The entire upper class knew that Victor Gilmore, the most eligible bachelor was infatuated with Rosemarie and he couldn't care less if he became the third wheel. The day Rosemarie went abroad for a homeless painter, Victor had a hangover into the wee hours of the morning and drank until himself to death. But then he started chasing me like crazy, sending flowers and diamond rings.

He spent tens of thousands of dollars to make me in a painting and gave it to me to propose to me.

They said Victor was crazy. They say I'm just a substitute. Well, I do look a lot like Rosemarie, but I don’t mind. To tell the truth, I’m loving it because he's the man I’ve been in love with for ten years.

Too bad that Rosemarie's back. I had to pack my bags and leave. I was lucky that Victor was generous enough to give me half of the estate.

My heart tingled as I watched him coldly hand me the divorce papers. I picked up my felt-tip pen with a shudder when I suddenly heard his voice.

“Damn it! It's only seven days away. Why would Rosemarie back? But if she doesn't want a divorce, we can still be together, right? Come on, Anne. Look at me and say that say you don't want a divorce.”

I looked up at him and surprised. He still had the same uninviting look on his face. Even he looked at me with a very cold look. I laughed at myself. I was so madly in love that I was hallucinating.

Three years of marriage, he had not even touched me once. He showed me cold face all day long. My mother once told me that a man who you couldn't hold on to his heart was like falling into a quicksand, the more you tried to get out of it, the more you sank.

I steady my mind and gripped back the pen.

"Shit! She's going to sign it. What am I going to do? Please look at me, Anne. I'm wearing your favorite blue suit today, don't I look handsome? Aren't you going to take pity on me?"

I threw the pen in annoyance. It fell two meters away after bouncing twice. I looked up at Victor and stared at his mouth. The familiar voice sounded again.

“Wow! Sick move. Wait, she threw off the pen, does that mean she still has feelings for me? I knew putting on this blue suit would bring me luck.”

This time I'm sure. I'm not crazy. I was sure I wasn't crazy this time. I've been watching Victor the whole time. His lips didn't move a bit. I was hearing his thoughts. 

He was pulling a long face and tidying up his suit. If I hadn’t known, I would have thought he was impatient. 

But after hearing his thoughts, coupled with this gesture, I assumed that he was feeling proud of himself. 

I balled up my fists, suppress the tears in my eyes and whispered, “Victor, I...”

Victor walked to me fast-paced, a nervous look clear on his face. It last for a second before he spoke with the same cold look he used to give me.

“Anne Haley, don't tell me you don't want a divorce?” 

The voice in his mind resume. "Tell me you don't want a divorce. One word from you and I’ll call all of this off. I just need you to say it. Say it!”

He sounded like a demanding angry cat in the last two words and I almost burst out laughing. 

Victor always had a serious face and always spoke in a cold tone. Who would have thought that he was so lively inside? But I wasn't entirely sure of my guess so I pull out a test. 

"What about the property share? Don't you think we have to..."

Before I could finish my sentence, the divorce papers in my hand disappeared. When I looked up, I saw Victor holding it. 

Victor gave me a disgusted look and snorted, "Don't even think about it! You won't get a penny."

“Come on, Anne, I mean you could be a little more greedy. Tell me that you not only want all that money but also me, this handsome man. Come on, say it.”

I couldn't help but smile when I heard the nagging again.

Victor's face darkened when he saw me smiling.

"Do you think you can get on my good side, just by smiling?"

I gazed at him intently, ready to hear what he was going to think.

“Oh God, look at that smile. I swear that smile is gonna be the death of me. I would give my life to that smile forever. What if I try to smile at her? Will she be as mesmerized as I am? She probably wouldn't go through this divorce if she is.”

I looked at him expectantly. I saw him slightly raise the corners of his beautiful mouth, but he fainted the next second.

I panicked, carrying him to the outside of the City Hall.  In just a minute, I finished carrying him into the car and drove to the nearest hospital. On arrival, after a series of tests, the doctor told me Victor's nerve fibers had been severed.

It brought question mark in my head and the Doctor's next sentence was even more confusing.

"Did he got tased, or was he working on electrical devices? Because he seems to be having an electric shock.”

I shook my head. I had no idea of what was going on.  The doctor gave me instructions on what to do when Victor got up before leaving.

I went to the ward to keep Victor accompany. His eyes were closed tightly. There was no emotion on his angelic sculpture-like face, but there was something in it that drawn me in. As I was eyeing Victor’s face, the door of the ward was pushed open. I looked up and Rosemarie strode in.

She was wearing a white gauze skirt that made her legs look long and thin. I looked down at mine. Well, they’re decent. No less long and smooth than her. 

She saw me sitting on the edge of the bed, stopped at the door while say condescendingly, “I’m here. You can go now.”

“Excuse me?” I inquired. 

“You can go. I’ll be staying with Victor.” 

My hand trembled violently. Hearing her affectionate address to my man brought my blood to boil.  

“I'm not going anywhere. My husband is unconscious and if there's anything you need to discuss with him, you can wait until he wakes up. But if it's really urgent, you can tell me and I'll pass it on." I clenched my fists, trying my best to sound calm.

"Your husband? Who do you think you are?” She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Victor and I held a wedding. We have been married for three years. What’s wrong with me calling the man I marry ‘my husband’?”

Rosemarie shrieked, “Are you not getting a divorced?”

I looked at her more indifferently, “Divorced? What are you talking about? Why would I want to divorce my husband?”

Then I took out my marriage certificate and handed it to her. She took it and her eyes widened in disbelief. Victor was awake. I know because his voice started to fill my head.

“What is this ugly old hag doing here? I worked so hard to fix the plot deviation and finally the system sent her abroad. Why did she suddenly come back? There are only seven days left. What if I knock her out; will the system allow it?”

I was shocked. An ugly hag, plot deviation, seven days left, the doctor's words. It all made sense now. I had an idea about what was going on right now. But did something like this really exist? 

“Anne, let's cut the act. Everyone in high society knows that Victor is crazy about me. I'm sure you know why he married you. If you were smart, you would leave Victor. I won't spread the word about you having an affair with my future husband in return. Count it as a gesture of thanks for keeping him company while I was away. "

Before I could reply, Victor exploded.

“Disgusting bitch! If only I can slap her. I want to slap her so badly. Who say I like you, you crazy hag? My entire life, there's only Anne in my heart. She’s the only one I love. I love her then, I love her now and I love will love her forever."

"How dare you slap me?!" Rosemarie stared at me wide-eyed.

It seemed I was affected by Victor's anger and I was moved by his love as I advanced to slap her.

“You deserved it,” I said flatly.  “You showed up out of the blue and chased me out. You belittled me because I am married to Victor. You forced me to leave my husband and threatened me.”

“Don't you know how valuable a married man's reputation is these days?” 

Unable to contain my fury, I raised my hand to give her a hard slap on the left side of her cheek. Rosemarie's face, which was smooth and beautiful, turned red and swelled up. She stared at me in horror. Her lips sucked in and she spat out a tooth.

“You slapped me so hard I lost a tooth!”

I pinched my nose sheepishly. My parents left me with physical strength, I swear I didn't mean to knock her teeth out.

"I'm not done with you yet. You're going to regret doing this! Just you wait until Victor wakes up." 

However, I didn't intend to let her off like this.

I put on an expressionless face and raised my hand again as I took a few steps toward her.