On the day of the anniversary, Marlow posted a long post on his social media the moment the clock struck twelve. It was a heartfelt post expressing his love and gratitude for Ameera.

Within a few hours, the post had received over ten million likes and shares. Every screen in the city featured the video he had filmed and edited himself, so everyone knew just how devoted he was to Ameera.

Then, a group of people arrived outside the house and laid out a path using thousands of bouquets of roses. At the end of the path, there was a large collection of clothes and bags from a variety of trending fashion brands, as well as a giant crystal ring. To top things off, a music box looped Marlow's beautiful voice on repeat.

"Happy anniversary, honey! As always, I love you."

Ameera observed the spectacle indifferently before shutting the door and burrowing under the blankets. She behaved as if this had nothing to do with her.

Shortly after that, Marlow called her. His voice was filled with guilt, "Honey, there was a hiccup with the project, and I'm afraid I can't make it back home for our anniversary today. I promise I'll make it up to you when I get back."

Ameera sniggered upon hearing his flimsy excuse. Her voice quivered when she spoke, "It's fine. Take your time sorting things out."

"Honey, I can tell you're upset." Marlow was very observant and pointed it out right away. "I have a lot more surprises in store for you. I hope you like them. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"I'm not upset. I know you have work. I'm feeling a little sick, so I'm going to get some sleep," Ameera remarked dully before hanging up. Then, she curled up in a ball and tried to ignore the nagging pain within her.

Meanwhile, the commotion went on outside the house. Marlow had made arrangements for a drone show exhibiting all kinds of intricate formations professing his love for Ameera.

A crowd of reporters had made it to the scene, hoping to score an interview with Ameera to write about their romance.

Ameera ignored them. Meanwhile, her phone rang persistently.

When she saw Marlow's name on the display, her vision became clouded with tears again. A part of her wanted to pick up and ask him why he had gone back on his word and why he would fall for another woman.

In the end, all she did was turn her phone off and bury her head underneath the blankets.

She was not sure how long she remained underneath the blankets when it was suddenly ripped away. A sudden burst of light blinded her momentarily.

After adjusting to the brightness, she made out the silhouette of Marlow, who seemed disheveled. His hair was messy, and his face was pale. There was even a stark look of concern in his eyes.

When he realized Ameera was upset, he rushed back home immediately. His agitation mounted when she refused to pick up his calls on his way home.

The moment he saw Ameera, he embraced her tightly. His voice was choked up and on the verge of breaking. "I'm so glad you're home! Honey, I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry!"

His eyes were frayed red, and he was trembling uncontrollably. "I'll never leave you home all by yourself again. I was worried sick when you wouldn't pick up. It felt like the world was ending. Nothing in this world is more important than you. I'm back. Let's celebrate our anniversary together."

When Ameera remained silent, Marlow assumed she was still upset with him. He proceeded to get on one knee and tried to sweet-talk her, "Honey, please promise me you won't ignore my calls anymore, alright? I can't handle the thought of you ignoring me."

His agitation and fear did not seem forced at all. He truly loved her. The only problem was that this was not the only devotion he had.

"It didn't take you long to come back," Ameera remarked with a jerk of her lips.

The color drained from Marlow's face, and for a moment, he seemed to be wracked with guilt.

"Honey, you haven't eaten all day, have you? Come, I'll take you to your favorite restaurant." He swiftly changed the subject and gently raked his fingers through her hair.

"No." Ameera shook her head.

Marlow grew frantic. "Alright, I'll let you get some rest while I make you something downstairs."

"Hm," Ameera grunted before turning her back to him.

Assuming she was still upset, Marlow took a deep breath before retreating from the room.

About fifteen minutes later, Ameera heard some noises downstairs.

She went downstairs to find the living room packed with Marlow's friends. They were helping him hang up a collection of newly printed pictures on the wall.

When they saw Ameera, they all started to vouch for Marlow.

"Ameera, you sure had Marlow frightened. I have never seen him so nervous!"

"If he does something to upset you again, tell us and we'll lecture him for you! Just don't throw out the pictures or ignore his calls. You had him worried sick."

"He was going to lose his mind if he couldn't find you."

"Yeah! He nearly passed out when he came home to see all the pictures removed. He went straight to the trash can to look for them."

......

"Silence, all of you." Marlow hadn't even had time to remove his apron when he emerged angrily from the kitchen. "This was on me. I shouldn't have upset my wife. I deserve to be punished."

"Marlow, you're so obsessed with your wife that you don't even care about your dignity when it comes to her," Josette popped out of nowhere and remarked with an envious gaze.

Marlow remained poised and stated with a gentle smile, "Of course. She's my wife. It's only right that I have a soft spot for her."

Ameera felt a chill run down her spine when she sensed how hypocritical he was being. Nevertheless, she did not want to expose him right then and there.

She stated calmly, "Forget about the pictures. I was thinking I'd like to repaint the walls."

Marlow went up to her and put his arm around her waist. "Alright, guys, take them down. Whatever she wants."

"You're such a sucker for your wife!" one of his friends jested, but Marlow did not take it to heart.

