After ten years of marriage, Richard Ford suddenly lost his memory.

Then, all his former lovers came back and admitted that he had cheated on me with them.

The first one was Fiona Chambers, the new Miss USA. She claimed that Richard had bought her a private island where they planned to live together forever. It became talked about everywhere.

Another was Gloria di Mancini, a former Miss Universe contestant. She said to everyone that Richard had chosen her to be his wife three years ago. Another mess.

As for another, there was a young, beautiful flight attendant who even shared a half-naked photo of Richard sleeping. Everyone believed it because they were very intimate. The internet was ready to laugh at me.

However, I still helped Richard handle the Ford Family’s problems as Mrs. Ford.

It was until Emily Burnett showed up one day. She walked limply in one leg. But what shocked me the most was that she held the hand of a nine-year-old boy. Immediately, I had a bad feeling about it.

She stood in front of Richard and cried as she said, “Mrs. Ford, I know you don’t like me and I won’t complain if you break my other leg. But Bryan has grown up. It’s time for him to be accepted by his father’s family.”

Richard gently touched the child’s head. Then he looked at me with cold eyes. It was at this very moment that when I found out that Richard had been hiding a family for ten years. All the affairs were just a cover.

Richard was protecting Emily and their son.

In that moment, I realized I didn’t want to be Mrs. Ford anymore.

——

For ten years, Richard had no scandals. People always said he respected and loved me the most. And I believed it, too.

However, that wasn’t the case any longer. Now, all the servants in the Ford mansion looked at me with pity. They wanted to see the proud Mrs. Ford finally fall from grace.

Emily cried as she slowly climbed the stairs. Her clothes were thin and the cold wind blew around her. Her knees were already bleeding.

She stood in front of me and said, “Mrs. Ford, you promised to only break one of my legs if I left. But now, you’ve blocked all my paths. I can’t find work, I can’t take care of Bryan. He’s nine years old and still can’t go to school. Please, I beg you. Give him a chance.”

“Even if you want me to cut my limbs, I’ll never ever complain about it!”

She cried and reached out to grab my pant leg. I didn’t want her to touch me, so I stepped back without thinking. Suddenly, Emily screamed and fell backward.

There were many steps at the entrance of the Ford mansion. She rolled all the way to the bottom.

Bryan stood beside Richard and cried out, “Mom!”

The kid tried to run toward her, but Richard stopped him. Even without his memory, Richard still had the cold pride of a powerful man.

He looked at me with disgust and asked, “Harriet, when did you become so cruel?”

Then, Richard walked down and picked up Emily himself. She looked very thin and weak. Not to mention, her forehead was also bleeding.

Blood covered Richard’s suit, but he didn’t mind.

“How do you feel?” he asked gently.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Emily clung tightly to his shirt, her voice soft and pale as she said, “Richard, don’t blame Harriet. She did everything for your sake … and to protect the Ford Family’s name. I know I’m not worthy of you. I’m not good enough to marry into the Ford Family … ”

“I’ve accepted it for ten years. Harriet can punish me if she wants to … ”

Richard held her closer and said softly, “Don’t say that. I understand everything now. Don’t worry, I won’t let you suffer ten years of pain for nothing.”

After that, he picked her up in his arms and looked back at me.

“Harriet, I will settle the past ten years with you!”

Bryan saw them leaving and quickly ran after them. The driver rushed over to open the car door. Richard carried Emily into the car and Bryan got in with them.

They looked like a perfect family of three.

As the car drove away, I slowly looked away. When I turned around, the cold wind blew hard, cutting into my skin. Ten years had passed, but like a leaf falling from a tree, it left no trace behind.

The servants whispered behind me.

“She’s been his wife for ten years and still haven’t had a child. Isn’t that just taking up space without doing anything?”

“Shh! Don’t let Mrs. Ford hear you!”

I ignored them, walked upstairs and called my lawyer.

“Please write a divorce agreement between Mr. Ford and me.”

“As for the property, I won’t give up a single cent.”

The lawyer sounded a bit hesitant as he said from the other end, “Everything else is easy to arrange. But the airport in the northern suburbs, that’s what Mr. Ford planned to give you as a gift for your tenth wedding anniversary. It’s almost ready to open.”

“Are you sure you want to do this now, Mrs. Ford?”

“After all, building your own airline was your biggest dream.”

Yes. Before I married into the Ford Family, I had dreams, too. But I gave them all up. It was not for love, but for the future of the Ford Family. I lived like a person without a soul. But not now.

I asked, “How long until it opens?”

“The opening ceremony is in seven days.”

I nodded. Let it be then. Besides, I wouldn’t mind waiting for another seven days.

Richard didn’t come home until the next day. I was eating breakfast when the servants rushed in.

"Mrs. Ford, Mr. Ford is back. He brought Miss Burnett and the child with him."

I didn’t say anything.

