Matthew Hawk had loved me for seven years. He stood against his family for me and shielded me with his life during a car accident.

I thought we would love each other for life and grow old together, but I accidentally discovered him holding the hand of a pregnant girl, saying to our mutual friend, "This is your new sister-in-law ..."

It was then I realized he had long betrayed me. He accompanied her to prenatal checkups and put the ring, promised only to me, on her hand.

Our mutual friends, instead of confronting him, concealed his betrayal from me.

Heartbroken, I left, aborted the baby and boarded a plane to another country on our wedding anniversary, leaving only divorce papers behind.

Matthew frantically searched for my whereabouts but never found me.

***

In a private hospital, I half-reclined on the hospital bed, a thick needle inserted into the back of my hand, slowly infusing Matthew's blood into my veins.

I had a blood coagulation disorder requiring regular monthly transfusions. Matthew, sharing my blood type, ignored others' advice and insisted on donating blood to me every month.

Rain or shine, he had done this for three years. Everyone said he loved me deeply.

At this moment, he sat by the bed, gazing tenderly at my slightly bruised hand, gently kissed it and said, "Just a little longer and your body will fully recover. You'll never have to suffer like this again."

The nurse in the room cast me a look of envy and I lowered my eyes slightly. Envy?

Matthew and I were indeed the most famous loving couple. We met on campus and the young, defiant Matthew fell in love with me at first sight, relentlessly pursuing me despite our social differences.

For me, he openly defied his parents. Even when his credit cards were cut off and he was kicked out of the house, he didn't back down. Back then, he held my hand and made a solemn promise, "Miranda Swift, I'll marry you gloriously one day."

He kept his word, starting a business while still in school. He worked tirelessly, sleeping only three hours a day. With his brilliance, his company quickly grew and flourished.

By the year we graduated, the company he founded was already comparable in scale to my family's, forcing my parents to acknowledge and respect him. As he promised, he gave me a grand wedding, making me the happiest woman in the city.

Even after marriage, he treated me as lovingly as ever. He brought me fresh flowers daily, created little surprises and supported everything I wanted to do without hesitation. He celebrated my birthdays and our wedding anniversaries grandly every year.

Under the starry sky, he once vowed to me, "I, Matthew Hawk, will love you, Miranda Swift, with his life, forever unchanging."

At the time, he fulfilled his vow. During a car accident, with no way to avoid a head-on collision with a van, he swerved at the last moment, making the driver's side take the impact. He faced death head-on, leaving the chance of survival to me.

But life is unpredictable. Even the most intense feelings can fade and the sincerest promises can falter. The sweet and beautiful memories of the past only make the cruel reality now more unbearable.

I looked at Matthew. The faint trace of an ambiguous red mark on the back of his neck caught my eye and stung deeply. Matthew, why did you fall out of love?

After the transfusion, he tenderly helped press the injection site and walked me out, holding me in his arms.

"I want to go shopping. You should head back to the company first." Outside, I tilted my face up and gazed at Matthew with gentle eyes.

"Alright, don't tire yourself out. I'll finish work early today and come home to make your favorite sweet and sour ribs." Matthew carefully adjusted my clothes for me, his handsome face as affectionate and patient as always.

Standing by the roadside, I watched his car disappear from view before hailing a taxi straight to the police station.

"Miss Swift, are you sure you want to renounce your nationality? Your information will be erased in a month," the officer asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll be immigrating abroad soon." I spoke softly. After submitting the application, I walked out of the police station and looked up at the azure sky.

Matthew, when we got married, I told you that if you ever betrayed me, I would ensure you could never find me again. Now that you've betrayed me, from this moment on, we shall never meet again in this life.

I discovered Matthew's infidelity six months ago. His mistress exposed it herself. When I saw those glaringly intimate photos, I realized he had divided himself in two, one part for me, the other for his kept woman.

Perhaps his time management skills were exceptional, I hadn't noticed a thing.

With a bitter smile tugging at the corners of my mouth, I went to a print shop to print out the divorce papers, then returned to the house that no longer felt like home.

The next morning, Matthew clung to me from behind as I woke up, acting clingy and playful, he said, "Miranda, today is our wedding anniversary. I've prepared a surprise for you."

"Really? I wonder what you've planned this year." I curled my lips slightly, my eyes reflecting indifference and disinterest.

Normally attuned to the slightest change in my emotions, Matthew remained oblivious and continued speaking excitedly.

Before heading out, he helped me put on my shoes and change clothes, just as he always did, treating me like a child. I used to refuse this attentiveness countless times, but he remained stubborn, smiling and saying he felt happy serving his wife.

He blindfolded me and guided me to an estate. When I opened my eyes, a sea of red roses burned into my sight.

