1 The day before my wedding, my best friend, Celeste Rivers, ran over and killed my mother. My fiancé didn't just stand by; he flaunted his marriage certificate with her. I dragged Celeste to court, disrupting their wedding to demand she pay for her crime, only to be ridiculed by everyone. In my darkest hour, my childhood best friend, Arthur Bennett, publicly proposed to me, swearing he’d be my lifelong anchor. I said yes. I entrusted the entire car accident case to him. He told me Celeste was imprisoned, and I believed him. But three years into our marriage, I accidentally overheard him talking to his lawyer. “Mr. Bennett, was marrying Evelyn Hayes just for a letter of forgiveness? For a mere car accident, why did you have to sacrifice yourself?” “Only by marrying her could I, as a family member, write that letter of forgiveness on Evelyn’s behalf. It was the only way to secure Celeste’s freedom.” “As long as she’s happy overseas, that’s all that matters. As for me… anything is fine.” It turned out the marriage I’d seen as my salvation was nothing but a meticulously crafted deception. That letter of forgiveness, signed with my name, and Celeste’s freedom—those were his true desires. I was the one who needed to leave. In his office, Arthur stared at a photo of Celeste overseas on his computer, a heartbroken, regretful smile playing on his lips. “Three years. Seeing her happy is enough, even if her happiness isn’t something I gave her.” “As for Evelyn… I’ve spent the rest of my life making amends to her. This matter, it’s behind us.” The company’s legal counsel was fuming but utterly powerless against him. “Mr. Bennett, the company has finally started to thrive. How can you joke about a murder case like this? If this gets out to our competitors, not just you, but all of Bennett family’s assets could be forfeit!” “It’s a fact that Miss Rivers committed premeditated murder. Why are you getting mixed up in this mess? She doesn’t even love you!” Arthur’s face hardened, his voice chilling. “Enough. I said not to bring this up again. I don’t believe Celeste intentionally killed her. It must have been an accident. I handled Mrs. Hayes’s funeral arrangements, which was a proper closure for the Hayes family.” “If it means saving her, forget a company, I’d even give my life!” The lawyer grew agitated. “What about Miss Hayes? She’ll find out about this eventually. The moment she goes to visit Celeste in prison, everything you’ve planned will collapse!” “You used her name to free the person who murdered her mother. What will she do then?” Arthur fell silent for a moment, then reached for a cigarette and lit it. “Then she’ll never know. Three years have passed. Celeste should be out of prison soon.” “Go make the arrangements. And remember, don’t let Evelyn find out.” “Mr. Bennett,” the lawyer warned, his voice grave. “As your legal counsel, let me remind you: the long arm of the law misses nothing. What you’ve done will leave its mark. To protect a murderer, at the cost of harming an innocent person… if Miss Hayes ever finds out, you’ll be completely ruined!” Tears streamed down my chin. My body trembled so violently I could barely hold the takeout box. Footsteps drew closer. I quickly scurried into the stairwell, my heart pounding. So, my mother’s fatal car accident had never even been formally investigated. And Celeste, far from being imprisoned to face justice, was living a carefree life overseas. All of it, orchestrated by the husband I loved with all my heart. His humble bowing, his quiet endurance, his every concession—all were for the salvation of the woman he truly loved. For three years, I had lived inside the meticulously woven tapestry of his lies. I thought I was living a fairytale, but it was a living hell. The irony was crushing. I stumbled down the stairs and out of the building, collapsing onto the curb outside the company. 2 I waited for five agonizing hours. The last flicker of light in the building winked out. Finally, his silhouette appeared. The moment he saw me, his expression softened, and he gently took my hand, his voice laced with concern. “Why didn’t you come in? How long have you been waiting?” “Not long, just arrived. I know you’ve been busy lately, so I brought you some homemade porridge. Your assistant said you were in a meeting, so I left.” “Don’t do this again, darling. You’re not well; I’d be heartbroken if you overtired yourself.” With that, he pulled me into his embrace and kissed my forehead. His touch was as tender and affectionate as always. But I felt nothing. His warmth no longer reached me. It was shocking, how far one person would go for another. He guided me into the passenger seat, then casually brought up a topic. “Oh, by the way, Celeste is getting out soon. You two used to be close, and she’s already served her time. Besides, Bennett Holdings has a lot of ongoing projects with the Thorne family now, so maybe—” “It’s fine. It’s all in the past. I won’t go after her. Don’t worry.” He let out a visible sigh of relief, a soft smile touching his lips. “Thank you, my love, for understanding. Having you is truly a blessing.” I