had already fallen to his knees before me. ¡°Maya, Maya, I was wrong. I failed you. Please forgive me, I¡¯m begging you!¡± I let out a coldugh. ¡°Forgive you? Forgive you for deceiving me from the very beginning? Forgive you for nearly bankrupting Winston Group? Or forgive you for using my family¡¯s money to support another woman and killing my child?¡± Hearing my words, River frantically apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Maya. It¡¯s all my fault. You can p me, kick me¨CI¡¯ll ept it all! I¡¯ll agree to whatever you say. I¡¯ll love you properly and make it up to you from now on.¡± ¡°Please, Maya, just forgive me this once, okay?¡± Seeing I wouldn¡¯t relent, River steeled himself and began kowtowing to me repeatedly. ¡°Maya, I really do love you. What happened with Vivian was an ident. I was young then and didn¡¯t understand love¨CI made a stupid mistake. After I met you, you were truly the only one in my heart.¡± ¡°Please, Maya, don¡¯t abandon me. I¡¯ll change, I really will change. Give me onest chance, please!¡± Seeing River like this, my tears finally couldn¡¯t hold back and fell inrge drops. Two years of dating, three years of marriage¨Chow could I have no feelings for River at all? Seeing him like this now, it would be a lie to say it didn¡¯t hurt. River wasn¡¯t a piece of clothing to be reced when damaged, nor was he trash to be thrown out. He was a person, a living, breathing person¨Ca man whom I¡¯d loved for five whole years! I took a deep breath and looked at River kneeling before me. ¡°River, we¡¯ve been together five years, and your child with Vivian is five years old. When you were fervently pursuing me, hoping I¡¯d be with you, your child had just been born. Did you ever have genuine feelings for me?¡± hapter ¡°What right do you have to kneel before me begging for forgiveness?¡± After saying this, I turned and walked straight back to the intiffs table. River cried until tears and snot covered his face, crawling over to me and pleading desperately again. ¡°You¡¯re right, Maya¨Ceverything you said is right. Please, Maya, just forgive me this once. It was all that bitch Vivian seducing me¨Cit¡¯s all her fault. I was blinded by lust. For the sake of how good I¡¯ve been to you all these years, forgive me just once, okay?¡± ¡°If you divorce me, I¡¯m finished. I¡¯ll really have nothing left. Waaah¡­¡± I stepped back in disgust, not wanting to look at River anymore. ¡°You don¡¯t know you were wrong¨Cyou¡¯re just scared.¡± I didn¡¯t look at River again and raised my head to the judge. ¡°Please render your verdict.¡± In the end, the court granted our divorce. As the party at fault in the marriage, River left with nothing. As for River¡¯s bigamy and economic crimes, he was temporarily detained as a suspect, awaiting final sentencing. Walking out of the courthouse and seeing the bright sunshine, I felt somewhat dazed. Marcus walked over to my side, looking at me with concern. ¡°It¡¯s okay¨Cjust consider this a trial you had to face. That bastard will never get out in this lifetime!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Your brother is here with you.¡± Hearing Marcus¡¯s words, my heart softened painfully, and the tears I¡¯d held back for dozens of days finally poured out. I copsed against Marcus¡¯s shoulder, sobbing as if to cry out all my grievances. Marcus gently patted my shoulder. N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find?novel ¡°Let your tears carry away the painful memories¨Ceverything ahead will be good days.¡± Cheating 94 Chapter 1 At our bachelor party, I watched my fianc¨¦ casually drink from his junior colleague¡¯s ss like it was the most natural thing in the world. That¡¯s when I knew¨Che¡¯d fallen for her. I sat there watching them chat away, from work projects to life dreams, their conversation flowing like old lovers. I didn¡¯t make a scene. I just confronted him that night. ¡°Pick one,¡± I said. ¡°Call off the engagement, or I¡¯ll make sure her academic career goes up in smoke.¡± Without a word, he stormed out, not returning until early the next morning with a despondent expression. ¡°The wedding¡¯s still on.¡± But on our wedding day, when he saw me in my gown, something shifted in his expression. ¡°The bride I wanted to marry isn¡¯t you. I screwed up. I never should¡¯ve let her go¡­¡± After dropping that line, he bolted from the scene. I just watched the chaos among the guests with a calm smile. Ten minutester, he and his junior colleague were kissing passionately at the airport. Meanwhile, his family¡¯s corporate stock plummeted ten points. Since he chose betrayal, he shouldn¡¯t be surprised when I drag him straight to hell. My phone screen was stuck on Ryder Montgomery¡¯s Instagram post. The caption was just one line: [This time, I¡¯m choosing love.] In the photo, he was wearing the suit I¡¯d personally picked out, kissing Ivy Hartley at the airport. Our mutual friends were having a field day in thements: [Ryder¡¯s got some balls. Where¡¯s Zara supposed to show her face now?] [Ditching your bride at the altar, then making out with your side piece at the airport? Girl really bet on the wrong horse.] [Has Ryder lost his damn mind? Throwing both families under the bus for some chick?] 1 pulled my eyes away from the screen and stared at the wedding rings sitting on my desk. Our initials were still engraved inside the bands. Ryder had designed these rings himself. He¡¯d added mas to the outer bands so that whenever the two rings got close, they¡¯d snap together. He¡¯d told me it was because of his severe OCD¨Che might not always be able to be physically close to me, but the rings were proof of his love. He also promised he¡¯d work on oveing this issues. I hadn¡¯t pushed him. I¡¯d been willing to respect his boundaries. But then, at the bachelor party, I watched him grab Ivy¡¯s ss and take a sip without a second thought. When she noticed me staring at the ss in his hand, Ivy turned to me with this innocent smile. ¡°Zara, don¡¯t read into it. Sometimes we¡¯re in meetings for hours, and we all just share drinks. It¡¯s no big deal¨Cyou¡¯re not bothered by that, are you?¡± Before I could answer, a friend of Ivy jumped in, linking arms with me. ¡°Come on, something that small? Zara wouldn¡¯t sweat the small stuff. You¡¯re really underestimating her here.¡± This way, they put me in an impossible position¨Cif I minded, it would mean I didn¡¯t trust Ryder. But how could I not mind? That night, when I brought it up with Ryder, he looked all embarrassed and apologized, promising he¡¯d be more careful next time. ?????? ???? f?ndnovel Now I realize those were just empty words. He wanted the my family¡¯s backing and his precious little side piece. What a joke. ? ?? ? ? 1 ?? ????? Suddenly, my assistant knocked and came in. ¡°Ms. Shaw, Mr. Montgomery Senior is on line one. Should I put him through?¡± I looked down at the blinking name on the phone. ¡°How much now?¡± ¡°Seven percent. Total market value down about forty million.¡± Not enough. That pocket change didn¡¯t evene close to covering the humiliation he¡¯d put me through. ¡°Okay.¡± My voice waspletely t. ¡°Tell Mr. Montgomery Senior that if he can¡¯t control his son, someone else will.¡± ¡°Should I have PR handle the online bacsh?¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Since he chose love, let¡¯s give everyone a front¨Crow seat to see if his choice was worth it.¡± I stared intently at the photo on the screen¨Cat Ryder¡¯s expression of being utterly lost in love¨Cmy thoughts churning endlessly. The phone on my desk remained dead silent. My assistant must havemunicated with Ryder¡¯s father; he hadn¡¯t contacted me since. But I hadn¡¯t expected the old man toe down this hard. Soon enough, my phone started buzzing. This time it was Ryder. I didn¡¯t pick up. Just let it ring and ring until it finally went quiet. A few secondster, the screen lit up with a text: [Zara, you¡¯re really shameless. Just because I chose Ivy, you¡¯re gonna destroy me? Are you really this jealous and vindictive?] Then another one: [Look, I know I hurt you, but you can¡¯t force love. If you really loved me, wouldn¡¯t you let me go? Why are you using these underhanded tactics to force me into submission? You¡¯re such a disappointment!] d, the I paused for a moment, then felt my lips curve into a smile. He could¡¯ve been honest with me from the start. But he didn¡¯t¨Cnot when there were benefits on the table. Who was the one with severe OCD who had to wash his hands a dozen times after I touched him, but had no problem with Ivy¡¯s saliva? And who was the one who gently, firmly promised the wedding would go on as nned, then publicly humiliated me at the altar, turning me into aughingstock? He thought he was so clever, ying his little love triangle game, keeping two women on the hook. A But he used the most humiliating method possible to pin me to the wall of shame, turning me into the biggest joke in our social circle. And now he had the audacity to lecture me about ¡°letting him go¡°? 1, I texted my assistant: [Speed it up. I need it hit ten percent by tonight.] After she confirmed, I switched away from the airport photos and watched Montgomery Corp¡¯s market value evaporate, bit by bit. I trusted Mr. Montgomery wouldn¡¯t let me down. My phone lit up again. Still Ryder. This time, his tone hadpletely changed. [Zara, can we talk? This isn¡¯t doing anyone any good. My parents are going out of their minds. Give me one more chance, okay?] [You¡¯re just pissed because I embarrassed you today, right? I¡¯ll make it right. You can punish me however you want, just leave my dad out of this. He didn¡¯t do anything wrong.] Cheating 95 I typed back: [If you want to negotiate, show me some real sincerity.] His response came quickly: [Got it. I know what I need to do.] Something about that message felt off, but I didn¡¯t think much of it. After wrapping up everything at the office, I drove home to my ce in the hills. On the way, my best friend called. ¡°Where are you right now?¡± Her voice was frantic, which caught ¡°Just left the office, heading home¡­¡± me e off guard. She cut me off. ¡°Get back to your building NOW. Ryder¡¯s on your office rooftop saying you¡¯re trying to drive him to suicide. He just posted about it, and the reporters are probably already there. The whole inte¡¯s turned against you.¡± I gripped the steering wheel tighter. So that¡¯s what Ryder meant by ¡°knowing what to do.¡± He wasn¡¯t repentant at all¨Che was setting me up. I forced myself to stay calm and checked Ryder¡¯stest Instagram post. He¡¯d screenshotted our text conversation and posted it with the caption: [It¡¯s all my fault. If my death will calm you down and get you to leave my parents alone, maybe this is the best ending.] I read it three times, then actuallyughed out loud. Ryder had really outdone himself this time. I tossed my phone onto the passenger seat and immediately drove back to the office. Sure enough, there were several police cars parked outside. The rescue team was already set up. I took the elevator straight to the roof. Ryder was standing at the edge of the building. His mother had fainted from crying. His father was trying to talk him down. Ivy was here too. She was sobbing hysterically now, saying it was all her fault and that she should be the one to die. What a performance. I stood at the edge of the crowd and immediately spotted the livestreamers who¡¯d obviously been nted there, broadcasting on TikTok Chapter 2 For more chapters visit f¦É?dn¦Ïvel I opened my phone and quickly found the livestream¨Cthements were brutal: [So if someone doesn¡¯t love you, you¡¯ll destroy their whole family? All you know how to do is abuse your power. [This antisocial personality disorder is terrifying. You think anyone who doesn¡¯t worship you deserves to die?] [Really thinks she¡¯s a princess. Can¡¯t have him, so she¡¯ll destroy him. Does she think the world revolves around her?] [Money and power don¡¯t give you the right to take whatever you want. Just drop dead already!] While I was still processing the flood of hate, Ivy spotted me first. She walked straight over and suddenly dropped to her knees in front of me. ¡°Zara, this is all my fault. Ryder just fell in love with me¨Cyou can¡¯t actually let him die!¡± ¡°We¡¯re really in love. Love isn¡¯t a crime, but if you¡¯re going to drive Ryder to suicide just because you¡¯re upset, then let me take responsibility for everything!¡± Her tone was so noble, her words so carefully chosen. Because I was ¡°upset,¡± I was willing to drive a man to his death. What a monster I was. After her little speech, Ivy suddenly leaned in close, making sure only I could hear her whisper: ¡°Zara, you know what your biggest mistake was?¡± I raised an eyebrow. So she had two faces after all. t 4 6 5 t t ¡°You use the Montgomery family to control him. Because you still want him back, you can¡¯t let him go.¡± ¡°But Ryder never felt anything for you. Not even once.¡± ¡°Montgomery Corp¡¯s stock will bounce back, but you? You¡¯re going to crash and burn.¡± ¡°You pathetic bitch!¡± Then she suddenly stumbled backward and cried out, ¡°Zara, are you trying to push me off this building? If I die, will you stop trying to kill Ryder?¡± Looking at these two people on the rooftop, both iming I was driving them to their deaths, I walked closer. ¡°Ryder, you¡¯re saying I¡¯m forcing you to kill yourself?¡± Ryder¡¯s expression was tragic, his eyes full of disappointment. 8 ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what you¡¯re doing? You¡¯re using your investments in Montgomery Corp to control me. The second you¡¯re unhappy, you threaten ourpany.¡± ¡°My father¡¯s a respected figure in this city, but he has to live in fear of your moods every single day.