After Charlene Downing's family goes into bankruptcy, I move into a basement with her. I have to work three jobs per day in order to help her rebuild her career.

When Charlene finally succeeds in her career, she vows to give me a real home.

On our third year of marriage, I accidentally notice the property deed of our marital home. The owner of this deed appears to be Charlene's first love, Travis Roach.

With red-rimmed eyes, Charlene explains to me, "I owe him this much."

I nod in return before pushing a pile of photos in her direction. These are photos of the I.O.U notes from back when we stayed in the basement.

"You've already used our home to pay Travis back for what you owe him. Then what about the sum you owe me?"

I gently slid the property deed in front of Charlene Downing.

The words "Owner—Travis Roach" on the deed burned into my gaze.

Charlene instantly turned pale and instinctively tried to snatch the deed back. But halfway through, her hand froze in mid-air.

"Javier, let me explain," she said hoarsely.

Her eyes quickly reddened, and I was all too familiar with this look. Whenever she felt guilty toward me, she would put on this innocent yet vulnerable expression. Back then, I used to fall for it every time.

I picked up the glass of warm water in front of me and said in an unnervingly calm tone, "Alright, I'm listening."

She looked at me, a flicker of panic flashing in her eyes. It was as if my composure had taken her by surprise.

"Travis's not doing too well," she began with difficulty. "Back then, my parents objected and forced us apart. Because of that, Javier fell into a severe depression. He then took a long leave from school and nearly destroyed himself.

"So, this house is my way of making it up to him. Javier, it's what I owe him."

I nodded in understanding. "But what about what you owe me?"

Charlene froze, as if she hadn't understood what I said.

I didn't look at her again. Instead, I took out my phone and found a photo I had kept for years.

It was taken in our rented basement, which was less than 100 square feet. On a worn-out folding table were piles of debt collection letters, and there in the corner, Charlene's silhouette sat hunched, worn down by despair.

"You've paid him back with the house. Then, what about what you owe me?" I repeated.

She looked down, and her body jolted with a sudden tremor. The photo seemed to have brought back memories of those days when we clung to each other for survival in the midst of relentless hardship.

To pay off her family's astronomical debt, I quit my stable job and worked three jobs a day. During the day, I worked as a designer at a company, and at night, I drove an Uber. On weekends, I took on freelance work.

For three years, I survived on no more than four hours of sleep a night. Once, when I had a terrible fever, I chose not to go to the hospital to save money. Instead, I buried myself under heavy blankets, trying to sweat it out until I nearly ended up with pneumonia.

Charlene held me, crying so hard she could barely breathe. She swore that she would give me a real home one day and never let me suffer again.

And she did it. She rose from the ashes and became a powerhouse in the business world. She also gave me a home, one that was registered under someone else's name.

"Javier." Charlene looked up, her eyes brimming with guilt. "I know the person I've wronged most is you. But Travis and I are over. You're the one I love, and you're the only husband I'll ever have. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, okay?"

She reached out to hold my hand, her tone almost pleading. "Travis has already lost me. He can't be left with nothing. Let this house serve as the final chapter for our past."

I gently avoided her hand. "Alright, I understand."

Seeing that I wasn't making a scene, Charlene visibly relaxed, as if she thought I had accepted this absurd explanation.

Meanwhile, I quietly took out my phone and messaged my lawyer, Louis Heath, to draft the divorce papers as soon as possible.

Charlene paused before hesitantly asking, "Javier, can I discuss something with you? It's just… Travis got into some trouble with his landlord and was kicked out. He can't find a suitable place right away, so would you mind if he stayed with us for a while? It's just a temporary arrangement."

I almost laughed in disbelief.

Did she have a few screws loose or something?

"Do you really think that's appropriate?" I asked coldly in return.

"What's inappropriate about it?" she retorted impatiently. "Javier, since when have you become so petty? I already told you that he's in my past. You're the only one in my heart now.

"But he's all alone and really struggling these days, so what's wrong with offering him some help? Don't worry, I would never betray you."

She made her vow with such conviction, yet she had already betrayed me the moment she decided to give our home to another man.

"Charlene, do you really see me as someone you can just push around? Do you think that just because I've been through hardship with you, I deserve to be treated this way?" I asked, my words slow and deliberate.

She fell silent. It was a long while before she responded wearily, "Javier, don't overthink this. I'm just helping out a friend. This matter is settled. I'm going to pick him up now."

With that, she walked out the door.

When I heard the sound of the door slamming shut, I closed my eyes to force back the tears that were threatening to spill over.

After all, it wasn't worth getting worked up over someone like that.

Just then, my father-in-law, Greg Downing, called me.

"Javier, it's the weekend tomorrow. Why don't you and Charlene come over to my place to have dinner together?"

Dad had always been good to me, so I couldn't bring myself to refuse.

In the end, I simply said, "Alright, Dad."

After hanging up, I gazed out the window at the gradually darkening sky, feeling a chill settle in my heart.

The next day, I returned alone to Downing Villa.

At the time the Downing family went bankrupt, Downing Villa had already been mortgaged and sold at auction. Later, when Charlene made a comeback and wanted to buy back the villa that held her childhood memories, the new owner refused to sell no matter what.

It was I who repeatedly visited with gifts in hand for three whole months, negotiating with the eccentric, retired old professor before he finally agreed to sell the villa back to us at its original price.

