On the day I won the design competition, the first thing I received wasn’t the gold trophy, but a livestream of my husband cheating with his widowed sister-in-law.

During the press conference, all eyes watching the show fell on me.

They all believed that I, who was deeply in love with Lorenzo Ortiz, would cry right there as I used to and once again become a trending headline.

But I simply held my eight-month pregnant belly, calmly accepted the award, and then went to find a private lawyer to prepare a divorce agreement.

“Ma’am, are you certain? This was already your second time coming to file for a divorce. If you changed your mind again, you would be placed on the firm’s blacklist.”

I smiled bitterly.

“I’m sure, and I want to remove the father and keep the child.”

The first time I caused a scene about divorce, I had just learned I was pregnant. Lorenzo was caught in photos taken by paparazzi, holding hands with his widowed sister-in-law at an amusement park.

That time, I ran there in tears to confront them for cheating, creating chaos across Beaverton. I said I would end the pregnancy and divorce him, but I got into a car accident instead, almost losing both my life and the baby.

And Lorenzo, to save me, stayed awake for two days and gave me three blood transfusions.

After I woke up, his face looked pale as he knelt beside me and admitted his fault.

“Wife, the day before yesterday was my brother’s death anniversary. My sister-in-law missed him so much and begged me to act like my brother and stay with her for a day. I gave in for a moment and agreed.”

“I know I was wrong. I won’t do it again. Can you give me another chance?”

Looking at Lorenzo’s exhausted face after saving me, I couldn’t stop my heart from softening.

I also knew that Lorenzo’s brother had died in a kidnapping case while protecting him, and I understood that he felt guilty toward his widowed sister-in-law, who had a young child.

For the child’s sake, I chose to give him another chance.

For the following eight months, Lorenzo showed himself as a devoted husband and a responsible father, and he even sent his widowed sister-in-law abroad.

That was until last night, when I got three provocative photos sent by his widowed sister-in-law.

The photos showed a hundred used condoms after she had been with Lorenzo, Lorenzo kneeling on the floor in a humble posture as he kissed her toes, and Lorenzo dressed in a servant outfit while cooking in the kitchen.

I spent the entire night in tears and finally came to my senses.

Since Lorenzo had broken his promise to love only me, I no longer needed to hold on to a marriage without loyalty.

I wanted to remove the father and keep the child, return home, and continue living as the only daughter of a powerful, wealthy family.

.......

But why, after I had taken my child and walked away for good, and was preparing to marry my childhood sweetheart, New York’s wealthiest man, Diego Peterson, did Lorenzo suddenly burst into my wedding, kneel down, and plead with me not to marry another man?

1

On the day I received the championship award at an international design competition, the first surprise that reached me was a live broadcast.

On the screen, Lorenzo was deeply kissing his late brother’s wife, surrounded by 9,999 roses.

And just twelve hours earlier, Lorenzo had been crouching in front of me, gently kissing my eight-month pregnant belly, saying he would be the first to send me flowers when I received the award.

At the press briefing, everyone unexpectedly turned their eyes toward me, showing pity and curiosity from fresh gossip.

"President Bailey…"

Beneath the platform, the assistant who guided me to prepare for stepping up had sweat across his forehead. "Do we need to stop this livestream room?"

I spoke in a quiet voice, "No need."

"Isn’t it already my turn? I step onto the stage to receive the award."

"Not going to wait for President Ortiz to show up?" the assistant asked softly.

I shook my head. "I will not wait."

The crowd, who had been expecting to see the drama, were also shocked.

The paparazzi believed they would watch me lose control and cry like I had eight months before, letting them get a shocking news title.

But I simply did not do that.

I got up, followed the steps to walk onto the stage to accept the award, and quietly finished reading my thank-you speech.

The voices below were no longer kept quiet. "What happened to Vienna Bailey? Why does she not make trouble?"

“Last time when she caught him cheating with a young model, didn’t she almost lose both herself and the baby?”

“Yeah, it caused a scene across the whole city. She said she would end the pregnancy and divorce, but after he apologized, she forgave him.”

“Everyone knows Vienne chased Lorenzo for five years before she got him. How could she really go through with a divorce?”

“Maybe she plans to rush to the rose field after receiving the award and break them apart?”

Laughter followed one after another.

Their gazes were like wolves eyeing fresh meat, locked on me as they watched closely for my next move.

I heard their whispers but said nothing, only gazing out the window.

In the night sky, drones kept forming different shapes one after another.

The shifting lights reflected in my eyes, beautiful and grand, yet gone in an instant.

I had spent three years preparing for this design competition just to win first place.

I once believed that, at the most shining moment, I would hold the hand of the one I loved most and accept the trophy.

But that hope fell apart.

At this moment, my heart was not as calm as those paparazzi claimed.

Still, after crying through the entire night, I had no tears left to shed.

