Five years ago, Ethan knelt for three days and nights to marry me. That wedding of the century is still talked about today. For five years, even if I asked for the moon, he would give it to me. I thought I was the happiest woman in the world. Until I came home early and caught him holding his mistress, saying the same sweet words he'd once said to me on our bed. "Ivy, I love you more than I ever loved Charlotte." In that moment, I finally understood. A tycoon's love has a shelf life of only five years. I didn't cry or make a scene. I quietly signed the divorce agreement, sold the old house my parents left me, and wiped my identity clean. In twelve days, Charlotte Thompson would cease to exist in this world. And Ethan, only after I disappeared, went crazy searching for me everywhere. Too bad. It was too late. Charlotte POV Ethan was ruthless in business, but he gave all his tenderness and affection to one person. I was an ordinary person with no power or influence. Five years ago, to marry me, Ethan knelt at home for three days and nights before his family agreed to let me marry him. That wedding that shocked New York is still remembered today. For five years, Ethan doted on me constantly. If I casually mentioned wanting cherries, he'd have his private jet fly overnight to bring me the freshest cherries from Chile. When I caught a cold and had a fever, he canceled a billion-dollar acquisition and stayed by my side at the hospital for three days and nights. But this man who loved me like his life brought his mistress back to our home and had sex with her on our bed. Three days ago was supposed to be our fifth wedding anniversary trip. I'd planned it for so long, arranging everything I could think of. Excitedly, I dragged my suitcase to the airport with Ethan. Then his phone rang. He answered, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter. Finally, he looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry, Charlotte. There's a major problem with a company project. I have to go back and handle it." I didn't want to make things difficult for him, so I smiled and pushed him toward the exit. "It's okay. I'll go ahead by myself. Next time you can come with me." Ethan kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry. I'll come find you as soon as I'm done." A solo trip is inevitably lonely. The more I walked those streets I'd been looking forward to, the more I missed Ethan. Every time I saw some novel little trinket, I couldn't help thinking how wonderful it would be if Ethan were here. On the third morning, I changed my flight on impulse, wanting to come home early and surprise him. But what awaited me was this scene. The bedroom door was ajar, and muffled panting and the sound of the bed shaking came from inside. I froze outside the door. Through the crack, I could see everything clearly. On the nightstand, our wedding photo sat right there. The photo of us smiling sweetly seemed to have become a prop to enhance their pleasure. Ethan's hand gripped the slender waist of the woman beneath him, his other hand tangled in her long hair as he flipped her over and pressed her down beside the wedding photo. The woman was thoroughly ravaged by him, panting and moaning while tears streamed down her face. Ethan leaned down to kiss away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Let me hear your voice." "Can't bear to let me go?" "Don't cry. Tell me if it hurts, and I'll be gentler." I stood frozen in place, my entire body ice cold. These tender words. Ethan had said them to me on countless nights. So his tenderness wasn't reserved for me alone. In a daze, many images flashed through my mind. On our wedding day, Ethan held my hand and looked seriously into my eyes. "Charlotte, in this life, I'll only love you. That will never change, even until death." One year on my birthday, he went to a snowy mountain to bring me a bouquet of fresh avalanche lilies. His lips turned purple from the cold, but he still smiled and said, "As long as it's something you want, I'll get it for you." Last year on our fourth anniversary, he held me on the balcony watching fireworks and swore in my ear, "Charlotte, we'll always be together. When we're eighty, I'll still hold you like this." I believed it all. I never imagined he was lying to me. Ethan's promises had a shelf life of only five short years. Back then, my parents didn't agree to me marrying Ethan. My mother held my hand and said a tycoon's love is harder to sustain than an ordinary person's. I didn't believe it then. Now, watching those two entwined bodies on the bed, I had no choice but to believe. I wanted to rush in and confront that man, confront that woman. But I didn't want to cry in front of them both, to become a clown. In the end, I bit my lip and silently backed out of the house. I walked down the street feeling lost, my mind completely blank, unable to make sense of anything. I dialed Ethan's number. The call was answered, but it wasn't Ethan who spoke. "Charlotte Thompson, you came home just now. I saw you." It was that woman's voice! I stopped in my tracks, unable to say a word. But Ivy didn't give me a chance to catch my breath. "A man like Mr. Sterling. Who wouldn't want him?" "You've occupied the position of Mrs. Sterling for too long. It's time for a change." The call was disconnected. I wandered the streets and randomly found a hotel to check into. In the past two years, both my parents had passed away. Before he died, my father gripped my hand tightly and said, "If you're wronged at the Sterling house, just leave. Keep that old house of ours. It's your last safety net. If worse comes to worst, sell it. It'll be enough for you to start a new life." I didn't sleep all night. The next morning, I did three things. First, I contacted a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement. Second, I listed my parents' old house for sale. Third, I processed the paperwork to close my accounts. Closing the account would take twelve days. After twelve days, there would no longer be a Charlotte Thompson in this world.
