Marion smiled shyly at the teasing comments, but her eyes turned red.

Her fingers were hidden beneath the table, gripping the fabric of her skirt so tightly to the point even I was worried that she could not hold back her tears.

Anyway, only I noticed how Rowan had been on edge the entire time. The polite smile he wore did not reach his eyes. His hand around the wine glass tightened with such force that his knuckles turned pale.

It was as though he were suppressing something that threatened to break free.

After the banquet ended, Rowan and I walked out together. He draped a coat over my shoulders and held my hand.

Yet, his unease was impossible to miss as we made our way to the car.

After getting in the car, he seemed distracted. My husband hesitated for a long time, not even starting the car.

Finally, he turned to me and said, "I just remembered something came up in the lab. You go ahead and head home first. I’ll grab a taxi back later."

Just like that, he left in a rush.

Then, without hesitation, I slid over to the driver’s seat and drove home alone, parking the car in our community lot.

But instead of getting out, I reached for my phone, my fingers steady as I tapped to open the monitoring app.

I had installed a 360-degree pinhole camera in the car, leaving no blind spots…

…on the heels of Rowan's leather shoes.

The screen showed Rowan entering the office. Shortly after, Marion followed, shutting the door firmly behind her and locking it with a deliberate twist.

Rowan stepped forward to grab Marion down and kissed her lips passionately.

When he finally let her go, he asked in a fierce tone, "Does anyone else get to do this with you? Including that man who approached you today?"

Marion bit her lip, refusing to answer.

Seeing her like this, Rowan’s frustration grew and he shoved her down onto the table.

After more than half an hour, the two leaned against each other, breathing heavily.

"Why didn’t you reject him outright today? Were you trying to provoke me?" Rowan demanded.

"And why shouldn’t I?" Marion asked back angrily.

"You and your wife are so affectionate in public. Everyone calls her Mrs. Bradford, praises her abilities and respects her. But me? I’m nothing but a dirty secret, hidden away like a rat that can’t see the light of day!"

"I’ve already given you more than enough, Marion. Don’t be greedy. Money, connections and even a feature in C-Magazine. I’ve provided it all. What we have is just an exchange, nothing more. Do you think you’re worthy of comparing yourself to my wife?"

"But I really love you. When you love someone, you become possessive. I just wish that old witch would leave and give up the title of Mrs. Bradford."

Rowan's expression turned icy in an instant. "Marion Sterling, I warned you not to bring matters between us in front of my wife."

"This is the red line. Don't even try to cross it."

Marion's defiant look softened immediately. "I know. I was just joking. How could I even dare?"

Rowan pinched her chin firmly as he warned her once again. "Sensibleness is the basic quality of a lover. Remember that?"

"Yes," Marion nodded obediently.

Satisfied, Rowan closed his eyes and kissed her again, but I noticed the fleeting flash of unwillingness on her face.

"Let's do it again tonight. Wear something sexy. I'll take you to a hotel," Rowan said, his tone casual as he patted her on the butt.

"All right," Marion responded shyly.

I watched the entire scene silently.

Then, I turned off my phone and saved the evidence.

Earlier, just after the banquet, I had received a message from Marion. [Mrs. Bradford, do you think Mr. Bradford will let me fall in love with another man?]

I did not reply.

Just as I was about to step out of the car, I suddenly paused, as if warned by something so-called woman’s intuition.

I turned on the car's driving recorder and scrolled through the footage from the past two weeks. As I feared, Rowan and that girl had been intimate in this very car so many times.

Suddenly, a message from Rowan appeared on my phone.

[Honey, the lab has taken on a new project. I'm going out of town today and won’t be back tonight. Remember to eat well. I love you.]

Staring at his words, my gaze drifted to the recording of my husband and Marion being intimate…

…a wave of dizziness swept over me.

My chest felt unbearably tight, as though it were being crushed under an invisible weight, making it hard to breathe.

The scenes playing in front of me were like daggers piercing my heart. It felt as though my very soul was bleeding.

The emotions I had suppressed over the past few days erupted all at once. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face as a scream escaped my lips.

I slammed hard my fists against the steering wheel in front of me.

At that moment, I felt like the biggest joke.

I just sat there for a long time.

As dusk approached, I finally dialed my father’s number.

"Dad, I’ve decided. I’ll live abroad. Can you help me cancel my domestic identity?"

"Of course, Olive, but why this sudden decision? Will Rowan be going with you?"

"No. It's just me."

My father was also a man and he was accustomed to weathering life’s storms. So, from those few words, he seemed to understand everything.

He did not press me for details.

After that, I called Rowan.

"Hey, what's wrong, dear?" His voice sounded slightly breathless.

We had been married for many years. How could I not know what he was doing at that moment? I could practically picture the indecent scene on the other end of the line.

"Nothing. I just wanted to let you know the new product launch is scheduled for next Friday."

"After the press conference, I’ll give you a gift as a thank you for your contribution to the research and development."

Rowan chuckled lightly. "Okay. Thank you, my dear."

I could almost feel the dissatisfaction from the woman on his end through the phone. Suddenly, Rowan let out a muffled hum, his breathing growing deeper.

"All right then, you carry on. I’ll hang up now." After saying that, I ended the call.

I thought I would feel a surge of anger or heartbreak, but instead, I felt... numb.

Once, I had told Rowan that betrayal was the one thing I could never tolerate. I had warned him that if I ever discovered he had betrayed me, I would disappear from his life entirely.

And when I did leave, the parting gift I had prepared for him would be one he would never forget.

Before dawn, another message arrived on my phone from Marion.

The photo attached was of an unsealed box of condoms with only one remaining inside.

She followed it up with a smug message. [Mrs. Bradford, do you think your husband will use the last one before dawn?]

