Lucy hung up the phone and lingered in the rose garden for a while before heading back.

The moment she stepped inside, she saw Steven hurrying down the stairs, seemingly in a rush to leave. In his hand, he held her coat.

As soon as he spotted her, he strode over and draped the coat over her shoulders. "Why were you outside for so long? It may be summer, but the nights still carry a chill."

Lucy smiled faintly. "I'm fine. I'm not cold."

"Girls should always keep warm."

Her steps faltered slightly.

She remembered the first time she met Steven.

It was her freshman year of college. She had taken a part-time job and spent the entire day standing in the freezing wind. When Steven passed by, he casually took off his coat and handed it to her.

She had tried to refuse, but he simply said, "Girls should always keep warm."

Later, she washed the coat and returned it to him. One thing led to another, and soon, they got to know each other. Then, they fell in love.

Steven later admitted that he had liked her for a long time. He had always been watching her from a distance. That day, when he saw her shivering in the cold, he couldn't bear it any longer and finally spoke to her.

Naturally, they ended up together. Steven was devoted to her—so much so that people joked he was completely under his wife's spell.

Eventually, they got married. Even Steven's closest friends said, "In his heart, you come first. He comes second."

Lucy had brushed it off as friendly teasing.

But then, during a trip, an earthquake struck. Steven shielded her with his body for three whole days and nights. When the rescue team finally pulled them out, she learned that he had held up an entire slab of concrete—hundreds of pounds—on his back to protect her.

She was unharmed. He, on the other hand, was exhausted, his back torn and bloodied. Just before he lost consciousness, he reached out, brushed his fingers gently against her face, and whispered, "Don't cry. Please, don't cry."

From that moment on, she had sworn to stay by his side for the rest of her life.

She just never expected that he would be the one to forget that promise first.

Back in the present, Steven led her into their room, sat her down on the couch, and knelt before her, holding her hands.

"Lucy, your eyes are red. Have you been crying?"

Lucy shook her head. "No."

"You can't fool me. You've definitely been crying. Tell me what happened."

She lowered her gaze and met his anxious, concerned eyes. A sharp pain stabbed through her chest.

"Steven, do you love me?"

"Of course," he said without hesitation. He reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. I just watched a movie about the seven-year itch. We've been married for six years now. Next year will be our seventh."

Steven chuckled. "So that's what's been on your mind."

He took her hand and pressed it against his chest. "Lucy, I will love you for a lifetime. Forever. Even in the next life. My heart will never change."

She looked at him and asked, "And if it does?"

"It won't."

"But if it did?"

He hesitated for a moment before answering solemnly, "Then let me be struck by lightning and die a horrible death."

Pain sliced through Lucy's heart.

Even now, he was lying to her.

Even now, he would rather swear such a heavy oath than tell her the truth.

"Lucy, cheer up. Let me take you out tomorrow, okay?"

She didn't want to go, but in the end, she couldn't refuse him.

The next morning, Steven drove her out.

The car stopped in front of a shopping mall.

He took her hand and led her into a jewelry store. A store attendant immediately came forward, her voice warm and welcoming. "Mr. Cooper and Mrs. Cooper, what kind of jewelry are you looking for today?"

Steven said, "I'd like to custom-make a pair of rings as a wedding anniversary gift for my wife."

"Of course. Please, come this way."

They were ushered into the VIP room, and soon, the attendant returned with several catalogs.

"These are our designers' latest creations. Mrs. Cooper, please take a look and see if there's anything you like."

Another employee whispered, "If it's a pair of rings, you should ask Mr. Cooper which one he likes too."

The first attendant giggled. "Oh, come on. Mr. Cooper will go with whatever Mrs. Cooper chooses. Right, Mr. Cooper?"

Steven smiled faintly. "You know me well."

The attendant beamed. "Everyone in Hartemis City knows how much you adore Mrs. Cooper. We've seen all your interviews—you always mention her."

Another one chimed in, "I remember once you left in the middle of an interview just to buy her donuts."

"Yes! That was the sweetest thing ever!"

Lucy listened quietly, her expression unusually calm.

"You envy me?" she asked softly.

The employees nodded eagerly. "Of course! Every woman in Hartemis City envies you!"

If only they knew.

If only they knew that this man—the one who seemed to love her so deeply—had already built another home elsewhere. That he already had two children with another woman.

Would they still envy her then?

Just as they were speaking, a knock came from the door.

A staff member peeked in cautiously. "Mrs. Cooper, have you finished choosing? There's another VIP customer outside who would like to see the catalogs."

Steven frowned. "My wife isn't done yet. Let them wait."

"But, Mr. Cooper... she's..." The employee hesitated, struggling to find the words.

Steven seemed to realize something. His expression darkened, and he cursed under his breath before standing up abruptly.

"Lucy, let's go to another store."