Charlotte POV "Charlotte, when are you coming back? I'll pick you up." I stared at the message Ethan sent on my phone, dazed for a long while. If I hadn't witnessed that scene last night, I'd probably still be immersed in the sweet anticipation of coming home. Excitedly sending him my flight information, planning to throw myself into his arms the moment I saw him. Now, all I could do was stare at that message and feel the dull ache in my chest. "Six-thirty tonight." I knew Ethan too well. He wouldn't let me go easily. I had to leave without a sound. "Okay, I'll come early to pick you up." At six-thirty that evening, I stood at the airport exit with my suitcase again. I kept waiting, but never saw the man's figure. Dark clouds gathered overhead, the air thick and heavy, just like my mood at that moment. My phone buzzed. An email from a stranger's address. The email contained only one photo. In the photo, a woman's delicate finger had a small cut, and a hand with distinct knuckles was carefully putting a bandage on it. I knew that hand all too well. It was Ethan's hand. With one line attached: "He won't be picking you up." I clutched my phone, staring at that glaring photo, my chest aching more and more. I didn't want to believe it. I could accept that Ethan had physically cheated, but I didn't believe he would abandon me for that woman. The next second, Ethan's message popped up. "Charlotte, something came up at the company last minute. I can't make it for now. Take a taxi home yourself." This message landed on my face like a resounding slap, making my heart bleed with pain. Thunder crashed in the sky with a boom. Dark clouds churned and gathered, and raindrops began to fall. In an instant, a torrential downpour enveloped the entire airport. The day my mother passed away, there was also a rainstorm like this. I cried until I nearly fainted. Ethan held an umbrella, holding me tightly in his arms. The rain soaked half his shoulder, but he didn't care at all. Back then, his eyes were red as he told me, "Charlotte, from now on, I'll be with you every rainy day. I'll never let you get caught in the rain alone again." That promise was made just a few hundred days ago. And now I had to stand alone in the pouring rain. Except this time, Ethan had personally orchestrated this rain. I took a taxi home. The house had been cleaned spotless. Not even a single strand of hair remained. My period happened to start today. After getting caught in the rain and catching a chill, the pain made me break out in cold sweat. I couldn't be bothered to eat. I hastily peeled off my wet clothes and collapsed onto the bed. In the middle of the night, I groggily felt a warm hand pressing on my lower abdomen. I opened my eyes to see Ethan's anxious face. "Charlotte, you're awake?" The man leaned down to kiss me. Instinctively, I turned my head slightly and dodged. Ethan froze, thinking I was still angry. "I'm sorry, Charlotte. There really was an emergency at the company today. I couldn't get away." His voice was full of apology and exhaustion. "I made you get caught in the rain. It's my fault." I stared at him blankly. The anxiety and self-reproach in his eyes seemed so genuine, his tone so sincere it didn't seem fake. That's when I realized lies could be told with such apparent sincerity. "Charlotte? Don't be angry. Did you not eat? I made you warm milk." Ethan got up and left, quickly returning with a cup of milk. "Charlotte, drink it." He handed me the cup, his large hand naturally covering my lower abdomen again. Every time my period pain was severe, Ethan always took care of me like this. When the pain was at its worst, he would even warm my belly with his hand all night long. But now, all this attentiveness had turned into blade after blade, cutting at my heart. I wished he would be cold to me now. That way I could leave without any lingering attachment. I drank the milk irritably, catching a glimpse of his phone