After getting the award, I did not head home but went straight to a law firm to draft a divorce agreement.

“Ma’am, are you sure? This is your second visit for a divorce. If you regret it again, you will be added to the blacklist.”

The lawyer attempted to talk me out of it, assuming I would not truly go through with divorcing Lorenzo.

I showed a bitter smile.

“I’m sure, and I want to remove the father and keep the child. Draft the agreement for me.”

I handed over the black card to the lawyer, and he immediately agreed with a smile.

I thought back to the first time I caused a scene about divorce. It was when I had just found out I was pregnant.

Back then, paparazzi had photographed Lorenzo holding hands with his widowed sister-in-law while they were at an amusement park. I rushed over like I had lost my mind, pulling at both of them in the street, crying and shouting about divorce and ending the pregnancy, making it known across the whole city.

After I ran out of the park, I was involved in a car accident, nearly losing both myself and the child.

I was in rescue for two whole days. Lorenzo stayed beside my hospital bed without closing his eyes, watching over me for two days and nights, and gave me three blood transfusions.

When I woke up, his face was pale, and right in front of everyone, he dropped to his knees before me.

“Wife, the day before yesterday was my brother’s death anniversary. My sister-in-law missed him deeply and begged me to pretend to be him and keep her company for a day. I gave in and agreed.”

“I know I was wrong. I won’t ever do it again. Can you give me another chance?”

Looking at Lorenzo’s drained face after he saved me, I couldn’t keep my heart firm.

I also knew that his brother had died in a kidnapping case to protect him, and that he carried guilt toward his widowed sister-in-law with a young child.

For the child’s sake, I decided to give him another opportunity.

Over the following eight months, Lorenzo, before me, had been a devoted father and a proper husband, and he also sent his widowed sister-in-law overseas.

I thought the matter from before was truly only an accident.

Until last night, when three photos that showed up on my phone felt like three hard blows to my face.

One hundred used condoms were left in a messy pile inside the trash can.

Lorenzo, down on his knees on the ground, was bending his head to kiss the woman’s toes.

And he, who never handled house chores, dressed in a male servant uniform while making food in the kitchen.

The message was sent by Lorenzo’s widowed sister-in-law, Ariella Gray.

Through the whole night, my heart felt broken, and even breathing caused pain.

So those past months when Lorenzo showed care and love in front of me were all a lie!

He had never truly ended things with his widowed sister-in-law, and even stayed with her, doing all intimate things!

I wept for a long time, and only when morning came did I calm myself and step onto the stage for the award.

But everything still fell apart because of the live broadcast.

My stomach was struck by the baby. I slowly came back to awareness and called Diego Peterson, the richest man in Beaverton, who had once been promised to me when we were young.

"You say that as long as I agree, you can complete the engagement with me anytime. Does that still stand?"

Diego’s usual lazy tone came through with a light smile.

“Of course, you’ve come to your senses? When are we getting the certificate?”

“Give me ten days. I need to finalize the divorce first.”

Since Lorenzo had already betrayed his vow to love only me, I no longer needed to cling to a marriage that was already broken.

Back then, while I was chasing Lorenzo as he started his career, I kept my identity hidden to protect his pride, never telling him I was the only daughter of a powerful, wealthy family overseas.

I had originally planned that once the child was born, I would bring him and the baby back to claim my family name and take over the business, but now he was no longer fit to return with me.

After returning to the villa, Lorenzo held my waist and spoke in a soft, helpless tone.

“Baby, your eyes are so red. Did you cry? That live broadcast today was just an act for attention. Don’t take it seriously.”

“I’ve already talked to her. As long as I help her start as a streamer, and she can earn her own money, she won’t bother us anymore.”

“Let’s help her one last time, okay?”

I looked at the man I had loved for five years and been married to for three, and my heart ached as if something was slowly eating at it.

The kissing was just acting, then what about the hundreds of condoms?

What about him kissing her feet?

What about him wearing that servant outfit?

Would he only admit he cheated when Ariella gave birth to his child?

I forced myself to hold back the urge to question him out loud and handed him the divorce papers.

“Do as you like. I recently took an interest in a house, sign it.”

As soon as I stopped talking, Lorenzo took the file, held the pen, and signed his name on the last sheet.

Looking at his clear and smooth signature, it felt like something inside my chest had emptied out.

All those years of emotion ended so simply with that one stroke.

The lawyer acted quickly. Once I gave him the agreement, in less than a week, I could part from Lorenzo.

After Lorenzo signed, he reached forward and rested his hand on my swollen belly, his touch natural and familiar, "Baby, do you miss Daddy?"

"Yesterday, Daddy didn’t attend Mommy’s award event. There is a reason… right? Our baby is so gentle, you won’t blame Daddy."

When he spoke, his voice was light, as if he had only skipped a usual gathering.