Before she could react, the VIP room door swung open.

A woman stepped inside, smiling.

And beside her stood two children.

A boy and a girl. Both around four or five years old.

"No need to trouble yourself. I'll just look at them with Mrs. Cooper," she said, leading the children inside. With a smile, she turned to Lucy. "You don't mind, do you?"

The store clerk hesitated, instinctively reaching out to stop her. But in the end, she didn't dare. She could only watch as the woman walked in and sat beside Steven.

The older child, a boy, lit up with excitement. "Daddy!"

The younger girl immediately threw herself into Steven's arms. "Daddy! I missed you so much!" Her voice cracked as she burst into tears.

Steven's brows knitted tightly. He wanted to avoid the little girl, but she was so small, so soft, that in the end, he couldn't bring himself to push her away. Instead, he turned his anger to the children's mother. "What kind of parenting is this? Teaching your kids to call just anyone 'Daddy'?"

The woman, however, didn't seem the least bit upset. There was even a faint smile on her lips. Leisurely, she pulled the girl out of Steven's embrace and spoke gently. "Sharon, you made a mistake. He's not your daddy."

Tears streamed down the little girl's face. "But he's daddy! He's my daddy!"

"No, sweetie. He just looks a lot like your daddy. See that lady over there? She's his wife."

The little girl glanced from Steven to Lucy, confusion written all over her face. The boy, braver than his sister, stepped forward and looked Steven straight in the eye. "Are you really not my daddy?"

"I…"

Steven's mouth opened, but no words came out. He stared at the child in silence for a long moment, unable to bring himself to deny it.

"Shawn, don't be rude." The woman pulled her son back and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. Their father spoils them too much. They've never learned any manners."

Shawn. Sharon.

So these were Steven's children.

From the moment they walked in, Lucy had felt they looked oddly familiar. Especially the boy—his features bore an unmistakable resemblance to Steven. The girl took more after her mother.

At first, Lucy had doubts. Perhaps this was just another scheme from a woman with ulterior motives, trying to use a child to climb the social ladder. Maybe Steven had kept it from her, fearing she'd be upset.

But if that were the case, the children should have been twins or at least born in the same pregnancy. Yet the boy looked about five, while the girl seemed younger, maybe not even four. Two separate pregnancies.

Which meant Steven's affair wasn't an accident.

It wasn't some scheme.

It was deliberate.

He had fathered a son and, later, a daughter with another woman.

Lucy's voice was calm. "It seems their father really loves them. They adore him."

The woman smiled, genuinely pleased. "Oh yes, he spoils them terribly. When our eldest was born, he didn't know a thing about taking care of babies. But he learned bit by bit. By the time our daughter came along, he was a pro—practically a stay-at-home dad!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes. They say daughters are their fathers' lovers from a past life, and ours is no exception. She clings to him like glue, won't let anyone else hold her."

Lucy suddenly remembered.

Half a year into their marriage, Steven had left for an urgent business trip abroad—gone for a full month. That date… it must have been when the boy was born.

Then, a little over a year later, he had insisted on personally handling a trip to Africa. Again, one month. That must have been when the girl was born.

The only two times she hadn't traveled with him for work.

Looking back now, how strange. Why exactly one month, both times?

Because this woman had been in confinement after childbirth.

Lucy smiled. "Your children are adorable."

The woman beamed. "Aren't they? And everyone says they look just like their father. He's so handsome."

Lucy lowered her gaze, hiding her expression. "Yes, I heard their father looks a lot like my husband. He must be handsome too."

The woman's smile deepened, filled with unspoken meaning. "Oh, very much so. Otherwise, how could the kids mistake them?"

"Their father must love you very much, to have two children with you."

Shawn puffed up his chest. "Of course Daddy loves Mommy! He always brings her here. All of Mommy's earrings, rings, and necklaces come from this store. Even Sharon and I have pendants from here!"

Lucy's eyes flickered to the woman's hand.

There, on her left ring finger, sat a diamond ring.

One of the younger clerks immediately recognized it. "Oh! That's one of our designs! A custom order, actually!"

The store manager's face paled. She hurriedly clapped a hand over the clerk's mouth, warning her with a sharp glare. Don't say another word.

Lucy took it all in. Every expression, every reaction.

Now, she understood everything. Why this woman was also a VIP customer here.

Steven had been bringing her and the children here all along.

The younger clerk, likely new, had no idea about the entangled relationships, but the store manager knew. She had known all along.

Lucy let out a soft laugh.

Even the staff at a jewelry store had known about Steven's affair before she did.

The woman stood up with a smile. "Mrs. Cooper was here first, so she should choose first. I'll wait outside."

She turned and said softly, "Shawn, Sharon, let's go."

