Just as our wedding night came to a close, Liam held me in his arms and suddenly said: "There's something I need to tell you." "Legally, I already have a wife." "We won't be able to go to the courthouse to sign the marriage license tomorrow. But aside from that piece of paper, I can give you anything you want." My mind went blank with a loud ringing. "You're... married? Why didn't you mention this once in all these years?" He got up to get dressed, the hickey I left on his neck still visible. "Chloe, I love you the most. We have ten years of history, after all." "She... was forced on me by my family years ago. Since I took her in, I have to be responsible for her." I lay paralyzed on our messy bridal bed, the lingering warmth of our intimacy still beneath me. The decorative "Just Married" sign on the wall was as glaringly red as a slap to the face. 1. Maybe the devastation on my face was too obvious. Liam sighed, took my hand, and placed our hands with the wedding bands together. "Chloe, look. Nothing is actually different." "The wedding, the ring, the title—they're all yours. Everyone knows you are the rightful Mrs. Sterling." "As for her... just pretend she doesn't exist." He turned, meeting my red, tear-filled eyes. His voice softened. "Come on, don't throw a tantrum." "My Chloe is the most understanding, right?" I dodged his touch and said coldly: "We're breaking up." Liam's smile froze. He let go of my hand, lit a cigarette, and said with a hint of exhaustion: "I don't agree." "Then divorce her." Liam stared at me. After a long silence, he said: "Chloe, I'll be honest with you." "Sarah and I got married seven years ago. For those seven years, she has taken perfect care of my parents. I have no reason to divorce her." Seven years ago? That was right after we graduated from college. We had already been dating for three years by then. He married someone else behind my back back then? My stomach churned. I rushed to the bathroom and dry heaved. "There's no need to overreact like this." Liam followed me in, gently patting my back. "I don't have any real physical relationship with her. It was just a strategic marriage arranged by our parents. I had to fulfill the contract." "The person I love most is still you." I turned to look at him. His eyes were full of worry. It was the look I had loved most for the past ten years. But at this moment, it made me feel incredibly sick. "Overreact?" "You made me the other woman for seven years, and you're telling me I'm overreacting?" Liam frowned, a flash of impatience in his eyes. "You're making it sound so ugly. What do you mean, 'the other woman'? We dated first. I just married her without telling you." "You did nothing wrong, so you don't need to feel guilty." "Besides, we just lack that piece of paper. In my heart, you are my wife." Saying that, he reached out to stroke my hair, trying to comfort me. "Don't touch me!" I swatted his hand away. His hand froze in mid-air. In our ten years together, we had never had a real fight. I used to think it was proof of how much we loved each other. Now I understood. It was a complete and utter scam! Liam pinched the bridge of his nose, losing his patience. "Fine. Let's both take the night to cool off." "Chloe, think about it carefully. Giving up our ten-year relationship, the future we planned together, and your parents' expectations... all for a piece of paper. Is it really worth it?" The door slammed shut. I started dry heaving uncontrollably. My back arched like a bow, but I couldn't throw up anything. Tears and snot mixed on my face; I must have looked hideous. After I finished crying, I made up my mind. I got off the floor and started packing my bags. I had moved in with so much hope and excitement, and now I was moving out completely shattered. I couldn't help but laugh at myself. My phone suddenly pinged. It was Liam's mother. She had posted on Facebook: [My daughter-in-law is so thoughtful.] The photo showed the dining room of the Sterling family estate, featuring a table full of food. I didn't cook that. In the past, my first thought would have been that Liam had ordered dinner for his mother in my name to help improve our relationship. I would have even rewarded him when I saw him. But now I understood. The "daughter-in-law" his mother was talking about was never me. I was just a woman who was forced to be the mistress for seven years. 2. In the middle of the night, I dragged my suitcase out of our bridal home. I walked aimlessly down the street. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was my dad. "Chloe, Liam mentioned that you two... had a little disagreement?" Hearing my dad's voice made me want to cry. But afraid he'd worry, I held it back. My dad continued: "We've all seen how well Liam treats you. Tell me, in all these years, has he ever mistreated you?" How well? Like when we graduated, and his parents disapproved of us, so he resolutely cut ties with his wealthy family for me? From a glamorous rich kid to squeezing into a freezing, cramped basement apartment with me, he never complained once. Or when I worked late into the night, and he—despite struggling with his own startup—always showed up outside my office on time with a warm midnight snack? Or when he had a terrible time entertaining clients, but would always adjust his mood in the car before walking through our door with a bright smile, never letting the outside storms touch me? Those details, that seemingly ordinary yet pervasive care and protection. They flashed through my mind now like a slow-motion movie. So vivid. So warm. His kindness to me was real. But the fact that