After ten years of marriage, Nadine Bradley had slept with all of my colleagues and friends.

I pretended I did not see anything and took my one-month-old baby to the physical examination as usual.

Until one day on the way to the hospital, her new lover hit me with his car.

The child cried, so I begged her to take us to the hospital.

Nadine looked at me with disdain as she sneered, “Alvaro, since when did you become so desperate to scam people? 

“Don’t think pretending will make me care about you. Even if you drop dead right in front of me, I wouldn’t spare you a glance!”

After that, she left with her new favorite.

By the time I was taken to the hospital, the baby in my arms had suffocated to death.

Even my mother died of a heart attack due to the stimulation.

After waking up, I looked at Mr. Bradley with a numb face.

“Let me go. I have already paid back what I owe to the Bradley Family with my life.”

——

As we were talking, messages kept coming to my phone. 

It was filled with photos of Nadine and her new favorite, Julius Woods.

When I was dying, the two fought in the five-star hotel until dawn.

Julius, with kiss marks all over his body, leaned in Nadine's arms, his smile full of provocation.

Mr. Bradley, who was unaware of the truth, still wanted to make a final effort.

He took out a share transfer agreement and placed it in front of me.

“Alvaro, Nadine is not a bad girl by nature. After all, you have liked her for so many years. You might as well give her another chance. As long as I am here, no one can shake your position.”

I did not say anything and casually clicked on a video sent by. The two people’s affectionate voices immediately spread throughout the ward.

Julius panted and asked, “Nadine, you left Alvaro on the street, you really don’t feel sorry at all?”

Nadine bit Julius's neck with a dazed look in her eyes.

“What's there to be sad about? You are my favorite person. Even if he and the child are put together, they are not qualified to compare with you.”

Those unbearable noises made Mr. Bradley so angry that his veins popped out.

After a long sigh, he chose to compromise, “It is the Bradley Family that has wronged you. I will handle the divorce. 

“I will definitely give you freedom in seven days. As for the affairs of your mother and child…."

As he was speaking, the nurse had already brought the child over.

It seemed like God could not bear to see me continue wasting my time in this marriage. My last hope was cut short in such a cruel way.

I turned my head away, trying to calm my emotions. I said, “The child can be buried in the Bradley Family, I will only take my mother's ashes away.”

Mr. Bradley nodded with a painful look on his face as he respondent, “It's my fault. I should not have forced you to stay in the Bradley Family. Go, you deserve a wider world.”

After saying this, he hunched over and left holding the dead child in his arms.

I had been holding back and finally fell at this moment. So, all kinds of bitterness surged into my heart.

My marriage with Nadine was arranged by Mr. Bradley.

He needed someone to look after Nadine for him. I needed someone to pay for my mom's high medical bills.

So, we hit it off right away.

I even quit my job and married Nadine.

After marriage, I learned about Nadine’s tragic experience of losing both her parents in her early years.

I also saw with my own eyes that she cried and called ‘Mom’ in her dreams at midnight.

That was why the two broken souls resonated with each other at that moment.

I wanted to heal Nadine’s heart and to build a happy family with her.

In order to fulfill the responsibilities of a husband, I worked hard to improve my cooking skills and try to make the food that she describes as her mother's.

I visited various places and bit by bit recreated the cabin in her memory.

In order to satisfy her needs, I also learned various tricks in bed.

I thought we would have a happy future.

But on our wedding anniversary, she went to the hotel with my best friend in a dignified manner.

I ran to question her like crazy.

Nadine sneered and threw the contract between me and Mr. Bradley in my face.

“Alvaro, who do you think you are? Do you really think you’re something special just because I played with you for two days?

“You’re nothing but a dog my grandfather bought. What right do you have to question my business?

“If you dare to make me unhappy, I’ll have your mother’s treatment cut off immediately!”

I was struck by lightning and could not utter a word.

After that, Nadine became even more outrageous.

After having enough fun with internet celebrities, she started to target my friends, constantly breaking my bottom line.

On one side, my mother desperately needed medical treatment; on the other, my marriage had long since decayed.

The forces tugging me from both ends nearly drove me to collapse. One time, I even slipped and fell down the stairs because I was distracted.

After waking up, I learned that Nadine was pregnant.

Mr. Bradley almost pleaded with me, “Keep this child. He may be a turning point in your marriage.

“If Nadine still does not know how to restrain herself after the child is born, I will definitely not force you anymore.”

Carrying all kinds of complicated emotions, I chose to agree.

I never imagined I would fight so hard for so long—for my mother, my children, my marriage and love.

In the end, I could not hold on to any of them.

I slowly wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes and looked out the gray window.

Perhaps that was the only consolation. Nadine and I both gained freedom.

As I was deep in thought, Nadine called, “Alvaro, you went to complain to Grandpa again, didn't you? You have completely disrupted the rare time that Julius and I have together.

“I'm warning you, if you do this again, I'll stop the card!”

If it was in the past, I would have humbled myself, endlessly explaining and apologizing to Nadine, trying every possible way to earn her forgiveness.

But that time, I just said it with an indifferent look on my face, “Whatever you want.”

Nadine was a little surprised by my cold attitude.

But soon, she sneered again, “I heard that once the child is by your side, you can speak with confidence.

“But don’t forget, I am the heir of the Bradley Family. As long as you are still in the Bradley Family, I will have plenty of ways to torment you.”

I closed my eyes, since I had seen Nadine's methods.

The first time I caught her cheating on me, I naively went to Mr. Bradley to seek justice.

But I was met with Nadine's crazy revenge.

She threatened my mother and forced me to kneel on the freezing cold balcony of my bedroom and slap myself over and over again.

That night, she and her lover made love all night long.

I was sent to the hospital with a red and swollen face due to frostbite.

The only bit of sincerity that was left was completely dissipated in the heavy snow.

From then on, no matter how excessive Nadine did, I pretended not to see it. 

I silently endured all kinds of humiliation and difficulties from Nadine, trying hard to maintain Mr. Bradley's identity.

But that time, my mother was gone. The child also died.

So, this marriage, which existed in name only, should be finally declared over.

I hung up the phone indifferently.

I got up and contacted a friend at the funeral home, made an appointment for cremation.

As I returned to the ward, I saw Nadine standing at the door.

She frowned at me, then sneered, “Why don’t you continue to act pitiful?

“You're running around right after the accident. You're in such good health and it looks like you don’t need to continue recuperating.

“I plan to bring Julius to live in the villa. He is young, delicate and can't do housework. You can go through the discharge procedures and go back to be our maid.”

As she spoke, Nadine came closer to me. There was a malicious smile on her face.

“Your painful expression is the best stimulant for me in bed.”

She stared at me, expecting to see me in pain and sadness. But I just had an expression that was calm and numb.

Feeling that it was boring, Nadine stopped the young nurse beside her again.

“Where's the child? What's the result of the physical examination? Bring him here for me to see.”

The young nurse looked panic-stricken.

I said helplessly, “The child was taken away by his grandfather.”

Nadine wanted to say something else when her cell phone rang.

As soon as she answered the phone, her face changed drastically.

Then a slap hit me on the face.

“Alvaro, what did you do to Julius? If anything happens to her, I will never let you go!”

I was already weak and my footing was unstable, so I bumped into the handrail behind me.

The young nurse hurried forward to support me and yelled, “Mrs. Bradley, Mr. Bradley just had a car accident. You will kill him if you do this!”

Nadine pretended not to hear. She left quickly with concern for Julius.