I nodded.Selena sat down and looked uneasy. She was no longer as hostile as she was at the door earlier. “You’re just as Joseph said.” Selena spoke slowly. “I understood right away when I saw you today. Why is he so bewitched by you? It’s because you’re both gentle and strong.”“What’s the matter? Do you think I feel like dying because of his affair?” I calmly replied as if it had nothing to do with me. “I kept pestering him. I know that you’re the only one he ever cares about. I secretly put on the ring for him, which drove him mad. He’s such a proud man, but he cried like a child when he told me that you no longer wanted him.“He doesn’t want me now, even though I’m pregnant with his child. How could he be so cruel? He asked me to abort our child without hesitation.” Selena cried in front of me, but I felt nothing while I listened to her.“I’m so jealous of you, Yulia. He loves you intensely. I hid his ring when he got drunk once. He doesn’t want to see me, so I’ll let you
I valued the ten years I had spent with Joseph Lynch, but it all seemed like a joke. It had been a year since he started dating a woman named Selena Jones. Meanwhile, I was sitting in bed in some ill-fitting undergarments.The sound of water ceased in the bathroom. After that, Joseph casually wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out. “Oh, Yulia. You already put it on.” Joseph smiled and spoke naturally. But I did not miss the panic that flashed briefly in his eyes.“Joe, we’ve been together for such a long time. Don’t you know my size?” I feigned calmness as I replied and suppressed my desire to cry.“It’s our tenth anniversary today. I got too excited and bought you the wrong size.” Joseph leaned over with a gentle look and kissed me softly. “But everything looks nice on you.” His kiss gradually deepened, and he easily slipped off my undergarments. “Yulia,” he muttered.“Joe, I’m tired from all the fun today. I want to rest.” When I said that, I could see him breathe a
“Joe, thank you for taking such great care of me.” I accepted the glass of milk and drank it all.“It’s nothing. I want to care for you my entire life.” Joseph smiled sincerely. I kept my head lowered in an effort to hide the sadness in my eyes. I made an excuse to wash up in the bathroom. Then, I vomited all the milk that I had drunk. But I purposely left the milk stains on my lips and staggered back to bed. “Yulia?” After a long while, Joseph called out to me tentatively and wiped away the stains on my lips. I pretended to be sound asleep.Before long, someone gently knocked on the door. I already knew who it was. “What are you doing here?” Joseph sounded dissatisfied and rebuked the visitor softly.“Didn’t you promise? I came to check on you.” I could sense that person entering the room. “Don’t worry. Yulia’s very receptive toward sleeping pills. She dozes off soon after she takes them,” Joseph gently explained. “Why do you know her so well?” Selena complained. She was
“Let’s go back to the room,” Joseph suggested hoarsely.In the next second, someone approached me and quickly took off my clothes. I was hit by the cold.“You bought these for me. Why is she wearing them?”“Go back, Selena!” Joseph suddenly scolded her. I was shocked. It seemed like Selena was gone as Joseph sat on the edge of my bed.He helped me put on a pair of comfortable and fitting pajamas. Then, he tucked me in and kissed my forehead. After that, he walked out and closed the door behind him. He would not be back the entire night.I opened my eyes and told myself that his infidelity was not my fault. Yet, bitterness still gripped me. I cried, and my tears rolled down to my lips. They had been together for a year. They first got together on my ninth-year anniversary with Joseph.In fact, Joseph had been missing for a week a day before that. My friends told me that he was going to propose. Being in love, I was full of joy.When I went shopping at a jewelry shop, a sale
I snuggled up in bed and flipped through all the photos I had with Joseph. They were all happy group photos.I did not understand why he would stop loving me for no reason.I cried until I had difficulty breathing and my eyes ran out of tears. I kept recalling the happy times we had together. But my excruciating pain reminded me that it was all in the past. Soon after, I got up and changed my clothes. I did not want to stay there anymore.My suite was on the top floor, so I could see the brightest star through the roof. There were only two such suites on the whole floor. When leaving, I had to pass by another suite.“Joe, do I look good?” They were probably leaning close to the door. Hence, I could hear their voices vaguely. “Look in the mirror,” Joseph said.I was rooted to the spot, and I felt numb all over. My fingers kept trembling as my mind urged me to open that door. However, I was too timid to do so.In the end, I wandered alone outside on that silent winter night
Catherine gave me a hard slap and glared at me. “You’re such a letdown! You’ve been through so many hardships with him over the years. Now that he’s rich, you’re leaving him?!”I was twenty-six years old. Joseph was still a nobody when I started dating him.I stayed by his side as he started his business and attended social gatherings to get orders. Back then, I drank so much wine that I suffered from internal bleeding in my stomach. “Yulia, don’t push yourself like that. I’m begging you.” At that time, Joseph got down on his knees beside my hospital bed and cried. However, he was under more pressure than me. “Joe, things will get better for us.” When life was at its most difficult, Joseph carved us a pair of rings. We hugged each other under the fireworks as if we could see a lifetime of happiness ahead. As for that ring, I wore it for many years. Unfortunately, it was full of blemishes despite my efforts to take care of it.I ignored Catherine, and she finally calmed down.
