After retiring from the music industry and spending thirty years devoting my time to taking care of my family,my husband got a karaoke hostess pregnant.

On our wedding anniversary,my own husband asked me to help celebrate his mistress'birthday.

"Why don’t you sing a song, Elena?Vivian is sure in such a good mood today.When she moves into our house in the future,you would sing for her anytime she wants.Don’t ever think to ruin her mood."

My son and daughter-in-law laughed teasingly."Mom never sings.Thanks to Vivian,we finally get to hear the voice of a retired diva,Elena Vernon."

I tossed the cancer diagnosis on the table and walked out of the private room.

My daughter-in-law tried to stop me,but my husband tore up the report and sneered.

"Before you leave,give Vivian the necklace your mother left you before she passed away.She loves it."

"What now?Are you faking illness for sympathy?"

"If you have the guts,then get out of here.And don’t come crawling back begging for help for the rest of your life."

The whole room erupted in laughter,mocking me and belittling me.They all thought I would be back in less than three days,kneeling and begging for forgiveness.

However,they had no idea that the private jet arranged by another man had been circling above this very city for a long time.

I no longer wanted my husband,my children,or my grandchildren.

This time,I would never look back.

***

Just as I was about to walk out of the private room at the karaoke,Victor’s indifferent voice rang out behind me.

"Elena,take off your necklace and give it to Vivian.She wants it."

The necklace was left to me by my late mother.For decades,I had held onto it as a way of remembering her and Victor knew that.

But now,just because Vivian said she liked it,my husband dismissed my feelings without a second thought.

When his eyes met my disbelief gaze,he still looked at me like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Then my son chimed in,"Since Vivian likes it,you should just give it to her,Mom.You’re an adult here,so why are you competing with a girl twenty years younger than you,especially when she’s pregnant?"

My daughter-in-law even added,"Right,worst case,just name a price.I’ll buy it and gift it to Vivian."

I said nothing.

Name a price,she said.Victor would not even give me the chance to make an offer.

In thirty years of marriage,we were never equals in his eyes.I was only ever expected to obey his words without buts.

Half a month ago,Vivian had taken a liking to the bracelet Victor gave me when we got married.Just because I hesitated for just a few seconds,he had his bodyguards break my wrist.

I screamed in pain,my hand limp and lifeless,yet he did not even blink once.

My son and daughter-in-law acted like none of it had anything to do with them.They simply kept minding their own business,never even glancing my way.

If I hesitated again this time,I feared he might have someone break my neck.

So,I decided to remove the necklace without a word and handed it to Vivian.

"I wish both of you,Vivian Hartwell and Victor Holloway,a happy marriage and a healthy child."

Seeing that I did not make a scene and even offered a kind wish,Victor gave me a rare approving look.

"Elena Vernon,we’ve been married for thirty years.I don’t want things to end on bad terms."

"As long as you listen to my words to stay home,do the laundry and cooking,keep Vivian happy and take care of her child,I won’t treat you unfairly.I’ll make sure your future is safe and secure."

As soon as he finished speaking,a trace of resentment flickered in Vivian’s eyes.

She let out a soft cry and the necklace had cut her fingers,which were so white and delicate like scallions but were now streaked with blood.

The necklace fell to the ground.

No one paid attention to the keepsake my mother left me.Everyone’s concern,every gaze,was focused on Vivian.

Victor tenderly held her hand,blew on her wound and then turned sharply to glare at the bodyguard at the door.

"Didn’t you see Vivian got hurt?Go get a doctor!"

My daughter-in-law gently patted Vivian’s back to comfort her while my son shot me a cold,disapproving look.

"Mom,you’re so careless.Vivian has delicate skin.How could she handle you tossing something around so roughly?Look at her hand,it’s bleeding.I know you just couldn’t bear to give her the necklace to her."

Victor’s face darkened at those words.He looked at me with contempt.

"Of course.When things seem off,there’s always something behind it.I thought you had changed,but turns out you’re still the same jealous,spiteful woman.If anything happens to Vivian,I’ll make sure you pay for it!"

With that,he turned his attention back to Vivian,gently asking about her injury.

In the private room,Victor’s friends and the hostesses looked at me with mocking smiles,their eyes full of derision.

I glanced at the barely visible wound on Vivian’s hand and found it laughable.

Ha,how ridiculous!

I had cancer and Victor said I was faking it.She cut her finger and he panicked as if she was dying.

It seemed that this was all it boiled down to whether a person was loved or not.

Last night,my cancer flared up.I was in so much pain that my body convulsed and I vomited blood.

Victor kicked me aside with an indifferent expression.

"Stop acting pitiful.I’m not falling for your tricks anymore.A girl acting like that might be charming,but when you do it,it’s just disgusting."

"Are you still trying to play the fool?Elena Vernon,how old are you already?"

After saying that,Victor walked straight out.He was heading to the karaoke to'order'Vivian.She did not want to give up her career and he could not bear the thought of other men ordering his woman.So,for the past few years,he had shown up every night to support her business.

Just before I lost consciousness from the pain over the roar of a car engine,I heard him say to my son.

"Drag your mother to the guest room.I’m bringing Vivian home tomorrow.She’ll be sleeping in the master bedroom."

"Also,don’t let your mother dirty the floor.Vivian hates anything dirty."

I took a deep breath,turned around and was about to leave,but Victor suddenly grabbed my collar and yanked me back.

The force knocked the air out of my lungs and I began coughing uncontrollably.

"Where do you think you’re going?Elena,you hurt Vivian and you’re not even going to apologize?"

I instinctively defended myself.

"I didn’t!I clearly…"

Before I could finish,Victor slapped me across the face,then shoved me to the ground,still clutching my collar.

