"Mr. West, don't you understand? We have nothing to do with each other anymore."Ethan's face instantly went pale. I could see that he was truly in pain, but so what? Did he think I was not in pain back then?"Do you believe that putting on a show in front of me can erase everything and make us reconcile like before? Isn't that a bit ridiculous?""I don't. Lana, I've never dared to hope for your forgiveness."Ethan's voice grew more agitated, and he took a step toward me, only to be interrupted by another voice."Why's it so lively over here?"I turned around to see Zach strolling toward us.Most of the people in the estate had been dismissed quickly and efficiently, and I had no doubt that my encounter with Ethan was carefully orchestrated by Zach."Well, well, isn't this a surprise? Mr. West, what a rare guest."Ethan's gaze locked onto Zach's hand that he casually rested on my waist. I frowned but did not pull away. Between Zach's smiling face and Ethan's seething expressio
"No, it's you, Lana. It's always been you. Do you have any idea what Ethan's life has been like these past years?"He hasn't slept a single night peacefully. He searched for you like a madman even when everyone told him you were dead. Why? What gives you the right?"I watched Tara scream at me like she had lost her mind, but all I felt was indifference."Do you want to know why? Ethan is nothing but a dog I discarded. Even seeing me depends on my mood, and you, you're just a pathetic fool, wallowing in self-pity. That's the answer. Understand now?"Tara froze, staring at me in shock. I did not care. I turned around to leave, but a shadow blocked my path.I looked up. I did not know how long he had been standing there.Ethan's bloodshot eyes told me everything. He had cleaned himself up, trying to look sharp, but no matter how polished his appearance, eyes never lied. No one could fake the exhaustion of countless sleepless nights.His voice was hoarse and tinged with nervousness.
If I did not witness the scene, perhaps it would hold more significance.I did not have time to feel hurt, but my hands could not stop working. Without concrete evidence, a divorce case would be hard to win.After all, no one would ever believe that Ethan West could cheat.After ensuring every facial expression and action was captured in painstaking detail, I turned and left.Lakeview City was a sprawling metropolis where everyone lived on their own path. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I realized I had long forgotten what my life as Lana Branch used to look like.It had been mercilessly severed by her.When I first met Ethan, he was charming and dashing. To the world, he was the perfect man. He did not smoke or drink, owing a pair of soulful eyes but living like a Stoic.Our mutual friends used to joke that everyone's jaws dropped when they found out Ethan and I were together. They said Ethan and I were from completely different worlds.Flipping through the photos in
Ethan's voice softened, carrying a hint of vulnerability. "Lana, have you had dinner yet? I haven't eaten."No matter how late one of us came home, sometimes even past midnight, we would wait for each other and eat dinner together. It was an unspoken rule we had set many years ago.Back then, it was almost always me staying out all night. I would stumble through the door, drunk and disoriented, while Ethan waited for me in the living room.He would clean me up, making sure that I would not choke on my own vomit. I would complain about how annoyingly fussy he was, but he never got mad.He would just smile and ask, "What if I take care of you like this for the rest of my life?"His eyes were so bright, like the surface of a lake. In that moment, through the haze of alcohol clouding my mind, I felt a rare trace of fear.That light was too pure and bright, revealing me for who I was.The filth churning inside me was something detestable and loathsome. It was so overwhelming that I d
Ethan’s steps stopped across from us.Tara and I were tied to opposite ends of the railing, with the roaring ocean behind us.The moment Tara saw Ethan, she started crying, her face was a picture of delicate misery.It was so perfect that if I was not stuck in the same situation, I might have applauded. I could not imagine how she managed such excellent emotional control."Ethan, it's Lana. She did this! They're all in it together. Please save me!"Ethan's expression was grave as his eyes landed on Tara. His voice softened as he comforted her."Tara, don't be afraid. I'll save you. I promise you'll be okay."I could not hold back a mocking laugh. "What are you going to promise her with? Your words? If you think you're credible, pigs would fly. It's that laughable."Ethan turned toward Amber as his eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice dropping as he questioned, "Who are you? What do you want?"Amber, perched casually on a chair with one foot up, was entirely covered, her voice