Then, Marlow helped Ameera to the couch before returning to the kitchen to cook. He made every dish she liked, but they all tasted bland to her.

While he served up spoonfuls of food to her plate with one hand, he was interlocking his fingers with Josette's with the other hand under the table.

Ameera felt swept over with a wave of nihilism. She wanted nothing more than to get out of here and away from Marlow.

However, Marlow did not give her any room to leave after dinner. He bent low to put on her shoes for her before carrying her out the door with his friends gawking behind him.

Josette was making light-hearted jokes about his behavior, but it was not hard for Ameera to sense the jealousy and hostility veiled underneath.

Marlow specially made arrangements for a fireworks show for Ameera. He even invited her favorite band to perform for her.

Midway through the show, he excused himself to go to the bathroom.

Ameera discreetly trailed behind him.

Josette immediately threw herself into Marlow's arms inside the VIP lounge. She eyed him seductively before kissing him on the lips.

"Marlow, I've missed you so much. Please just let me kiss you for a bit."

Marlow wrapped an arm around her waist and palmed the back of her head with his other hand. He responded to Josette's advances passionately, and soon, things started to get hot and heavy.

After some time passed, she shoved Marlow away with her face still flushed red before panting. "Alright, you should go back and join Ameera."

"You sure you had enough already?" His eyes were red with lust while he continued to caress Josette's lips with his fingertips.

Josette lowered her eyes. "Of course not, but I don't want Ameera to be upset. She refused to answer your calls because of me! I can wait for you. Come back to me after you're done spending time with her."

"You're so considerate that it hurts me. I can't bear to leave you. Alright, be good and listen to me. Don't think about anyone else, and just focus on being pleasured by your husband." Marlow proceeded to kiss her lips before moving down to her neck, then her chest.

A moan of pleasure escaped Josette's lips. She dug her nails into Marlow's back and whimpered, "You can't kiss me there. I won't be able to resist."

"You little vixen, you love it when I do this to you, don't you?"

Soon, they lost themselves in desire. Ameera felt crushed when she saw what was happening.

She had to bite the back of her hand hard to stop herself from crying. She was too foolish to think that the heartache would fade away eventually, but witnessing them in person destroyed her all over again.

Marlow had betrayed her both physically and mentally.

She felt a burning sensation in the pit of her stomach and soon grew nauseous. At one point, she had to put a hand over her mouth and run to the bathroom, where she threw up violently. Her lower stomach throbbed in pain.

Tears blurred her vision as she massaged her stomach.

'My baby, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you had to see such a terrible side of your father. Please forgive me for not letting you be born into this world.'

Her face was drained of color by the time she walked out of the bathroom with her feet floating beneath her. It was very rowdy on the deck, but Marlow and Josette were nowhere to be seen.

After the fireworks show ended, Marlow and Josette finally returned together.

Josette looked like she was glowing with satisfaction. She intentionally sat next to Ameera and presented a velvet box to her with a smile. "Ameera, I made you something. I want to thank you and Marlow for taking care of me for the last five years. I wasn't the one who saved you back there. You were the one who saved me. I want to wish you a long and happy marriage."

The box contained a strikingly green bracelet.

Ameera stared at her blankly before forcing a smile. "It's fine. You can keep it. It's not my style."

Josette's hand trembled, and it looked like she was going to cry. She instinctively glanced at Marlow.

Marlow seemed not to notice the look Josette cast at him. His gentle gaze was fixed on Ameera as if she were the only person in the world as he spoke, "She doesn't like it. It's fine. You can keep it."

Josette put away the gift and sulked. "Could I offer you a toast at least? I want to wish you happiness."

This time, Ameera did not refuse. She reached for her glass and took a sip.

A smile returned to Josette's face after that. As she walked away, a vicious glower flashed across her eyes. She intentionally tripped over a chair and tumbled to the ground with a shriek before palming her hands over her stomach.

"Ow!"

Everyone was startled by the commotion. The ones who were closest rushed to help her up and were taken aback when they noticed her skirt was stained scarlet red.

She immediately turned to look at Marlow. Ameera glanced at him at the same time as well.

Marlow's expression remained composed. When he noticed the way Ameera was looking at him, he smiled gently and took her hand before casually instructing the others, "Please take her to the hospital. I want to stay with my wife until the end of the show."

With that, a group of people escorted Josette off the boat.

Meanwhile, Marlow held Ameera's hand the entire time as they listened to the band play.

If Ameera were oblivious about his involvement with Josette, she would have been deceived by his acting. She felt her blood run cold. The pain in her lower stomach intensified.

Just as she was about to suggest going home, Marlow's phone rang.

"Mr. Brunsfield, you left in such a hurry this morning, so we haven't had time to finalize the contract yet. Are you able to come to the office?" His assistant's anxious voice came through the speaker.

Marlow frowned and remained silent for a few seconds before hanging up. Then, he turned to Ameera with a flicker of guilt hanging in his eyes. "Honey, I need to go to the office. Do you mind waiting here for a bit? I'll have the driver take you home, alright?"

