After hanging up, I packed up all my belongings at home. I noticed that the house was very empty now.

I remembered that Shawn's company would be listed soon. He was busy every day and had not lived at home for a long time.

As Shawn's secretary, Britney ate every meal with him and even lived with him.

I was a little upset about it, but Shawn always said grimly, "Sonia, Britney is a great help to me at work. Could you stop being so petty?"

Therefore, I hid all my thoughts. Even when I saw them being affectionate as if no one else was around, and even if everyone in the office thought Britney was the best woman for Shawn, I put up with it because I could not bear to leave him.

He was a ray of light in my dark life.

My mom died of an illness the year Shawn and I got together. It was not long before my dad married his first love and my family life started to deteriorate.

My dad only liked the children he had with his first love, and he always hated me because he saw me as proof that he had once betrayed his first love. I was miserable back then.

Just when I was on the verge of breaking down and considering suicide, Shawn appeared. He held my hand and told me, "Sonia Zachman, be with me. I'll give you a home."

I got into a relationship with him.

In the second year of our relationship, I was meant to study abroad. However, my name did not appear on the application list for some reason. Shawn was even more anxious than I was, asking around if there was any way to fix it.

There was a professor at school who liked me and was willing to help, but I politely declined his offer. Shawn looked at us reluctantly, and the professor told me I would regret it.

However, I had no regrets when I saw how happy Shawn looked that I would be staying.

All I ever wanted was a love that only belonged to me. However, Shawn’s heart eventually let in another woman.

Perhaps it was when I had acute appendicitis and was lying alone in a hospital bed as Shawn watched the moon with Britney.

Perhaps it was on my mother's death anniversary, when Shawn left me alone to watch a movie with Britney, or when I had a miscarriage, and Shawn said, "If the baby's gone, there’s nothing we can do about it. Be more careful next time."

After saying that, he took Britney skiing just because she had a nightmare.

At that moment, I decided to give Shawn one last chance. I would dump him if he ever left me alone again.

I was just about to eat my pasta when Shawn got back home.

Seeing me act as if nothing had happened made him a little angry.

He pursed his lips and asked me unhappily, "Didn't I ask you to wait for me at the bridal shop? Why didn't you wait for me? You didn't tell me anything either. I went there for nothing."

I did not even look up. "Do I need to tell you why?"

Shawn's eyes flickered with annoyance at my indifference. He sat at the other end of the dining table, crossing his arms and observing me.

After a long time, he said, "I've always bought Britney her pajamas. She can't sleep unless she wears the ones I bought for her. I didn't mean to lie to you about working overtime. I just didn't want to upset you on your big day."

Hearing Shawn's explanation, I forced a smile.

Shawn was surprised that I was not arguing with him as relentlessly as before. Seeing my calm appearance, he opened his mouth to say something.

However, I interrupted before he could, "I know you're good friends. If anything's going on between you and Britney, I wouldn't be here."

I did not expect Shawn to suddenly go on a rampage when I said that.

He shouted angrily at me, "Sonia, what’s with the sarcasm?"

I looked at him in confusion. I was just repeating his catchphrase, yet he was accusing me of sarcasm. I was not trying to be sarcastic at all. I looked into his eyes, and he turned away somewhat guiltily.

Britney walked in, took Shawn's arm, and pressed her well-endowed chest against it.

She looked at me unhappily as if condemning me for being unreasonable. She pinched the tip of Shawn's ear. Their intimate actions disgusted me.

Britney told me, "Sonia, the company is going to be listed soon, so we've been busy. Shawn made time to get engaged to you for your ridiculous sense of security. What else are you not satisfied with? If you're upset about Shawn buying me pajamas, you can just say it. Why are you being so unreasonable?"

I could not hear a word of what Britney said as my eyes fell on the glaring love bite on her neck. I looked at Shawn again, who also had an obvious love bite on his Adam's apple.

Their faces were rosy, and the way they looked at each other was so sweet that it was nauseating.

How could it be a mystery? I understood perfectly and felt even more disgusted.

I interrupted Britney's lecture and looked at their interlocked hands, "I can’t believe you two are so close that he’s helping you pick out pajamas! How close would you guys have to be to end up in bed together?"

Hearing my statement, Shawn was furious. He raised his hand and threw his plate of pasta at me.

I quickly put my hand out to block it, but the boiling sauce still splashed on me. I instantly felt a burning pain.

Seeing the mess I was in, Shawn felt a little regretful.

Britney suddenly said, "Sonia, if you really hate me, I'll leave once the company gets listed. Because I don’t want Shawn to have to shoulder the burden alone."

Hearing Britney's remark, Shawn looked at me with disgust and said icily, "Can’t you be more considerate like Britney?"

Hearing Shawn's indifferent words, I instantly calmed down.

He then saw my luggage. Frowning, he asked in confusion, "What are you doing? We're getting engaged tomorrow."

I chuckled. "You still remember.”

Shawn frowned as he looked at me quizzically. He then realized I was not as enthusiastic as I usually was when he came home, nor was I fussing over him with concern like I used to.

Not knowing what was going through my head, he said angrily, "Sonia, I've told you many times. Stop speculating about Britney and me with dirty ideas. We..."

"You're close friends," I interrupted calmly and looked at him with a deadpan expression.

Shawn looked embarrassed for a moment.

I said, "You're close friends, so you can pick out each other's pajamas and underwear. You can also sleep in the same bed and be intimate with each other."

Shawn slapped me hard before I could finish speaking.

My head was buzzing, and the world blurred before me. I numbly touched my cheek, which quickly swelled.

Britney screamed, "Shawn! Why did you hit Sonia? You're getting engaged tomorrow!"

Shawn said in disgust, "She doesn't seem like she wants to get engaged."

Britney pursed her lips. Somewhat reluctantly, she held Shawn's hand and spoke coquettishly. "Sonia will be upset if you do this, and so will I. You know I've wanted to be your bride since I was little. If you don't get engaged, how can I be Sonia's bridesmaid?"

"Alright, I'll grant your wish." Shawn's doting voice sounded so harsh to me.

The next second, Shawn said indifferently to me, "Hurry and apologize to Britney, or I won't get engaged to you."

I grinned, and a thin stream of blood flowed from the corner of my mouth.

Looking at the adulterous couple in front of me, I trembled with hatred. I wondered how they had the nerve to say such things. I gritted my teeth and looked coldly at them. I asked, "Didn't Britney pass along my message? I don't want to marry you anymore."

The look in my eyes scared Britney, who hid behind Shawn and timidly pulled on his sleeve. She whispered, "Sonia is so mean! I feel like she wants to eat me alive!”

I had not eaten all day because of my wedding dress fitting, so my stomach was aching. My burns from the sauce and my cheek were in a lot of pain too.

I did not want to talk anymore, and all I wanted was to leave. I was afraid I might die if I stayed any longer.

Seeing Britney's scared expression, Shawn sneered as he glanced at me and said, "Sonia, you've been living off me for years. How can you survive without me? Britney, come on. I'll accompany you to pick out a gown. You'll be the most beautiful bridesmaid tomorrow."

After they left, I dragged my heavy feet to the door. As soon as I opened it, my vision went dark, and I fainted. I vaguely remembered seeing a panicked face before I lost consciousness.