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Synopsis
After the ninth time I brought up making our marriage official at City Hall, Derek finally agreed.
"You know I've always been skeptical about marriage. Do you really need a piece of paper to feel secure?"
"Haven't I treated you well all these years?"
Well? He was beyond great. Gentle, caring, wealthy, and he never once complained about the fact that I couldn't have children.
Everyone envied me for having such a devoted partner.
Other than a wedding ring and a marriage license, Derek seemed ready to give me the world.
Seeing my silence, Derek sighed, wrapped his arms around me, and coaxed softly:
"Fine. If it means that much to you, we'll go downtown tomorrow and get the paperwork done."
Yet when tomorrow came, Derek suddenly claimed he had an urgent business trip and rushed out the door.
I stared at his departing figure, unable to utter a single word.
It wasn't until I noticed the confidential folder he had left on the desk that I snapped out of it. When my calls went straight to voicemail, I drove directly to the hotel where he was staying to drop them off.
But the person the front desk paged down wasn't Derek—it was a young, pregnant woman.
Her hand rested gently over her baby bump, a sweet smile gracing her lips:
"Hello. I'm Derek's wife. Can I help you?"
My entire world shattered.
Before I could reply, Derek sprinted across the lobby and instantly pulled the girl behind his back, shielding her.
Pointing at me, he cleared his throat:
"This is Chloe."
"She's... my cousin."
I stared at Derek in sheer disbelief.
Before I could even react, Derek grabbed my wrist with bruising force and dragged me into the blind spot of the hallway security cameras.
He stood against the light, his face terrifyingly dark.
"What are you doing here?! Who told you that you could come here?"
He sounded like a total stranger. In all these years, he had never raised his voice at me like this.
Looking at his furious face, a bitter pang rushed to my nose. Choking on tears, I demanded:
"Is it because of her?"
"You cheated on me. How long has this been going on?"
Derek ignored my question. He instinctively glanced back toward the lobby where the pregnant girl was waiting, looking around in confusion.
He snapped his head back immediately and hissed under his breath:
"It's not what you think. Just go home."
"I'll explain everything tonight."
After that, he didn't even dare to look me in the eye, as if terrified she might notice something.
He hurriedly waved down his private driver, ordering him to take me away.
As the car pulled away from the hotel, I looked through the rearview mirror. Derek had already returned to the girl's side. His hand rested tenderly on her shoulder, whispering something into her ear.
The girl giggled sweetly, and Derek held her hand with utmost care.
I looked down.
All I could see were the dark purple bruises blooming across my wrist where Derek had grabbed me.
In that single second, everything clicked.
Why, in our five years together, Derek always claimed to be anti-marriage, refusing to tie the knot. Why he wouldn't even give me a simple ceremony. Why he brushed off my infertility with an easy smile.
He had someone else in his heart all along.
I collapsed into the backseat, sobbing until my whole body trembled.
By the time the car pulled up to our house, I stumbled out, wiped the tears off my cheeks, and started packing my bags.
Late into the night, as I dragged my suitcase downstairs, I ran straight into Derek.
He glanced at my swollen eyes and let out a weary sigh.
Reaching out, he tried to wrench the luggage handle from my grip:
"Chloe, Vivian is the heiress of Hayes Corporation. Being with her is a strategic move for the business. Besides, you can't have kids. I'm not getting any younger, and I want a child of my own."
"Can't you just pretend you don't know? We can keep living like we always have. Isn't that enough?"
I recoiled from his touch.
"Derek, none of that justifies your betrayal."
"We're done. Let's break up."
The air froze.
Derek let out a dry, mocking chuckle, looking at me with pure disdain:
"Break up? What right do you have to break up with me?"
"Chloe, do you honestly think anyone else would treat a barren, aging woman like a prize? You're not twenty anymore. Stop acting like some naive girl straight out of college. Money, houses, cars—I can give you everything except a title."
"Just play dumb and stay with me. What's so bad about that?"
I looked up at Derek, my heart bleeding. It felt like I was seeing his true face for the very first time.
The contempt in his eyes was sickeningly real.
The man I loved with all my heart had looked down on me from the very beginning.
Lying in the hotel bed, memories of the past five years flashed through my head like a tormenting reel.
I couldn't sleep.
Subconsciously, I caught my reflection in the mirror.
I was thirty-two. My figure wasn't as slender as before, and faint fine lines were creeping around the corners of my eyes.
An ordinary degree, ordinary skills, and unable to bear children.
I really wasn't young anymore, and maybe I didn't deserve to be cherished.