he married someone else was also real. "Chloe? Are you listening?" My dad's voice pulled me back from my memories. "I'm listening," I answered. "Dad, I..." I wanted to tell him what happened tonight. But the words felt stuck in my throat like cotton. What could I say? Your daughter was scammed for a decade and has been an unwitting mistress for seven years? Your perfect future son-in-law actually married someone else seven years ago? "Chloe, there's something I need to tell you," my dad said before I could finish. "In a month, your mother is going to have heart bypass surgery." Suddenly, all the bitterness and accusations welling up in my throat froze. "The doctor said she cannot have any major emotional swings before or after the surgery, or it could be life-threatening." "So Chloe, please, Dad is begging you. During this time, no matter what, we need peace in the family. We can't let your mother worry about anything..." My dad went on, telling me to take care of my health, not to stay up late, to communicate properly with Liam... I couldn't hear a single word of it. All that was left in my ears was a buzzing roar. The call ended. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I crouched on the empty street and wailed. Crying for my ten years of seemingly flawless love. Crying for my mother's life, hanging by a thread. Crying for the beautiful, gilded cage Liam had built for me with a decade of deep affection. I don't know when it started raining. From a fine drizzle to a torrential downpour... I was drenched on the street corner, unable to tell if it was rain or tears on my face. Suddenly, an umbrella appeared over my head. I looked up. It was Liam. Just like the past ten years, he held me tightly. I could feel his arms trembling. "Come home with me..." "Chloe, I only posted that photo on my mom's phone to make you mad. I never meant to break up with you..." Liam grabbed my suitcase and gently shoved me into the passenger seat of his car. He promised me: "Don't worry, I'll handle it. I'll divorce Sarah." "We'll live a good life together." "Chloe, your dad told me about your mom..." I stayed silent. I just stared at him blankly. The unfamiliar perfume scent on him, the unfamiliar shade of lipstick on his collar... They all belonged to another woman. I closed my eyes, feeling incredibly exhausted. But Liam didn't notice my numbness; he just kept rambling about how he was going to hire the best medical team for my mom. I leaned my head against the car window. I didn't even have the energy to reply. 3. Over the next half month, to avoid Liam, I used taking care of my mom as an excuse and practically lived at the hospital. Liam didn't get mad. Instead, he perfectly delivered on his promise. He used his connections to bring in top-tier specialists for a consultation, crafting the most flawless treatment plan for my mom's bypass surgery. He even pushed back his work schedule to stay with me at the hospital overnight. He acted like the absolute perfect son-in-law. My mom's color looked a bit better. She held my hand and said to him: "Liam, knowing Chloe has you to take care of her puts my mind at ease." He naturally held my hand, intertwining our fingers, his gaze sincere. "Mom, I'll treat Chloe right for the rest of my life." Seeing my mom's earnest eyes, I looked down and nodded. But my heart felt like a waterlogged sponge, heavy and suffocating. Everything seemed normal. The turning point happened one afternoon. Liam was called away for an emergency at his company, so I went to the hospital room alone. I pushed the door open and saw that my mom's caretaker had been swapped. I had seen that face in the photos Liam's mother posted on Facebook. Sarah. She was talking to my mom: "...My husband is actually a really good guy. He's just too soft-hearted and got entangled with someone outside." "That girl has been with him for years. He always says he can't cut her off because he's afraid of breaking her heart." "My heart... sometimes it just feels so awful. That's why I came out to do some work, to distract myself." My mom listened, a sympathetic look on her face. I stood in the doorway, the blood in my veins instantly freezing. "Chloe, you're here?" My mom saw me and smiled. "This caretaker, Sarah, has such a hard life. If you ask me, those women who become mistresses are absolutely shameless..." I forced a stiff smile and said: "Mom, I brought some soup. Have a taste." Then I turned to Sarah: "Can you step outside for a moment? I have something to ask you." At the end of the hallway. I looked at her: "Those things you said—you did that on purpose so my mom would hear?" Sarah's meek demeanor vanished, the corners of her mouth curling into a very faint smirk: "I was just talking about my own family issues. Is that a problem?" "Whatever is between us, leave my parents out of it." I kept my voice low, trying to be reasonable. "We are both victims here. If there's something to discuss, we can talk..." "Victims?" She let out a scoff, cutting me off. "Chloe, you've been a mistress for seven years, and you actually feel justified?" "Talk to you?" "Did you really think Liam would divorce me for you? He's just stringing you along." "Even your own mother says you're shameless. Chloe, do you have the guts to tell your mom that you're the mistress?" I clenched my fists, wanting to argue, wanting to hit her. But I suppressed it with everything I had. Because we were in a hospital. I couldn't cause a scene, and I couldn't agitate my mother. But she wouldn't let it go: "Oh, I get it. You're afraid it'll affect your mom's surgery." "But honestly, even if you