On the drive to my husband's hometown for the New Year, the GPS voice was unusually sweet.

Lewis Whitney, who normally barely spoke, was actually responding to every single prompt.

"Speed limit seventy ahead. Someone's speeding—keep this up and I won't like you anymore."

"Okay, okay, I know I was wrong."

I felt a twinge of jealousy and told him he was more affectionate with the GPS than with me.

He brushed me off with a half-hearted reply, then turned back to flirt with the navigation system.

"I know you've been working hard guiding me all this way. Once we arrive, I'll give you a reward."

I didn't want to make myself look pathetic, so I dropped it and scrolled through my phone instead.

The first video the algorithm pushed to me was titled: "When Your Marriage Is in Trouble: How to Turn Things Around."

I hesitated, then tapped on it.

The next second, a voice came through my earbuds—identical to the GPS.

"You all keep asking how I interact with my boyfriend in daily life. The most romantic thing is just being there for each other. Like when he goes back to his hometown and I can't be with him, I made a custom GPS program so I can keep him company the whole way..."

——

The woman's gentle voice continued in my ears, but a chill had already crept into my hands.

Lewis hadn't noticed anything unusual. He was still responding to the GPS with that indulgent tone.

"I must have owed you in a past life. Fine, I'll slow down."

The moment he finished speaking, the streamer's profile picture—username "lulu"—showed she was live.

I clicked into the stream.

My pupils contracted sharply.

The background of the livestream was unmistakably the apartment I'd lived in before getting married.

After the wedding, I'd moved in with Lewis.

Every time I wanted to go back, he'd find some excuse to stop me.

"If you go back there, people will say our marriage is on the rocks."

When I wanted to bring my old belongings over, he refused that too.

"It's not like you need any of that stuff. Why go through the trouble?"

I used to think he just didn't like that apartment, so I never brought it up again.

Now it was clear: Lewis had been using my apartment to keep his mistress.

I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms.

The viewer count in the livestream was climbing fast.

[Wow, your place looks huge! Did your boyfriend buy it?]

[Looks like one of those big units in Golden Bay. That's gotta be at least two million, right?]

The woman showing off the ocean view caught the comments and couldn't hide her smugness.

"I keep telling him not to spend so much money on me, but he just insists on spoiling me. Everything in this house—he bought it all for me."

"He says a woman like me should be raised like a delicate flower, pampered until I'm completely dependent on him, so no one else can steal me away."

She held up her phone and gave the viewers a full tour of the apartment.

The antique vases I'd left behind. The expensive decor. An entire walk-in closet full of designer goods. All of it was hers now.

[So sweet! Can you show us some interaction with your boyfriend?]

Instinctively, I glanced at Lewis.

His phone chimed with a WeChat notification.

When I reached for it, his expression changed instantly. He slapped my hand away.

"Haven't I told you? Even if we're married, we need to respect each other's privacy."

I stared at the red mark on the back of my hand. For a long moment, I said nothing.

Meanwhile, the woman in the livestream had started showing off their chat history.

"He replies to my messages instantly."

I watched her scroll through their conversations, finger flicking upward again and again, and my heart went cold.

Three days ago, Lewis had personally made her brown sugar tea when she got her period. That same day, I'd fainted from low blood sugar at the office. When I woke up, I called him five times. He didn't answer a single one.

Six months ago, when the company hit a rough patch and reporters were hounding me everywhere I went, Lewis was at Disneyland with her.

A year ago, I told Lewis I wanted a baby. He refused immediately—then bought prenatal vitamins for her the very next day.

His voice pulled me back to the present.

"Babe, stop messing around. I'm driving."

I asked who he was talking to before I could stop myself.

"Jill, I was just responding to the GPS. Do you have to be so paranoid all the time? You're acting insane."

In the livestream, the woman played a voice message from a contact labeled "Hubby."

It was exactly what Lewis had just said to me.

The comments exploded.

[They're so cute together!]

[Rich AND treats his girlfriend like a queen? I'd get on my knees for a man like that.]

I quietly started screen recording and captured the entire stream.

Then I sent a message to my family.

For the rest of the drive, I pressed my back against the seat, swallowing the nausea, and didn't say a word.

We arrived at the Whitney house soon after.

Watching my mother-in-law rush out to greet us, I took a deep breath and steadied myself.

Whatever else was true, she had always been good to me.

I didn't want to cause a scene in front of her.

But in the next moment, the woman on the livestream pushed up her sleeve, revealing the jade bracelet on her wrist.

"It's not just my boyfriend who treats me well—his family adores me too."

"His mom even gave me the family heirloom!"

The bracelet on her wrist was unmistakably the Whitney family heirloom.

It wasn't particularly valuable, but it had always been passed down to the daughter-in-law.

My mother-in-law once told me she'd give it to me after I had a child.

Lewis noticed me frozen, staring at my phone. He shoved my arm.

"My mom came out to welcome you. Can't you even greet her? All you do is play on your phone."

"Lewis!"