turned my head, gazing out at the passing scenery, tears silently tracing paths down my cheeks. Back home, while he showered, I opened his laptop. The password was Celeste’s birthday. The desktop wallpaper was a sweeping view of the Maldives. That’s where Celeste had lived for the past three years. I logged into his social media. His profile’s background image was a photo of him and Celeste. His follower list contained only one person. I clicked on it. My vision was flooded with photos of Celeste and snippets of her life overseas. She wore new jewelry from brands under Bennett Holdings. Her shawl was from Bennett Holdings’ latest campaign. Even the villa she’d tagged was one of Bennett Holdings’ overseas hotel properties. This hotel, I noted, had been established exactly three years ago. It was Bennett’s only international project. My hand trembled as I clicked on his transfer history. The recipient was always Celeste. A million a month, for three years, without fail. I scrolled through each entry, my heart chilling with every passing line. I remembered his social media status, a single, cryptic word. Wait. I’d asked him once what it meant. He’d simply shrugged it off, saying it was something he’d written long ago. But now, I understood. Three years of marriage, and apart from the wedding photo on the wall, we had no other pictures together. No matter how much I cried or pleaded, he’d always say we saw each other every day, so there was no need to capture it. Only now did I realize it wasn’t that there was no need; it was that I was not a necessity to him. I let out a self-deprecating laugh, closing the laptop. I simply bought a plane ticket for three days later, overseas. And applied to cancel all my official documents. Three days to say goodbye to three years. It felt like enough. I set the countdown as my phone wallpaper, a constant reminder. When he emerged from the bathroom, I was already in bed. Assuming I was asleep, he remained silent. I spent the entire night wide awake. At dawn, I got up to freshen up. My phone rang. Arthur’s voice, laced with confusion, followed immediately. “Evelyn, what documents did you cancel?” I quickly snatched my phone, explaining casually, “Nothing much. My ID expired, so I booked an appointment to renew it.” “Don’t you have a project meeting today? Go on, get busy.” He didn’t think much of it, simply pulling me into a tender embrace, whispering sweet nothings in my ear. “Thank you, my love. Marrying a wife as wonderful as you is truly my blessing.” I simply smiled, saying nothing. 3 “As a reward, how about your husband gives you a big gift today?” he purred. “Alright. I’ll be home waiting.” He really pulled out all the stops to keep me from bothering Celeste. This three-year charade, it was time for it to end. The moment he stepped out the door, I went to cancel my documents. After filling out the application, I went to see a lawyer. When I asked about the letter of forgiveness, the lawyer simply stated that a letter of forgiveness from a family member carried legal weight. It was already established and irrevocable. I didn't ask further, instead asking him to print two copies of a divorce agreement for me. With the agreement in hand, I headed to Arthur’s company. As soon as I entered, I heard employees whispering. “Is that Mrs. Bennett? I heard she just returned from overseas. That aura… no wonder she enchanted Mr. Bennett; even I, a woman, can’t resist it!” “Must be. That bag she’s carrying is a new Hermès, one of only ten worldwide. I’ve seen Mr. Bennett picking out bags a few times; I can’t believe he bought even this for her. So sweet…” “That overseas hotel, it wasn’t built for her, was it? I heard they were childhood sweethearts. Even a rom-com wouldn’t dare write a plot like that!” On the top floor, I stood at the office door. Familiar voices drifted out. “These past three years, you… how have you been?” “Oh, just wonderful. Every day, I wake up to the ocean, and the air is filled with freedom. I haven’t even thanked you properly. If it weren’t for you, I’d have already—” “Don’t say such things. It’s all in the past. I believe you didn’t mean to hurt anyone. My help was also for my own sake.” Celeste’s laughter tinkled like wind chimes. “You, you’re still the same after all these years. If Evelyn ever found out you secretly helped me, she’d surely make a huge scene.” “This bag is too extravagant; I can’t accept it. You should give it to Evelyn instead. I’m afraid if I take it, she’ll sue me again.” Celeste had always been like this: taking every advantage while feigning generosity, blaming me for everything. Three years ago, at the wedding. I had publicly exposed her as a killer, alienating myself from her and Julian Thorne completely. Yet, all the guests present had sided with her, accusing me of being unreasonable. I had become a laughingstock. Arthur’s appearance had been my only salvation. But now, he was the one who had pushed me into this abyss. His assistant, rushing to deliver a contract, burst through the door, nearly colliding with me. Arthur’s eyes flickered with surprise. “Evelyn? When did you get