My wife and I slept in separate beds for over three years. Then on our wedding anniversary, she suddenly tried to win me over.

She climbed into my bed and pulled out all the stops, trying to get me to sleep with her.

I stayed calm and collected. When our son started crying, I used it as an excuse to escape to his room, where I stayed all night.

Vivian Hartley spent the entire night knocking on the door.

The next morning, she acted sweet and gentle, graciously making me breakfast as if nothing had happened. She even tried to hand over her salary card.

When my mother-in-law heard about this, she exploded at her daughter. "You pathetic fool! People need some self-respect! If you can't stand up for yourself, just get a divorce already!"

Yet Vivian claimed her feelings for me ran so deep that the heavens themselves could vouch for her sincerity. She even defied her own mother.

Our relatives and friends looked at us with envy. But my son and I continued to give her the cold shoulder.

Finally, Vivian turned to social media for help.

"Three years ago, I was busy with work. My husband and I had completely different schedules. I was afraid it would affect my performance at work, so I suggested we sleep in separate rooms.

"Now our child is older, and I've swallowed my pride to try to fix things, but my husband won't even touch me."

Someone in the comments gave her some advice: install hidden cameras around the house.

"We can't just take your word for it. Record everything so we can see what's really going on. Plus, if things actually end in divorce, at least you'll have built up your social media following. It won't be a total loss."

Vivian had no idea I was watching from among her followers.

I just came home from work, and Vivian Hartley rushed over the moment I walked through the door.

She took my briefcase without a word and crouched down to help me change into slippers. I stood there like some lord of the manor, letting her fuss over me without a hint of gratitude.

She wore an apron with a bandage on her elbow and wispy strands of hair falling across her forehead that she clearly had not had time to brush back.

The wound on Vivian's arm might have stung, but it did not hurt nearly as much as my cold rejection.

"Honey, I've got dinner ready. I'm going to pick up Noah. Eat while it's hot, okay?"

She tried to take my arm playfully, but I moved away without acknowledging her.

Vivian awkwardly rubbed her hands on her apron, her lips pale as she spoke.

"My hands probably smell like cooking oil, so I won't touch you. Just leave your coat there and I'll hang it up for you.

"Don't worry, I'll wash it until it's spotless. There won't be any smell on it at all."

Vivian waited for me to respond, as if the smallest acknowledgment from me would be some kind of reward. I washed my hands and sat down to eat, not even sparing her a glance.

When Vivian posted this video online, the comments section erupted on her behalf.

"What, does your husband have evidence of you committing murder or something?"

"Girl, you need to take off those rose-colored glasses. He doesn't deserve how good you are to him."

"Seriously. If my wife treated me even a third as well as OP treats her husband, I'd wake up laughing in my sleep."

"What exactly does marriage give women? After watching this, I'm scared to get married."

Vivian defended me in the comments section.

"My husband is the pillar of our family. He's just in a bad mood. You can't really understand unless you're in his shoes."

Vivian thought I could not see her posts, but every time she uploaded something, a notification popped up on my phone.

She changed clothes in the bedroom and got ready to pick up our son from preschool.

Just then, Claire Thompson, the teacher from the preschool opened the front door.

Vivian's expression froze. Out of instinct, she forced a smile onto her face.

"Sweetie, why did you have Ms. Thompson bring you home?"

Our son, Noah, clung affectionately to Claire's leg without even turning around.

"Because I like Ms. Thompson, and Ms. Thompson likes me. Mommy, why don't you let Ms. Thompson stay for dinner with Daddy? She hasn't eaten yet either."

With that, our son grabbed Claire's thighs with both hands and tried to pull her inside.

Vivian looked rattled. She tilted her head back to keep her tears from falling.

"Sweetie, I made dinner for you and Daddy. If we add another person, there won't be enough food."

Noah pouted and looked at her with contempt. "Then why didn't you make more? Ms. Thompson would be a better mom than you."

