“Miss Summers, are you sure you want to erase all your identity records? Once erased, it will be as if you never existed, and no one will be able to find you."

Adele paused for a moment before nodding resolutely. "Yes, that's exactly what I want. I want no one to find me."

There was a hint of surprise on the other end of the line, but they quickly responded, "Understood, Miss Summers. The process will take about two weeks to complete. Please wait patiently."

After hanging up the call, Adele put her phone down and booked a flight to Florin, scheduled to depart in two weeks.

At the same time, the television was replaying a press conference held by the Sterling Corporation.

A week ago, Elias Sterling, CEO of Sterling Corporation, unveiled a masterpiece of jewelry, crafted from the world’s most exquisite diamonds and gemstones. He named it “Adele” in his wife’s honor, a bold declaration of his unwavering love for her to the entire world.

As soon as the piece was introduced, it went viral, dominating trending topics across all platforms. The buzz didn’t fade, and the internet was ablaze with discussions about their "fairytale romance."

Following the press conference, the broadcast shifted to clips of reporters interviewing passersby.

"Excuse me, sir, do you know about Mr. Sterling and Mrs. Sterling's legendary love story?"

A woman in a floral dress, her face full of envy, answered enthusiastically, "Who doesn’t? Just recently, Mr. Sterling even published a memoir entirely dedicated to Mrs. Sterling.

“In it, he mentioned how she loved cherries, so he planted an entire orchard of cherry trees around their villa! I told my husband to learn from him, and he said, 'That kind of man is one in a million. I could never compete.' Honestly, it’s enough to drive you mad with jealousy!"

The reporter moved on to interview more people.

A young university student stood in front of the microphone, clutching her hands to her chest with a dreamy expression. "Their love story is like a romance novel brought to life! Mr. Sterling is the ultimate lover. Four years ago, Mrs. Sterling faced kidney failure and was in desperate need of a transplant.

“When it turned out Mr. Sterling was a compatible donor, he ignored everyone’s objections and went straight to the operating table that very day to save her. He said she was his life, and if she couldn’t live, he wouldn’t either. How could there be such a perfect man?"

The reporter interviewed countless people, and every single one of them expressed admiration for Elias and Adele’s love story.

The news replayed over and over on the screen, but Adele merely curled her lips in self-mockery.

Her face had always attracted attention, and from a young age, she was surrounded by admirers.

Yet, having grown up with divorced parents, Adele held no illusions about love.

She rejected every confession with the same line: "Sorry, I’m not interested in dating, and I care even less about romance."

That was until she met Elias.

Unlike everyone else, he pursued her relentlessly for three years. No matter how many times she turned him down, he only became more determined.

Once, just to win her a necklace she liked, he joined a life-threatening street race, nearly losing his life in the process. That was the moment he finally broke through her walls.

After they got together, his love never waned. Instead, he showered her with everything he could offer, gradually melting her guarded heart.

Even when proposing, he didn’t stop at just once—he asked fifty-two times before she finally took the leap of faith and agreed to marry him.

On the day of his final proposal, Adele gazed at the ring on her finger, tears glistening in her eyes, and said to Elias, "Elias, I will do my best to be your wife, through life and death, wealth and poverty, never abandoning you.

“But there’s one thing you must remember—I will never tolerate lies. If you ever deceive me, I will disappear from your world forever."

Those beautiful memories had now been shattered by a cruel reality, turning into nothing but illusions.

Three months ago, she discovered that Elias had secretly been seeing another woman. He spent his days with Adele and his nights with her, his heart long since divided between two women.

It was the painful truth of the saying: those who love passionately often burn out quickly.

Adele let out a bitter laugh, switched off the television, and printed out the divorce papers she had prepared long ago. Picking up the pen, she carefully signed her name, stroke by deliberate stroke.

As fate would have it, her words from the past had come true. She would keep her promise and disappear from his world forever.

After signing her name, Adele placed the divorce papers into an elegant gift box and wrapped it carefully.

An hour later, Elias stepped through the door.

Before he could even take off his shoes, he rushed toward her, pulling her into his arms as he gently apologized. "I’m sorry, Addie. I went to pick up the jewelry today, which is why I was late and missed our wedding anniversary. Please don’t be upset, okay?"

He produced the box containing the “Adele” necklace, trying to soothe her.

The collar of his black shirt was slightly open, with the top button left undone. As he leaned down, the skin beneath his collar revealed faint marks of kiss imprints and scratches that stabbed sharply into Adele’s heart.

