While packing my luggage at home to join the production, I suddenly received news that the female lead had been replaced.

In a hurry, I rushed to the company to demand an explanation, but due to low blood sugar, my vision went black and I passed out on the spot.

When I woke up in the hospital, my assistant angrily handed me the phone:

The Legend of Diana’s production team had officially announced:

"95-born rising star Lucia Zane as the purest yet most seductive Diana in history, alongside her real-life devoted protector, King Zion, David Lincoln!"

In the photo, the two of them were smiling affectionately. And those two people were none other than my cheating husband and his mistress.

David gently wrapped his arm around Lucia’s waist, while she clung to his side like a human accessory.

Overcome with emotion, I immediately left a comment:

"Is the director filming The Legend of Diana or The Legend of Homewreckers? It’s also said David is Lucia’s devoted protector. Has he asked his wife, Saveline, about that?"

It wasn’t long before my phone started ringing. David was calling.

"Saveline, are you crazy? How many times have I told you, my relationship with Lucia is just for work! Don't you understand? Huh?"

Tears fell uncontrollably from my eyes as I choked out, "Why does your relationship hype have to come at the cost of my job?"

——

There was a brief hesitation on the other end of the line. “You were the original female lead of The Legend of Diana?”

Then, he added in a casual tone, “Lucia has liked the character of Diana since she was a child, so I helped her fight for the role. I didn’t know you were the original cast. Besides, your expressions are so stiff. You’re not suited for the role of Diana at all. I’m actually saving your acting career.”

“Oh, and hurry up and post a statement online saying you’re just a hater making things up for clout.”

I was so furious that I laughed. At that moment, I realized that my ten-year relationship was nothing but a joke.

He didn’t even know what his own wife was working on, yet he held Lucia’s dreams so dearly in his heart.

“Why should I do that?”

"Saveline, does our ten-year relationship mean nothing to you? Can’t you trust me, even a little? I’ve told you so many times that Lucia and I are just in a mutually beneficial partnership. She’s just a young girl; what kind of trouble could she possibly cause? I promise you, she will never threaten your position as my wife."

But how could he forget?

Once upon a time, I was also the young girl he wanted to protect in every way.

I sobbed through my tears. "David, I passed out from low blood sugar and hit my head on the coffee table. I'm in the hospital getting stitches right now… My head hurts so much."

"Saveline, just post a clarification. It’s just moving your fingers, why can’t you do such a small thing for me?"

He paused for a moment before snapping in anger. "I provide you with the best food and drinks, how could you possibly have low blood sugar? You’re unbelievably stupid. You can’t even lie properly without leaving loopholes."

At that moment, my heart sank to the deepest abyss. Tears streamed down uncontrollably.

For the first time in ten years, I was the one to hang up on David.

Unwilling to give up, he called again almost immediately. Without hesitation, I declined the call.

Soon, his message popped up.

[Saveline, can you be a little more rational? Lucia is crying because of you now. Her fans are threatening to cyberbully you, but I’ve managed to suppress it. Hurry to the set and apologize to her in public and we’ll put this matter to rest.]

I was so enraged by David’s shamelessness that I actually laughed.

Why should I, the legally recognized wife, apologize to a mistress who knowingly got involved with a married man?

I replied with a single sentence: [And what if I say no? What do you plan to do then?]

Then, without waiting for a response, I tossed my phone onto the hospital bed and headed downstairs to the pharmacy to get my medication.

The world was truly cold and heartless. My role had just been taken away and now even the assistant assigned to me by the company had been recalled.

Carrying my medication, I returned to my hospital room only to see David sitting on my bed with a mocking smile. My heart instantly sank.

"Saveline, did you really think I wouldn’t know? I installed a tracking system on your phone. And you really went all out with this act. Your little 'self-inflicted suffering' performance is quite convincing."

I was wearing a white-and-blue-striped hospital gown, my lips pale and the white bandage on my forehead still seeping with traces of blood. Was the man I once loved actually mocking me, praising my acting skills with a fake smile?

I let out a self-deprecating smirk, but despite myself, tears still slipped silently down my cheeks.

"Crying? Already putting on an act? After all these years, do you really think I don’t know your little tricks? I didn’t take time out of my busy schedule to watch you play the innocent victim. Unlock your phone."

"Give it back to me!" I stumbled forward, desperately trying to snatch my phone back. But how could I possibly stand a chance against David, who was taller and stronger than me?

With one large hand, he gripped my shoulder tightly. The metal studs on his ring dug into my skin, sending a sharp pain through me. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

He signaled his bodyguards to hold me down, then casually adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. A cruel smirk curled at the corners of his lips. "Saveline, if you just behave, you’ll suffer a lot less."

I barely managed to let out a single syllable before David’s hand clamped tightly around my throat.

His gaze turned cold and ruthless. "If you don’t want anything to happen to your crippled mother, you’d better post a clarification on X. Now."

He was threatening me with the only family I had left in this world.

Tears of helplessness streamed down my face. No matter how much I wanted to fight back, I could do nothing at all.

