A doting smile curved on Jeremy’s face. “Whitney, pick whatever you like. They’re all on me.”

A shy blush spread across Whitney’s cheeks. “Jeremy, I trust your taste. Why don’t you pick something for me?”

“Alright.”

Jeremy’s gaze swept across the display cabinets before quickly settling on a limited-edition handbag.

“Excuse me, can we take a look at this bag? Whitney, this bag is this year’s new release. It’s small and elegant. It’ll suit you perfectly.”

Next came the clothes.

“Whitney, this ink-blue dress looks stunning. It’ll complement your skin tone beautifully.”

Then came the shoes.

“Whitney, these shoes have a detailed design. The heel isn’t too high, so they’re comfortable but still look classy.”

Several sales associates standing nearby could not help whispering among themselves.

“No way. This is my first time seeing a man who understands women and fashion so well.”

“Exactly. Mr. Fisher really is the perfect man. He’s successful, rich, and has such good taste. Everything he picked is one of our bestsellers.”

“When will I ever meet a man like that? I’m so jealous.”

…

Hailey shrank into the corner, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. As it turned out, he understood fashion perfectly well; he just never bothered showing her that he did.

After Jeremy became successful, Hailey had bought countless outfits and accessories to match his status. Every time she showed them to him, all excited, he would not even glance up.

He, with his head always buried in work, would say calmly, “I know nothing about women’s fashion. All that matters is that you like it.”

Now, seeing how knowledgeable he was about fashion felt like a knife stabbing straight into her heart.

Whitney soon came out of the fitting room. As expected, the outfit Jeremy had chosen suited her perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made for her, making her look even more alluring.

Jeremy looked at Whitney tenderly, his eyes filled with a softness that could melt hearts. “Whitney, when the company goes public, you’ll stun everyone wearing this. I have a surprise waiting for you that day.”

Taken aback by what she heard, Hailey lost her balance. With a loud crash, she stumbled and knocked over a display rack.

The bodyguards reacted instantly, rushing in and yanking Hailey up. One of them slapped her hard across the face.

“How dare you have the nerve to hide and spy on Mr. Fisher?”

“What’s going on? Didn’t I tell you to clear the place beforehand? How could someone be hiding in here?” Jeremy’s voice was icy.

The lead bodyguard quickly replied, “Sorry, Mr. Fisher. We’ll handle this right away.”

Before Hailey could even call out his name, a hand covered her mouth, and she was dragged away. They pulled her to a deserted corner.

The lead bodyguard cursed viciously. “What bad luck, running into trash like you. Are you trying to ruin my job? Teach her a proper lesson.”

The others immediately surrounded her.

Hailey trembled, fear filling her eyes. “If you touch me, Jeremy will never let you off.”

The men burst into laughter. “Who do you think you are? Dreaming of being Mr. Fisher’s woman?”

Then fists rained down on her body, her head, and her legs. The pain was so overwhelming that she could not even scream for help.

Before losing consciousness, the last thing she saw was Jeremy wrapping an arm around Whitney, who was holding bags upon bags of purchases, as they got into a luxurious Maybach. Her heart felt hollowed out, and strangely, it no longer hurt.

Her thoughts drifted far back in time, when Jeremy never left her side. Every day, he would take her to work in the morning and pick her up in the evening.

She used to joke, “You sure keep a close eye on me. Are you afraid I’ll run away?”

The man would smile shyly and reply, “Of course. You, my wife, are so beautiful. I have to keep a close eye on you. I can’t allow anything to happen to you.”

A young man cycling the girl he loved eventually disappeared around the corner of the street…

When she woke up again, she was lying in a hospital bed. Jeremy sat beside her, his face dark. Seeing her awake, his expression shifted slightly.

“Hailey, who did you offend? How did you get beaten like this? Tell me. I’ll make them pay.”

She struggled to open her mouth, about to speak, when his phone rang.

“Alright, I got it. I’ll be right there.”

With that, Jeremy stood up and walked out, saying to her, “I’ll be back!”

However, he never did; he never came back again.

On the day she was discharged, Hailey felt unusually light. She no longer hoped for Jeremy’s love, and when there was no expectation, there would be no disappointment.

After returning home, Hailey began packing her things. All the memories she shared with Jeremy were carefully scattered throughout the house.

On the living room wall were dried bouquets made from flowers he had given her over the years. On the table sat a pair of matching mugs that they had crafted together. The throw pillows on the sofa were souvenirs from their travels. Even the teddy bear on the bed was the very first birthday gift he had bought her after receiving his paycheck.

Thinking about how all those things had become symbols of shame in Jeremy’s life made her chest feel painfully heavy. The massive mansion resembled a gorgeous cage, yet all these years it had only imprisoned her, consumed by unrequited longing.