My hands fell limp, and my resolve began to fracture.
Maybe I should just crawl back.
Pretend I never saw anything. Remain his caged bird, living a comfortable, ignorant life forever. Wouldn't that be easier?
Yet my pride choked on the thought of swallowing that humiliating compromise.
Tossing and turning, I stayed awake the entire night.
The next morning, when I walked down to the lobby, the front desk receptionist called out to me:
"Ma'am, a gentleman named Derek came by late last night. He mentioned he was your husband. Worried you wouldn't be comfortable, he upgraded you to the presidential suite for the entire month. Please make yourself at home, and let us know if you need anything."
"He asked me to pass this note to you."
[Chloe, I'm waiting for you at home. I love you.]
Staring at his familiar handwriting, the bitterness inside me threatened to drown me whole.
I was on the verge of surrendering to him.
Suddenly, a woman's voice sounded behind me:
"You're Chloe, right?"
"Hi. I'm Vivian Hayes."We took a seat in a private booth at a nearby cafe.
I couldn't help but study Vivian closely.
Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her eyelids were slightly swollen. Clearly, she hadn't slept a wink either.
Yet beneath the fatigue, Vivian was undeniably stunning, radiant with youthful energy. Even with her baby bump, she carried herself with effortless grace and gentle maternal warmth.
No wonder Derek strayed.
Seeing me stare at her in a daze, Vivian didn't get angry. She casually stirred her coffee.
She broke the silence:
"I'll get straight to the point."
"I know you're not his cousin. You're Derek's girlfriend—five years together, right?"
I nodded without denying it.
Instead, I reached out, slid the coffee away from her, and handed her a cup of warm water.
"Coffee isn't good for the baby. You should stick to water."
"Did you... officially marry Derek?"
Vivian froze for a second, caught off guard by my gentleness.
Her tone softened considerably.
"Yeah. We signed the papers downtown last month."
"Your reaction yesterday felt off, so I had someone dig into him. That's how I found out about you. I assume... you were kept in the dark too."
I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh:
"Yeah. Technically speaking, that makes me the mistress."
"Don't worry, I won't cling to Derek. Once I land a job, I'll pack up and leave the city."
Vivian looked at me, genuine surprise flickering in her eyes:
"I expected you to be like my dad's brainless mistresses—screaming, demanding I divorce him, or crying that 'he loves me the most.' You're remarkably calm."
I paused, took a sip of my drink, and said slowly:
"I'm not stupid. Over the past five years, every single time I brought up marriage, Derek either changed the subject or made up an emergency. Deep down, I already knew. I just refused to face reality."
"Now that you're sitting in front of me with a baby on the way, I have no choice but to wake up."
With that, I stood up to leave. Just as I took a step, I remembered something.
I pulled an umbrella from my tote bag and set it on the table.
"Take this. It's about to pour outside. With the baby, you shouldn't get caught in the rain."
"Head home soon. If you're still worried, I can leave the city tomorrow."
Just as I reached the door, Vivian called out:
"Wait!"
I turned back to face her.
Vivian braced her lower back, standing up slowly, and asked:
"Do you want to make Derek pay?"
Before I could answer, a cold smirk curled on her lips:
"Because I sure do."
Vivian told me to wait in the restroom for a moment, then dialed Derek's number, ordering him over immediately.
The second Derek pushed open the private room's door, Vivian slapped him across the face with all her might.
"I know everything about you and Chloe!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.
"She was never your cousin! You lied to me! I want a divorce!"
Derek grunted in pain, his cheek swelling instantly. Without even bothering to nurse his sting, he rushed forward, wrapping Vivian in his arms, desperately whispering:
"Vivian, please, let me explain."
"The day I met you three months ago, I broke things off with Chloe. She's the one who refused to let go, stalking me all the way to our hotel. My heart belongs only to you!"
But Vivian refused to listen, thrashing against his grip.
She roared:
"You two were together for five whole years! You just stopped loving her overnight? What if she turns up pregnant and drags you down forever?"
"I don't care! I'm calling my dad right now, and I'm divorcing you!"
Sobbing, Vivian clutched her belly and made a move toward the door.
Panicking, Derek blurted out without thinking:
"Chloe will never get pregnant!"
"I switched her pills years ago! Her body has been ruined by the medication for a long time!"Vivian froze, instinctively demanding:
"What do you mean?"