Vivian lost her temper, her voice breaking. "Elijah Bennett, aren't you going to say something? I've worked so hard for this family, and you're all acting like the three of you are the real family here."

I poured myself a glass of wine and said indifferently, "Kids say thoughtless things. Why are you getting so worked up?

"Did I ask you to make dinner? Don't do something and then come looking for praise.

"Don't bother next time. It's annoying just looking at it."

Vivian's fingers went white from gripping them so hard. She turned and ran back to her room, then uploaded the video.

That single video gained her another 20 thousand followers. The comments section exploded.

"What's wrong with this family? The husband is heartless, the kid is ungrateful, and the preschool teacher has no sense of boundaries either!"

"Those two are probably having an affair. While the kid is still young, you should get out now. They're treating you like you don't even exist."

"I felt that in my soul. You clean, you cook, and all you get is accused of looking for praise. Your husband doesn't take your side, and your kid has been turned against you. Girl, this son is beyond saving. Leave and have another one."

"Remember, you need to have your eyes wide open when choosing a husband. If a kid isn't close to their mother, it's usually because the other parent taught them that way. In this situation, cutting your losses is the best choice."

Claire politely excused herself after a few words and left.

By the time Vivian wiped away her tears and came out of the bedroom, Noah and I had already gone to play video games, leaving the table in complete disarray.

Vivian said nothing. She rolled up her sleeves and started washing the dishes.

After finishing the dishes, she carried a fruit platter and knocked before entering the room.

"Honey, Noah, I brought some fruit. You need your vitamins."

Noah and I treated her like she was invisible. Vivian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She endured the awkwardness and set the fruit plate on the desk, then left, making sure to close the door behind her.

Back in the living room, she kept herself busy. She vacuumed the floor, then mopped it. For the stubborn corners of the house, she had to get on her knees with a rag to reach them properly.

Vivian stole a moment to rest on the couch, her lonely silhouette the only thing visible to the camera.

When it was time to wash up, Noah and I came out of the room. Vivian immediately tossed her phone aside and rushed over with a smile.

"Sweetie, let me read you a bedtime story tonight. When you were little, you loved spending time with me!"

Noah shook his head vigorously and hid behind my back. "No way. I want Daddy with me."

Vivian swallowed hard and settled for less.

"Honey, why don't we put Noah to bed together? The three of us haven't been in the same bed in so long."

I narrowed my eyes and sneered. "Stop pretending."

In an instant, Vivian looked completely lost. "Honey, what did I do to make you hate me so much? Tell me and I can change!"

I shoved her, making her stumble back, my tone still full of disgust. "I have nothing to say to you. You can't change anyway."

Noah made a face at Vivian and skipped into the room.

She still would not give up. She called out gently to our son. "Sweetie, if you let me read you a story, I'll take you to the amusement park this weekend!"

Noah poked his head out and rolled his eyes. "I don't want to. If Daddy wasn't home, I wouldn't even want to see you."

I clicked my tongue in annoyance. "That's enough. Back in your room."

I waved Vivian off and slammed the door shut. When Vivian did not know what else to do, she went back to her room and posted another video.

She asked her followers for advice. "I really don't know what to do anymore. Even my son rejects me. Every word he says cuts right through me."

The comments section erupted with fury, everyone chiming in.

"What a waste raising that kid. My mom was never that gentle with me when I was a kid."

"This is making me so angry. Can OP wake up already? That father and son are trash. The more you throw yourself at them, the more they think they've got you under their thumb!"

"Don't attack OP, everyone. If you're going to curse someone, curse that father and son. What did OP do wrong? She's walking on eggshells."

"Everyone follow OP. Once she gets famous, they'll come crawling back to her eventually."

Vivian's three videos gained her nearly 100 thousand followers.

Since the videos were edited with blurred faces, I did not run into any of her followers on my commute to and from work.