After those words, Amber could not hold back her anger anymore."Stop! So., what you're saying is that you're choosing to save Tara, but you're not going to take her place, are you?"Ethan's face was dark, as he silently locked his eyes on me. Amber waved a hand, signaling her men to release her.The newly-freed Tara did not show the slightest bit of fear. She ran straight into Ethan's arms, trembling like a fragile, helpless bird."Impressive, Mr. West. Truly, you're a once-in-a-lifetime perfect husband," Amber mocked, her every word like a slap across Ethan's face.However, his body instinctively shielded the woman in his arms.I looked into his eyes, my body pressed against the railing. I calmly said, "Ethan West, you want me dead."His brows furrowed even deeper. He denied it, saying he did not want to play childish games with me anymore.'Ethan, don't you remember that I can't swim?'The moment my body fell, I thought I saw his face go pale. His eyes seemed to be filled
However, what I did not expect was that life's surprises were far from over.For example, the moment I stepped off the plane and into the airport, I saw my own face plastered across a massive billboard.The sheer horror of that moment consumed me. Well, that was definitely a first in my life.Left with no choice, I ducked into a convenience store, bought a face mask and a hat, and wrapped myself up tightly.I needed to have a serious word with Amber.Had I not slept well, or had I somehow hallucinated myself into becoming a superstar while abroad?What a joke.Amber was waiting for me at the terminal exit, looking guilty enough to avoid eye contact the moment she saw me."Well? Start explaining, and I'll decide if I can forgive you.""This isn't my fault, alright? I just didn't want you to stress out. I mean, if you knew about this earlier, you'd be freaking out too, right?""Seeing it with my own eyes doesn't just freak me out. It terrifies me. What's going on? I've only bee
"No, it's you, Lana. It's always been you. Do you have any idea what Ethan's life has been like these past years?"He hasn't slept a single night peacefully. He searched for you like a madman even when everyone told him you were dead. Why? What gives you the right?"I watched Tara scream at me like she had lost her mind, but all I felt was indifference."Do you want to know why? Ethan is nothing but a dog I discarded. Even seeing me depends on my mood, and you, you're just a pathetic fool, wallowing in self-pity. That's the answer. Understand now?"Tara froze, staring at me in shock. I did not care. I turned around to leave, but a shadow blocked my path.I looked up. I did not know how long he had been standing there.Ethan's bloodshot eyes told me everything. He had cleaned himself up, trying to look sharp, but no matter how polished his appearance, eyes never lied. No one could fake the exhaustion of countless sleepless nights.His voice was hoarse and tinged with nervousness.
"Mr. West, don't you understand? We have nothing to do with each other anymore."Ethan's face instantly went pale. I could see that he was truly in pain, but so what? Did he think I was not in pain back then?"Do you believe that putting on a show in front of me can erase everything and make us reconcile like before? Isn't that a bit ridiculous?""I don't. Lana, I've never dared to hope for your forgiveness."Ethan's voice grew more agitated, and he took a step toward me, only to be interrupted by another voice."Why's it so lively over here?"I turned around to see Zach strolling toward us.Most of the people in the estate had been dismissed quickly and efficiently, and I had no doubt that my encounter with Ethan was carefully orchestrated by Zach."Well, well, isn't this a surprise? Mr. West, what a rare guest."Ethan's gaze locked onto Zach's hand that he casually rested on my waist. I frowned but did not pull away. Between Zach's smiling face and Ethan's seething expressio
The heir of the Howe family, the infamous 'venomous snake' Zach Howe, was the only man who held sway in both the underworld and high society. However, for some reason, he became obsessed with me and would not let go.I had once asked him about it. Back then, Zach sat on the sofa with his gaze fixed on me. As he exhaled a cloud of smoke, his striking features looked even more unreal in the haze.He said, "There's no reason. I just like you."I replied, "If you want to repay me for saving your life, you can just give me money. There's no need to waste your time here."For a moment, he looked surprised. Then, he smiled, an unsettling, languid smile, as he said, "How much do you think you're worth?"I thought for a moment and held up one hand.The smile on his face widened, and he even laughed out loud. It was not a pleasant kind of laughter.I narrowed my eyes and asked, "Is that funny to you?""Funny? Of course, it's funny. How could it not be?"His face twitched slightly, and h
