On the ninety-ninth day of her seemingly perfect marriage to Benedict Evander, Odette Clarendon submitted her application to the hospital director, volunteering for the medical aid project in South Africa.

With furrowed brows, the director asked. “Dr. Clarendon, you’ve only just begun a new chapter in your life. Are you certain about leaving for South Africa? What about your husband?”

“I’m sure,” she said simply, her expression leaving no room for doubt.

The director exhaled heavily, his pen lingering over the paper before he finally signed and stamped the application. “The project in South Africa spans three years and departs in ten days. The hospital will arrange your flight. I hope this is a decision you won't regret, Dr. Clarendon.”

Odette’s gaze drifted to the window, her thoughts inexplicably drawn to the crabapple flowers Benedict had so lovingly planted for her in their courtyard. A wistful smile teased her lips before she shook her head firmly. “I won’t regret it.”

That same evening, Benedict orchestrated a spectacle for the ages. He rented every prominent high-rise in the city, their towering facades aglow with illuminated words that proclaimed his love and celebrated Odette’s birthday.

Fireworks painted the night sky in brilliant hues, their dazzling display a testament to his devotion.

Benedict wanted the world to know that his love for Odette was boundless, shining as brightly as the city lights.

….

As Odette exited the hospital, the downpour intensified, the rain drumming against the pavement like a restless symphony. Waiting just beyond the hospital doors, Benedict was a steady presence amidst the chaos, umbrella in hand.

“Are you hungry?” he asked warmly. “I’ve booked a table at your favorite French spot. I’m sorry about missing our ninety-nine-day anniversary yesterday; a last-minute business trip got in the way. But… did you like the surprise?”

Guiding her to the car, he opened the door with practiced ease, his hand instinctively protecting her from the rain as she slid into the back seat.

From the back seat of the car, Odette glanced up, and her breath caught. The illuminated skyline gleamed with radiant words, each glowing letter a testament to Benedict’s love.

“Odette, happy ninety-nine days of marriage.”

“Benedict will always love Odette.”

“Odette, we’ll grow old together and stay joyfully united for a lifetime.”

The entire day before, Odette found herself at the center of envious admiration.

Over breakfast, a nurse approached her with a playful grin. “Dr. Clarendon, I’m so jealous of you. Not only are you stunning, but you’ve managed to tame someone like Benedict into the ideal partner!”

Another chimed in with equal fervor. “Exactly! Isn’t Benedict your first love? A man like him, rich, handsome, and hopelessly romantic, feels like a fairytale come to life!”

“Dr. Clarendon, spill your secrets! How do you manage to win over such a younger ‘wolf pup’ like him?”

“And to think,” added a fourth with a dreamy sigh, “Benedict used to be the ultimate untouchable ‘male god,’ surrounded by admirers yet indifferent to them all...”

Even in broad daylight, the glow of the high-rise buildings’ lights persisted, standing as silent beacons of Benedict’s affection. The one towering over the hospital was none other than the pride of the Evander Group.

Benedict had once explained with a casual charm that he wanted to be able to glance out during meetings and see the place where Odette worked.

At the time, Odette had smiled, warmth spreading through her chest. “It must be fate,” she had replied softly, her voice brimming with quiet joy.

The age difference between them was a constant reminder of their unconventional love. Odette was six years older than Benedict. When he had been a high school senior, she was already immersed in the rigors of her second year in graduate school.

Their worlds would have remained apart if not for the earthquake, a disaster so sudden and merciless that it had reshaped the course of their lives.

As Odette gazed absently through the hospital window, her thoughts drifted back to that fateful day, the tremors of the past rippling through her mind like faint aftershocks.

That year, before even earning her degree, Odette had made a life-altering decision. With unwavering resolve, she submitted her application to volunteer, joining her mentor in the heart of the disaster zone. There, she fought tirelessly on the front lines, pulling countless lives back from the brink of death.