lighting up from the corner of my eye. He didn't move, still steadily warming my belly. But the phone rang again. Ethan frowned and rejected the call. Less than a minute later, the ringtone sounded once more. Ethan finally picked up the phone impatiently, walked to the window and spoke in a low voice for a few moments, then looked at me with difficulty: "Charlotte, the company matter isn't resolved yet. Something else came up..." The warmth left my lower abdomen, and the pain instantly intensified. I instinctively curled up. A flash of heartache and guilt crossed Ethan's face. He struggled for a moment but ultimately didn't change his mind. "Charlotte, I'll be right back." With that, he turned and left as if escaping. As the door closed, I finally let my tears fall. On the nightstand, the two people in the wedding photo smiled brightly. Now it all seemed like mockery. On this bed beneath me, the scenes from last night tore apart the love I'd held unwaveringly all these years. So-called lifelong companionship. In the end, someone broke their promise early after all. The milk had gone completely cold. Ethan, if you knew our time together had entered its final countdown, would you regret leaving tonight?
Charlotte POV The "live updates" in the emails were too timely. I knew exactly what they did last night. The woman slipped and fell in the shower, scraped herself a little, and Ethan took her to the hospital in the middle of the night in the rain. Not only that, he used his connections to summon the best specialist overnight to examine her injury, staying busy until almost dawn before returning. I don't know how long I cried before falling asleep. When I opened my eyes again, it was already bright outside. The bedroom door opened, and Ethan walked in looking apologetic. "Charlotte, you're awake?" Seeing my swollen red eyes, Ethan's own eyes reddened with heartache. "It's my fault. I didn't stay with you last night. I didn't take care of you. Are you upset?" He leaned down and kissed my hair. "I'm not going anywhere today. I'll spend the whole day with you and make it up to you, okay?" That day, Ethan truly didn't leave my side. He didn't answer any calls from the company. Even when his assistant came to deliver documents, he turned them away at the door. He cooked for me himself, watched my favorite movies with me, massaged my abdomen. Impeccably gentle. Yet I only felt increasingly bitter. For me, he could throw aside the entire company without hesitation. For that woman, he could abandon me without hesitation. The ranking in his heart was already very clear. I never wanted him to put me before his career. But no one could accept that there was such a woman in his ranking. And this woman had now risen to first place. In the evening, Ethan had a business association gala he absolutely had to attend. I said I wasn't feeling well. The first time I didn't accompany him to an event. Late at night, the door lock clicked. But it wasn't Ethan who pushed open the door. It was that woman. The woman supported the drunk Ethan, the man's tall frame leaning crookedly against her. She walked right in supporting Ethan, smiling smugly. "Mr. Sterling had a few too many drinks tonight. I brought him home." Then she skillfully helped Ethan into the master bedroom, took off his shoes and socks, changed his clothes, tucked in the covers. Completely ignoring my presence. I sat in the living room watching all this, neither moving nor speaking. In the days I didn't know about, this woman must have come to my house more than once. The woman came out of the bedroom and expertly turned into the kitchen, took out honey and began brewing tea. Before long, she came out carrying a cup of tea and set it on the living room table. "I'll leave the rest to you. Remember to give Mr. Sterling this tea. The alcohol was strong tonight. His stomach will hurt." She seemed to be ordering me around. In five years of marriage, no one had