don't say anything, I doubt your mom's surgery will go well." "After all, she's old and in poor health. Who knows... she might not even make it to the operating table..." The tightly wound string in my brain snapped. By the time I realized what I was doing, my palm was already stinging. I had slapped her hard across the face. Sarah shrieked, stumbling back and covering her cheek. "What are you doing?!" Liam's voice suddenly rang out. He rushed over, immediately pulling Sarah behind him, grabbing my wrist with a lot of force. "Chloe! How could you hit someone?" Sarah instantly hid behind him, tears flowing on cue, her voice trembling: "Liam... I just saw her mom was lonely, so I kindly came over to help out and keep her company..." "I don't know why Ms. Evans is so angry. She just came up and hit me..." She sobbed, looking incredibly fragile and pitiful. Completely different from the vicious woman who was just talking to me. "Ask her what she said!" I was shaking with anger, trying to shake off Liam's grip. Liam frowned tightly. He looked at Sarah's red, swollen cheek. Then he looked at the agitated me, his eyes filled with disappointment and annoyance: "She's always been so gentle. What could she possibly have said?" "Even if she did say something, you shouldn't have gotten physical!" "Chloe, when did you become so unreasonable? Getting physical over a disagreement?" "I'm unreasonable?" I wanted to laugh, but tears stubbornly welled up. "Liam, the unreasonable one is you! If you hadn't been two-timing us, would she and I ever..." "Enough!" He scolded, putting an arm around Sarah's shoulders. "I'm taking her home first." "Cool off and take a good look at your own behavior." He left with Sarah, without giving me another glance. Soon, I understood exactly what he meant by "cool off." 4. That very night. The hospital notified us that the original expert medical team had been temporarily reassigned to handle other emergency cases. Following that, vile rumors began spreading through the inpatient ward. About me, about "knowingly being a mistress," about "harassing a married man"... I don't know how my mom heard about it, but her face turned deathly pale. She clutched her chest, unable to breathe, and was rushed into the emergency resuscitation room. But the top medical team had already been pulled away. My dad was sweating profusely from anxiety. He grabbed me and asked: "Chloe, what is going on?" "Everything was fine. Why did the doctors just up and leave?" "Your mom's condition is critical, she needs surgery right now!" My hands shook so badly I could barely hold my phone as I dialed Liam's number over and over again. No one answered. Desperate, I called Sarah's phone. Finally, the call connected. "Hello?" "Put Liam on the phone!" My voice was incredibly hoarse. The other end paused for a moment before Liam's cold voice came through: "Have you thought things through?" "Give the medical team back! Please..." I dug my fingernails into my palms. "I can do that." His tone was flat. "Come to the Riverside Condo and apologize to Sarah." "If she's satisfied, the team goes back." The Riverside Condo was his other apartment. I went. Because I couldn't just stand by and watch my mother... die. Inside the condo. Sarah sat on the couch; any mark on her cheek had long vanished. Liam stood by the window, his back to me. "I'm not trying to make things difficult for you on purpose. But I have my dignity too." "I was hit for no reason, I deserve an apology, right?" Sarah spoke softly, but her eyes were full of provocation. I looked at her, then at Liam's back. "I'm sorry," I said. "Can't hear you," she blinked. "I'm sorry!" I raised my voice. "Just saying it isn't enough." She sighed, as if she were deeply conflicted. "How about this: kneel down and say it. Slap your own face. Whenever I'm satisfied, we'll call it even." "Liam, what do you think?" Liam didn't make a sound. He just silently turned around. I closed my eyes. My knees hit the cold hardwood floor with a dull thud. I raised my hand and slapped my own face, hard. One slap after another. The sound was crisp. A burning heat quickly spread across my cheeks. "Is this enough?" I looked up at them: "Can the medical team go back now?" "I'll do whatever you want, but my mom... she can't wait any longer..." Sarah looked at Liam, about to say something. Suddenly, my phone started ringing like crazy. It was my dad. A wave of suffocating terror instantly gripped me. I answered with trembling hands. "Chloe..." "Your mom... she's gone... her heart stopped just now... they couldn't bring her back..." The phone slipped from my hand and crashed to the floor. I sat slumped there, completely motionless, unable to even shed a tear. The world dissolved into a blur of gray static. Liam seemed to notice something was wrong and turned around. He saw the look on my face, froze for a second, and walked over quickly: "Chloe? What's wrong?" "Did something happen with Mom?" "Don't be afraid. I already made arrangements. Mom is going to be fine." "Your mom was so good to me, how could I actually just leave her? I just wanted to teach you a lesson..." He crouched down, reaching out to touch me. I slowly, incredibly slowly, raised my head and looked at him. Looking at this face I had loved for ten years, which now seemed so utterly alien. All the emotions—the love, the hate, the entanglement, the pain, the bitterness... They were all hollowed out in that single instant. Leaving nothing but cold ash. A lesson? But... I heard my own voice, terrifyingly calm: "Liam, my mom is dead..."
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