Dad frowned when he saw I was alone. "Where's Charlene? Is she busy with her boy toy again?"

"She had a last-minute work meeting. She'll be here later." I covered for her with an excuse.

Dad patted my shoulder and led me to sit on the couch. "Javier, you don't have to cover for her," he said with a sigh. "I've already heard about what she's been up to lately."

My chest tightened.

"She's taken up with Travis again, isn't she?" Dad's gaze sharpened. "I told her long ago that man was no good and warned her to stay away from him."

I lowered my head and stayed silent.

After patting my back, Dad continued in a tone filled with approval and sorrow, "You're a good man. I'm sorry you have to go through this. Rest assured that you're the only son-in-law we acknowledge. If Charlene dares to do anything to hurt you, I'll be the first to hold her accountable."

A warmth spread in my chest, and I tried my best to offer a faint smile. "Dad, I'm okay."

Just then, Charlene arrived.

When she spotted me, her expression immediately turned dark and stormy. Clearly, she was unhappy that I had arrived before her.

"Dad, did you call Javier here again to complain about me?" Her opening words were sharp with hostility.

Dad was so angry he almost hurled his mug, but he held back at the last moment. "You foolish girl, what are you talking about? Is Javier the kind of person who would do that? If he had said even half a word against you to me, I wouldn't have let you step through the door today!"

"What is it then?" Charlene snapped impatiently. "If he hadn't said anything, how would you know about Travis?"

Dad scoffed and said, "As if I need him to tell me. After all, you've already made Travis your personal assistant. You might as well tell everyone in the company you're having an affair. Do you think I'm blind?"

I couldn't help but smile bitterly inside.

Not long after Charlene left that day, she eagerly moved Travis in to live with us. She even went so far as to arrange for him to work as her personal assistant.

Afterward, she feigned innocence while explaining it to me, "Travis is new to the company, and it'll be easier for him to get up to speed if I guide him myself."

Now, standing before Dad, Charlene's face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. She drew a deep breath, as though she'd run out of patience for arguing, and said flatly, "Travis is outside. I had him come here to drop off an urgent document."

Without waiting for Dad or me to respond, she turned and opened the door.

Dressed in a clean white shirt that made him look clean-cut and honest, Travis followed behind her.

When he saw Dad, he instinctively hid behind Charlene.

Charlene immediately grew defensive. "He's just here to drop off a document. Don't look at him like that—you'll scare him," she said to Dad.

I looked at Charlene as though she were a fool.

Beside her, Travis spoke in a voice barely above a whisper. "Ms. Downing, it's not really appropriate for me to be at your family gathering. I think it'd be best if I go."

Yet, his feet seemed rooted to the floor, as he didn't move an inch at all.

"You must be tired from running the errand, so why don't you stay for dinner?" Charlene insisted, not even giving him a chance to refuse as she steered him firmly into the empty seat beside her, the very seat that was meant for me.

The atmosphere at the dining table froze over.

Dad watched coldly with a smirk as Travis put on his act.

"Mr. Roach, we're both men. There's no need to put on a performance for me." Dad set down his fork and continued ruthlessly, "I can see right through the little game you're playing."

Travis' face instantly drained of color. "Mr. Downing, I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't?" Dad chuckled lightly. "Back when you and Charlene were dating in college, the first time she brought you home, your eyes never left the decor from the moment you stepped through the door.

"And when you heard the scale of our family business, the greed and calculation in your eyes were practically written across your face."

Travis trembled all over, visibly fighting to hold back his emotions.

Seeing this, Charlene slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly.

"Enough!" she roared, glaring at Dad. "It's been years, and you're still harping about the same old thing! You don't actually care about what's good for me—you just want to control my life.

"When you forced us to break up back then, it actually drove Travis into depression! Don't you feel even a shred of guilt? Now that he's finally pulled himself together, why are you using such vicious words to hurt him again?"

Dad was so furious that he couldn't stop shaking. "I just want to control you? If I really wanted to do that, I would never have let Javier suffer alongside you when you went bankrupt! You ungrateful child—have you forgotten who it was that crawled through hell with you?"

"I haven't!" Charlene shouted, her eyes red. "I will spend the rest of my life repaying Javier for everything he did for me. But that doesn't mean I can't make amends to Travis too!"

With that, she grabbed the still-trembling Travis by the arm and stormed out without looking back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Dad called after her.

"I can't stay in this house another minute!" she snapped, pulling Travis along as she left in a huff.

Throughout it all, she never once glanced my way, nor did it even cross her mind to take me with her.

"Javier, don't mind her. She can get lost if that's what she wants." Dad was breathing heavily with anger. He patted my back and added, "Stay here tonight. I'll have a couple of drinks with you."

I shook my head and stood up. "Dad, I should head back."

This was between Charlene and me. I couldn't let him completely sever ties with her because of me.

Charlene's car was still parked in the courtyard, and she was leaning against the car door, glancing impatiently at her phone. Clearly, she was waiting for me.

So, she remembered she'd left me behind, after all.

I walked slowly toward her.

The streetlights stretched my shadow long and thin, making it look lonely and desolate.

At the sound of my footsteps, Charlene looked up. When she saw it was me, her impatience only deepened.

"What took you so long? Let's go," she said, pulling open the driver's side door and getting in.

I walked around to the passenger side. But before I could even reach for the door, I heard Travis' muffled groans coming from the back seat.