I froze, feeling my blood run cold.

I wanted to confront them.

But when the man turned, I was shocked to see who it was.

They left hand in hand.

I suddenly understood why Nicolas helped them hide it.

When Catherine and I were dating, he disapproved of me due to my background had no house or car.

I had begged him for three days, promising a five hundred thousand dollar bride price in three years before he would allow me to marry her.

I worked tirelessly, climbing from a lowly position to market manager.

Over time, Nicolas had come to respect me more.

Life was getting better day by day, and we had even planned to have a child, but now she had betrayed me for someone richer.

Of course, Nicolas would cover for them.

Returning home in shock, I found Nicolas had come back without me noticing.

Sensing something was off, he asked, "Erik, what's wrong?"

I searched his face for guilt, but there was none.

Instead, he nervously asked, "Why are you staring at me?

"Are you reluctant to let me take your two bottles of wine?"

I realized he had returned for the two bottles of wine I had just bought.

I couldn't help but sneer internally, "This family is greedy."

At two in the morning, Catherine returned, humming and carrying a new bag.

Surprised to see me in the living room, she asked, "Honey, why are you still up?"

I didn't respond directly but pointed to her bag, "When did you buy this?"

"Oh, it's a birthday gift from my best friend," she replied.

I asked, "Chanel? Which girlfriend is so rich?"

Her demeanor shifted slightly, "A college friend you haven't met."

She then went to shower.

I took the opportunity to check the closet and found numerous luxury items tucked away.

I recalled when we first got together, we didn't have much money, and she would envy others with designer bags. Now that we had some financial stability, I sometimes advised her to buy what she wanted, but she always directed her funds to support her family instead.

Thinking of this, I finally understood.

She was using my earnings to support her family while tapping into other men's money for herself.

Anger simmered within me.

At this time, Catherine's phone buzzed.

A message from Nicolas caught my eye. [Catherine, one hundred thousand dollars from your husband isn't enough. Your brother wants a two hundred thousand dollar car. Ask him for more.]

[If that fails, ask the richer one for cash.]

I felt manipulated by this family.

When Nicolas saw she hadn't replied, he addressed me directly, "Erik, your brother still needs one hundred thousand dollars for the car. Bring me that in a couple of days."

I suppressed the urge to yell, replying, "Okay."

Remembering my hard work to give Catherine a better life, I found one betrayed me and one treated me like a mere ATM. A plan for revenge began to form in my mind.

The next morning, Catherine got up early and bought me breakfast.

At the table, she seemed hesitant to speak.

Sensing her intentions, I said, "I'll give your brother one hundred thousand dollars for the car in two days."

She feigned concern, "Honey, my dad goes too far. How about I ask them to choose a new car? Otherwise, you will be under too much pressure."

If in the past, I might have believed her worry, but now it felt insincere.

I changed the subject, "Catherine, there's a reception at my company tonight. Will you join me?"

Catherine said in surprise, "Sure. I just bought an evening gown and was looking for a chance to wear it."

She dashed to the bedroom to find clothes.

I texted my contact, [The fish is hooked.]

At seven o'clock in the evening, I took her to the banquet hall.

Upon entering, I noticed her scanning the room as if searching for someone.

"Catherine, what are you looking for?" I asked.

Her secret was exposed, and she smiled awkwardly. "I'm not looking for anyone. I'm just a bit hungry, checking for food."

I let go of her hand, telling her I'd made a toast and asked her to walk around.

Unexpectedly, she turned into someone else's car.