One day, while I was working late at the office, Rachel showed up unannounced. She'd been out of work for over half a year, her reputation tarnished beyond repair. No company was willing to take on an employee with her questionable character. Carrying a lunchbox in hand, she approached me with a timid smile."Darling," she said, "I made your favorite—beef brisket. Just take one bite. If you like it, I'll make it for you every day." I pushed the lunchbox aside. "Sorry, but you're in my way. And let me remind you—we're divorced." Her face stiffened, but she pressed on. "But I know you still care about me." "Do I?" I asked, voice flat. "Of course you do. Look, you haven't even started dating anyone else yet!" I couldn't help but let out a cold laugh before turning away.As I walked off, she threw the lunchbox on the floor and yelled at me, "Chris, it was just twice! I only slept with him twice! Is it really such a big deal? I made you your favorite food as an apology, isn't
When Tommy was arrested as a defaulter, Rachel was in the hospital awaiting the birth of her child. Despite everything, he stubbornly refused to sign the divorce papers, leaving Rachel saddled with his mountain of debt. The news reached Rachel just as she gave birth, and in her sorrow and anger, complications arose. She suffered severe bleeding, and her womb had to be removed to save her life. Jessie, overwhelmed by the calamity, brought Rachel and the newborn back home. While sorting through the legal documents to register the child, she stumbled upon Tommy's information, shoved in a forgotten corner. The name on it stopped her cold. Tony Statham. That name was burned into her memory, like a ghost from the past she thought she'd never face again.Years ago, Tony had come to her, pleading for mercy on behalf of his wife, who was also her husband's mistress. He had begged her to spare the unborn child, promising to take his wife and leave the city forever. But Jessie's ange
But traps are always set for the greedy, and greed never lets a man walk away unscathed. Just when he was ready to let things crumble and leave it all to rot, Rachel sought him out again. This time, she came willingly, offering herself once more—but not out of love or remorse. She was greedy and wanted to tease out the truth of how much wealth he might still have hidden away. He played along, forging bank statements and property deeds to make her believe he had a chance at rising from the ashes. Believing his lies, she surrendered herself again, even agreeing to bear his child, all in the hope of securing a future that didn't exist.The cruel reality was that he was drowning in debt. Even the roof over his head was rented, nothing more than a borrowed façade. When Jessie uncovered the truth, she broke down completely, collapsing in a storm of tears. Cradling the child in her arms, her mind wandered back twenty years to the child she'd killed—delicate, innocent, much like this
I bought myself a tube of superglue and went about sealing every last window in the bedroom. Not a crack was left open to the outside world. When I finished sealing the final window, I pulled out my phone and dialed my wife's number. "Rach," I said, calm and steady, "I've got a business trip today. Might be out of town for a couple of days." My wife, Rachel Fraser, gave me a quick reply—so quick she could hardly wait to hang up. Before I knew it, the call was done. I glanced at my phone again, this time at the message from my new employer about my new job. With barely a thought, I sent back a simple reply: [I accept.]A look at the clock told me it was just about time for her to be heading home from work. I packed a few changes of clothes, stuffed them into a suitcase, and wheeled it upstairs into the storage room. That room had one particular advantage: from there, I could see everything happening downstairs, clear as day. I waited. About half an hour later, the sound of
I picked up the clothes and gave them a good look. It was plain as day—they weren't my size. Was Rachel cheating on me? I had thought back then. I couldn't believe my own eyes. My heart was trying to argue otherwise, but the sounds coming from the bedroom told a different story—soft, breathless gasps that left no room for doubt. Rachel was lost in a kind of bliss and it wasn't because of me. I couldn't bear to listen any longer. I couldn't reconcile the Rachel who clung to me every day with the one betraying me now, and in our own home, no less. Quietly, I set the clothes back where I found them. My hand reached for the scissors on the table, and with my resolve hardening, I moved toward the bedroom door, ready to kick it open. Just then, the phone inside the room started ringing. I heard a man's voice pause mid-sentence. My boss? I couldn't have mistaken that voice if I had tried. It was Tommy Statham, my Avencia-born employer, speaking in his broken but unmistakable
In the end, I couldn't bring myself to kick down that door. When I stepped out of the house, clutching my documents, my manager, Randy Beckham was already fussing at me. "Chris, hurry up! The investors will be here any minute. By the way, have you heard from Tommy? I've been trying to reach him, but his phone's been off. Do you know where he is?" I glanced back toward the house, then down at the contract in my hand. "No idea. I haven't been able to reach him either." Randy was Rachel's cousin. In fact, he was the one who had brought us together in the first place. Seeing the contract in my hand, his face lit up with satisfaction. "I told you, didn't I? I've got a good eye for people. You've got potential, kid. Seal this deal, and the manager's chair in the sales department is yours. Rachel will be thrilled, too."I smiled faintly and said nothing. Over the past few years, I had worked myself to the bone trying to prove my worth. Early mornings, late nights—the money I ea
