The next morning, I got up early as usual to make breakfast for Luke and our daughter, Susan Madden.

Susan frowned at the bowl of oatmeal I placed in front of her and complained loudly, "Why are we eating this again? I want a bacon burger!"

Patiently, I told her, "Bacon burgers aren't healthy. Oatmeal is good for your tummy."

Unhappy, she shouted at me, "You're such a stick in the mud! Aunt Wendy says I can eat whatever I want. I want her to be my Mommy and take care of me. I don't want you!"

I paused mid-motion. My heart felt as if it were being torn apart.

I couldn't believe my daughter, whom I had endured countless rounds of IVF and injections to bring into this world, could say such cruel words.

Luke quickly glared at Susan and took the ladle from my hand. "She doesn't know what she's talking about," he said hurriedly with a smile. "Don't mind her. Wendy is just my assistant. Here, sit down. I'll serve you."

I did not expose his lie. Clenching my trembling hands, I did as he asked and sat down to eat my breakfast.

After they left the house, I received a text on my phone.

"I'm glad you've come around. I'll get everything ready, and you can take over next month."

I replied with a curt affirmation. Back then, my parents had been adamantly against my marriage to Luke. I had ended up falling out with my family just to be with him.

Over the last few years, I had enough time to find out his true colors.

I sent another text. "Do me a favor—I want to make sure they never recover from this."

The medication was starting to take effect now. I felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen.

Unable to bear the pain, I called Luke.

A woman answered the phone instead. She deliberately put on a coy voice, taunting me. "Luke's not free right now. What do you want with him?

"Please don't call him for no reason. He's busy. He doesn't have time to deal with idle people like you."

I didn't answer her. After hanging up the phone, I dialed emergency services.

The ambulance arrived quickly. At the hospital, the doctor did some checks and told me that the abortion was not complete and that I needed a surgical procedure to clean out my uterus properly.

On the operating table, I was so scared that I couldn't stop trembling. Just then, Luke sent me a text saying that he would be going on a business trip for a few days.

On her social media, Wendy also posted about a trip to Mardalf.

I replied to Luke with a single word. "Okay."

Turning off my phone, I let my tears flow freely onto the cold surface of the operating table.

My mother worked quickly. It didn't take long for her to gather plenty of evidence of Luke cheating on me with Wendy, hire a lawyer, and draft the divorce papers.

All that was left was my approval to proceed with the divorce.

However, I didn't want to let Luke and Wendy off so easily. How could they cheat on me so boldly?

I was the wronged one here, and I didn't want to be the one to leave in disgrace. I wanted them to pay for their crimes.

After I was discharged and returned home, Luke finally remembered to call me. He sounded impatient over the phone. "Elizabeth Lane! Where the hell have you been these past few days while I was on my business trip? Why didn't you pick up Susan from school?"

I stayed silent. During his "business trip", Wendy had been very active on social media, posting photos of the two of them having the time of their lives abroad. She hadn't even bothered to block me.

"I was busy," I told him impassively. "I sent Susan over to my mom's place."

Luke paused, stunned. I had never been so cold to him before.

Sensing my mood, he softened his tone. "I know I've been really busy lately and haven't spent much time with you. Once I'm free, I'll take you to Mardalf for a vacation."

I hummed noncommittally.

When we first got married, I had happily suggested going to Mardalf for our honeymoon. I'd always wanted to go there.

However, at the time, he impatiently told me, "That's too far. I don't have that much time to waste. Let's just go somewhere nearby for a couple of days."

Back then, I had been understanding. He had just started a business, after all, so I settled with a quick trip to the seaside. It was still the sea, close enough to count as Mardalf, I had told myself.

However, as soon as we arrived at the beach, he received a call from Wendy and promptly left, leaving me alone on what was supposed to be our honeymoon.

Things like this happened countless times. Each time, like a fool, I forgave him and waited for him to come back to me.

But it was all for nothing.

After a pause, Luke continued, "Darling, the company will be celebrating its anniversary in a few days. Come with me to the banquet. Many of our business partners and important people will be in attendance, so make sure you dress up nicely."

I tightened my grip on my phone. "Okay. I will."

It had been two years since Luke founded his company. The company had done well, and he always thought that it was all his own doing.

What he didn't know was that I had been silently funding the company and using my parents' connections to support him behind the scenes.

I never told him, as I didn't want to add unnecessary pressure on him.

Now, it was time for me to take everything back.

When I got ready to try on the tailored gown I was supposed to wear to the banquet, I realized that it had been switched out.

The one before me was far inferior in quality, and it was obviously several sizes larger than mine.

Since I had to wear the gown the next day, I called the boutique angrily to question them.

However, the woman at the boutique sounded aggrieved as she explained, "Ms. Lane, this really isn't our fault. Your husband said he'd take the dress home for you to try on, and when he brought it back, he told us that we needed to make some adjustments. We really don't know what went wrong."

Suppressing my anger, I stormed over to Luke's office to question him. When he saw me, he frowned. "I thought I told you not to bother me during working hours—"

"Did you take my gown?" I interrupted him. "The woman at the boutique said you took it home for me to try on. Why don't I remember that?"

After a pause, he said, "Wendy doesn't have a gown, so I let her wear that one. Besides, didn't I buy you another one that looks similar? It's just a gown. Why make such a fuss?"

I scoffed incredulously and threw the gown at his feet. "This piece of rag? If it's so great, why don't you let Wendy wear this one?"

Luke's face darkened instantly. "Can you stop being so unreasonable?" he snapped coldly. "It's just a gown. You have plenty of those. What's the big deal about giving one to Wendy? All you do is act like a shrew and throw tantrums. Is that how the wife of a CEO should behave?"

Just then, Wendy entered the office. Her eyes were red, as if she'd been wronged somehow. "Luke, please don't fight because of me. I'll give you back the dress."

She handed me a bag, inside of which was my tailored gown.

Luke glared at me coldly and put an arm around her protectively, comforting her in a gentle tone. "It's alright. I'll take you to pick out a new gown, okay? Anything you like. You shouldn't be wearing someone else's cast-offs, anyway. Used goods are disgusting."

Coldly, I took the bag and left, my hatred threatening to boil over.

Luke was right. Used goods are disgusting.

The anniversary banquet was packed with people. Wendy was most eye-catching in her custom-made feathered gown that perfectly outlined her figure. Standing beside Luke, who was in a bespoke suit, they looked like a match made in heaven.

When she saw me, she frowned slightly before approaching me with a wine glass in hand, a provocative look in her eyes. "Long time no see, Ms. Lane. Welcome to our company's anniversary banquet.

"But I'll hand it to you—not many women can hold it together when they know their husband is cheating on them. You must have a heart of gold."

She giggled. Her tone carried the arrogance of someone who considered herself the true mistress of the house. Clearly, she did not think much about me.

I smiled at her, entirely unfazed by the sharp edge in her words.