Derek panted, realizing there was no point in hiding it anymore. He confessed outright:
"Vivian, trust me. Chloe was just a distraction to me. To make sure she never got pregnant, I swapped out her prenatal supplements years ago. After taking those pills for so long, even if she goes to a specialist, they won't find a trace of evidence. She's completely infertile!"
"Rest assured, the only woman I love is you, and the only child I care about is ours."
Vivian fell silent, casting a covert glance toward the restroom door where I was hiding.
Her fury seemed to subside.
"Fine. I guess I'll believe you for now."
"I'm starving. Take me to lunch."
Their footsteps gradually faded down the corridor.
I leaned against the cold restroom tile, my hands and feet freezing, my entire body trembling uncontrollably.
I could barely comprehend what my ears had just heard.
Clinging to one last shred of desperate hope, I rushed to a nearby pharmacy and handed the bottle of supplements I took daily to the pharmacist.
The pharmacist tapped out a pill, inspected it closely, and looked up at me with a bewildered expression:
"Ma'am, this is levonorgestrel. It's high-dose emergency contraception."
"Given how many you have here... did someone play a sick prank and swap out your prenatal vitamins?"
I forced a faint smile, lacking even the strength to whisper a thank-you.
I walked out of the store like a hollow ghost.
Standing amidst the bustling traffic on the street, the past five years felt like one cruel, cosmic joke.
*Boom.*
Thunder cracked overhead, and a torrential downpour unleashed itself instantly.
I had no umbrella. I just staggered through the freezing rain, completely aimless.
I didn't want to go home. I didn't have a home anymore.
Pedestrians rushed past seeking shelter. A hurried stranger shoved past my shoulder without apologizing, vanishing into the gray curtain of rain.
My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the freezing, puddle-soaked pavement, lacking the energy to pull myself back up.
Burying my face in my hands, I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
Rain mingled with tears, dripping into my mouth—salty, bitter, and cold.
After what felt like an eternity, I looked up. A familiar umbrella was shielding my head from the rain.
It was... my umbrella.
I looked at the suited bodyguard holding it over me.
Beside him, the window of a luxury sedan slowly rolled down.
Vivian leaned against the frame, looking at me:
"Stop crying. Even if you cry your eyes blind, that bastard Derek won't shed a single tear for you."
"Get in."
The bodyguard helped me into the backseat.
The car's heating was cranked high, slowly restoring warmth to my freezing limbs.
Vivian tossed me two dry towels. Once I had dried myself off, she spoke:
"Chloe, let me ask you one more time."
"Do you want to get revenge on Derek?"
I looked up at Vivian.
When our eyes met, I saw my own fierce resolve mirrored in hers.
"Yes."
That very night, I dragged my suitcase back to Derek's apartment.
Derek wasn't surprised in the slightest by my return. He offered a smug, triumphant grin and wrapped his arms around me:
"See? Life out there on your own isn't easy, is it? Isn't it better to stay by my side?"
"I'll take care of you for the rest of your life."
I smiled softly and wrapped my arms around him in return:
"Okay."
"I'll stay with you forever."
Derek tilted his red, swollen cheek toward me, whining:
"Look what I went through for you today. Vivian threw a fit and slapped me across the face."
"It's still throbbing."
Frowning with exaggerated concern, I gently guided him to the sofa.
Pulling out the first-aid kit, I dabbed an alcohol swab:
"Sit down. Close your eyes so the alcohol doesn't sting. Let me treat it."
"Vivian went way too far. How could she hit you so hard?"
*I only wish she had slapped you to death.*
Eyes closed, Derek held my hand, murmuring another practiced line of affection:
"It's fine. As long as it makes you feel bad for me."
"The slap was worth it."
I giggled coyly, gently applying the antiseptic to his face.
Too bad Derek's eyes were shut tight.
He couldn't see the chilling emptiness in my gaze—a void devoid of love, filled only with icy dead silence.
"Don't say that."
"Derek, I really love you so much."Lucky in love, unlucky in business.
Ever since Derek officially married Vivian, his firm had become deeply intertwined with Hayes Corporation.
Derek had planned to gradually siphon off the Hayes family's assets. He never expected Richard Hayes to use Vivian's pregnancy as an excuse to systematically strip him of his executive power. Lately, Derek wasn't even permitted to attend the board meetings.
Furious at being sidelined, Derek's temper grew increasingly vile by the day.
Tonight in his study, he had already smashed his third porcelain mug. Shards and spilled tea covered the floor as Derek screamed into his phone at his assistant:
"What do you mean, 'Mr. Hayes's orders'?! You're people I brought over from my own company! Do you work for me or for Richard Hayes?! Vivian is carrying my child—Hayes Corporation will belong to me sooner or later!"
