On my wedding day, my company was exposed for tax fraud. So, to protect my family, I turned myself in, took the fall for Clara Jameson and went to prison in her place.

When I was finally released from prison ten years later, I discovered that Clara had long built another family of her own and even had many children.

Furious, I confronted her. "Why did you betray me?"

She shrugged and was utterly unfazed by my question. "To continue the family line."

My eyes burned with rage and we got into a heated argument.

Her parents tried to calm me down. "Even if Clara has children with someone else, you're still the head of the Jameson Family. Be the bigger person and move on. That’s what really matters."

Even my own parents urged me, "When you are in prison, for ten years Clara took care of us in your place. It had been three generations that the Jameson Family had only one heir. Are you saying we're supposed to let their bloodline end just waiting for you?"

"What's more, you are an ex-convict so, you already have a stain on your record. The fact that Clara is even willing to stay married to you is more than you deserve."

My fists tightened. I had to bite my teeth to keep my eyes from falling down. Through gritted teeth, I asked her, "What do you plan to do about our relationship?"

Clara casually flipped her hair and said calmly, "Well as long as you don't make any problem, I won't divorce you. However, the Jameson Family will be passed down to Robert and his six siblings. In the future, they will care for you too."

A tear slipped down my cheek. At that moment, I finally gave up. I said calmly, "That won’t be necessary. Clara, let's get a divorce."

I turned around and contacted the boss I had met in prison ....

***

"Divorce? Absolutely not!"

The most outraged person was not Clara, but my father. He slapped me across the face. "How did I raise such a petty, ungrateful son?"

"With her achievement, do you have any idea how many men would line up to marry Clara? She’s willing to stay married to you even after having a few kids and you have the nerve to complain?"

My younger brother shot to his feet. "Brother, what balderdash are you saying? Clara paid for my wedding and bought me a house and car! She even gave me a dowry money for my bride! So, does it matter so much if she has some kids outside the marriage? You’re blowing this way out of proportion!"

"If it really bothers you, just have a kid with her too. It’s not like we can’t afford it," he added.

My so-called family, who was bound to me by blood, did not hesitate for a second to sacrifice me when their own interests were at stake.

Clara, who had refused to see me in the eyes since I was released from prison, finally raised her head.

There was a flicker of panic in her gaze. "Luke, don’t overthink this. You are my husband, no one else can take your place"

A cold chill spread through my body.

I let out a bitter laugh and challenged her words. "Do you remember what you told me before I went to prison?"

The question I usually threw at her, made Clara freeze for a long while. Then her face turned red and she wrinkled her eyebrows in displeasure, “Are you criticizing my action? Do you know that throughout the time you served your time in prison, I did my best to look after your family, without asking anything from you."

"However …. " Clara paused. "My parents are already old and they yearned for grandchildren. I was just fulfilling their wish … that's reason for the Robbie and his siblings’ existence. Can you understand my reasoning and accept this?"

She spoke so lightly of her "sacrifices," as if I was the one in the wrong. Yet she never once mentioned the promise she had made to me. She acted as if I was the one who wronged her.

I tilted my head back and deliberately made tears fill my eyes.

I was born into a family that favored my younger brother. At that time, Clara was the one who pursued me relentlessly. She told me I deserved to be loved. This made me immediately fall for her.

To repay that love and protect it, I quit my high-paying job to start a business with her.

She said she hated flattery, so I handled all the external affairs while she managed things internally.

To secure deals, I often stayed up late drafting proposals, drinking so much during negotiations that as a result I suffered several gastric perforation attacks.

For three years, I sacrificed everything so our company could finally stabilize and naturally, we got married.

On the day of our wedding, just after we got our marriage certificate, the company was exposed for tax fraud.

My fathers-in-law along with my mother-in-law dropped to their knees and pleaded with me. "Luke, Clara can’t go to prison! She’s a woman. If she gets a criminal record, her life will be ruined!"

"You two built this company together. Just say it was your decision. You’re a man, so even if you have a record, the Jameson Family won’t hold it against you. Please, save Clara!" they begged.

While gripping her hand with mine, Clara rebuked them, "Don't trouble Luke! He's all I have and I’ll respect whatever decision he makes!"

Tears welled in her eyes as she turned to me and made a vow, "If you’re willing to sacrifice for me, I swear I’ll never betray you for the rest of my life! If I ever break this promise, may I die a miserable death!"

With their coordinated pleas and her tearful oath, I took the fall and went to prison in Clara's place.

For ten years, I endured unimaginable torment behind bars.

The only thing that kept me going, the only reason I worked hard to "reform," was the thought of reuniting with Clara.

However, in the end, her so-called promise had long since been tossed away like garbage. Even if someone mentioned it was now considered a crime.

Back then, I had been willing to walk through fire for love. Now, I realized I was nothing more than a moth drawn to the flame, that would only be burned alive.

I forced down the bitterness in my throat and spoke. "Give them a sum of money and cut all ties. Otherwise, we divorce."

The moment I said it, the guilt-ridden, apologetic expressions on my in-laws' faces vanished. Their eyes turned cold.

"Absolutely not!" they yelled. "We finally have grandsons! What gives you, a disgraced ex-con, the right to kick them out?"

My eyes locked on Clara's

Ten years! I had held on to my obsession for ten years. So, I wanted to give her one last chance. Maybe even give me one.

It was obvious that she did not think how resolute I was because her face turned very gloomy.  

Her brows furrowed tightly. "Luke, do you really have to do this? Today should’ve been the day we put the past behind us and started fresh, but you’re the one destroying our marriage!"

When Clara saw my expression did not change, she added, "You just got out of prison and did not think clearly, so I won’t take your blabbering so seriously. I'll give you time to adjust. However, Luke, there’s a limit to my patience.”

