Back in Harbor City, I never expected to run into Alexey Volkov at the Christie’s auction house. For a moment, we both froze, just a subtle twitch. Then, with unspoken agreement, we plastered on professional smiles, nodding to each other – a formal exchange utterly unlike what you’d expect from a couple who’d once torn each other apart. His eyebrows were sharp, his eyes keen. Beside him stood the same demure and pretty nanny, Vera. Behind me, my handsome and capable male secretary, Liam, was at attention. Everyone in the room held their breath, waiting. They were anticipating that I’d, as always, rush over to confront his mistress. Even Alexey’s gaze held a covert flicker of eagerness. But this time, I simply tightened my shawl, curled my lips into a faint smile, and turned away. Leaving all the love and hatred tied to my ex-husband far behind. … My heels clicked sharply on the marble floor. I hadn’t even made it out of the main hall when Alexey called out, “Ariel!” People in scattered groups began to whisper: “Mr. Volkov truly is Harbor City’s number one. One moment, he’s showering his ‘little wife’ with affection, the next he’s chasing after his ex-wife. He’s certainly got his hands full!” Alexey frowned, his gaze instinctively darting to me. I paused, turned, and spoke with a smile, “Oh, everyone’s joking. I’m merely Mr. Volkov’s ex. His current wife is standing right over there.” I gestured towards Vera’s position in the hall. Ignoring their reactions, I lifted the hem of my gown, preparing to leave. But Alexey caught up to me in a few strides, grabbing my arm. “Five years, Ariel… Can we talk?” I took a step back, widening the distance between us. “Mr. Volkov, let’s discuss it at the summit.” I pulled my hand free, turned, and didn’t spare him another glance. His eager calls continued, but my pace never faltered. In that moment, my relationship with Alexey seemed to have completely reversed. After five years, he was no longer the man I’d once loved with such fervent passion, the one who’d kept my heart in constant turmoil. My secretary, Liam, was perceptive. The moment we got into the car, he handed me a lit cigarette. I raised an eyebrow. He smiled obediently. “You always like one when you’re troubled, Ms. Summers.” I lost myself in the curling wisps of smoke. In all those countless nights I’d waited for Alexey, I’d gotten through it one cigarette after another. Eventually, I broke free from the man, but the habit of smoking remained. Now, he mattered less to me than this single cigarette. I said nothing, letting the Pagani drive us all the way to the hillside hotel. Liam didn't intend to let me relax, though. He brought over a stack of files and spread them before me. “Ms. Summers, this is the proposal for Volkov Group’s bidding conference the day after tomorrow…” Opening the folder, I saw reports on the Volkov Group’s projects and financial statements. Whap! I slammed it shut, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Them.” “Volkov Financial is indeed the top firm in Harbor City. I hear Mr. Volkov made it to the Top 3 of international wealth lists at a young age – a true business prodigy. But, he was almost ‘kidnapped’ by his ex-wife later on.” Liam took the folder, his eyes lingering on me hesitantly. “You… were you really… that…” I nodded, my eyelids unmoving, my voice as calm as still water: “Yes, I am that ex-wife. The one who nearly took him down with dynamite.” A long time ago, even the mere thought of Alexey Volkov’s name would leave me gasping for air. But now, I could hold a glass of wine and recount it all as if it were someone else’s story. The Summers and Volkov families were old friends, and Alexey and I had practically grown up together. To call us childhood sweethearts wouldn’t be an exaggeration. The young boy, usually so serious with others, would flash his adorable fangs just for me. If I faked a sore foot, he’d bend down and carry me for miles, never complaining, even when his heels blistered. But the Volkov family was a viper’s nest of intrigue. After his parents died in a car accident, Alexey, being too young, was cut out of the line of succession. His older siblings even tried to orchestrate his demise, nearly leaving him dead on the streets. The Summers family initially wanted no part in the mess. It was I who knelt and begged my parents to intervene, to send Alexey abroad. Just before he boarded the plane, his eyes red, he clung to me, weeping, refusing to let go. “Ariel, you’re destined to be my bride, this lifetime and forever!” “Call me shameless, call me despicable, but you’re not allowed to like anyone else these next few years. I’ll come back, and I’ll marry you!” I choked back tears, nodding. My nails bit deep into my palms as I fought the urge to follow him. While he was abroad, I wasn't idle. I collected reports on the Volkov empire and tirelessly built connections for him. Five years later, after Alexey had become a top trader on Wall Street, He returned home, laden with honors. In less than three years, he systematically exposed the crimes of his siblings and the old guard who had once scorned him, rooting them out completely. I was so naive, so foolish back then. I’d tugged on his hand and playfully asked, “Alexey, will you ever be so ruthless with me?” That night, the moon hung high. His eyes, it seemed, held an entire galaxy. “Silly girl! How could they ever compare to you?” “Thank