When Grace dropped Ava off, she also brought a heap of groceries. There was wine, fresh seafood, and many other things. She had put a lot of thought into the gesture, but I thought little it. After all, it was my money being spent, so I was not feeling particularly grateful. Even now, eighty percent of Tanum Corporation's customers were the ones I had pulled in the early days. It wasn't an exaggeration. I suspected that there was going to be a celebration here tonight.As soon as Ava returned, she rushed into the room and chattered away. She told me how much she missed her grandma. I knew she was trying to cheer me up.My mother-in-law was busy outside, and Henry had been here since the afternoon. I haven't had a good impression of my father-in-law since that day.Today, Matthew got off work early, but Melanie was nowhere to be seen.At the dinner table, Matthew smiled and said our anniversary banquet would be on Friday at the Feusaka Hotel. However, I kept silent and allowed t

To my surprise, I saw that tall figure standing out in the crowd. My heart raced, yet I wanted to avoid him. I felt too embarrassed to face him in such a setting.Matthew spotted Atlas as he entered. He rushed to greet him since today's event was to impress Atlas. I had not seen Nick, but I knew Matthew was anticipating Atlas’s attendance more.They exchanged a handshake. Despite Matthew's courteous words, Atlas maintained his composure. One of Atlas's attendants handed me a gift, but he didn’t pretend to offer congratulatory remarks.Honestly, it made me quite comfortable.Everything was transparent with Atlas. I imagined it would be awkward to put on an act with him. Matthew and Atlas exchanged polite pleasantries while I stood on the sidelines. Someone gently linked their arm with mine. A tender voice inquired, "Chlo, who is this gentleman?"I was taken aback, turning to find Melanie's smiling face. I had never seen such a shameless smile before.Seeing me unresponsive, Matt

He pressed me against the closing door with a resounding thud. A fresh scent filled my nose.I looked up in alarm, and his perfect face was inches from mine. "Let me see where you're hurt.""What do you think you're doing? You're putting me in an awkward position!" "Where are you hurt?" He insisted, completely disregarding what I had just said.I reluctantly brushed the hair from my forehead, revealing the wound. He frowned, and then his eyes turned ominously cold. I had never seen him like this before.I quickly let my hair fall back to cover the wound and feebly said, "It's nothing!"His tone turned icy as he said, "Are you out of your mind? You’re saying a wound this size is nothing? Are you a masochist?"I shot him an incredulous glare but felt an unfathomable sorrow in me.Atlas narrowed his eyes, his voice softening slightly. "Why didn't you call me?"I turned my face slightly away, a touch petulant. "I'm a married woman. What would it mean if I kept calling you? I didn

I discreetly opened the door, slipping out of that private room and back into the main hall.Then I carried on as if nothing had happened, warmly greeting the guests and old clients. The long-time clients had become like family to us, supporting the entire Murphy family over the years.Everyone in the Murphy family was beaming with pride, especially Matthew. He proudly introduced our daughter to the guests, and I shook my head in disbelief.He thought that dressing Ava up like a little lady made her one. I was sure many people were watching the recent social media buzz. However, I hadn't caught a glimpse of Melanie.As Ava sat on her grandmother's lap, people were admiring her. My daughter's angelic beauty captivated everyone. Every time I saw her, my heart melted. If only she could remain this happy forever.Twenty minutes later, my phone rang, and I saw it was Atlas calling. I suddenly felt a mixture of nerves and apprehension. What was this man up to? Why insist on meeting me i

I heard screams and curses from the room across the hall. Flashes from cameras flickered relentlessly. People were still squeezing in.I panicked and lifted my dress as I was swept into the room with the crowd. It was chaotic inside. Two naked bodies curled up, the woman's head buried behind the man, screaming nonstop.The man shielded the naked woman while pointing at the people taking pictures. "All of you get out!"A defiant Lauren stepped on the large blanket that should have been on the bed. Two others were at her side, standing on a pile of clothes.I stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the scene before me. The man was none other than Matthew, who was celebrating our anniversary with me. He was looking great in a sharp suit just moments ago. Now, he was exposed to everyone.The woman was none other than my sister-in-law, Melanie. She was dressed elegantly today, but she was utterly repulsive now.Lauren stood smugly with her arms crossed, directing the chaos. "Keep shootin

