Chapter 4

I dragged my luggage, taking one last look at the marital home where I'd lived with Seraphina for five years.

Then I left without looking back.

On my third day in France, Seraphina came chasing after me.

I wasn't surprised by this. After all, we live in an information age, and Seraphina had connections all over the industry. Of course she could track me down. And I never intended to hide from her forever anyway.

As soon as she arrived at my apartment, Seraphina grabbed my hand excitedly. "Honey, don't you believe in my innocence either?"

"Alec is just a model for our magazine. He came along with the team on this business trip, so of course we stayed together... During our time in Milan, we always went out with our colleagues. The media maliciously took fake photos, it's all misleading..."

Ever since that photo was leaked, public opinion back home exploded, condemning Seraphina's cheating scandal.

Seraphina and the magazine were instantly embroiled in controversy. This was the explanation they released to the public.

Looking into Seraphina's teary, anxious eyes, I felt a wave of bewilderment and irony.

Why was this woman so self-righteous even when lying?Seraphina whimpered pitifully, "I can understand if others don't believe me, but we've been together for so long. You know me better than anyone. I love you so much, how could I possibly betray you? How can you want a divorce and run off to this place?"

She was still trying to play the victim and shift the blame, to prove her innocence?

How many times had she deceived me like this before?

I twisted my lips into a bitter smile and asked her just one question—

"Do you know why the company chose me for this assignment in France?"

Seraphina froze for a moment, perhaps realizing something. Her pupils suddenly contracted, and her body began to tremble slightly.

She said in disbelief, "Honey, you..."

I forcefully shook off her hand and muttered in response, "Because I've known French since I was a child! Did you think I couldn't understand your phone conversations with that person? Did you think I'd believe it when you said it was your boss arranging your business trip?"

"Seraphina, I've been giving you chances all along!"

My eyes stung again as I said self-mockingly, "I thought you were just temporarily lost. I didn't want to give up on our relationship. Do you remember? Every time you finished a phone call, I would send you a number.""You're always been curious about the meaning of that string of numbers, right? I remember I told you about it..."

That was one time when I got drunk. I'm usually disciplined and cautious, even when I go out for business dinners I don't drink too much.

But that night, I ended up drunk. Seraphina had just helped me back to the room and settled me in when she called that man.

I just lay there on the bed, staring at her back, hazily listening to those words that drifted into my ears.

Now, looking at Seraphina's shocked and stunned expression.

I parted my thin lips, repeating to her once again—

"Every time you chat with that man, I keep count. When it reaches the 100th time, I'll let you go."

"Now, do you understand how deeply you've hurt me?"

Seraphina burst into tears instantly, completely changing from her previous attitude of explaining and questioning me, and collapsed to her knees before me.

She grasped my hand, begging, "Honey, I was wrong."

"I promise you, I'll never do this again."

"Please give me one more chance, okay?"