The sound of a car engine starting came from the parking lot downstairs.Travis struggled to his feet and staggered to the third-floor window. He watched as the imposing G-Wagon roared away from the estate, his body sliding down the wall until he hit the floor.The room was nearly empty now, almost all of Nicole's things gone.Travis went to the second bedroom and looked at the barren space, feeling like something was missing."Young master, are you unwell? Should I call a doctor?" A servant approached with concern, seeing his frighteningly pale face.Travis said nothing, just clutching his kicked stomach as he returned to his room and lay down on the bed."Find out when Nicole and Alexander got together," he texted."Well, well, did the sun rise from the west today? Why the sudden interest in your wife?” Nelson Larkin couldn't help teasing.The Larkin family was also among the city's elite, so Nelson had known Travis since they were toddlers.Their similar backgrounds quickly
Alexander frowned as he looked at the empty hallway.Both he and Nicole had heard the knocking—it couldn't have been their imagination.Back inside, Alexander tentatively asked Nicole if she had ordered anything online recently.Nicole said no, explaining that everything in the house came from the supermarket.After thinking for a moment, Alexander didn't want Nicole to worry, so he reassured her, "Someone probably knocked on the wrong door, realized their mistake, and ran off."Exhausted from the long day, Nicole just gave a soft "Mm" before drifting off to sleep.Alexander watched her sleeping face, tucked her in, and went to the balcony to make a phone call."I need you to investigate something..."Two days later, Nelson strolled into the office and tossed an envelope full of photos onto Travis's desk.Travis looked up from his pile of documents, raising an eyebrow. "I just want to hear the results."Nelson pulled up a chair and sat down casually, nodding toward the envelo
"What do you want Nicole's address for?" Nelson frowned. "Don't tell me you're going to find her? Weren't you desperate for her to leave you? Why chase after her now? Aren't you just making things harder for yourself?"Facing Nelson's rapid-fire questions, Travis's handsome face had turned impossibly dark."Send the address to me. Now!""All right, all right, sending it right away."Nelson had been afraid of Travis's anger since childhood—when this guy got mad, he looked like he could eat someone alive.After sending Travis the address, Nelson stood up to leave.But from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a certain man's lips curling into a slight smile as he looked at the address on screen.A sense of foreboding flashed through Nelson's mind. "Travis, Nicole was with you for so many years. Did you really never feel anything for her?"Travis slammed his phone on the desk. "Of course not!""Fine. Just don't lie to yourself." Nelson shrugged and strode out.At that m
When they heard Travis's response, the entertainment reporters all raised their microphones, ready to ask a barrage of gossip questions.Seeing this, the bodyguards immediately stepped in with stern faces. "Mr. Graham needs to attend the ceremony now. The interview time is over. Please leave!"Before they finished speaking, the bodyguards had already started ushering the reporters away.The reporters could only reluctantly depart, looking back repeatedly as they left.Despite the commotion happening around her, Nicole never once turned to look.She carried her bag and continued walking toward the school gate with light, confident steps, not giving Travis even a glance."If you run into me in public, pretend you don't know me. Our marriage is private, and the fewer people who know about it, the better. Understand?"Those were Travis's exact words on their first day of marriage.So although Nicole was Travis's lawful wife, to the outside world, they were complete strangers."Exc
"This woman really thinks so highly of herself? Do I need her to like me?"Travis threw the broken pen forcefully into the trash, his knuckled hand pressing against Nicole's face on the screen. He turned to James, "Come with me somewhere."Following the navigation, James wound through the streets to city's rural district.With the announcement "Your destination is on your right," James hit the brakes, pulled the handbrake, and turned to the serious-faced man in the back. "Mr. Graham, we're here."Travis's thick eyelashes trembled slightly as his deep-set eyes slowly opened.He got out of the car, and seeing the aged, peeling walls around the apartment complex, his eyebrows knotted together.Hmph, this woman left him and wasn't doing so well, living in a place like this.Following the address from memory, he strode toward Building 1, Unit 1.Though the complex looked old, it at least had an elevator.However, the elevator's condition was less than impressive—covered inside and
"Well, Mr. Graham, now you've seen it—I'm living in an old, rundown apartment complex, pinching pennies, calculating every expense from the moment I wake up. I'm living like an insect. Are you satisfied now?"Nicole knew Travis didn't love her, but she never imagined he would be so unable to stand seeing her doing well.She laughed coldly and stepped aside, deliberately letting Travis see her living conditions.An old sofa, an outdated color TV, a coffee table covered with heat-resistant film, and a dining table with peeling paint.Though the furniture was dated, the apartment was kept very clean and cozy.On the coffee table sat a vase with several blooming lilies.The breeze carried their fragrance throughout the room.Looking at the apartment, Travis felt inexplicably angrier.He imagined the woman sitting here with another man, eating and chatting, and it made him deeply uncomfortable."Hmph, barely divorced from me and already rushing to set up house with another man."A
