The paper brushed against my face, leaving a bloodstain. My face was in pain, but my heart was numb.

It turned out that our marriage, to him, was a moral coercion.

We grew up together like childhood sweethearts in the conventional sense.

The relationship between the White and Smith families was good, and we lived close to each other. Since our parents were busy with work, both Chris and I were mostly raised by my grandmother.

Since I was little, I had liked Chris. I would always invite him to join me, whenever I had something good to eat or play. Even the elders liked to joke about it.

"Do you really like Chris that much? How about you marrying him when you grow up?"

At that time, Chris also said, "She is so silly. If she doesn't marry me, who will like her?"

He once held my hand and said that when he grew up, he would marry me.

When I was 14 years old, my parents died in a car accident. I cried so hard at the funeral that I almost passed out.

Chris hugged me and said seriously,

"Anita, don't be afraid. I will protect you from now on."

The 16-year-old boy, with sincerity in his eyes, said, "I'll be there for you forever."

But that sentence, only I took it seriously.

From the age of 15 to 25, ten years,

I followed behind Chris, giving my all without any regrets.

During high school, he got into fights with people. Without hesitation, I stood in front of him to protect him. As a result, I broke a rib, which affected my performance on the SAT.

But when the elders asked about it, I didn't mention him at all. I only said, "I stood up to protect someone."

At that time, he laughed at me and asked, 'Do you love your brother so much?'

Blushing with shyness, I replied in a voice softly, "Yes, I do."

But Chris didn't hear it.

We went to different cities for college. He was the pride of a prestigious institution, while I barely made it into a common university.

I envied him and went to his school, only to see him kissing a tall and beautiful girl.

That girl was Sophia,

his first love.

In the following three years, I witnessed their joys and sorrows.

He caused trouble, and I took the blame; he made a scene, and I covered it up for him.

When he was in trouble, I was never absent; when he was perfectly good, Sophia appeared.

Until Sophia went abroad.

It was said that because their families disagreed with them being together. Sophia tearfully left the airport and broke up with him without looking back.

Chris got drunk, and I brought him home, but he pressed me down on the sofa.

That night, he called Sophia countless times. I curled up in pain, but he took me again.

When he sobered up, his eyes were red.

"Anita, I'm sorry."

He said, "I drank too much."

I hid my feelings, and forced myself to say, "It's okay. After all, we're both adults now."

But he always drank too much.

Chris naturally thought that I should pay for him.

When he was unhappy, he came to me. When he needed someone to sleep with, he came to me.

At that moment, I suddenly realized that I was just a plaything for him, available at his beck and call.

He would have fun with me, but would never take me home.

Until our relationship was discovered by my grandmother.

She thought we were in love, so she mentioned it to the Smith family, and they pressured him to marry me.

Chris' parents liked me a lot. After my parents passed away, they were even more responsible for taking care of me.

Knowing that we were living together, they were overjoyed and directly stated, "If you let Anita down, you won't be our son anymore!"

Under the pressure from both sides' elders, Chris didn't bow down, but I ended up in the hospital with a stomach bleeding for his new project.

Lying on the hospital bed with a pale face, Chris came to see me and asked, "Anita, do you really want to marry me?"

At that time, I was scared and stumbled as I waved my hand, "No, I don't want to. Please don't misunderstand me. I just want to help you..."

But before I could finish my words, he pressed me onto the bed.

After looking at me for a while and seeing my shy face, he lowered his head and kissed me.

He was dominant and overbearing. When I was about to suffocate, he finally let go of me and said, "Alright, let's get married then."

We got married and had a grand wedding.

That period of time was the happiest for me.

We were always together, and the tenderness and thoughtfulness he had once given to others finally fell on me.

I thought we would always be like this.

Until last autumn, Sophia returned to China.

That night, Chris didn't come back all night.

The next day, he had a strange smell on him.

He told me at that time that he was accompanying a client and slept directly in the hotel.

At first, I believed it.

But when Sophia arrogantly joined Smith Group, took away the project in my hands, and challenged me.

I realized that the so-called client was Sophia.

After she returned, Chris arranged everything for her, including food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. he even arranged her to work in our company.

I had always known that Sophia was the one in his heart.

During my college years, I witnessed how many times he lost his mind for Sophia.

But I deceived myself that was only his past. At least, we were husband and wife at this point.

Sophia's appearance violently shattered all of this.

Chris said they were just friends, but they crossed the line beyond friendship.

We had countless arguments, but we made up after I lowered my head first.

When my grandmother got sick, I panicked, and Chris turned around to comfort me.

"Anita, don't be afraid. I'm here with you. Let's hope the best for your grandma."

I believed what he said.

But he broke his promise once again.

Ten years from the age of 15 to 25,

18 missed calls from 11 p.m. to dawn.

I gave up.

"Chris, I won't be selfish to hold onto you anymore. From now on, we're just strangers."

I picked up the divorce agreement and handed it to him along with the pen, my voice hoarse, "Sign it. We'll get divorced."

But Chris didn't answer.

He looked at me and pointed at my nose, "Anita, you know that your grandma is still sick, I can't divorce you. Stop acting."

Chris looked at me with disdain in his eyes. "Cut the crap. I'm going to the hospital to see Grandma."

After he finished speaking, he turned and left.

The door was closed from the outside, and I slowly squatted on the ground, from silent tears to loud sobs.

My grandmother...

She was already dead...