ever dared speak to me like that. Without a doubt, this courage was fed to her by Ethan himself. I looked at her expressionlessly. "Your name?" The woman laughed. "I thought Miss Thompson was magnanimous enough to accept even this. Ivy." With that, she turned and left. I walked into the bedroom, looked at the sleeping Ethan for a while, then turned and went to the study. I took the divorce agreement from the drawer, returned to the master bedroom, and shook Ethan. "Mr. Sterling, there's a document that needs your signature." Ethan thought it was Ivy. He didn't even open his eyes. "Ivy, don't drink. Let me drink it." He thought he was still shielding Ivy from alcohol. I bit my teeth, suppressed my anger, and urged him, "Sign it first. The document is urgent." Ethan was heavily drunk and couldn't see clearly who was in front of him. Perhaps he trusted Ivy too much. He took the pen and signed his name on the divorce agreement. Looking at the signed agreement, the anger that had been stuck in my chest for two days finally dissipated a bit. I took the blanket and went to the guest room alone. I didn't want to sleep with him. The next morning, as soon as I woke up, Ethan called. "Charlotte, I left a contract in the second drawer of the study. I need it urgently. Can you bring it to me?" I brought the documents to Sterling Group, but it wasn't the former assistant who greeted me. It was Ivy. "I said I'd go get it myself, but Mr. Sterling was afraid I'd work too hard, so he had to trouble you to make the trip." Ivy smiled and reached out to take the documents. I dodged to the side, my tone turning cold. "Move." Ivy pouted, seemingly prepared for my coldness. "Mr. Sterling is in a meeting. Let me take you to the reception room to wait." I laughed coldly. "What's your position?" Ivy raised her chin defiantly. "I'm Mr. Sterling's personal assistant." "Since you're a personal assistant, don't you know that when I come to the company, I always go straight to Ethan's office?" As I spoke, I unceremoniously strode past Ivy and went straight to Ethan's CEO office. The office was empty. My gaze fell on Ethan's desk. On the desk sat a small pot of succulents blooming beautifully, pink and tender, very cute. Obviously this thing was placed by Ivy. Ethan never allowed anyone to place anything unrelated to work on his desk. On his desk, there wasn't even a photo of us together. Before long, Ethan finished his meeting and pushed open the door. "Charlotte, thank you for your trouble." He smiled and walked over to pull me into his arms. I dodged to the side, but my gaze remained on that pot of succulents. Ethan followed my gaze. He coughed unnaturally. "A plant from an employee downstairs. I haven't had time to throw it out yet." I raised my hand and threw the pot of succulents directly into the trash can. "Since you didn't have time to throw it out, I'll do it for you." Ethan chuckled softly, his large hand circling my waist. "Okay."
Charlotte POV Ethan applied a bit of pressure, pulling me into his embrace. "Don't be angry. What do you want to drink? I'll pour it for you." I laughed lightly. "Since when does Mr. Sterling have to pour water for me himself? Is your assistant that useless?" Ethan just assumed I was angry. He called toward the door, "Ivy, come in." Ivy pushed open the door and entered. The moment she saw us embracing, her expression darkened instantly, then quickly recovered to an obedient, gentle appearance. "Mr. Sterling, what do you need?" "Go pour her a coffee. One sugar." Ivy reluctantly agreed and turned to leave. I spoke unhurriedly. "So she's your assistant. I made this trip today specifically to deliver documents to her?" Ethan froze. "Why would you say that, Charlotte?" "She just said you were afraid she'd work too hard, so you made me make this trip. She even told me to wait in the reception room." I looked up at him. "I almost thought I'd walked into the wrong company and that Sterling