Married in Secret, Cheating Uncovered

After being secretly married to my movie star husband for three years, I was organizing his script at home when the doorbell rang.

"Ms. Arden, this is a same-day delivery ordered by Mr. Mercer."

A sweet feeling welled up in my heart. Although Evan had been so busy lately that he barely had time to rest, he still found the time to buy something for me.

I had just mentioned that I felt a bit bored being home alone and Evan always liked to make up for it with little surprises.

I opened the bag and was stunned.

It wasn’t the gift I had expected. It was a piece of lingerie trimmed with lace, carrying an overwhelmingly sweet perfume scent.

I threw the bag aside, feeling like it was burning my hands.

The phone rang.

"Hello, this is the Cartier boutique. The Starry Moon necklace that Mr. Mercer ordered has arrived. Should we deliver it to your home, or will you be picking it up herself, Miss Lila Camden? With your birthday approaching, Mr. Mercer specifically asked us to make sure everything is perfect."

——

Absurd! When did I become Miss Lila Camden?

In a pinned chat at the top of WhatsApp, Evan’s profile picture sat there quietly.

Scrolling up, I saw the check-in video he had just sent me this morning.

[Honey, the signal is unstable and it was so hard to find a high spot just to check in and let you know I’m safe.]

[I’ve missed you so much. The mosquitoes in the mountains are so many and so vicious—they’ve bitten me all over. I wish you were here.]

[This time the paparazzi are watching closely, so you can't come to visit on set. Just wait until I get home—I’ll make it up to you properly and take you travel around the world.]

The video wasn’t long, just a few minutes. Just as he finished saying "travel around the world," and the camera was shaking, about to end, I instinctively turned the phone volume all the way up.

A very faint female voice came through. “Evan, you haven’t finished filming yet? I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

The phone screen went dark for a moment, reflecting my face as pale as paper.

My mind buzzed, echoing with Evan’s past tender affection.

“Valerie, in this life, I’m completely yours—I wouldn’t even glance at anyone else.”

“Honey, once I win another award and get stable, we’ll go public!”

Instinctively, I dialed Evan’s number. The phone rang several times before it was answered.

“Why are you calling at this time? Missing me?”

The person on the other end spoke with heavy breathing. That voice sounded exactly like the tender, affectionate man from the video this morning.

“Evan.” I heard my own voice, harsh and dry. "How are things over there? Are you tired?"

“Not bad, just tough conditions. I just finished a scene, so I'm a bit out of breath.” His tone was relaxed, even a little proud. “Don’t worry, for you, no matter how hard or tiring it is, I can handle it.”

“Evan.”

“Hmm?”

I tried to keep my voice calm. “Do you still love me?”

His tone was full of guilt. “Honey, I know you’ve been bored staying home alone. I’m sorry, this time I had to put up with it for the sake of avoiding suspicion. Once this period is over, I’ll definitely spend quality time with you, okay?”

But I clearly heard a faint voice whispering by his ear. Every word about “enduring hardship to avoid suspicion” now sounded like the cruelest lie to me.

I listened to his voice while crying and laughing at the same time, then couldn’t help but hang up.

I turned and dialed my sister’s number. “You’ve been a fan assistant for so many years, help me take some photos, okay?”

My tears broke loose. “Evan has cheated.”

My sister asked for the address of his film crew and his approximate whereabouts, then hung up.

I agonized all day long.

At dusk, my phone vibrated twice at the same time. One was a WhatsApp video call invitation from Evan. The other was a link to an encrypted photo album sent by my sister, with a line attached: “Valerie, brace yourself.”