Chapter 5

I activated the car's video recorder and reviewed the past two weeks of footage. As I had suspected, Rowan and that woman had been sexually involved in this very vehicle numerous times.

Just then, a text from Rowan popped up on my phone.

[Sweetheart, the laboratory has started a new project. I'm leaving town today and won't return tonight. Make sure to eat properly. I love you.]

As I read his message, my eyes wandered back to the video of my husband and Marion engaged in intimate acts...

...a sudden bout of lightheadedness came over me.

My chest constricted painfully, as if an unseen force was compressing it, making it difficult to inhale.

The images playing before me felt like sharp knives stabbing my heart. It seemed as though my very essence was seeping away.

The feelings I had bottled up for days burst forth at once. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I let out an anguished cry.

I pounded my fists forcefully against the steering wheel in front of me.

In that instant, I felt like the universe's biggest fool.

I remained there, motionless, for an extended period.

As evening approached, I finally called my father.

"Dad, I've made a decision. I want to move overseas. Can you assist me in canceling my domestic citizenship?"

"Certainly, Olive, but why this abrupt choice? Is Rowan joining you?"

"No. It's just me."

My father, being a man accustomed to life's challenges, seemed to grasp the situation from those few words.

He didn't ask for further explanation.

Subsequently, I phoned Rowan.

"Hey, is everything okay, honey?" His voice sounded slightly winded.

After years of marriage, how could I not recognize what he was doing at that moment? I could almost visualize the inappropriate scene on his end of the call.

"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to inform you that the new product launch is set for next Friday."

"After the media event, I'll present you with a gift to show my appreciation for your contribution to the research and development."

Rowan laughed softly. "Alright. Thank you, my dear."

I could almost sense the woman's displeasure through the phone. Suddenly, Rowan emitted a stifled groan, his breathing becoming heavier.

"Well then, carry on. I'll end the call now." After saying that, I hung up.

I expected to feel a rush of rage or heartache, but instead, I felt... emotionless.

Once, I had told Rowan that infidelity was the one thing I could never forgive. I had cautioned him that if I ever learned he had been unfaithful, I would vanish from his life completely.

And when I did leave, the farewell present I had prepared for him would be one he'd never forget.

Before sunrise, another message arrived on my phone from Marion.

The attached image showed an open box of condoms with only one left inside.

She followed it with a gloating message. [Mrs. Bradford, do you think your husband will use the final one before dawn?]

[You're destined to lose to me. The pleasure I give Mr. Bradford is something you could never match. Not in this lifetime or the next!]

I knew she was attempting to anger me, to upset me, to shatter me.

But I felt absolutely nothing now.

Because I no longer harbored any love for him.

In the following days, I stayed in the company lounge, claiming to be preparing for the upcoming media event.

In reality, such a minor occasion didn't require my personal attention. My team was fully capable of managing it themselves.

What truly occupied me was the process of selling my company.

Over the years, through relentless effort, I had built the business into a respected entity in the industry. It had gained a solid reputation and several major players had shown interest in a potential merger or acquisition.

After careful deliberation, I selected an established company with strong financial backing to negotiate the deal.

Firstly, I wanted to ensure that my years of hard work would not be wasted and that the company would continue to flourish. Secondly, I needed to secure the funds as quickly as possible.

The negotiations progressed smoothly. Once the agreement was signed, the money was transferred to my account that very day.