Had he really gone to pick up the jewelry, or had he spent the evening with Evelyn Lowe? Most likely, he had just come straight from her bed.

Elias, oblivious to her turmoil, lovingly placed the necklace on her. The dazzling light from the jewels accentuated her delicate features, making her beauty even more radiant.

"You look stunning, Addie," he said sincerely, his eyes filled with admiration.

But there was no joy in Adele’s expression. Her eyes were red as she handed him the gift box containing the divorce papers. "This is for you."

Elias looked at her, puzzled. "What’s this?"

Adele’s lips curled faintly. "A gift. You prepared something for me for our anniversary, so it’s only fitting that I give you something in return."

Elias’s eyes lit up with delight. He treated the box like a treasure and eagerly moved to open it.

But Adele stopped him. "Open it in two weeks."

"Why?" he asked, a little confused.

Adele spoke each word slowly and deliberately. "Because this gift will have more meaning if you open it in two weeks."

Elias paused for a moment, then nodded without pressing further.

Instead, he gently took her hand and placed a soft kiss on it.

"Whatever my darling says goes. Your husband will wait for this surprise."

With that, he immediately grabbed a sticky note, wrote a line on it with care, and solemnly attached it to the gift box.

"Open in two weeks."

Adele watched him quietly, her thoughts heavy. “Elias, I just hope that when the time comes, you’ll truly see it as a surprise.”

When morning came, Elias greeted Adele with his usual kiss.

"Addie, I missed our wedding anniversary yesterday. Let me make it up to you today, okay?"

"Let’s go to the amusement park. Didn’t you say you wanted to go there before?"

Adele had no interest and was about to refuse, but Elias was already getting everything ready without waiting for her reply. He even laid out an outfit for her.

At the amusement park, he was attentive to her every move. The moment she pressed her lips together, he brought a bottle of water to her mouth. If her gaze lingered on a stuffed toy for more than a second, he bought it immediately.

Carousel rides, bumper cars, the Ferris wheel—Elias didn’t care how childish the activities were. As long as she enjoyed them, he happily went along.

He held her hand tightly throughout, barely letting go. Even when she tried to pull away, he only gripped her hand more firmly, as if afraid to lose her.

At one point, he even tied a balloon to her bag and chuckled. "This way, Addie, you’ll never get lost."

Never get lost...

But the place she was going this time was somewhere he’d never be able to find her.

“Elias, you lost me a long time ago,” Adele wanted to tell him that.

Their undeniable chemistry and captivating looks naturally caught the eyes of other visitors. It wasn’t long before murmurs began, and someone pointed them out.

"Look! That’s Mr. Sterling and Mrs. Sterling, isn’t it? I can’t believe we’re seeing them in person! They’re so sweet together!"

A girl let out an excited gasp, practically bouncing on her toes as she grabbed her boyfriend’s arm and dragged him over to Adele.

"Um… could we take a picture with you? We’re huge fans! You’re our favorite couple!"

Seeing the girl’s eager expression, Adele didn’t have the heart to refuse and nodded in agreement.

Elias wasn’t fond of taking photos but was willing to cooperate with Adele.

The camera clicked, and the couple beamed with excitement. "You two are such a perfect couple. We’re so envious. Please stay happy forever!"

Elias smiled and gave them a polite nod.

He never noticed that Adele stood silently by his side the entire time, saying nothing. Only she knew the truth—there was no “forever” waiting for them.

During their lunch break, Elias kept glancing at his phone. Each time he caught Adele’s gaze, he quickly apologized with a soft, coaxing tone.

"Addie, I’m sorry. There’s some work I need to handle right away. Be good and eat first. I promise I’ll make it up to you in a moment, okay?"

But then, an image of a luxury castle flashed across his phone screen.

He wasn’t working. He was watching a livestream.

Adele’s lips curved into a mocking smile as she quietly opened the livestream on her own phone.

It was Evelyn, an obscure internet influencer Elias had recently signed to the company. Not only had he signed her, but he’d also made her the face of “Adele", the jewelry line he claimed was a tribute to his wife.

Everyone had been speculating about Evelyn’s sudden access to such high-profile opportunities. Some whispered that she must have someone powerful backing her.

They were right. That someone was Elias.

At that very moment, Evelyn was standing at the entrance of the amusement park, livestreaming to her audience. She held up her phone with a smug expression, bragging to her viewers.