Holding me tightly, he said passionately, "My love, I remember you said your childhood dream was to have a rose castle and live in it like a princess. I've made that dream come true for you now. You're the princess and I'll be your knight, protecting you forever."

I hadn't expected him to fulfill something I mentioned casually. My nose tingled and tears welled in my eyes, my heart twisting in pain.

Matthew, how can you look at me with such loving eyes while betraying me? How can you still care for me so attentively? It only makes the pain cut deeper.

"Don't cry, are you unhappy?" Seeing my tears, Matthew panicked, cupping my face gently and wiping them away.

"No, I'm crying from joy." I shook my head lightly, pulling him along as we strolled through the estate, walking among the flowers. Together, we looked as perfect as a fairytale couple.

In the heart of the rose garden, he carefully placed a pink diamond-carved rose in my hand and said, "A rose that will bloom forever, just like our love, lasting until the end of life."

I gazed at the exquisite pink diamond, then at the deep love in his eyes, resisting the urge to ask, is that true?

That evening, we sat on a hillside, watching brilliant fireworks light up the sky. But he seemed distracted, glancing at his phone now and then. I pretended not to notice and focused on the fireworks instead. They were grand yet fleeting, much like my marriage to Matthew.

That night, Matthew stayed with me in the castle. He personally prepared dinner for me while I sat in the living room watching TV. Flipping through channels, I stumbled upon a live broadcast featuring his mistress, Lindsay Zegler.

She was being roasted by a sharp-tongued reporter. "Miss Zegler, rumors say you have a benefactor supporting you. Is that true?"

"You've secured so many opportunities within a year. Did you achieve all that solely on your own merit?"

The young, beautiful girl's face was full of deer-like panic, entirely different from her aggressive demeanor that day.

"Please step aside. I don't have any benefactor. This is all slander." She cried pitifully, but she was cornered and couldn't leave.

The chopping sounds from the kitchen suddenly stopped. Instinctively, I glanced toward it. Matthew was typing rapidly on his phone, his brows furrowed tightly. Even from his profile, his seething anger was evident.

In no time, a dozen bodyguards charged into the scene, aggressive and intimidating. They surrounded Lindsay protectively, as if she were a treasure.

Leading them, a poised yet commanding lawyer said, "Miss Zegler is our young madam. Regarding the online defamation, I will fully pursue legal action on behalf of Mr. Hawk. You reporters spreading baseless slander seem unfit for your profession. I expect to see your resignation announcements by tomorrow."

The domineering display of husbandly protection sent the live-stream viewers into a frenzy: "The CEO's sweet wife, I'm obsessed!"

"She's so lucky! Who can find out who her husband is? He must be a total dreamboat."

The remote slipped from my hand. I thought I had numbed myself over the past few days, but why did my chest still ache so fiercely? My face turned pale in an instant.

The sound of the remote hitting the floor startled Matthew. He rushed over in a panic. Seeing my pallid face, he anxiously asked, "Miranda, are you feeling unwell? I'll take you to the hospital right now."

His expression was sincere and intense, clearly showing how much he adored me. But it didn't stop him from keeping his mistress behind my back.

In my daze, I found it absurd. Could a man truly split his deep affection between two women?

"I'm fine. I just got spooked by a horror movie," I said flatly, calmly pulling his hand away. After my repeated assurances, Matthew finally gave up on taking me to the hospital.

At dinner, the table was filled with dishes I loved. Matthew meticulously peeled shrimp and picked out chicken bones for me, but his frequent texting and the tender look in his eyes when glancing at his phone betrayed his divided attention.

I noticed everything but stayed silent, quietly enjoying the meal. I endured until nighttime when he finally couldn't sit still. Using work as an excuse, he drove off hurriedly, even forgetting his usual habit of kissing my forehead before leaving.

After much hesitation, I decided to follow him. At first, I worried he might notice, but even when I openly trailed behind his car, he remained oblivious. His entire focus was on that goldfinch of his.

The car stopped at a mid-range apartment complex, pulling up in front of a building. I parked in a hidden spot and watched as Lindsay, dressed in a skimpy nightgown, leaped into Matthew's arms, pouting and looking pitifully aggrieved.

Matthew's face was full of indulgence as he gently held her waist, draped his jacket over her shoulders and carried her inside in a princess hold.

The lights on the sixth floor turned on and I saw their suggestive silhouettes through the window.

In the living room, Matthew couldn't wait to press Lindsay against the glass. Their shadows overlapped intimately. The thought of Matthew being with her for six months, then coming back to touch me with his filthy hands …

"Ugh …" I retched violently in the car. Disgust, I felt pure, unrelenting disgust.

I closed my eyes, but the image of their entwined bodies clung to my mind like a nightmare, impossible to shake.

My face felt damp. I instinctively reached up to touch it and realized my tears had long begun to fall.