"Emily, are you feeling hot?" In a luxurious apartment situated in a bustling city, shadows danced in a dimly lit corner of the room. Emily's skin was burning under the touch of the man before her. The air was heavy with an indescribable sense of ambiguity. Meanwhile, his phone vibrated incessantly at the side, its screen flickering on and off. The person on the other end of the line seemed oblivious to the fact that this man had no time to answer any calls. Inside the room, Emily and Issac sat facing each other. Their gazes met in the soft light, igniting the surrounding air. Emily bit her lip, forcing herself not to appear too eager. Yet, Issac seemed to effortlessly see through her desires. Emily's heart raced, her hands trembling slightly as she slowly opened herself to Issac, surrendering every inch of her skin to his touch. She had once married this man for benefits, but she found herself gradually falling uncontrollably in love with him. He was always indifferent towards h
Emily ended the distressing call, took a moment to collect herself, then pushed open the glass doors of the hospital. A familiar scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, a signature smell of hospitals that always sparked a hint of unease and concern. She navigated the cold hospital tile floors with an experienced ease, making her way to Victor's room. The lights along the corridor were pale and weary, seemingly swallowed by the endless white and the atmosphere of sickness. Arriving at Victor's room, she saw the faint light filtering through the window on the door. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open. Victor was lying on the narrow hospital bed, holding an old, well-used book. As soon as he saw Emily, he immediately put down the book. His body seemed even thinner than the last time they met, his face was paler, and even his lips had lost all color. The bedside monitor beeped rhythmically, marking the cadence of Victor's life, but it was often drow
After the visiting hours had ended, Emily found herself needing to leave Victor's hospital room. The angry call from her mother Helen that morning was still fresh in her mind. Perhaps it was time for her to go home and explain why she had decided to get a divorce. Despite the fact that Helen had never taken on the responsibilities of a mother as Emily grew up, she had provided Emily with the opportunity to secure Victor's first medical payment from Issac when Emily needed money the most. As the one who reminded Emily at the critical moment of Victor's life-threatening situation, suggesting that she could exchange marriage for money to pay medical bills, Emily felt that Helen deserved to know the truth about the divorce. As she opened the front door, Emily was greeted by the sight of Issac standing in the middle of the living room. Dressed in a crisp suit, a confident smile spread across his handsome face as if he had already secured his victory. Emily's heart sank; she didn't want
Issac glanced at his screen, a furrow settling between his brows as he hung up the call, tossing his phone into a drawer.His arm found its way back to Emily’s waist, his fingers trailing over the softness of her skin. However, he was oblivious to the flicker of change in Emily's eyes.The sudden ring of the phone jolted Emily out of her daze. She realized she could not fall for Issac’s sweet nothings again. She couldn't be swayed by his superficial charms any longer. She yearned for real change, for freedom, for dignity.Gently, Emily pushed Issac away. Her fingers traced a light path across his chest before slowly withdrawing. Her eyes, clear and resolved, left Issac a bit stunned. "Issac, I can't go on like this. Our issues can't be resolved with a bouquet of roses or a romantic song. What I need is your genuine respect and understanding, not these superficial tricks."Issac froze, not expecting Emily's resolution. His hand reached out, trying to grasp Emily again, but all he caugh
Emily straightened her posture, her brows furrowed. "Issac," she began, "I've always been utterly weary of the gatherings your family holds. I won't be attending your family banquet anymore." Issac was puzzled. "But aren't you the one who loves these parties? You spend hours choosing outfits and arranging your appearance before every event, and you always voluntarily stay until the very last guest has left." Emily scoffed. "None of that was ever by choice. Your parents insisted that I become the best possible assistant to you, worthy of your status. They demanded that I attend each gathering in my best attire and act as the hostess until the last guest departs." A look of bewilderment filled Issac's eyes, as if he had never heard about these stringent demands Emily had faced in their marriage. Hearing the silence on the other end of the line, Emily didn't feel like explaining further. "I am currently seeking a divorce lawyer. I don't wish to deceive a
"Emily, I heard you're about to be thrown out of the house by Issac?"The small-nosed, blonde girl was Lizzy Pink, a friend of the Lloyd family. Lizzy had always claimed to have grown up with Issac, but Emily had never seen her in any of Issac's childhood photos, nor had Issac ever mentioned her.This wasn't Emily's first encounter with such a situation at a Lloyd‘s party. In fact, her years in this ‘old money class’ had made her quite adept at handling such scenes. She put on a fake smile to respond to Lizzy, "I'm sorry, this is between Issac and me, and it's not appropriate to discuss it with you."Lizzy wrinkled her small, sharp nose, "If you don't tell me now, don't bother. But you'll be thrown out by Isaac soon anyway. I might as well enjoy your sadness in advance."Emily didn't want to waste any more words with Lizzy. She turned to find her employer for the day, Issac. But Lizzy stubbornly clung to her, refusing to let go, "Emily,