¡± ¡°Sure, Zara, you¡¯ve got money and power, but I¡¯m human. My parents are human. We¡¯re not your fucking pets!¡± Ha. My pets? Well, a good pet doesn¡¯t Cheating 96 .1 Ryder¡¯s ¡°suicide attempt¡± blew up everywhere. Thousands of users started boycotting everything Shaw Enterprises touched. Our stock price plummeted. Several A¨Clist celebrity endorsers tried to break their contracts. I shut that down fast. amed up But then those same celebrities with Ivy to st me online, saying I was ruthless and didn¡¯t care if people lived or died. ? Our PR team¡¯s statement got thepany ount banned within five minutes of posting. Then Ivy timelyunched a petition calling for my removal as CEO, saying I was dangerous with power in my hands¨Clike a loaded weapon that could hurt anyone at any time. The petition quickly got shared over ten million times. Even our own employees were secretly reposting it. That¡¯s when Ryder showed up at my office with Ivy in tow. The smug look on his face said everything. ¡°Zara, why make this harder than it needs to be? Things are pretty ugly for you right now. I doubt the board¡¯s gonna keep you around much longer.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask me nicely? Maybe I¡¯ll help you out, for old time¡¯s sake.¡± I leaned back in my chair and asked calmly, ¡°Really? How exactly would you help me?¡± He raised an eyebrow, looking pleased with himself. ¡°I can get a doctor to write up a depression diagnosis, prove that my behavior was just due to stress and wasn¡¯t my fault. I¡¯ll say I¡¯ve been recovering this whole time.¡± ¡°Ivy hasn¡¯t been able to see me because you¡¯ve been controlling me, so her onlinements were just her being worried. Problem solved.¡± ¡°Nobody loses, everybody wins.¡± Listening to his airtight little n, all I felt was contempt. I stared at Ivy for a moment, ¡°What¡¯s it gonna cost me?¡± Ryder chuckled and pped his hands together. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking! I knew you were smart. This is so much easier when we¡¯re on the same page.¡± ¡°I want those ten percent charoo th Chapter 3 ¡°Plus those two pieces you bought at auctionst month¨Cthe jade and that Victorian crown. Ivy really likes them.¡± My expression went ice cold. Those jade pieces were my family heirlooms. The crown was supposed to go with my wedding dress. He really had some nerve. ¡°Ryder, your appetite¡¯s gotten pretty fucking big. Six hundred million just like that? Aren¡¯t you worried about choking on it?¡± Ivy shot me a shocked look, then quickly turned away before I could catch her vicious eye. Ryder just shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s my final offer. Take it or leave it.¡± . The moment Ryder left Shaw Tower, he went live online. His eyes were red¨Crimmed, and he looked like he was fighting back tearspletely different from the calm, calcting man who¡¯d just left my conference room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m too weak to protect the people I love.¡± His voice was hoarse, clearly choked up. ¡°All these years by her side, lived like a puppet. She used investments and family interests to control me. Even basic freedom became a luxury.¡® ¡°When she decided Ivy was a threat, she used every dirty trick in the book to destroy her, nearly ruining her career. She thought that would make mepletely submit.¡± At this point, he paused, letting the tears roll down his cheeks. ¡°Today I worked up the courage to beg her¨Cto leave me alone, leave Ivy alone, leave my family alone. I just wanted to keep some shred of dignity.¡± ¡°But you all saw what happened. She wouldn¡¯t even give me that. She¡¯s using Montgomery Corp¡¯s future and Ivy¡¯s career to punish me for fighting back. She¡¯s someone who¡¯ll do anything to get what she wants!¡± The livestream exploded: [This is terrifying! So this is what goes on behind all that wealth and mour. Hang in there, Ryder!] [Now I get why he bailed at the wedding. Who could stand this?] [This is so messed up. I thought Zara was the victim, but turns out¡­] [Team Ryder! Threatening someone¡¯s life is a crime! Zara needs to answer for this!] Ryder¡¯s tearful performance was the perfect catalyst. Public opinionpletely turned in his favor. The controversy kept growing. But I had already screenshotted everything. I was waiting for exactly this moment. When the outrage reached its peak, I was going topletely destroy Ryder¡¯s facade. For original chapters go to Find_Novel(. Bury him so deep he¡¯ll never crawl back out! ev Cheating 97 n the conference room, every executive looked like they were attending a funeral. I spread all my evidence across the table¨Clists of every gift I¡¯d bought Ryder over the years, our chat logs, and detailed records of every investment I¡¯d made in Montgomery Corp. I looked around the room at each board member. ¡°One little snake like Ryder isn¡¯t enough to bring down Shaw Enterprises. Why do you all look like somebody died?¡± The most senior board member suddenly mmed his pen down on the table. ¡°Ms. Shaw, I worked for your father. You should call me Uncle. Let me be straight with you¨Cnow¡¯s not the time for any moves. You should take a leave of absence.¡± O ¡°Wait for this to blow over, let things calm down, thene back.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find someone to cover your duties temporarily.¡± My hands clenched under the table. Readplete version only at I looked around the room. ¡°Does everyone else feel the same way?¡± Nafa Hep the the The PR director cleared her throat nervously. ¡°Ma¡¯am, this evidence only proves you two were in a rtionship. It doesn¡¯t disprove that you used your power to threaten Mr. Montgomery¡­¡® Iughed and cut her off. ¡°Isn¡¯t figuring out how to spin this supposed to be your job?¡± ar She took a deep breath and pulled off her ID badge. 2 ¡°Ms. Shaw, if that¡¯s how you¡¯re gonna be, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I¡¯m just PR. I can¡¯t clean up a mess this big.¡± Several other executives stood up. The business development director was Ryder¡¯s cousin. He looked at me with this heavy expression. ¡°Ms. Shaw, just stop fighting this. You used to call me cousin too, remember? After what you did to my cousin, you think you can just walk away clean? You¡¯re putting us in an impossible position.¡± Looking at him, I almostughed out loud. Years ago, I¡¯d fought the board to get him this position¨Call because of Ryder. He knew better than anyone how I¡¯d treated Ryder. But now he was turning on me, making usations with zero proof. I looked at all these people and finally understood. The Montgomery family had their fingers in way too many pies. ¡°Sweetheart, just stop being stubborn. Your father¡¯s gone, so I should look after you. Don¡¯t worry about taking some time off¨Cwe¡¯ll keep thepany running.¡± I didn¡¯t respond to the so¨Ccalled uncle. The conference room was so quiet you could hear everyone breathing. They were all waiting for me to announce my leave of absence. My phone suddenly rang. I saw the name on the screen and put it on speaker. Ryder¡¯s voice filled the room. ¡°So? Have you made up your mind, Ms. Shaw? You¡¯re facing problems inside and out. Zara, you don¡¯t have any other choice. Just give up.¡± Give up? Ryder, after all these years together, you still don¡¯t know me at all. Anyone I want to destroy stays destroyed¨Cthat includes YOU. I hung up the phone and calmly surveyed everyone in front of me. ¡°How many of you took Montgomery money thinking you could take me down today?¡± Cheating 98 The project development director was the first to speak up. ¡°Ms. Shaw, this is obviously a setup! If anyone tries to force you out, the entire project team walks.¡± His voice was firm, and he met the opposing side¡¯s gaze without flinching. His words hit the stagnant air like a stone thrown into still water. ¡°R&D supports Ms. Shaw!¡± ¡°Finance is behind Ms. Shaw!¡± ¡°Admin answers only to Ms. Shaw!¡± Several more departments moved decisively to the project team¡¯s side. The long conference table now had a clear divide down the middle. The three people on the other side looked increasingly ufortable. Just then, Ryder arrived with several suited men behind him¨Cobviously there to help him take over Shaw Enterprises. ¡°Zara, why make this so difficult? Just sign the papers. Everyone saves face, and it¡¯s better for thepany.¡± Ivy immediately stepped forward and pushed a document across the table to me. I nced down at it. ¡°In a hurry? You think just anyone can captain this ship?¡± Th?s chapter is updated by F?nd-Novel The smile faded from Ryder¡¯s face, and his voice turned cold. ¡°Zara, don¡¯t be stupid! Look at the situation you¡¯re in. Do you really have a choice? Sign it. This is for your own good, and for yourpany¡¯s good!¡± ¡°For my own good?¡± Iughed like I¡¯d just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. ¡°Are you done ying all your cards, Ryder? Because now it¡¯s my turn.¡± My assistant put up the prepared materials on the screen. It was detailed bank transfer records showing $2 million moving from a private ount to Ryder¡¯s offshore ount. Next came screenshots of text conversations between Ryder and Ivy: [Ryder: Did you get the money? Are the reporters all set? Make it fast, and it has to look real.] [Ivy: Don¡¯t worry, babe. Got the best people on it. Just make your suicide look convincing and the inte will totally side with you. Then we can force her to cave anytime.] [Ryder: Good. Send me photos of how you set up the hospital rooftop scene. Make sure you get Shaw Tower in the shot.] Then my assistant yed an audio recording: ¡°I can get a doctor to write up a depression diagnosis, prove that my behavior was just due to stress¡­ Problem solved¡­ Nobody loses, everybody wins¡­ Six hundred million. That¡¯s my final offer. Take it or leave it.¡± The smug expression frozepletely on Ryder¡¯s face. He instinctively took a step back. The three men behind him went pale. Finally, there was a screenshot of messages between Ryder and his cousin: [Cuz, make sure you keep those swing votes on the board in line. Once Zara signs that resignation letter and gets lost, you take over business development immediately. I¡¯ll email you all the files for Shaw¡¯s core projects within three days.] An even deeper silence settled over ¡°This¡­ this is impossible!¡± Ryder finally found his voice again. ¡°You faked all of this!¡± the room. There was another knock at the conference room door. Two court officers walked in. One of them stepped forward. ¡°Mr. Ryder Montgomery? This is a summons from Ms. Zara Shaw¡¯swsuit against you for embezzlement. Please sign here.¡± Ryder stared at the summons, then at the damning evidence on the screen. Finally, his unfocused gazended on my face. I nced at my assistant in the back row, who was livestreaming everything, and smiled. ¡°How was that performance? What do you think, judges?¡± The livestreamments exploded: [Six hundred million hush money? Stealing Shaw¡¯s project files? Holy shit, I¡¯m speechless!] [I was just calling Zara a control freak and now my face hurts from being so wrong! Turns out I was the idiot!] [This guy is evil as hell! Faking suicide, conspiring with outsiders to destroy his fianc¨¦e¡¯spany? He¡¯d sell his soul for money!] [Court summons and everything¨Cthis is rock solid evidence! Can¡¯t wait to see Ryder and his side piece behind bars! Go Zara!] Ryder stared at thements, his lips trembling, unable to make a sound. The stage he¡¯d so carefully constructed hadpletely copsed, burying him alive. Cheating 99 The chaos in the conference room died down, the screen went dark, and the livestream ended. Ryder was practically carried out by the men he¡¯d brought with him. Left behind was a mess and the lingering shock that hadn¡¯t quite settled. I had my assistant coordinate the cleanup and calm the employees, working to stabilize thepany morale that had been shaken by this whole circus. After handling all that, I returned to my top¨Cfloor office just as my direct line started ringing. My assistant¡¯s voice carried a hint hesitation. ¡°Ms. Shaw, Mr. Montgomery Sr. has called over a dozen times. Should I¡­?¡± ¡°Put him through.¡± I pressed the answer button. The voice that came through had lost all its usual businessposure. ¡°Zara, listen to me¨Cthis is all a misunderstanding!¡± I didn¡¯t respond, just lightly tapped my fingertips on the desk. He seemed to panic more. ¡°Ryder was a fool, deceived by that woman. He¡¯s young and doesn¡¯t understand. He just wanted to prove himself too badly¡­ We had no idea he was doing those things.¡± ¡°The Montgomery family absolutely supports you! Please, for the sake of our families¡® history, for the sake of what your father and I-¡± I cut him off. ¡°The court summons is real, the recordings are real, and the chat logs are real too. He tried to extort six hundred million from me using fake public opinion and fabricated evidence, tried to force me to step down. That¡¯s also a misunderstanding?¡± The line went dead silent except for heavy breathing. I continued in the same t tone. ¡°As for our history¨Cwhen Ryder was nning all this, when he was watching Shaw¡¯s stock price fluctuate and our employees panic during that livestream, did you think about history then?¡± ¡°Zara! You can¡¯t do this! All our business partners are unterally terminating agreements, the bank collection calls keeping! You¡¯re trying to kill the Montgomery family!¡± ¡°Oh? Really? Sounds like the market needs to reassess Montgomery credibility.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you! I know it has to be you!