Benedict was among those she saved; a young man brought in battered and barely clinging to life. It was fate, perhaps, that her expertise lay in ophthalmology.

When he was wheeled in, his eyes gravely injured, the odds of restoring his vision seemed almost impossible.

Even as blood streamed from his eyes, Benedict held tightly onto Odette’s hand. His voice, steady and calm despite his pain, carried an unshakable resolve. “Save the children first,” he urged.

For a moment, Odette froze, stunned by the strength emanating from someone so gravely injured. Her gaze lingered on the young master, and for the first time, respect bloomed in her heart, unbidden and undeniable.

The higher-ups had made it clear Benedict must be treated first, and his status as the sole heir to the Evander family fortune made him a priority. But Benedict, ever the man of integrity, sacrificed his golden opportunity for treatment, insisting on saving a child he didn’t even know.

At that moment, Odette directed her colleagues to tend to the child. At the same time, she took on the daunting task of performing surgery on Benedict herself. That operation, on the brink of life and death, was the thread that wove their fates together.

From that day forward, Benedict never let go of Odette. But just yesterday, on a day when women across the city envied her life, she found herself rear-ended on her way home. The woman who hit her flashed a bright smile and casually suggested that she check the dashcam footage.

As soon as Odette pressed play, the voice that filled the car was unmistakably Benedict’s.

“Baby, you’re so hot.”

“How do you manage to be so irresistible? Hmm? Tell me, where did you get that doctor’s coat?”

His voice, rough and full of desire, sent a wave of heat through her. But instead of warmth, Odette felt as if she’d been thrust into a freezing, endless void.

Benedict pulled her into his arms, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, “Odette, I missed you.”

Her body stiffened in his embrace, and her eyes involuntarily shifted to the back seat, where something wedged awkwardly between the seats caught her eye, a discarded condom still open.

Benedict’s eyes flickered to the discarded condom. Without a hint of emotion, he reached down, picked it up, and turned to the driver, his voice cold and steady.

“Didn’t I make it clear? When lending the car, you’re supposed to tell people not to mess around in it. Odette and I, ” he paused, his gaze briefly lingering on her, “we’re both clean freaks.”

The driver’s face drained of color, a nervous sweat breaking out on his forehead. He stammered, “Y-yes, Mr. Evander.”

Odette couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. “‘Odette and I are both clean freaks.’”

He knew full well about her cleanliness obsession, yet he had indulged in some cheap thrill with another woman in this very car.

Was this what he called deep love?

Odette’s eyes burned into Benedict, wondering when his so-called devotion had begun to feel like nothing more than a carefully crafted lie.

But Odette couldn’t quite place it.

Despite Benedict always being close by, something felt off.

Outside, the rain began to fall once more, tapping softly against the windows. Benedict leaned in, his lips pressing against hers with fiery passion.

Yet, she remained unmoved.

Every time Benedict came near, the memory of the voice on the dashcam resurfaced, sharp, grating, and revolting.

Unable to stop herself, Odette let out a dry heave, her body recoiling.

Benedict frowned, his displeasure evident, but his concern for her well-being surfaced quickly. He reached out with a teasing touch, his fingers brushing her stomach as he joked, “Could it be that there’s already a little prince or princess growing in here?”

Odette’s mind turned cold as she thought to herself: No matter how many times Benedict joked about it, there would never be a prince or princess.

Because of Benedict, Odette had already lost her womb, a painful reminder of the cost of loving him.

The moment Benedict chose to betray her, he became nothing but filth in her eyes.

When she had agreed to date him, Odette had made one thing clear: she would never stay with a man tainted by another.

Benedict had promised, time and again that having her was enough, that he didn’t want children or anything else. His words had been so convincing, so full of love.

But now, she couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal.

Just yesterday, while performing surgeries, she had still been wrapped in the warmth of a love she thought was unbreakable.

At twelve, Odette had lost her parents, two noble doctors with Doctors Without Borders, who had died in a far-off land.