Emily could hear the babbling of the classical fountain behind her and feel the air gradually filling up with the scent of fresh greenery. Yet, her eyes were focused solely on the man before her. The sunlight outlined his perfect features in the softest manner as he drew closer. Is this...a kiss?In their years of marriage, they had shared countless kisses, but none had ever made her heart race like this imminent, yet-to-happen one.But they were on the brink of divorce. Should she accept this kiss? Would it sway her decision to end their marriage?Emily was uncertain, yet reluctant to refuse.Just as Emily was debating whether to accept his kiss, Issac decided to take away her chance of refusal and kissed her decisively. His unexpected move caught her off balance, but Issac, quick as ever, wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her firmly against him. Their cheeks pressed together, their lips met in a surprising yet passionate kiss.Emily was
Standing off to the side with his hands hanging down, Issac emanated a somber mood. He cautiously asked, "Emily, do you really want a divorce, do you really want to leave me?”Emily was taken aback, looking at Issac in confusion. She thought she had made it clear that their marriage was irreparable, and their relationship could only end here. "Yes, I've made it very clear," she replied.Issac looked at Emily, his eyes—unreadable to Emily at that moment—fixed on her. ""Are you truly... this angry with me?"Though she couldn't decipher his gaze, Emily felt a profound pressure. She averted his gaze, pursed her lips, and clenched her hands tightly together, as if seeking some form of strength. She silently turn her head and look out the irony gate, where the view appeared chaotic and blurry.But Emily was certain of one thing: she had to reject Issac. She didn't want to wait in the empty home for him to return home, from dusk till dawn. She
Emily turned her gaze from Isaac's abs and said slowly, "We are now locked in this room by Helen. The door and windows are locked. I wanted to break the window and get out."Isaac's face showed a helpless expression, "I promise you, I'm sober now. You don't need to break the window. I don't want you to get hurt."Emily looked at Isaac uncertainly, "Really?"Isaac spread his hands: "I promise you."Emily shook her head: "But we still need to get out. How are we going to spend the night in this room with ONLY ONE BED?"Isaac stepped forward and took Emily's hand that was still holding the lamp, reluctant to put it down.Emily felt the water droplets from his body soaking into her clothes, and she adjusted her body uncomfortably. Isaac patiently persuaded her: "Breaking the window is dangerous, what if we get cut by the glass? Besides, it's so late, where would we run to? Helen must have locked the garage."Emily sighed: "So are we really going to spend the night here?"This room was a g
Emily gazed at Isaac, his face flushed, his eyes brimming with an unusual fervor. She reached out her hand, attempting to sense his body heat, but then realized she should not be too close to him at this moment, so she only dared to ask from a distance, "Isaac, are you alright? Can you stay calm?"Isaac grasped Emily's hand and gently pressed it against his chest, where his heartbeat was strong and forceful. He looked deeply into Emily's eyes, his gaze filled with an urgent desire to express himself. "Emily, can you feel it? This is my heart beating for you, it's stronger than it's ever been."Emily looked at Isaac in surprise, his eyes filled with lust, an expression she hadn't seen since she had proposed divorce. Isaac reached out, wanting to envelop her in his embrace, but she struggled fiercely. However, this only made Isaac exert more force, trapping her in his arms, immobilizing her.Isaac was not content with just holding Emily captive in his arms. He lowered his head, pressing
The laughter was bone-chilling, yet brimming with a cold rationality. It echoed through the vast mansion as if imbued with an uncanny magic, drawing one involuntarily into its spell. Helen's eyes sparkled with a sharp gleam, gazing directly at Issac as if to see through his very soul.Then, she slowly rose to her feet, approached Cici, and leaning down, whispered into her ear, "Cici, listen closely. Do you know why Issac is saying these things? Because he has fallen in love with Emily, and he wants to protect the woman he loves. So, what you must do now is apologize to Emily."Cici looked up in confusion, "Mom, why?" She couldn't understand why her mother, who always favored her, had changed her attitude in an instant.Helen keep whispering, "Only if your sister bears an heir for the Lloyd family can we gain more of Issac's fortune. You are paralyzed; how can you have children?"Cici's face flushed red, and she pounded her wheelchair in frustration.Emily and Issac didn't know what He
