In the middle of the night, my husband received a text message. 【They say you got married. If you're happy, then there's no need to reply to this message.】 My husband didn't move. He waited until I finished reading it before laughing: "Learning how to check up on me now?" He looked completely open and natural, without a hint of guilt. I calmly put the phone back. I didn't say a single word. Until the early hours of the morning, I watched him carefully weigh his words before replying to that number. 【How have you been these past few years?】 1 Under my clear-eyed gaze, Liam showed a momentary flash of guilt. "Why are you awake? Did I wake you up?" My eyes fell on his phone screen, which had lit up again. Suddenly, I felt a wave of profound boredom. "No, just go to sleep." Liam clearly let out a sigh of relief. He carefully pulled back the covers and lowered his breathing. I turned my face the other way. But I could clearly see the light from his phone flashing on his side. There was no need to say it out loud. We both knew who that number belonged to—Elena. She had finally... come back. 2 Everyone knew. Elena had chased Liam for three years. The usually aloof Liam was gradually moved by her, and on the day of her birthday, he promised to grant her one wish. What would Elena's wish be? Everyone implicitly understood. But when the fireworks went off, Elena was nowhere to be found. Until someone pushed open the door to that private room. She was tangled up with one of Liam's close friends. Seeing Liam, her eyes widened in terror. "What are you doing here?! Who is that?! You shouldn't be..." She pointed at the man on the sofa. Belatedly covering her body. Fate had played a massive joke on both of them. Elena had given the aphrodisiac to the wrong person. The wind was very strong that day. She put on her clothes, her face covered in tears, "Liam... can we... still be together..." Liam stared at her. His voice hoarse, he looked away, "It's already past midnight, the wish is... void..." She left the country in tears. To this day. I glanced at the calendar. Three days later, it would be her birthday again. Her birthday. Time to make a wish again. 3 Before the storm hits. Everything is as calm as a normal day. Liam was adjusting his tie again. He looked at me seemingly casually, "I'm going on a business trip in a few days." My hand brushing my hair paused. I only asked one question, "In how many days?" He didn't look at me. He just turned his face away, "Three days. I'm going to Seattle. Is there anything you'd like? I'll bring it back for you." What else could I possibly want? I put down the comb. Submissively helped him adjust his tie. "When you get back, I'll tell you what gift I want." Liam chuckled. "Making me guess riddles again. What if I bring something back and you're not satisfied?" His question... I ultimately didn't answer. I thought to myself. No matter what he brought back. I wouldn't be satisfied. 4 I didn't need to deliberately ask around to know Elena's updates. Among our mutual friends, everyone was posting pictures on social media of the souvenirs she brought back. Only Liam and I didn't receive anything. A friend said, "But she clearly said she prepared a big gift for everyone, especially for Liam—" The friend stopped talking. The entire room fell silent. We all knew what that "big gift" could be. The friend smiled awkwardly, "Maybe it was a private gift, something not meant for the public eye, hehe..." Someone coughed dryly as a reminder. The friend immediately tried to backpedal, "I mean, a physical gift, not offering herself..." The friend covered her mouth. I smiled. And downed the remaining half-glass of alcohol in my cup. "Let's get together next time. I have things to do." I hadn't walked far. When I heard the friend's frustrated voice. "Ugh, look at my stupid mouth!" 5 Liam and I originally shouldn't have ended up together. The twist of fate between him and Elena was too dramatic. With an experience like that, no one would be willing to play second fiddle. But unexpectedly. During a blind date, I met Liam. I treated the meal as a catch-up between old friends. When I was about to leave, he pulled me back. "Are you waiting for me to go back and wait for news?" I froze in place. He spread his hands, "This blind date, I'm not just going through the motions. I'm serious. I'm very satisfied with you, Chloe." I was only one month away from turning thirty. And Liam appeared. Not much romantic history. Emotionally stable, no bad habits. We understood each other's social circles, and his total assets exceeded mine by an order of magnitude. I had to admit. He was already the ceiling of the blind date market. And just like that. I had a second date with Liam— At my house. He brought expensive gifts, even showing the sincerity of a formal marriage proposal. We skipped all the dating procedures. But we didn't miss a single step of the marriage process. We just ended up together like that... I'm not saying I didn't try to change this kind of life. Taking advantage of Liam having a bit too much to drink. I once asked him: "Are you content with the rest of your life just being so unchanging?" Liam looked at me right then. His eyes obscure, carrying a hint of a smile. "Rebellious, unforgettable... those things are fine to experience when you're young." Liam fell asleep. Amidst his soft, drunken breathing, I couldn't help but wonder. Who was his "unforgettable"...? 