Group had changed CEOs." Ethan's expression darkened abruptly. Just then, Ivy came in carrying coffee. "Mrs. Sterling, your coffee." "If you don't know the rules, get out of the secretarial department." Ethan's voice was cold and cruel. "At Sterling, anyone who makes my wife unhappy will be fired immediately." Ivy's eyes immediately reddened. She stood there with her head lowered, not saying a word, looking quite pitiful. Ethan was about to tell her to leave, but I spoke first. "You can't say that. She cares about you very much. Last night when she brought you home, she even went to the kitchen to brew tea for you." Ethan's face had turned ashen. It seemed he hadn't planned to deal with Ivy initially. But I kept bringing these things up. "Ivy, go to HR immediately and process your resignation. You're fired." Ivy's head shot up. She looked at Ethan in disbelief, tears streaming down her face. "Mr. Sterling..." I didn't miss the flash of heartache on Ethan's face. I looked straight at him without speaking. Ethan had no choice but to continue. "Don't you understand? You've been terminated." Ivy slammed the door and ran out. Ethan immediately held me tightly in his arms. "Charlotte, as long as I'm here, I won't let you be wronged." "She's just a new assistant. She's inexperienced and offended you." "I'll never let her bother you again. Don't be angry anymore, okay?" He said it very casually, as if he'd really just fired a rude assistant. But I clearly saw that when he mentioned Ivy, even though he said she was "inexperienced," his expression involuntarily softened. He had her in his heart. I pushed against him but couldn't break free, so I stopped struggling. His parents still didn't like me. On one hand, they looked down on my humble origins. Mainly, after all these years I hadn't gotten pregnant, and they wanted Ethan to have an heir as soon as possible. Ethan naturally knew this, so he never let me go to his parents' house alone. Once we entered their home, he'd protect me closely, afraid I'd be wronged. But tonight, just as we reached his house, Ethan's phone rang right on time. Ethan walked a few steps away to answer. I stood there watching his back. Ethan returned with a furrowed brow, looking conflicted. "Charlotte, something urgent came up at the company. Can I..." Even he couldn't say it himself. I nodded. "Go ahead." Ethan froze. I used to be most afraid of coming here. Without him accompanying me, I didn't want to take a single step inside. But he walked toward the exit while instructing me, "My parents won't make things difficult for you. I'll come back as soon as I'm done." I didn't respond further. I turned and walked into the villa. When his parents saw I'd come alone, they kept mocking me. "You should know your status and position." "Take good care of Ethan, and only then can you secure this position." "All these years you two don't even have a child. Ethan married you, and your status already doesn't match him. Are you going to leave him without an heir too?" "Don't think that just because Ethan dotes on you now, you'll always be his wife. If Ethan finds another woman and you don't even have a child, just wait to be thrown out!" I listened silently to it all. "You're right. If Ethan finds someone else, I'll divorce him immediately." They fell silent for a moment. "That's not what we meant." His mother continued, "I'm saying you should have a child quickly. Only with a child can you truly secure your position as Mrs. Sterling." But I no longer wanted the position of Mrs. Sterling. I didn't care what else they said. I got up and left the villa. When I returned home, Ethan wasn't back yet. My inbox happened to have a new email. It was a photo of Ivy's new company onboarding notice. It was a store under Sterling Group. The position was senior sales representative. So Ethan couldn't keep her by his side, so he arranged for her to go to a company under Sterling and kept her there.
