On our wedding night,my husband—top-tier esports pro player Cillian Morgan—spent the entire evening gaming with his first love,Michelle Prescott,while I sat alone in the silent honeymoon suite.

He stumbled back at three in the morning,his fingers still sticky from spilled milk tea,and his phone wallpaper was a selfie of her.

I handed him some hangover soup,but he frowned and pushed it aside."Michelle said this would upset my stomach.Don’t make something like this ever again."

The next morning,Michelle posted a game screenshot on Instagram with the caption:[Thanks for always being my MVP.]

In the screenshot,Cillian’s username,KingCillian,was right next to hers,PrincessMichelle,with every match in the stats tab showing him as the MVP.

Their fans immediately exploded online,and my Instagram flooded with comments.

[Have some self-respect,Winona.KingCillian doesn’t even love you.]

[Divorce him already,you homewrecker!]

***

My manager,Zoey,stomped her foot in panic."Winona,post something to explain,fast!Your new endorsement deal is at risk here."

I calmly applied lipstick,smiling at my own reflection."Why panic,Zoey?I’m Winona Easton,aren’t I?"

I opened my laptop and sent the video from last night to the publicity team.[Edit this.Highlight the part where Cillian says Michelle is more important than me.]

[Blur the rest,but don’t miss the tattoo of Michelle’s name on his wrist.]

Cillian Morgan Caught Gaming with Another Woman on Wedding Night

Within half an hour,the video shot straight to the top of the trending list,crashing esports servers.

Zoey ran into my room,her phone trembling in her hand."Winona,Cillian’s team is here.They want you to take the video down."

"Also…they’re offering three hundred thousand to keep quiet."

I tightened the cap on my lipstick and looked at her,a bitter laugh escaping my lips."Three hundred thousand?Does he think I,Winona Easton,need a few measly hundred thousand?"

"I’m his legal wife.Being left alone on our wedding night is humiliating enough,and now I’m supposed to shut my mouth while he messes around with his first love?"

"Zoey,do I look like a pushover?"

Zoey was left speechless and just as she was about to say something,the bedroom door suddenly slammed open.

Cillian stormed in,veins bulging on his forehead,phone clenched tightly in his hand."Winona Easton!Are you insane?"

"Why would you do this?Do you even realize this video could ruin my entire career?"

He slammed the phone on the coffee table.The screen displayed the video I had posted."I’m just friends with Michelle!She only broke up yesterday.We were just gaming that night.What’s the problem with that?"

I stood,walking slowly toward him with a calm face."Friends?Friends leave their wives alone on their wedding night?Friends get someone else’s name tattooed on their wrist?"

His face flushed red,as if struck at a sore spot.At last,he just blurted out a weak defense.

"I just…I was drunk,okay?It was just a mistake any man could make!You didn’t have to make it such a big deal!"

"You're too much,Winona!"

I smirked,brushing my fingers across his cheek."Too much?Compared to you two,I’m just returning the favor."

"And not every man makes mistakes,Cillian,only irresponsible ones like you.Don’t drag the rest of the world down with you."

He was furious that he raised his hand,ready to strike,but I didn’t even flinch.I just held his gaze.

"Hit me.Go ahead.One move today,and tomorrow’s headlines will be'Top Esports Pro Player Cillian Morgan Abuses Wife.'I promise,it’ll be even bigger than this one."

His hand froze mid-air,then slowly dropped.Seeing I wouldn’t back down,he finally stormed out in frustration.

***

Not long after,Cillian’s mother,the owner of Stellar Media Group,called me personally.

Merlin's voice dripped with authority as she demanded,"Winona,delete the video immediately.Post a clarification,say it was just a misunderstanding,that you edited the footage to frame Cillian."

"The Morgan Family cannot afford this scandal.If you know what’s good for you,don’t ever try to ruin Cillian’s future."

I leaned back on the sofa,twirling the diamond on my finger."Mrs.Morgan,it’s not your family that’s embarrassed,it’s your son."

"He acted like this on our wedding night,and I haven’t even demanded a divorce.I’ve already spared your family enough face."

A few seconds of silence passed,then a grinding,furious voice came through."What do you want?Money?Resources?"

"Just name your price.I can give you anything,just make this scandal go away."

I chuckled softly,lazily resting my chin on my hand,teasing."I want nothing.I only want justice.I want Cillian to admit he cheated on his wedding day."

Merlin scoffed,her voice dripping with contempt."Justice?In this industry,power and influence are justice."

"Without us,you’re nothing.A nobody,just an irrelevant model."

"You have one hour to decide.If I don’t see a clarification post within that time,the consequences are all on you."

The call abruptly ended.Zoey spun around in panic,clutching my hand,worry filled her eyes."Winona,she sounded really serious."

"All your endorsements…they came through Stellar Media Group.If they pull out,you’re finished."

I patted her shoulder calmly,completely unshaken."Don’t worry.I saw this coming a long time ago."

An hour passed quickly,yet I hadn’t posted a single clarification.

Soon after,Michelle updated her Instagram.She lay in a hospital bed,her arm wrapped in bandages.The caption read,[I’m sorry for dragging Cillian into this.Everyone,please stop blaming him.Blame me if you must.]

In the photo,her eyes were red,tears streaking her cheeks.She looked fragile and pitiful.Just one post and the public opinion flipped instantly.

[Michelle is hospitalized due to cyberbullying.I think we all knew who's behind this.]

Her post went straight to the top of the trending list,and my Instagram was flooded with harsh comments.

[Winona,you heartless woman!You drove Michelle to the hospital.Don’t you have any conscience?]