"Look, everyone! This amusement park was a gift from my boyfriend. Just mention my name for a discount when you visit. Come and have fun!"

Adele’s hand, clutching her phone, turned ice-cold. Her grip tightened as a wave of frost seemed to seep through her veins.

“This amusement park… the one he brought me to… was a gift for her?” she thought.

The livestream’s comment section was filled with skepticism.

"Stop lying. How could a small-time influencer like you afford a billionaire’s playground?"

"She’s just trying to grab attention. Without proof, anyone could stand in front of this park and claim it’s theirs."

"You’re insane if you think we’ll believe this. Do you have any idea how many billions it would cost to own a place like that?"

…

Evelyn bit her lip, looking aggrieved. "I’m not lying! Look, isn’t my name on this?"

She pulled a property deed from her bag, holding it up to the camera. Clear as day, her name was printed on the document in black and white.

The livestream exploded instantly, flooding with comments as viewers reacted with awe and disbelief.

"I take it back. I’ve never seen such a powerful figure in my life."

"An entire amusement park as a gift? This is next-level spoiling! It’s on par with Mr. Sterling and his undying love for Mrs. Sterling!"

"They say a man’s love is where his money goes. Why can’t I meet a perfect man like this?"

"That’s because there are only two perfect men in the world: Mr. Sterling, and this mysterious boyfriend of Evelyn’s. So, who do you think loves their partners more? Sterling’s devotion to Mrs. Sterling or Evelyn’s boyfriend’s love for her? Press 1 for Mr. Sterling, 2 for Evelyn’s boyfriend!"

The comment section was filled with a cascade of "1"s. After all, Elias’ love for Adele was legendary—he didn’t just spend money, he almost gave his life for her.

Just then, a new account named "LovesEvelyn" appeared and instantly sent 10,000 luxury virtual gifts to her livestreams. The screen lit up with vibrant animations, leaving viewers stunned.

With the flood of gifts, the number of viewers in Evelyn’s livestream skyrocketed from hundreds of thousands to over ten million.

Then, a bold message flashed across the screen: "Of course, I love Evelyn more."

The livestream erupted in chaos.

"The boyfriend just showed up! He’s too rich! Too rich!"

"This is insane! Absolute madness!"

Evelyn smiled with smug satisfaction, her eyes full of spoiled pride. "See? I told you my boyfriend loves me."

Adele’s hand trembled as she clutched her phone. Her gaze lifted just in time to catch Elias’s faint smile, the indulgent look in his eyes unmistakable.

He was "LovesEvelyn."

It felt as though her heart had been wrenched apart, the pain lingering long after the hand that caused it had let go.

Adele clutched her chest tightly with her right hand, the pain so intense it left her gasping for air.

Elias finally noticed something was wrong and rushed over in alarm. "Addie, what’s wrong?"

The worry in his eyes seemed genuine as if her collapse would take him down with her.

And yet, this same man, who claimed to love her so deeply, had kept so many secrets from her.

Forcing herself to stay calm, she steadied her voice. "It’s nothing… just a cramp."

Elias immediately placed his hand over her chest, trying to ease her discomfort. After triple-checking that she was okay, he quickly took her home to rest.

On the way back, he worked hard to lighten the mood, sharing amusing stories in an attempt to make her smile.

But no matter how much effort he put in, Adele couldn’t bring herself to feel any joy.

Leaning against the car window, she silently watched the scenery blur past, her expression unreadable.

"Addie, did I do something wrong?" he asked cautiously, testing the waters.

"No," she finally replied. "I was just thinking about a show I watched today."

Elias exhaled in relief and smiled, eager to follow her lead. "What show?"

Adele slowly turned her face toward him, her gaze locking with his.

"It’s about a man who used to love a woman deeply, but later… he fell out of love. He kept it from her for a long time."

She studied his face closely, watching for even the slightest flicker of emotion, and then spoke softly, "Elias, if you ever… fell out of love…"

"I never would!"

Before she could finish, Elias cut her off, his voice almost desperate. "Addie, you’re the love of my life. Even if every man in the world betrayed their wives, I never would. I can’t live without you."

But his words only made her heart ache more.

He couldn’t live without her, yet he still sought comfort in another woman’s arms.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Elias’s phone suddenly rang.

He hesitated for a moment, his finger hovering over the decline button, but before he could end the call, Adele gently pushed his hand aside.

