: Just a Servant

The year my boyfriend was at his poorest, I left him for a $50,000 marriage settlement.

Later, at a class reunion, he, now rich and famous, married me with an exorbitant marriage settlement.

Everyone said Aiden Dalton was madly in love with me.

But he treated me like a gift and sent me to his business rival's bed.

I didn't cry or make a scene. I accepted it quietly.

He flew into a rage, his eyes bloodshot. "Elara Rhodes, do you really not care who you sleep with?"

I don't care.

...

Five years after I broke up with Aiden Dalton, we met again at a class reunion.

I was a down-on-my-luck escort, while he was an accomplished business tycoon.

They all said Aiden Dalton was madly in love with me.

He married me as soon as he returned to the country, paying an exorbitant marriage settlement.

He made me Mrs. Dalton, the envy of our entire social circle.

But on our wedding night, he brought an exquisite, beautiful woman into our bridal suite.

I recognized her.

She was my former best friend, Chloe Shaw.

Aiden Dalton doted on her, granting her every wish.

For the two years we've been married, Aiden Dalton has brought her home almost every night to sleep in our marital bed.

He grabbed my chin, his voice a warning. "Elara Rhodes, I didn't spend all that money on you just so you could enjoy the life of Mrs. Dalton. You'd better remember this: from the day we married, you are nothing more than a servant in this house."

He broke my heart and turned me into a joke for the whole world to see.

Everyone knew I was just the servant Aiden Dalton had brought home to be his wife.

My best friend urged me to divorce him, worried about how I was being treated.

I just shook my head. This was my debt to him.

Besides, Aiden Dalton and I had signed a marriage contract.

Only if he initiates the divorce can I avoid having to return the marriage settlement.

I holed up in my room, quietly planning how I would use the money.

A few days ago, I went to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor told me I only have about three months left to live.

And that's only if I cooperate with the treatment and take my medication.

If I don't, I'll only have just over a month left.

I nodded slightly.

'It's fine. I'm not afraid of pain, and I'm not afraid of death.'

'But I am afraid of bitterness, and I'm afraid of taking medicine.'

'My life has already been so bitter. For the month or so I have left, I want a little sweetness.'

After I got back from the hospital that day, I received some news.

There had been a new development in my father's case.

If I could find someone to help, he might be able to clear his name and be released early.

But my family had fallen on hard times long ago, and we'd lost touch with all our old family friends.

The only person with the power to help my father now was Aiden Dalton.

No matter what, I had to save my father.

I went to the kitchen, cooked Aiden Dalton's favorite dishes, and brought them in a lunchbox to his company.

The people around me started whispering and pointing.

"She's dressed so terribly, and her face is as pale as a ghost. How could someone like *her* marry President Dalton? She must have used some kind of trick, don't you think?"

"I heard she's President Dalton's first love, but she betrayed him for a $50,000 marriage settlement back when he had nothing. But he never forgot her, so he married her the moment he came back to the country."

"Poor President Dalton. If you ask me, only Secretary Shaw is a good match for him. I mean, Secretary Shaw is the wealthy young miss of the Shaw Group..."

I subconsciously touched my face.

'They're right. I'm dying.'

I waited at the entrance for ages, only to learn that Aiden Dalton wasn't even in the office.

He and Chloe Shaw had gone out. I heard they were at a gathering with some friends.

After finding out where they were, I took the food I'd made for Aiden Dalton and went to their private room.

The room was crowded and lively, filled mostly with Aiden Dalton's friends.

The moment I walked in, the boisterous room fell silent.

Chloe Shaw walked up to me with a smile on her face. "Elara Rhodes, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you got bored at home and decided you wanted to come back to work?"

"But we didn't order any escorts. You must have the wrong room, right?"

"Honestly, Aiden... I've told him so many times to pay more attention to you, to be more considerate. He even smiled and promised he would. I can't believe he was just lying to me. You're Mrs. Dalton now, and he's still making you come out here to work and be treated this way..."

"This won't do. I'm going to have a serious talk with him..."

Her playful, pouting act looked just like me at eighteen.

Back then, I was the apple of my parents' eye and the center of Aiden Dalton's world.

'Aiden Dalton must really love her,' I thought.

'If it weren't for me, he and Chloe Shaw probably would have gotten together long ago.'

When we were dating, Aiden Dalton was always very good to Chloe Shaw.

Whenever he bought me bubble tea, he'd always remember to get one for Chloe Shaw, too.

When we went to the movies, he would ask if Chloe Shaw was coming with us.

I even got jealous and threw tantrums over it.