"If this happens again, you're all fired!"
The moment I pushed the door open, Derek hurled his phone against the hardwood floor in blind rage.
A flying shard skimmed past my calf, narrowly missing my bare skin.
Pretending not to notice the carnage, I gently set a warm bowl of soup on his desk. Watching Derek's chest heave with fury, I stepped behind his chair and gently massaged his temples.
"Don't be so angry. You skipped dinner again—have some soup."
"You can't rush corporate moves. Mr. Hayes is getting old; the company will fall into your hands eventually."
Surrounded by my gentle touch, Derek's tense muscles gradually relaxed.
A venomous glint flickered in his eyes as he muttered:
"Chloe, it's so good to have you."
"That Vivian had the nerve to order me around in front of the entire office today. I don't feel like her husband—I feel like her damn slave. Once I take over Hayes Corp, I'm divorcing her immediately!"
With that, he pulled me into a desperate embrace, seeking comfort:
"Then I'll marry you."
"The only one I truly love is you."
I comforted him patiently, spoon-feeding him every last drop of soup.
Seeing him grow drowsy, he reached for my hand:
"Let's just get some rest."
"You're right. We can't rush this."
Late into the night, once Derek's breathing turned deep and rhythmic, I slowly opened my eyes.
Derek was entirely convinced I was just a harmless, useless bird in a gilded cage.
He never bothered hiding his computer passwords or confidential files from me.
I logged into his laptop with practiced ease, copying several critical ledgers, unauthorized wire transfers, and illicit equity transfer agreements onto a flash drive. Once everything was secure, I sent Vivian a text:
[I have the files. Meet at the usual spot.]
Her reply came instantly.
[Perfect. The shareholder meeting is in a month. You won't have to endure him much longer.]
Time flew by.
On the day of the shareholder summit, Derek was visibly ecstatic. He couldn't help bragging to me:
"Babe, you want to know a secret?"
"I've secretly bought off two major shareholders, and the company's entire cash flow is currently under my control. At today's meeting, I'm going to pull the rug right out from under that old fox Richard Hayes. Once that's done, I'll never have to take shit from that family again!"
I straightened his silk tie, smiling sweetly:
"Really? That's amazing."
Derek kissed my cheek, making a grand promise:
"Once Vivian delivers the baby, I'll seize full custody. Then I'll divorce her and marry you!"
"Chloe, I love you."
I smiled, tossing out an effortless reply:
"I love you too."
Yet the second I lowered my gaze, my eyes were colder than ice.
The executive boardroom was packed.
Derek strode in brimming with arrogance. Ignoring the strange glances from the board members, he took the head seat at the table. Just as he reached out to rap the gavel and start the meeting, Vivian entered, backed by a team of white-collar crime investigators who cordoned off the entire room.
The lead detective walked directly up to Derek. A flash of silver gleamed.
Handcuffs snapped tightly around his wrists.
"Derek Vance, you are under arrest for corporate embezzlement, fraud, and financial crimes. We are with the Financial Crimes Division. You're coming with us."
Derek stared at the detectives in disbelief, then whirled on Vivian, yelling hysterically:
"This is bullshit! Where is your proof?!"
"You're in cahoots with Vivian! Arresting me without evidence carries serious legal consequences!"
Watching Derek's pathetic, frantic meltdown, Vivian shook her head with an amused smirk.
"Proof? Of course we have proof."
"Recognize these? Two sets of books—one clean ledger for me, and one dirty ledger for your private slush fund. You really thought you were clever, didn't you, Derek?"
With a flick of her wrist, Vivian tossed a thick stack of audited documents onto the table. Papers scattered everywhere.
Derek glanced down, his face instantly draining of color as his eyes widened in horror.
"H-How did you get these? Did you send people to break into my private study?"
Panicking, he shouted at the detectives:
"Officers, I'm innocent! She broke into my home! She violated my privacy! These files were locked in my personal study! There's no way she could have gotten them legally! You have to investigate her! This is a setup—"
Before Derek could finish his desperate excuse, the heavy doors of the boardroom swung open.
I walked in, looking down at Derek pinned against the table, and said softly:
"No need to investigate. I was the one who gave Vivian the files."
"And Detective, I would like to file an additional criminal complaint. Derek deliberately swapped my daily vitamins with high-dose contraceptives for five years, causing permanent chemical infertility. That constitutes aggravated assault and battery. I request that he be booked immediately!"
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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