Ameera sneered to herself before assuring him, "It's fine, go on."

Marlow got up and tried to kiss her forehead, but she pretended to have a coughing fit so she could avoid his approach.

Marlow left after that without a second thought.

Ameera knew he was only making an excuse to go to the hospital. Strangely, the pain in her chest wasn’t as sharp anymore.

She waited for half an hour, but the driver was nowhere to be seen.

Then, she felt another sharp pain in her stomach that made her hunch over. As she stared at the shards of broken glass on the floor, a terrible thought crossed her mind.

Josette had poisoned her drink.

Ameera mustered every ounce of strength she could to get up and collect the shards that still held traces of her drink.

The pain in her stomach began to intensify and spread across her stomach. She felt as if a violent force was tearing at her from inside. Everything was pulsing with heat.

Her first thought was to call Marlow, but he didn't answer. She could not get in touch with the driver either.

With that, she used the last of her strength to dial emergency services.

When Ameera came to, she found herself at the hospital.

A thought suddenly flickered in her mind, which made her reach for her stomach. Her heart dropped when she realized her baby was gone.

"Bed 23, where are your family members? You have an outstanding bill to pay. You just had heavy metal poisoning, and unfortunately, your baby did not make it. Please cooperate with the police while they conduct their investigation." The nurse proceeded to relay the situation to her briskly.

Ameera's fingers trembled as she reached her phone and called Marlow, but his phone had been turned off.

She strained a wry smile. Not only had he been ignoring her calls since she left last night, but he didn't even bother to contact her.

He once told her he would always be there when she needed him. Now, he would rather be with Josette than answer her calls.

"I don't have any family members. I'll settle the bill myself," she answered meekly.

"You can't get out of bed in this state. I'll do it for you. Get some rest." The nurse kindly attended to her.

After the nurse was done taking down her details, she left the ward and lamented to another nurse, "We're all women, but some of us live harder lives than the others, don't we? There was this other girl who looked like she was at risk of a miscarriage. Her husband was so anxious about it that he reserved an entire VIP ward and had a world-class medical team flown over here to attend to her and save the baby."

The nurse snuck a glance at Ameera. "That poor woman had a miscarriage from metal poisoning, but doesn't even have a family member to look after her."

Based on the story, Ameera realized the nurse was talking about Marlow and Josette. The thought of it no longer made her feelings fluctuate.

After that, she made arrangements to transfer to a VIP ward. During her stay, she had someone investigate the glass fragments to find out who had poisoned her.

Marlow never even contacted her until she was discharged.

The first thing she did was head back to the Meyers' house so she could retrieve the ring her late mother had left her. She made sure to store the relic in a safe. She planned to sell the house and never go back again.

After that, she went to legally change her name so that Marlow could never track her down.

When she returned home, she found Josette curled up snugly underneath a blanket on the couch, eating snacks and binge-watching TV.

Ameera frowned. Before she could even get a word out, Josette shot up from the couch.

"Ameera, you're back! Have you eaten yet? Marlow went to buy a cake. Would you like some chocolate?" She smiled kindly, but the smug look within her eyes could not be concealed.

"Who said you could touch my things?" Ameera scowled and felt frustrated when she observed the coffee table in such a messy state. She had always had a strong aversion to other people touching her belongings, especially when they were in her house.

Marlow was aware of this and took care not to bring any outsiders home without her permission. Even on the occasions when he did have visitors, he would clean and disinfect everything immediately.

However, now he allowed Josette to sleep in her spot, use her blanket, and eat her snacks…

"Ameera, are you angry at me? You can have it back." Josette chucked the chips right at her before cocking an eyebrow. "Go on, pick it up."

Ameera did a double-take. Just as she was about to speak, Josette suddenly got down on her knees to clean up the mess.

"I'm so sorry for eating your snacks. I was starving. Please don't be angry. I'll clean it up right now," she expressed morosely and seemed on the verge of tears.

Ameera was thrown off by the sudden change in Josette's behavior when she suddenly heard Marlow's voice coming from behind.

"Honey, what are you doing?"

It did not take long for her to connect the dots. Josette had orchestrated it all.

Ameera turned around to see Marlow staring at Josette planted on the floor. There was a clear look of hurt in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have eaten Ameera's snacks without her permission." Josette averted her gaze and was holding back tears.

"You should be sorry. There is nothing my wife dislikes more than other people touching her belongings. Why did you make such a mess of the living room?" Marlow frowned disapprovingly. "Take your cake and go. Don't come around here again."

Josette was taken aback by his response. She slowly got up and took the cake Marlow handed her.

Suddenly, she seemed to have lost her balance and slammed her weight into Ameera. It all happened so fast that Ameera could not stay balanced on her feet, sending both of them tumbling to the floor.

Within a split second, Marlow rushed over and pulled Josette into his arms.

Meanwhile, Ameera continued falling backwards before hitting the back of her head against the corner of the shoe cabinet. Pain exploded behind her eyes, and hot blood began to pour down her neck.

The last thing she saw was Marlow holding onto Josette tightly...