Nicole glanced down and noticed a new gold watch on Tristan's wrist.

"I thought you didn’t like gold and said it was tacky?"

Tristan stiffened slightly before letting go of her.

"No, I just decided it looked good, so I went ahead and got it."

"Is that so?"

Nicole smirked inwardly. Tristan didn’t just dislike gold, he despised it.

Yet here he was, wearing a gold watch.

There was only one explanation: the watch was a gift from his mistress.

"Yeah, I thought it wasn’t so bad after all.”

"Then let’s go to the store now. I’ll buy you a new one.”

Tristan held her close, hesitating.

"No need, Nicky. One is enough. I don’t have room to wear another."

Nicole’s gaze fell on the gold watch again.

Inside the band, she noticed an engraving: T & L.

The initials of Tristan and Lisa Evans.

A sharp pain pierced her heart as she reached out and pushed him away.

"You smell strange. Go take a shower."

"What? Smell strange?"

Tristan sniffed at himself. "I don’t smell anything."

Of course, he didn’t notice, but Nicole’s sharp sense of smell caught everything. The clinging, sickly-sweet scent of another woman after their heated encounter turned her stomach.

Nicole didn’t say another word, and Tristan leaned in again. "Alright, I’ll shower. Wait here for me, okay?"

Moments later, Tristan emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a black robe with his hair slightly damp. Under the soft light, he exuded his usual elegance and aloof charm.

Once, seeing him like this would have left Nicole completely captivated.

But tonight, she felt nothing but disgust.

"Nicky, did you miss me?" Tristan climbed onto the bed, leaning down to kiss her, but Nicole turned her head away.

"I'm tired."

"What's wrong? I've noticed you're less interested in me. Are you seeing another man?"

Looking at his overly serious expression, Nicole marveled at his acting skills.

"What about you? Are you seeing another woman?"

"I swear! Absolutely not. You’re the only one I love!" Tristan declared with utter conviction.

The moment he finished speaking, his phone rang.

It rang once. He didn’t answer. Then it rang several more times.

Nicole glanced at him. "Go ahead, answer it."

Tristan reluctantly got up and walked to the side to take the call.

"Didn’t I tell you not to call me after ten at night?"

"I just wrapped up a shoot—a historical drama! I want to see you. I’m at your office now. Can you come over?"

Tristan glanced at Nicole lying on the bed, hesitating for a moment.

The truth was, his desires were getting the better of him. With Nicole growing distant and turning him away, the thought of Lisa’s eager advances made the choice all too easy.

"Alright, I’ll come right away. Wait for me, sweetheart."

He quickly hung up, walked to the wardrobe, and began changing clothes.

"So late, and you’re still going out?" Nicole’s voice was calm, though she already knew who had called. She just hadn’t expected him to actually leave for Lisa, even at this hour.

"Yeah, something came up at the office. I’ll head over; you get some rest."

Tristan gave her a quick kiss and turned to leave, but Nicole grabbed his arm.

"I’ll go with you."

Tristan froze. "Aren’t you tired? Just rest here."

"I don’t want you working so hard alone. I’ll keep you company."

Without giving him a chance to refuse, Nicole changed into fresh clothes. Tristan had no choice but to quickly send a message to the company group chat, instructing some of the senior executives to return for a meeting.

By the time they arrived, the conference room was already filled with people.

Tristan, looking slightly apologetic, guided Nicole to a nearby lounge. "You rest here for a bit. I’ll come find you when I’m done."

"Alright."

Nicole sat down, a faint smirk playing on her lips. She hadn’t expected Tristan to go so far with his act—he’d even summoned all the senior staff for a real meeting.

After sitting in the lounge for a while, Nicole started to feel drowsy. She turned off the lights, hoping to catch some rest. Just then, a few people walked over to the water cooler nearby.

"Life’s really getting sweeter, isn’t it?" one of them remarked.

"Right? A little overtime at the office, and we walk away with a thousand bucks in hush money. Mr. Ford’s really getting generous."

"All this just to keep Nicole Snow in the dark while he fools around with that starlet? Why not just get a divorce?"

"Watch what you’re saying! Mr. Ford made it clear that Miss Snow must never find out about his affairs. Don’t get reckless. Besides, what’s wrong with us getting paid? It’s been two years, and I’ve made quite a bit from this."

Their conversation ended as they walked away, leaving Nicole trembling on the sofa.

So, everyone in the company knew. They all knew Tristan was seeing another woman.

Everyone, except her. For two years, she’d been the only fool left in the dark.

Rising in the darkness, Nicole felt like a ghost as she shuffled toward the conference room.

The room was empty—everyone had already left. They must have assumed she’d fallen asleep and wouldn’t come looking, so they all cleared out.

But the projector was still on, and so were the lights.

Nicole had planned to seek Tristan. But just as she was about to leave, the projector buzzed softly, and a message popped up on the screen.

"Where did you go? Come back quickly. I want more."

"So needy? Didn’t I just satisfy you? I'm in the restroom. I’ll be quick."

"I can’t help it, I miss you. I can’t go a second without you. How about I wear that camisole again? I know how much you love it."

"You little tease. I’ll make it worth your while. Nicole’s asleep anyway. I’ll be back soon and make you beg for more."

Their messages flashed across the screen, forcing their filth into her vision.

The vulgar words made her stomach churn.

Nicole couldn’t believe it. How could the man she had loved for ten years stoop so low?

She remembered the first time he’d been intimate with her. He’d only kissed her gently, and his face had turned red all the way to his neck.

The moment he removed her clothes, Tristan trembled slightly.