¡± 18:43 C When Your Cheating Husband¡¯s Dream D. He finally couldn¡¯t help but roar, but immediately forced himself back under control. ¡°Zara. I¡¯m begging you leave the Montgomery family alone. I¡¯ll make Ryder apologize to you, make him publicly clear everything up. That woman¨CPll kick her out immediately. The Montgomery family will never have anything to do with her again! Just please stop¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Montgomery, business has its own rules.¡± My voice grew colder. ¡°Shaw Enterprises¡® business decisions based on risk assessment are beyond reproach. As for Mr. Ryder and Ms. Ivy, thew will give them fair judgment. Instead of begging me, you should hire a goodwyer.¡± I hung up without giving him another chance to speak. Mr. Montgomery certainly wouldn¡¯t give up on Montgomery Corporation easily. But he couldn¡¯t find any room to manenver¨Chis old buddies either avoided him entirely or bluntly told him there was nothing they could do. With nowhere else to turn, he actually stormed to the Shaw Tower and tried to force his way up to see me, Security naturally stopped him in the lobby, ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find?novel Hepletely lost hisposure, shouting at the reception desk. ¡°Let me see Zara Shaw! I need to see her!¡± The receptionist could only call my office again. Hearing the faintmotion from downstairs, I told my assistant, ¡°Turn on the lobby speakers.¡± My assistantplied. My voice came through the speakers, clearly reaching the first¨Cfloor lobby. ¡°Mr. Montgomery, please leave. I¡¯m busy and don¡¯t have time for irrelevant matters. There¡¯s nothing left to discuss between Shaw and Montgomery.¡± Mr. Montgomery shouted desperately at the air. ¡°Do you hate the Montgomery family this much? Just because Ryder-¡± My voice cut through the speakers, ice¨Ccold, interrupting him. ¡°Let me correct you on one thing. What¡¯s happening now isn¡¯t about whether I hate you or not. It¡¯s about the Montgomery family paying the price for the choices you made.¡± ¡°Please leave.¡± Cheating 100 Chapter 7 Mr. Montgomery froze in ce, thest trace of color draining from his face. He left Shaw Tower lookingpletely lost. The umted anger and fear finally found their only outlet. He rushed home to find an equally anxious Ryder. ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done!¡± He exploded in rage, no longer able to maintain his dignity as head of the family. ¡°For a stupid woman, it wasn¡¯t enough to destroy yourself¨Cyou had to drag the entire Montgomery family down with you!¡± Ryder was intimidated by his father¡¯s fury, his face pale as he tried to defend himself. ¡°Dad¡­ you supported me before. You said if we won¡­¡± Mr. Montgomery pointed at his nose and cursed. ¡°Did you think Zara would keep giving in just because she loved you? Did you think faking a suicide attempt and pretending to have depression would force her to submit? Well, now she¡¯s ying for real, and the Montgomery family is finished. Are you satisfied? How much is all that self¨Cimportant love worth now?¡± Ryder trembled under the verbal assault, looking desperately to Ivy for support. Ivy¡¯s eyes darted around, instinctively avoiding his gaze as she said quietly. ¡°Uncle, please don¡¯t get upset. The important thing now is to figure out how to¡­¡± ¡°Figure out how to what! What options do we have left!¡± Mr. Montgomery turned his anger on her. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t egged Ryder on, how would we have gotten to this point? Get out! Get out of the Montgomery house!¡± Ivy¡¯s face went pale, but she didn¡¯t dare argue back, just stood there awkwardly. Ryder watched this scene¨Chis father¡¯s unprecedented viciousness, Ivy¡¯s retreat¨Cand felt his heart sink into ice. Those business partners and smallpanies that had been wavering, seeing the situation, quickly distanced themselves. Some even took the opportunity to kick them while they were down, grabbing market share the Montgomery family had lost. The Montgomery family¡¯s funding chainpletely copsed. Their vastmercial empire crumbled at a visible pace. Ryder¡¯s world copsed with it. The luxury apartment, designer purchases,fortable lifestyle¨Call of it became history. He had to move out, sell his sports car and watches, barely scraping by. What was even harder to bear was how people looked at him now¨Cthe former envy and ttery reced by mockery and pity. Ivy¡¯s situation was worse. Academic circles and research institutes valued reputation above all. Everything she¡¯d gained through Montgomery resources and connections turned on her instantly after the family¡¯s fall and her involvement in such a scandal. Rumors about her climbing socialdders, questionable character, and academic fraud ran rampant. Find the newest release on f¦É?dn¦Ïvel Projects were canceled, ess revoked, everyone called her a homewrecker. Poverty makes everything harder for couples, especially when their rtionship wasn¡¯t solid to begin with. The two began fighting constantly, ming each other. Ryder med Ivy for seducing him, for only wanting to climb higher, ultimately dragging him down. Ivy resented Ryder¡¯s ipetence, his inability to beat me, being inferior to a woman. During one heated argument, Rydershed out without thinking. ¡°This is all your fault! If you hadn¡¯t thrown yourself at me, wrecking my rtionship, maybe Zara would still care about me. Would I be in this mess?!¡± Ivypletely dropped the mask too. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s greedy! Couldn¡¯t let go of the Shaw family power but wanted to find excite with me. When things go wrong, you me me?¡± But life showed them no mercy. Evidence of Ivy¡¯s early academic misconduct was anonymously submitted to academic authorities and her research institute. The evidence was solid, and investigations began immediately. This meant not only was her careerpletely over, but she might face legal action. Ivypletely broke down, locking herself in the room. Eyes bloodshot, she screamed at Ryder. ¡°It¡¯s her! It has to be Zara! She wants topletely destroy us!¡± Looking at this woman who seemed possessed, then at their bare walls, Ryder felt nothing but endless disgust. He finally saw clearly that everything he¡¯d gambled for was just an illusion. Cheating 101 The Montgomery family officially dered bankruptcy. Ivy was fired from the research institute and faced prosecution. Mr. Montgomery became bedridden with illness. Desperate, Ryder swallowed all his pride. He repeatedly came to Shaw Tower, trying to see me. He even knelt there without caring about his image, crying and repeatedly pping himself, begging for forgiveness. Standing at the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows on the top floor, I could asionally see that tiny, blurry figure below. My assistant asked quietly. ¡°Ms. Shaw, should we send someone to handle this?¡± ¡°No need.¡± I looked away. ¡°He chose his path. He has to live with the consequences.¡± Shaw Enterprises emerged from this crisis more united internally and with smoother business expansion. The day everything settled, I gave myself a vacation. My long¨Ctense nerves needed to rx. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? Find[?]ovel At the end of the boardwalk, on a rtively calm stretch of beach. A golden retriever was anxiously pacing back and forth on the sand, asionally stopping to gaze toward the ocean and letting out low whimpers. It wore a cor but had no owner with it. I hesitated, then walked over. ¡°Hey there, lost your owner?¡± I crouched down and rubbed its fluffy head¨Csurprisingly soft. It seemed to understand, whimpering louder and gently pawing at my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, maybe your owner will be right back.¡± I spoke softly, finding myself oddly calmed. ¡°Goldie!¡± A cheerful male voice called out. The golden retriever by my leg immediately perked up it ears and barked excitedly. The man crouched down, hugging the dog that bounded into his arms. He stood up and walked toward me, his smile genuine and warm. ¡°I¡¯m Derek Hartley. This guy was chasing a seagull, and I lost track of him for just a second. Scared me to death.¡± ¡°Zara Shaw.¡± Goldie cooperatively barked once, wagging his tail even more more nthusiastically. We stood there by the ocean, chatting casually. Later, I¡¯d asionally drive out here. Goldie always spotted my car first, running over excitedly. Eventually, we¡¯d walk Goldie together along the long coastline. This is probably what renewal looks like. In some unexpected moment, in familiar or unfamiliar scenery. Meeting something unnned that makes you willingly stop in your tracks. Cheating 102 Chapter 1 L ¡°Sorry ma¡¯am, your Prada bag is a fake.¡± The Prada¡¯s salesman words made my stomach drop. My boyfriend¡¯s Valentine¡¯s gift was actually a knockoff? But he had clearly told me it was real, even shoving me his order: ¡°Nordstrom¨CPrada Bag-$22,000!¡± Completely confused, I posted the whole mess on Reddit. Within minutes, the topment caught my attention: [Yo, am I the only one seeing red gs? Why¡¯s the order screenshot cropped?] [I bet there¡¯s another order right above that, huh?] Before I could even process it, I saw anotherment: [Well. I¡¯m just saying, sis, what if he bought two bags¨Creal and fake¨Cand gave you the fake but showed the real receipt?] My heart seemed to stop. My hands were uncontrobly shaking holding my phone. Then I saw the next one: [Girlie, maybe just forget about real vs fake bags¨Cthe real tea is WHO¡¯s he giving the other one to??] That post had me messed up all day. When my coworker said the bag was fake, I took it straight to the boutique. Yep, fake as hell. Cheap knockoff. Nobody wants to get a fake bag as a gift. So I couldn¡¯t help but confront Bryce Montgomery about it. Yet he acted all hurt and defensive, immediately sent me that order screenshot. ¡°I was gonna take you to pick one out yourself, but I¡¯ve been swamped with overtime. No time.¡± Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n find?novel ¡°So I just ordered one from the official store online.¡± The screenshot was crystal cleartest Prada model, $22,000. How do you even get a fake bag from the official store? That¡¯s when I made that post. And got that bombshell response: [Screenshot¡¯s only showing half¨Cmeans there¡¯s something above he doesn¡¯t want you to see.] [Bag¡¯s fake, order¡¯s real¨Cobviously he bought TWO bags! The cut¨Coff part is definitely the fake bag order.] [Girl, forget about real vs fake! Your man¡¯s been ROBBING you blind!] Comment afterment flew by. I felt like a boulder crushing my chest. To get through this trust crisis, I needed to see his phone for the first time ever. Just needed to see thatplete order screenshot¡­ Seeing me all gloomy, Bryce came over and put his arm around me. ¡°Still upset about that bag?¡± ¡°How about this weekend I take you shopping? We¡¯ll hit the boutique, you can pick whatever you want.¡± His eyes looked so genuine and warm. Then he pulled out this orange Kidrobot Dunny figure from his pocket. ¡°¡­Why¡¯d you buy this?¡± ¡°My girl¡¯s upset, gotta get her something cute to cheer her up.¡± ¡°Gonna look cute hanging off your bag.¡± He said it like it was totally normal. But I felt like someone dumped ice water on me. Bryce and I had known each other for ten years. He was this artsy engineering guy who always turned his nose up at trendy stuff like this. Now suddenly he¡¯s pulling keychain figures out of his pocket? That¡¯s when it hit me¨Cmaybe those onlinements were right. Maybe I really was getting yed. I forced a smile, pretending he¡¯d cheered me up. ¡°There¡¯s a package downstairs for me. Can you grab it?¡± I handed him my phone. ¡°The tracking numbers are all in there.¡± He took it without hesitation, leaving his phone on the coffee table. Soon as he left, I typed in his passcode with shaking hands¨Cknew it by heart¨Cand went straight to his order history. That moment felt like getting hit with a sledgehammer. That half¨Cscreenshot order page showed two bags. One real, one fake. Real one was $22,000, fake was from some leather factory in Anta-$80. Damn, those online users nailed it. He gave me the fake bag. So who got the real one? Cheating 103 Chapter 2 Early that morning, Kate packed all her belongings and threw them downstairs. The engagement ring he¡¯d given her she smashed it to pieces with a hammer, her facepletely expressionless. The preserved flower teddy bear from their wedding anniversary she cut it into strips with scissors. The matching pajamas he¡¯d bought for her birthday she burned them. Everything else went straight into the dumpster downstairs. After finishing all that, she went to three job interviews she¡¯d scheduled, hoping to find work. By the time she got home, it was already evening. She opened the door to find Derek and Ashley painting together. Their heads were practically touching, looking incredibly intimate. She stopped in her tracks. She was about to pretend she hadn¡¯t seen anything and back out, but Ashley had already spotted her with sharp eyes. ¡°Kate!¡± Derek put down his brush and nced back at Kate with a t expression, his tonepletely neutral as he made brief introductions. ¡°Ashley, this is my wife Kate. Kate, this is¡­¡± ¡°I know. Ashley.¡± Kate¡¯s voice was soft and polite as she stepped forward to shake Ashley¡¯s hand. When she tried to pull back, Ashley gripped her hand tightly. Kate frowned ¨C it hurt. Ashley acted like nothing was happening, squeezing harder while putting on an enthusiastic expression. ¡°Derek¡¯s mentioned you so many times! Seeing you in person, Kate, you¡¯re even prettier than in the photos!¡± Kate stared at their joined hands. Ashley gave an awkwardugh and finally let go. Kate¡¯s hand was already red from the pressure. She thought back to what Ashley had just said and frowned. ¡°He showed you photos of me?