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?"