“Hello, everyone. I am a hater of Lucia. Out of jealousy over her opportunities, I momentarily lost my judgment and tried to frame her. She has never interfered in anyone’s marriage. I sincerely apologize to Miss Lucia and Mr. David for the trouble I’ve caused."

As I pressed the send button, it felt like my heart was bleeding.

David smirked, his voice dripping with mockery. "See? Why did you even bother with all that useless resistance? If you had been obedient from the start, I wouldn’t have had to come all the way here myself. Your little act of pretending to be sick has been exposed. Pack up and go home. This matter is over. I forgive you. Take this time to reflect on your actions properly."

After delivering his sharp reprimand, he suddenly softened his tone and pulled out his phone.

"Saveline, it’s all settled. I’ll head to the set to see you now."

Without a second glance, he walked out of my hospital room.

With trembling hands, I opened the comment section…

"Shameless! You’re not jealous of Lucia’s opportunities, you’re jealous that she has David by her side!"

"Ugly people always stir up trouble. Are you trying to steal Lucia’s resources? Do you even deserve it?"

"Exactly! You’re not even worthy of carrying her shoes!"

"Ladies, don’t forget. This woman is actually David’s delusional fangirl! Hahaha! She must be furious because she couldn’t even manage to be his mistress!"

I stared at the screen, my vision blurring with tears as the malicious comments flooded in like a tidal wave.

"A disgusting woman like her should just get out of the entertainment industry! We need to boycott her dramas!"

Thousands upon thousands of hate comments filled my screen. My whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Then, another message from David popped up on WhatsApp:

[Saveline, you better not even think about deleting that post. You should have considered the consequences before acting on impulse. This is just a small lesson for you. I hope you learn from it.]

My fingers clenched around the phone as an overwhelming sense of despair crashed over me.

I collapsed onto the floor, utterly drained. Rubbing my swollen, tear-streaked eyes, I sat there in a daze for a long time.

Then, with a clarity I hadn’t felt in years, I typed out a single message to David:

[David, let’s get a divorce.]

David's voice message came through almost instantly, dripping with impatience:

[Saveline, what kind of stunt are you trying to pull this time? How many times do I have to tell you? I’m helping Lucia because it benefits me. My company invested a billion in The Legend of Diana, you were never capable of carrying the lead role. Stop making a scene.]

[Yeah, I was a little rough earlier, but that’s only because you wouldn’t listen. If you behave now, I promise you, you will always be my wife. Lucia will never compare to you.]

I stared at my phone, a bitter laugh escaping my lips.

David was certain that I wouldn’t bear to leave him, so he played his usual game by hurting me first, then offering a so-called "sweet" consolation.

"Miss Carter, why are you sitting on the floor?"

A nurse walked in, startled to see me collapsed there. She hurried over and helped me up.

"Miss Carter, congratulations. You’re pregnant."

The moment she handed me the report, my first instinct was to go straight to the obstetrics department and terminate the pregnancy.

These past few years, I had always wanted a child. I believed that a child would be the bond holding our marriage together. Every time I still harbored hope for David, I longed for a child even more.

But now, when I have completely given up on him, the child arrives at this moment.

For a brief second, I considered keeping the child and raising them alone. But deep down, I knew, I wanted my child to come into this world to experience happiness, not suffering. David would never let my child have a peaceful life.

The thought of my innocent child never seeing this world, taken away because I was helpless, felt like a knife through my heart.

Dizzy and unsteady, I made my way to the obstetrics and gynecology department.

But the doctor told me that my current condition was severe hypoglycemia. They were concerned that I might suffer from oxygen deprivation to the brain during the procedure. They advised me to go home and recover for two weeks before considering the surgery again.

I took a taxi home and looked at the cold, empty mansion, feeling waves of pain surging through my heart.

Once upon a time, I had been moved when David bought me this house.

What was once a love nest had now become a prison.

Before our marriage, David had suggested that, as public figures, we should keep our private lives as hidden as possible.

At his suggestion, we chose to have a secret marriage.

Many people in the entertainment industry lived in our neighborhood and since he and I usually walked separately and given that I was just a minor celebrity, there was no chance that the media would ever associate me with him.

Until late at night, David came back carrying a gift box.

Seeing me curled up on the sofa, his brows furrowed slightly.

"I bought you the latest Hermès bag. Stop throwing a tantrum."

He was always like this. He’d strike with one hand and offer a sweet with the other, convinced that my love for him was unbreakable.

As long as he gave me the slightest way out, he thought I’d gratefully scramble to take it.

Looking at the cherry blossom pink bag, I found it laughable.

He knew me best. I never liked anything pink.

Sure enough, my phone’s special notifications chimed. Lucia had posted an update:

"Straight men are so scary! Even though it's the latest Hermès, I really don’t like gaudy pink! Time to punish him, hmph!"

"So? Giving me this gaudy pink bag that Lucia doesn't like is her way of punishing you? Am I just a part of your game with her?"

David's originally handsome features instantly darkened with a layer of frost. "Can you stop acting like that?"

He walked over, sat down and gently reached out to brush away the stray strands of hair on my forehead.