In this life, I have been close to marriage twice. The first was a passionate whirlwind, set to marry the head of the Sterling Group, a man standing at the very pinnacle of wealth. The second was calm and natural, leading to my current marriage with my gentle and considerate husband, Dr. Caleb Reid. Back then, I was young and stubborn, believing love should be pure. I refused to share a man with another woman. I cried and fought over it, finally leaving London in a fit of pique. I followed Caleb to the Scottish Highlands, settling in a desolate forest research station. For three years of marriage, Ethan Sterling's people never lost contact. Every month, a private jet delivered rare orchids. The attached card always bore the same sentence: "When you've had enough, come back." I never responded. Until last night, when Caleb confessed that he wanted to move his ex, Lydia, and her daughter into our home. I stared at the gloomy Scottish sky outside the window, silent for a long time. Finally, I picked up my phone and messaged the number I hadn't contacted in three years. "Come pick me up. I'm ready to go home." 1 My assistant, Mia, spoke with a trembling voice: "Miss Ava, are we really going back to London?" I stood up and walked to the window, pushing it open. Outside was the eternally gray sky of the Scottish Highlands. "I lost the bet. What else can I do but go back?" Mia was silent for a moment, then sighed: "If only Professor Reid hadn't met Lydia. He used to seem so devoted!" The "Professor Reid" she mentioned is my current husband, Caleb Reid. Three years ago, Caleb was just a young scholar who had recently received his tenure, but he dared to fly to London to propose to me. At that time, I set two conditions. First, no one mentions the past. We never ask about it. Second, I am possessive and cannot tolerate a third party. He can only have me as his woman for the rest of his life. Caleb held my hand and swore on his mentor's photo: "I pledge on my honor to always put you first in my heart." I looked at the sincerity in his eyes, but Ethan's words echoed in my mind: "Ava Lane, do you think changing the man means he'll love only you forever?" I was too young and stubborn back then, not even giving the Sterling family face. Just because there was always a childhood sweetheart around him, I gave Ethan the cold shoulder for a whole year. He said he wouldn't marry anyone but me; I said I'd rather die than marry him. The Sterling engagement party was postponed again and again, dates changed seven or eight times. People in our circle gossiped, but no one guessed the reason. Ethan protected me and never explained to the public. After our last fight, he must have been truly exhausted, so he compromised. "Fine. Marry whoever you want." But he made a bet with me. If one day, the husband I carefully chose also had a woman he couldn't let go of, that would be the time I returned to him. Outside, a fine drizzle blurred the view through the glass. Standing outside the studio door was a woman in her early thirties wearing a beige trench coat, holding a six or seven-year-old boy's hand, looking pitiful. That was Lydia. Caleb's doctoral student, and his "white moonlight"—the one who got away. Years ago, Lydia dumped Caleb to marry an investor so she could go abroad for further studies. Now divorced, she returned with her child to do research, isolated and helpless in these highlands. I've always been soft-hearted. At first, I pitied her situation and asked Caleb to help arrange accommodation. Until last month, when Caleb went to Edinburgh for an academic conference, Mia casually mentioned: "Professor Reid changed his desktop wallpaper. It looks like a photo of Lydia and her son." That's when I suddenly woke up. Who would have thought Caleb had already rented an apartment for Lydia in town behind my back and prepaid six months of rent? These past few days, Lydia has been coming to my studio every day, crying tears like pear blossoms in the rain, saying she had nowhere to go, begging me to take them in. I wouldn't relent, so she wouldn't stop crying. "Of course she's persistent. She knows in her heart that as long as she moves into this house, I have to leave. Then the position of Mrs. Reid will be hers." Mia realized suddenly: "Right, she knows about the bet you made with Mr. Sterling." Lydia looked up at that moment, meeting my gaze through the glass door. I looked away expressionlessly. "Let her stand there. It's the last day anyway." "Why?" "Because..." Before I could finish, hurried footsteps came from the end of the corridor. Caleb, carrying his laptop bag, strode to the door in a few steps. He pulled Lydia and the child behind him. "Lydia! Why are you here?" Because today was the day he returned from his field expedition. Lydia went limp, slowly collapsing into Caleb's arms, starting her old tricks again. She had used this move more than once. Caleb panicked, quickly supporting her, then turned and glared at me through the door. "Ava! While I was gone, is this how you treated her? No matter what you say this time, I must bring Lydia and the child home!" With that, he supported her and turned to leave. Mia stomped her foot in anger, shouting at the door: "It's not like Miss Ava asked her to come! She stood here herself every day!" My heart was calm water. I reached out and closed the studio door, shutting out the wind and rain. "Forget it. We're leaving soon anyway." "Let him do what he wants for these few days. Consider it a period for this marriage." 2 In the Scottish Highlands, the climate is cold and damp. Even ordinary plants struggle to survive. Delicate flowers from London would wither here in days. So on the 15th of every month, a private jet would land at the nearest airport, delivering rare plants that could only survive in a greenhouse. Orchids, phalaenopsis, never the same kind twice. They were sent by Ethan. He knew I didn't like to be disturbed, so he never appeared in person. He only sent flowers with a brief card. Considering Caleb's feelings, I never responded. Until yesterday, when I broke the rule. It was the 15th again. A black business van stopped punctually at the studio entrance. "Miss Ava, these are lilies of the valley Mr. Sterling just ordered from France." I reached out, gently touching the white petals. "They're beautiful. Please thank him for me." The butler delivering the flowers was clearly stunned, then smiled. "This is the first time Miss Ava has replied in three years. Mr. Sterling will be very happy to know." I curled my lips and said nothing more. If Ethan was truly as devoted as they said, he wouldn't have watched me leave back then. Caleb stayed in Lydia's rented apartment all night. The next morning, he came to settle accounts with me, looking