"Conrad, you--" Nicola frowned and wanted to say something, but I reached out to stop her.

Everything in front of my eyes was blurry and I could only hear the word "divorce" echoing in my ears.

It was so ironic that I came here to deal with divorce, but he threatened me with "divorce".

Just for the sake of someone else's child.

No, wait, was this child really someone else's?

I was no longer sure.

I laughed so hard that tears almost fell from my eyes.

"Yeah, well, it's only for two days anyway," I said.

Conrad paused for a moment and asked, "What did you say?"

I shook my head gently, my voice like a gust of wind. "Nothing."

"I'm going home."

I left and Nicola quickly caught up with me and helped me.

Conrad never caught up with me. He was holding his child, with his "legitimate wife" standing beside him. I was just an unnecessary "secretary" and an ignorant obstacle.

I saw Lilian’s social media update in the car.

The picture was a photo of her, Conrad and their son in front of the entrance of the dermatology department of the hospital.

Conrad lowered his head to play and joke with the child, who was laughing. Lilian leaned on his shoulder with a gentle smile on her face.

The caption was [Conrad is such a good father~]

The comments and likes below were in rows.

[It’s so blissful!]

[Lilian is so lucky.]

I looked at those names. Some were his former partners, some were middle-level managers of the company and some were the so-called "friends" whom I had invited to my home for dinner.

Suddenly, I felt quite bored.

As soon as I got home and stepped into the door, I was stunned.

I didn't pay attention when I was packing up a few days ago, but now when I was looking at the house from the entrance, I found that the house felt unfamiliar to me.

The familiar beige sofa had gone and replaced with a children's combination cushion printed with cartoon patterns.

The glass coffee table had been removed and replaced with a crawling mat with guardrails and a pile of plastic toys.

I took a few steps slowly inside, the living room, kitchen, bedroom, every place no longer belonged to me.

Bottles, sterilizers and baby strollers were piled all over the floor.

In the bedroom, my wardrobe was moved to the corner, with a small gap opened for placement and the rest of the space was filled with Lilian's nursing bra and pink plush pajamas.

There were also large packages of unopened baby diapers neatly stacked in the cabinet where I used to keep scented candles.

I stood there, almost unable to catch my breath.

In just hal a year, this "home" was already filled with traces of Lilian.

She silently became the mistress of this house, while I was like a stranger breaking into someone else's life.

After discussing the follow-up matters, Nicola told me, "I will send the divorce documents to the court tomorrow to go through the formalities, so don't be too sad."

When I sent her to the door, it was just getting dark.

She looked at me back, as if she wanted to say something else, but in the end, she just reached out and hugged me.

"You, don't be too stubborn and remember what I said, divorce is not the end, it's a new life."

I replied with a "hmm", my eyes falling on the stack of documents in her hand that she had not yet handed back to me.

Just as I was about to take it, the door was pushed open from the outside with a "click".

Conrad and Lilian were back.

She was holding her son in her arms and holding his arm with another hand, saying with a smile, "It's too cold outside and the baby's skin is turning red. The doctor said we should apply more oil ...."

Conrad raised his head and frowned slightly. "What are you guys doing?"

I paused and hid the documents in my hand behind me. "Nothing. I was just talking to Nicola about some company legal matters," I said.

"Legal matters?" His eyes seemed to accidentally sweep over the documents I hid behind my back and he paused, furrowing his brows even deeper.

My heart skipped a beat and my fingers tightened slightly, thinking he wanted to take a look.

But he didn't ask any more questions. He just lowered his head to look at the child and said in a gentler voice, "Go in. Don't let the baby get cold."

With just one sentence, he took Lilian into the house and walked decisively.

I stood at the door, looking at their backs in silence, feeling only disappointment.

Nowadays, he cared less and less about me. I couldn't tell if he trusted me too much or didn't care at all.

The night before the divorce agreement was approved, the doorbell rang.

I was about to open the door when Conrad suddenly came out of the kitchen and stopped me. "Don't move, it's my guests."

I was taken aback. "His guests?"

He smiled faintly and said, "I forgot to tell you, I invited some friends over today to give Lilian's son a name."

I stood there, speechless for a long time.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just ... a name."

He said as a matter of course, "They are all professors who teach literature and philosophy at the university, so it won't be too big."

"Why did you do this at 'our' home without notifying me?"

He looked at me with a hint of impatience in his eyes and replied, "I didn't inform you because I was afraid you might feel uncomfortable."

"You knew I was uncomfortable, but you still did it?"

He sighed and lowered his voice. "Honey, please stop making trouble, okay? Just this once."

I sneered and when I was about to speak sarcastically, he suddenly held my hand and said, "This is the last time, I promise."

His eyes were sincere and his voice was deep.

"Once we choose the name for Lilian's son, I'll arrange for Lilian to go on a blind date. I have wanted to deal with her affairs for a long time, but I have never had the chance ... I'll also give you what you want to be public. On our tenth anniversary, I'll tell everyone that you are my legal wife."

I froze. I didn't expect him to say these words.

But I couldn't believe it anymore.

Every word he said sounded like sugar-coated bullets, with layers of sweetness wrapped in cold excuses.

"So, are you really going to send her away?"

"I promise."

Before I could pursue another questions, I heard the sound of Lilian opening the door from the living room.

"Welcome, welcome! Please come in! My little boy has just woken up. This is the best time!"

I unconsciously turned around and saw a few young men and women carrying gifts, smiling and greeting each other while changing their shoes.

When Lilian dealt with them, she glanced over at me with a hint of smug in her eyes.

It seemed to be telling me that she was the wife Conrad openly acknowledged and I was not.