Back then, he would always hold me tight and kiss my face, stubbornly saying, "It's because she's your friend and you two are so close. I'm just trying to stay on her good side so she doesn't make things difficult for me."

I looked at Chloe Shaw calmly and smiled. "Since you have so much influence over him, why don't you persuade your dear Aiden to divorce me sooner? That way, you won't have to keep being his shameful little mistress."

"Go on, convince him. Convince him to divorce me quickly, and then I can give the title of Mrs. Dalton to you."

"Then you won't have to sneak around as a mistress anymore. You can stand in the open, rightfully, as Mrs. Dalton."

: I Don't Want You Anymore

The words had barely left her mouth when the wine glass in Chloe Shaw's hand tipped over, spilling onto me.

The red liquid drenched me, and the glass shattered on the floor.

"Elara Rhodes, I never came between you and Aiden. You were the one who abandoned him for a $50,000 marriage settlement. You pushed him away with your own two hands."

"Then, when you saw that Aiden had made it big, you used your past together to force him into marrying you with an exorbitant marriage settlement. But I was the one by his side all these years! He had already promised to marry me…"

"I know you still blame me for what happened back then. When your family ran into trouble, you came to me for help. But I was just a student then. Even if I wanted to help, I couldn't. After all, your father didn't just commit financial crimes, he was a murderer! And your mother was…"

I didn't hesitate. I shoved her away.

"Chloe Shaw, shut your mouth!"

'My father is not a murderer!'

'My father was framed!'

'I've had a fiery, headstrong personality since I was a child. Even if life has worn down my edges over the years, I will never let anyone slander my family.'

I barely used any force.

But Chloe Shaw still fell to the ground.

The broken glass on the floor sliced a deep gash into her palm.

Blood streamed onto the floor.

Everyone in the private room panicked. They scrambled to their feet, rushed over, and shoved me aside forcefully.

Caught off guard, I fell, my own palm cut by the shards.

The food container I was holding fell, its contents spilling across the floor.

I watched it all unfold in silence.

I saw Aiden Dalton rush to Chloe Shaw's side in an instant, lifting her into his arms and setting her down on the sofa.

His face was filled with concern. "It's okay, don't be afraid. I'm here."

'I could tell he cared about her a great deal.'

'Just as he had once cared for me.'

The others crowded around, fussing over her.

And I was just the laughingstock.

Only after Chloe Shaw's wound was treated did they turn on me.

I didn't care about their insults and disgust.

I clenched my fist and looked up at Aiden Dalton. "There's a new development in my father's case. I need you to represent him."

'Aiden Dalton isn't just a brilliant businessman; he's an even better lawyer.'

'He's never lost a case he's taken on.'

'If he's willing to help, my father's name can finally be cleared.'

Aiden Dalton looked up at me, a mocking glint in his eyes.

"Elara Rhodes, do you still think I'm that same poor kid who would do anything you asked?"

The color drained from my face, and my heart sank.

'He refused.'

'But I couldn't give up.'

Chloe Shaw peeked out from his arms and said in a small voice, "Aiden, you don't have to be angry with Elara Rhodes just because I got hurt. I know she hates me. She hates that I was the one by your side when you broke up."

"But Aiden, my heart ached for you, too. You were in such despair back then, and I just wanted to be there for you. I would have stayed by your side even if you never loved me."

Aiden Dalton's expression visibly softened. He reached up and gently wiped away her tears.

He murmured softly, "It's okay. This isn't your fault."

'Chloe Shaw was the apple of his eye now, the woman his friends all accepted as their future sister-in-law.'

Seeing that I had "bullied" Chloe Shaw to tears, his friends quickly jumped in to stick up for her.

"It's just a lawsuit, right? If you get on your knees and apologize to Chloe, I'm sure we can work something out. Right, Dalton?"

After a few seconds of silence, Aiden Dalton spoke, his voice slow and deliberate.

"Elara Rhodes, if you're going to ask for a favor, you should act like it. Besides, what happened today was your fault to begin with. You're the one who hurt Chloe."

'He didn't care that Chloe Shaw had been the one to provoke me.'

'He just couldn't stand to see her suffer the slightest hurt.'

'He knew full well how much my family means to me, yet he was still using this to force me to abandon my pride.'

I lowered my eyes, blinking rapidly to force back the tears.

When I looked up again, I slowly unclenched my fist, and a small, bitter smile touched my lips.

"Fine. I'll kneel and apologize to her."

Forcing down the pain and humiliation, I knelt directly in front of Chloe Shaw.

"Chloe Shaw, I'm sorry."