you for never giving up on me, for always being there. You are my treasure, my everything, for the rest of my life!” “Whether I’m Alexey Volkov or the CEO of Volkov Group, you will always be my only one!” His sweet words, hot like his touch, seared themselves into my heart, leaving me utterly disoriented. In the end, it was my personal assistant who even told me about his affair. Liam’s wine glass slipped from his grasp and shattered, the crimson liquid staining the entire carpet. He didn't bother to clean up the spilled wine, his expression urgent as he pressed, "Ms. Summers, you’re the Summers family heir, rich and beautiful. Marrying you meant inheriting the Summers fortune. The news reports back then said you brought hundreds of millions in dowry to your wedding! Alexey must have lost his mind to cheat on you!" I exhaled a smoke ring, smiling dismissively. Perhaps, that was why I was so unwilling to let go back then. I was raised as an heir from childhood. My suitors lined up from across the country to abroad, some for my wealth, some for my beauty. But I poured my heart out only to Alexey. In our circles, having mistresses was commonplace. Some dallied with young models, others with celebrities, and some were even open to both. But they were all fresh, beautiful faces, and none of those men were Alexey. Yet, I took a deep drag. The suffocating bitterness filling my lungs was exhaled along with the smoke. No one could have guessed. The CEO who swore I was his only one, was having an affair with his housekeeper. A demure, voluptuous woman, completely under his control. Liam’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How is that possible? Ms. Summers, wasn’t there some misunderstanding?” I scoffed. See? Another unbeliever. Just like I was back then. How could I, the esteemed Summers heiress, the CEO of a thriving corporation, lose to a housekeeper? I searched through all of Alexey’s properties, but found no sign of her. It wasn't until I arrived at the Sunshine Mountain Villa—a Volkov family ancestral estate that Alexey had refused to let me use as our marital home. Yet now, it had become a private love nest for his mistress. The moment I smashed open the front door, Alexey happened to be returning from an overseas business trip. He blocked my path, his face etched with a pained expression. “Ariel, let me explain.” Seeing my cold demeanor, he dropped to his knees at my feet, eyes rimmed red, grabbing at the hem of my dress as he began to explain. That year he went to the States, he couldn’t stomach the salads and sandwiches. His stomach had gone bad, bleeding constantly. He was interning and studying at the same time, stretched thin. It was Victoria, the housekeeper who had cared for him since childhood, who quit her well-paying job at the ancestral home. She traveled across the ocean, acting like a mother hen, taking care of him. When he was at his lowest, she was there. When he got his first commission and desperately wanted to share it with someone, she was there too. “I consider Victoria family… Really, you have to believe me!” “Then why didn’t you ever mention her during our video calls?” I pouted, though deep down, I’d started to believe him a little. He sprang to his feet and pulled me into an embrace. His fractured gaze held the sorrow of being doubted. “You were studying and gathering intel for me on the Volkov Group back then. How could I bear to burden you further?” “Victoria has looked after me for over a decade in the old house; she’s like an older sister to me. That’s why I let her live in this house…” Perhaps it was Victoria’s gentle nature. Perhaps it was my inherent self-confidence. Alexey's few words completely dispelled my doubts. From then on, I treated her like an older sister too. Luxury jewelry sets flowed into her wardrobe as if they cost nothing. Each time, she’d politely refuse, saying she wasn’t worthy. Then she’d express profound gratitude, telling me I was a kind and beautiful wife, and that Alexey was incredibly fortunate to have married me. Pleased, I’d often bring her along, hoping she'd gain some worldly experience. She’d blush with excitement, saying she'd lovingly care for my future children. Later, she kept her word. Except her dedicated care was entirely focused on the marital bed between Alexey and me. The stark, crimson sheets, the dull thud as their bodies separated. Like a bomb, it detonated all my reason. All thoughts of being a socialite. All pretense of composure. Forgotten. I charged at Alexey like a madwoman, scratching and clawing. He stood there, pale-faced, letting me strike and curse him. Until I slapped Victoria several times. He couldn’t take it anymore. Shielding the woman behind him, he glared at me with clenched fists for the first time. “Have you had enough?! If you have a problem, come at me, don’t bully Victoria!” Victoria’s tearful whimpers from behind him completely turned Alexey’s eyes red. He threw caution to the wind, sneering at me, “Since you’ve found out, I have nothing to say. You can either continue to be Mrs. Volkov…” “Or you can leave with your shares. I’ll compensate you!” In that moment. All vows, all those years of childhood friendship. They were all a joke. My eyes red, I grabbed his collar, desperately demanding an answer. He pried my fingers off, one by one, sighing softly: “Ariel, you need to be more understanding.” “Victoria isn’t a threat to you… and