Three years into their marriage, Emma’s husband, James, fell for a cleaning lady.

He posed as a guard and got the whole company involved in his schemes. Emma caught them, but James didn't care.

“Emma, I promised to stay married to you, so don’t be so hard on her.”

He acted just like he did when he cheated five years ago. He ignored Emma’s tears and smiled coldly.

He was sure she’d never leave, especially since they only remarried because their dying son asked them to.

The next day, Emma saw James at the maternity hospital with his lover. She realized he had already gotten another woman pregnant.

He cheated even while their son was dying. Emma dried her eyes, took photos for proof and called her lawyer to start the divorce.

James forgot the contract he signed: if he cheated again, he’d lose everything. Emma was now determined to make him pay for what he did to her and their son.

——

Her husband posed as a security guard and got the whole company to help him hide his affair with a cleaning lady.

Emma walked in to find the girl sitting in her spot, dressed provocatively and acting shy.

“Mr. Nicholas, do we check here too?”

James pulled Charlotte close, touching her intimately. When she saw Emma, Charlotte hid behind him.

James turned, acting calm and superior again. His gentle side vanished as he said, “Emma, I’m just doing a routine check.”

Emma looked at Charlotte’s exposed chest and said, “Do you think I’m stupid? You don't need to undress for a check.” She didn't wait for an answer and walked to the elevator.

He followed her, taking off his guard jacket to show a crisp white shirt. He sighed, acting like he was the one being patient with her.

“Emma, it’s not what it looks like. Charlotte’s family is poor and I only hired her because I felt sorry for her.” He tried to touch her face, but she pulled away.

His hand stopped, then he pulled it back and shoved it in his pocket. “Fine, if it bothers you, I’ll fire her.”

Emma stared at him, flashes of five years ago returning. Back then, she had come home to find him in their bed with a minor celebrity. Despite his begging, she divorced him on the spot.

Two years later, their son died from a serious illness. James showed up at Emma's apartment, drenched in sweat and said, “Emma, Michael’s final wish was for us to remarry.”

Emma gave in. On their wedding night, James lit up the harbor skyline to celebrate their remarriage.

He even bought a 24/7 full-page ad at the harbor that read: “Emma, I will never let you down.”

For three years, he used all his wealth in Eldoria to buy her affection and prove he was sincere.

The next day, a private investigator sent photos of James taking Charlotte to a private maternity hospital.

Emma overheard him talking to a friend around the corner.

“Mr. Nicholas, are you really letting her have the baby?” James sighed, sounding exhausted. “Charlotte insists on it, even if it’s just to leave a memory behind.”

“A memory? Don’t you already have a son?”

After a silence, James’s voice dropped. “Michael was dying and Emma was falling apart. I couldn't handle seeing her like that, so I went to Norvanya to clear my head.”

“You cleared your head by sleeping with Charlotte? What if Emma finds out and divorces you again?”

“She won’t. She promised Michael she’d stay with me forever.” Emma froze, her breath catching at his firm tone.

“Because Emma was at the hospital with Michael day and night, I was able to be with Charlotte in Norvanya…”

Emma couldn’t hear anything else. She leaned against the wall, feeling her world fall apart.

Three years ago, Emma stayed by Michael's side in the hospital every day and night, becoming dangerously thin. James often left Eldoria, claiming it was for work.

She thought he was too heartbroken to watch his son suffer, but he was actually thousands of miles away, starting a life with another woman.

Emma felt sick and ran to the bathroom, retching until she had nothing left but tears.

Emma stumbled out of the hospital and called her divorce lawyer. “When we remarried, James signed an agreement: if he cheated again, he gets nothing.”

She sent the lawyer the hallway recording and yesterday's photos. “Please start the divorce process again.”

James walked in and hugged her from behind. “Emma, I’ve sent them away from Eldoria,” he said softly. “Please don’t be angry with me anymore.”