Shawn lingered, still staring at Steven with a trace of confusion in his eyes. Sharon, her eyes brimming with tears, looked back at every step until her mother finally picked her up and carried her away.

The VIP room fell into an eerie silence. Even the once-enthusiastic store clerks stood frozen, too afraid to utter a word.

Breaking the silence, Lucy smiled. "Why is everyone so quiet? Am I that terrifying?"

The store manager let out an awkward chuckle. "Of course not. We just worry these styles might not be to your liking."

"I like them. I'll take this one. Do you have a plain band for me to try on for size?"

"Yes, absolutely. I'll bring it right away."

The clerks quickly filed out, leaving only Steven and Lucy in the room.

The stillness was almost tangible—so quiet that even a needle dropping to the floor would have been deafening.

Bzzz—

Steven's phone vibrated.

He didn't move.

A few seconds later, it rang outright.

Lucy, flipping through a catalog in boredom, spoke without looking up. "Why aren't you answering? What if it's something important from work?"

After a brief hesitation, Steven picked up his phone and stood. "I'll take this outside. I'll be back soon."

"Mm."

He left quickly.

Almost the moment the door shut behind him, Lucy's own phone vibrated.

A text from an unknown number.

[Mrs. Cooper, come to the underground parking lot. You'll find what you want to know.]

She didn't take the elevator.

Instead, she walked down the stairs to basement level one.

From a distance, she could already hear Steven's voice, sharp with anger. "How many times have I told you? Don't show up in front of Lucy. Do you not understand?"

A woman's voice, choked with tears, answered. "I understand. But the children don't. They just miss their daddy. Especially Sharon—she's been crying so much her voice is hoarse. Do you know how much that hurts me as a mother?"

Sharon didn't understand the undercurrents between the adults. She only knew that her parents seemed to be fighting.

With a wail, Sharon burst into tears. "Daddy, don't fight with Mommy! It's all my fault! It's because I'm bad…"

Her sobs doused Steven's anger like a sudden downpour.

Kneeling, he carefully pulled her into his arms, using the softest part of his sleeve to wipe her tears. "It's not your fault, Sharon. Don't cry."

Shawn asked outright, "Dad, why did you say you don't know us? Is it because of that lady with you? Who is she?"

Steven took a deep breath. "I have my reasons."

Shawn, stubborn and unwilling to let things go, pressed further. "You're always not home with us and Mommy. Is it because you're with her? Is she a mistress?"

His response was immediate. "She's not."

His tone toward the woman turned cold. "Where did he learn that word? Did you teach him?"

Tears spilled down the woman's face as she covered her mouth. "Shawn and Sharon have grown up without their father around. Their teachers say they're more sensitive than other children. Is it so strange that they understand things beyond their years?"

At that, Sharon's cries grew louder. "Daddy, the kids at school say I don't have a dad. I tell them I do, but they've never seen you, so they don't believe me. No matter what I say, they just laugh at me…"

Shawn didn't cry, but his voice tightened with emotion. "Daddy, I learned the word from TV. There was a kid whose father was never home because he had another woman outside. The show called her a mistress."

Steven's expression shifted.

The anger in his eyes dulled, replaced by something heavier. Guilt.

From the shadows, Lucy observed it all, taking in every flicker of emotion on his face.

No matter what he felt for that woman—love, convenience, obligation—the children were undeniably his.

And as a father, how could he not be moved by their accusations?

Sure enough, Steven crouched down, pulling both children into his arms. His voice softened. "Daddy's been busy with work, that's why I haven't been around. But next time there's a school event, I'll be there. I promise."

Shawn eyed him suspiciously. "Really?"

Steven nodded firmly. "Really. I'll make sure all your classmates know you have a daddy."

Sharon clung to his neck, rocking side to side. "Daddy, come with Mommy too! The other kids' parents go together. And Daddy, you have to hold Mommy when we play games!"

Lucy lifted her head slightly.

She wanted to hear his response.

Steven didn't even hesitate. "Okay, Daddy and Mommy will go together."

Sharon beamed. "And Daddy has to hold Mommy!"

A warm smile spread across Steven's face. "Alright, Daddy will hold Mommy."

Lucy had heard enough.

She turned and left.

Back at the jewelry store, the VIP room was empty.

She picked up her bag and walked out.

The store manager noticed and hurried after her. "Mrs. Cooper, have you decided on the rings?"

Lucy smiled. "From now on, don't call me Mrs. Cooper."

The manager let out a nervous chuckle. "But… you are Mrs. Cooper."

Bzzz—

Her phone vibrated again.

The same unknown number.

[The ring you picked? Steven already promised it to me. The designer will engrave our initials on the inside. It's lasting and unchangeable, just like what between me and Steven. My initials will be on his ring. We have two children already. Sooner or later, Steven will leave you for us.]

Lucy typed only five words in reply.

[I don't want him anymore.]