¡± Ashley smiled and nced at Derek, her tone casual. ¡°Of course! Even though I¡¯ve been overseas all these years, Derek and I have stayed in constant touch. We tell each other everything!¡± Tell each other everything. Including their rtionship status and her private photos? Kate smiled bitterly, trying to force her mouth into a smile but failing. She suddenly felt exhausted and didn¡¯t want to continue this conversation. ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs. You two take your time.¡± She pushed open the guest bedroom door. d¡¯s Dream Rorome Your Divorce Evidence 86.06 The sight before her was almost painful to witness, The room was filled with women¡¯s clothes, makeup, even underwear, while her luggage from this morning hadpletny disappeared. She turned around to see the other two had followed her upstairs, Ashley smiled meaningfully. ¡°Kate, my mom and Derek¡¯s grandmother go way back, so when I moved back to the States, she asked Derek to let me crash here for a while. Hope that¡¯s not too much of a hassle.¡± ¡°No trouble at all.¡± Kate said quietly, ¡°So where did my stuff go?¡± ¡°Sorry Kate, I had no idea you and Derek were sleeping separately, so when I was moving my things in and saw those women¡¯s clothes, I didn¡¯t know whose they were, so I¡­ threw them out.¡± Ashley was trying to hide it, but Kate still caught the sh of smugness in her eyes. She clenched her fists, anger rushing to her head. ¡°What gives you the right to throw away my things without asking?¡± ¡°I told her to throw them out. Problem?¡± Derek spoke up tly, looking at Kate withplete indifference. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be so independent? Always going on about divorce and separate bedrooms ¨C guess even ice queens like her could have meltdowns. Kate stared hard at Derek. ¡°That silk pajama set was hand¨Csewn by my grandmother. It¡¯s thest thing I have of her! You threw that away too?!¡± ?????? ???? F¦Énd£Îovel Derek pressed his lips together, his tone emotionless. ¡°Gone.¡± Kate covered her mouth, choking back tears, then turned and ran out. Derek called after her, ¡°It¡¯s been in the trash for hours. Even if you go downstairs to look now, you probably won¡¯t find it.¡± Kate stopped for a moment, roughly wiping away her tears, then ran out even faster. That single tear made Derek¡¯s chest tighten. He instinctively started to follow her out. Behind him, Ashley cried ¡°Ah!¡± and fell to the floor. ¡°Derek, Kate was running so fast she knocked me over and I twisted my ankle¡­¡± Her eyes were red, tears threatening to fall as she looked at Derek pitifully. Derek stopped mid¨Cstep and came back, gently lifting her up. ¡°Let¡¯s get some medicine on that.¡± Ashley wrapped her arms around Derek¡¯s neck, a sh of triumph in her eyes. The sky had turned deep blue. At the east side garbage station. Kate searched everywhere but found nothing. riddanIMA 86.29% It wasn¡¯t until the clouds had swallowed thest traces of sunset that she dragged her exhausted body back home in a cab. Her hands were empty, but her eyes were red like she¡¯d been crying. Walking past the guest room, she heardughter and cheerful voices inside. She tried to smile but it came out bitter she couldn¡¯t manage it. Less than ten minutes after she returned to the master bedroom, Derek came in. She didn¡¯t look at him. She didn¡¯t want to see him right now. Derek strode over with his long legs, opened the closet, and handed Kate a box ¨C it was the pajamas her grandmother had given her! Meeting Kate¡¯s stunned gaze, he exined briefly, ¡°When Ashley was throwing things out, I kept this set aside.¡± Kate had been holding back tears, but clutching the soft silk fabric, she finally broke downpletely. Derek¡¯s eyes darkened as he continued, ¡°What happened, today was just a lesson, Kate. Don¡¯t think about leaving me again, or next time it won¡¯t just be a pajama set that gets thrown away.¡± Kate¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly, her face buried in the fabric, not answering him. Derek asked again, ¡°I heard you went job hunting today. What¡¯s the matter, short on cash?¡± Kate hadn¡¯t expected him to have people watching her every move. She immediately denied it. ¡°No, I¡¯ve just been out of work so long, I wanted to get a feel for the industry.¡± Derek smiled and pulled her into his arms. ¡°No need to worry about that. I¡¯ll take care of you for life.¡± Kate buried herself in his embrace, crying silently. Derek, the lifetime you promised is so short. Chapter 3 Cheating 104 Chapter 3 The next morning, the housekeeper brought Kate a formal dress, saying Derek had arranged a ce for their wedding anniversary dinner that night. Kate showed up as expected. It was the revolving restaurant she¡¯d inentioned wanting to visit so many times. She immediately spotted Ashley sitting next to Derek and frowned. ¡°This is our wedding anniversary. What¡¯s she doing here?¡± Derek¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°Two people eating, three people eating makes no difference. More people, more fun.¡± More fun, right. Kateughed mockingly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think three people makes things a little crowded?¡± Before she¡¯d even finished speaking, Derek¡¯s face darkened, like she was being unreasonable again. Ashley jumped up. ¡°Forget it, Kate doesn¡¯t want me here. I¡¯m leaving!¡± She rushed out, and Derek hurried after her. Kate stared at their retreating figures for who knows how long, tears drying on her face. She picked up Derek¡¯s forgotten phone and headed outside. Walking past the restroom, she heard quiet sounds from inside. She looked and saw Derek had lifted Ashley onto the sink counter, their lower bodies pressed tightly together. ¡°Why¡¯d you just run off like that? Today¡¯s our anniversary ¨C I specially picked this ce for you.¡± Derek was gently kissing the woman¡¯s lips as he spoke. Ashley smiled shyly, then sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to upset your wife.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my legal wife.¡± His movements became more intense, and Ashley couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft moan. Derek asked teasingly, ¡°Getting turned on so fast today?¡± Ashley¡¯s face flushed crimson as her legs tightened around his waist even more¡­ Kate didn¡¯t know how she managed to leave. Her heart was contracting painfully ¨C she was almost numb from the pain. In all their years of marriage, this was the first time Derek had remembered their wedding anniversary. Turns out it was for Ashley. Years ago on this day, he and Ashley had gotten their marriage license and be legal husband and wife. And she was just an outsider who¡¯d stolen someone else¡¯s nest. ¨C Cvidence 86.7% She ate the cold food in small bites. After what felt like forever, Derek finally came back. He said somewhat apologetically, ¡°Sorry, I got a call and it ran long¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t even brought his phone ¨C how could he take a call? Kate smiled bitterly to herself but didn¡¯t bother exposing his lie anymore. Whatever, it didn¡¯t matter. Ashley came back a littleter, her cheeks still flushed. That¡¯s when Derek signaled for the evening¡¯s entertainment to begin. The y depicted a man and woman who¡¯d known each other since childhood and gradually fell in love. Derek turned to Kate with a smile. ¡°Kate, it doesn¡¯t matter that you lost your memory. These are all our past experiences together. I¡¯ll help you remember them one by one.¡± Kate smiled coldly. But memories that never belonged to her in the first ce ¨C no matter how hard these people performed, how could she possibly remember? Across from her, Ashley was already crying uncontrobly. Watching the y with a face full of emotion and sweetness, constantly wiping away tears. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? find~novel Derek¡¯s gaze gradually shifted to Ashley, his eyes overflowing with passionate feelings. Kate felt a sharp stab in her heart, bitterness welling up until she could barely breathe. Their past together must have been so happy. That¡¯s why they both remembered and cherished it even now. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. When she came back to herself, Derek was looking at her with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you remember? You look so moved.¡± ¡°Yeah, I remembered.¡± Kate didn¡¯t want to watch Ashley unt their deep love in front of her anymore, so she deliberately said, ¡°Derek, I¡¯m so surprised today. Thank you for going to all this trouble for me. I love it.¡± Then she gave Derek a gentle kiss on the cheek. Derek stiffened but didn¡¯t pull away. A sh of jealous hatred quickly crossed Ashley¡¯s eyes. Kate saw her lips moving and instinctively felt something was wrong. Before she could react, Ashley knocked over the candbra beside her. A loud crash. In that critical moment, Derek quickly grabbed Ashley and pulled her to safety. Kate watched helplessly as the candbra toppled toward her. Chapter 3 In the moment before she lost consciousness, she saw Ashley hiding in Derek¡¯s armns. Once again mouthing the words ¡°Let¡¯s see who he¡¯ll save.¡± A Cheating 105 Chapter 4 During Kate¡¯s two days of unconsciousness, Derek woulde to her bedside every day, confessing and crying She listened silently, feeling nothing inside, deceiving herself by refusing to wake up. Until the third day Kate heard a female voice sobbing pitifully. ¡°Derek, it¡¯s all my fault. Kate was jealous and deliberately knocked over the candbra.i should have pushed you to save her instead, then this wouldn¡¯t have happened¡­¡± Then came Derek¡¯s gentle voice. ¡°Kate¡¯s always been like this, throwing tantrums. How could I me you for that?¡± ¡°But I feel so guilty¡­¡± Ashley was choking back tears. Derek¡¯s tone suddenly became yful. ¡°Really guilty? Then I¡¯ll have to punish you.¡± Ashley froze, not understanding what he meant, but then her lips were sealed by his. Their tongues intertwined as Derek whispered hoarsely in her ear, ¡°Your punishment is we don¡¯t stop kissing for half an hour.¡± Ashley¡¯s face turned bright red. Kate¡¯s fingers curled tightly, her heart bleeding with pain. The intimate sounds in her ears grew louder and her stomach cramped. She couldn¡¯t help but throw up. Only then did Derek realize she was awake. He frantically let go of Ashley. He asked with concern, ¡°Kate, how are you feeling?¡± Then he added, ¡°Ashley already told me the truth. Even though you knocked over the candbra, she said she won¡¯t hold you responsible. Getting hurt this time is punishment enough.¡± Punishment. Kate clenched her fists and finally couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Punishment?¡± Punishment for what? Derek pressed his lips together and became slightly more serious. ¡°Alright, you both made mistakes. I already punished Ashley too. It¡¯s fair. This matter ends here.¡± Kate almostughed out loud. One person got their head smashed and fell unconscious, the other got kissed for half an hour. What wonderfully fair punishment! Kate felt so sad. Love andck of love were crystal clear. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s end it here.¡± She agreed tly, no longer wanting to argue or dwell on it. Derek frowned, somehow feeling her reaction was strange. nion Evidence. 87.3% He Chapters first released on Find1Novel He made up his mind. ¡°Sorry Kate, I have a business deal to handle right now-¡± ¡°Look, all these people are watching us.¡± Kate gently interrupted, her voice almost softening. ¡°If you leave now, it¡¯ll be really embarrassing for me.¡± Derek frowned. ¡°Kate, this isn¡¯t the time for you to throw a fit. This partnership is really important to me.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°It¡¯s just a party. I can throw you another one next time, can¡¯t I?¡± With that, he hurriedly abandoned Kate and left. The crowd below erupted in shock. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Wasn¡¯t today¡¯s party specially thrown by Mr. Stone for his wife? Why did he just walk out?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, looks like Mr. Stone got a call and just left. Could it have been from his mistress?¡± ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, seems like Mr. Stone and his wife¡¯s rtionship isn¡¯t as good as the rumors say!¡°, Kate didn¡¯t know how she made it home. She took a shower in a daze, washing away her carefully applied makeup. The cold water gave her a moment of rity. She thought about Derek¡¯s words ¨C ¡°I can throw you another one next time, can¡¯t I?¡± But Derek, there won¡¯t be a next time. Soon, I¡¯ll remember my real life. I¡­ will forget you There won¡¯t be a next time. Cheating 106 Chapter 5 Kate was feeling down when a friend called and asked her to go drinking. When she got there, she discovered it was the same ce where Derek was having his business meeting. She hesitated but decided to leave. In the underground garage, she saw through a half open car door two people going at it hot and heavy. Ashley was naked from the waist down, her legs hanging limply in the air, with Derek on top of her moving roughly and intensely. ¡°Faster¡­ faster¡­ oh god!!!