On the very day I sold my company shares to raise money for my wife’s medical treatment, my phone flashed with a notification about a trending post.

"My husband or my lover, which should I choose?"

An anonymous reply shot to the top of the comments.

"Why choose? I want both."

What followed was a casual, shameless confession. A staged car accident right after the wedding, a fake overseas treatment plan, parents who helped maintain the lie, and millions siphoned off under the excuse of life-saving medical fees. The money was never for treatment. It funded luxury vacations, hotel suites, and a long-term affair.

Someone asked if she was afraid her husband would find out.

Her answer was chilling.

"Why would I be afraid? He thinks he took my first time and swore to take responsibility for me forever. He doesn’t know it was just a repair surgery I did for his sake."

The post ended with a vacation photo. A woman in a bikini, smiling under the sun. And on her waist, a tattoo with the letters 'NG.'

The same tattoo worn by my wife.

The office heating was turned up high, yet I felt as if I fell into an ice cellar.

I could never mistake the NG tattoo on that woman's waist.

It was inked on our second anniversary.

Gwendolyn Sanders made me angry back then, and she got that tattoo just to placate me.

"Darling, our names are tied together now."

"From now on, I'm yours. We'll never be separated."

The anonymous post continued to reply to comments.

[I wonder when my idiot husband will finish selling his shares and wire the money over. I'm booking a themed hotel room so my lover and I can spend the night together. He even prepared a whole drawer of condoms, we're using every single one tonight.]

When someone questioned her, she even posted a photo as proof.

In the picture, shredded stockings and lingerie were scattered all over the floor. And the two hands accidentally captured in the frame were ones I would recognize for the rest of my life.

They belonged to Gwendolyn and her male subordinate, Nicholas Hoffman.

For the past three months, I sold my house to help her 'raise medical expenses.'

I took on debt and even considered selling my shares.

The reason she did all this was simply to go on vacation with her lover.

The anonymous post continued.

[Someone asked whether I love my husband or my lover more. Of course, it's my lover. The tattoo on my waist is of his name and mine. My husband is dumb enough to think it's his.]

[But when it comes to marriage, you still need someone who washes your clothes, cooks your meals, and gives unconditionally. A lover isn't suited for that kind of dirty work.]

Those words felt like invisible hands tightening around my heart.

So she married me only because I was her obedient lapdog.

When Mr. Walsh handed me the share transfer agreement, my father-in-law and mother-in-law called.

"Nathan Rivera, have you sold the shares yet? Gwen is counting on this money to save her life."

For three months, this couple put on an over-the-top performance right in front of me.

I crumpled the papers in my hand.

"Mom, Dad, tell me the truth. Is Gwendolyn's illness really beyond saving?"

Their voices instantly turned flustered.

My father-in-law tried to smooth things over first.

"Nathan, you know her illness is like a bottomless pit. How could it be cured so easily?"

I let out a cold laugh, feeling chilled to the bone.

So it was true. All of it.

After hanging up, I said to Mr. Walsh, "I'm not selling the shares."

I sold my antique calligraphy and paintings instead, scraping together three million and transferring it to my in-laws.

The shares, I would not sell.

As for the act, I would continue playing with Gwendolyn.

When the day came that she 'recovered and returned.'

I would settle this account with her properly.

…

Three days later, Gwendolyn came back.

The moment she walked through the door, she threw herself into my arms, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Darling, thank you for never giving up on me. My surgery was a success."

She looked pale and fragile. Anyone who did not know better would think she truly endured some terrible hardship.

Thinking of the content of that post, a chill crept up from the bottom of my heart.

However, tomorrow was the day of the company's vice president selection.

Nothing could go wrong.

I could not afford to tear things apart with her yet.

"At least you came back," I said flatly. "I thought you might never return in this lifetime."

My indifference made Gwendolyn's smile stiffen.

She clearly did not expect her foolish husband to treat her with such coldness.

After a brief pause, she tested the waters.

"I heard from Mom and Dad that you sold all your shares in the company to pay for my medical bills?"

Looking at her fake smile, I decided to play along.

"Yes. Your surgery cost so much. If I didn't sell my shares, where else could I get the money?"

She brightened immediately, grabbing my hand and placing it on her thigh.

"Thank you, darling.

"To come back and see you sooner, I forced myself to do rehab every day, even though it hurt. I ended up with complications.

"The doctor said I was stupid, but this injury was from saving you. At least you didn't get hurt. If you had, my heart would have broken."

The day of the car accident, when the truck came speeding toward us, she really did throw herself in front of me.

When the ambulance took her away, she was covered in blood.

Out of guilt and gratitude, I was willing to sell the house, even sell my shares, to pay for her treatment.

However, now that I knew it was all fake, all I felt was a bone-deep cold.

Not wanting to respond to her exaggerated display of false affection, I took the box from the housekeeper's hands.

"Didn't you say you still need to keep taking medicine? I'll go brew it for you."

I turned and went into the kitchen with the herbs that needed to be prepared.

I opened my phone. The anonymous post was updated again.

Yesterday, the location showed abroad.

Today, it was already back in the country.

[Who was it yesterday who suspected my husband might find out about my fake car accident? Let me tell you, he hasn't noticed a thing. He's even gone to brew my medicine.]

[I knew it. As long as I mention my leg, he's eaten alive by guilt. Too bad he doesn't know the injury on my leg was from getting too wild with my lover last night.]

Another account jumped in to reply, with the username 'She'sMyDog.'

[So he really sold his shares for you? Make sure he actually sold them. Don't let all our effort go to waste.]

[How would he dare lie to me? The moment he heard I needed surgery, he was probably ready to empty the entire house to raise money.]