“I’m sorry that you got hurt because of me.” Joseph seemed to sympathize with me. He held my hand and led me back to my room. But he was stunned to see my half-packed luggage.“Yulia, what are you doing?” He looked at me nervously. “Oh, my favorite artist is going to hold an exhibition in Jade City. I’d like to go there and learn something,” I said calmly. The exhibition was real, but I had no plans to go there. “How many days will you be gone?” Joseph relaxed and asked with concern.“At least three days. This is a rare opportunity, so I want to stay there for a few days.” I looked at Joseph calmly. It turned out that once I felt the greatest pain, I would become numb to it. Joseph applied some ointment on my face, and I caught a glimpse of a love bite on the back of his neck. It looked like he had no intention of hiding it.“I had some urgent affairs at the company last night, Yulia. I couldn’t wake you up since you were sound asleep.” He placed an ice pack on my swollen face
“No, you’ve gotten it wrong, Yulia! I’ve had to attend various important occasions lately, so I’ve needed something else to match my look. I didn’t forget about our rings.” Joseph was still trying to defend himself.I once asked him to put on another ring when his business started growing. Our ring did not really match his outfit.However, he insisted on wearing it. He wanted to tell everyone that I was his beloved woman and future wife.Unfortunately, it did not take long for him to stop bringing me into his social circle. He also spoke ambiguously when it came to his relationship status.I was fine with it because I trusted him. But after my recent discovery, I found my life with him a joke. “Yulia, stop crying. I don’t want this ring; I want ours.” Joseph took off his ring and threw it into the trash can. Getting flustered, he tried searching for his old ring.After a long while, he sat before me in disappointment as if he had made a mistake.I looked at him coldly, but I co
I nodded.Selena sat down and looked uneasy. She was no longer as hostile as she was at the door earlier. “You’re just as Joseph said.” Selena spoke slowly. “I understood right away when I saw you today. Why is he so bewitched by you? It’s because you’re both gentle and strong.”“What’s the matter? Do you think I feel like dying because of his affair?” I calmly replied as if it had nothing to do with me. “I kept pestering him. I know that you’re the only one he ever cares about. I secretly put on the ring for him, which drove him mad. He’s such a proud man, but he cried like a child when he told me that you no longer wanted him.“He doesn’t want me now, even though I’m pregnant with his child. How could he be so cruel? He asked me to abort our child without hesitation.” Selena cried in front of me, but I felt nothing while I listened to her.“I’m so jealous of you, Yulia. He loves you intensely. I hid his ring when he got drunk once. He doesn’t want to see me, so I’ll let you
If I opened the door too late, Silas and Joseph would start fighting. “Oh, Mr. Lynch. Shouldn’t you be with that female college student?” Silas hinted as Joseph quietly stood where he was.Silas, who had just returned to the country, was aware of his affair. The people in their circle were aware of it too.No wonder those in the company glanced at me strangely the few times I went there. I did not know if I was too slow or if Joseph did an excellent job keeping it a secret. I did not hear any rumors the entire year.“Let’s go.” I pushed my luggage out, and Silas naturally took it from me.“Yulia, where are you going with him?” Joseph tried to grab my hand. However, Silas blocked him and shielded me. He laughed sarcastically and said, “She can go wherever she wants. You’re not her husband. You have no right to meddle in her business.”His words seemed to trigger Joseph, whose eyes turned red. “Yulia, please give me another chance. We’ll get married right away. I’ll give you
“Yulia, don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.” Joseph was on his knees as he begged me nonstop. He had begun to tear up.“Joseph, I once yearned to marry you and start a family with you.” I wiped away my tears and calmly watched as he broke down. “But you know that we can never go back to the way things were.” I sounded relieved.Loyalty was the most important principle to me. Joseph was rooted to the spot. He looked at me desperately and sobbed as he said my name. “Get out. Stop looking for me,” I said weakly. I was exhausted.“Yulia, are you sick? Let me take you to the hospital.” Joseph looked at me with concern. “Just leave. I don’t want to see you again. We were together for a long time, so I don’t want things to get too ugly. Let’s end things here, Joseph.”“Yulia…” I pushed him to the door and coldly said, “Stop saying my name. It disgusts me.”Then, I closed the door and collapsed on the floor. Finally, I stopped holding my tears back. That night, I gave Silas a
I struggled, but he hugged me tighter. His heavy breathing hit my face, and I subconsciously turned away. I instinctively resisted his touch as well. “Yulia!” Joseph frowned and looked at me as if I had hurt and abandoned him.“Joseph, what’s the meaning of this?” I stared at him coldly and spoke with self-mockery.“What are you talking about, Yulia?” Joseph was confused. “Don’t you know what you’ve done? I’m sure Selena’s trying to show off by leaving that mark on the back of your neck,” I said icily. The remaining love I had for him vanished instantly. “How did you…?” Joseph looked at me in disbelief as he panicked. “How did I learn about it? Hmph!” I watched him quietly and laughed as I feigned indifference. Even so, I ended up crying. I exhausted myself to push him away and sobbed. “You guys got together on our ninth anniversary. On our tenth anniversary, you guys made love in the next room. Joseph, I’m not heartless. If you don’t love me, I won’t force you to either.
