For the next few days, it felt like I had opened the door to a whole new world.

Every time I wiped Leopold's body, I had to sneak a few touches. It was the only way to satisfy my urges.

Each time I stroked those abs, Leopold's face turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

At first, I felt awkward about it. But now, I was utterly shameless and even boldly said to him,

"You owe me this!

"Just look at how wild Simeon is! I've already made enough sacrifices by marrying you. What's the harm in a few extra touches?"

One afternoon, after finishing lunch, I quickly sent the nanny away, locked the door, and got ready to stroke those abs. Uh...wipe down Leopold's body.

Suddenly, Wendy showed up at my door in an extravagant dress.

"Layla! I'm planning to run away!

"I can't take another day in this place!"

I opened the door to see her hair in a tangled mess, and her dress was splattered with something that looked like red wine.

Shocked, I rolled up my sleeves. "Who bullied you?"

Whoever dared to mess with my best friend had made a powerful enemy. I'd definitely back her up.

Wendy huffed angrily. "Mia Vega, Simeon's precious first love, is back! She deliberately spilled wine on me at the party and then acted all innocent. That conniving bitch!"

I froze.

"Simeon was sexually frigid. Since when did he have a first love?" I thought.

The more Wendy thought about it, the angrier she got. She punched one of the decorations on my door and smashed it to pieces.

"Simeon? Sexually frigid, my ass! He's been faithful to Mia this whole time!

"And now that Mia's back, not only is he letting her bully me, he even made me apologize to her! I can't take it anymore!

"So, what? Was I just a stand-in for Mia these past months? I swear, I'm leaving today! I'm getting a divorce!"

I listened in growing fury, silently cursing Simeon for being such a jerk.

Wendy grabbed my hand. "Are you coming with me or not?"

I glanced back at Leopold's still-comatose body, my mind lingering on those abs I hadn't touched yet today. I swallowed hard.

But when I saw the determination in Wendy's eyes, I made up my mind. "We're best friends. If you're running, I'm running with you. You divorce today, I'll divorce tomorrow."

We immediately agreed on our escape plan.

"Although." Wendy added, "I've only saved up fifty million dollars so far. It's not enough to cover us both."

Wendy waved off my concern. "Don't worry! Simeon, that cheating jerk, gave me a Bayview Villa just to get rid of me. I'll sell it, and we'll split the money. Half for you, half for me."

That sounded like a solid plan to me.

So, we started plotting our escape and divorce.

It was said that after the party, Simeon didn't come home; he went to see Mia instead.

Wendy called him right in front of me.

In an instant, she switched to a sorrowful tone, her eyes red with tears. "Simeon, let's get a divorce."

There was silence on the other end for a long moment.

"Wendy, I was only giving Mia a ride home. Why are you making a scene again?

"She threw wine on you because you deserved it. From now on, you'll live alone in the Bayview Villa to reflect on your behavior.

"I'm bringing Mia back to the Lake Manor. After tomorrow, I don't want to see you ever again."

Before Wendy could say anything, Simeon hung up the phone.

Wendy shrugged. "Plan A failed. Time to start Plan B."

Her Plan B was to fake her death and disappear.

Wendy quickly sold Bayview Villa, transferred all her assets, and even bought herself a grave.

On the day she faked her death in a staged car accident, I followed Wendy's instructions and called Simeon.

When he picked up, there was a surprise in his voice. "Layla?"

I spoke in a voice choked with tears.

"Simeon, Wendy...she's been in a serious car accident. She's asking to see you one last time. Could you come to the hospital?"

He let out a sneering laugh. "Does she think I'm an idiot? This is just another one of her tricks because I haven't been home in days.

"Layla, tell her if she wants to die, she should go ahead and die, but not in front of me."

I smiled and gave Wendy the signal.

She took off with my money.

I'd follow her soon after.

But to make sure Simeon believed Wendy was genuinely dead, I had one last scene to play out.

Three days later, I was in my bedroom rehearsing the scenario when Simeon burst in, his eyes red with fury.

"Layla, where's Wendy?!"

I shed a few tears and stared at him blankly.

"She's dead."

Simeon's body stiffened, and his face went pale.

"That's impossible!"

I showed him a doctored video of the car accident, but before he could get a clear look, I quickly pulled it back and took him to see Wendy's grave.

"She wanted to see you one last time, but you didn't come. In the end, she died all alone."

Simeon stared at the name on the tombstone, looking utterly devastated.

"How could this happen?"

He clutched the tombstone tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Finally, he muttered, "Dead...she's better off dead."

I felt a chill run through me.

"People were right. Marrying into a wealthy family was never a good idea. They never treated women like human beings."

Wendy's death became common knowledge. She was just another ordinary daughter-in-law, and no one indeed investigated her cause of death.

Cora shed a few symbolic tears.

Simeon said nothing and continued staying out all night, spending time with Mia.

Everything returned to how it was before Wendy arrived.

I had also figured out my excuse to run away.

A forged late-stage cancer diagnosis from the hospital, another one of Wendy's masterstrokes.

Tomorrow, I plan to approach Cora and ask for a divorce from Leopold.

Cora, who adored her son, would probably just find him another new wife. She certainly wouldn't let a dying woman continue caring for Leopold.

That night, I packed my things, ready to flee.

Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me.

I froze, pausing in the middle of my task.

The noise stopped as well.

"Was I hallucinating from counting too much money?" I thought.

Just as I was about to resume counting, someone wrapped their arms around my waist from behind, pulling me close.

His breath was warm against the nape of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Simeon's first love came back, but I don't have one. Why are you running?"

I turned to stone.

I turned around to look.

There stood my handsome husband, Leopold, who had been in a vegetative state for half a year. His dashing face was now filled with an affectionate, teasing smile as he leaned closer to me.

"Ah! You're alive!"

I jumped back several steps, dropping the money in my hands.

I stared at Leopold in disbelief. "You...you...how are you awake?"

Leopold smiled like a mischievous demon.

"If I didn't wake up, my wife would have run away."

As he spoke, he moved closer, guiding my hand to his abs.

"Didn't you enjoy touching my abs? If you leave, you won't be able to touch them anymore. Can you really bear that?"