I, I can’t live without her.” I had loved him for over a decade. I poured the entire Summers family fortune into helping him reclaim the Volkov Group, only to be met with “I can’t live without her.” I couldn’t swallow that insult. I began to hound them, spreading their sordid affair throughout our social circles. Alexey, heartbroken that Victoria was being branded a “mistress,” secretly stripped me of 10% of my Volkov Group shares. He also colluded with the Summers family elders to remove me from the board. And froze all my bank accounts. I went from being the esteemed CEO of Summers Inc. to a discarded Volkov wife, deemed inept and wasteful. Alexey didn’t stop there. He coldly sent a message: “If you don’t quiet down, I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your life!” Having lived a life of smooth sailing for over two decades. Neither my feelings nor my dignity could tolerate his betrayal. I became frantic, hiring paparazzi to track them. My former close friends turned around and advised me. “She’s just a housekeeper, he’s just playing around!” But the next day, all my shares, assets, and positions were transferred to Victoria’s name. He even arranged for the hospital to release a false diagnosis, claiming I had contracted a venereal disease due to promiscuity. Countless high-definition videos and photos flooded the internet. Everyone called me a debauched hussy, a rotten slut who only pretended to be a lady. I finally broke down. Crying, I called my parents, who were abroad. Until their private jet crashed into the sea, killing them both. For a long time after my voice faded, the room remained in dead silence. Liam’s lips were tightly pressed, his eyes burning with anger. “Ms. Summers, how… how did you get through it?” His hands trembled so much he couldn’t light the cigarette. I just held it tightly between my fingers. As soon as the news of my parents' deaths broke, Alexey’s demeanor completely changed. He played the dutiful son-in-law, helping me arrange their funerals. Everyone in Harbor City praised him. They called him a virtuous man, a wonderful husband and son-in-law, a true rarity. Meanwhile, I was utterly cast as the immoral madwoman in everyone’s eyes. It was then that Alexey, holding a pregnancy test report, softened his stance towards me. “Ariel, we’re having a baby. Let’s stop this… okay?” “This child will take your surname, Summers, to carry on the family name.” After my parents' accident, I lived with daily guilt. If it weren’t for me, they wouldn’t have chartered a private jet home. I was the one who killed them. The arrival of this child felt like a lifeline. It pulled me out of the despair of losing my parents. I became silent, but day by day, my anticipation for this child grew. And Alexey seemed to have broken off contact with Victoria. He canceled all his social engagements, and after work, he’d stay by my side, smiling as he watched me do prenatal exercises. My smiles seemed to grow more frequent. Our relationship also appeared to be improving. Until three months later, Victoria walked into the Volkov mansion, her hand on her belly. She slammed that pregnancy test report onto my face with a smack. Gone was her former facade of gentle obedience, replaced by a twisted, sharp smile: “Ariel Summers, you truly are a fool! Three months, and you still haven’t realized you’re not really pregnant!” My first reaction was to retort, “Impossible!” She grabbed my hair, rubbing the pregnancy report viciously across my face. The sharp edges poked my eyes, and I trembled in pain, but she laughed maliciously: “Look closely! This pregnancy report is mine! It just has your name written on it!” “You’re lying!” My face was pale, my voice shaking uncontrollably. “I have a child! He’s my parents’ continuation, and he’ll take the Summers name!” I screamed, my voice raw, tears streaming down my face. “Don’t be stupid! Alexey just used my child to trick you!” She pulled out videos, flipping through them one by one for me to see. It turned out Alexey accompanied her to prenatal check-ups every weekend. The humble street food stalls he once deemed beneath him, he now visited hand-in-hand with Victoria. He was no longer the high and mighty CEO of Volkov Group; he'd even roll up his sleeves to massage Victoria’s legs and feet. True love, perhaps. All the experiences I’d missed out on for over a decade, he had given to Victoria. My gaze fell upon my still-flat belly. It felt as if my very core had been shattered. Suppressing the heartache, I laughed through my tears. But it wasn't over. Victoria suddenly pulled a family tree from her bag, spreading it before me. She pointed to a name with a smile, reminding me: “See this Alexander Volkov? My son! Alexey’s eldest son, whom I bore him overseas!” Then she pointed to her belly: “And this one is the second.” Her laughter was soft and gentle. Yet it struck me like an executioner’s axe. Chopping down from above. My heartstrings snapped. I glared at her, then tilted my head back, spewing a mouthful of dark blood. And softly collapsed. When I next awoke, I was back in my bedroom. Alexey’s eyes were bloodshot, staring intently at me. His lips moved several times, but nothing came out. Ignoring him, I reached for the drawer. I pulled out the tiny bomb I’d hidden for so long, tugged the detonator, and rasped, “Alexey, let’s get a divorce.”
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