Love is Fading

On New Year's Eve, my wife said she had to work overtime. I bought a bouquet of flowers and a custom-made high-end ring, planning to surprise her at her office.

But I personally witnessed her new male assistant pressing her against the desk.

The man's voice was heavy with panting as he said, "Celine, if someday you get pregnant with my child, would you be willing to keep it?"

Immersed in pleasure moments ago, Celine suddenly turned cold and terrifying. She looked down at Jericho, gripping his neck, "I warn you, don't try to use this against me and don't even think about stirring up trouble in my marriage with Ruben! If I really get pregnant afterward, I'll make sure you disappear from this world completely!"

The man froze, panic flashing in his eyes, "I won't ... Celine, please don't be angry. I use protection every time, I assure you nothing will happen!"

My hands and feet went ice cold as I watched this scene, my heart sinking into despair.

Quietly leaving through the main door, I took out my phone at the office building's entrance and made a call, "Mr. Dellson, suspend all support from Caresso Corporation to Celine's company immediately!"

——

In the biting winter cold, I squatted by the roadside, silently smoking one cigarette after another, letting snowflakes cover me until I became a snowman.

I stared into the pitch-black, deep night in a daze, with the scene from earlier constantly replaying in my mind.

Celine's joyous laughter echoed in my ears. I never expected my wife, someone usually so gentle and elegant, to do something so outrageous. Every movement of her body was like a sharp knife stabbing into my chest.

When I returned home from the office, my parents' concerned gazes fell on me, "Why do you look so pale? Where's Celine?"

I came up with a random excuse to deflect, "She's too busy with work to join us for New Year's Eve dinner."

Mom immediately chimed in, worried, "She's just a woman, working so hard during the holidays. Be more understanding of her."

Dad also added a comment, "How long do you plan to keep this from her? The enormous Caresso Family business, the entire Caresso Corporation, with assets worth billions, she could easily just stop working and relax as a well-taken-care-of wife."

I remained silent, quietly taking out a small brocade box from my pocket. When I opened it, a dazzling light filled the room.

I had commissioned this wedding ring from a world-renowned jewelry designer, who spent a year crafting it. Tonight, I had planned to confess my identity as a wealthy heir to Celine and make her a truly happy woman.

But what I saw tonight shattered my dream completely. The meticulously planned dinner ended in utter disarray.

As my parents left, their aging figures looked so lonely amidst the snowfall.

I glanced at the 'home' we now lived in and the wedding photo on the wall, falling into a long daze.

It's funny when I think about it. The first time Jericho Simmons visited our home, he admired the photo and envied the deep affection between Celine and me. He said we were a match made, a dream couple to real life.

I still remembered when Jericho was first hired at her company. He was clumsy and inexperienced, constantly getting scolded and criticized by her.

She scolded him, "Is your brain made of mush? Can't you think before doing something? What a waste of such a good-looking face!"

"You're more trouble than you're worth! Even a pig would be more reliable than you!"

Celine was utterly exasperated at the time and I was the one who calmed her down, "Don't wear yourself out getting angry. He's a college graduate fresh out of school. It's normal to lack experience."

At that time, she said, "If he doesn't improve during the three-month probation period, I'll have him fired!"