¡± Ashley¡¯s voice sounded like she was in heaven. Kate didn¡¯t know how long she stood there. Her legs were getting sore, but the two of them still showed no signs of stopping. The moaning and panting that rose and fell with their movements pierced her eardrums like poison, gripping her chest tight and making it hard to breathe. She suddenly rushed out and threw up everything in her stomach. But she still felt sick, disgusted, humiliated. All those years of devotion had been for nothing! Derek came home drunk in the middle of the night. Kate was already asleep. Looking at the woman sleeping deeply in the big bed, he felt a bit ufortable. Fresh chapters posted on FindN0vel Before, no matter howte it was, Kate would always wait for him toe home before sleeping. She never just ignored him like this. Thinking about what happened during the day, he felt uneasy. He turned her body to face him and asked, ¡°Are you mad?¡± Kate was groggily woken up by his shaking, her eyes ice cold. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be mad?¡± Derek sighed. ¡°Today was sudden. I didn¡¯t expect Ashley to close that deal so quickly. Don¡¯t be angry anymore. I already gave Ashley a talking¨Cto and told her never to interrupt us again, no matter what.¡± A talking¨Cto? Kate thought about what she¡¯d witnessed in the underground garage today. That kind of talking¨Cto? Well¡­ that was one hell of a lecture ¨Csted over an hour. She turned away, not wanting to deal with Derek anymore. ¡°I got my period today and my stomach hurts. Go sleep in the guest room.¡± Derek nodded and left, but then he froze. Kate¡¯s look just now had been especially unfamiliar, especially cold, especially¡­ unusual A strange feeling suddenly rose in his chest, so the next day he booked tickets to d to have a makeup honeymoon with Kate. 88.0 Blue skies and white clouds the dic wind blew away the gloom in Kate¡¯s heart. It felt like they were back to those early days of marriage when they were together all the time. Derek couldn¡¯t go a moment without seeing her and would video call just to check on her. When she wanted to ride the ice cars, this scaredy cat was obviously terrified but still went with her. When she couldn¡¯t get used to foreign food, he specifically borrowed someone¡¯s kitchen to clumsily make her scrambled eggs and tomatoes. When she mentioned the pool looked nice, le rented out the entire beach the next day. These days he was incredibly attentive to her. Even though Kate had already given up hope, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a flicker of hope deep down. He must have loved her once, right? Otherwise why would he treat her so well? The cold wind was too chilly, Kate shivered and went upstairs to get a shawl. Walking around the corner, she heard two staff members talking. ¡°Did you hear? Some rich CEO checked in yesterday. He booked two suites, one upstairs and one downstairs ¨C one for his wife, one for his mistress. He runs between both every day. Guy must not get tired.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need to hear about it ¨C I can see it! Look what I¡¯m carrying ¨C ten condoms the CEO ordered over the phone. Taking them up to him now.¡± ¡°Ten? That¡¯s intense!¡± ¡°Young guys have crazy stamina. He used up fivest night and he¡¯s asking for more this afternoon¡­ Oh yeah, I heard this CEO is American ¨C that exins it!¡± Kate couldn¡¯t hear the rest clearly. American? Derek was the only American man who checked in yesterday. Who was this mistress he brought? Was it Ashley? He¡¯d said he was taking her on vacation to enjoy time alone together, but it turned out to be a three¨Cperson trip? Her head buzzing, she returned to the suite. Derek still wasn¡¯t back. She smiled mockingly. Of course. During those two hours, she thought about so many things. ¨C She remembered her first time with Derek ¨C he¡¯d been so nervous, afraid of hurting her, saying he wanted to wait until after marriage because she was his most precious treasure. Finally when they got married, he was so gentle that night, asking if it hurt with every movement. She was so embarrassed by his questions that she just hugged him tight and wouldn¡¯t speak. She still remembered him cupping her face, saying he¡¯d belong only to her for the rest of his life. But in the blink of an eye, he was in another woman¡¯s bed. Chapter S And that woman was staying right upstairs while she was downstairs. He ran between both floors every day without getting tired. Maybe some of their intimate moments even carried Ashley¡¯s scent. Just thinking about it made Kate feel sick to her stomach. She stumbled to her feet, packed her things, and booked a flight home that evening. Cheating 107 When Derek returned in the suite. It was alreadyte at night. He felt a bit guilty he hadn¡¯t expected to lose track of time when he and Ashley got tangled up together. He wondered if Kate would be upset, if she¡¯d waited for him toe back before going to sleep. As soon as he opened the door, it was pitch ck and eerily empty. Derek discovered that Kate¡¯s clothes and suitcase were all gone, and so was she. He panicked and called her, but she hung up immediately. Unwilling to give up, he called again the phone was already turned off. He rushed downstairs and yelled at the lobby staff. ¡°Where¡¯s my wife? Where did she go? How could you just let her leave without keeping an eye on her?!¡± The staff tried to calm him down and pulled up the security footage. Derek watched Kate¡¯s lonely figure dragging her suitcase out the hotel entrance, and felt overwhelmed with distress. She was someone who couldn¡¯t even read a map ¨C where could she go alone in a foreign country? Derek felt an emptiness in his chest, like he¡¯d lost some priceless treasure. ¡°Book me the fastest flight back home!¡± His voice was shaking. Just then Ashley called. ¡°Derek, I think you left your tie at my ce. Want toe get it?¡± Derek refused. ¡°Ashley, Kate¡¯s missing. I need to find her¡­¡± The voice on the other end dropped. ¡°But I really want you to spend more time with me¡­ and I just learned some new positions. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to try them?¡± Derek hesitated. Ashley struck while the iron was hot. ¡°Limited time offer!¡± He sighed and agreed. ¡°Fine, wait for me.¡± After Kate got home, she took a nice hot shower. The next morning when she woke up, she was met with a pair of bloodshot eyes. ¡°Kate, why did you leave without saying anything?¡± Derek looked unusually haggard. Just as she was about to speak, he pulled her into his arms without giving her a choice. She instinctively struggled. ¡°Let me go¡­¡± But Derek held her even tighter, his voice full of relief and gratitude. ¡°Thank god, Kate. Thank god I didn¡¯t lose you¡­¡± Kate heard the choking emotion in his voice as he held her close, and she felt dazed. Was he really that afraid of losing her? But if he was so afraid, why did he do things that hurt her? Her sigh was long and distant, making Derek¡¯s heart sink even deeper. He held her tighter. Over the next few days, Derek stayed glued to Kate¡¯s side. Neither of them mentioned what happened at the hotel, as if by mutual understanding. But only Kate knew that some things, once broken, could never be fixed. Even if they didn¡¯t talk about it, that thorn was still there, stuck in their throats, and someday it would turn into a de that would destroy them both. Meanwhile, her visa for the surgery abroad had been approved. Three days left. That afternoon, Derek called. ¡°Baby, I have an emergency business trip. I won¡¯t be back tonight, so make sure you eat on time, okay?¡± Kate typed and deleted several messages before finally sending, ¡°How long is the trip?¡± After a while, he replied. ¡°Three days.¡± Three days. Kate chewed over that number, thinking maybe it was all meant to be. ¡°Alright then, have a safe trip.¡± That evening, she started packing her remaining belongings. Her phone chimed. She clicked on it and saw Ashley had posted something new on Instagram. ¡°Someone¡¯s taking me to Norway to make up for his mistakes~ Blue skies, white clouds, and my beloved by my side ¨C I¡¯m so happy!¡± The photo showed two hands intertwined, fingersced together. Kate stared at the photo for a long time before scrolling past with no expression. She knew Ashley had posted it specifically for her to see. This post was probably visible to her alone. Day three countdown ¨C she packed all her belongings and shipped them to her new ce abroad. That evening, Ashley posted again. Her head was resting on Derek¡¯sp while he massaged her temples, his indulgent smile almost painful for Kate to see. Day two countdown ¨C she burned all the love letters and notes she¡¯d written to Derek over the years. Everyst one. When she woke up in the morning, there was another post. Newest update provided by fin?novel 38 Ashley and Derek kissing on the beach, lips pressed together, kissing seriously and passionately. Day one countdown Kate turned off all the security cameras in the house. Then she shouldered her backpack, traveling light, and left the house without looking back. From now on, no matter how hard he searched, he¡¯d never find her again. A clean break for both of them. Cheating 108 Derek, who was vacationing in Norway, suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness. Like sand slipping through his fingers, like peach blossoms withering into dust, like a heart being torn in half. Had he lost something? As time passed, this unease grew stronger and stronger. He finally couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He shot up with a loud bang, knocking over his chair, and said to Ashley, ¡°I need to go back home right now. Sorry Ashley, I can¡¯t stay with you. I¡¯ll make it up to you next time.¡± Ashley panicked and tried her usual tricks. ¡°Derek, I have something really important to tell you tonight¡­¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s that important ¨C we¡¯ll talk next time!¡± This time, Derek¡¯s attitude was unusually firm. So firm that he ran out without even ncing at Ashley again. He didn¡¯t know why, but his subconscious seemed to be telling him that if he waited any longer, he¡¯d never see a certain someone again. And that person was the most precious thing in his life, someone he absolutely couldn¡¯t lose. After getting off the ne, he drove frantically back to the house, rushing to open the door only to find it pitch ck inside. No lights, no people, no sounds. A terrible feeling rose in his chest. He rushed into the bedroom, but there was no one in bed, and even all the clothes in the closet had vanished. It was like the entire house had lost all traces of Kate¡¯s existence overnight. He was panicking as he fumbled with his phone several times before dialing the right number, but when the call went through, he heard, ¡°The number you have dialed is out of service.¡± Not turned off ¨C out of service¡­ Damn it! What happened to Kate? Where did she go! He nearly broke down, hands shaking as he pulled out his phone to have his security check the surveince footage. ¡°Check it! Check everything! From the day she came back from vacation, go through every single day of footage until it¡¯s crystal clear!¡± He practically screamed those words. Tears flowed freely as he desperately hoped this was all just a nightmare, that he¡¯d wake up and Kate would still be by his side. The surveince footage came up. On screen, Kate came home the first day with bags and packages, but left empty¨Chanded. The second day, Kate took a pile of papers and burned them under the tree for a full half hour. The third day¡­ Derek gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the third day¡¯s footage? Why is it gone?¡± The security guard stammered nervously. ¡°The third day¡¯s surveince seems to have been deliberately destroyed. We¡¯ve tried everything but can¡¯t recover the data¡­¡± Derek copsed to the floor in defeat. Fresh chapters posted on findnovel It was Kate ¨C she¡¯d intentionally destroyed the surveince before leaving because she didn¡¯t want him to find her. Did she hate him that much? Couldn¡¯t stand to see him for even another moment? He closed his eyes in despair, letting the tears flow. ¡°Miss Kate, this is your attending physician, Dr. Poter. He¡¯ll be taking over your case from here.¡± In a hospital room in Singapore, Katey in bed. Tomorrow she would undergo surgery. If the operation went well, her memories would slowly return. Thinking about this, she finally felt at peace, and at the same time couldn¡¯t wait. She¡¯d been living under the false identity of ¡°Derek¡¯s wife¡± for so long ¨C now she just wanted to figure out who she really was. A video was ying in the hospital room. The man on screen was handsome with refined features, wearing a sharp suit, standing tall like a pine tree. Most importantly, Kate felt a strong sense of familiarity the moment she saw him. As if she¡¯d seen him long ago. ¡°Girl, you don¡¯t know him? That¡¯s the CEO of Hayes Group, James Hayes. Their business spans the entire country ¨C when Hayes Group moves, countlesspanies follow!¡± Thedy in the next bed chatted enthusiastically while Kate politely responded, ¡°Oh.¡± Actually, she wasn¡¯t very interested. Someone with that kind of power and status ¨C she¡¯d never have any connection to someone like that in this lifetime. That afternoon she was walking in the hospital corridor when she unexpectedly ran into James. That sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu grew even stronger. She was about to approach him to ask if they¡¯d met before when everything started spinning and she fainted. James suddenly stopped in his tracks. Something made him turn around, but he saw nothing. His secretary asked, ¡°Mr. Hayes, what is it?¡± James shook his head. ¡°Nothing. We need to find who we¡¯re looking for. Let¡¯s go.