Two months ago, my mentor, Professor Arthur Sterling, was murdered. The police quickly identified the prime suspect: his wife, Evelyn Sterling. During the investigation, Evelyn—my mentor's wife—confessed to the act without hesitation. However, no matter how hard the police and lawyers pressed, she refused to reveal her motive. So, before Evelyn was formally sentenced, while she still had limited freedom under house arrest, I went to see her. As the professor's favorite student, I hoped to use our connection to pry the truth from her lips. After hours of conversation, she finally gave me a vague answer: "I killed Arthur because he betrayed me." Remembering the professor's gentle and refined demeanor, I was incredulous. "Did he cheat on you?" "No," Evelyn denied instantly. The next second, she said something that confused me even more: "Honestly, I wish he had." Chapter 1 Evelyn dropped a sugar cube into her coffee after speaking. I sat there, stunned, unable to process her words. Not cheating? I couldn't think of any other "betrayal" between spouses that would drive someone to murder. Evelyn noticed my reaction. She didn't speak, just watched me with interest. If the second hand on the wall clock weren't moving, I would have thought time had stopped. Minutes ticked by. Just as her stare began to unnerve me, she finally spoke. "If I told you Arthur cheated, would you believe it?" I didn't understand why she was asking. But after a few seconds of hesitation, I told the truth: "I'm sorry, even if it comes from you... I find it hard to believe." I refused to think the worst of my mentor without concrete evidence. The woman in front of me was technically my mentor's wife, but before the murder, I had only seen her in photos. As for the victim, my late professor, Arthur Sterling— He was a titan in academia, a perfect gentleman, and lived a disciplined life. I couldn't imagine such a man betraying his marriage. Evelyn smiled. "Right, you're his student. You respect him." She paused, then continued, "In your eyes, I'm probably just a crazy woman going through a midlife crisis, imagining her husband's infidelity." My face flushed red, and I waved my hands frantically. "No, no. I respect the professor, but I never thought that of you." Seeing Evelyn unmoved, I added guiltily: "Professor Sterling often talked about how happy he was with you during lectures. He praised your gentleness and devotion. He said in over ten years of marriage, you never even argued. We all envied your relationship. How could I think that?" I paused, then asked: "Since he didn't cheat, what does 'betrayal' mean? And if your relationship was so good, why kill him?" Evelyn's hand froze in mid-air with her coffee cup. "I killed him precisely because I loved him too much," she murmured. Her expression shifted for a moment but quickly returned to normal. "To understand why I killed Arthur, you must first understand why I loved him. It's a long story. Are you willing to listen?" She looked into my eyes, her tone serious. I was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. "Of course." This was why I came. I was shocked and heartbroken by the professor's death. But more than that, I craved the truth behind it—Evelyn's motive. I had begged lawyers and signed police waivers just to be here today. I didn't expect it to be this easy. What the police and lawyers failed to extract, Evelyn was willing to tell me. Seeing my eagerness, Evelyn wasted no time. "You know the Sterling Group in New York, right?" Chapter 2 The Sterling Group? "Of course," I answered instinctively. Founded in the last century, the Sterling Group has grown into a massive conglomerate focused on modern services. Their business spans real estate, commercial centers, sports, and children's industries. Their profits are astronomical. Last year, after venturing into film and television with huge success, Sterling Group broke into the Global Fortune 100. As if reading my mind, Evelyn said calmly, "Arthur was the only son of the Sterling Group's CEO." "What?" I nearly jumped out of my chair, my brain scrambling to recall information about Sterling Group. The CEO is over sixty, indeed named Sterling. Rumor had it he had a son, but the son never appeared in public. People said he was sent abroad young and had settled down there, never planning to return. I never imagined that person was my professor. "Surprised? Arthur didn't have a trace of the rich kid about him," Evelyn said. I nodded, realizing I had lost my composure. She was right. The professor lived simply, was kind to everyone, and was known for his humility. Given his academic status, his income wasn't low, but he had zero materialistic desires and never used his status to pressure anyone. He was nothing like the stereotypical trust fund baby. I couldn't help asking, "Did he hide his identity to focus on research without distractions?" Unlike some "academic elites" who only care about money and fame, Arthur Sterling was genuinely devoted to science and research. This was a fact known to all his students. My first thought was like a movie plot—the heir refusing to inherit the family empire to pursue his dreams. But Evelyn's next words shocked me again. "No," she shook her head. "It had nothing to do with academia. Arthur cut ties with his parents for me." Chapter 3 "For you? This..." I was speechless, unable to connect this to the "betrayal" Evelyn mentioned. I wanted to ask but