exhausted. "I specifically asked you to take care of her before I left. Is this how you take care of people?" I didn't look up, continuing to organize the design sketches on the shelf. "She has legs. She came here herself." Caleb exploded, sweeping the sketches off the table. "Ava! Do you know she cried all night last night? She even had an asthma attack!" Papers scattered everywhere, a mess. I stopped moving and was silent for a moment. Even if Lydia had an asthma attack, she brought it on herself. What did it have to do with me? "I told you many times, she's only staying for a few months until she finds a suitable apartment! She asks for nothing, didn't even want you to know!" Caleb's voice gradually lowered. He turned around, his tone turning cold: "You went too far, worsening her condition. I must bring her back to take care of her." I said nothing, squatting down to pick up the drawings, holding a few in my arms. Suddenly, I laughed. "What about me?" "You are still my wife, still Mrs. Reid." I looked up at him, my eyes moist. "No, I mean, I gave up a lot for you too. Why did you never think of compensating me? Or is your compensation bringing your 'white moonlight' into our home?" Caleb froze, looking down at me, a flash of guilt in his eyes. He reached out to help me up. "Ava, don't be like this. It's just temporary. Besides, you know Lydia, she's not a stranger." "Whether she's a stranger or not isn't important." I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, my voice terrifyingly calm. "What's important is what you promised me back then." Caleb met my gaze, his eyes darting away, finally gritting his teeth: "But before I came back, I also promised her I'd give her a place to stay." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Then bring her." I heard my voice floating lightly, as if from far away. Caleb stood there, seemingly not expecting me to agree so readily. I turned to look at the two pots of lilies of the valley on the windowsill, somewhat distracted. It was only September. I shouldn't have ordered custom winter coats so early. I wouldn't be wearing them anyway. "The weather is getting cold. I ordered some clothes a while ago. You can give them to her as my welcome gift." I pointed to the unopened new clothes in the closet. Caleb paused: "Give them all to her? What about you?" With my back to him, my fingertips tightened slightly: "I can buy new ones." Caleb finally relaxed, his tone lighter. "Right, you have good taste. I'll accompany you to Edinburgh another day to buy some jewelry as compensation." Before leaving, he finally noticed the two pots of flowers on the windowsill. "Lilies of the valley? I didn't know you could grow these in the Highlands." "I heard Mr. Sterling has been acquiring this flower globally recently. Seems like he's planning a wedding." 3 I froze. "Ethan is getting married?" A string in my heart that I thought was secure. Snapped instantly. Caleb replied casually: "I heard it from a friend in London." I was in a daze. He was getting married? I didn't notice when Caleb left. Sitting at the workbench, I clenched my fists, whispering to myself. I didn't know if I was asking Mia or myself. "Do you think he'll still come?" Mia wasn't sure either. After all, the last time I saw Ethan, he personally put the plane ticket in my hand. That day, his eyes were red, stubble on his chin, clearly hadn't slept all night. When handing over the ticket, he gripped it so tight his knuckles turned white. His voice was terribly hoarse. "Ava Lane, if he treats you badly in the future, you must give me a chance to bring you back." I never thought he would really let me go. After a long silence, I took the ticket and said nothing. Only when heading to the boarding gate did I look back at him and nod gently. But now, three years had passed. I waited for three whole days and didn't get a reply from Ethan. Three days later, while I was organizing and packing in the studio, my phone suddenly rang. Mia glanced at the caller ID, her face changing. She whispered: "Miss Ava, it's the private number from Sterling Group." My heart constricted violently. I picked up the phone, and a deep voice came from the other end. "Ava." Just one word, and I almost cried. "Mmh." "I got the message." He paused, no emotion in his voice. "The day Caleb brings her in, I'm coming to take you back to London." My hand holding the phone trembled slightly. It took a while to find my voice: "Okay." 4 The night before Lydia moved in, she came to me with a fruit basket. I let her in. Her eyes were swollen from crying, looking desperate. "Miss Ava, without Caleb, you still have family, better options. But without Caleb, I really have nothing." I didn't touch her fruit, just looked at her calmly. "You've been smart since you were little, good at calculating, never showing weakness easily. You didn't wrong me, nor Caleb. You only wronged yourself." Lydia froze, her crying stopping abruptly. I signaled Mia with my eyes. Mia reluctantly handed her a jewelry box. "This is a gift I prepared for you before. I intended to give it to you when you actually got married. Now..." I paused and stood up. "Take it now. From now on, we don't owe each other anything. Take care." Lydia stared blankly as she took the box, bowed deeply three times to me, and left holding the item. The night Caleb brought Lydia in, because Lydia was a single mother with no relatives, he had to invite colleagues from the research station and university to scrape together a few tables. Originally, Mia and I planned to hide upstairs and not show our faces. We closed the door to pack. Halfway through, Caleb sent someone up. He said some guests from London arrived suddenly and insisted on seeing the hostess, asking me to go down and deal with them. Mia looked disdainful: "Someone came all this way just for a move-in? These people are too much." My hands paused, suddenly realizing something. Hurriedly changing into a decent dress, I pushed the door open and walked out. The house was decked out with colorful lights tonight, brightly lit, shadows moving. I walked quickly downstairs. Turning the corner of the stairs, I stopped abruptly. The living room was noisy with chatter and clinking glasses. And Ethan stood in the middle of the living room, in a perfectly tailored dark suit, cufflinks shimmering under the lights. The light hit his face; his features were sharper than three years ago. He was talking to someone but seemed to sense something. His gaze suddenly crossed the noisy crowd and locked onto me accurately. Then, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Very lightly, very slowly, he mouthed words to me. I saw those five words clearly. "I. Came. For. You."
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