The ambitious dreams of the past faded in an instant. When I got back home, I didn't feel like doing anything. I drank when awake and slept when tired.

One morning, a message from Eric woke me up.

Opening WhatsApp, I saw a picture of Megan smiling while kissing.

I quickly called Eric.

"Where did you get this?"

"The news is out. This is a photo from the engagement party of the Fox Group and the Brody Group announced yesterday."

I hung up, wanting to call Megan, but my hands were shaking.

I eventually dialed her number, only to find it busy.

Sitting on the bed, I was at a loss.

Suddenly, the phone rang, startling me. It was my mother, Sophie Bogart, calling.

"Humphrey, the Fox family doesn't take you seriously at all!"

I had planned to settle everything before informing my parents, but at that moment, I didn't know what to say.

Perhaps sensing my helplessness, my dad, Timothy Bogart, loudly reassured me.

"Don't worry. What can the Fox family do with their money? Worst case, you come back to inherit the family fortune. You have me backing you up."

"Yeah, I know, don't worry. I can handle it."

After hanging up, I couldn't help but chuckle, thinking, "Dad really knows how to brag, huh? Inherit the family business? Inherit that little house back home?"

But when I saw the photo Eric sent, I felt compelled. If I didn't act, how could I call myself a man?

I took out my phone and checked all the evidence I held. The images were unbearable but were the best evidence of her infidelity.

Then I went to the Fox Manor. Seeing me, the Fox Manor's housekeeper sneered a few words.

I refused to leave, so she told me to wait and went inside.

I waited for half an hour before someone opened the door. But it wasn't Megan I saw. It was Leonardo.

"Megan isn't up yet. Why don't you come in first?"

Expressionless, I entered the house. Everything inside was still unfamiliar.

Leonardo handed me a cup of coffee, playing the part of a gracious host.

"Humphrey, after all these years, if you had made some progress, Megan's father wouldn't have looked down on you."

I looked at this rich second-generation guy who lived off his parents' money, but I didn't argue. He felt entitled to it.

All my efforts seemed like mere excuses to him.

"I just regret not snatching Megan away from you back then, causing her to be dragged down by you..."

Megan complained as she came downstairs, "Why didn't you call me when you woke up..."

She was visibly stunned when she saw me.

Looking at Megan, I said, "Can we talk?"

Megan nodded, grabbed her bag, and we left.

In the cafe, Megan surprisingly remained silent.

I found it nauseating to even look at her more, so I went straight to the point.

"You cheated. If you want a peaceful divorce, do as I say."

Megan looked up at me in disbelief.

"What? Need me to provide evidence?"

I handed her the phone.

As a matter of fact, there had always been surveillance cameras in our living room. Before I came to have a talk with her, I endured the disgust and watched all the surveillance footage.

Their flirtatious behavior wasn't confined to the bedroom; it even happened in the living room. Well, at least I didn't have to go searching for evidence.

Megan's face turned livid as she looked at the footage. After all, it was her idea to install the surveillance cameras in the first place.

"If you agree, then my 200 thousand severances pay needs to be settled. Our savings will be split equally between us, and of course, the money from selling the house goes to me."

The apartment was purchased with the hard-earned down payment from my parents. I had been repaying the subsequent loans.

Megan didn't contribute to the household expenses at all. Every month, I had to give Megan money to cover her expenses.

Megan suddenly exploded, pointing her finger at me and shouting, "Humphrey, you have me as your wife. It's already your biggest luck. Are you really going to nitpick about this now?"

I shook my head and said, "Would you like it if I posted our marriage certificate online for everyone to see?"

Then I pointed to the cafe's surveillance cameras and continued, "And what if I release the video of today's divorce discussion and brawl? How much will your family's shares drop?"

Megan's demeanor softened instantly.

She said, "Humphrey, can't we part ways amicably?"

"How nauseating is it for you to say that, Ms. Fox? You brought your lover to cause a scene at my workplace, not only causing me to lose my job but also leaving me without compensation.

"What? Ms. Fox, are you planning to treat me like a doormat? After betraying me, you still expect me to speak nicely?"

Megan's face darkened; after all, during our time together, I had always catered to her needs.

"Ms. Fox, think it over. Give me an answer tomorrow, as it will give me time to edit the video. After all, I'm currently unemployed."

In the evening, Megan messaged to accept the terms but insisted on an immediate divorce.

So, we divorced soon.

When I received the compensation, our apartment had just been sold.

At the same time, I heard that the Brody Group had acquired Luke's company.

I blocked all of Megan's contact information.

With both work and marriage in shambles, I decided to return home.

Sophie said, "Humphrey, there are plenty of opportunities out there, even after a divorce. Take this money and buy a villa. I bet you'll find a well-behaved girl next year."