[KingCillian,get a divorce already.She doesn’t deserve to be with you!]

[Winona,quit the entertainment industry!Stop ruining Cillian and Michelle's lives!]

***

Cillian’s call came immediately after,his voice seething with rage."Winona,Michelle’s in the hospital.Are you happy now?"

"If anything happens to her,I will never forgive you!"

I listened quietly to his shouting.When he finally paused,I spoke slowly,"Cillian,do you really think the whole world should revolve around you two?"

"She ends up in the hospital,and it’s my fault?And me—the wife you left alone on our wedding night—am I supposed to take all the blame?"

"And one more thing…Michelle should learn to fake being sick better next time.Her bandages are crooked.Did she really think the internet wouldn’t notice?"

On the other end,Michelle’s soft crying could be heard in the background.Cillian shouted something irrational,then hung up.

***

The next morning,calls started pouring in from the endorsement companies.They wanted to cancel my contracts,saying my public image no longer fit their brands.

Soon after,Stellar Media Group released a statement cutting all cooperation with me.

Zoey held the termination letter,her hands shaking."Winona,it’s over.Merlin is trying to destroy your career completely."

I glanced at the letter and smiled."Destroy me?She doesn’t have that kind of power yet."

Then,Cillian sent me a message,full of arrogance.[I gave you chances,Winona.Now get out of my house immediately.The divorce papers will be sent by my lawyer.]

I read the message and replied with just two simple words.[You go.]

Not long after,he stormed into the honeymoon suite with two bodyguards.

"Winona Easton!Don’t make me lose my patience!"

"This house belongs to the Morgan Family.You have no right to live here!"

I sat on the sofa and pointed to the property certificate on the coffee table."Cillian,maybe you should get your eyes checked."

"The certificate is in my name.It was a gift from my parents before our wedding.It has nothing to do with the Morgan Family."

He froze,clearly unaware of this fact.

Michelle peeked out from behind him,her eyes red."Forget it,Cillian,let’s go.Don’t make her angry."

Her soft,pitiful voice made my stomach churn.

Cillian turned to look at her,his gaze full of tenderness."Michelle,you’re just too kind."

Then he turned toward me,his eyes blazing with hatred."Winona,you’ll pay for what you have done.I’ll make sure you can never lift your head in this industry again!"

I stood up right and walked toward him,smiling at both of them.

"Sure.I’ll be waiting."

My gaze then slid past Cillian and landed squarely on Michelle.

"Miss Prescott,next time you fake being sick,at least go to a proper hospital.And don’t use those flimsy bandages that tear with the slightest touch.Everyone can see right through them."

Michelle froze,her face going pale as she clutched Cillian’s arm."Cillian,I didn’t—"

He stepped in front of her,shielding her,glaring at me."Winona,don’t go too far!She ended up in the hospital because of you and you’re still saying this to her?"

I let out a cold laugh and pointed at him."Too far?The ones being truly too far are both of you."

"You gave her hope she never deserved,made her think she could climb over me to get ahead."

"Cillian,you are the root of all of this."

The Morgan Family’s blacklisting hit fast.Every one of my projects was halted,even magazine covers I had already shot were pulled and replaced.

Online,the abuse against me escalated,and extreme fans even dug up my home address.They threw paint on my front door and sent threatening letters.

Zoey reported everything to the police,but it did no good since these people were relentless.One wave would leave,only for another to arrive.

Meanwhile,Cillian and Michelle played the perfect role of the tragic,devoted couple in public.

They appeared together at the esports awards.On stage,Cillian even said,"I know there have been many misunderstandings about me recently,but Michelle and I are just real friends."

"I’ll handle my private matters quickly so they don't affect her."

Michelle sat in the audience,tears in her eyes,looking fragile and innocent.

The internet cheered their pure friendship.And I became the hated ex-wife everyone wanted to see fall.

A call from Merlin came again,her voice thick with smug satisfaction."Feeling regret yet,Winona?"

"I’ve said it before,don’t mess with me.You’re way out of your depth."

"Now,if you kneel and post a confession on your social media,admitting you were just jealous of Michelle and framed Cillian on purpose,I might consider sparing you."

I listened,barely holding back a laugh."Merlin,have you forgotten who I am?My surname is Easton."

My father was the CEO of the Easton Group.Though I had never publicly revealed my family background,in the business world,no one dared to cross the Eastons.

I had held back from using my privilege,not wanting to escalate things further,hoping to give Cillian a last shred of dignity.

But now,it was clear.Those people didn’t even deserve it.

Merlin’s voice turned cold and indifferent."You’re so stubborn,Winona.Don’t blame me for what's going to happen next."

"Winona,I’ll show you what true despair is.By the time I’m done,even kneeling in front of me won’t save you."

After that call,my phone rang again.It was my father this time.His voice was calm and steady,full of reassurance."Winona,my dear,have those people on the news wronged you?"

"Do whatever you need,my dear.I’ll always be your support."

I felt tears sting my eyes,the frustration I had held back for days finally breaking through.

"Dad…I’m fine.I just…I can’t accept this."

After hanging up,I wiped my tears and dialed another number.

"Hello,is this Sharon?You’ve always wanted to be the best in this industry,right?Interested in a sure-win deal?"

A crisp,excited female voice came through."Ah,Winona Easton.Sure,I’m interested.Tell me,how do you want to deal with the Morgan Family?"

Sharon Hirsch was Merlin’s rival and the head of Aurora Esports,a rising company in the esports world.I knew she had been waiting for a chance to take down Stellar Media Group.