"Anna, are you sure you want to recommend Riley for the Kentran Top-Secret Research Project? It lasts a decade, and you two will be separated for a long time," the person in charge of the project looked at me with shock and doubt in his eyes.

Riley and I were known to be the model couple in the company. The story of how he had almost drained all his blood to save me was still something our colleagues talked about here.

I looked at the footage from the security camera on my phone, where Riley and Nelly were sleeping together.

I nodded resolutely.

"Of course. I want the separation."

Since Riley had chosen to betray me, he had to pay the price of losing me.

As I walked out of the director's office, I ran into a few colleagues who greeted me with smiles and congratulations.

"Anna, congratulations! Looks like we'll be drinking at your wedding with Riley soon!"

"I heard Riley went to every florist in Citadel just to fill the whole place with your favorite May Bell flowers."

"Flowers are nothing. Back when we were doing a project in the Drylands, Riley risked his life to save her when she was injured and bleeding severely."

Their envy was obvious. I was feeling a little dazed as I touched the diamond ring on my finger.

A month ago, Riley Hershey had proposed to me. He had spent over three months planning the whole proposal himself, from the venue to every detail of the ceremony. I had been moved to tears as everyone stood as our witness.

He had even promised my parents and said, "Anna Hart, I will love you for the rest of my life. My blood flows in your veins… We're meant to be together forever. I'll never betray you."

At that moment, I really thought I would be happy forever. But the very next day, when I woke up, I found a strange earring under my pillow.

Riley's junior, Nelly Jones, then posted a picture of the earring on her Facebook on the same day, saying it was a gift from her crush and that she had lost the other one.

I didn't tell Riley. Instead, I reconnected the security camera to our bedroom. He had installed it himself when there had been a series of break-ins in Citadel, and he had been worried about something happening to me when I was alone at home.

The irony was that I was now using it to catch him cheating.

A few days later, I was asked to work overtime. My phone suddenly got a notification from the camera. When I checked, I saw Riley and Nelly naked in bed together.

Nelly had her arms around Riley's neck, pouting. "Be with me, Riley."

Riley, who was panting, suddenly froze as his eyes turned cold. "Wake up. I'll only ever love Anna. I told you. This is just for fun. Once I marry Anna, we'll stop seeing each other."

Nelly burst into tears. "I was greedy and fell for you. Are you really going to be this heartless?"

As soon as he saw her cry, Riley pulled her into his arms to comfort her. Soon, they were tangled together again, with those all-too-familiar sounds.

My hand trembled as I held my phone, tears blurring my vision. I could barely breathe as the crushing pain seemed to grip my heart.

By the time I got home after work, Nelly was already gone. Riley came out of the kitchen carrying a steaming bowl of pear pudding cake. "You must be exhausted from working late. Come wash up and have some supper."

When he saw my red, swollen eyes, he panicked, his face full of concern. "Anna, what happened to your eyes? Did someone hurt you?"

When I didn't say anything, he grabbed his phone, ready to call and confront my coworkers.

I stopped him. "No one bullied me. I just watched a movie tonight. The male lead kept saying he loved the female lead, but in the end, he betrayed her. I just felt bad for her."

Riley let out a huge sigh of relief. "Anna, movies aren't real. I would never let you get hurt."

"Riley, if one day, you stop loving me, just tell me. We can break up," I said.

He pouted and hugged me tightly. "Anna, I'll never leave you."

My eyes were filled with sadness as I smelled the scent of Nelly's perfume on his collar. I had given him a chance, but he hadn't confessed.

For the next month, whenever I worked late, my phone would buzz with more camera alerts.

Maybe because the wedding was getting closer, they became even more reckless.

My coworker's excited voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Anna, Riley spoils you so much. He sends you flowers even on weekends when you work late."

I looked up to see the receptionist placing a huge bouquet of May Bells on my desk.

Just then, a message from Riley popped up on my phone. "Anna, do you like the flowers? Wait for me, and I'll pick you up after work."

A mocking smile spread on my lips.

This wasn't a gift. This was just compensation for the guilt he was feeling after betraying me. I had been moved by his surprises so many times, but now, I wondered how much of it was genuine and how much of it was him making up for a guilty conscience after he had cheated on me with another woman.

After work, Riley was waiting in his car for me.

When he saw me come out, he got out immediately, opened the door for me, shielded my head as I got in, and then leaned in to buckle my seatbelt. My coworkers whistled and teased at the doorway, joking that Riley and I were living out a romance drama every day.

Riley waved at them, then got in and started the car. "Anna, the wedding dress I designed myself has arrived. Let's stop by the bridal shop today so you can try it on. If anything doesn't fit, we still have time to fix it."

I nodded.

Before I could get Riley out of my life, I had to keep pretending nothing was wrong. I had to play my role until the finale.

As we entered the bridal shop, Riley suddenly froze in place.

I followed his gaze.

Nelly was wearing a satin off-the-shoulder wedding dress, the neckline covered in white May Bells, and a thin veil on her head. Riley's face instantly darkened. "Why is the wedding dress I ordered on her?"

A nervous shop assistant quickly explained, "Sir, this lady gave your name at the counter, so we thought she was the bride and let her try on the dress."

I looked at Nelly.

"Do you think wearing a wedding dress means you can marry whoever you want?" A hint of guilt flashed through Riley's eyes as he snapped at Nelly, "Hurry up and take it off. Who do you think you are to wear Anna's wedding dress?"

"I was just trying it on for Anna, it doesn't mean anything…" Nelly's eyes reddened as she ran into the changing room in tears.

