On our seventh wedding anniversary, my wife, Blair, the daughter of the city's richest man, straddled my lap, her kiss deep and intoxicating as she toyed with my lower lip.

The same night, we just announced our pregnancy to the world.

Just then, Blair's best friend, Chloe, asked in French, her tone suggestive:

"Blair, you're absolutely glowing. But tell me honestly, how does it feel to get railed by another man while carrying a baby?"

Blair let out a soft laugh, a familiar sound that sent a chill down my spine.

She replied, also in French:

"It feels absolutely incredible, Chloe. He's like a wild wolf. Just yesterday, he had his head buried between my thighs, using his mouth to bring me to tears before taking me so deep I forgot my own name."

Her fingers were still toying with my collar, but her gaze was already distant.

"But remember, keep this from Kevin. If he finds out what I've been doing behind his back while pregnant, it will be a disaster."

The socialite sisters gathered around them shared knowing chuckles, raising their glasses and promising to keep the secret.

The warmth in my veins turned to ice. My fervent passion to welcome a new life was instantly reduced to a pathetic joke.

They had all forgotten that I spent my childhood in southern France. I understood every single syllable.

I forced myself to remain calm, my face fixed in the perfect smile expected of a blissful husband about to welcome his first child, but the hand holding my champagne glass was trembling.

I didn't fly into a rage. I didn't smash everything in sight.

Instead, I took out my phone, found the invitation I had received a few days prior for the Aegis Agency, a highly classified organization on the other side of the world, and clicked "Accept."

In three days, I would vanish from Blair's world.

On our seventh wedding anniversary, my wife, Blair, the daughter of the city's richest man, straddled my lap, her kiss deep and intoxicating as she toyed with my lower lip.

The same night, we just announced our pregnancy to the world.

Just then, Blair's best friend, Chloe, asked in French, her tone suggestive:

"Blair, you're absolutely glowing. But tell me honestly, how does it feel to get railed by another man while carrying a baby?"

Blair let out a soft laugh, a familiar sound that sent a chill down my spine.

She replied, also in French:

"It feels absolutely incredible, Chloe. He's like a wild wolf. Just yesterday, he had his head buried between my thighs, using his mouth to bring me to tears before taking me so deep I forgot my own name."

Her fingers were still toying with my collar, but her gaze was already distant.

"But remember, keep this from Kevin. If he finds out what I've been doing behind his back while pregnant, it will be a disaster."

The socialite sisters gathered around them shared knowing chuckles, raising their glasses and promising to keep the secret.

The warmth in my veins turned to ice. My fervent passion to welcome a new life was instantly reduced to a pathetic joke.

They had all forgotten that I spent my childhood in southern France. I understood every single syllable.

I forced myself to remain calm, my face fixed in the perfect smile expected of a blissful husband about to welcome his first child, but the hand holding my champagne glass was trembling.

I didn't fly into a rage. I didn't smash everything in sight.

Instead, I took out my phone, found the invitation I had received a few days prior for the Aegis Agency, a highly classified organization on the other side of the world, and clicked "Accept."

In three days, I would vanish from Blair's world.

...

At the height of the party, we took a short break in a private lounge.

Blair noticed I hadn't touched the wine she poured for me. She rubbed her head against my shoulder like an affectionate kitten.

"Darling, you seem distracted. Are you not feeling well?"

The deep affection in her eyes just made my chest feel unbearably tight.

One moment, she was laughing with her subordinates, discussing the thrill of sleeping with my brother and the thrill of cheating on me.

The next, she could seamlessly switch back to the perfect wife, deeply in love with her husband.

I marveled at what a masterful actress she was.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking, what were you all talking about earlier?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Blair kissed my cheek affectionately.

"Just some private gossip about a friend's messy divorce. I know you hate hearing about drama, so we switched languages."

The heavy scent of perfume and alcohol suddenly made it hard to breathe. I shifted, avoiding her touch.

"You carry on. I'm going to get some fresh air."

As I walked through the main hall, people kept pointing at me, their gazes veiled and hard to read.

"Look, there he is. The man who has it all. Ms. Valerius spares no expense for their anniversary every year."

"Of course. How many people dream of marrying the daughter of the richest man? And yet, Blair chose him."