"Go ahead and answer it."

Elias obeyed, picking up the phone. Whatever was said on the other end made his expression shift. His initially calm demeanor gave way to a flicker of unease, his eyes widening as tension crept across his face.

After swallowing hard, he ended the call and turned to Adele.

"Addie, there’s an urgent matter at the office. I need to head over right now. Let me call you a car to take you home, okay?"

Without saying much, Adele nodded and stepped out of the car.

As Elias’s car drove off, she flagged down a taxi.

Instead of heading back to the villa, she gave the driver a simple instruction.

"Follow that car, please."

The driver didn’t ask questions, starting the engine and trailing the vehicle at a steady pace.

The car eventually stopped in front of a private villa.

From a distance, Adele watched as a young woman in a bunny maid costume opened the door. When she spotted Elias stepping out of the car, her face lit up with a smile, and she ran straight into his arms.

It was Evelyn.

The moment they embraced, their lips found each other’s, and the kiss quickly deepened, full of hunger and passion.

When they finally broke apart, Evelyn caught her breath and tugged playfully at Elias’s tie, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Master, your little bunny has a surprise waiting for you. Want to see what it is?"

She punctuated her words by lightly tapping his throat with her fingertip.

Elias’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he gripped her hand firmly, his gaze darkening with desire. "A thirty-minute drive, and I got here in fifteen. What do you think?"

Evelyn giggled, curling her fingers around his. With a teasing glance, she tugged him toward the car.

"Let’s see it in the car, then."

After the two got into the car, it wasn’t long before the vehicle began to rock slightly.

The movements grew more intense, harder, and faster with each passing moment.

No one knew that Adele was sitting in a nearby car, watching everything unfold.

She had told herself there was nothing left to hope for with Elias, no expectations to be broken. But seeing it with her own eyes, she realized just how deeply it cut.

It felt as though a sharp hook had suddenly latched onto her heart, twisting with brutal force. She clutched her chest, gasping for air as tears streamed down her face in heavy drops.

She couldn’t help but think back to when they were first in love. Elias had always treated her with care. Even when the passion between them grew overwhelming, he would hold back, unwilling to touch her.

He’d told her that the first time was sacred, that it should be saved for their wedding night to make it perfect.

For three years, he pursued her. For another three years, they dated. Finally, they made it to their wedding night.

That night, the powerful, composed Elias, a man who dominated the business world, was so nervous he barely seemed like himself. As he slipped off her clothes, his ears turned bright red.

He cherished her so much that every move he made was careful and deliberate. When he finally claimed her, he was so overwhelmed with emotion that he cried, whispering over and over in her ear, "Addie, you’re finally mine. I love you. I will always love you."

At that moment, she felt truly treasured and thought that for the rest of her life, no one would ever love her as deeply as Elias did.

He himself had once vowed that his love belonged only to Adele.

And now, he had shattered that promise with his own hands.

The woman driver glanced at Adele through the rearview mirror. Seeing the tears streaming down her face, she let out a long sigh and silently handed her a tissue.

"Men are all the same," she muttered bitterly, her voice thick with emotion. "None of them can stay faithful. Even I’m stuck in a marriage because of my child, and I can’t leave, no matter how much I want to."

The woman paused, swallowing her tears, then continued with a trembling voice. "Miss, don’t be so upset. You’re already married. Just endure it, forgive him this once, and pretend you didn’t see anything."

Adele gripped the tissue in her hand, her voice hoarse yet unyielding.

"No. I won’t forgive him."

“Elias Sterling, I will never forgive you,” she said quietly to herself.

When she returned home, Adele tore through drawers and closets, collecting every gift Elias had ever given her. Extravagant trinkets and priceless treasures alike, including the legendary "Adele," were all gathered into a single pile.

She picked up her phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, is this the property management office? I want to sell all these items. Donate every penny to a women’s foundation to support women who want to leave their marriages but can’t, whether because of children or financial struggles."

In just an hour, everything was packed and sent off.

Afterward, Adele turned her attention to packing her own belongings.

She was halfway through when Elias suddenly burst through the door.

Rain clung to him like a second skin; he hadn’t even taken the time to grab an umbrella. Drenched and chilled, he strode into the room, his eyes wild with desperation.

He didn’t bother changing out of his soaked clothes as he rushed to her side, his voice trembling.

"Addie, why did you sell 'Adele'?"