Nicole had to stop closing the door."Mr. Graham, be reasonable. You stuck your hand in there—you brought this injury on yourself!""Mrs. Graham, you're right, but you know how clumsy we men are with bandages. You and Mr. Graham were married after all—could you help us out?"James jumped in, seeing how Travis could infuriate someone with just one sentence.His boss might be a genius in everything else, but his emotional intelligence was concerning.If he just wanted Nicole to clean his wound, why couldn't he ask nicely? A thirty-year-old man speaking so aggressively—what woman could stand it?Sure enough, Nicole's expression softened slightly after hearing James."Fine. I'll treat the wound, then you take your boss and leave immediately."James nodded, bowing repeatedly. "Yes, Mrs. Graham. I'll drag the boss away if I have to—we won't bother you any longer."Nicole finally registered what James was calling her and frowned, correcting him."I'm divorced from your boss. Don't c
Travis's body slammed hard against the wall with a dull thud!"Hmph, how could I possibly be jealous over that woman?"Alexander gripped his collar, pinning him against the wall, and stared coldly into his eyes. "If you're not jealous, why are you here? Shouldn't you be with your Lucy? It's too late, Travis. You've lost your chance!"The smug, triumphant look in Alexander's eyes pierced Travis like an arrow.Using all his strength, he broke free from Alexander's grip. "There's nothing I want that I can't get!"A cold gleam flashed in Alexander's pale blue eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses.A sudden left hook caught Travis on the chin.Before Travis could react, Alexander followed with a right hook to the same spot.After taking two solid punches, Travis's head was spinning.Having just had minimally invasive surgery, he was no match for Alexander's high-level taekwondo skills.Seeing Travis swaying unsteadily, Alexander narrowed his eyes, clenched his right fist, and struck
Nicole thought she must have misheard him.Or perhaps she was dreaming.So when Travis said, "Nicole, settle down. Stay here. Let's live well together," she couldn't help but laugh coldly."Travis, do you even know what you're saying?""Just behave and I won't make things difficult for you." Travis clenched his fist."We're divorced. Saying these things now is meaningless." Nicole turned her head away, refusing to look at him."But isn't this how we've lived for all these years?"Nicole tilted her head back and laughed, her eyes reddening.Had this man forgotten how he had hurt her?"Fine. Untie me first, and we'll discuss this further." Nicole offered Travis a rare smile.Travis was taken aback by Nicole's sudden smile, but the darkness in his expression lightened considerably."Promise me you won't run away again." Travis sat on the floor, gradually moving closer to Nicole's side.His black shirt was half-open, revealing toned muscles.Nicole still wouldn't look at him,
Once Travis realized how important Nicole was to him, he would surely treat her well.But that process would be painful.Nicole would have to suffer a bit.James wasn't sure if Nicole could wait for that day to come."James, you know exactly what my relationship with your boss has been like all these years. What's the point of going back? To endure more of his insults?""Mrs. Graham, perhaps things aren't as bad as you think." James naturally sided with Travis.The reason was simple: Travis was his meal ticket.Besides, having worked for Travis for so many years, James believed his boss wasn't truly a bad person."Stop calling me Mrs. Graham. How many times do I have to tell you?" Nicole got a headache just hearing that title."Yes, Mrs. Graham. I'll be more careful in the future. Will you come back with me now?" James bowed respectfully to Nicole.Nicole shook her head with a bitter smile."James, do you not understand what I'm saying?""Mrs. Graham, you can't beat these t
"I know what game you're playing," Nicole said quietly.She lightly raised her foot to kick away Lucy's hand, then calmly brought the basin of hot water to Travis.Seeing Nicole easily dodge her attempt, Lucy's smile momentarily froze."Where's your washcloth?" Nicole glanced at Lucy, a slight curve to her lips, then turned toward Travis.Travis pointed to the wardrobe across from his hospital bed. "In there.""Hmm." Nicole turned and opened the wardrobe, immediately spotting the small white square cloth on top.As she was about to close the wardrobe door, she heard the sudden sound of a basin crashing to the floor behind her.This was followed by Lucy's scream."Ah! It's burning hot!"Nicole quickly turned around to see the hot water she'd carefully brought now spilled all over the floor.Lucy was soaked, moaning as she clutched her reddened arm."Nicole, did you do this on purpose? Did you deliberately place the basin precariously?" Travis's accusation immediately followed
