Daniel stood before my father calmly, smiling slightly.

John let out a relieved sigh and took the lead in applauding. "What do you think, Tim? My son isn't half bad, is he? He secured the deal for you. Shouldn't he be rewarded?"

The others at the table hesitated at first but soon joined in, clapping along.

The atmosphere grew lively again.

I wondered what made Daniel feel he could make up the loss so easily by merely securing the deal with the BL Group.

I walked up to him with a frown and looked at him with red eyes.

"Daniel, why are you still wearing the suit from our wedding day? Have you been so busy taking care of Ms. Jones that you didn't even have time to change?"

The banquet hall fell silent as the smile on Daniel's face froze.

I forced a bright smile, stepped forward, and pushed him toward the door.

"Go home and take a shower. Get some rest. Don't worry. I'll take care of the rest."

Behind me, a loud bang echoed through the hall as someone slammed the table.

It was my father.

John's voice followed immediately.

"You're not going anywhere!"

Before anyone could react, a lady rushed in from the doorway, squeezing between Daniel and I.

"Please don't make things difficult for Daniel. It's all my fault."

It was Susan Jones. She was Daniel's crush, and the one responsible for Daniel leaving me at the wedding ceremony.

Susan wore a thin, white cotton dress. Her frail body shivered from the cold.

Daniel took off his coat and wrapped it around her under everyone's gaze, pulling her into his arms.

"I told you to wait in the car. Why did you come inside? Are you cold?"

Susan's face was pale. With reddened eyes, she leaned against Daniel.

"Daniel, don't fight with your father because of me. I don't have much time left. I don't want to leave you with a mess."

Before she could say more, she began coughing violently.

Daniel frowned in deep worry.

Without hesitation, he scooped her up in his arms and said, "Don't worry, Susan. I'll take you to the hospital."

He did not spare a glance at anyone in the room.

He lowered his head, whispering comforting words to her as he strode toward the exit.

John's furious voice roared through the banquet hall.

"Daniel! Stop! If you walk out that door, you will have nothing to do with the Rothmans ever again!"

Daniel turned around, his eyes cold as they met his father's.

"My biggest regret is letting you send Susan abroad all those years ago. Do you think you still have control over me like you used to?"

John's face turned ashen. For the first time, he was at a loss for words.

My father sighed and shook his head. "John, it seems you're no longer in charge of the Rothmans."

Daniel smirked and looked at my father.

"Dad, the first thing I did after returning wasn't to arrange Susan's hospitalization, but to bring you the contract with the BL Group. That is my greatest sincerity for the future collaboration between our families. Some things are better left unsaid."

Then, he turned to me, his gaze icy.

"Sophia, I promised to marry you, and I did. I'll ensure you live a life of luxury and stability, but do not expect love."

With that, he carried Susan out the door without looking back.

Nestled in his arms, Susan turned her head slightly, smirking as she stared straight at me.

My tears finally fell.

Daniel and I had grown up together.

I had been his shadow since we were little, following him everywhere—learning languages, business, horseback riding, and wine tasting.

I had no hobbies of my own.

I liked whatever Daniel liked.

The Rothmans and Fosters had been closely tied in business for generations. Therefore, the elders in our family expected Daniel and I would get married eventually.

The only unexpected event was when Susan transferred into our class during our second year of high school.

She had received a sponsorship from the school, enrolling as a scholarship student from an underprivileged background.

Susan was like a flower growing in the ruins—frail yet resilient. It was easy for Daniel to feel protective of her.

John was against their love at the very beginning.

Despite Daniel's strong protests, John still sent Susan abroad.

Daniel completely lost contact with her.

From that moment on, he became silent and grew quickly, until he gradually took over the Rothmans' family business.

When he proposed to me, I asked, "What if Susan comes back?"

He gazed at me with deep affection and unwavering focus.

"She was nothing more than an insignificant chapter in my past. You're the only Mrs. Rothman."

His kiss lingered in my memories, but everything had changed in the blink of an eye.

I rarely cried in front of others since I was young.

Watching me shed tears in public was probably more painful for my father than if someone had killed him.

He lashed out at John in front of everyone. Then, my parents led me back to our home.

I did not forget to take the contract with the BL Group along.

Daniel never looked for me. The news about him and Susan reached me through my best friend, Lauren Johnson.

Susan had cancer, so she did not have long to live.

She refused to stay in the hospital and insisted on living in the house Daniel and I had shared as husband and wife.

It was an outrageous demand, yet Daniel did not refuse.

Lauren was furious. "Ceres! Are you seriously not reacting at all? How can you not be angry?"

I paused my work, placed a hand over my heart, and closed my eyes to feel.

I was a little sad, but not much.

Lauren was still angry about it, so I chuckled and tapped her forehead.

"The first payment from the BL Group is coming up. I need to keep an eye on that. Money is way more important than a man, my dear friend."

Lauren spat at me.

"Oh, shut up, Ceres! You're not even someone who lacks money. The Fosters and Rothmans could shake the entire business world with a single move!"

She looked like she was about to pass out from rage. After thinking for a moment, I decided to give her some reassurance.

"Don't worry. This isn't over. Susan will look for me soon."

As expected, when I did not react to her provocation, Susan could not sit still any longer.

She came after me.

We sat in a cafe below the Foster Corporation building.

I studied her carefully before smiling. "Ms. Jones, you look quite well. It seems Daniel has been taking great care of you."

Susan stretched out her hand in front of me.

"Mrs. Rothman, does this look familiar? This is the Rothmans' heirloom bracelet. If I remember correctly, Daniel gave it to you when he proposed.

"You kept it in a cabinet like some priceless treasure. How hilarious. He gave it to me after I glanced at it twice.

"Daniel married you merely because of your family. You're worthless beyond that. I have everything you don't, except for that title."

I found it amusing to see Susan smug.

"Congratulations, Ms. Jones, on making your dream come true, but let me remind you of one small detail that you might have overlooked. John sent you abroad, and you couldn't reach Daniel for years, no matter how hard you tried.

"Now, tell me, who do you think leaked the news of our wedding to you right before it happened, and why did Daniel suddenly pick up your call?"

Susan froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at me.