However, people who knew about my relationship with Vivian all tried to give me roundabout advice.

"Bro, what kind of problems do you and your wife have that you can't talk through?"

"I've been married three times, man, and none of my wives combined had as much charm as your wife does."

I asked back, "How do you know about our family business? Did Vivian tell you?"

He gave an awkward laugh, scratched his head, and walked away.

They treated my life like some reality TV drama. No one wanted to tell me they had seen the videos, so no one said anything more to me. Still, the looks they gave me were complicated.

When it was time to leave work, Vivian had learned her lesson. She left work early to pick up Noah and took a cab to wait for me outside my office building.

When Vivian saw me, her face lit up. She stumbled toward me with Noah in her arms.

"Honey, I made a reservation at a restaurant nearby. We didn't get to have a proper meal on our anniversary, so let me make it up to you."

Passersby looked at us with envy. Some even gave us a thumbs-up in admiration.

Meeting her expectant gaze, I kept my expression neutral and took Noah from her arms.

"I don't like the food there. Let's go home."

Vivian pressed her lips together, her face flushing red. Her hurt was written all over her face, but she still did her best to accommodate me.

"Okay, I'll forget about the deposit. I'll cook for you at home."

My nostrils flared slightly as I said arrogantly, "You think money grows on trees? Go get that deposit back!"

Without waiting for her answer, I carried Noah to the car without looking back.

Through the rearview mirror, I could see Vivian covering her face and crying. A woman nearby handed her a tissue.

Vivian thanked the woman and quickly caught a cab home. We arrived one after the other.

The moment she saw me, she rushed over with open arms, wanting a hug. Just as Vivian was about to speak, I gestured that I had a phone call.

It was my direct supervisor calling.

As soon as the call connected, he demanded, "Elijah, treat your wife better. A lot of our colleagues saw what you did today. What will outsiders think of our company?"

He shouted at me for three full minutes and still did not seem satisfied. I held the phone away from my ear as Vivian leaned closer.

"Sir, it's all my fault. Please don't scold my husband anymore."

My supervisor was momentarily speechless, then said in exasperation, "Elijah, you have such a good wife and you don't treasure her. Don't take your blessings for granted!"

My face tightened as I mocked him. "Oh, so you're the eloquent one now? Do I need you explaining things for me?"

Vivian clutched her apron with both hands, looking dejected. But she truly did not dare say anything more.

"I know I was wrong, honey."

My supervisor hissed and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Elijah, I can't watch this anymore. You should at least have basic respect for your spouse, shouldn't you?

"Don't let me find any issues with your work!"

He cursed under his breath and hung up.

Vivian was so nervous she did not dare meet my eyes. Tears fell from her face in steady drops.

She sniffled and started chopping onions, as if to deceive herself that the tears were not for me.

Vivian got smarter. After making dinner for Noah and me, she took a small portion for herself back to her room.

Before eating, she finished editing her video and started a live stream while she ate. Within moments, tens of thousands of people flooded into the live stream to comfort her.

"Sweetheart, don't cry. Watching you makes my heart ache. Why stay in a marriage like this?"

"Stop making excuses for him. This kind of man deserves to be condemned by everyone. Even his boss couldn't stand watching it. Does your husband have a heart of stone?"

"You couldn't be a better wife if you tried!"

"OP, why don't you drop your payment info? I'll donate something so you can treat yourself to something nice."

The live stream was filled with nothing but words of comfort for her and criticism of me. Even my college roommate, whom I had not contacted in a year, could not help calling me.

"Elijah, you and Vivian are perfect for each other. So many people envy you for marrying her. Even if you don't treasure what you have, you shouldn't treat her like garbage.

"Have you forgotten how many times you bragged to us when you were drunk, saying the happiest thing in your life was marrying Vivian?

"In just a few short years, you've become a stranger to me!"

I stared in the direction of Vivian's room and said casually, "Sometimes what you see with your eyes is not the truth."