“You…” Silas was speechless, and he sipped some water. “I recently returned to the country, and I just want to get to know you today. You’re… outstanding. I’m not here to argue with you about what happened.”“You can put the whole thing behind us. I left the industry long ago. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.” “Why don’t you give it another try? Don’t you want to be back to your outstanding self?” His words left me rooted to the spot. “This is my business card. If you’re interested, you can come to my company.” Silas handed me his business card in a serious manner. It turned out that he was the president of Scott Group, the most powerful company in the industry. “Why? Mr. Scott, I’m sure you know all kinds of talented people. Why do you want to hire me?” “I’m the boss. I can hire whoever I want.” Silas stood up and faced me. I might have imagined it, but his ears seemed to be turning red. I was staying in a hotel room for the time being. When I got back, I threw his bus
“I’ve put that behind me now. Gradually, I realized that I could lead a better life without him. So, I spend my days doing whatever I want.”“Thank you, Ms. Scott.” I smiled and felt more relaxed.Xyra gently looked at me and drove me to a restaurant.“Yulia, go in and say my name. Someone’s waiting for you. You have to go in there.” Xyra blinked at me and pushed me into the restaurant.I told the waiter Xyra’s name before I was led to the best spot to enjoy the scenery. I had been to that restaurant before but this particular spot was very hard to reserve. Even Joseph found it difficult.“Ms. Levine, we meet again.” The man at the table was the same one I had met in the hospital earlier. I was baffled. He politely asked me to have a seat and handed me the menu. “I’m Silas Scott. I asked my sister to bring you here. I hope I didn’t offend you earlier.” He looked at me with a smile.“Nice to meet you, Mr. Scott.” I looked at him in confusion because I did not know him. “I’
When I went outside to hail a cab, someone stopped me. “Yulia Levine?”I turned to see a noble and graceful lady walking toward me. She looked a little familiar, but I could not recall who she was for a moment. “It’s you!” She seemed ecstatic to see me. “You don’t remember me? I’m Xyra Scott. A few years ago, we participated in a bidding together. Your company was just established at that time. I admired you a lot.”“Hello, Ms. Scott,” I greeted Xyra politely. Several years ago, Joseph and I managed the company together. But once the company grew, Joseph became reluctant about letting me go there.He kept persuading me to leave the workplace, and I agreed to it eventually. “Why haven’t I heard anything about you these past few years? The man you were with, Joseph, seems to be doing so well.”“I left the workplace a few years ago.”“What a pity! Given your wisdom, you could have made a name for yourself in the field,” Xyra said regretfully. “Why don’t we grab a bite?” she as
I tilted my head to look at him, and he mirrored my actions. His eyes were extremely charming when he smiled.I ignored him and quietly put my phone away. Coincidentally, it was already my turn.After my checkup, the doctor told me that I was more than one month pregnant. The only time we did not use any precautions was about a month ago. Although I was mentally prepared for this, I found it unacceptable.Joseph and I could no longer go back to the way things were. I could never bear his child.“Just abort it,” I said expressionlessly and suppressed the little reluctance in my heart.“What?” The doctor looked at me with surprise. “I’d like to abort the child now,” I repeated myself. “It’s rare to see someone give up their child so calmly and resolutely.” The doctor glanced at me and added, “But if the father isn’t worthy of you bearing his child, it pains me to see you in this position. We can begin preparations for the operation after your checkup.”“Thank you.”My next c
I left with my small luggage. Before I started searching for a suitable house, I needed to confirm one thing.So, I went to the hospital. As I waited for my turn, I suddenly thought about checking the surveillance system at home.Joseph and I had rescued a stray cat and brought it home a few years ago. We set up a surveillance system in the house because we were worried about it. I lost my cat a year ago, but we did not remove the surveillance system. The footage showed Joseph opening the door for Selena. It looked like he could not wait to see her.Right then, tears blurred my vision again. I was heartbroken.“Don’t bring the cat into the house. Yulia will find out.” Joseph blocked Selena at the door and sounded serious. He would not take no for an answer. “Didn’t you tell me you had a white cat before? My cat is white too. I thought you’d like it.” Selena sounded hurt and on the verge of tears.“I just like the cat I had with Yulia. Leave yours in the yard, and don’t bring i