here? Don’t get the wrong idea; Celeste just dropped by to catch up, nothing else…” “Evelyn, long time no see.” Celeste rose, dressed in a bespoke piece from Bennett Holdings’ latest collection. Her face was flushed with health, her skin flawless. She looked anything but the picture of someone who had just been released from prison. I smiled, nodding, swallowing my rising resentment. “It’s fine. I was just in the area, thought I’d drop by. Since you’re busy, I’ll head back now.” Arthur, thinking I was angry, chased after me, explaining for quite a while. “Don’t be like this, my love. I was just asking her how she was doing in prison. After all, she’s a woman; it must have been tough in there…” “It’s been three years. All grudges should be laid to rest by now, shouldn’t they? Didn’t you say it was all in the past?” Watching his desperate display, I simply smiled. To free Celeste, he had sacrificed his own marriage, putting on a show for me. Now that Celeste was safe and sound, who was he trying to impress? “Yes, it’s in the past. Don’t worry. I’m not unreasonable; I keep my word.” 4 “You stay busy. I’ll be home waiting for you, like a good wife.” He visibly relaxed, instructing his assistant to personally escort me downstairs. Before I left, he specifically reminded me about the Thorne family’s banquet the following evening. It was a celebration of Celeste’s return. As a CEO, he had his reputation to uphold. Publicly, they’d claimed Celeste was studying abroad, never mentioning her imprisonment. I nodded, saying I understood. I wouldn’t cause a scene at the banquet. Only then did he seem relieved enough to let me go. Back home, I took down the wedding photos from the wall and meticulously shredded them with scissors. Then, I tossed them into the trash. That night, Arthur didn’t come home. But Celeste logged back into her social media account. And posted an update for the first time in ages. A candlelit dinner for two. The man’s face wasn’t visible, only a glimpse of his wrist. The spot where a wedding ring should have been was conspicuously bare, but the skin tone difference revealed where it once rested. It was Arthur. Just as she’d hoped, I liked the post. I turned off my phone and packed my bags. The next morning, Arthur’s assistant delivered a dress. I unwrapped it and saw it was an outdated design from a previous season. That evening, when I arrived at the banquet hall, Julian Thorne had just finished his speech. He announced that Celeste would be in charge of all the company’s projects with Bennett Holdings. A wave of envy rippled through the guests. They praised Celeste’s good fortune, how both her childhood sweethearts held her in the highest regard. The moment I appeared, conversations abruptly ceased. Eyes turned to me, expressions of expectant amusement. Arthur was busy with socializing, paying me no mind. Celeste, acting as hostess, led me to the terrace upstairs. Once we were alone, she dropped her charade, her true nature laid bare. Her expression was a cocktail of sarcasm and venom. “Evelyn Hayes, after all these years, you’re still so useless.” “I’ve been overseas for the past three years, and thanks to your husband, I’ve had a wonderful time, you wouldn’t believe it. You don’t actually think Arthur married you out of love, do you? Truth be told, if you hadn’t sued me, he wouldn’t have given you a second glance!” “Evelyn Hayes, you’re nothing but a joke!” Fury ignited within me. I couldn’t hold back any longer and slapped her across the face. She sneered, a cold smile touching her lips, and quickly stumbled back a few steps. Then, she tumbled down the stairs. A collective gasp, then screams, erupted from the main hall. Arthur was there in an instant, rushing to her, scooping her into his arms. He looked up at me, his eyes blazing with fury. “Evelyn Hayes, what are you doing? Are you insane?!” “Celeste was kindly hosting you, how dare you push her? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t pursue the matter from back then? What’s with this scene today?!” My expression was cold, my voice devoid of emotion. “Me causing a scene?” “Arthur Bennett, don’t you think you owe me an explanation for what happened that day?” His brow furrowed, a flicker of panic in his eyes. “An explanation for what? Hasn’t Celeste already apologized to you for the past three years? What more do you want?” “One thing has nothing to do with the other. No matter what happened before, it doesn’t justify you laying hands on her today!” “Evelyn Hayes, apologize to her right now!” Before I could speak, Celeste was already weeping in his arms, her voice choked with feigned sorrow. “Please… please don’t be hard on Evelyn. All the fault, all the mistakes, were mine from back then. I wronged her. Let what happened today be my apology to her…” “Since she hates me so much, let’s… let’s not contact each other anymore. I don’t want to cause you any trouble.” My nails bit fiercely into my palms, tiny drops of blood welling up. Watching their silhouettes, entwined, as they walked away, I knew it was truly over for us.
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