[You are destined to lose to me. The experience I give Mr. Bradford is something you can never provide. Not in this life or the next!]

I knew she was trying to provoke me, to rile me up, to break me.

But I felt nothing at all now.

Because I no longer loved him at all.

In the days that followed, I stayed in the company lounge under the pretext of preparing for the upcoming press conference.

In truth, such a small event did not require my personal attention. My team was more than capable of handling it on their own.

What truly occupied me was the process of selling my company.

Over the years, through relentless effort, I had built the business into something respected in the industry. It had gained a solid reputation and several major players had expressed interest in a potential merger or acquisition.

After careful consideration, I chose an established company with strong financial stability to negotiate the deal.

Firstly, I wanted to ensure that my hard work over the years would not go to waste and that the company would continue to thrive. Secondly, I needed to secure the funds as soon as possible.

The negotiations went smoothly. Once the contract was signed, the funds were transferred to my account that very day.

After the new product launch, I was no longer the CEO of the company.

On the day of the press conference, I invited Rowan to attend. Several students from his laboratory also came to see the results of their hard work.

Halfway through the ceremony, I asked my assistant to keep an eye on the front desk while I took a break in the backstage lounge.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed with several messages.

They were all from Marion.

I clicked on the notification and saw that there were multiple videos, all featuring her and Rowan.

At that moment, the door to the lounge swung open. Marion walked in with a strange smile on her lips as she said, [Mrs. Bradford, I just sent you something. Why don’t you take a look?]

"I’m not interested in porn vids," I replied with a sneer.

"You already know about me and Mr. Bradford, don't you?"

I said nothing in response.

Marion's expression changed. She gritted her teeth and continued, "Do you really think Mr. Bradford still loves you?"

She leaned on the table with one hand and her eyes flashed with malice.

"Did you know he comes to see me several times a week?"

"He once told me you were as indifferent as a dead fish and he had no interest in you at all. I’m the one who’s most compatible with him. That day when someone confessed to me, he tormented me for hours. One whole night!

"He only left one condom of the new box he bought that day. I guess you’ve never seen him look so energetic, right?"

"Do you know what he was doing when you called him that night?" Marion asked me with a smile.

Even though my love for Rowan was gone, I was still so irritated of this mistress’ audacity to speak so openly.

"So, what do you want from me? Do you want me to give up Mrs. Bradford's position to you?"

"I promise you, within a month, this title will be all yours."

Marion clearly did not expect me to respond that way and for a moment, she was at a loss for words.

Just then, the door swung open.

"What are you doing here?"

Rowan walked in, taking in the scene before him. Without missing a beat, he stood beside me and casually draped his arm around me, his expression hardening as he looked at Marion.

"I am here to thank your wife, sir. If she hadn’t cooperated with us, our laboratory wouldn’t have achieved such great results," Marion said with a smile.

Rowan raised an eyebrow, looking from Marion to me, clearly unsure.

I smiled and answered, "Miss Sterling is here to thank me. She’s much more sensible than other students."

Only then did Rowan seem to believe it.

He then said to Marion, "If you have that intention, it’s better to focus on improving your own skills."

After saying that, he took my hand and led me out of the room.

That night, Rowan did not return home. Something in the day’s events must have set off alarms in his mind.

He went off to “educate” his little lover, unaware that this would be the last time he and I would interact in this way.

Meanwhile, I packed up my things quietly. I also arranged for housekeeping to come and clean the house.

This place was left spotless.

Most importantly, all traces of my existence had been completely erased.

Before leaving, I took out my phone and scrolled through my Instagram. I found a post from Marion, uploaded at 2:30 this morning.

She had painted her nails a soft pink and was sitting on the marble sink in a hotel bathroom. Her back was to the mirror, her head turned halfway and the lipstick at the corner of her mouth was smeared.

The caption beneath the photo read, [Forever yours.]

I put my phone away and thought to myself, I wish you both forever.

The next morning, as Rowan drove home, his right eyelid twitched uncontrollably. He felt a sense of unease as if something was wrong.

Without knowing anything, he blamed it on a lack of rest.

——

As soon as he stepped into the house, he noticed that my shoes were gone. He frowned and walked into the house, scanning the unusually spotless living room.

So clean as if there was no trace of life.

"Dear?" he called out, but no one responded. Is she sleeping? he thought.

He then moved toward the bedroom, but as he passed the entrance, he stopped abruptly.

Something felt so wrong. Something seemed different from usual...

In the end, he finally realized that our wedding photo was gone!

His heart was beating like crazy as he rushed into the bedroom.

It was completely empty.

He checked the bathroom, the study and the kitchen. No sign of me anywhere.

"Honey, where are you? Are you hiding from me? If you’re upset, just come out and we’ll talk."

Too bad, the only voice that answered him was his own echo.

An unfamiliar sense of dread washed over him. Desperately, he pulled open the closet doors, only to find that all of my clothes were gone.

His gaze shifted to the dressing table. All my bottles and jars of skincare had vanished.

My perfumes, my bags, even my books...

…all of it had disappeared.

"Is Olivia playing some kind of prank? Running away from home?" he muttered.

Rowan tried calling my number, but the mechanical voice told him that the number was unregistered. He then tried to call me on Instagram and sent frantic messages, but all of them were left unanswered.

Desperate, he even tried contacting my parents abroad, but no one responded.

Finally, his eyes landed on a small table in the study, something he had overlooked earlier.

On it was a small box.

His desperate eyes were instantly ignited with a glimmer of hope. He walked over excitedly and opened the box with uncontrollably trembling hands.

Little did he expect, inside was the engagement ring he had given me.

He instantly froze in place.