I used to hear these things and not care what anyone thought. I had believed our marriage was flawless and felt nothing but genuine contentment.

Now, hearing them again, every word felt like a slap in the face, dripping with irony.

No one could have imagined the sordid games Blair, who professed to love me to her very core, played behind my back.

Yesterday, trying to hide her anniversary gift, I had secretly entered her study.

It was a restricted area that housed the Valerius Group's most sensitive trade secrets, a place even I rarely had a chance to enter.

But the mahogany desk, usually immaculate, was now strewn with classified documents.

The leather desk blotter was covered in scratches from the tips of high heels, and on the sofa lay a single cufflink, torn violently from a shirt.

It was a bespoke piece I had given Julian, my younger brother, for his twenty-first birthday.

At the time, it was only a flicker of suspicion. That is, until I heard her say those words herself.

I could almost picture it: a rough, feverish coupling that desecrated the very heart of her power.

The moment I walked out of that study, I knew my marriage to Blair was over.

A sudden vibration from my pocket pulled me back to my senses.

"Kevin, I saw on the online portal that you accepted the position. Someone will pick you up in three days."

"Take these next few days to say a proper goodbye to your family."

At the word "family," my hand clenched into a fist.

After my parents died in a brutal corporate takeover five years ago, the only family I had left in this world were Blair and Julian.

But now, she had betrayed me with my only brother.

They no longer deserved to be called my family.

"Director , that won't be necessary. Please initiate the highest level of security protocol for me. I want all traceable information under my name erased."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Why? Once that protocol is initiated, the person known as Kevin Thorne will completely cease to exist. Blair won't be able to find you. She'll lose her mind."

I laughed, a bitter taste in my throat. "She won't lose her mind over me. She betrayed me."

After a long silence, my director sighed softly.

"I had a feeling something was wrong when you suddenly accepted yesterday… I just never imagined it was this serious."

"Alright, I'll handle it for you. You have three days to wrap things up on your end."

I finally let my tense shoulders relax. With that protocol, I wouldn't have to agonize over staging a "dignified farewell."

"Thank you, Director."

Just as I hung up, the sound of high heels approached from behind, accompanied by that familiar female voice.

"Darling, who was on the phone? I thought I heard you say someone was betrayed."

I turned to meet Blair's dark green eyes, which were now guarded. I put on the same gentle smile I always wore.

"Just a friend. A wealthy heiress I know cheated on her husband. Now he's filing for divorce and demanding a share of the equity."

If she loved to act so much, I would play along.

Blair's eyes scanned my face, searching for any flicker of suspicion in my expression.

Once she was satisfied that I was acting normally, the tension in her shoulders slowly eased.

She wrapped her arm around my waist, her warm lips pressing against my temple, her breath hot on my skin.

"Utterly foolish. People who betray their partners don't deserve success."

"My love, a scandal like that will never happen to us."

I stared quietly into the depths of her dark eyes and smiled faintly.

"But what if it did happen?"

"To… you, for example?"

"Kevin, there is no ‘what if'."

Blair cut me off without hesitation. "I, Blair Valerius, swear on the honor of the Valerius family, I will never betray you."

"Of course. I was just joking."

Blair was silent for a moment. Then she rubbed her nose against my earlobe, a suggestive gesture.

It was ironic. Even while entangled with my brother, she displayed an almost suffocating possessiveness toward me.

"If that day ever comes, then punish me. Let my punishment be never seeing you again for the rest of my life."

"You know this, Kevin. You are my life. Without you, I'd walk straight into hell myself."

I said nothing. I just silently slipped out of her fiery embrace.

In three days, I would escape from this embrace I had once cherished.

The vow you just made is about to come true.

She reached for me, but was interrupted by her assistant's voice.

"Boss, everything is ready."

Blair nodded in satisfaction, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. She took my hand and led me toward the edge of the terrace.

She wrapped her arms around me from behind, covering my eyes with her hands, and whispered in my ear.

"My love, the main event of the evening is here."

"I have a special gift for you."

"Five… four… three…"

As the countdown hit zero, she released her hands.

The sight before me was breathtaking.

She had booked the entire private harbor, and the sky above was lit up by thousands of drones.