It took Hailey a full five oversized trash bags to clear everything out.

Iris called soon after. “Hailey, I’ll be arriving in New Vegas the day after tomorrow. Don’t forget to pick me up at the airport.”

Hailey replied softly, “Okay, Aunt Iris. I’ll be there early.”

She had just hung up when Jeremy walked in.

“Who are you seeing?” he asked.

Hailey lowered her gaze. “No one. I’m just going to pick up a piece of clothing I ordered online.”

Jeremy stepped closer, guilt flickering across his face.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been tied up with the company audit for the past few days. The lead auditor from a third-party firm will arrive the day after tomorrow. It’s a critical step before the company goes public, so I can’t afford to be careless.”

“I see.” Hailey nodded perfunctorily. She no longer cared about his affairs.

For some reason, Jeremy felt a sudden pang of unease. The Hailey before him seemed like a different person. She was no longer clinging to him or asking about his whereabouts. However, when he reconsidered, he figured she probably understood that this was a crucial period for his career and did not want to add to his burden.

Relief washed over him. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his eyes.

“Hailey, you’re much more sensible now.”

Hailey smiled faintly and said nothing.

When she loved him to the point of madness, he labelled her willful and troublesome. Now that she no longer loved him and had chosen to let go, he said she was sensible. Men… really were boring creatures.

Jeremy glanced around the room and only then realized something was missing. The space felt emptier than before.

“Hailey, have you been doing a major cleanup lately? I think it looks great now. The space feels relaxing.”

Hailey’s expression remained calm as she spoke, “Yeah. I threw away a lot of trash.”

As it turned out, all those things had always been an eyesore to him.

The next day, Hailey received an anonymous text message claiming that there was something important to tell her. Confused, she decided to go and see what it was about.

She had just taken a seat in the café when a person with a slender figure sat down across from her. The woman removed her sunglasses, smiled, and extended her hand with composed elegance.

“Hello, Ms. Arnold.”

Hailey looked up and froze slightly when she saw it was Whitney. A trace of barely concealed pride flickered across Whitney’s face.

“Didn’t expect me to find you, did you?” She paused, her gaze slowly sweeping over Hailey’s face before continuing, “After we ran into each other at the restaurant that day, I had someone look into your background a little. It seems Jeremy has kept you hidden pretty well.”

Her voice lowered, carrying an unmistakable hint of sadness.

Looking at the beautiful yet dejected woman before her, Hailey felt an unexpected twinge of sympathy. Jeremy may have hurt her, but had he not also been deceiving Whitney all along?

Just as Hailey was about to speak, Whitney pulled out a check from her purse and gently pushed it across the table.

“Ms. Arnold, no matter the relationship you and Jeremy had in the past, I hope you’ll make a clean break from now on. As for compensation, you can fill in any amount you want. The Addams family can afford it.”

The corner of Hailey’s lips lifted slightly. She found it all so ironic. She had thought Whitney was a victim like herself, but instead, Whitney was the same kind of person as Jeremy—someone who believed money could solve everything. They were truly a match made in heaven.

Meeting Whitney’s gaze, Hailey spoke gently but clearly, “Miss Addams, no amount of money can buy the end of a genuine relationship. Don’t you agree?”

Whitney’s expression instantly sank.

“Ms. Arnold, I advise you not to refuse a kind offer,” she said in a hushed voice, yet each word cut like a knife. “No one has ever rejected my requests.”

Hailey replied indifferently, “In that case, let me offer you a piece of advice as well, Miss Addams. Money sure is good, but the things it can buy are often the least valuable.”

She had no intention of continuing the conversation, so she picked up her purse, stood, and turned to leave.

Just then, Whitney grabbed the glass on the table and smashed it hard against her own temple. A sharp cracking sound rang out. Blood immediately gushed out, dripping down her delicate face in a horrifying sight.

Almost at the same time, Jeremy pushed open the café door. At a glance, he saw Whitney covered in blood. His expression changed dramatically as he rushed forward and pulled her tightly into his arms.

“Whitney! What happened? Who hurt you?”

Whitney trembled as she raised her hand and pointed at the stunned Hailey. Tears mixed with blood streamed down her face as her voice broke. “It was her… She was the one who asked me out…”

Jeremy whipped his head around. That was when he noticed Hailey standing nearby, her face pale. Rage instantly overcame him.

He clenched his jaw as he growled, “Hailey, are you out of your mind? How dare you lay a hand on her?”

At that moment, Whitney struggled free from his arms and staggered to her feet, her eyes filled with heartbreak and despair. “Jeremy… why did you lie to me?”