Under the dim yellow light, he stroked her cheek, his voice thick with emotion.

"Nicky, I love you so much. I finally have you. It feels like a dream."

And yet, in just two short years, Lisa had completely transformed him into this.

The most infuriating part? He never behaved like this at home.

Rage swelled in Nicole’s heart as her nails dug into her palms. The sharp pain was unmistakable, yet she hardly noticed.

She walked to the office door, peering through the slats of the blinds. Inside, two undressed bodies entwined, their movements frantic and unrestrained.

They were on the desk, papers and objects scattered across the floor, neither of them caring. Lost in their passion, they continued as if the world outside didn’t exist.

Watching the scene unfold with her own eyes, Nicole couldn’t stop herself. She fled to the restroom and vomited violently.

She had no idea how long she stayed there, retching until her emotions began to settle.

By the time she emerged, Tristan and Lisa had finished.

Tristan’s hair was disheveled, his face flushed—undeniable signs of what had just occurred.

The moment he saw Nicole, he panicked.

"Where did you go? I couldn’t find you, and I was so worried!"

"Worried about me?"

Nicole’s gaze landed on the love marks on his neck. With a cold laugh, she said, "Worried about what? That I might wander off and see something I shouldn’t?"

Tristan’s expression shifted instantly. He quickly shook his head. "What are you talking about? There’s nothing for you to see. I just finished a meeting, and I’m exhausted. Let’s go back to bed."

"Weren’t you in the mood for intimacy earlier? Let’s go to your office."

Nicole grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the office.

Tristan froze, fear flashing across his face.

"No, not tonight. I’m exhausted. If you want, I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, okay? I’m really too tired today."

Tristan was still pretending.

Nicole’s hand twitched, itching to slap him across the face.

But in the end, the slap never landed. She forced herself to swallow the searing pain in her heart and nodded stiffly.

"Fine. Let’s go back."

It didn’t matter anymore. None of it mattered to her now.

As soon as Tristan got home, he headed straight for the shower. Forgetting to grab his pajamas, he called Nicole to bring them to him.

The moment she pushed the door open, his well-built frame came into view.

But what caught her attention even more were the red marks scattered across his body.

Clearly feeling uneasy, Tristan quickly said, "Just leave them here, Nicky. You should head out."

Nicole gave him a cold glance, raising an eyebrow as she asked indifferently, "What happened to you?"

"Nothing.”

Seeing that she had noticed, Tristan panicked.

"I don’t know what it is—maybe an allergic reaction," he added, trying to shift the conversation. "By the way, Nicky, tomorrow’s your birthday. I’ve invited a lot of people to celebrate. You must be tired, so get some rest."

Nicole had almost forgotten that tomorrow was her birthday.

In the ten years they’d been together, he had always planned surprises for her birthday.

Every year, the gifts were more thoughtful and more extravagant than the last.

But what Nicole had wanted was never those things.

She walked out without another word and lay back in bed, closing her eyes but sleep wouldn’t come.

When she opened her eyes in the middle of the night, she saw Tristan sitting up, grinning at his phone. That smile gave everything away.

Pain clenched her heart, but she repeated silently to herself:

“Soon. Very soon, all of this will be over.”

The next morning, before Nicole was fully awake, Tristan leaned down and kissed her forehead affectionately, his voice soft and tender as he woke her.

"Come on, sleepyhead, time to get up!"

He had a row of dresses and high heels brought in for her to choose from. Even the maids, seeing this, couldn’t help but look on with envy.

"Sir, you’re so good to your wife!"

"Of course I am! She’s my wife. Who else would I spoil if not her?"

Nicole smiled faintly, but her eyes brimmed with mockery.

"Happy birthday, darling. Take a look, what do you want to wear today?"

Nicole casually picked a few outfits, and Tristan immediately instructed the staff to take the rest away.

When she stepped out, dressed and ready, she overheard Tristan telling one of the maids, "Send the rest of these clothes to the Willow Manor."

Willow Manor? Nicole remembered that house. They had bought it in their second year of marriage—a villa not far from home—but they’d never lived there.

A sense of unease crept over her, but she didn’t ask any questions.

For Nicole’s birthday party, Tristan had spent the entire day running around. From decorating the house to overseeing the pastries in the kitchen, he handled every detail personally.

He wouldn’t let Nicole lift a finger, insisting that as the birthday girl, her only job was to relax and enjoy herself.

If she didn’t already know about his affair, she might have believed she was the luckiest woman in the world.

As night fell, guests began to arrive one after another.

"Mr. Ford, you’re ridiculously devoted to Miss Snow! Birthdays, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries—every occasion is a grand event. Aren’t you tired of spoiling her so much?"

"Seriously, attending all your parties throughout the year is practically a full-time job! And they’re all for her. You must really love her, huh?"

Tristan held his wine glass under the glow of the crystal chandelier, his smile brimming with pride as he basked in their compliments.

"So, what if I spoil her? Nicky is the only woman I’ll ever love in this lifetime. There will be just as many parties in the years to come. Are you all coming or not?"

"Of course, we’ll come! With Mr. Ford setting such an example of devotion, we’ve got a lot to learn!"

Nicole sat expressionless on the sofa, watching Tristan chat and laugh with the guests. Her eyes glimmered with mockery.

He was truly impressive—lies rolled off his tongue so effortlessly. In the past, such words would have left her deeply moved.

Suddenly, the room stirred as Lisa made her entrance. The buzz of excitement spread quickly.

Nicole’s face darkened.

As expected, Tristan had invited her.