My belly moved slightly.

My throat felt tight, and I felt drained.

Lorenzo was always like this.

No matter what he did outside, as long as he returned to me, he became that kind husband again, that father who truly waited for the child to be born.

That version of him made me think, for a moment, as if nothing had changed, as if, as long as I chose not to see or hear, he had never betrayed me.

But a false hope was still not true.

Once betrayal took place, it remained.

I chose to leave him.

Lorenzo seemed to sense my cold attitude, his voice holding a bit of doubt.

"Wife, you are so quiet today. I thought you would be like last night, calling again and again until I answer."

"Isn’t that what you want?"

I answered calmly.

"A smart, obedient wife who does not question how you return kindness."

Lorenzo clearly paused.

But soon, Lorenzo reached out, pulled me into his arms, and lowered his head to kiss the corner of my forehead.

“This is right, wife. You’re becoming more and more understanding.”

“To me, she’s just family. That kiss on the livestream was only an act, nothing.”

Nothing.

Those four words felt like a thin layer of dust, settling lightly yet choking me until it was hard to breathe.

I suddenly thought back to a long time ago.

Lorenzo and I had shared our first kiss, so serious and shy.

That day, his eyes were filled with only me, his face flushed, his voice firm.

“You are the first person I kiss, and the only one.”

In the end, time had worn love away.

A kiss had also turned into nothing more than an ordinary act.

I did not notice when my nails had already pressed into my palm, the small, sharp pain spreading little by little.

"I understand."

I cut off Lorenzo, wanting to take back the signed agreement.

"Wife, which house do you like?"

Seeing what I did, Lorenzo picked up the document again. "I will help you look at it."

I did not stop him and instead felt a quiet hope.

If Lorenzo opened it and found that it was not a house purchase contract but a divorce agreement, what would he do?

But in the next moment, a loud sound of glass breaking came from the bedroom, followed by a short cry from a woman.

Lorenzo’s face changed at once, and he quickly dropped the document and turned to run into the bedroom.

My heart, which had just lifted, dropped straight down.

Forget it, what am I still hoping for?

Even if Lorenzo knew it was a divorce agreement, it would only cause me more problems.

I placed the divorce agreement into my bag and followed Lorenzo to check what had happened.

What I saw in the bedroom made my breathing stop.

Ariella stood next to my bed with red eyes, and on the floor lay the broken wedding photo.

The frame was cracked, and the glass was in pieces.

But Lorenzo did not even look at it.

He gently held Ariella’s hand, lifting her fingers, lowering his head to blow on them. "How can you be so careless? Is the cut deep? Does it hurt?"

Ariella stuck out her tongue in a playful way.

"How do I know you placed the wedding photo by the bed? It is dangerous. I was only helping you remove a risk."

After she spoke with a smile, as if only then seeing me at the door, her face paused and quickly showed a bit of awkwardness.

"Ah, sorry, sister-in-law, I bothered you."

"The water pipe in my house broke. I cannot bathe. Lorenzo lets our mother and child stay here for a while…"

My fingers tightened a little, and remembering those three photos made me feel sick.

Lorenzo looked at Ariella with clear worry and care.

I only felt foolish. These past months, sending Ariella abroad made me lose the chance to see their lies earlier.

Although I no longer wanted to love Lorenzo, it did not mean I would accept Ariella going too far.

I spoke with sarcasm, "Can it be that sister-in-law cannot even afford a hotel, or do you think living in my marital home feels better?"

Lorenzo frowned at once and cut me off without thinking,

"Can you speak more gently? She is my sister-in-law. Bringing my brother’s orphan to stay in a hotel, how would that look if people find out? It is not like there are no rooms at home."

It felt like as long as Ariella held the title of sister-in-law, whatever she did was seen as fine.

Before I could speak, she had already gently pulled Lorenzo’s sleeve and said quietly, "I only want to look at your room. I don’t mean anything else."

"It’s my fault." Her tone sounded upset. "I cause you to argue… maybe I should go."

After Lorenzo spoke, a small hint of regret crossed his eyes, as if he realized his tone toward me had been too strong.

Hearing this, he quickly reached out and drew Ariella into his arms.

"Why go?"

His voice softened at once.

"Don’t overthink. I decide things in this house. If I say you can stay, then you can stay."

Lorenzo’s words felt like a hard slap across my face.

How long had it been? I no longer had any right to decide things in this house.

Ariella lifted her head from his arms, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes, and asked softly, "Then what about the broken wedding photo?"

Her eyes moved to the pieces on the floor.

Lorenzo followed her gaze, glanced once, and said without care.

"Since it's dangerous, just throw it away."

I suddenly looked at Lorenzo. After making sure he didn't say it wrong, I let out a laugh.

"Alright, then throw it away."

"Anyway, it isn't anything important."