My mother-in-law shot him a look of mock disapproval, then turned and took my hands in hers.

"Jill, you're here! Are you hungry? I'll make you braised pork ribs."

The words were directed at me. Her eyes drifted toward the trunk.

I understood instantly what she was waiting for.

She expected me to unload hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of gifts, like I did every year.

She was going to be disappointed.

I'd been busy restructuring a new company before the holiday and hadn't had time to shop for her. This year, Lewis had handled the gifts.

When he pulled two cases of milk and a fruit basket from the trunk, my mother-in-law's smile froze solid.

She slid me a look, then walked over to her son.

"What is this? This is all you brought?"

"Jill said she was too busy. If you ask me, she's just cheap—doesn't want to spend money on our family!"

My mother-in-law nodded vigorously, agreeing with every word.

I almost laughed.

The one who didn't want to spend money on the Whitneys was her precious son.

I didn't bother explaining. I walked straight inside.

Lewis's sister, Desiree Whitney, was watching the livestream with her husband.

"Honey, look—that's Beth, the one I told you about. She's the sister-in-law I want. As for Jill? If it weren't for her family's money, my brother would've dumped her ages ago."

"You don't need to be nice to her."

She tore me apart like I was nothing—while watching the stream on the brand-new phone I'd bought her last month.

So the whole family knew Lewis had another woman.

I was the only one kept in the dark.

I didn't say anything. I just recorded every word and saved the file.

At dinner, predictably, not a single dish was something I liked.

"Jill, times have been hard for us this year. I hope you understand."

My mother-in-law's mouth dripped with apologies, but she placed every meat dish within Lewis's reach.

Lewis, meanwhile, was glued to his phone. He thought he was being subtle, but his face practically glowed with that lovesick grin.

The moment my chopsticks reached toward the dish in front of him, she clicked her tongue in disapproval.

"Jill, dear, I've told you—we don't have much money left this year. Unlike some pampered princesses, we have to be careful with our food."

Lewis nodded beside her. "Perfect timing, actually. Weren't you just saying you wanted to lose weight?"

Rage surged through me like wildfire.

I gripped the edge of the table. Then I flipped it.

Soup and meat splattered across the Whitneys' designer clothes.

"If I can't eat, none of you will either!"

"Jill!" My mother-in-law shrieked, lunging at me. "Who raised you to be this disrespectful in your husband's home? I'll teach you a lesson today!"

I didn't hesitate. My palm cracked across her face.

"I feed this entire family. You're biting the hand that keeps you alive. One more word and I'm divorcing Lewis on the spot."

The living room went dead silent.

My mother-in-law's face cycled through shades of red and purple—quite the show.

Lewis paused, then walked over to me. "Jill, Mom hasn't been feeling well lately. She lost her temper. Don't take it personally. Whatever you want to eat, I'll have her make it fresh."

I turned and walked into the bedroom.

Divorce alone wouldn't be enough. I wanted to destroy them all.

Beth was still streaming. I watched Lewis's burner account pop up in her chat.

He dropped a hundred carnival gifts in one go.

Charged to my card.

I swallowed my fury and switched to an alt account.

[Hey streamer, your boyfriend treats you so well! You should surprise him with a secret visit~]

Lewis had already left the stream. Beth saw the message and faltered, deflecting with nervous chatter.

But I steered the chat exactly where I wanted it.

[Yeah! I bet your boyfriend misses you too.]

[Why does it seem like she doesn't want to go? Is this whole thing scripted?]

As the comments spiraled out of control, Beth gritted her teeth.

[Okay, babies~ I'll go.]

That evening, the Whitneys' doorbell rang.

Lewis went to answer it. When he saw who was standing there, he froze like he'd been struck by lightning.

My mother-in-law scrambled after him, panic written all over her face.

Beth spoke first. "Auntie! Cousin! I came to wish you a happy New Year."

Lewis recovered quickly. "Jill, this is Beth. A cousin of mine."

My stomach turned. I ignored them.

By now, Beth's comment section was blowing up—viewers demanding she go live so they could watch the romance unfold in real time.

But Beth made excuses. Bad signal. Rural area.

When I didn't acknowledge her, she must have thought her cover was solid. She plopped down right next to me.

The perfume clinging to her was unmistakable—my limited-edition bottle, the one I'd left at that apartment.

"Sister-in-law, I've heard so much about you from my cousin. Seeing you in person, though..." She tilted her head. "He always said you were beautiful, but honestly? You're kind of... ordinary."

She let out a theatrical sigh. "I guess love really is blind."

Her gaze slid to Lewis, syrupy and deliberate.

"I'm so jealous of you, sister-in-law. If I had a boyfriend like my cousin here, I'd be smiling in my sleep."

Then she pouted at Lewis, demanding he peel an orange and feed it to her.

"Don't mind me, sister-in-law. I've been clingy with him since we were kids."

Oh, I didn't mind at all.

The moment she'd walked through that door, I'd slipped my phone into my pocket.

Livestream running.