Today was the fifth time they made out at my home. Rachel, with practiced ease, switched her phone to airplane mode and resumed her little sexy time with Tommy. I had thought, just for a moment, of trying to win her back, to pull her away from this man and reclaim her for myself. But the truth was bitter—she had no regard for me at all. She'd even asked Tommy to have me assigned to out-of-town projects, making it more convenient for their affair to continue unimpeded. Tommy, impatient and unrelenting, tore at her clothes, stripping them off piece by piece and tossing them carelessly onto the living room floor. Rachel, breathless and flushed, clung to his neck with one hand while deftly undoing his belt with the other. I watched as Tommy, now cradling Rachel in his arms, carried her hurriedly toward the bedroom. She clung to him, naked, her lips pressed to his neck in a trail of kisses. Occasionally, she leaned into his ear, whispering something inaudible from my vantage
My mother-in-law, Jessie Fraser, was the backbone of their family. Though there were many brothers and sisters, she had always held the final say in the household. Jessie's only blemish was the time her husband had been caught cheating, a betrayal she had caught him in the act of, and she'd thrown him out after forcing him to witness the miscarriage of the child from his affair. Even though the child wasn't her husband's, she'd put up with a lot, but her strength had seen her through. Over the years, raising Rachel alone had been exhausting, but it was steady work. She also had a boyfriend—one she'd never married. When she heard that her daughter might be having suicidal thoughts, she quickly devised a hundred ways to punish me. In her mind, if a woman was upset, the man was usually to blame. Within half an hour of my call, she stormed into my house with a host of aunts, uncles, and a few cousins. "Chris, where's my daughter?"I saw Jessie charging in, and hurried to meet
But traps are always set for the greedy, and greed never lets a man walk away unscathed. Just when he was ready to let things crumble and leave it all to rot, Rachel sought him out again. This time, she came willingly, offering herself once more—but not out of love or remorse. She was greedy and wanted to tease out the truth of how much wealth he might still have hidden away. He played along, forging bank statements and property deeds to make her believe he had a chance at rising from the ashes. Believing his lies, she surrendered herself again, even agreeing to bear his child, all in the hope of securing a future that didn't exist.The cruel reality was that he was drowning in debt. Even the roof over his head was rented, nothing more than a borrowed façade. When Jessie uncovered the truth, she broke down completely, collapsing in a storm of tears. Cradling the child in her arms, her mind wandered back twenty years to the child she'd killed—delicate, innocent, much like this
When Tommy was arrested as a defaulter, Rachel was in the hospital awaiting the birth of her child. Despite everything, he stubbornly refused to sign the divorce papers, leaving Rachel saddled with his mountain of debt. The news reached Rachel just as she gave birth, and in her sorrow and anger, complications arose. She suffered severe bleeding, and her womb had to be removed to save her life. Jessie, overwhelmed by the calamity, brought Rachel and the newborn back home. While sorting through the legal documents to register the child, she stumbled upon Tommy's information, shoved in a forgotten corner. The name on it stopped her cold. Tony Statham. That name was burned into her memory, like a ghost from the past she thought she'd never face again.Years ago, Tony had come to her, pleading for mercy on behalf of his wife, who was also her husband's mistress. He had begged her to spare the unborn child, promising to take his wife and leave the city forever. But Jessie's ange
One day, while I was working late at the office, Rachel showed up unannounced. She'd been out of work for over half a year, her reputation tarnished beyond repair. No company was willing to take on an employee with her questionable character. Carrying a lunchbox in hand, she approached me with a timid smile."Darling," she said, "I made your favorite—beef brisket. Just take one bite. If you like it, I'll make it for you every day." I pushed the lunchbox aside. "Sorry, but you're in my way. And let me remind you—we're divorced." Her face stiffened, but she pressed on. "But I know you still care about me." "Do I?" I asked, voice flat. "Of course you do. Look, you haven't even started dating anyone else yet!" I couldn't help but let out a cold laugh before turning away.As I walked off, she threw the lunchbox on the floor and yelled at me, "Chris, it was just twice! I only slept with him twice! Is it really such a big deal? I made you your favorite food as an apology, isn't