Lorenzo probably didn’t expect me to agree so easily. He had only said it without thinking.

Didn’t I value the wedding photos the most?

Before, no matter how bad our arguments got, I never wanted to touch those wedding photos.

But he didn’t know the reason I cared about them was that the day we got the certificate was the happiest day for me, and I held onto that day tightly.

But now, nothing matters anymore.

I turned around and called the servants, telling them to get rid of all the wedding photos in the house.

A slight surprise showed on Ariella’s face, and she smiled. "Sister-in-law is really kind."

"Lorenzo, see how thoughtful your sister-in-law is. She’ll surely agree to my next request, right?"

Then I heard Lorenzo speak in a direct tone.

"Miguel is weak and gets cold easily. Our room faces the sun. Let sister-in-law and Miguel stay there together."

I didn’t think Lorenzo would say such words, asking me, a pregnant woman, to give up the room.

And Lorenzo had been ready for me to get angry, holding back many words.

But I agreed instead.

"Alright, but there are many of my things in the room. I’ll move them out first."

Before, I would have argued and refused to move, but now, since I’d be leaving in a few days, moving earlier or later made no difference.

Lorenzo almost said it wasn’t needed, but Ariella spoke first, "Then I really trouble you, sister-in-law."

Lorenzo had to hold back his thoughts. He moved closer, held my hand, and said in a low voice.

"Wife, three days later is the baby welcome party. I’ll make it special for the baby as compensation, alright?"

"I know."

I replied softly.

Then I started to arrange the bedside cabinet. Inside were my ID card and household register.

My belly suddenly ached. I stumbled without noticing, my hand pressed against the broken glass on the ground, and blood flowed out right away.

And Lorenzo had already gone with Ariella to pick up her child, Miguel, not noticing it at all.

After I became pregnant, my pain felt much stronger, and at this moment, it hurt so much that tears came down.

I couldn’t help remembering that, even when I bent down, Lorenzo would get very worried and wouldn’t let me do heavy or tiring work alone.

But once Ariella showed up, everything was put before her.

I pushed away the sadness in my heart, quietly packed my important things into my bag, and hid them well.

As for the rest, I let the servants throw everything away.

Even though none of them were worth bringing back to my wealthy family, I didn’t want to leave my things for Ariella to use.

Cars carried the items out one by one, and the house quickly became half empty.

My throat felt blocked, I bit the inside of my mouth, and my hand rested on my stomach, gently rubbing it.

"Baby."

I asked in a low voice, "If in the future Daddy and Mommy get a divorce, will you blame Mommy?"

The baby in my stomach moved once.

I already knew the answer in my heart.

After getting rid of the things, I went to the company by myself.

I started to check the shares, organize the projects, and divide the team and resources under me.

I wouldn’t take any of Lorenzo’s assets.

But this company was built by me and him from nothing, so I had to take the part that belonged to me.

After all, I didn’t want the mistress to benefit.

The assistant asked me, "President Bailey, do you want to take control of Stetson Mall?"

I paused and didn’t answer right away. Instead, I planned to go to Stetson Mall and take a look.

This mall, from design to building to later operation, was planned step by step by Lorenzo and me.

It held the years we built everything from nothing, and it was proof of our love and time together.

Even if we were going to divorce, I still felt reluctant about this mall. It was like my first child.

But when I reached the mall, I was stopped at the entrance.

The manager looked troubled.

"President Bailey, you can't go in. President Ortiz has reserved the whole mall today to celebrate Ms. Gray’s son’s birthday."

Reserved the whole place?

With a dark face, I pushed the manager aside and rushed to the fifteenth floor.

On the rooftop, inside the glass flower room I built for my future child, Lorenzo had already brought Ariella and her child there first.

The three of them looked peaceful and happy.

They really knew how to choose a place for a birthday.

I called the assistant in a cold voice and said, "I have to take Stetson Mall."

I wouldn’t let Lorenzo ruin what I built and use this place to please other women.

Over the next two days, I moved my focus away from Lorenzo, but he still stood out strongly.

Every day, after briefly greeting the baby, he would take Ariella and Miguel out to do live streaming.

Through the live stream, I saw him take the mother and child skiing, surfing, and shooting.

Two days of that life looked richer than spending a whole month with me.

I didn’t say anything. I blocked the live stream and continued preparing for the baby welcome party.

This was a newly popular event to welcome a baby. I had planned this day eight months earlier.

Even though the baby hadn’t been born yet, I didn’t want to break the promises I made to her.

On the day of the event, guests gathered around me, and words of congratulations came one after another.

Everything went well until the noise rose at the entrance.

Ariella led the child into the hall. She wore costly and refined clothes, and the boy named Miguel kept looking around.

The next moment, like a wild bullet, he suddenly rushed toward the beautiful cake in the center.