My reaction caught Atlas off guard while Ivanna ran over to pick up my crying daughter. She glanced at Atlas and then pulled me away.I was still trembling and vomiting when we reached Ivanna’s place. Since I had nothing to eat before, I could only vomit bile, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.Ava stayed beside me with widened eyes, concerned as she pleaded, “Mommy, go find Daddy!”I held and reassured her, “Be a good girl, okay? Mommy will always be by your side.”I couldn’t bear to tell her she might not have a father anymore. Once I calmed down, I called Adrian and asked him a few questions. Then, I asked Ivanna to help me with some tasks. She was the only one I could trust at that moment.She carried my bag the whole time. When I checked it, I noticed she had taken all my necessities. Afterward, I told her I wanted to go home, which startled her. “Why would you want to do that?”“I meant my home here,” I clarified.When we left Ivanna’s apartment, I was surprised to see At

Matthew had carefully prepared everything in the house, but it was a love nest. However, they never expected me to claim it one day.This place marked the beginning of my new life. I smiled bitterly and considered it a gift from Matthew, not to celebrate our anniversary but as a witness to our impending divorce.Ava was thrilled when I told her this was our new home. She ran around joyfully while I was grateful for children being unaware of the pain that often burdened adults’ hearts.As Ava drifted off to sleep that night, Matthew came over. Although he looked neat, his face was bruised from a beating. Matthew ignored Ivanna and approached me, eventually dropping to his knees. That was the second time he had resorted to begging.I looked at him with disdain and exhaustion, saying, “If you intend to repeat your plea, stop. You can leave now.”“Honey, please don’t say that. Where can I go? I want to be where you are—you’re my home,” Matthew pleaded like a misbehaved child. However,

Everything happened just as I had anticipated. Matthew’s scandal dominated the headlines of every major news outlet. I couldn’t help but admire the clever headlines the publishers created.Sure enough, I couldn’t escape this disaster either. After all, I was also the main character on our wedding anniversary. Although I was the victim, the humiliation was unbearable.The online posts were full of images and truths. One showed us gracefully welcoming our guests in our finest attire, while the other exposed our vulnerabilities. The news had tarnished the Murphys’ reputation.Fortunately, I had moved to Amethyst Apartments. I knew the reporters were searching for me and Matthew.Matthew wanted to say something, but a phone call from his father interrupted him, asking him to return home. Only Ivanna accompanied me when he left.That night, I discovered Lauren was no pushover. After losing her reputation once before, she went all out this time. Lauren vividly described Matthew and his

I was anxious before asking Lauren to meet. However, I was surprised when she readily agreed to meet me. She was already waiting for me when I arrived at our agreed meeting place.The impression she left on me shattered my previous perception of her. She was astute but also forthright and bold. Lauren initiated the conversation, “I didn’t expect you to want to meet me. Regardless of your intentions, I feel I should apologize.”I smiled and responded, “Saying it's okay would seem insincere, and blaming you would be overly dramatic. Your straightforward approach shocked me.”She showed slight helplessness and guilt in her expression. “Thank you for saying that.”Then, she glanced at me awkwardly and said, “I won’t make excuses for myself. I had a soft spot for Matthew, and I won’t deny he’s dashing. So, ultimately, I couldn’t resist that temptation. Still, I never expected him to be such an asshole. He could never take responsibility for his mistakes.”It was my first time hearing a

Melanie’s resilience impressed me, and I thought she was pretty shameless to say such a thing. After all, she was in a humiliating position herself.“Go ahead. I’m sure you never lack good news since you’re so shameless,” I retorted and met Melanie’s gaze.Unexpectedly, Henry spoke, “Stop being stubborn. You’re equally responsible in this situation. Don’t think everyone owes you something!”I stared at him and didn’t know how to respond. Soon after, Matthew entered and saw me holding Ava. He observed everyone’s expressions, then told me, “Let’s go home.”“Matt, why are you in a hurry to leave? I didn’t tell Chloe the good news yet,” Melanie sneered at him, “Do you even want to go home with her now? My child needs a father, too.”My mind went blank, and my head throbbed. I swayed, and Matthew came to support me. “Honey…”I looked at him. "Her child?"Matthew couldn’t bear to look into my eyes, and I realized Melanie’s claim was true. I couldn’t control my emotions as I asked, “Th