He let her go and a diamond necklace was now around her neck. “I saw this at the auction and thought of you,” he said, his tone as gentle as if he were soothing a child.

Emma looked at his familiar face, her heart turning cold. Five years ago, after she caught him with that minor celebrity, he had acted exactly the same way.

He gave her the yacht she wanted and took her to Zerathia. He never took her feelings seriously, never fearing she would actually leave. That was true five years ago and he believed it even more now.

That evening, James took Emma to a charity gala.

“Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas are as in love as ever!” someone remarked.

James held her waist, looking at her with deep affection. “Marrying Emma is the greatest blessing of my life,” he said.

Emma smiled but said nothing. His vow was real, but so was his betrayal. It was pathetic how she once believed that pain and loss could actually teach someone how to care.

“Mrs. Nicholas, your wine,” a waiter said, approaching with a tray.

As Emma reached out, he tripped and crashed into her. The ten-foot champagne tower behind her collapsed, slamming into her.

Champagne and blood soaked her. The hall went silent as everyone stared in shock.

Emma looked up at the waiter who had hit her. It was Charlotte; the woman James claimed had already left town.

Emma was hospitalized. The next morning, James brought her breakfast himself.

“I’ve called the police about last night. For that attack, she’ll be in jail for years. Emma, I promise you’ll never see her again.”

A promise? Just last night, he had sworn he sent Charlotte away, yet she was right there at the gala.

Emma wasn’t sure she could trust James's promise. But seeing how exhausted he looked, her cold heart softened for a moment.

After James left, Emma learned that her mother’s necklace had turned up at an underground casino near the old Calderon Walled City.

This was the only thing she had left of her mother and the source of her long-time grief. Without a second thought, Emma went there by herself.

When she opened the door, she saw Charlotte, who was supposed to be in jail, sitting at a velvet gambling table. She looked perfect, with a huge pile of expensive chips stacked in front of her.

The image of the poor cleaning lady was gone. Emma laughed bitterly at herself; the escape and the imprisonment were both lies. Only James’s betrayal was real.

They locked eyes and Charlotte smiled meanly as she opened her hand. "Mrs. Nicholas, what a coincidence—are you looking for this?" She was holding the jade necklace that belonged to Emma’s mother.

Emma felt a surge of shock, then went cold. “Does James know you’re wasting his money in a place like this?”

Charlotte’s face tightened. “Mr. Nicholas got me this job; I was just having some fun…”

Emma ignored her and went straight to the manager. “I want to buy back this necklace.”

She didn’t even use the extra credit card James gave her; she got the necklace back easily.

Before she left, Emma turned and said calmly, “Please thank Mr. Nicholas for being kind enough to hold onto my necklace for a while.”

That night, Emma was cleaning the necklace when James came home. Loosening his tie, he asked, “I heard you went to the Calderon Walled City to gamble today? They say you bullied a young girl, took all her money and embarrassed her. Emma, when did you lose your self-respect?”

Emma stopped, about to explain. But James didn't let her. He went to the bar, poured a whiskey and looked at her with a mix of sadness and pity.

“Charlotte worked at a casino before because she needed the money. Just like when we first moved here—didn’t you dance in bars to earn extra cash? Why be so hard on each other? Why hold onto things from the past?”

The word “embarrassment” hit Emma like a slap in the face. She snapped her head up and stared at him, shocked.

Years ago, Emma’s family lost everything, so she moved here with James. Back then, after working late, James would squeeze into their tiny room. He would gently massage her sore legs and promise to give her a better life.

The tough times they had faced together were now being used against her. He was calling those same memories "undignified" and "shameful."

That night, they left things in a mess. The next day, Emma got a text from James: [Emma, the charm on your mother's necklace is loose. If you want it back, come to the Calderon Walled City.]

Emma squeezed her phone so hard her knuckles turned white. That was the same underground casino from the day before. James was trying to force her to go back and face Charlotte.

