Chapter 1

At 3:00 AM, my wife on a business trip transfers $999,999 to me.

The message reads: I will love you forever.

At the same time, my twin brother sends me a photo of the two of them sleeping in each other's arms.

Calmly, I take out the divorce papers and wheel myself away from the home I've lived in for ten years.

I know that declarations of love after midnight are just guilt from infidelity.

————

The wife's bank transfer and bedroom photo arrived together in the early hours of the morning.

The "I will love you forever" message beneath the transfer details became a sharp blade at that moment, stirring flesh and blood like a slow, torturous execution.

I breathed rapidly, barely able to hold my phone steady.

Yesterday, my wife Stella left on a last-minute business trip, with my twin brother Caelan accompanying her as her secretary.

As I was about to head to my studio, inspired by a burst of creativity, those few messages quietly popped up.

The transfer and love note made perfect sense when that bedroom photo appeared.

Caelan had sent the bedroom photo.

The background showed immaculate bed sheets, with both of them bare-chested.

In the picture, Caelan had his arm around her. The woman's sleeping face was peaceful and gentle, while Caelan boldly flipped off the camera with his middle finger.

"Big bro, Stella tastes wonderful. Seems like you haven't been satisfying her at home."

"Then again, you're disabled. You really don't have what it takes."

I instinctively reached for my empty pant leg, clutching the fabric tightly before slowly releasing my grip.

There was nothing there.

My left leg had forever lost its right to stand in a fire ten years ago.

To save Stella.

Ding dong—

Another message from Caelan arrived."If you'll be nice enough to divorce Stella, haven't you wasted enough of her life already? Ten years is more than enough, don't you think?"

I've been with Stella for thirteen years - three dating, ten married.

She's a successful businesswoman who's built her own brand. She's known as a powerful female figure in the industry.

Yet this accomplished woman married me, a disabled man.

Everyone sees me as the deadweight, the biggest stain on Stella's reputation.

For ten years, I've endured society's judging looks, but I can't bear Stella's betrayal.

I'm exhausted. Maybe I should just give Caelan what he wants.

I drag my disabled body, inching my way to the studio.

In the corner of the studio sits a dusty old cabinet. I pull out the divorce papers from inside.

The black and white text is even more heartbreaking than that bedroom photo.

A year ago, Stella started occasionally transferring money to me in the middle of the night.

Large amounts, small amounts - each transfer was followed by the message "I will always love you."

I used to think it was just Stella's way of showing affection when she missed me.

After all, for ten years, no matter how loud the gossip got, Stella stood firmly by my side.

We never even raised our voices at each other in our marriage.It was only during a casual chat with my assistant at the studio that I found out:

Declarations of love after midnight are just guilt from cheating.

I began to feel anxious and uneasy, tossing and turning all night. I didn't dare to doubt.

But once a seed is planted, there will always be an opportunity for it to sprout.

That opportunity came on an ordinary afternoon when Caelan came to pick up Stella, saying there was an urgent meeting.

After they left, I planned to go to the attic to look for inspiration in the landscape photos I had taken with Stella years ago.

The attic was hard to access. I abandoned my wheelchair and crawled up, only to see the two of them kissing below through the attic window.

They were locked in a passionate embrace in the parking area.

One was my wife, the other my twin brother.

The parking spot was in a tricky location, invisible from the first and second floors, which is why they dared to kiss so brazenly there.

After all, how could they have imagined that I, a disabled person, would climb so high?

It was then that I prepared the divorce papers. I made up my mind countless times, only to give up when I heard Stella's caring words.

But now I've woken up from the dream.

Stella had long since abandoned me.

I didn't take anything with me. The house remained as it always was, except for the divorce papers which I placed in the most conspicuous spot.I think, letting her go is also letting myself go.