"Huh?"

What shocked me wasn't just Sophie's words but the black card she handed me.

"Don't underestimate yourself," Sophie said.

"Wait a minute, Mom, where did you steal this black card from? Give it back to the rightful owner."

Honestly, my initial reaction was to suspect Megan's mother had given the black card to Sophie, saying contemptuously, "Spend as much as you want, as long as your son leaves my daughter!"

Megan always forced me to watch those soap operas. I guessed the plot infected me.

Thinking about this made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Every little moment flashed before my eyes; the hatred was real, but so were the feelings I had invested.

Just as I was still feeling sentimental, Timothy gave me a smack on the back of my head.

"Hey, how dare you speak to your mother like that!"

I rubbed my head, feeling a bit dejected. I had to see my parents show their affection after my divorce upon my return.

"Oh, be gentler with your son," Sophie scolded Timothy, then began to explain to me.

It wasn't until that moment that I realized my parents had been creating the illusion that our family only had a small grocery store to help me grow in adversity.

In reality, our family's chain stores were spread all over the country.

Excited, I thought to myself, "Is this compensation for my failures in both love and work?

Now, I'm considered a second-generation rich. I need to transform myself!"

I splurged on a new outfit.

On the night of Megan's pre-wedding banquet, I made a grand entrance in a luxury car.

"Hey, country bumpkin, how much did you spend to rent this outfit?" Leonardo mocked.

He embraced Megan, turning to her and saying, "Megan, he is a guest. Should we buy him a drink?"

After his comment, he handed me a glass of wine.

As I reached for it, he quickly took it back.

Realizing his intentions, I no longer held back and shattered the glass of wine that was meant to be poured into my head.

"You can't even hold a glass steady, huh?" I taunted.

Then, I handed over the gift I brought, saying, "It seems this gift suits you well."

Leonardo didn't accept it, but a woman who despised Megan snatched it away.

The gift was revealed. It was a cap with the word "cuckold" written on it, which caught everyone's attention as the big screen in the venue lit up.

All eyes were drawn to the screen.

It was revealing explicit scenes of Megan engaging in intimate acts with another man, causing embarrassment.

Some people glanced at the hat, then back at the screen, connecting the dots.

"Leonardo, don't believe him! It's fake! It's been doctored!"

Megan shouted, instructing the staff to shut off the screen.

The screen was quickly turned off, leaving everyone murmuring and gossiping.

"Leonardo, consider this hat a gift from me. After all, you seem to like it," I remarked as I took advantage of the distraction to place the hat on Leonardo's head.

Seemingly stunned, Leonardo didn't resist as I put the hat on him.

"What's going on here? Does this person know Mr. Brody? They seem quite acquainted?"

"I haven't heard of this guy among the relatives in the Brody family. Could he be Mr. Brody?"

"He doesn't seem like one."

The woman who snatched the hat pointed at Megan, shouting, "I know who this person is, her ex-husband. Have you forgotten she just got divorced?"

...

Suddenly, someone shouted, "I get it! Mr. Brody cuckolded this man, and then someone cuckolded on Mr. Brody. Is this person here to 'bless' him?"

This statement ignited the discussion among the crowd instantly.

"Shut up!"

Leonardo yelled in anger, attempting to hit me.

However, compared to me, he was quite weak.

As I dodged his attack, Leonardo grew even more furious.

He gestured to his cronies to restrain me.

But I was prepared.

I gestured, and the bodyguards Timothy provided me with walked in and lined up.

The ones who wanted to act backed off instantly.

"This was before we were together, Leonardo, trust me!" Megan pleaded.

Seeing Leonardo remained unmoved, she suddenly turned towards me.

"Humphrey, how dare you create a scene here? Look closely! This is a matter from our marriage! If it weren't for your impotence, why would I seek solace elsewhere?"

After Megan's outburst, the onlookers turned their attention towards me.

Some voices could be heard belittling me.

Before I could respond, a female voice spoke up.

"Oh, finding an excuse for your marital infidelity and still belittling your ex-husband? Miss, you have quite the nerve."

I turned to look but only saw a figure walking away.

"Enough. It's time to go back."

The beautiful woman left, followed by a lackey of a rich second-generation.

Megan, embarrassed by the mockery, attempted to slap me, only to be stopped by the bodyguards behind me.

Realizing the situation, Leonardo said, "As an ex-husband, is it appropriate for you to cause a scene here?"

Though he didn't dare touch me, he tried to tough up.

"Hey, I'm just here for the fun."

As I turned to leave, I couldn't resist a parting shot. "The video was taken at the gym she frequents. Investigate it yourself."

As I walked out, the bodyguards behind me let go of Megan's hand with a hint of disdain in their actions.