didn't know where to start. "You might wonder, Arthur being rich isn't a betrayal. What does it have to do with me killing him?" Evelyn stirred her coffee. "But a person's character, personality, and even the choices they make are inseparable from their background and upbringing." She looked up at me. "Since you want to know why I killed your teacher, please listen patiently to our story." I nodded quickly. "Please go ahead." It was spring outside. The willow branches were fresh and green, swaying gently. Evelyn sighed and began: "Arthur was a billionaire heir, but my background couldn't have been more different. "In fairy tales, the prince and Cinderella overcome everything to be together. Reality isn't so simple. "Arthur and I were from the same hometown. I met him in middle school, but we didn't start dating until I was in college, many years later. "When I was at my lowest, Arthur entered my life, giving me warmth and encouragement. We loved each other deeply. "I'll talk about our romance later. What I want to tell you now is why Arthur cut ties with his parents and hid his identity." A nostalgic look entered Evelyn's eyes. "Years ago, after dating for two years, Arthur suggested taking me home to meet his parents. I agreed. We had been in love for years, I was graduating, and marriage seemed like the natural next step. "I still remember how nervous and excited I was when he told me." Evelyn paused. "But it wasn't until the night before the visit that I found out—he was the heir to the Sterling Group." I listened intently. "Having a rich boyfriend ensures a comfortable life, which isn't bad news. But for me, it wasn't exactly good news either. "As I expected, Arthur's parents didn't accept me. In their plan, their son should marry the daughter of a business partner. A strategic alliance to consolidate power." Evelyn stopped. I couldn't help but ask, "So... the professor chose to cut ties with his parents to be with you?" Evelyn nodded. "Arthur didn't want to go to extremes initially. Neither did I. "He tried everything—reasoning, begging on his knees, even hunger strikes and threatening suicide. He did everything he could." She smiled bitterly. "But the Sterlings wouldn't accept me." Silence fell again. I sighed. "I didn't know there was such a story behind the professor's happy marriage." But a thought occurred to me. "What did you do back then?" Chapter 4 "Me?" Evelyn pointed to herself. "I loved Arthur. They say love me, love my dog. Theoretically, I should have loved his family too." Sadness washed over her face. "But after everything I went through, I found I couldn't. "I loved Arthur, yes. But from the moment I met his parents, I suffered endless blows. "People from ordinary backgrounds can't imagine the tactics of the super-rich. "They used the most vicious words to insult and humiliate me, calling me a shameless woman seducing their son. They even hired people to threaten me. "I was surveilled, lost my freedom, and the job offer I had secured was rescinded. My future turned dark. "I was educated and young, with my own pride. I felt wronged, but mostly angry. "If my boyfriend's parents respected me, I would respect them. Since they didn't like me, I wouldn't debase myself. I just wouldn't marry him. "Besides, when I got together with Arthur, I didn't know his identity. I honestly didn't care if he had money. Why should I suffer such humiliation?" Evelyn spoke with passion, reliving the past. I comforted her. "You were right. I understand." Evelyn coughed twice and took a sip of coffee. After a moment, she continued: "Later, to be with me and to protect me, Arthur proposed cutting ties with his parents. "I tried to stop him several times. He wasn't like me. He was their biological son. If he just bowed his head, everything would be his. I didn't want him to fall out with the parents who raised him for my sake. "But he said if he couldn't take care of me for a lifetime, he'd rather die! "You can guess the rest—Arthur cut ties and married me. "I don't know what he did, but after that, his parents really disappeared from our lives and never interfered again. "After marriage, he became a university professor, focused on research. I became a housewife, taking care of him and supporting his work." Recalling the happiness of marriage, Evelyn smiled. For some reason, a strange feeling rose in my heart. I suppressed it and asked another question: "You mentioned the professor's parents... I get it. But what about your parents? What was their attitude?" Evelyn's pupils shrank, and her eyes moistened. She exhaled deeply, suppressing her emotions. "My mother died in childbirth. My father... he died of a heart attack at work when I was 12. "Long before I met Arthur, I was already an orphan with no parents." Guilt washed over me. "I'm so sorry! I brought up painful memories. I didn't know..." Evelyn waved her hand. "It's okay. I was going to talk about this next anyway." She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled at me. "I told you, to understand why I killed Arthur, you must understand why I loved him. "Even Arthur's parents probably don't know this. They don't even know how Arthur and I met. They just thought I seduced him. "Otherwise, why would Arthur ignore so many wealthy heiresses to marry a poor orphan like me? "But now I want to tell you the secret behind our love—the reason I loved him."
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