Chapter 1

In the seventh year of our marriage, my husband, Lewis, was entangled with his assistant.

Every time I caught him, he would tearfully promise to break it off, only to turn right around and go back to her.

The same drama played out dozens of times.

At the brand launch event, his assistant intentionally pushed me, spilling champagne all over my face.

Just as I was about to explain, Lewis rushed over to shield her and slapped me across the face.

"Miranda! You can't even hold a glass of champagne steady, and you dare to hit Natalie? Get the hell out!"

Dozens of executives and employees in the audience watched as I, the founder of the brand, was humiliated.

I clutched my face and suddenly burst out laughing.

"I can't stand myself either, for I should have divorced you long ago."

Next morning, the entire company received a notice.

————————

1

Lewis had another fight with his female assistant.

This time, he was determined to break things off.

At one in the morning, he clung to me, his mind a mess, his eyes bloodshot:

"Natalie may be young, beautiful, and capable, but she's too ambitious and doesn't love me at all... I don't want her anymore."

"Miranda, I finally understand now. All these years, you're the only one who has always loved and accepted me."

"Let's have a child. Once we have a child, my heart will be at home, and Natalie won't be able to sway me in the slightest."

I was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Let's get a divorce. I don't want you anymore, either."

"A divorce?"

He looked as if he'd just heard the biggest joke of his life, his expression quickly shifting from shock to fury:

"Miranda, how many times have you brought up divorce this year?! You never go through with it anyway, so what's the point?"

"Seven years together, and you're going to throw it all away just because I made a mistake that every man in the world makes?"

His voice grew louder, his tone dripping with self-righteousness:

"Besides, I never even touched Natalie's hand. It doesn't even count as cheating! Can you stop being so unreasonable?" I lowered my head, managing to force a weary smile.

"Lewis, this past year, you and Natalie have broken up and gotten back together dozens of times. You've said the same things dozens of times, and I can no longer tell what's real from what's not, nor do I want to try."

"So just say I'm being unreasonable," I said, pushing the divorce papers toward him. "Sign them. I'm tired."

After all, I was only ever his fallback, his backup plan.

If he didn't love me anymore, then just let me go. Why force me to keep playing the part of the fool who's always waiting for him to come back?

He froze for a moment, then suddenly snatched the papers, tore them to pieces, and tossed them into the trash can.

The next moment, he wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin gently on top of my head as his voice softened.

"Miranda, I really broke it off with Natalie for good this time. It's too late tonight. Let's just go to sleep for now."

After a pause, he added, his tone like he was bestowing a great charity, "I'll take you to pick out a new apartment tomorrow. That'll cheer you up."

This was the tragic, unspoken understanding between us.

Whenever he and Natalie had a fight and he wanted to come home, I was the one who built him a bridge to come back to.

Over the course of the year, he had accompanied me to purchase twenty properties.

But he seemed to have forgotten that I was a brand founder; I didn't need his money to buy them at all. I lay down, turning my back to him, my voice flat.

"I'll have another copy of the divorce papers ready tomorrow."

He smiled knowingly, probably assuming I had chosen to forgive him once again.

The next second, he pressed himself against me from behind, his warm breath ghosting over my ear.

"Miranda, we had a deal. Give me a child."

Just as I was about to pull away, his phone suddenly rang.

The ringtone was especially jarring in the quiet bedroom.

When he saw who was calling, he scrambled away from me, rushing out of the room so fast he didn't even have time to put on his slippers.

His voice, intentionally hushed, soon drifted in from the hallway.

"Darling, don't cry, I swear I didn't touch her..."

The person on the other end of the line was clearly pressing him, and he paced back and forth anxiously.

I quietly turned over, blinking my dry eyes.

My tears had long since run dry.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open.

He rushed back in, holding his phone up with the camera pointed directly at me on the bed.

"See? She's sound asleep. Why would I lie to you?"

A wave of humiliation washed over me, and I quickly pulled the blanket tightly over my head.

But he ripped the blanket away, and the harsh light from the phone screen felt like a slap across my face.

I shut my eyes reflexively, but I could still see Natalie's triumphant smile on the screen.