I almost laughed out loud.

Obviously, she was the one who had repeatedly cheated and yet she expected me to swallow my anger and pretend it never happened. She even acted as if she was being generous to me and giving me time to "adjust" to her betrayal.

What a joke.

I could not be bothered to argue with her anymore. I turned and walked out.

This place was no longer my home. There was no point in forcing myself to fit in.

Just as I stepped outside, a Rozental car pulled up in front of me. From the car, a familiar man stepped out of it.

It was Theo Callahan, the older brother figure that I met at the prison. He was an outspoken and straightforward person.

He had been released yesterday, just one day before me.

"Little bro! I figured you were getting out today, so I went to pick you up at the prison only to find you’d already left!"

"Then I thought, you must’ve gone to see your wife. Well, I have something to tell you. Actually, your wife is nothing like you described to me! She is not in love with you. While you were rotting in prison, she was busy having six kids with some other man! Even pigs don’t breed that fast!"

Theo had been betrayed by his wife before. So, he was seething and furious on my behalf. He wanted to find Clara and shred her to pieces.

He pulled out a thick folder of documents. He was so furious that it seemed smoke coming out of his ears, “Back in ancient times, for a woman like her, people would’ve stoned her to death."

I followed his gaze and looked at the papers. The document stated every detail vividly. 

It said that Marvin Felton had accompanied Clara to prenatal checkups and childbirth appointments.

Ten years. Six children. The oldest was nearly ten years old and the youngest was just six months old.

Looking at the document, it was crystal clear that Clara had been cheating on me even before we got married.

The documents also contained records of seven life insurance policies worth millions of dollars seven luxury villas and countless wire transfers.

At the bottom of the file, I saw something that stabbed straight into my heart. It was Clara and Marvin’s wedding photo.

There they stood, an entire family of eight, with my in-laws and even my own parents in the picture. All of them were smiling and glowing with happiness.

I had taken the fall for her, carried the burden of a criminal record and willingly given up my freedom, only to become nothing more than a stranger, left with absolutely nothing.

I closed the file, my heart completely numb. At that moment, I finally made up my mind.

"Theo, help me overturn my conviction."

"Not only that, I'll go to the Stargazer Continent."

Theo had been a businessman before his arrest. He was imprisoned for excessive self-defense. Even back in prison, he had tried to recruit me multiple times.

However, at that time, my entire world had revolved around Clara.

Now that I had finally come to my senses, he was nothing but thrilled.

"It took you long enough! Women, especially the difficult ones, are the most worthless things in the world!"

On the day of my younger brother’s wedding, Marvin and all six of his children showed up.

He was dressed in a navy-blue suit. He looked energetic and proud.

His children were also wearing formal clothes. The girls were like miniature versions of Clara, while the boys bore an uncanny resemblance to Marvin.

Even Clara was wearing a luxurious apricot yellow evening gown. Her gown perfectly matches Marvin and the children's clothes.

I laughed bitterly to myself.

Clara had always claimed she hated wearing a luxurious evening gown. Now, I just realized that she did not hate it. She actually did not want to wear a matching outfit with me.

My in-laws hovered around the children, their eyes filled with love and affection.

They fussed over them because they worried the children would trip or bump into something. Although they were so tired that sweat covered their body, they kept making sure that the children stayed safe. However, it was clear, they enjoyed every moment of it.

Marvin handed my brother a bank card and said, "There is one hundred and forty-eight thousand and five hundred dollars in the card. I wish you and your wife a lifetime of happiness."

My mother’s eyes lit up as she quickly accepted the card on my brother’s behalf. "You're so generous! No wonder you were able to give the Jameson Family six grandchildren!"

As she spoke, she shot me a disdainful glance and snorted. "You're so different with someone. Although he had the same blood running in his veins he only gave the bride and the groom thirteen hundred and thirty-three dollars. He even said the important thing is the attention. What a cheapskate!"

My brother smirked, then pulled the money out of my red envelope right in front of me and after he tossed the empty envelope to the ground, he stomped on it a few times. "What’s this supposed to be? Do you take me as a joke?"

Their behavior chilled me to the bone.

Although thirteen hundred and thirty-three dollars was not much, it was everything I had secretly saved up through hard labor in prison.

Now, aside from that, I had barely fifteen dollars left to my name.

I frowned but said nothing.

Just then, the oldest boy walked up to me, stared at me for a full minute before letting out a mocking snort and said, "So you’re that ex-convict? You’re so ugly and you still had the nerve to steal my mom? Outrageous!"

Then he turned and waved at the other children. "Come quick! This is the bad man who made everyone call us bastards at school!"

Marvin crouched down. He used his hand to cover the boy’s mouth and chided, "Robert, don’t say that! Hurry! Apologize to your uncle!"

Though he rebuked the child, there was no sincerity in his expression at all.

Instead, his reaction only triggered the elders’ protective instincts. They immediately jumped in, pointing fingers at me as if I were truly the villain here.

Hearing the commotion, Clara, who was chatting with the other, finally walked over.

She stroked Robert Jameson’s head gently, her face filled with heartache as she apologized, It’s Mommy’s fault, sweetie, for making you go through this."

"However, from now on, in the eyes of the law, Uncle Luke will officially be your father. No one will ever dare call you an illegitimate child again!" she added.

A slightly smaller boy than Robert suddenly burst into tears.

My in-laws rushed to his side and their voices filled with affection. "What’s wrong, my precious baby? Grandma’s little Colin? Are you feeling sick?"

Between sobs, Colin Jameson pointed straight at me and said, "Our teacher said that only bad people go to jail."