Richard came in carrying Emily. She kept her head down and leaned into his chest like she would break if anyone touched her. On the other hand, the little Bryan ran into the room and kicked me hard.

“You bad woman! You hit my mom! You’re a bad woman!”

Emily tried to stop him and struggled to get out of Richard’s arms.

“Bryan, don’t be rude. Say sorry to Mama Harriet.”

‘Mama Harriet?’ I thought to myself, wanting to puke at the mention of it.

Richard held her tightly as he gently told Emily, “Don’t move. You’re still hurt.”

After calming her down, he looked at me and said in a cold voice, like it was just a fact, “Emily and the child will live here from now on.”

The servants all heard him. All of them lowered their heads as they quietly glanced at each other. His words made it clear.

Richard didn’t care about me anymore.

I brushed the dirt off my pants where Bryan had kicked me, stood up and asked, “If they’re living here, then where am I supposed to live?”

He frowned and sounded impatient as he answered, “Don’t make a scene.”

After that, he said, "Talking too much will only embarrass you."

I asked again, “Really? But isn’t bringing your mistress into this house what’s really embarrassing?”

“Harriet!” he shouted sharply.

His voice made all the servants freeze.

Richard had always been the authority in this house. Before, he used to spoil me. It was because of that love, I had always stood tall.

“You should understand,” he said coldly.

“Emily gave me a son.”

He said it in front of everyone, like he was slapping me in the face.

Before I could say a word, Emily started crying.

She held onto Richard’s sleeve and said softly, "Richard, please don’t fight with Harriet because of me. I feel terrible for you."

She looked at me carefully and said, "Harriet, don’t worry. Bryan and I are just staying here for a little while. We won’t disturb you."

"If Bryan and I ever do anything wrong, just tell us. We’ll change, I promise."

I didn’t respond. I simply walked upstairs.

Behind me, I heard Richard’s soft voice as he spoke, “Don’t be scared. I’m here. She won’t dare to touch you.”

“You can live here peacefully.”

With those words, the servants immediately surrounded Emily and Bryan. They were all smiles and spouted words of flattery. It was a contrast compared to me.

I shut the bedroom door behind me, which blocked out the noise. Obviously, I didn’t want to hear their voices anymore. The only thing I focused on was the airport.

It was just seven more days to go until the opening of the airport. I knew that I could hold on well. I had to.

The house had become chaotic. With a child around and the servants acting like he was royalty, the living room was always noisy. I couldn’t stand it, so I asked my assistant to take me to the company.

During Richard’s memory loss, I had taken care of the group’s business. He didn’t like dealing with unfamiliar people, so everything had been left to me. But when I arrived at the office building, my fingerprint didn’t unlock the door.

Confused, I turned to my assistant and asked him “What’s going on?”

Richard’s secretary ran over, clearly nervous, as she answered, “Mrs. Ford … Mr. Ford said…”

“Said what?”

“He said the Ford Family now has an heir. He plans to personally train him.”

The people around gasped.

“An heir? Mr. Ford has a child?”

“I thought Mrs. Ford couldn’t get pregnant?”

“Didn’t you hear? That child’s his illegitimate son!”

My fists clenched.

“Open the door,” I ordered the secretary.

She hesitated before she spoke again to me, “Mrs. Ford … I can’t … Mr. Ford gave strict orders…”

I stepped closer, telling her coldly, “I said, open the door.”

Before she could reply, Richard’s cold voice echoed from behind me.

“You don’t get to give orders in the Ford Family anymore.”

I turned around. He was carrying Bryan. Without even glancing at me, Richard walked into the office and sat down at his desk with Bryan on his lap, playing with him like they were the only two in the world.

He didn’t even look up when he spoke, “Go home if you’ve got nothing to do. Your job is to handle the household now.”

The secretary and assistant stared at me, unsure of what to do. Part of me wanted to argue, to scream, to demand the respect I deserved. But instead, I turned and walked away.

Back home, it was no better. All the servants were doting on Emily again. No one even called me down for dinner.

Later that night, the lawyer sent over the first draft of the divorce agreement. We had many assets to divide and I needed time to review everything carefully. Just after midnight, I went downstairs to get some water.

The house was dark, except for Richard’s study. I heard muffled voices … and then soft crying. So, I followed the sound and peeked through the half-open door.

Emily was leaning on the desk, her back toward me.

“Richard, I’ve waited ten years for you. I was so scared I’d never get you back.”

He pulled her into his arms as he gently told her, “Silly girl. How could anyone forget you?”

“Everything that happens outside … it was just a performance.”

Emily lifted her face to his. Her lips brushed his jaw. Richard’s eyes darkened. Then, he picked her up and placed her on the desk.

I turned away the moment I heard the sound of fabric tearing. This was it, then. After all these years, I was nothing more than a performance.

Without further ado, I walked back to my room. For a while, I sat down. Eventually, I managed to sign the divorce agreement.

The next morning, it seemed that Richard was still high on romance as he actually called me downstairs for breakfast.