The Cheating Photo That Made Me Famous

My name is Mitchell Chandler, and my wife is Renata Pritchard. On our fifth wedding anniversary, Renata carefully puts together a grand fireworks display. It's for her first love, Samuel Harlow, who has just returned to the country. Under the fireworks, they embrace and kiss. It's a picture-perfect scene. Captured by a famous photographer, the moment makes its way to today's photography exhibition, taking home the gold award. In the audience, Renata's best friend, Vivian Rhodes, turns to me with a grin and asks, "The photo turned out amazing, didn't it? Samuel and Renata really look like a match made in heaven—unlike losers who have to live off their wives. Don't you think so?" I reply calmly, "Yeah, it's pretty good. After all, I'm the one who took the picture." Chapter 1 When Renata Pritchard and Samuel Harlow embraced and kissed, I was actually right there. On the night of our wedding anniversary, I cooked a feast myself. Not only did I prepare a full table of dishes, but I also poured my heart into baking a cake for Renata. Yet no matter how many times I called her, she never answered. Worried that something might've happened to her, I called her best friend, Vivian Rhodes. Vivian was thoroughly impatient with me. "Renata's just your wife. It's not like she sold her soul to you! She's simply annoyed by you and doesn't want to be around you. Is that not allowed?" she replied. Amidst her scolding, I caught the sound of a lively crowd in the background. Renata's clear, sweet voice pierced through the receiver. "Samuel! It's been so long. I missed you so much!" she said. That single sentence That single sentence was enough to make my blood run cold. Overhearing faint mentions of the beach, I sped off in my car as fast as I could. What greeted me there was a sight I'd never forget for the rest of my life. As brilliant fireworks erupted in the sky, Renata and Samuel smiled at each other, unable to resist pulling one another into a passionate kiss. Beside them, people in the crowd whispered in admiration, "I heard he's Ms. Pritchard's college classmate. They haven't seen each other in five years." "He only returned to the country today, and she immediately arranged a fireworks show just to welcome him," someone said. "Is this the power of a first love?" Yet when my name came up, their tone shifted into sheer disdain. "Ms. Pritchard's husband? He's such a loser. She gets annoyed just looking at him! Don't mention him on such a happy day. It'll only ruin the mood!" Under the bright fireworks, my heart slowly turned completely cold. How could Renata's employees hate me so much for no reason? It could only be because Renata treated me with that exact same contempt in front of them every day, and they were simply following her lead. Back when I was pursuing her, Pritchard Group had just fallen into decline. I abandoned my own career and exhausted almost the entire inheritance my parents had left me, enduring years of hardship before finally helping her family weather the storm. It was precisely because of this that her parents had her marry me. I knew she'd never let go of her first love. I also knew that when her family fell on hard times, that so-called childhood sweetheart fled abroad without hesitation. I thought Renata would see through it all and realize who truly loved her. I thought that as long as I loved her with all my heart, she'd eventually fall for me. But the scene before my eyes was a slap in the face. Her first love remained her only love, while I—the one who'd poured out my family fortune and wasted years for her—was only fit to be called a loser. I raised the camera in my hands. I'd originally prepared it to document our wedding anniversary. At that moment, however, it captured the moment my wife kissed her first love. Holding the photograph, I sternly warned myself, "Mitchell, give up. Stop clinging to any foolish illusions about her!" Later on, I was invited to submit my work to a photography exhibition. As I sifted through a stack of photos, the one I was most satisfied with turned out to be this very picture. Unsurprisingly, it won the gold award. Yet the moment they heard I was the one who took it, Vivian and a few other friends clutched their stomachs, bursting into uncontrollable laughter. "Mitchell, you really take the cake! Who doesn't know that the famous photographer, Mick Sandler, is Renata's idol? He's a genius, unlike you! Who are you to compare yourself to him? "How dare a useless fool like you impersonate him just to get Renata to spare you a glance? You're not worthy!" Renata frowned too, her face tinged with faint disgust as she looked at me impatiently. "Get lost. Keep Mr. Sandler's name out of your mouth, and get out of my sight!" she said. The look she gave me was a world apart from the gentle, joyful woman in the photograph. A wave of bitterness welled up in my heart. I had loved photography since I was little and had some talent. I even won awards and gained fame during my college years. Mick Sandler was, in fact, my pseudonym. If Renata had bothered to pay even the slightest bit of attention to me, she'd have noticed these things. I was often holding a camera, snapping photos here and there. His name, Mick Sandler, would sometimes appear in letters delivered to our home. I'd always been waiting for her to discover it on her own. I'd hoped she would bring my work to me with a pleasant surprise and ask about it. Yet after five years of marriage, why did she still know nothing about me? Why did she interrupt me impatiently whenever I tried to bring it up myself? I suppose there was only one answer—she didn't love me. She despised me so deeply that she wasn't even willing to spare me a single glance. Finally coming to terms with this truth, I actually felt a sense of relief. It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted. "Renata, since you hate me so much, let's get a divorce." Chapter 2 Renata doubled over with laughter, her pretty face flushing bright red. She didn't take my words seriously at all. "You're lashing out because your little act was exposed? Mitchell, stop playing hard-to-get. You really think I'll care or try to keep you here? If you've got the guts, bring the divorce papers over. I'll sign them for you right away!" she said. Her best friends all covered their mouths and snickered. In her circle, I was nothing more than a joke. None of them had ever respected me. As she left the photography exhibition, Renata's eyes instantly lit up. She sprinted out gracefully the door. Then, she threw herself straight into a man's embrace. "Samuel!