6 Just like in many novels. When things reach this point. Elena would inevitably come to provoke me, the legal other half. But she was very smart. She added me using a burner account. In every single picture she posted, Liam wasn't in the frame. But I was too familiar with him. The silhouette reflected in the snow. The hand with intertwined fingers with Elena. He carefully took off his wedding ring, leaving only the indentation on his ring finger. I stared at the snowy landscape and laughed out loud. So it wasn't Seattle. It was Aspen. 7 When he came back. He wore the smile I was most familiar with, "I didn't tell you in advance, I wanted to give you a surprise!" I didn't reach for the beautifully packaged gift box. Liam acutely sensed something was wrong. He frowned slightly, "What's wrong? Not happy?" I glanced at his gift box. I spoke calmly, "This brand has a boutique right here in the city. There was absolutely no need to trouble you to go to Aspen for it." Liam's expression froze on his face. He silently put down the gift bag, "That was my oversight. I took a detour to Aspen from Seattle and forgot to tell you. If you don't like this gift, what do you like? Or should I ask someone to buy it in Seattle?" He lowered his eyes. Unfastening his tie as he spoke. His wedding ring sat perfectly on his finger. As natural as if he had really just gone on a business trip. If, that is, I hadn't seen the small, reddish mark on his neck. He came over and gently hugged me. His tone gentle. "Wife, don't be upset." 8 Seemingly desperate to prove something. Liam was exceptionally passionate. I avoided his lips and said something incredibly mood-killing, "You have something on your neck." Liam gave me a very strange look. It wasn't until he came out of the bathroom that he stiffly explained, "I must have eaten something out of town and had an allergic reaction." As meticulous as he was. When he consciously made a mistake, his lies were airtight. I didn't press further. You have to catch a thief with the loot. Ding— My phone and his rang at the same time. It was Elena in the group chat. 【I'm going back abroad next week. Before I leave, let's have a farewell dinner for me!】 At the end was the location of the hotel she had booked. Liam frowned slightly and looked at me, "We still shouldn't go..." He didn't finish his sentence. Our eyes met. "We're going." He looked at me quietly. Finally, he conceded, helpless but indulgent: "Alright, as long as it makes my wife happy." 9 After all these years. I finally met the real her after she and my husband had a physical relationship. At the door of the private room. She wore a high-slit cheongsam, smiling brightly as she hooked her arm through Liam's. "Chloe, you're so slow, I came specifically to wait for you." Our eyes met. We both understood the meaning of "specifically waiting." Liam suddenly grabbed my arm from behind. Elena turned around. From my angle, it seemed I could see her eyes turn slightly red, "Liam is so protective of his wife, he can't even stand being apart for a moment." Liam's expression was natural. He simply put his arm around my shoulders, "Naturally, my wife is more important than anything else." The other friends burst into laughter. Only Elena lowered her eyes. When she looked up again, she let go, gave a radiant smile, and twirled in front of me. "Chloe, look, does my outfit today fit the domestic aesthetic?" Before I could speak. She added another sentence herself. "Someone told me I look especially beautiful in a cheongsam." I looked up and glanced at Liam, "The cheongsam is beautiful. For instance, Liam really likes it when women wear them." In the private room. All the laughter stopped. Everyone's eyes gathered on us. Liam didn't say anything. He took a sip of his wine before taking my hand and holding it up to the table. "Yes, I like it best when my wife wears it." Others smoothed things over, arranging the food and drinks. Elena drank a little too much, her smile clearly showing bitterness. "Chloe, if I hadn't made that mistake back then..." The wine. I didn't drink it. Instead, I laughed softly, "Aged wine is sweet. Good thing you guys made up for the regret of not having sex back then." The people sitting close by widened their eyes. "Enough!" A stern shout. My words were sharply cut off. The hand Liam used to hold his wine glass was trembling slightly, betraying his emotions. He let out a breath. His gaze turned to Elena. "Did you drink too much, talking nonsense to my wife?!" Her breath hitched. Her eyes instantly turned red, tears falling heavily onto the table. The others hurriedly handed her tissues, urging Liam to save her some face. Across the crowd. I looked at Liam. "You're clearly yelling at me, but to maintain peace, you scold your lover. Doesn't it break your heart?" Their movements all stopped... I stood up, breaking into my most sincere smile. "After all, you guys just finished sleeping together in Aspen, and you're already turning on her so quickly. Liam, you're so ruthless after getting what you want. How heartbroken Elena must be? "Stop acting, hurry up and go coax her." In the chaotic private room. Liam sat rigidly in his seat. Elena even forgot to cry, covering her mouth in panic, "Liam, I didn't tell her..." I smiled. I didn't miss the flash of triumph in Elena's eyes. "I also never thought a guy like Liam could keep you obsessed for so many years. "A few days ago for your birthday, I didn't get you anything. "Today, consider this my belated gift." In front of everyone, I pulled out the divorce agreement I had prepared long ago. In the quiet environment. I could clearly hear Elena's breathing become rapid. As I opened the cover. My wrist was suddenly grabbed tightly by someone. Liam's eyes were dark. "Chloe, it's not what you think." 