'Aiden Dalton, I knelt and apologized to the woman you love.'

'You've crushed what little dignity I had left.'

'Are you satisfied now?'

As it turned out, they weren't satisfied.

One of Aiden Dalton's friends said I had ruined the mood of their party and that I should punish myself by downing a bottle of liquor.

"I'm sick. I can't drink."

'The doctor said I need to take very careful care of my health.'

'Drinking will only make me die faster.'

I had barely finished speaking when the room erupted in jeering laughter.

"An escort, saying she can't drink? That's hilarious."

"What's with the act? Lying about being sick so she doesn't have to drink. How fake."

Finally, Aiden Dalton spoke.

"Elara Rhodes, drink this bottle of wine, or I represent your father. Pick one."

I looked at him calmly. "I'm not lying. I really am sick. This bottle will kill me."

He seemed furious, and his smile was ice-cold.

"Do you still think you're that delicate little wealthy young miss you used to be? You think a little alcohol is going to kill you?"

'I felt something inside me get stripped away.'

'Fine. I'll drink it.'

'But Aiden Dalton, I hold grudges.'

'And you'd better remember this: I'm done with you.'

I finished the bottle of wine in one go.

Then, after getting Aiden Dalton's promise, I dragged my aching body home in a taxi, all alone.

The night was pitch-black. I fought through the pain, forcing myself to stay alert as I sat at my desk, writing and sketching.

'I'm afraid I won't make it through the night.'

'So while I'm still lucid, I have to do something.'

After closing the notebook in my hands, I shakily took out my phone and sent a message.

'If I can still open my eyes tomorrow…'

'If everything goes according to plan, I'll be able to leave this place.'

Once everything was arranged, I finally looked out the window.

It was cold and dark tonight, with snowflakes drifting through the sky.

Just like the weather on the night of my eighteenth birthday.

Except back then, I was the apple of Aiden Dalton's eye, the treasure he held in the palm of his hand.

That year, my friends threw me a birthday party at a bar.

We played a game where the loser had to drink.

My luck must have been terrible. I lost nine times out of ten, so of course, I was the one who had to take the penalty shots.

The truth was, I hated alcohol. Back then, I didn't touch a single drop.

Aiden Dalton stepped in front of me, standing up for me. "Elara hates drinking. From now on, don't make her drink. I'll drink all of her shots for her."

My friends all said that Aiden Dalton spoiled me rotten.

He wouldn't let me suffer the slightest grievance.

He would do anything for me.

To buy me the most expensive birthday present, he would go work as a handyman at a construction site whenever he didn't have classes.

After a hard day's work, covered in dirt, he would only earn $30.

But he kept it up for a month and gave me a necklace on the night of my birthday.

I recognized the necklace. I had glanced at it a few extra times when we were at the mall before.

I was originally planning to go back and buy it myself when I was shopping alone next time.

But I never expected him to buy it for me ahead of time.

That necklace cost over $900.

For me at the time, $900 was just the cost of a single meal.

But for him, that was more than half a year's living expenses.

I held his scarred hands and cried my heart out.

"Aiden Dalton, you big fool. I don't want any presents, and I don't want you to work so hard for me. I just want you..."

He pulled me into his arms, kissed my tears away, and patiently soothed me.

"Elara, you're willing to eat with me at a street stall that costs a few dollars, so I'm willing to work my hardest, no matter what, to buy you the best things in the world."

That night, he put the necklace on me with his own hands.

It was the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen.

No other necklace, no matter how expensive, could ever compare.

A noise from the living room broke me from my thoughts.

Aiden Dalton was back.

'Probably with Chloe Shaw.'

I didn't go out.

I stayed quietly by myself in the servant's room on the first floor.

In our two years of marriage, the only time I was allowed to set foot on the second floor was when he brought Chloe Shaw home.

Except they would be in the room, while I was required to stand guard at the door.

After Chloe Shaw left, I would take her place as Aiden Dalton's tool to sleep with.

'How filthy.'

I lowered my gaze, staring at the scars on my arm for a long time.

At some point, he appeared behind me, frowning as he looked at me.

"Why is your face so pale? Did you catch a cold?"

He reached out to touch my forehead, but I dodged him.

"My face is this pale, and President Dalton has no idea why?"

"Are you here to make me watch the two of you be lovey-dovey again, President Dalton? Just a moment, I'll be right there."

I stood up and tried to walk past him, but he yanked me back.

He shoved something into my hand.

I glanced down and saw it was a jewelry box.

"I bought this for you. From now on, dress yourself up properly. Don't embarrass me."

I stared at the jewelry box for a few seconds.