¡± The surgery took a full seven hours. When Kate woke up, her head was pounding as memories flooded back into her mind. She was the youngest daughter of the Sullivan family in Cloud City. Her biological parents were the local wealthiest family. Chapter 7 She even had a childhood sweetheart nce. If not for that car ident, they would already be married by now. Het Dance¡¯s name was James Hayes. Cheating 109 After resting for a few days, Kate reunited with her birth parents, and the family cried together. When they brought up the old engagement, Kate¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°James was sleeping around with other women behind my back. I was so upset that I ran out in the middle of the night, got in that car ident, and Derek took advantage of my vulnerability/ ¡°I will never forgive James. Let¡¯s call off this engagement!¡± Her parents didn¡¯t push it ¨C their daughter¡¯s happiness was what mattered most. After a few days of preparation, they held a grand homing ceremony for her. James showed up that day too. He stared intently at the girl on stage in her pearl dress, his eyes burning with intensity. It really was her¡­ She was back¡­ He¡¯d been searching for her for so long, thinking he¡¯d never see her again in this lifetime. She¡¯d finallye back¡­ Kate went to the dressing room to change clothes. As soon as she opened the door, she fell into a burning embrace. The overwhelming masculine scent washed over her as her lips were sealed. ¡°Let me go¡­ mmph¡­¡± James held her tight and refused to let go. Kate pped him hard across the face. ¡°Stop pretending! James, if it wasn¡¯t for you, how would I have ended up like this?¡± ¡°You slept with your precious first love and drove me crazy in the middle of the night. Everything that happened to me is your fault! I hate you, and I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡± James¡¯s brow furrowed deeper as he made a phone call. Soon, his identical twin brother arrived. ¡°Kate, you¡¯ve really misunderstood! The person who slept with¡­ with Betty that night wasn¡¯t my brother, it was me¡­ Betty is my girlfriend¡­¡± For original chapters go to find¡¤novel ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Kate, we caused such a huge misunderstanding¡­¡± Kate was stunned. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you exin back then?¡± James looked hurt. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even there that night. My brother was going to exin to you, but you ran out without letting him say a word. By the time he got dressed and chased after you, you¡¯d already disappeared¡­¡± 90.0 So it had all been a misunderstanding. Kate hung her head and said nothing. James felt relieved. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve cleared this up, can we¡­ continue with our engagement?¡± He looked at her carefully, but Kate refused. ¡°Torget it, I¡­ I¡¯ve already been married¡­ You¡¯ll definitely find someone better¡­¡± With that, she ran away. James stared at her retreating figure for a long time, then made a call with a dark tone. ¡°Investigate. Find out everything about Kate¡¯s experiences these past years. I want to know who dared to hurt her, who dared to trick her into marriage!¡± For the next few days, there was no word from James. Kate felt both relieved and disappointed. She remembered all those memories that had flooded back ¨C every bit of James¡¯s consideration and tenderness toward her. When she was five, little him holding little her¡¯s hand, saying in front of the wooden castle that he¡¯d marry her someday. When she was ten, their families arranged their engagement, and he excitedly said he¡¯d build a real castle to hide her in. When she was seventeen, he confessed his love and she became his girlfriend, giving him her first kiss and all her love. But when she was twenty¨Cone, she lost her memory in the car ident and forgot her lifelong love. Kate felt her heart aching. She finally understood what it meant to truly love someone. She slept until afternoon when she was woken bymotion. The Sullivan family hade to propose marriage. ¡°Kate, I don¡¯t care about your past, and I don¡¯t mind if you¡¯ve been married before. All I know is that you¡¯re the bride I decided to marry when I was three years old.¡± ¡°Kate, I¡¯ve finally found you again. Will you marry me?¡± James knelt on one knee, holding a diamond ring the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg, looking at her with deep affection. Her eyes suddenly reddened. Their wedding preparations began immediately. Meanwhile, Derek had been searching for Kate for a long time without sess. Heartbroken, he started drinking heavily. Drinking during the day, drinking at night, his schedulepletely upside down, wishing he could drink himself to death. Ashley came to see him several times, but he threw bottles at her and drove her away. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you! Kate left me because of you! Get out, get the hell out!¡± Ashley cried and hugged him. ¡°Derek, I¡¯m your true love! Kate was just a fake, she was my substitute!¡± Substitute or not, Derek had already fallen in love with her. He pushed Ashley to the floor, his eyes zing. ¡°I¡¯m telling you one more time if you ever show your face in front of me again, I¡¯ll destroy your entire family!¡± Ashley gritted her teeth and showed him a video. ¡°Is she worth all this? She¡¯s already happily engaged to another man! Derek, she¡¯s making a fool of you! Why can¡¯t you just let go?!¡± Derek took the phone and immediately saw Kate nestled beside James, smiling brilliantly. He staggered back a step, thunderstruck. Cheating 110 Chapter 9 Kate had been feeling like someone was following her these past few days, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was just her imagination. When she told James, he looked thoughtful and said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± That very night, he had his men corner Derek in the underground garage. ¡°So you¡¯re the one? You lied to Kate, told her she was your fianc¨¦e, and wasted all those years of her life?¡± Derekughed coldly. ¡°Wasted? Kate doesn¡¯t think it was a waste. James, you probably don¡¯t know this, but Kate was crazy about me! Even when she left at the end, it was because she was jealous. Deep down, she¡¯ll always love me the most!¡± ¡°So what if you two were childhood sweethearts? All those years together still can¡¯tpare to my three years with her!¡± One of the Sullivan family bodyguards hit Derek¡¯s leg with a club, making him double over in pain. James personally took the club and hit him again. He looked down at Derek coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sparing your life only because you saved Kate once. If you dare follow her again, next time it won¡¯t just be a beating!¡± When James came home that night, Kate asked, ¡°How did you scrape your hand?¡± Then she lovingly applied iodine to his wound. ¡°Be more careful next time!¡± James looked at her with adoration. ¡°Okay.¡± The next day, Kate went to Sullivan Group to bring her fianc¨¦ lunch. She¡¯d only walked a few steps when a stranger handed her a flower. ¡°Ms. Kate, happy anniversary.¡± She epted the flower, confused. A few more steps and she got another flower with the exact same message. By the time she reached thepany, she¡¯d received ten flowers. Thest one was delivered personally by Derek, who popped out from some corner. ¡°Kate, surprise!¡± ¡°Today marks five years since we met. These eleven flowers represent my devoted love for you!¡± Kate frowned. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Derek smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Kate, you¡¯ve been throwing this tantrum long enough. Time to stop being mad. I came specially to take you home¡­¡± Home? Kateughed sarcastically. ¡°Haven¡¯t you lied to me enough already? The Stone house was never my home, and I¡¯m never going back.¡± Derek looked crushed. ¡°Kate, I admit I lied about your identity, but I truly love you! My feelings for you are real!¡± ¡°Your so¨Ccalled true love means bringing Ashley into our home while we were married, sleeping with her, doing everything married couples do, even making me stay on different floors of the same hotel?¡± Chapter 9 ¡°During myst three days there, you were off vacationing in Norway with Ashley. She posted something every single day that only I could see ¨C showing off your rtionship, showing off the condoms you used!¡± ¡°Derek, if that¡¯s what you call true love, then your love is pretty damn cheap!¡± After saying this, Kate threw the flowers in the trash. She coldly added, ¡°I already have a fianc¨¦. Don¡¯te looking for me anymore!¡± Derek watched her leave, his eyes full of resentment¡­ and something sinister. Damn it, how dare Ashley! She actually dared to provoke Kate behind his back! Readplete version only at F¦Énd£Îovel He immediately called back home. ¡°Report everything Ashley¡¯s been doingtely, and suspend all business dealings with the Park family immediately!¡± After hanging up, he contacted some underworld connections to have Ashley kidnapped. He believed that as long as he severely punished Ashley and Kate¡¯s anger subsided, she would definitely forgive him. She woulde back to his side. She had to. That day, James took Kate to pick out wedding dresses. With each one she tried on, James¡¯s eyes grew more amazed. ¡°Kate, you¡¯re absolutely stunning!¡± Kate blushed from all thepliments. ¡°You say that about every dress. Which one should we buy?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± James said, ¡°You can wear whichever one you want.¡± Kate touched the soft wedding dress fabric with tears in her eyes. Though she¡¯d been married before, she¡¯d never worn a wedding dress. Back then, Derek had told her that Stone Group was in a precarious position with many people watching, so they couldn¡¯t have an borate wedding. Forget the wedding dress ¨C they¡¯d barely had a handful of tables at the reception. Sheter learned the real reason Derek did this was because he was afraid of making Ashley jealous. It had always been like this ¨C she keptpromising because of Ashley, kept wronging herself, only to have them push even further. Now she finally didn¡¯t have to put up with it anymore. She had someone who truly loved her, someone willing to spendvishly on wedding dresses for her. So this was what it felt like to be loved. They were packing up the wedding dresses to leave when a strange man burst into the store with a water gun and started spraying everything. 15.20 When Your Cheating Hushand¡¯s Dream Be Your Divorce Evidence Chapter 9 All the pristine white wedding dresses were stained with filth. Kate¡¯s expression changed, and by the time she realized what was happening, all the wedding dresses were ruined, Cheating 111 ¡°Call the police.¡± James shielded her behind him, his face cold, The investigation results came back quickly this man had been paid by Derek to do it. Derek confessed without hesitation and said he could pay for damages. But the wedding dresses were already ruined. Derek looked at her smugly. ¡°Kate, so you want to marry someone else? I¡¯ll destroy every wedding dress you try on! I¡¯ve got money I¡¯m not afraid to pay! But you¡¯ll never find a wedding dress that works!¡± Kate pped him hard across the face. ¡°Derek, you keep setting new lows for yourself. You¡¯re absolutely shameless!¡± Fortunately, James had already had a custom dress made for her that was almost finished. That evening, Kate went to the underground garage to get something but was cornered by Derek. ¡°Kate, I want to show you something. Once you see it, you¡¯ll definitely forgive me.¡± Derek pulled out a video. As soon as he yed it, piercing female screams echoed throughout the garage. ¡°Stay away¡­ ah! Don¡¯te near me, I¡¯m begging you¡­ please spare me¡­¡± Ashley was sobbing hysterically, apanied by men¡¯s sinisterughter. It made Kate feel sick. ¡°Why are you showing me this?¡± Derek said ingratiatingly, ¡°Weren¡¯t you always bothered by my thing with Ashley? Look, I already got revenge for you. I had some guys sleep with Ashley. Can you please stop being mad at me?¡± Kate looked at him like she¡¯d seen a ghost. What kind of person does something like this? Was Derek even human?! She ran away quickly, her panicked voice reaching the man¡¯s ears and making him suffer. ¡°Derek, stop pestering me, I¡¯m begging you. I really don¡¯t want to be with you anymore. I hate you ¨C just thinking about you makes me sick!¡± ¡°And stop hurting other people in my name! I don¡¯t care about you and Ashley! Don¡¯t drag me into your evil!¡± She ran so fast, like a flood or wild beast was chasing her. Derek stood there stunned, feeling his heart break in two. To avoid any moreplications, James and Kate decided to move up their wedding. It was a grand affair with distinguished guests filling the hall. 15:28 When Your Cheating Husband¡¯s Dream Be Your Divorce Evidence 91.3% Kate appeared in a top¨Ctier custom wedding dress, breathtakingly beautiful. James held her hand as they went table to table toasting. Everyone praised them as a perfect match, ¡°I heard Mr. Hayes and his wife are childhood sweethearts with an arranged engagement since they were kids. What a perfect couple!¡± ¡°Exactly! Mr. Hayes dotes on his wife so much even the wedding dress was made by a top international designer. Did you see that diamond ring? Mr. Hayes bid sky¨Chigh for it at auction!¡± There were also some discordant voices. ¡°Didn¡¯t I hear Mrs. Hayes was married before? Doesn¡¯t that make Mr. Hayes a rebound guy?¡± When James heard this, his expression immediately darkened. He pulled over the embarrassed¨Clooking Kate and announced loudly, ¡°Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my and Kate¡¯s wedding. There are some things I¡¯d like to rify.¡± He turned to look at the girl beside him, his gaze tender and loving. ¡°Years ago, Kate lost her memory in a car ident, and we were separated for several years. During those years I kept searching for her, but unfortunately it took until now.