Chapter 3

I'd met Rory while we'd both been in college. We'd dated for two years and gotten married after graduating. Five years had passed since then, and we also had a five-year-old daughter.

I'd never thought he would betray me and our marriage now.

Rory and I had been dirt poor when we'd gotten married after graduation. We'd founded a clothing company together afterward. Things had started out rough, but gradually, our effort began to pay off. We now owned a house and a car, and we even had plenty of savings.

No one would be able to understand all the hardships we'd been through to get to where we were today. I thought that life had finally been getting better, but it turned out that someone had secretly been stealing the sweet fruits of my labor from me.

I'd be damned if I let anyone ruin things for me and walk away scot-free!

Just as I was clutching the clasp in my hand and cursing madly at Rory, Bella suddenly appeared and ran up to me with a curious look on her face. Maybe the scary look on my face had terrified her, because she called out to me very timidly and in a soft, hushed voice.

"Mommy…"

I snapped back to my senses, realizing that my hateful self wasn't good for a growing and actively learning child. Bella was supposed to grow up surrounded by her parents' love and care. How could I possibly let her witness her parents' relationship getting ruined?

I calmed myself down and hugged Bella tightly while comforting her.

Maybe I shouldn't divorce Rory just yet. I didn't want Bella to grow up in a single-parent family.

After all, I'd grown up in a single-parent family myself, and I knew how much pain and hardship came with that label.

When I'd been in middle school, Dad had had an affair and divorced Mom before abandoning us. I'd become a laughingstock and had often been the target of many bullies at school. They had gossiped about me behind my back and left nasty messages on my desk.

To them, I'd been nothing more than an easy target.

When I'd gone back home, I'd been faced with Mom's wrath and resentment.

I didn't want my daughter to go through anything like that. So, to keep my family from crumbling apart, I decided that I should set up a meeting with the homewrecker herself.

I got a private investigator to keep an eye on Mia. They took photos of her going out with Rory and sent them to me. I also installed a tiny camera in the corner of our bedroom.

A few days later, the camera footage showed two distinctive shadows rolling under the sheets. Rory was panting rather aggressively above Mia's body while she stared dreamily at him, trying to catch her breath.

I was so angry that I turned off the camera at once.

While Rory was on a business trip during the weekend, I decided to meet up with Mia and lay down my cards. I showed her the photos I had of her and then told her that I didn't mind paying her if she would stay away from my husband.

Mia was a young and pretty woman, after all, and she wouldn't have any trouble finding other single men within her league. However, she just had to choose to have an affair with a married man.

Maybe she'd just been led astray. Maybe she would finally stay away if I gave her some money.

I forced down the anger in my throat and said, "I'll give you 100 thousand dollars if you'll stay away from Rory and start afresh somewhere else. It's better than being a homewrecking mistress like you are now."

I pushed the money toward her. Mia looked at me with tears in her eyes. I thought she'd take the money and leave, but to my surprise, she suddenly laughed and pushed the money back toward me.

"I don't want your money. What Rory and I have is true love. He even promised me he'd marry me!" Mia said, suddenly showing off the ring Rory had bought her. The diamond on her ring even looked larger than the one on my own wedding ring.

I scoffed and delivered a tight slap to her smug little face.

She knew she was the mistress here, but she didn't care. I hated shameless people like her the most. I'd initially thought she'd just been lured into this unknowingly, but now it seemed that she'd known what she'd been doing all along.

She said she was in love with Rory, but I knew she was simply staying for the benefits. I'd completely underestimated her.

No wonder she hadn't even spared a glance at the 100 thousand dollars I'd offered her.