I stood there with my fingertips cold.

Conrad still held my hand and whispered in my ear. "Please, just pretend for one night ... just one night."

I laughed, very lightly, but extremely bitter.

I didn't say anything more and stuffed the divorce agreement back into my pocket.

I no longer had the strength to make a fuss, nor did I want to argue with him.

Making a fuss meant I still hoped, but silence meant I had completely given up.

I sat in the corner of the sofa, watching the guests come in and out, complimenting, blessing and surrounding the child and Lilian, while Conrad always stood by her side.

"Have you thought of a name for the child?"

"We've thought of a few, bu we'll ask the professors to review them later."

"Lilian is so lucky to have married a good husband and have a lovely son."

I could only feel my eardrums buzzing as I listen to these words.

I once thought that I had supported the entire company for him and accompanied him through the most difficult years, including the years when his father was hospitalized, shareholders forced him to abdicate and the company's accounts were in chaos and that I could gain a legitimate identity in return.

But in the end, I was just a tool he used to maneuver around.

A temporary actor who even had to "pretend to be invited" to the naming party.

The lights in the room were warm and the atmosphere was filled with clinking of glasses.

The professors have already come up with several names for the child, such as "Roland Helderman", "Cedric Helderman" and "Lucien Helderman", each one more elegant and grand than the other.

"Lucien Helderman, I think it's good! It's catchy and has a scholarly atmosphere."

"Yes, you choose the good name, Mr. Helderman."

"Then this one?" Someone looked at Conrad with a smile.

Conrad nodded and his gaze gently fell on the child.

Lilian, on the other hand, smiled brightly and said in a warm voice, "Lucien, do you like this name? Come on, call me Mommy."

She held the child and leaned against Conrad's shoulder, her movements familiar and natural, as if they were already a family of three.

Everyone thought they were husband and wife and no one questioned.

After dinner, a group of people sat around the sofa drinking tea and laughing, talking about old things.

Lilian smiled and said, "Actually, Conrad and I have known each other since we were kids."

"Really?"

"Yes, we grew up together. I loved wrestling back then and he would carry me home every time. Once I sprained my ankle and he even stole some medicinal wine from home to apply on me, but he got beaten by his father as a result."

Everyone burst into laughter.

She continued. "There was another time when I had a fever and felt dizzy. He ran four kilometers from school and brought me medicine in the rain ... I still remember when I foolishly asked him, "Are you going to marry me in the future?"

She looked at the man with a smile, her voice a little shy and sweet. "In the end, he said, 'You are so stupid, if I don't marry you, who will marry you?'"

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Mr. Helderman, so you've been so responsible since you were young."

"Yeah, no wonder you two have such a good relationship."

"By the way, your son is growing now, when are you going to hold a wedding?"

Before the words could finish, someone started to make trouble after drinking and said, "Stop talking, be honest and give him a kiss!"

"Yes, yes, yes, give him a kiss!"

"We are all here to be witnesses today. Give him a kiss to cheer him up!"

Lilian blushed, lowered her head and smiled as she refused. "Stop it."

And Conrad just said gently, "Oh, stop it."

He unconsciously glanced at me, feeling somewhat guilty.

I sat in the corner, my nails stuck in my palm.

Laughter, noise and warmth surrounded me like a tide, but not a single drop of it was for me.

Before, Conrad had also sent me medicine, but that was when I had a high fever and couldn’t get up. It was the only warmth I had in my drowsiness.

He also carried me through the corridors of the emergency room and said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

But those words and actions seemed insignificant compared to what he did for Lilian.

I once blinded myself for the thoughtfulness and tenderness and was moved by this little bit of love.

Now I realized how ridiculous I was.

I felt suffocated in my chest and every breath felt like a knife cutting.

Just at this time, Nicola sent me a message.

[The agreement has been approved. You have a one month cooling off period for divorce. You will be free immediately.]

I locked my phone, stood up and said calmly, "I'm leaving."

Everyone looked at me in surprise, as if they had just remembered that I, the secretary, was in the room.

Conrad frowned and asked, "Where are you going?"

I looked at him and didn't answer his question. Instead, I said calmly, "Go home."

His expression changed slightly and his lips moved, as if he was about to say unconsciously. "Isn't this your home? Where else are you going?"

But he didn't say it in the end, probably because there were too many people present.

I didn't look at him again and turned around to walk out of this noisy room.

Just as I left, a sharp voice from a woman came from the living room.

"What's wrong with her? She's just a secretary, why is she so arrogant? With that expression and tone, it's as if the whole world revolves around her."

"Right, she's just a secretary. You're too indulgent to her, Mr. Helderman."

"Conrad, I advise you to fire her immediately to avoid any trouble."

All the comments pierced my spine like needles.

But Conrad's voice was light and fluttery. "She ... will be back soon, she dare not leave."

I stopped in my footsteps.

There was a line of defense in my heart, which was silently torn apart.

He said confidently, I dared not leave.

Just like his usual attitude, firm and arrogant, it seemed that no matter how much I cried, how much pain I felt, or how I left, I would obediently return to his side in the end.

But he would never know that I was no longer the woman who waited for him to come back.

I didn't go home a whole night.

Conrad finally lost his temper.

His mother called and told him that it was the anniversary of his grandfather's death and all the relatives from the ancestral home had arrived, so Conrad had to go back with me.

He didn't wait for me and rushed back to his family's house with Lilian.

In the car, he kept staring at his mobile phone and sent me voice messages.

"Honey, answer the phone."

"Stop making trouble. I will tell everyone clearly when I get home that you are my wife."