¡± ¡°I failed Kate by not finding her sooner and letting her suffer for so many years. Now she¡¯s finally back by my side as my wife, and I¡¯ll spend my life protecting and cherishing her.¡± Content originallyes from F?nd-Novel ¡°Kate, I love you. Will you marry me?¡± He knelt on one knee as thunderous apuse erupted below. ¡°We misunderstood! Look how happy this couple is! You must stay happy forever!¡± Amid the shower of praise, Kate¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. She took his hand and said, ¡°I do-¡± ¡°Kate!¡± A breathless male voice interrupted as Derek burst in, disrupting the wedding ceremony. He looked urgently at Kate. ¡°Kate, don¡¯t marry him!¡± Kate frowned and was about to speak when he turned to address the guests. ¡°Everyone, there are some things I need to rify too ¨C Kate is my legal wife, and we¡¯ve never gotten divorced!¡± ¡°I fell in love with Kate at first sight years ago, so we got married sessfully. We¡¯ve been loving and devoted all these years, but James Hayes stole her away from me! I¡¯m here today to expose his true face!¡± The entire hall erupted in chaos. What! Kate hadn¡¯t gotten divorced yet? Then how could she marry Mr. Hayes! This was clearly deception! Concealment! ying both sides! Contemptuous looks turned toward Kate. Even James looked slightly stunned, clearly somewhat incredulous. Kate clenched her fists tightly and pulled out documents she¡¯d prepared long ago, throwing them in Derek¡¯s face. Veur Divorce Evidence 916% 2 ¡°Legal husband and wife?¡± ¡°Never divorced?¡± ¡°Derek, let me ask you on that marriage certificate we got back then, whose name was actually on it?!¡± Cheating 112 Chapter 11 The snow¨Cwhite papers scattered everywhere. A sharp¨Ceyed guest spotted something and cried out, ¡°Oh my God! The spouse¡¯s name on the marriage certificate is Ashley Park! It¡¯s not Kate at all!¡± Derek was stunned speechless, taking a long moment to recover. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right¡­ how could this be¡­ how¡­¡± He finally panicked. Back then, to make Ashley happy, he¡¯d softened momentarily and agreed to get their marriage license, to be her legal husband and wife. But how did Kate find out? And she¡¯d brought it out in front of everyone¡­ It was over¡­ Derek feltpletely hopeless as he was dragged out by James¡¯s security guards who had rushed over. The wedding concluded smoothly. There wasn¡¯t a single questioning voice left. After witnessing that scene, everyone felt that these two had gone through so much to finally be together. Cool breezes swept through the room, but couldn¡¯t ease the burning heat. Kate gripped James¡¯s arm tightly, surrendering herself to sink into bliss with him. The two returned to Cloud City for their honeymoon. Every morning Kate¡¯s parents would have breakfast ready, and in the evenings they¡¯d walk hand in hand along the river. After learning what their daughter had been through, Kate¡¯s parents now adored James deeply. The family was happy and harmonious every day. ¡°James, you¡¯ve been married for several days now. When are you nning to have children? While your father and I are still young, we can help you take care of them for a few years.¡± Kate shyly interrupted, ¡°Mom, why are you in such a rush¡­¡± Seeing her like this, James smiled indulgently and said to Kate¡¯s mother, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Mom, I¡¯ll work hard on it!¡± Kate¡¯s face turned bright red. The ident happened at that very moment. Blinding headlights came toward them with a loud crash as James yanked the steering wheel. But the oing car seemed intentionally aimed at them, targeting their front end relentlessly. James was hit so hard his head was bleeding and he passed out in the driver¡¯s seat Kate only suffered minor scrapes but was terrified. ¡°James Jamest¡± Kind bystanders helped call an ambnce. Only then did Kate have a chance to look at the vehicle that hit them. She fruze when she sa ¡°Derek?¡± He¡¯d actually followed them here too?! Kate quickly shouted to the traffic police in the distance, ¡°It¡¯s him! This man deliberately hit my husband! Officer, this was attempted murder!¡± Derek didn¡¯t run. Instead he looked at her angrily. ¡°You sure change your tune fast, Kate. I was right ¨C you and he were sneaking around behind my back all along!¡± ¡°Kate, you¡¯re just a two¨Ctiming slut! The police should arrest you!¡± Before he could finish, Kate¡¯s father pped him hard. ¡°So you¡¯re Derek! You¡¯re the one who lied to my daughter all those years!¡± ¡°Secretary Miller, call the police! Tell them someonemitted marriage fraud. I want this punk to lose everything!¡± Only then did Derek start to get scared, but he still wasn¡¯t backing down. ¡°Uncle, that¡¯s heartless of you. What did I lie to Kate about? I treated her well all these years!¡± ¡°Besides, she already slept with me ¨C she¡¯s my woman forever, nothing can change that. How can you call the police on me?¡± Kate was furious. ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Kate¡¯s father had already passed out from anger. He was rushed to the hospital. As Kate waited outside James¡¯s operating room, her hatred for Derek reached its peak! Her entire good life had been ruined by him! But he was still haunting her like a ghost! Showing up here to destroy her peaceful life again! This update is avable on She hated Derek to death, but as she watched the clock outside the operating room, she finally realized how important James had be to her. The moment he was knocked unconscious in the crash, her heart had contracted. Eight years ago, James had been in a car ident too. That night she¡¯d suddenly craved puffs from the suburbs, so without a word he¡¯d driven across half the city to buy them. Just five minutes from home, he collided with a truck. He was unconscious for three days and nights. The doctor had even issued a critical condition notice. That time was the closest James had evere to death. Kate had even considered dying with him. She couldn¡¯t lose him. Absolutely couldn¡¯t. Eight yearster history repeated itself, but this time it was deliberate. Thinking of this, she made a call to the prison. Just as she hung up, James came out of surgery, ¡°The patient is out of danger.¡± Meanwhile, at Cloud City prison. Derek crouched in the dark cell. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Kate¡¯s utterly disgusted look. She¡¯d never looked at him that way before. Her previous gazes had always been full of worship and admiration. When exactly had she started finding even looking at him annoying? Did she really not love him anymore? Just thinking about this possibility made Derek¡¯s heart ache like it was being stabbed. Just then, a guard came. ¡°Derek Stone,e out. Someone¡¯s provided new evidence in your case.¡± Derek¡¯s eyes lit up as he went out hopefully, hearing two guards quietly discussing the Ms. Kate who¡¯d provided evidence. A ripple of emotion stirred in his heart. He knew it ¨C Kate wouldn¡¯t just watch him get arrested. Kate had really found a way to save him. His heart felt sweet as honey. ¡°Due to new evidence, Derek Stone is being transferred from regr prison to maximum security prison. The transfer happens now.¡± Derek heard the guard¡¯s words and froze. ¡°What? Maximum security?¡± The guard looked at him with contempt. ¡°Right. Ms. Kate formally reported that yourpany has been evading taxes and engaging in illegal tax avoidance. Come with us.¡± Cheating 113 Kate watched over James for a full day and night before he woke up, and the first thing he saw were her eyes, swollen like walnuts from crying. ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m fine.¡± He struggled to wipe away her tears. But Kate cried even harder. She copsed onto him, tears streaming endlessly. ¡°You scared me to death¡­ scared me to death¡­¡± James held her tightly, his gaze growing tender inch by inch. This scene fell under the eyes of Kate¡¯s parents standing at the hospital room door, and both felt veryforted. Kate¡¯s fatherughed heartily. ¡°Look at this girl ¨C got herself a man and forgot all about her dad. I was passed out for hours and she didn¡¯t evene check on me!¡± Only then did Kate snap back to reality, feeling a bit embarrassed. Kate¡¯s mother gave her husband a reproachful look. ¡°Our Kate is the most filial ¨C she watched over you for two hours and only left when I got here. Don¡¯t you dare wrongly use our daughter!¡± The hospital room was filled with family reunion and happiness. When Derek stumbled into the room, he was almost pained by this scene. ¡°Kate, you have such a cruel heart!¡± Kate was startled. ¡°Weren¡¯t you locked up in prison? How did you get out?¡± Could he have escaped? Derekughed bitterly. The tax evasion case fell under local court jurisdiction ¨C Cloud City had no authority over him! Though he would indeed be transferred to the local court soon. He¡¯d gone through great lengths to get out, just to get answers from Kate. But Kate felt her attitude was already crystal clear. ¡°Derek, don¡¯t you know how many loopholes yourpany has? You didn¡¯t just evade taxes ¨C you also transferred state assets, cooked the books, embezzled public funds. That¡¯s enough to bury you!¡± Derek stared at her intensely, asking painfully, ¡°So you were already scheming against me¡­¡± Kate turned away coldly, only dropping one line. ¡°Evil will get itseuppance.¡± Derek was transferred back to Mount City, and James also went back to handle some business. Kate went with him. Halfway through the dinner party, she felt dizzy and wanted to go outside for some fresh air to clear her head. But she was roughly covered with a bup sack. She cried out, then was knocked unconscious from outside the next second. ann Evidence 92.7% Piercing pain. Kate was trapped in the sack as clubs beat her arms, waist, and legs. The confined space made her almost suffocate. When she was barely conscious from pain, she was finally let out. ¡°Miss Ashley, take a look is this her?¡± Kate was dazed and groggy. As soon as she opened her eyes, she heard Ashley¡¯s voice grinding with hatred. ¡°It¡¯s her alright. I¡¯d recognize her even if she turned to ashes! Kate, I¡¯ve finally got you in my hands!¡± Kate endured the pain and red at her. ¡°Ashley, are you insane? This is kidnapping ¨C it¡¯s a crime! You¡¯ll go to prison!¡± Ashleyughed maniacally. Prison? She wasn¡¯t afraid! She stared at Kate miserably and said hatefully, ¡°Derek and I were perfectly happy together. We got through all those years, and if you hadn¡¯t butted in, I should have been the one to marry him!¡± Kate didn¡¯t let her deflect, saying calmly, ¡°You were the one who got the marriage license with him. I was the victim who got deceived.¡± Yes, Ashley had always thought Kate was just a pitiful little thing who got tricked. But during the month Kate disappeared, Ashley witnessed Derek going crazy for her, searching everywhere possible for her, even learning to drink heavily when he¡¯d never touched alcohol before ¨C ALL because of Kate! More importantly, Derek who used to only have eyes for her now ignored herpletely because of Kate! Derek had actually fallen in love with this woman! That was what she couldn¡¯t tolerate most! Ashley ordered people to hang Kate over the cliff edge while she put herself in another rope, then called Derek in a panic. ¡°Derek, Derek, I¡¯ve been kidnapped! Come save me quickly!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, the location is¡­¡± Ten minutester, Derek arrived. ¡°Ashley¡­ Kate!¡± His eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at the two people swaying precariously over the cliff edge. ¡°How are you both here?!¡± Just as Kate was about to speak, Ashley interrupted through tears, ¡°Save me quickly! Derek, Kate kidnapped me!¡± ¡°Derek, Kate found out I¡¯m pregnant with your child and got jealous and angry, so she brought me here to force you to choose between us!¡± Latest content published on find?novel Derek was stunned. Child? Who was pregnant? Ashley threw over an ultrasound report she¡¯d prepared in her pocket. Derek picked it up and his pupils contracted sharply ¨C calcting the dates, this really could be his child! His gaze toward Ashley immediately changed. 97.90 ¡°I didn¡¯t. Derek Ashley nned the kidnapping. I didn¡¯t.¡± In her terror. Kate¡¯s words came out broken ant stuttszed. Bit Derek looked at her with obvious disappointment. ¡°Ashley is already pregnant. Are you saying she¡¯d risk both her life and the baby¡¯s to frame you? What do you have that¡¯s worth her going that far?¡± ¡°Kate, if you¡¯re going to make up excuses, can you at least make them believable?¡± With that, he strode forward decisively and cut the rope without hesitation, saving Ashley. Kate, who was tied to the same rope, immediately stared in horror with wide eyes. The next second, she plummeted like a bird with broken wings straight into the bottomless abyss. In the second before falling, she saw Derek holding Ashley tightly with relief in his voice. ¡°Ashley, thank god you¡¯re okay. Thank god our baby is okay. You scared me to death¡­¡± Cheating 114 Chapter 13 James searched for a full day and night. Even helicopters were deployed before he finally found Kate by a water pool. When he ran over, just one look brought rolling tears to his eyes. Kate was covered in bruises, her eyes tightly closed and face deathly pale. If not for the slight rise and fall of her chest, you couldn¡¯t tell she was still alive. He brought Kate to the best hospital for treatment. Walking past a certain hospital room, he saw Derek inside feeding medicine to Ashley. He burst in demanding, ¡°Did you two do this to Kate? Derek, how can you be so heartless!