Charlotte POV When Ethan came home that night, he was still full of apologies, apologizing one sentence after another. Listening to those practiced apologies, I only felt like each sentence was a knife gouging at my heart. Since when had our time together consisted of nothing but apologies and forgiveness? Ethan's shirt was still wrinkled, and the faint scent of perfume on his collar reminded me of who he'd abandoned me to see tonight. I looked at him steadily. "Mom and Dad said when you have another woman, my good life will be over. I said I'd divorce you then." Ethan's expression changed immediately. He pulled me into his arms. "Charlotte, what are you talking about? What other woman? There's no other woman. Only you. In this life, there's only you." My heart ached so much it felt like it would explode. The urge to tell him I knew everything had never torn at my reason as crazily as it did now. But in the end, I swallowed all those words. I couldn't say it. In just over a week, I'd be gone. If I said it, I wouldn't be able to leave. Ethan once said that unless he died, he would never let me leave. That night, I lay on the bed with my back to him, hiding far away on the edge. The gap between us could fit a grown man. Ethan looked at that empty space in the middle of the bed, seeming to sense something was wrong. He moved closer, holding me tightly in his arms, his chin resting on top of my head. I didn't respond, but I didn't refuse either. Who knows, this might be the last time we'd fall asleep embracing like this. The next day, the real estate agent called saying a buyer was interested in my old house and wanted to meet with me. The price I'd set was quite a bit lower than market value, so our negotiation went very smoothly. On the drive back after signing the contract, the sky was overcast and thick fog had risen on the road. Visibility was less than sixty feet. As my car reached an intersection, a car that came speeding around the corner crashed into me. The violent impact made my forehead hit the steering wheel, and everything went dark. My arm was also trapped in the car. Blood trickled down from my temple. I didn't have the strength to get out and deal with the hit-and-run driver. I could only use what little energy I had left to call the police. After calling the police, I instinctively wanted to call Ethan. I dialed several times, but the line was always busy. My vision grew increasingly blurry, the light gradually fading. In a daze, I seemed to see Ethan's anxious figure running over from not far away. I wanted to call out to him but couldn't make a sound. And Ethan wasn't running toward my car. He was running toward the other car, the one that had hit me. He reached in and carefully lifted the person inside out, looking heartbroken, anxiously negotiating something with the police. I saw clearly. The person in his arms was Ivy. My world plunged into darkness. When I woke up again, I was already lying in a hospital bed. My forehead and arm were both wrapped in bandages. My whole body ached. I picked up my phone. The screen was empty. No missed calls, no unread messages. Of course. His mistress had been in a car accident. How could he have time to care about me? I laughed at myself mockingly. I shouldn't have had any expectations of him. I kept reminding myself. When the time comes, just leave. Absolutely no wavering, no lingering attachment. He wasn't worth it. Ethan's call didn't come until the afternoon of the next day. "Charlotte, why aren't you home?" More than a full day had passed since the accident, and Mr. Sterling only just noticed I wasn't home. "I was in a car accident. I'm at the hospital." My tone was calm. "What? Which hospital? When did this happen?" I pulled at the corner of my mouth. His first concern was the time and place, not how badly I was hurt. "Yesterday morning. Central Hospital." The sound of a phone dropping came through the receiver. Soon the phone was picked back up, and Ethan's voice trembled slightly. "Charlotte, how badly are you hurt? I... I'll be right there!" I didn't answer. I simply hung up. I opened my email. Sure enough, there was another new message. This time it was a video, from the next room over. Ethan had stayed with Ivy all night, very attentive to her. The man leaned down by Ivy's ear, his voice hoarse and frightening. "You're pregnant. Why were you driving? Wherever you want to go, I'll have the driver take you!" I closed my eyes tightly. So they had a child. No wonder that night he'd rather leave me alone at his parents' house than stay with his mistress. No wonder when he heard I'd been in an accident, he was so anxious he didn't even check whose car had been hit. I thought I'd have tears. But strangely, this time not a single tear fell. Good thing I'd processed the divorce with him. Otherwise this child would have to be a bastard. I laughed coldly to myself. Before long, Ethan burst into the hospital room. The man's hair hung messily over his forehead, his suit and tie were askew, his eyes bloodshot. His expression looked worried, guilty, and panicked all at once. "Charlotte, how are you? Where are you hurt? I'm sorry, I..." The excuse "there was an emergency at the company" had been used too many times. Clearly, even Ethan himself couldn't keep up the pretense this time. I lifted my eyes and looked at him quietly. "The one who hit me was Ivy, wasn't it?"