Brilliant bands of light shifted rapidly, forming giant letters against the starry sky, spelling out my name: Kevin Thorne.

Blair's arms wrapped tightly around my waist, her voice thick with deep emotion.

"Sweetheart, we've been married for seven whole years. But every day with you still feels like the first time we met."

I looked up at the glittering letters, feeling a sense of surreal detachment.

Yes, seven whole years.

I was supposed to be one of the most promising rising stars in my field. For her, I had willingly clipped my own wings, given everything up, and become the quiet husband of the richest man's daughter.

So much had changed in these seven years.

So many people had mocked me for being a kept man, but I believed that only the two people in a marriage know its true nature, so I never cared about outside opinions.

But I never expected that seven years was long enough for deep love to curdle into betrayal, for vows to ferment into lies.

Blair turned me to face her, her dark green eyes staring into mine as if she could absorb me into herself.

"Seven years. And every year, I want to give you the very best."

She slowly leaned in, her lips about to meet mine.

If I hadn't heard that conversation in the lounge tonight, I would have been fooled by this masterful performance for the rest of my life.

Just as our lips were about to touch, the phone in her jacket pocket began to vibrate wildly.

A flash of annoyance crossed her face, an expression I knew all too well.

Good. That saved me the trouble of finding another excuse to pull away.

"Damn it. I said tonight was strictly private. I'd like to see who has a death wish."

But when she saw the screen, her expression shifted, the anger in her eyes turning to ice.

I glanced at the caller ID: My Little Wolf.

I knew it was Julian.

Blair cleared her throat unnaturally, quickly turning her wrist to hide the screen as her fingers flew to silence the call.

In that split second, I saw the flicker of panic in her eyes, mixed with raw desire.

Sure enough, when she looked up again, her face was a mask of impeccable guilt.

"What is it?" I asked, feigning nonchalance, though my fists were clenched tight.

"An emergency at the company." She put her phone away. "Darling, I might have to leave for a little while."

"Now?"

"I'm sorry. I know tonight is important to us. But this really can't wait."

She pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"Wait for me in our room. I'll make it up to you when I get this sorted out."

"I understand. The company always comes first."

I nodded obediently, playing the part of the understanding husband to perfection.

Blair was visibly relieved. She gave me another quick hug and turned to leave, almost in a hurry.

I stood on the terrace, watching her car drive out the gates.

Once her taillights had vanished from sight, I turned and walked toward the parking garage.

If she had an "emergency" to handle, then I figured I should go see just how urgent this matter really was.

I started the engine and silently followed in the direction her car had gone.

I tailed her car all the way to an extremely private, high-end club in Oak Bay.

It was open only to the most exclusive inner circle of the Valerius Group. The guards at the entrance recognized my car and gave me a respectful nod.

I parked in an open-air lot across the street, giving me a perfect vantage point. I cut the engine and watched from the car.

The moment Blair stepped out of her car, Julian was there to meet her.

He wore a black shirt with the collar slightly open, the sleeves casually rolled up to his forearms, exuding the unbridled wildness of youth.

Then, like a possessive young wolf, he wrapped his arm around Blair's waist.

"Darling, that little drone show of yours made me so jealous."

Blair ran a hand down his firm back, her voice indulgent.

"Wasn't booking the entire coastline for your birthday fireworks a few days ago enough? Such a greedy little wolf."

"A wild wolf," he corrected, nibbling on her earlobe. "And you'd better not hold back on a single thing you promised me."

"You'll get it all. Just not yet."

"I promised you, as long as you behave and don't let your dear brother find out about our little game, all the power and status he has now will be yours sooner or later."

Hearing this, a sharp pain shot through my heart, as if a thousand daggers were piercing my chest.

I remembered that spectacular fireworks display on the coast a few days ago all too well.

That night, Blair had told me she was flying to Europe to deal with a corporate mole trying to steal core data. She was gone all night.

I had stayed up, worried sick that something had happened to her on the trip.

It turned out the danger wasn't some corporate mole, but my own wife climbing into my brother's bed.

And I, her husband, was the idiot who had been kept in the dark.

Julian let out a low growl of dissatisfaction, pressing closer, his fingertips tracing a teasing path along her collarbone.