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry. I had things to attend to today and couldn't keep you company at the exhibition," Samuel said, throwing a deliberate glance my way. "It's a shame you had to settle for hanging out with a nobody." Renata was unbelievably tender when she was with Samuel. She replied, "It's fine! I know you're busy. You're not like useless losers who do nothing all day long! Oh, by the way, I have good news for you! Mr. Sandler won! "Even though he stole all the spotlight back in our college days, he completely vanished for the next few years after that. It was such a shame! Fortunately, he's made a comeback recently. I really miss the times we used to study his work together!" A burst of bitterness suddenly churned in my heart. During the height of my fame, Renata's radiant smile accidentally entered my camera frame. I fell in love with her at first sight. As for those missing years, I'd given up my photography career just to help her save her family's company. I loved her with everything I had, pouring my entire heart and soul into taking care of her. Samuel stroked Renata's hair, giving me a smug look. He was clearly a hypocrite who pretended to be considerate, yet he still maintained the facade of a sensitive, understanding man. "Don't say these things in front of Mitchell. People with no appreciation for the arts won't be able to understand any of this anyway," he said. My expression went cold. Turning around, I began to walk away. Renata's displeased voice sounded behind me. "Samuel's speaking up for you, yet you're leaving without even saying goodbye. Can't you have some manners? We're going out for drinks next. Are you just going to leave? Where do you think you're going?" I responded in a cold voice, "To find someone to draft the divorce papers." She froze for a moment, carefully studying my expression. Perhaps finally realizing I was being serious, she actually looked panicked. Samuel pulled her hand, repeatedly urging her to leave. She hesitated for a brief moment before mercifully saying to me, "You're demanding a divorce over such a minor thing? Not only are you useless, but you're also this petty, too? Fine, take it as my mistake then. I'll apologize to you. Isn't that enough?" Having said that, without even waiting for my answer, she turned and walked away. It was always like this. Renata was utterly confident in how deeply I loved her, so she never cared about what I thought. Whatever she gave me was considered a charitable gift, and whatever she said was something I had to accept. I shook my head in resignation. But this time, things would be different. Chapter 3 I didn't hesitate any longer and immediately had a lawyer draft the divorce papers. Meanwhile, Renata kept texting me. "Where on earth are you? My friends and employees are all here! You're my husband! Why are you not here? Get your ass over here right now!" she said. I used to reply in seconds, but now I simply turned off the notifications calmly. By the time she called me for the 15th time, I had arrived at the bar carrying the divorce papers. There seemed to be some event at the bar today. Everyone was dressed in cosplay outfits. Renata was tall and slender. She looked practically flawless, drawing almost everyone's gaze toward her. Because of that, I spotted her right away. At the same time, I also realized that she and Samuel seemed to be wearing matching couple outfits. Renata was still angry at me for not replying to her messages, so she deliberately gave me the cold shoulder and refused to even spare me a glance. Her employees and friends followed her lead, treating me with utter disdain, acting like I was invisible. Only Vivian suddenly walked toward me with a smile. Seeing the malicious look in her eyes, my instinct was to step back. But it was already too late. She and a few others hoisted me up, binding me to a large roulette wheel without giving me a chance to speak. On the other side, Samuel was also tied to another wheel. Vivian laughed out loud and rallied the crowd, saying, "A choice between two! Renata has one rescue ticket. Whoever you save gets off, and the remaining one becomes the roulette pointer!" Renata frowned and said, "Viv, don't do this. It's getting a bit too much." Before Vivian could say anything, Samuel spoke up first in a gentle tone. "It's just a game. It's fine as long as everyone's having fun. Renata, I'm fine. You should save Mitchell." Everyone present sighed in admiration. "Samuel is way too nice! The contrast is so clear!" The looks thrown my way instantly grew even more contemptuous. Right then, Vivian spun both my wheel and Samuel's at the same time. Everything started spinning wildly. I heard Renata's panicked, distressed voice. "Quick, put Samuel down! He can't handle getting this dizzy!" Vivian burst into laughter and exclaimed, "I knew it! Between the two, Renata would definitely pick Samuel! So