Soon after, Leonardo's enraged shout filled the air as he called off the wedding.

News of the misbehavior of the bride-to-be from the Fox family spread rapidly.

Reports showed that Leonardo stormed out, still wearing the hat, and only removed it when the valet reminded him as he got into his car.

Some mischief-makers even added eerie background music to the scene.

Some tried to dig into my identity, but Timothy managed to suppress it.

After all, our family always operated under the principle of discretion.

Soon, news arrived that the wedding between the Brody and Fox families was postponed due to uncontrollable circumstances.

By then, I had already decided to go abroad for further studies.

Money talked, right? Going abroad for further studies was a breeze, thanks to my parents.

Timothy even pulled some strings to get me a spot at the most renowned design company in town.

But, when I walked into the apartment he rented for me, I caught a girl in a camisole applying body lotion.

I quickly apologized and expressed that I had the wrong room.

However, after double-checking the door number, I realized I was in the right place.

Left with no choice, I dialed Timothy.

"Son, we need to spend our money wisely. It's not that we can't afford a full lease, but shared accommodation offers better value. Alright, enough said, phone bills are quite steep."

After hanging up, I hesitated for a while before finally climbing the stairs.

The girl didn't seem fazed when I re-entered.

"Hello, I'm Olivia Munn, an exchange student staying for two years."

Her openness made it hard for me to be awkward, so I shook her hand and introduced myself.

"I arrived a few days earlier and have already chosen a room. Are you taking the remaining one?"

Just like that, Olivia and I began our shared living arrangement.

Olivia was easygoing, but she had one demand. Her photo had to be displayed prominently in the living room.

Maybe because I hadn't completely moved on from Megan, I couldn't shake the feeling that Olivia's photo bore a resemblance to her.

However, she was just a young girl, and her demand didn't cross any boundaries, so I went along with it.

My routine became monotonous. I either studied and socialized or headed straight home to sleep.

Just as I was about to have dinner one day, a call interrupted me.

"Hello, is this Humphrey Bogart?"

The voice on the other end sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.

"Hello? Is this Humphrey? I found your portfolio and wanted to know how to return it to you."

It suddenly dawned on me that I had left my portfolio at the exhibition hall.

"I'll visit the exhibition hall tomorrow. Would that be convenient for you?"

The person agreed.

Little did I expect that the person who found my portfolio was Lena Johansson!

Lena was an internationally renowned model.

I was at a loss for words when I saw her.

"Please, have a seat."

She handed me a cup of coffee.

"Thank you."

"I... I'd like to treat you to a meal. Thank you for keeping my portfolio safe."

Lena looked at me and then burst into laughter.

I stood up in a panic, but she seemed even more delighted.

"Please, sit down. Don't be so formal. Honestly, I really like your designs, so I wanted to meet the person behind them."

I was pleasantly surprised. While I always had confidence in my work, being noticed by such a famous model made me feel like I could boast about this for a lifetime.

Our first meeting was filled with my awkwardness.

However, as she kept appearing around me, I regained my composure. It was hard to constantly flatter her when such an idol became a regular presence in my life.

Besides, Lena's personality was quite a contrast to the renowned model in my imagination.

I was not one for scheming. I caused a scene at the banquet before, so I felt like I had turned a new leaf.

However, Eric messaged me one day, saying the members of the Brody family were imprisoned for illegal deeds.

It hit me then that my attention towards Megan had been dwindling lately.

I looked up at Olivia, who was preparing my meal, and that familiar feeling she gave me lingered.

However, after knowing her identity, I just couldn't muster any feelings towards her.

Olivia seemed to sense my gaze and deliberately let her camisole slip down.

I walked over, not saying a word, just helping her adjust it.

She continued cooking, but seemingly intentionally, her low neckline revealed a hint of allure.

"Oh! When did you come over? You scared me."

Olivia pretended to be startled, then jumped into my arms.

"Did I really scare you that much?"

I teased, running my fingers through her hair.

Olivia instantly melted into my touch. A fragrance enveloped me, but I gently pushed her away.

"Shouldn't you be heading back now?" I said, moving towards the stove to check on the food.

Olivia seemed momentarily taken aback and nodded.

"Should I see you off later?" I asked.

She nodded again, then shook her head.

Without further words, I started setting the table for dinner.

Olivia, no longer shy as before, took the items from my hands, instructing me to sit and wait for the meal.

Honestly, over the past two year, I had observed Olivia's care for me, but her many secrets made it hard for me to trust her.

Just as I pondered this, the doorbell rang. Opening the door, I found Megan standing there, immediately launching into a tirade upon seeing me.

"Why copy the plot in melodramatic romance dramas? Do you think I won't be able to catch up with you after you go abroad?"