10 Our friends tactfully cleared the room. Only Liam and I remained. His Adam's apple bobbed violently. After a long while, he finally managed to say, "I... did contact Elena." I looked at him. And didn't reply. A few minutes later, his voice was strained: "But I never had any thought of abandoning our family." I waited a long time. And didn't get a follow-up. Getting impatient, I simply picked up my bag to leave. He instantly blocked my way. "Chloe! Listen to my explanation! "Back then, if it weren't for me, Elena's first time... wouldn't have been given to someone else..." He spoke rapidly. I sneered: "So you felt a lot of regret, and now you finally had the chance to make up for it?" He frowned, "You're being too extreme. I only took her to Aspen once... even if you didn't expose it, once she left, we wouldn't have contacted each other again." "So you think what you did was right? The only mistake was that I shouldn't have exposed it?" Faced with my questioning. Liam remained silent. Just before I pulled the door open to leave, he suddenly said: "Before we got married, it's not like you didn't know about what happened between her and me..." The heavy door was pulled open. I stood frozen in place. Everyone hadn't left. Elena was surrounded by friends, looking pitiful, "These past few years, it's been so hard living abroad. But if there was any other way, who would want to leave their hometown..." I walked towards her. Elena dropped her act, her expression guarded as she backed away step by step, "Chloe, you..." I raised my hand high. Before it even fell, she curled up and gasped. Behind me, the urgent sound of leather shoes rang out. I smiled, leaned in close to Elena, "Don't worry, I won't hit you." Behind me, Liam approached. The un-fallen slap landed fiercely on his face. Smack! A crisp sound. Everyone gasped. Elena's eyes immediately turned red, "Liam—" My palm tingled slightly. I shook my arm. My gaze fell on Liam's shocked eyes. "Hitting her is illegal, hitting you isn't." The pent-up frustration in my chest finally dissipated slightly with that slap. I left the place alone. I'd leave the mess for Liam to clean up. 11 I hired people. And smashed all the renovations in our house to pieces. Wood panels fell. Drywall crashed to the floor, piece by piece. The air was thick with dust and smoke. When Liam returned, you couldn't even see the expression on his face. He was stunned. It wasn't until I paid the workers their final balance that he ran over and demanded, "Chloe, what are you doing?!" This was the home I once shared. Every plant, every tree. Soft furnishings, hard furnishings, I designed and arranged everything myself without anyone else's help. My husband cheated. I couldn't just design a wedding dress for someone else. I bent my eyes apologetically, "Destroying what I designed, so it doesn't become an eyesore for Elena later. "I remember she likes the princess style. "Mr. Sterling, why not hire me to design it again when the time comes?" My sincere suggestion made Liam's eyes turn red. He grabbed my shoulders, losing his composure, "When did I ever say I wanted to live with Elena?! You are the mistress of this house! Chloe, how far are you going to take this? You even destroyed our home, and you're calling me Mr. Sterling. I already said I never thought of abandoning our family, Chloe!!!" He yelled and yelled. Then he paused slightly, staring at me and smiling bitterly again, "I was even thinking about settling things with Elena and coming back to coax you. "Forget it, if the house is smashed, it's smashed. We can just renovate it again. "Wife, are you no longer angry now?" I pried his hands off my shoulders little by little, correcting him, "Just five minutes before you walked in, I received another message from Elena." I shoved my screen in his face. This time, Elena's burner account sent me a live photo of Liam. He was driving her home. In the live photo, he clearly said to her, "When things calm down with Chloe, I'll go to France to see you." Liam's face turned pale. But that wasn't enough. I laughed from the bottom of my heart. "To prevent her from un-sending it, the moment I saw it, I forwarded it to the family group chat and the friends group chat. "It's past the time limit now. "No one—can un-send it." 12 I moved back to the apartment I had before I got married. Liam was overwhelmed. Juggling his family and friends, he temporarily had no time to come bother me. Both family and friends were trying to persuade me. He only slipped up once, and for the sake of that extra digit in assets, I should endure it for a bit. Especially when a friend brought me the latest news about Elena. She canceled her flight. Her departure was indefinitely postponed. After a moment of silence. I told my friend, "Then wish her good luck."
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