the remaining one gets to be the pointer! He should be thanking me, honestly. He's useless for anything else, so at least I found a good use for him!" This game sparked everyone's interest. They all took turns spinning the wheel. I was spun round after round, on the verge of passing out. When it finally came to a stop, I was hanging upside down. The blood rushed straight to my head. Right as I was about to lose consciousness, I finally heard Renata say, "Stop playing. Put him down." The second I hit the ground, I stumbled and collapsed. I couldn't even manage to crawl back up. My pathetic state entertained everyone, sending them into fits of laughter. A pair of high heels stopped in front of me. It was Renata. She held a tube of ointment, her face betraying a hint of reluctance when she saw me like this. Only then did I notice that the skin around my wrists and ankles had been badly chafed from being tied up for so long. She squatted down, showing me a rare moment of kindness by applying the ointment herself. "Don't blame Vivian. She just wanted some fun and didn't think much of it," she said. "And don't misunderstand, either. I didn't save you because Samuel is a photographer and loves his career. If he got hurt or bumped his head, it wouldn't be good. You, however…" She stopped mid-sentence. Yet I sharply guessed what she'd originally intended to say. I, however, had no career, no hobbies, and wasn't of any use anyway. So it didn't matter if I got hurt. Perhaps because I no longer harbored any expectations for Renata, hearing such hurtful words didn't stir any real emotion in my heart. I took the divorce papers out and said calmly, "You said it yourself. If I brought the divorce papers over, you'd sign them right away. I'm leaving with nothing. You won't lose a thing." After confirming the divorce papers were real, her expression changed in an instant. She stared at me in shock. After a long pause, she tore the papers to pieces and threw them right at my face. "Without me, do you think a useless loser like you can survive? Let me tell you, Mitchell, don't even dream about a divorce!" Chapter 4 Renata flew into a rage, knocking everything on the table to the floor with one sweep. She took a large gulp of liquor. It had to be a figment of my imagination, yet I actually thought I saw the faint glimmer of tears at the corners of her eyes. Everyone was caught completely off guard. At the sight of her like this, Samuel's expression darkened for a split second before quickly morphing back into a gentle, fake smile. "Don't ruin your mood over someone like him. You've always hated him anyway. Isn't it great that he wants a divorce?" he asked. Seeing her purse her lips silently, he added, "If you're feeling a bit hesitant, why not listen to your parents' advice?" He really played his cards well. Renata's parents, Donald Pritchard and Amy Miller, had never liked me. Back then, I helped the Pritchards out of a tight spot, and they couldn't thank me enough. Now, they treated me with nothing but pure arrogance. Perhaps it was because I'd seen them at their lowest. Now that they were back at the peak, they wanted to reclaim their lost dignity by constantly belittling me. Samuel knew exactly how to use that to his advantage. Teaming up with Vivian, he joined forces with Donald and Amy to urge Renata to get a divorce. "Isn't Samuel the one you've always loved? Marrying you off to this useless loser back then was just a last resort. "Now that he's willing to let go and sign the divorce papers, what are you still waiting for? We'll back you up. Once you're divorced, we'll let you marry Samuel right after!" Donald and Amy said. Samuel remained silent throughout, acting like a gentleman. Back when the Pritchards went bankrupt, he'd ran abroad. Yet now he'd somehow returned as the tragic first love that everyone pitied. I'd given up everything to help them, but I'd instead become the pathetic opportunist who took advantage of their crisis. I watched with cold detachment as they did everything in their power to tear me down. I decided not to let it bother me. After all, our ultimate goal was the same. We all wanted Renata and me to get a divorce. Yet she kept being stubborn the entire time. "I'm absolutely not divorcing him. You're all right that he's useless. After the divorce, he'll either starve to death or become a menace to society. I have zero desire to watch a scene like that unfold!" she said. I couldn't help but speak up in my own defense. "I've already told you—I'm the photographer, Mick Sandler! I can earn a living on my own!" I said. My defense was met with nothing but an explosion of laughter. Vivian even clutched her stomach in exaggerated amusement. "Can you stop acting already? If you were Mr. Sandler, I'd jump off the 18th floor right now!" she said. Samuel smiled mockingly as he stepped in to "smooth things over" for me. "Stop laughing at Mitchell. He's just panicking and blurting out nonsense. Though I do know Mr. Sandler's holding a small private photography exhibition next week, and only industry insiders can get tickets. "I pulled a few strings to score a couple of tickets. When the time comes, I can take Renata to meet the real Mr. Sandler." Donald and Amy showered Samuel with praise, saying he was thoughtful and capable. Meanwhile, they took the opportunity to mock me for being useless. Watching the four of them laughing warmly together like a true family, I balled my fists and took a deep, steady breath. A small-scale photography exhibition was indeed happening. Along with the gold award from a few days ago, this was my comeback. It was my first step back into the photography world. I was genuinely looking forward to seeing how Renata would react when she finally met the real Mick.