Charlotte POV Ethan's face instantly turned deathly pale. "You didn't answer my calls because you were on the phone with Ivy the whole time, right?" I continued. Ethan shook his head desperately, his eyes full of panic, his lips trembling but unable to form a complete sentence. "Do you know how to handle this?"Ethan was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, Charlotte! I absolutely won't cover for her!" "I just felt sorry for her struggling alone in the big city. She reminded me of you from before. She doesn't know anyone here. She called me, so I went. I really didn't expect the person she hit would be you!" "Don't worry! There's absolutely nothing else between us, I promise!" Ethan kept explaining. I could no longer hear him, nor did I care. Before Ethan arrived, I'd already called the lawyer and had them contact a private investigator to look into this accident. I didn't believe this was just a coincidence. Even less did I believe Ethan truly wouldn't cover for Ivy. For the next two days, Ethan put off all his work and stayed at the hospital taking care of me full-time. He didn't go to the next room even once. That day, I was eating the grapes Ethan had peeled for me when my phone suddenly rang. It was the real estate agent. The house had been successfully sold. All procedures were complete, and the full payment had been transferred to my account. Ethan overheard part of the phone conversation. He immediately became tense, his brow furrowing. "Charlotte, what house? What agent? You're selling a house? Which one?" My expression didn't change. "An agent asking if I had any houses to sell. They said the market's good right now, could get a good price." Ethan let out a long breath, then immediately objected. "They're talking nonsense. The market's bad right now. Lots of people are lowering prices to sell." "Just keep the house your parents left you. That's your home." My heart ached. I no longer had a home. To leave him, I could only leave my home behind. On the other end, Ivy finally lost all patience. She sent me several emails a day. One moment saying Ethan thought I was old. The next saying I couldn't get pregnant. Then showing off the luxury apartment Ethan bought her near the company. Ivy seemed very anxious but never dared appear in front of me. It seemed Ethan didn't allow her to appear before me. Ethan's phone kept ringing those days too, but he never answered once. He was determined to maintain his image as a devoted husband to the end. On the day I was discharged, Ethan specially threw a small celebration party for me. I didn't have many friends in New York. Those who came were all Ethan's friends. Because of Ethan, everyone had always respected me. At the party, they competed to congratulate me on my safe discharge. I smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries. Midway through, I got up to use the restroom. When I returned, the door to the private room was ajar. I walked to the door, about to push it open, when I heard clear conversation coming from inside. "What were you thinking? You obviously love her so much, can't bear to leave her. Why did you have to cheat?" Ethan was silent for a moment before speaking. "Ivy reminds me of Charlotte from before. Back when Charlotte first came to New York to make it on her own, no one helped her. She had it rough. I wanted to compensate her." He wanted to compensate me, but the one who got the compensation was Ivy. I laughed bitterly. Someone else asked, "Aren't you afraid Charlotte will find out and divorce you? That car accident was so dangerous. She almost discovered the truth!" "She trusts you, that's all!" Ethan's face looked somewhat dazed. He must have been thinking of my trust in him. "Yeah, Charlotte trusts me. I won't hurt her. But Ivy is also wonderful. I can't give her up." "Charlotte won't divorce me. Not unless I die." That person lowered his voice and continued probing. "Tell me, is Ivy... more tempting in bed than Charlotte? Otherwise I can't believe even a devoted man like you would cheat." Ethan glanced at him with displeasure. "Why are you asking so many questions?" But then he added, "Ivy is indeed more tempting. Charlotte can't compare to her in that regard." I stood outside the door, trembling with rage. This whole group of his friends actually knew about Ivy's existence! And he was discussing bedroom matters in front of so many people! Just then, someone got up to leave. The door was pulled open, and the person came face to face with me standing in the doorway. "Charlotte...?" That person's face instantly turned deathly pale. The private room immediately fell silent. Ethan shot to his feet, his face ashen. "Charlotte, when did you get here?" I looked at him and suddenly smiled. "I just arrived." "What, were you all talking about some secret? Afraid I'd hear?" Everyone immediately covered for Ethan. "We were all praising Ethan for having such a wonderful wife!" I laughed bitterly to myself. Even at this point, they thought I didn't know anything.
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