"Stop making excuses and say you're sorry.Kneel.Apologize to Vivian."

He said every word with chilling certainty in his eyes and I felt my heart sinking deeper and deeper.

I looked at Vivian.My mouth opened,but I could not force out the words"I’m sorry."

I really did not know what I had done to wrong her.

Why was it always me apologizing for someone else’s mistake?

For the past thirty years of marriage,I had apologized every single day.

I apologized when there was a wrinkle on the suit I ironed for Victor.

I apologized when I made breakfast and the porridge was cold by the time my son finally got out of bed to eat.

I apologized when I went to pick up my grandson from kindergarten and he tripped after stepping on my foot.

I had said sorry so many times.What was one more to Vivian?

Just let me walk out that door.

Once I got out of this place,they would not be able to hurt me anymore.

Thinking of this,a flicker of hope rose in my heart.I knelt down and looked into Vivian’s eyes with sincerity.

"I’m sorry.It’s my fault you got hurt.Will you forgive me?"

Seeing me lower myself into the dust,speaking so cautiously,Victor frowned.

"Elena,your former sponsor isn’t here anymore.No one pities your tears.Who are you trying to fool with that act?"

My heart sank.

Just as he finished speaking,the bodyguard returned with the doctor and pushed open the door.

The doctor carried a medical kit and then rushed over to Vivian.

Everyone’s attention shifted back to her.No one even glanced my way.

While they were all focused on Vivian,I quietly pushed open the door to the private box and stepped out without a shred of reluctance.

As I walked down the corridor out of the karaoke,I heard the roar of a helicopter overhead.

Looking up,I saw a familiar private jet hovering above.

I quickened my pace toward the helipad,where the helicopter was preparing to land.

Unfortunately,that was when the accident happened.

Just as I broke into a jog,Victor’s bodyguards burst out of the karaoke like wild animals.

Without a word,a group of burly men in black seized me from both sides and dragged me roughly back toward the private box.

My canvas shoes were pulled off in the struggle and my heels scraped against the rough floor,leaving vivid trails of blood along the corridor tiles.

Back inside the karaoke room,I was disheveled,pinned to the floor by bodyguards at Victor’s feet.

Vivian was leaning weakly against his chest,eyes closed,seemingly unconscious.

My son and daughter-in-law were at her side,holding her hands with concern.

"How dare you drug Vivian,Elena?You vicious woman!"

Victor kicked me hard in the chest and I coughed up a mouthful of blood.

My son glanced cautiously at Victor and spoke carefully,"Dad,could it be a mistake?This is against the law.No matter how jealous Mom is of Vivian,she would never do something like this,wouldn't she?"

"The doctor said Vivian had food poisoning.Your mother has been cooking all the meals we’ve had these past few days.If it wasn’t her,then who else could it be?"

"I think she’s just trying to use my concern and anxiety for Vivian to force me into submission so she can negotiate terms with me."

Victor stared at me with a dark expression and raised his hand to command the bodyguards.

"From what I know about her,the antidote must be with her.Search her!"

I opened my mouth to explain but was interrupted by the bodyguards’rough actions.

In front of my son,daughter-in-law and Victor’s brothers,the bodyguards tore my clothes off roughly.

I struggled desperately but could not break free.

Whispers filled my ears.

My clothes were in shambles and I desperately reached out to Victor,crying and begging him to stop.

My coat was torn off,revealing a hideous scar on the back of my shoulder.

Victor was visibly stunned when he saw it.He hesitated for a moment,about to stop the bodyguards.

However,Vivian,who was resting in his arms,suddenly clung to the corner of Victor’s clothes with her fingers and gave a weak warning.

"Ugh…I don't feel well."

With just one sentence,Victor hardened his heart.

"Hurry up and keep searching!"

He gently stroked Vivian’s face."It will be fine soon,Vivian."

The bodyguards received the order and searched with even greater force and no restraint.

When a bodyguard reached for my bra straps,my daughter-in-law spoke weakly.

"Dad,isn’t this a bit inappropriate?After all,Mom is..."

Before she could finish,Victor shot her a look and she immediately fell silent.

At that moment,Vivian slowly opened her eyes.Seeing everything unfolding before her,a hint of triumph flashed in her gaze.

Then she panicked and spoke,"Mr.Holloway,what are you doing?This has nothing to do with your wife..."

"I had black bass for lunch yesterday and completely forgot I’m not supposed to pair it with eggplant.When your wife cooked for us,I specifically asked her to make eggplant for me,so that's why."

"It was simply my mistake.It’s all my fault today.I fainted without saying a word,causing you to wrongly accuse your wife."

When Victor heard this,his hands trembled and he suddenly looked at me lying naked on the ground.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

I collapsed further,tugging at the corners of my lips.

What could I say?Vivian had deliberately set this trap,making sure Victor sided with her,leaving me no way to defend myself.

Victor stood up shakily,took off his suit jacket and draped it over me.

I frowned and dodged,forcing myself to stand.

"No need.I won’t bother you anymore.I’ll leave now."

Seeing my pale yet stubborn face,Victor’s forehead veins throbbed.

He wanted to ask how long I would keep acting so unreasonably.

He wanted to ask what he should do to worry less,to not get angry with me and to stop me from running away over such trivial matters.

But again,Vivian timidly tugged at the corner of Victor’s clothes."Mr.Holloway,I don’t feel well."

Victor quickly stepped back and held Vivian’s hand.

My son and daughter-in-law also came over,asking Vivian about her well-being.

Looking at them,I saw that they really seemed like a close-knit family,while I felt even more like an outsider here.

I turned to leave,but suddenly,my head was spinning.