However, what I did not expect was that life's surprises were far from over.For example, the moment I stepped off the plane and into the airport, I saw my own face plastered across a massive billboard.The sheer horror of that moment consumed me. Well, that was definitely a first in my life.Left with no choice, I ducked into a convenience store, bought a face mask and a hat, and wrapped myself up tightly.I needed to have a serious word with Amber.Had I not slept well, or had I somehow hallucinated myself into becoming a superstar while abroad?What a joke.Amber was waiting for me at the terminal exit, looking guilty enough to avoid eye contact the moment she saw me."Well? Start explaining, and I'll decide if I can forgive you.""This isn't my fault, alright? I just didn't want you to stress out. I mean, if you knew about this earlier, you'd be freaking out too, right?""Seeing it with my own eyes doesn't just freak me out. It terrifies me. What's going on? I've only bee
After those words, Amber could not hold back her anger anymore."Stop! So., what you're saying is that you're choosing to save Tara, but you're not going to take her place, are you?"Ethan's face was dark, as he silently locked his eyes on me. Amber waved a hand, signaling her men to release her.The newly-freed Tara did not show the slightest bit of fear. She ran straight into Ethan's arms, trembling like a fragile, helpless bird."Impressive, Mr. West. Truly, you're a once-in-a-lifetime perfect husband," Amber mocked, her every word like a slap across Ethan's face.However, his body instinctively shielded the woman in his arms.I looked into his eyes, my body pressed against the railing. I calmly said, "Ethan West, you want me dead."His brows furrowed even deeper. He denied it, saying he did not want to play childish games with me anymore.'Ethan, don't you remember that I can't swim?'The moment my body fell, I thought I saw his face go pale. His eyes seemed to be filled
Ethan’s steps stopped across from us.Tara and I were tied to opposite ends of the railing, with the roaring ocean behind us.The moment Tara saw Ethan, she started crying, her face was a picture of delicate misery.It was so perfect that if I was not stuck in the same situation, I might have applauded. I could not imagine how she managed such excellent emotional control."Ethan, it's Lana. She did this! They're all in it together. Please save me!"Ethan's expression was grave as his eyes landed on Tara. His voice softened as he comforted her."Tara, don't be afraid. I'll save you. I promise you'll be okay."I could not hold back a mocking laugh. "What are you going to promise her with? Your words? If you think you're credible, pigs would fly. It's that laughable."Ethan turned toward Amber as his eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice dropping as he questioned, "Who are you? What do you want?"Amber, perched casually on a chair with one foot up, was entirely covered, her voice
Ethan's voice softened, carrying a hint of vulnerability. "Lana, have you had dinner yet? I haven't eaten."No matter how late one of us came home, sometimes even past midnight, we would wait for each other and eat dinner together. It was an unspoken rule we had set many years ago.Back then, it was almost always me staying out all night. I would stumble through the door, drunk and disoriented, while Ethan waited for me in the living room.He would clean me up, making sure that I would not choke on my own vomit. I would complain about how annoyingly fussy he was, but he never got mad.He would just smile and ask, "What if I take care of you like this for the rest of my life?"His eyes were so bright, like the surface of a lake. In that moment, through the haze of alcohol clouding my mind, I felt a rare trace of fear.That light was too pure and bright, revealing me for who I was.The filth churning inside me was something detestable and loathsome. It was so overwhelming that I d
If I did not witness the scene, perhaps it would hold more significance.I did not have time to feel hurt, but my hands could not stop working. Without concrete evidence, a divorce case would be hard to win.After all, no one would ever believe that Ethan West could cheat.After ensuring every facial expression and action was captured in painstaking detail, I turned and left.Lakeview City was a sprawling metropolis where everyone lived on their own path. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I realized I had long forgotten what my life as Lana Branch used to look like.It had been mercilessly severed by her.When I first met Ethan, he was charming and dashing. To the world, he was the perfect man. He did not smoke or drink, owing a pair of soulful eyes but living like a Stoic.Our mutual friends used to joke that everyone's jaws dropped when they found out Ethan and I were together. They said Ethan and I were from completely different worlds.Flipping through the photos in