"What, I'm not even allowed to be jealous?"

"Don't be angry. I've prepared an excellent show to satisfy you tonight."

Julian's voice dropped low as he grabbed the collar of her silk blouse.

The lust in Blair's eyes instantly ignited.

"What are you waiting for? Take me."

"See you in the penthouse suite. You'll have to unwrap me layer by layer."

Blair took control, tilting his chin up for a kiss. They stumbled into the glass-walled VIP elevator, locked in a passionate embrace.

Julian let out a muffled groan of pleasure, the rest of the sound swallowed by Blair's deep kiss.

The elevator ascended, heading straight for the presidential suite on the top floor.

Through the glass facade, I saw everything with perfect clarity: he tore at the buttons of her blouse while her fingers tangled in his hair.

Seven years of marriage, and it meant nothing to her.

Even though I had already pieced together the whole truth, seeing it with my own eyes still felt like my soul was being torn to shreds.

The tears I had been holding back for so long finally broke free, streaming down my face.

I remembered our first year of marriage, when Blair swore on the honor of the Valerius family that she would spend every anniversary with me, all day.

Now, a single text from Julian was enough to make her cast that vow aside.

I had lost, completely and utterly.

I took a deep breath, forcing down the storm of emotions inside me.

Just endure for three more days.

In three days, I would escape all of this.

By the time I drove back to the estate, the clock read two in the morning.

I went straight to the guest room at the end of the hall and locked the door.

At three a.m., I heard the screech of a sports car braking downstairs.

Soon after, I heard Blair's voice. "Kevin? Kevin!"

She was screaming my name from the master bedroom, her voice growing more frantic with every call.

"Damn it! Where did he go?"

The shout was followed by the loud crash of an expensive vase being smashed against a wall.

"What's the point of keeping you useless fools around if you can't even keep an eye on him!"

"Ms. Valerius, sir's sports car isn't in the garage. He may have gone out…" the housekeeper reported, trembling outside the door.

"Check the surveillance footage immediately! I don't care if you have to tear this entire neighborhood apart, find him!"

The frantic clicking of her heels grew closer. She was shoving open every door in a panic.

When she finally threw open the door to the guest room, I rubbed my eyes, feigning a sleepy confusion.

The moment she saw me, the rage on her face vanished, replaced by the raw terror of someone who had just averted a disaster.

"Oh my God, Kevin, you scared me to death."

"Why did you change rooms? Do you have any idea how close I came to firing the head of security when I opened the master bedroom and you weren't there?"

She rushed over and pulled me into a tight embrace, her body trembling slightly.

"I just couldn't sleep, so I came to lie down in here for a bit," I said, gently stroking her back. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. It's just… when I can't find you… I get scared."

She kissed the top of my head, her voice genuinely laced with fear.

But if you were truly this afraid of losing me, you wouldn't have been panting under another man.

And you certainly wouldn't have climbed into my own brother's bed.

"I had a headache earlier, so I took some medicine and went to sleep. I forgot to tell you."

After living with her lies for so long, I could now lie just as flawlessly.

Blair was still shaken. She hadn't even changed her clothes, just held on to me for dear life, as if cradling a priceless treasure.

"Don't you ever do that again. I'll go insane if I can't find you."

"You know, Kevin. I would do anything for you."

I pulled at the corner of my mouth, closing my eyes with a sarcastic smile in the darkness.

The next morning, I packed a black velvet gift box.

Inside, I placed three things: the Valerius signet ring, our wedding rings, and the divorce papers I had drafted and signed overnight.

After a moment's thought, I added a photograph that had been buried at the bottom of a drawer. It was a Polaroid she had secretly slipped into my pocket on our first date.

"Blair, this is your anniversary surprise."

She took the box, her eyes filled with genuine delight.

"Can I open it now?"

"No. Wait two days. It will be more... impactful then."

She nodded obediently and carefully locked the box in her safe.

"I'm sure you'll love the gift I got for you, too."

But in two days, I would have completely disappeared from her world.

And by then, this "gift" would tell her everything.

Just as she finished speaking, the doorbell rang.

When the door opened, Julian's face appeared before us, the corners of his eyes red, yet still defiant and untamed.