Having lost them so young, Odette had poured all her heart and soul into her medical career, believing it would be enough to fill the void.

She had once thought she would never fall in love with any man, that marriage would be a distant dream, not meant for her.

Instead, Odette had planned to travel to every corner of the world where she was needed, pouring herself into her work as a compassionate and skilled doctor.

But that surgery on Benedict had changed everything.

After the earlier tension, silence settled between them.

In that heavy stillness, Odette couldn't help but remember the surgery that had forever altered the course of her life.

Before entering the operating room, Odette looked at Benedict and said, “Your condition is critical. If we can't save your eyes, you'll be permanently blind. You can wait for a more experienced doctor if you'd prefer...”

Benedict cut her off, his voice unwavering. “You perform the surgery. Whatever the outcome, I'll accept it.”

Without hesitation, Odette skipped the formalities and started the operation immediately.

A moment of crisis came during the surgery, but Odette met it with calm precision.

As Odette stumbled out of the operating room, her body barely holding up from exhaustion, Benedict’s mother slapped her across the face, the sound echoing through the room.

“How dare you, with your status, perform surgery on my son without permission?” she demanded, her voice seething with fury.

Odette didn’t explain, not a single word. With calm determination, she pushed her aside. She walked straight back into the chaos of saving lives, where every second mattered.

The surgery was a success.

When Benedict woke up and discovered his mother had slapped Odette, guilt weighed heavily on him.

For Odette, Benedict had been her very first surgery patient, and she had taken that responsibility to heart. Whenever she found a moment, she stayed by his side, checking for any discomfort and tending to him with care and precision.

Before the bandages were removed, Benedict had imagined Odette’s appearance countless times, picturing her through nothing but the sound of her voice.

But none of those fleeting images could compare to the instant his sight was restored.

The moment he opened his eyes, he was struck by a love so immediate, so deep, it felt as though he had been waiting a lifetime for it.

Benedict promised Odette the best of everything, swearing to give her his perfect, unwavering love.

During yesterday’s global economic interview, Benedict didn’t hesitate for a moment to publicly declare his love for Odette.

“My wife is a brilliant doctor who saves lives. She pulled me from the darkness and gave me back my sight,” he said, his voice filled with sincerity.

“She is my eyes. Without her, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

The host, with exaggerated enthusiasm, remarked, “Wow, Mr. Evander really is a hopeless romantic, truly a role model for men everywhere!”

The cheerful host winked at Benedict, and he returned the gesture with a loving smile.

But as Odette watched the interview, her heart felt like it was being torn in two.

So it was that obvious, wasn’t it?

Benedict’s phone buzzed, and a message from a woman named Millicent Ravensdale appeared on the screen, saved in his contacts as “Secretary Ravensdale.”

Odette glanced at it casually, never having paid much attention to his secretary’s surname until now. Only then did she realize that he had just one secretary and that secretary was a man who didn’t share that surname.

The message oozed with a flirtatious tone, Millicent lamenting the damage to her car after an accident.

Benedict responded with calm reassurance, even promising her a riverside villa in the newly opened development.

Such generosity.

A villa worth tens of millions is offered as if it were a simple gift.

The same villa complex that Benedict had named Odette Haven, a gesture to win her heart. Everyone knew it had been purchased as a symbol of his affection for her.

And yet, Benedict so casually handed it over to another woman as if it were nothing more than a trinket.

They say a man’s money follows his heart.

Odette felt her heart plummet.

It was easy for her to pull up Millicent’s WhatsApp profile and click through to her Instagram feed.

Sure enough, Millicent’s latest post read: [Had a little fender-bender yesterday. No biggie, just a scare. I’m such a clutz. Can’t even drive without making my big brother worry about me.]

Attached to the caption was a collage of nine pictures, each more meticulously staged than the last.

At the center was one image with the words: [The love from someone who truly loves you is always worth flaunting.]

The location tag beneath it read: No. 1, Odette Haven Riverside Villas, North City Road.