When we finally got the dress, the stitching at the waist was torn open, and the neckline was smeared with bright lipstick. Riley tried to comfort me as he said, "The dress is ruined now. I'll design a new one for you."

I was about to tell him not to bother when my boss called. There was a project that needed to be rushed.

Riley drove me back to the office.

Late that night, just as I finished my work, my phone rang suddenly.

It was the emergency center at the hospital. "Hello, are you a family member of Mr. Dennis Hart and Madam Melinda Smith? They were in a serious car accident and are in the emergency room. Please come as soon as possible."

I hung up, unable to believe what I had just heard. How could my parents be in a car accident in the middle of the night?

Panicking, I opened my ride-hailing app, but our office was so remote that no drivers were available.

I ran out of the building, calling Riley repeatedly for over twenty times, but not a single answer.

I suddenly spotted Riley's car across the street, out on the road.

The car was rocking slightly.

Through the window, I could see Nelly, still wearing my wedding dress, tangled up with Riley, and he looked completely absorbed. My name lit up on his phone screen, but he ignored it.

I could scarcely believe it as I bit my lip, holding back from making any sound as the taste of blood exploded in my mouth.

I didn't know how long I ran along the street before I finally found a cab, but when I reached the hospital, it was already too late. My parents were gone. I never got to see them one last time.

The medical staff handed me their phones.

When I unlocked one, the screen paused on a text message. Through the cracked screen, I tapped a video inside the message.

It was a video of Riley and Nelly sleeping together.

Nelly had sent it to my mom out of revenge for what had happened at the bridal shop.

As it turned out, my parents had gone out that night to confront Riley for me. When Riley finally arrived at the hospital, I was just sitting blankly in the hallway.

I had already cried myself numb, and my mind was empty. My ears couldn't hear anything.

Riley's lips moved in front of me. It was a long time before his voice reached me. "Anna, it's okay. You still have me. I'll always be by your side. I promised your parents to take good care of you."

When Riley saw the look in my eyes change, he pulled me tightly into his arms.

"It's my fault. I fell asleep and missed your calls. I'm sorry, Anna. Please don't cry. It breaks my heart to see you like this."

He was still lying. He had been with Nelly in the car, and he had surely seen my calls. If he hadn't cheated, my parents wouldn't have died.

Riley, I can't take your love anymore.

The floor was icy cold that night. Riley helped me onto a bench and said he was going to get me a cup of water. As soon as he left, the doctor came to find me for the hospital bills.

On my way to the payment window, I caught sight of two familiar figures by the emergency exit. Through the gaps in the doors, I saw Nelly with her arms around Riley's waist. "Riley, I just found out I'm pregnant."

"Didn't I tell you to take the medicine? You need to get rid of it. You can't keep this baby," Riley said.

Nelly's eyes filled with tears. "I know it's impossible for us to be together. After you get married, we'll have to cut off all contact. But the baby is innocent. I know Anna can't get pregnant… This is your only child. I hope you'll accept this baby. When I give birth, let Anna be his mother, and he can stay with you in my place."

Hearing how meek Nelly was acting, Riley's harsh tone softened. "If you really mean it, I'll take responsibility for the baby. But Anna will be the baby's only mother. I'll give you money to make it up to you."

"I don't want money. I simply love you too much," Nelly said, tiptoeing to press her lips to his. They held each other tightly.

Watching them, I felt completely numb inside.

When I came back from paying the bills, Riley was wandering the hallway with a cup of water, looking for me. "Anna, where did you go?"

Noticing me staring at his mouth, Riley wiped his lips, leaving a smudge of red on his hand. He quickly tried to explain, "I ate some pomegranate just now and forgot to wipe my mouth."

What a bad lie. But I didn't call him out this time. "I'm tired. I just want to be alone tonight. I'm going back to my parents' place."

I called a taxi by myself.

Riley didn't try to stop me. He still had to clean up all the traces in his own car. However, he did tail me all the way home.

He watched me go inside before sending me a message. "Anna, I'll be downstairs all night. Call me if you need anything."

I didn't leave the apartment for three days.

Riley stayed downstairs the whole time.

On the day of my parents' funeral, Riley handled everything as their future son-in-law. He knelt in front of their headstones. "Dad, Mom, I promise I'll take care of Anna. I swear I'll be good to her for the rest of my life. Don't worry, I'll always be by her side."

I stood behind him, watching coldly.

But Riley, what could you use as a guarantee for your promise?

You are the reason my parents are dead.

That afternoon, I got another alert from the security camera. At the same time, Riley's phone chimed with a message.

I opened the camera feed.

In the video, Nelly was lying on my bed in my pajamas, posing seductively for the camera.

I looked up at Riley.

He was swiping his phone with his right hand, gulping in saliva as his whole body tensed up. He loosened his tie with his left hand.

Riley put his phone down and looked at me. "Anna, you haven't eaten all day. I'll go buy you something."

Without waiting for my answer, he hurried out.

Moments later, I saw him on the camera feed. "Are you crazy?! Anna's parents just died. I need to be with her. I'm not in the mood to see you."

Nelly pouted but still pressed herself against him with a pitiful look on her face as she said, "I'm doing this because I like you. You must be tired recently. I just want you to have some proper rest…"

But Riley suddenly shoved her away.

Nelly wasn't prepared and fell off the side of the bed, knocking over a pot of plants on the table. The red light of the camera caught their attention.

Riley suddenly raised his voice as he yelled, "When did this camera get turned back on?!"