"How am I supposed to drink this soup? It's scalding hot!"Travis discovered his hand firmly trapped in Nicole's grip, his handsome face darkening like the bottom of a pan.When he tried to use brute force to break free, he realized that the normally soft and gentle Nicole now possessed astonishing strength.The cold-faced Nicole before him seemed completely unfamiliar.She hardly resembled the woman he had so easily pushed around before."Mr. Graham, if the soup is too hot, you can drink it slowly. But isn't it time to break this bad habit of knocking over dishes whenever you're upset?""You used to blow on it to cool it down before feeding me. Why can't you do that now?" Travis was accustomed to Nicole's meticulous care.But the current Nicole treated him with less warmth than his household staff.Her cold, aloof attitude infuriated Travis."Mr. Graham, I suggest you wake your mind up. We're divorced. I'm no longer your wife. How could I possibly treat you like before?"Nic
Ben spoke with such sincerity that Nicole felt she would be letting him down if she refused."No problem."Nicole had heard that Ben was wealthy, but she didn't know the extent of his wealth.It wasn't until she saw the sprawling lawn, European-style villa, outdoor swimming pool, tennis court, and basketball court on Ben's phone that her perception of him was completely refreshed."If you have no objections, let's sign a contract."Ben pulled out a briefcase from behind him and extracted three copies of an employment contract.Nicole finally realized something was off."Professor Wallace, you came prepared tonight?"Ben made no attempt to hide his intentions. "Yes. Calvin really likes you. He keeps talking about the pretty Professor Spencer... What can I say? The things we do as parents."After quickly reviewing the contract and finding no issues, Nicole signed it.Even after showing Ben out of her apartment, Nicole still found the situation unbelievable.Was she now working
"I'd appreciate fewer jokes like that. I don't want the whole school filled with rumors about us."Recently, due to the surgery and other matters, Nicole and Ben had been spending more time together, which had already sparked gossip that they were dating.Nicole had to repeatedly explain, "Don't misunderstand—Professor Wallace and I have a purely professional relationship!""Professor Spencer, no need to explain. You're both single—there's nothing wrong if you've fallen in love," her colleagues would tease.Only Richard would grimly say, "Professor Spencer, Professor Wallace's family situation is complicated. You'd be better off with someone whose background is simpler and cleaner."As for why he described Ben's background as complicated, Richard didn't dare elaborate. Ben had happened to walk by at that moment and shot him a warning glance."So, Professor Spencer, are you suggesting we should maintain a proper distance?" Ben asked, his eyes fixed intently on Nicole's."Yes." Ni
"Professor Wallace, you're quite the smooth talker. I imagine you're good at winning over the ladies."After years of being insulted and belittled by Travis, being complimented by another man felt strange to Nicole. She even felt herself getting warm.She stood up, gathering the empty dishes, and turned toward the kitchen.From behind her came the man's deep, magnetic voice."Professor Spencer, I'm not good at winning women over. I'm good at keeping them at a distance."Nicole paused. "Those women must be quite heartbroken then!"With that, she hurried into the kitchen.She turned on the faucet, cool water running over her skin.Her rational mind gradually cleared.Nicole, men love to sweet-talk, don't let yourself be fooled by their words.She reminded herself of this as she washed the dishes."Washing dishes this way wastes water. Let me do it."Ben, having finished his meal, walked into the kitchen and noticed Nicole staring absent-mindedly at the running water."Sorry,
Nicole was exhausted.After returning to her dorm and quickly freshening up, she slept from 2 PM straight through until 6 PM.She hurriedly ordered ingredients from a delivery app, then tidied up her apartment.After spending half an hour washing and chopping vegetables, she realized it was already seven o'clock.Ben knocked on her door right on time."Professor Spencer, is dinner ready?" he asked, walking in with drinks in hand.Nicole glanced at her cold stove and pots, and cleared her throat."I woke up late, so I've just finished prepping the ingredients. I'll be done quickly, Professor Wallace. Please make yourself comfortable on the couch.""Need any help?""No need. I can manage.""Okay then. I'll take you up on that."Though he said he wouldn't impose, Ben did exactly that—settling onto the couch and casually picking up a medical journal to read.When Nicole finally called him to the table, he returned the book to the shelf, washed his hands, and helped arrange the
Lucy's question was like a hand reaching for the delicate veil covering Travis's thoughts, nearly exposing his true feelings.Travis gently touched his bandaged head and immediately denied it. "Lucy, what are you saying? How could I ever like that woman? She's the one who caused your condition."Lucy wiped tears from the corners of her eyes, her voice choked with emotion. "Travis, I know I'm disabled now and no longer worthy of you. I would bless your relationship with anyone—anyone except Nicole!""I understand. Don't worry, I won't fall for her. I just don't want her to have it easy.""Would you swear to it?"Travis fell silent.As a man approaching 30, he certainly knew how childish and hollow such oaths were.But if it would give Lucy some peace of mind, saying a few more words didn't matter.He raised his right hand toward the ceiling, his handsome face solemn and serious."Lucy, I swear on my life that I will never develop feelings for Nicole. If I ever like Nicole, may