I followed the directions from Jrue’s best friend and arrived at the bar. Before I even pushed open the door to the private room, I could hear laughter and chatter inside.

“Lilian, what brings you back from overseas? Are you here because you couldn't resist Jrue?”

“Come on, guys, we're just friends now. Besides, Jrue has a family, doesn't he?”

The flirtatious voice slipped through the crack in the door, freezing me in place.

Lilian Perry. That name from Jrue’s diary, his obsession abroad.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and opened the door. As soon as I appeared, silence fell over the room. My gaze settled on the man huddled in the corner, looking somewhat pitiable.

Jrue was slumped on the corner sofa, his large frame appearing dejected. Beside him sat a woman with flowing waves of hair, radiating magnetic charm. As soon as she noticed me, her lips curled into an amused, almost mocking smile. I recognized that face from Jrue’s phone wallpaper.

Back then, I asked him whose face it was and why he used that picture. He brushed it off as just a random image from the internet.

Turns out, he was deceiving me all along.

“I’m here to take him home,” I said, my voice trembling, pointing to the man on the sofa. Jrue instinctively glanced at Lilian, then shot me a look full of irritation, as though I had interrupted their moment.

“Jrue, is this your...?”

“Assistant. She’s just my assistant.”

With Jrue’s words, all eyes landed on me—some filled with pity, others with ridicule, each gaze cutting painfully into my chest.

“Jrue...” His friend, who had called me, stood up, uncertainty written on his face, as if he wanted to say something, but I cut him off.

“Yes, I'm Jrue’s assistant, here to take him home.”

Jrue rubbed his forehead, casually tossing his coat to me, then walked over to Lilian with a concerned look.

“Let me take you home. It’s late, and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.”

My grip on the coat tightened. So he understood the dangers for a woman out alone at night, yet always had me pick him up and drop him off. Only Lilian’s safety seemed to matter. What about mine?

“No need, remember we’re in a safer place now than back in the States.”

“I know what happened a couple of years ago when I was attacked abroad left a scar, but don’t worry. I can handle myself now.”

I noticed Lilian sneak a glance at me, her eyes filled with challenge.

All these years, Jrue had been keeping track of Lilian’s life, even knowing about her troubles overseas. The thought made me laugh at myself.

“You're Jrue’s assistant, right? He’s pretty drunk, so take it easy on your way home.”

“When Jrue drinks too much, he can be a handful at night. You’d better stay at his place tonight to keep an eye on him.”

Lilian spoke with a commanding tone, and the others exchanged knowing looks. Lilian might be oblivious to my true identity, but everyone else knew. Many of them had attended our wedding.

I clenched my fists, wanting to speak up, but Jrue grabbed my arm.

“We’ll head out now. Lilian, if you need anything, call me. It's still the same number.”

With that, he pulled me away.

Watching his retreating figure, I felt a chill sweep over me, my mind teetering on the brink, my body numb and cold.

I’ve been married to Jrue for years, and I know he can be difficult when drunk. But tonight, he was unusually quiet, going straight to the bedroom without a word once we got home.

If he'd just looked at me a little longer, he would notice how pale I am, my lips devoid of color. But he couldn't spare me even a glance.

Normally, I would rush after him to care for him, but today I couldn't find the strength. Seeing him only reminded me of that heartbreaking diary, suffocating me with its memories.

Jrue's phone lay neglected on the couch; he hadn’t taken it with him to the bedroom. It kept buzzing, and after what felt like an eternity, I picked it up. I tried several passwords without success until I recalled Lilian's birthday from his diary. I hesitantly entered it, and the screen unlocked immediately. I laughed quietly at myself. This relationship must have meant the world to him; after all this time, he still used her birthday as his password.

The messages in their group chat kept tagging Jrue repeatedly, and I browsed through their past conversations. My mind went blank and my head felt empty, but my heart was pounding fiercely in my chest.

"I originally thought that by marrying Melanie, Lilian would get jealous and come back to me. But when she didn’t, I went ahead and married Melanie anyway."

"Lilian can't have kids, but she really wants one. I need to make that dream come true for her because a child would be the only thing connecting us."

The impact of those words struck me like a bolt of lightning. My heart turned cold instantly.

"But this is unfair to Melanie. After all, the child would be hers, born through her own effort and pain."

"Melanie is healthy; we'll have more children. But Lilian will never have any in her lifetime. She can be expected to stay quiet about it."

I suddenly looked up towards the bedroom. Jrue must be asleep; soft snores floated down from upstairs. Tears streamed down my face. My fists clenched so tightly that my nails cut into my skin. My chest heaved violently, and my lips trembled beyond control.

No wonder Jrue suddenly started talking about wanting a child. I naively believed that my years of perseverance had finally touched him, but now I realized it was only because Lilian couldn’t have children. Jrue wanted to give her one. A bitter smile appeared, and the hatred in my eyes seemed to materialize.

Their scheme was meticulous, but how could they assume I would let my child call another woman 'Mom'?

Early in the morning, I arrived at the hospital to check in for my stay. Having the medical staff nearby meant I had someone to look after me; at home, I could only rely on myself.

As I made my way upstairs to my room, I ran into two familiar faces—Jrue and Lilian. Jrue was wearing a tailored black shirt, the one I had given him not long ago. His face was etched with concern as he carefully supported Lilian in his arms.

We crossed paths on the stairs. Jrue's eyes widened with surprise when he saw me, and he instinctively turned to Lilian.

"Must be work-related," he said, "you should head to your room first. I'll come by once I handle this."

With that, he grabbed my wrist and led me towards the stairway, not even giving me a moment to regain my balance before he brusquely pushed me aside.

"I'm just here with her for a check-up, and you tracked us to the hospital?" he said with a sneer. "How did you know we were here? Been stalking my friends' social media again? Can't bear to be without me, can you?"

His words cut deep. I forced a smile, steadying myself against the railing. "I'm just feeling unwell and came for a check-up. Running into you both is purely coincidental; you're overthinking it."

At my explanation, Jrue laughed coldly. "Come on, you couldn't have come up with a more convenient excuse. I've seen your check-up report; you're perfectly fine. Why play the fragile act in front of me, Melanie? Why all the theatrics? Wouldn’t it be more sensible to stay home and rest than trail me?"

I opened my mouth to defend myself when a nurse, Lakelyn, hurried over. "Your wife fainted, you need to come quickly."

I realized that when she said "wife," she must have meant Lilian. Jrue didn’t correct her. Anxiety creased his face as he shot me a look, shaking off my hand to leave.

"Are you happy now? I've had enough of you, Melanie. Go home. I'll return once I'm done. Stop bothering Lilian; she's unwell."

With that, he hurried after Lakelyn. I watched him go, rubbing my wrist, which was red from his grip. "You won't have to endure this anymore," I whispered to myself.