2#02

2

"Give this cake a try, Amelia," Lester urged, pushing the container in my direction. "I've heard it's quite tasty."

I looked at him directly and replied flatly, "I've told you before, I can't stand durian. The smell is terrible. When will you finally remember that?"

He smacked his head and laughed nervously. "Things have been crazy at work lately; it must have slipped my mind. You're not upset with me, are you? I just want to make your life better."

After six years of being together and married, he still couldn't recall such a basic fact about me.

I was raised in an affluent household, never lacking anything. When I encountered Lester in university, he was poor, distant, and carried a sadness that I found impossibly attractive.

My sister, Danica, had cautioned me back then. "Amelia, if it's just for fun, that's fine. But don't even consider marrying him."

Following our parents' deaths, Danica, who was six years older than me, took over the family company. She became our family's pillar, and I had always taken her advice. Life had been easy because of her.

But at that moment, I didn't heed her words.

"Sis, it's not his fault he's poor. We can assist him in becoming successful, and then we'll be a good match," I contended.

She gazed at me with a mixture of sympathy and frustration. "Amelia, you're brilliant, but your hopelessly romantic mind will only come to its senses when it crashes into reality."

That weekend, Danica visited for dinner. I prepared a full meal, and she abandoned her usual CEO demeanor to eat with enthusiasm.

"Wow, this tastes like home," she remarked between mouthfuls. "I can never find food like this when I'm working. Lester, you're fortunate to have Danica. She's a treasure."

If I hadn't married him, I would still be living with Danica, sharing meals and joy.

Unlike her, I had no aptitude for business. After graduating, I became an illustrator, working from home and managing household tasks effortlessly.

But instead of showing appreciation, Lester sat at the table, his forehead creased as he stared at his phone.

"Dinner's ready," I announced.

He abruptly stood up. "Amelia, Sis, there's an urgent matter at work. I need to go."

"What urgent matter could a small company like yours possibly have?" Danica retorted, putting down her utensils. "You don't value how hard Amelia works for you."

Lester quickly apologized, promising to take us out for a meal soon.

After he left, Danica raised an eyebrow. "Amelia, he's hiding something."

It wasn't a question.

I nodded, taking out my phone. A flood of photos and videos awaited me from the student who operated the café opposite the food court stall owned by Samantha, the woman involved with my husband.

"Sis, I've been monitoring that cheating jerk and his mistress," I said.

Enzo, the café owner was a college senior. When I offered to pay him to watch them, he declined. "I enjoy doing this, so I'd do it for free," he said eagerly. "To be honest, I'd pay you to let me do this."

Danica scrolled through the photos, her expression icy and analytical. "Typical case of a middle-aged man seeking excitement, on the brink of an affair. All it needs is a trigger. So, what's your plan? Don't tell me you're thinking about reconciling with him."

I laughed bitterly. "He's already corrupted, Sis. I'm collecting evidence. I want to leave him and make sure these two lose everything in the process."

She nodded approvingly. "Good. Seems like crashing into reality knocked some sense into you."

My phone buzzed with more messages from Enzo.

[Boss, the cheater's at it again. Look at this—he's comforting the mistress once more!]

Another message followed.

[Her kid's ill? Why not go to the hospital herself? Why involve someone else's husband in this situation?]

I opened the video. In it, Samantha leaned into Lester's embrace, crying dramatically, while her feverish child stood nearby, wailing loudly.

Lester picked up the little girl and held Samantha's hand, guiding them both out.

"How touching," Danica said sarcastically. "Like something out of those cheap romance dramas where the powerful CEO falls for the underdog."