With that, she turned and ran out of the café without looking back. Jeremy shot Hailey a vicious glare, then spun around and ran after her.

Hailey, on the other hand, stood frozen in place. Only then did she finally understand Whitney’s true purpose in asking her out. It was to stage this entire scene in front of Jeremy.

That very night, Jeremy tied Hailey up and threw her into the basement.

From outside the metal door, Jeremy’s voice was cold as ice. “Hailey, I told you not to tell Whitney. Why do you never listen?”

Hailey’s body began to shake violently. She gasped for air, her breathing rapid and uneven. Using what little strength she had left, she slammed her hands against the door.

“It wasn’t me. I didn’t ask her out… Let me out… I’ll die in here…”

Her strength faded with every word, but the man outside showed no reaction at all.

“Hailey, if you make a mistake, you deserve punishment. You shall stay in there tonight and reflect on it.”

With that, the last trace of light disappeared, and the basement was plunged into complete darkness. Hailey curled up in the corner, hugging herself tightly as she struggled to breathe. He knew she was claustrophobic, yet he chose the one method she feared most to punish her.

Before she lost consciousness, a blurred memory flashed through her mind. That year, she had been washing dishes alone in the back kitchen of a restaurant. After closing, the chef locked the doors, leaving her trapped inside. In despair, she called Jeremy for help. He made a ten-kilometer drive in just ten minutes and rescued her.

Later, she found out that in his rush to save her, he had run through more than a dozen red lights. She cried and scolded him for being stupid. What if he had gotten into an accident?

However, Jeremy had held her tightly and said, “Your life matters more than mine. Without you, what’s the point of me living?”

He had once loved her so passionately and sincerely. Yet now, for Whitney, he no longer cared whether she lived or died.

A tear slid down from the corner of her eye. Then, everything went black.

…

The next morning, she was dragged out of the basement. Sunlight hit her face, blindingly white.

Jeremy sat neatly dressed in a tailored suit in the courtyard, watching her miserable state with calm indifference.

“How did it feel, being locked up? If you cause trouble for Whitney again, it won’t be just one night next time.”

Hailey’s heart was in her throat. He knew her too well. He always knew exactly where to strike to hurt the most.

She looked up at him, a chill creeping up her spine. Her eyes were bloodshot as she struggled to stand.

Suddenly, she laughed and replied, “From now on, it’ll never happen again.”

Without sparing her another glance, Jeremy turned and left in a hurry.

Hailey dragged her heavy steps toward the hospital. She didn’t want her Aunt Iris to see her in such a sorry state. However, she had barely walked past the gate when her vision went dark. Several burly men then seized her and forced her into a car.

…

When she woke again, she found herself tied up in an abandoned factory, alongside Whitney. Two men stood behind them, knives pressed tightly against their necks.

Before long, Jeremy rushed in. The moment he saw the scene, panic filled his eyes.

“Who are you? Let them go! If you want something, come at me!”

“You sure are impressive, Mr. Fisher.” A thin man stepped out of the shadows, his voice cold as he asked, “Do you remember an old acquaintance like me?”

When Jeremy saw the man’s face, his expression changed instantly.

He yelled, “West Will, have you lost your mind? What happened back then had nothing to do with me. You were ill. That’s why headquarters gave the promotion to me.”

“Is that so? Everyone knows you’d stop at nothing to climb higher. I took you as my closest friend, yet you sold me out. Now your company is about to go public, while I have nothing,” West Will responded.

A smile stretched across West’s pale face, his gaze sweeping between Whitney and Hailey.

“Since you forced the company to choose between you and me back then, why don’t I let you choose once more, Jeremy? Choose between these two women, and the other one will be mine to deal with.”

By then, Whitney had broken down in tears. “Jeremy, save me! Please, you have to save me!”

Hailey held her breath, her heart pounding violently in her chest.

In utter panic, Jeremy said, “Let them go. You just want money, don’t you? Name your price. I’ll give you anything.”

West’s eyes suddenly turned vicious. “If you won’t choose, I won’t let either of them go.”

With a raise of his hand, the men beside him stabbed Whitney and Hailey both at the same time, blood splattering across the ground.

Whitney’s screams tore through the air, while Hailey clenched her fists tightly, her face deathly pale. Cold sweat rolled down her temples as her body trembled from the searing pain.

Jeremy could no longer stay calm. His eyes turned a terrifying shade of red as he roared, “Stop! I’ll choose!”

West’s lips curled into a knowing smile. He sneered, “So, Mr. Fisher, who will it be? The wife who’s stayed by your side for years, or the Addams family heiress who can help you reach the top of the world? I’m very curious.”