Emma opened the casino door and ran into an old boss who once had a crush on her. He had tried to win her over because of her looks, but James had dealt with him so harshly that he was forced to leave town. She never imagined they would meet again like this.

Lucas stared at her and suddenly laughed. “Mr. Nicholas, you’re such a gentleman. To save that dealer, you actually used your own wife to make a deal.”

Emma realized Charlotte had lost the bet and Lucas was going to take her.

James said no, so he gambled with Emma's safety to win Charlotte back. The game started. Emma went pale and cold as she watched him play with such confidence.

Long ago, James had made his money exactly like this, before he had the power he has today. Back then, she had also been used as a prize in his games.

As she sat at the table, James started to shake. He was terrified that one wrong move would lose her forever.

Now, his face was calm and showed no sign of stress. Lucas showed his hand: three sixes. James lost.

Emma closed her eyes, heartbroken and ready for the worst with Lucas, when James spoke up again. “Lucas, shouldn’t you take out the magnet under your table?”

As soon as he finished, two bodyguards stepped forward and grabbed Lucas.

James pulled a magnet from under the table and threw it down. “Cheating on my property and hitting on my woman? Do you want to die?”

Lucas turned pale. “Mr. Nicholas, this is just a misunderstanding!”

James ignored him and had him tossed out like trash. He then stood up, took off his coat and wrapped it around Emma.

“Scared? Let’s go home.”

In the car, James handed Emma a jewelry box containing her mother’s necklace. It had been repaired with gold and jade, looking even more beautiful than before.

“Emma, I would never really put you in danger,” he said, his eyes unreadable in the dark. “I just wanted you to know I’m always in control.”

He reached out to touch her face. Emma pulled away, clenching her fists.

He was in control?

To her, that just meant he enjoyed watching her suffer before "saving" her at the last second.

He knew exactly how much she hated being tossed between hope and despair in an instant. Yet, just to protect Charlotte or teach Emma a lesson, he put her through that nightmare anyway.

She stayed silent, clutching her necklace tightly. She thought it was over, but a few days later, James came to her again.

“Has Charlotte contacted you lately?” Emma was confused. “She called, but I didn’t pick up.”

James sighed, sounding both annoyed and protective. “I know you don’t like her, but she’s sensitive and easily scared. Tell me where she is, for my sake, okay?”

Emma’s heart sank.

“You think I kidnapped her?” James smiled at her like she was a pouting child. “I’m not doubting you, but she’s missing and you were the last person she called.”

He picked up the room phone and dialed a number. “Officer Matthew, my wife might know something about a friend’s disappearance. Please come and investigate.”

Emma felt a chill run through her as she looked at his calm eyes. “You called the police on me?”

James patted her hair. “It’s just a routine talk, don’t be afraid.”

The police arrived quickly and handcuffed Emma.

Before she was taken away, James gently draped a coat over her. “Just answer a few questions. I’ll come get you soon.”

As she was being led to the police car, James’s phone rang. He answered immediately, his voice full of concern. “Charlotte? Where are you? Stay calm, I’m coming.”

Emma leaned out of the car window. “James, I told you I didn’t do it!”

But James had already run off. He was in such a hurry to find Charlotte that he forgot Emma was being driven away in a police car.

Emma turned to the officer. “Officer, they found her. Can I go now?”

Officer Matthew looked at her sadly. “Mrs. Nicholas, we still have to follow the rules.”

Emma was locked in a dark cell. The cold and the small space triggered her claustrophobia, causing her to lose touch with reality. She hallucinated about the early days of their marriage, when James was kind and held her until she fell asleep.

Then the visions turned dark, showing James with Charlotte and then Michael lying in a pool of blood.

By morning, Emma’s fingernails were broken and bleeding. The walls were covered in scratches from her night of pure terror.

Officer Matthew felt sorry for her. “Mrs. Nicholas, why don’t you call your husband to bail you out? He loves you; he wouldn't want you here.” But even after ninety-nine calls, James never picked up.