"Issac, are you willing to confront your beloved Cici, along with your ex-wife?""Issac, are you prepared to face your beloved Cici, along with your ex-wife?"Issac gently kissed Emily's fingertips, "Firstly, you're still my wife, and secondly, I've never been in love with Cici."Emily withdrew her hand, "Are you going or not?""Of course. I'm curious about how Cici found out about it."Emily waved goodbye, "Alright, see you after work."After work, Emily and Issac arrived at Helen's mansion together. The setting sun outside the door cast golden hues on the cobblestone path, adding to the grandeur and tranquillity of the mansion. They pushed open the intricately decorated door and entered.Emily had never lived in this mansion. While she was busy shuttling between her foster home and her job at the fast-food restaurant, Cici grew up happily here. The mansion was lavishly decorated; walls adorned with famous paintings, chandeliers flickering in the candlelight, and elegant furniture. E
Suddenly, Issac reached out, touching Emily's back. Emily knew this was Issac's way of stopping her from continuing, he hoped to put an end to things there.Emily pretended to be oblivious, continuing to look defiantly at Ola, as if without a definitive answer from Ola, she would never give up.Ola finally couldn't help but say, "Emily, this lady, you've met her before, haven't you?"Emily smirked, "Unfortunately, yes. She's my sister, but she seems to want to marry my husband more than I do."With a sigh, Ola decided not to get involved in the personal feelings between employees. "Ma'am, we trust our employees, but we are also deeply sorry about what happened today. How about I waive your bill for today's visit to the theater, and hope that after you resolve your family issues, you will find time to enjoy our plays again?"Upon hearing Ola's words, Cici's face turned pale. She gripped the armrest of her wheelchair hard, her face contorting in an instant. "You people..." her voice was
"Cici," Emily's voice was calm and indifferent. "The yachts and mansions you speak of have never been mine, they belong to Issac. Living in such luxury every day, I may possess the grandeur you see, but I live in constant fear of losing it all. That's not the life I want."Unperturbed by Cici's provocation, Emily gazed around at the bustling crowd. "Now, I'm using my own hands to create my own life. It may be tough, but it's truly mine. I no longer need to worry about losing anything, because I have the ability to earn everything I need." A sense of satisfaction and pride filled her heart, a feeling she'd never felt before. "Those mansions and yachts, if you like them, they're all yours. I don't need them.""But it seems like you desire those things more than I do. Is it because you know they'll never truly be yours?" Emily straightened her back, adjusted her uniform, and then turned to leave the theater.Cici's complexion turned pale, she wanted to refute Emily, but no words came out
The morning sun illuminated Emily and June's bedroom, rousing them from sleep with the shrill sound of the alarm clock. Emily groggily fumbled to turn off the alarm, rubbing her eyes vigorously. Meanwhile, June rolled directly out of bed, staggering to her feet."Oh, I really don't want to get up for work," June moaned, wide-eyed, looking at Emily."We don't have a choice,” Emily said, climbing out of bed and nudging June into the bathroom as she started to get dressed. “We're broke, we have to earn a living! We need to hurry, June, or we'll be late."As soon as the bathroom door shut, Emily busied herself in the room. She opened the fridge, found two eggs and a pack of sliced bread, immediately shoved the bread into the toaster, and began frying the eggs. By the time June emerged from the bathroom, breakfast would be ready, and Emily could take her turn cleaning up.Emily quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face, then hastily tied her hair into a simple ponytail. After dressing,
Emily looked incredulously at the two men before her. They were acting as if engaged in a primal battle for her attention, the prize being a single date with her. A hint of amusement and resignation danced in her eyes. She could see the confidence etched on Colin's handsome face, as if her refusal was nothing more than a coy test.The other man was silent and tense, head bowed, hands clenched.Emily drew a deep breath. Her gaze sweeping over them with unwavering resolve as she firmly shook her head. "No, I cannot go out with either of you. I need to focus on my work." She tried to make her tone as firm as possible, hoping they would respect her decision.Issac, bluntly rejected, wore an expression of surprise. His eyes roved Emily's face in bewilderment, seeking loopholes in her words. "You're just a crew at the theatre, it shouldn't take too much of your time." His tone was filled with disdain, oblivious to the offensive context of his words.Colin laughed, waving his hand to interru
After enjoying a round of champagne at the bar, the trio felt the night was still young. Thus, they moved to a booth, ordering several more rounds of beer.Under the dim lights of the evening, Emily and Colin sat in the corner of the bar, seemingly detached from the boisterous laughter and the clinking of glasses around them.Colin shared stories about his life as an actor, and June recounted amusing anecdotes from her work in drama production. Meanwhile, Emily remained silent."Emily," Colin's voice was low and resonant, as he looked at her with a smile, "I think we should head home. It's getting late, and I'm afraid I won't be able to drive if we drink any more."Emily glanced at her watch. They had already finished work quite late, and now it was nearing midnight. She nodded, then looked over at June, who was clearly tipsy, her face slightly flushed, her gaze slightly blurred.Colin stood up, extending a hand to help Emily and June to their feet. His palm was large and warm, radiat