¡± Derek remained unmoved, saying tly, ¡°She deliberately kidnapped Ashley, trying to kill both Ashley and the baby. I just gave her a small punishment. There¡¯s a water pool below that cliff ¨C she wouldn¡¯t die. This way she won¡¯t dare do such heinous things again.¡± James looked at Derek with the most ridiculous, contemptuous expression. Then he turned and left. After watching over Kate for two days and nights, she finally woke up. James got the full story of what happened that day from her, and rage immediately surged in his heart. ¡°Kate, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely help you get justice for this.¡± That evening, James pushed Kate in a wheelchair to the corridor for some air. They happened to run into Derek and Ashley walking hand in hand. Derek was gazing tenderly at Ashley¡¯s belly, his eyes full of deep affection. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m so grateful I saved you that day. If something had happened to you and the baby, I don¡¯t know what I would have done¡­¡± Ashley casually turned her head and spotted Kate on the other side. She smiled meaningfully and deliberately asked, ¡°But Kate fell off that cliff and her fate is probably still unknown. Don¡¯t you worry about her at all?¡± He was definitely a little worried. But Derek hesitated, then said, ¡°Nothing to worry about. She brought it all on herself.¡± Kate felt her head buzzing. She could barely stand and gently tugged at James¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± James looked at her with gentle pity. That night, Derek came to Kate¡¯s room, sneaking in while James was out. ¡°Kate, are you feeling better?¡± He¡¯d been worried about her for several days. But Kate looked at him with nothing but disgust and hatred. ¡°Get out! I don¡¯t want to see you!¡± 93 Derek was slightly stunned. ¡°I¡¯m not even holding it against you for kidnapping Ashley, so why are you mad at me? Kate, I just wanted to punish you a little. I never meant to actually kill you¡­¡± Right, he just wanted to give her a ¡°small¡± punishment. So he never thought about whether she might have an ident falling off the cliff, whether she¡¯d definitelynd precisely in the water pool. Get full chapters from Even if she didnd there, would she be swept away by the rushing current. Even if she wasn¡¯t swept away, with wild beasts in the mountains, would she be torn to pieces. He hadn¡¯t thought about any of that. He only wanted to properly punish her for Ashley¡¯s sake. In that moment, Kate suddenly felt exhausted and didn¡¯t want to say anything more. ¡°Derek, just go. I¡¯ll pursue whatever legal action I need to. Who kidnapped whom isn¡¯t something you can decide with your mouth alone. Go, go away. I don¡¯t want to see you!¡± Just as he was being forcefully pushed out the door, Ashley happened toe looking for him. Seeing the situation, she quickly stepped forward to intervene. In the scuffle, Ashley¡¯s fingers got caught and pinched hard. The pain made her fall to the ground. ¡°Ah-¡± Cold sweat immediately broke out as she clutched her stomach and wailed, ¡°Did I disturb the pregnancy? My stomach hurts so much¡­¡± Derek¡¯s expression changed instantly as he roughly shoved Kate. ¡°Haven¡¯t you caused enough trouble!¡± Cheating 115 Kate, still recovering from her serious illness, was immediately knocked to the ground, Her palm identally pressed against ss shards from a cup that had shattered in the chaos. Blood soaked through her loose hospital gown as she gasped from the pain. Just then, James finally rushed over. He threw a stack of documents at Derek¡¯s face, his voice cold as ice. ¡°See for yourself!¡± Derek suspiciously took the documents, and was stunned after just one nce. He slowly pushed Ashley away from his arms. Staring at her intently, he asked, ¡°The kidnapping ¨C you nned it?¡± Ashley opened her mouth, somewhat panicked, and quickly exined, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! How could it be me? Derek, I¡¯m carrying our child ¨C how could I risk both our lives to frame Kate?¡± But Derekughed, a very sarcasticugh, then viciously threw that stack of documents on the ground. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯ve been lying to me all this time!¡± Ashley finally panickedpletely. She frantically grabbed at Derek¡¯s sleeve begging for mercy, but Derek was too furious to listen to anything. He shook off her grip and strode out. Ashley was thrown to the ground, clutching her stomach in agony. James gave her one cold look then helped Kate back inside. After Ashley miscarried, she tried to find Derek several more times, but was stopped by bodyguards each time. They said Mr. Stone had given orders ¨C no one from the Park family was to be seen. Ashley hadpletely lost Derek¡¯s heart. With nowhere else to turn, she could only kneel in front of Stone Group, tearfully recounting her years of devotion to Derek. From their first meeting at age three to her crush at six, from confessing at ten to dating at fifteen. She talked until Derek finally couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and came out. Her eyes lit up, but she received a legal notice instead. ¡°I¡¯ve had mywyer file charges for your kidnapping of Kate.¡± ¡°Ashley, enjoy prison.¡± When Kate¡¯s parents learned what their daughter had been through this time, they were so angry they wanted to confront Derek immediately. But Kate stopped them. ¡°I¡¯ve already submitted evidence to prosecute Derek for tax evasion. The local court will hear the case soon, and he¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to him.¡± 94.09 She didn¡¯t want her parents dragged into this mess too. But her parents were determined. ¡°Not just tax evasion hemitted marriage fraud too! He lied to you for so many years. If not for him, you might havee back to us long ago and lived happily with James!¡± Talking about this made the elderly couple grit their teeth in anger. Kate fell silent, because what her parents said made perfect sense. If not for that ident and car crash years ago, her life trajectory would have beenpletely different. Derek had already been summoned to court. Having lived with him for years, Kate had collectedprehensive evidence that left him with no way out. He was sentenced to prison and ordered to return all state assets within a time limit. At this point, Sullivan Group and the Hayes family joined forces toprehensively target all of Stone Group¡¯s business and partnerships. Every deal they tried to make, the Sullivans would intercept, while also exposing Stone Group¡¯s misdeeds to the world. After several rounds of this, no one would work with Stone Group anymore. Sullivan Group had always been on par with Stone Group anyway, and now with Stone Group¡¯s reputation in tatters, people naturally turned to Sullivan Group instead. For a time, James and Kate were making money hand over fist. Derek was locked away in prison without seeing daylight, visibly wasting away. Until one day, he caught a glimpse of a figure passing by. He immediately threw himself against the bars, asking in disbelief, ¡°Who was that woman just now?!¡± Someone in the know said, ¡°You don¡¯t know her? That chick got busted for kidnapping. Word is she¡¯s doing hard time for years. Damn shame ¨C pretty young thing like that throwing her life away.¡± Derek burst intoughter. ¡°Good! Excellent!¡± ¡°She finally got hereuppance! Hahaha, Ashley! You ruined my marriage and family, and now you¡¯re finally getting what you deserve!¡± No one paid attention to him. The other inmates all thought he¡¯d lost his mind. James and Kate¡¯s rtionship grew more stable. In the spring, Kate was confirmed pregnant. When they were shopping for baby supplies, they ran into Derek, who had escaped from prison. ¡°Kate! Kate!¡± When Derek rushed up to them, Kate was startled. The man before her had a messy beard, prominent cheekbones, and a frighteningly gaunt face. He no longer had any of his former handsome appearance. She instinctively took a disgusted step back, but Derek was extremely excited and tried to grab her hand. ¡°Kate, about the kidnapping Content originallyes from I¡¯ve figured it all out. You didn¡¯t do it. Ashley did!¡± ¡°I had Ashley prosecuted. She¡¯s been arrested and is locked up right next to me. Kate, I got revenge for your After his incoherent rambling, he stared eagerly at Kate like a child waiting for praise. But Kate¡¯s frown only deepened as she coldly pulled her hand away, ¡°So what?¡± Derek was stunned, then saw Kate looking at him withplete mockery. ¡°Do you still think I¡¯ll forgive you at this point? Derek, are you crazy or do you think I am?¡± Derek shook his head in anguish, tears streaming down his face. ¡°Kate, I really regret everything. Can you wait for me? When I get out of prison, I¡¯lle find you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking for me when you get out. We¡¯re impossible.¡± Kate¡¯s tone was t. Then she shook the bag in her hand. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed what kind of store I was just shopping in?¡± Derek¡¯s pupils slowly focused as he clearly saw Kate was, carrying baby supplies. He was thunderstruck. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re pregnant?¡± ¡°Whose is it? Is it mine?¡± He looked at Kate hopefully. James frowned and pulled Kate behind him, thoroughly annoyed. Fortunately, prison guards arrived then and quickly handcuffed Derek and took him away. Peace was restored. Kate spat. ¡°What a lunatic!¡± James gently took her hand, his gaze falling on her belly with subtle heat. Cheating 116 Days passed smoothly and peacefully. Kate was blessed with twins ¨C a boy and a girl which drove their father absolutely wild with joy. He chartered an entire luxury cruise ship to celebrate. All the guests were envious. ¡°Mr. Sullivan and his wife have such a great rtionship. Look at this extravagance ¨C he really treasures his wife.¡± ¡°And now they¡¯ve got twins, boy and girl too. Talk about hitting the jackpot! Mrs. Sullivan is living the dream!¡± Kate and James held hands, smiling as they epted their guests¡® congrattions. ncing sideways at the man beside her and his warm, spring¨Clike smile, Kate felt her heart burn with warmth. This happiness hade so many yearste. So long, so very long that she¡¯d almost thought it would nevere in this lifetime. Fortunately, what¡¯s meant to leave can¡¯t be kept, and what¡¯s meant toe will arrive eventually. She had finally taken hold of her beloved¡¯s hand. From now on, she would never let go. ¨C Yearster. ¨C The two little ones had grown into teenagers. ¨C The power couple Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan now had gray hair and wrinkles, but one thing remained unchanged ¨C their burning devotion ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find[?]ovel to each other. One day while picking up the kids from school, Kate felt like someone was following them. She turned around but saw nothing. That evening she mentioned it to James, who took it seriously and personally apanied her to pick up the kids the next day. ¡°Someone really is following us¡­¡± James said seriously, catching a glimpse of a raggedly dressed man from the corner of his eye. The figure was tall but deeply hunched over, with half¨Cgray hair that made his age hard to determine. What especially bothered James was how this man¡¯s gaze kept following Kate closely, ¡°Let¡¯s walk faster.¡± He took his wife¡¯s hand, intertwining their fingers. Passing through the market, Kate wanted to buy some quail eggs. When paying, she froze. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Twenty dors and twenty cents. How would you like to pay, ma¡¯am?¡± The aged woman¡¯s face smiled ingratiatingly ¨C it was Ashley. Seeing Kate, she showed no particr reaction, but asked if she¡¯d like to buy another box of quail eggs since they were acquainted. Kate paid with aplicated expression. Van Nivorce Evidence 94.7% Without a word, she pulled James away. After walking for two minutes, they heard a crashing sound behind them. Turning back, they saw Ashley¡¯s stall had been overturned. It was the same man who¡¯d been following them who¡¯d done it. The man flipped the stall then seemed to curse at Ashley, making her cry, Just as he was about to turn around, James stepped forward and covered Kate¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± He pulled her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Kate never looked at Derek again. But Derek stared obsessively at Kate¡¯s retreating figure for a long time. Unable to let go. Unforgettable for life. After this brief episode, life returned to calm once more. James held Kate¡¯s hand as they walked through the snow. Walking along, their hair gradually turned white. He smiled. ¡°Do you remember your eighteenth birthday? It was a snowy day like this, and we walked together for a long, long time.¡± Kate smiled too. ¡°Back then you kept asking when I¡¯d agree to be your girlfriend, and I always said ¡®soon, soon.¡°¡± Her expression dimmed slightly. ¡°If I¡¯d known I¡¯d waste so much time with Derek, I should have said yes to you much earlier¡­¡± Before she could finish, her lips were sealed. James kissed her deeply, leaving her breathless and not allowing her to continue. ¡°Don¡¯t look back, Kate. We¡¯re happy now, and that¡¯s enough.¡± Kate embraced her husband and responded passionately. Yes, she really was happy now. Whether it came early orte, happiness was still happiness ¨C nothing could change that. A lifetime is so long, and the person before her eyes was so unforgettable. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!