The company group chat and family group chat exploded like a beehive hit with a stick. Before Tommy even reached the office, his dirty laundry had already spread like wildfire. The company was already struggling—poor performance coupled with malicious competition had driven away most of its partners. Now, in this gossip-fueled society, his scandal spread far and wide. For the sake of their reputation, most remaining collaborators decided to cut ties and return their shipments. The company was plunged into a dire financial crisis. Meanwhile, Fiona used her legal expertise to transfer the bulk of their marital assets elsewhere. Despite Tommy's repeated pleas, she left without a backward glance. Desperate to cover the company's losses, he had no choice but to sell his one remaining property. Alas, it was nothing but a drop in the ocean. While Tommy floundered, I joined a new company. Strangely enough, my situation earned my new firm a sliver of sympathy online, turning it into a
Desmond sensed the storm brewing and quickly backed out of the room. He caught sight of my phone, still recording the video, and scratched his head awkwardly. "Ah, uh, Chris, about that video… maybe just delete it, yeah? I, uh… I think I'll be heading off now." I let out a cold chuckle and tapped save on the video. Without a moment's hesitation, I sent it to both the company group chat and the family group chat, then promptly exited them both. With an air of manufactured fury, I stormed out of the bedroom and collapsed onto the sofa, burying my head in my hands. "Get on your knees and apologize to Chris!"The voice cut through my thoughts as Jessie pulled Rachel out of the bedroom. Rachel, draped in an ill-fitting garment—clearly borrowed—shuffled toward me, trembling. "Darling, please, you've got to believe me," she stammered, her voice breaking. "Tommy and I… it was nothing but a fleeting mistake! I swear, you're the one I love… it's just, well, the window wouldn't open
Just as Fiona hammered away at the door with unrelenting force, the sound of approaching footsteps made everyone pause. Randy entered, followed by Desmond from the tech department.Now, Desmond wasn't your average locksmith. His skills were legendary—he'd once cracked reinforced security doors at high-tech laboratories. Compared to that, my bedroom door might as well have been a flimsy wooden crate. He was about to start picking the lock when he hesitated and cast a cautious glance at me. I stared back at him, confused. "It's all right, Desmond," I said. "If the door gets broken in the process, I won't hold you accountable for it." Desmond shook his head. "It's not that, young man. In my line of work, I've learned to be extra careful. This is a private residence, and I need solid proof I was authorized to break in. Otherwise, if someone accuses me of trespassing or vandalism, I could end up in hot water." "We're all witnesses! You've got nothing to worry about," Margaret and J
Jessie slammed the phone down on the sofa."Fiona, I told you long ago that your husband was bad news! Didn't I warn you to keep an eye on him? How could you let this happen? He's old enough to be my daughter's father, and now he's coming after my girl!"Fiona fired back without hesitation. "What are you talking about? This is your daughter's house. If she hadn't invited him in, how would Tommy have even gotten the chance? Look at the way she's dressed—what's the difference between that and a prostitute?""You take that back, right now!" Jessie yelled, her face red with fury. "Say it again, and I'll rip your mouth off!""I'm not wrong. Look at her attitude. She acts all high and mighty, but I never realized just how trashy she really is!" Fiona snapped.Jessie wasn't having it. "And you're defending Tommy? Do you even know how old he is? He could be her father! And you're telling me he's innocent in all this?"Jessie lunged at Fiona, grabbing her hair. The two women went at it, t
"They're here, they're here! I've received the video footage!" At Betsy's shout, everyone rushed over. Margaret gave me a sharp, resentful glance, as if to say, "Just you wait!" I picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. Before I could even set the cup back down, Jessie slapped the phone out of Betsy's hand. "What's this nonsense? A fake, I bet. How can this be Rachel? Betsy, have you been bribed by Chris? This is fake, isn't it?" Betsy, looking defiant, replied, "What are you talking about? This is the footage my friend sent me from the fixed surveillance. It can't be wrong and it sure can't be fake!" "Well, it's wrong then! Look again, that's Rachel in it!"Betsy snatched the phone back. "You're right. That's Rachel! So that means Rachel is the one who's cheating! Look at what she's wearing—doesn't that match what was on the sofa?" It was true. Rachel wasn't the type to wear such flashy clothes—red tight skirts and black stockings. Not to mention Jessie, e
A few days ago, I did indeed ask Betsy to help me with fixing the surveillance cameras. It was Rachel who had broken them, and she'd been putting off repairing them for ages. When she wasn't looking, I took the cameras down and gave them to Betsy, asking her to find someone to fix them. The plan was simple: to let Rachel see the footage. And sure enough, she fell right into the trap. I grabbed the phone and tried to explain, "No, this isn't…" Slap! Jessie slapped me in the face. "Chris, why won't you admit it!" I struggled to explain, "Mom, I really didn't do this!" "Not you? Who else could it be? Are you saying Rachel was the one who was cheating? I've seen all her clothes and I know the clothes in the photos aren't hers! Look at these black stockings, and this skirt—do you really think she would wear those? "Chris, when you married her, what did you promise? Now you're cheating on her—do you even remember your vows? "No wonder Rachel is having suicidal thoughts!