Chapter 1

That day marked the second anniversary of my marriage to Theodore Jenkins. It was also the first anniversary of his relationship with Janice Schaeffer.

Janice was Theodore's assistant—a fresh college graduate exuding youthful energy. She was exactly the kind of woman Theodore liked. From our first year of marriage, she had been by his side, accompanying him to various events and functions.

Some uninformed friends had even addressed her as Mrs. Jenkins. Gradually, her presence beside him grew more frequent. It was as if she had completely replaced my existence.

I first met her on Theodore's birthday. I had been in the kitchen, as usual, making a cake for the occasion. As soon as the oven chimed, signaling that the cake was ready, I felt the world around me shift.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself standing in the middle of traffic. My white pants were covered in mud, and my bare feet were cut by glass. In a panic, I rushed to the hospital for a full examination.

The doctor broke the devastating news—I only had three months left to live. The silver lining was that this condition would not cause me any pain. However, it would result in dementia, wiping away all the painful memories in the process—a bittersweet blessing in disguise.

When I returned home, the cake in the oven was already burnt. I took a deep breath, baked a new one, and brought it to Theodore's office.

Back then, Janice had just started her internship at the company. Theodore was in a meeting, so I waited for him in the lounge.

Janice kept coming in and out, scrutinizing me each time. The glass walls were not soundproof, and I could hear her whispering to others.

She clicked her tongue and muttered, "How's a plain woman like that even fit to be Mrs. Jenkins? It's bad enough that she isn't as pretty as me, but her figure isn't as good either.

"Except for those eyes, I don't see any similarities between us."

My reflection on the glass table showed my tired face and gaunt cheeks. Even these eyes that Theodore once loved so much showed exhaustion. I had to admit that I was not particularly attractive anymore.

Another colleague quietly scolded her, "Shut up! Who do you think you are to compare yourself to her? Mr. Jenkins treasures her the most. If you offend her, you can kiss this job goodbye!"

Janice snorted dismissively when she heard this. Moments later, she entered the lounge and handed me a coffee, saying, "Theo is being so inconsiderate!"

She pretended to realize something and covered her mouth in mock surprise. "Oops! He said that I could call him that in private. You don't mind, do you, Charlotte?"

I smiled and shook my head, sipping the warm coffee.

She continued, "I should really scold him for making you wait this long. When he was late to meet me once, he even posted an apology on his social media, promising never to do it again!"

She proudly showed me her phone with his post. The caption read, "I, Theodore Jenkins, apologize for being late and making my dearest assistant hungry. I promise it won't happen again."

Janice's eyes crinkled when she smiled, complete with adorable dimples—just like the way I used to smile. The fact that Theodore would play along with such childish things showed how special she was to him.

Truth be told, Janice was not Theodore's first mistress. He often brought various women home, flaunting their affairs and testing my limits. However, those women would disappear within days, replaced by new ones.

Janice was different. Rather than just another affair, they seemed like a genuine couple. They worked together, ate together, shopped together, and did all those hormone-driven silly things couples do.

Maybe, just maybe, Theodore truly loved her.

I smiled at Janice and said, "He treats you so well. Aside from not making you Mrs. Jenkins, he's done just about everything for you."

Janice's smile instantly froze as she gritted her teeth. She spat, "If you weren't hogging that position, he would have married me already.

"It's all your fault for being difficult. If you had any sense, you'd get divorced! I might even throw in some extra alimony..."

I found her behavior amusing. I did not know what Theodore had told her, but I was not the one refusing divorce. I found the argument pointless, so I simply set the cake down and prepared to leave.

As I turned toward the door, Janice burst out laughing. "What an ugly cake. Did you really think that this was worth bringing here?"

I raised an eyebrow and replied indifferently, "Oh."

Perhaps it was my lack of reaction that pushed her over the edge. The moment I reached for the door, she yanked me backward with such force that I lost my balance.

My head struck the edge of the table, shattering the glass, and I felt warm blood gushing uncontrollably.