[Relax. Everything's been arranged. We're just waiting to give him a big surprise tomorrow.]

The account replying to her felt eerily familiar.

I clicked into the profile and saw that it belonged to Nicholas.

His page was filled with photos from their affair over the past year.

Some were taken in offices, some in hotels, and some were even taken in my own home.

Though every photo only showed backs or hands, it was still unmistakable.

That woman was Gwendolyn.

The most recent photo was of the two of them inside an airplane restroom.

Someone in the comments asked: [Are you the lover from that anonymous post? Affairs really are more exciting with a lover. By the way, if you're having so much fun overseas, why come back?]

Nicholas replied, [Of course, for the thrill. And to give him another surprise.]

What exactly were they preparing for me?

Did all of this have something to do with tomorrow's selection?

Quietly, I saved all the photos from Nicholas's profile.

Carrying the medicine, I locked my phone and walked out of the kitchen.

Gwendolyn was smiling so widely at her phone that she could barely close her mouth. The moment she saw me, she immediately put it away.

"Thanks for your hard work, darling.

"Sit down. I'll massage your shoulders."

I caught a whiff of something off. "You've never liked doing things like this. Why are you suddenly being so attentive?"

Her eyes flickered away.

"What do you mean? Tomorrow's the vice president selection. You've been exhausted for so long. Of course, I want you to get some proper rest."

Her behavior only strengthened my suspicions.

However, I decided to stay still for now.

I would wait until the day of the selection and see what kind of stunt they planned to pull.

Gwendolyn moved faster than I expected.

On the day of the vice president selection, the alarm I set never went off.

She agreed to go to the company with me, yet she quietly turned off my alarm and left on her own.

If I missed the shareholders' meeting, I would lose this competition before it even began.

Fortunately, I planned.

As soon as Gwendolyn left, I got up, washed up, and got myself ready at top speed.

By the time I reached the door, the shareholders were already murmuring among themselves.

"Why hasn't Nathan shown up yet? Does he even take us seriously?"

"He hasn't been to the company in ages, and now he's late for something this critical?"

Gwendolyn looked like she was calming them down, but in reality, she was fanning the flames.

"This is partly my fault. Nathan looked so exhausted that I didn't wake him up. Lately, he's been going in and out of bars and those nightlife places, so he's completely worn out."

I frowned as I listened.

For the past three months, I was running myself into the ground for her so-called medical expenses.

Since when did that turn into hanging out at bars?

I glanced at my watch, then pushed the door open.

"Sorry to keep everyone waiting, but I arrived on time. That shouldn't count as being late, should it?"

Gwendolyn clearly did not expect me to show up this early. Surprise flashed across her face, along with a trace of guilt.

Nicholas, standing to the side, sneered.

"Mr. Rivera, I thought you'd forgotten how to get to the company."

Just from those cutting remarks, I knew it.

Nicholas and Gwendolyn did plenty of back-channel gossip about me with the shareholders.

I let out a cold laugh.

"Save it. Let's start the meeting."

Nicholas opened his presentation slides and began presenting his recent achievements.

"These are my results from the past three months. I personally brought in six major projects, each worth tens of millions.

"Mr. Rivera, this is a fair competition. Let's see your performance."

When I saw those major projects on the screen, my expression darkened.

Were these not the very projects Gwendolyn assigned me half a year ago?

Even on the day I sold my house to raise money, I did not delay meeting clients for even a moment.

So from the very beginning, the names listed under those achievements were Nicholas's.

I, trusting Gwendolyn completely, did not notice a thing.

"If all of these count as yours," I said calmly, "then I have no achievements at all."

Nicholas and Gwendolyn exchanged a subtle glance, as if everything was unfolding exactly as planned.

"Fine, no achievements, is that it?

"This company doesn't exist to support freeloaders. Inform finance to dock Mr. Rivera's salary for the past three months."

They stole my projects and deducted my pay.

What gave him the nerve?

I let out a cold laugh.

"These six projects all closed within the last three months, but Mr. Hoffman, you haven't shown up at the company even once during that time.

"I've heard you went on vacation instead. Isn't that right?"

Panic was visibly written all over Nicholas's face.

"Nonsense! Nathan, you can't beat me, so now you're slandering me. That's truly despicable!

"My whereabouts these past three months were fully known to Ms. Sanders!

"Why don't you dare question Ms. Sanders?"

After Gwendolyn's car accident, I kept it hidden to prevent chaos within the company.

Now Nicholas dared to be this arrogant, openly claiming that Gwendolyn knew everything.

It was obvious she would back him up.

Flustered, Gwendolyn instinctively stepped in front of Nicholas.

"Nathan, you've gone too far.

"You lost, and a loss is a loss. Whether you accept it or not doesn't change that.

"If you won't acknowledge the performance results, then at least acknowledge the shares."

In her eyes, I already sold all my shares to raise money for her medical expenses.

There should not have been a single share left.

Seeing that I did not immediately present proof of my holdings, Nicholas grew smug.

"Looks like you've squandered all your shares already. Someone like you, who would trust you to run the Rivera Group?"

Gwendolyn could no longer keep up her affectionate act. Her gaze turned cold.

"Nathan, take a good look. This is what it means to be inferior."

Before she could finish speaking, I let out a soft scoff.

"Who said I sold my shares?"

I took out my shareholding agreement and displayed it to everyone.

Printed clearly on it was my ownership of twenty-five percent of the company.

Nicholas was stunned.

"You didn't sell them? Then?"

He instinctively looked at Gwendolyn, only to find the same shock mirrored on her face.

Just as I thought. They colluded from the very beginning.

With a cold smile, I threw a stack of photos onto the table.

"Everyone," I said calmly, "are you really sure you want to support two liars as the company's presidents?"