The smell of disinfectant was cold and pungent.When Wendy opened her eyes,she felt her hand being tightly grasped.

Beside her,Michael’s eyes were red and his chin had a rare stubble.Seeing her awake,he immediately leaned forward.“Awake?How are you feeling?”

Wendy tried to pull her hand away,but failed.“Where are those people?”

“At the police station,awaiting your decision.”

Michael’s voice was slightly hoarse.He stood up and slowed down the drip.After a moment’s hesitation,he spoke.

“Wendy…those kids were indeed impulsive…”

“I won’t agree to a settlement.”Before he finished,Wendy interrupted him.

Every wound on her body still ached and he was actually thinking of helping Madison’s fans?

“I’m the one being cyberbullied and I’m the one lying in this hospital bed!Yes,Michael,I have no right to interfere in your affairs with Madison,but why should I be the one to pay for everything?”

Accumulated grievances overwhelmed her rationality,her voice trembling,tears streaming down her face.

A wave of guilt welled up in Michael and he pressed her into his arms.

“I’m sorry,I really didn’t hear your call then…”

“It doesn’t matter now,”Wendy suppressed a sob and whispered,“But those who hurt me must be punished.”

“Okay.”

“Michael!”

The ward door suddenly opened and Madison stood there,holding a bouquet of flowers.The smile on her face instantly faded when she saw the two hugging.

Michael’s arms stiffened,but he didn’t let go of Wendy,only nodding at her.

Her presence was like salt in a wound.Wendy frowned and said,“Please stay away from me.”

“Wendy,I’m sorry…”

Madison’s tears instantly burst forth,her expression even more heartbreaking than the person on the hospital bed.“They were wrong,but for my sake,could you please forgive them this time?I don’t want them to have a criminal record because of me!”

She looked at Michael mournfully,but for the first time,he ignored her.His voice was undeniably cold and unyielding.

“They’re your fans,but Wendy is my wife.There’s no need to discuss this matter.”

The air was silent.Madison took a few steps back in disbelief,then quickly turned and rushed out.

“Aren’t you going after her?”Wendy’s voice was calm.

Her appearance made Michael’s heart flutter.He placed a kiss on her forehead and said,“I’m not going anywhere.I’ll stay here to take care of you.”

The news quickly reported the punishment.A small number of online commentators expressed strong sympathy for Wendy,but the accusations of overreacting and claiming she deserved it continued to rage.

Michael kept his word.During her hospital stay,he made time to eat with her every day and his bedside was piled high with expensive supplements and items she’d casually mentioned.

However,no matter how attentive and gentle he was,Wendy remained indifferent,as if separated by a layer of invisible glass.

That day,just as Michael had left on the pretext of a photo shoot,Wendy opened her phone and saw another message from Madison.

In the photo,familiar,slender fingers held a gorgeous blue diamond necklace.

Madison’s every word pierced her heart:[Do you think Michael really chose you?After rejecting me that day,he was afraid I’d be angry,so he came to stay with me every day.He stayed much longer than at the hospital!]

Swiping up,she saw sunsets they’d enjoyed together at the beach,Michael personally cooking for her,countless priceless luxury goods...

But her heart had long been empty and seeing all this now didn’t seem as painful.

Wendy expressionlessly turned off the screen,the countdown in her heart turning another page.

The day she was discharged from the hospital,Michael came to pick her up.Unexpectedly,not long after she arrived home,Madison called,her voice thick with tears.

“Michael!Help me!I was drunk and secretly photographed and the paparazzi refused to buy out the photos.The photos…the photos have been released now!”

Michael’s expression suddenly changed and he quickly clicked on the notifications.

Topping the trending search list was a grainy photo of Madison being half-carried,half-hugged by a strange man as she walked into a hotel!

Half an hour later,Madison sat in the living room,her eyes red and swollen,gasping for breath.

Michael’s face darkened to the point of dripping water and he finally couldn’t help but grab her wrist.“Who’s that man in the photo?”

His anger stemmed from the fact that someone else was with her.

“Michael!I was completely blacked out that day!”

Madison threw herself into his arms,her fingers clutching his shirt.“He and I have nothing to do with each other!Please save me!My career is just getting started…”

Michael clenched his fists tightly,but he didn’t push her away.

“How do you want to resolve this?”

“Just say the photo is photoshopped!Or…”She suddenly turned and stared at Wendy,as if grasping at a lifeline.“It’s okay to say it was someone else!As long as it wasn’t me!”

Wendy felt a chill run down her spine and took a step back.“What are you looking at me for?”

“Wendy,help me!”Madison’s voice shrilled.“Even one more piece of blackmail on your character wouldn’t hurt,would it?”

“Are you crazy?!”Wendy’s blood rushed to her head and she turned sharply to Michael.“Don’t tell me you’ll agree to this?”

Michael’s jawline tightened.“I…”

But after only one word,Madison suddenly rushed into the kitchen like a madman!

“Madison!”

“If I’m going to be ruined like this,I might as well die!”

With a flash of cold light,the fruit knife stabbed straight into her heart!

Blood oozed instantly.Michael rushed over,terrified and picked up the limp Madison.He shouted to his agent,“Issue a statement immediately!Say the paparazzi made a mistake;the person in the photo is Wendy!”

Wendy felt as if struck by lightning,stumbling against the wall.

“Michael,”her voice trembling,“are you still human?”

“I’m sorry.”Michael held the person in his arms,not daring to meet her eyes.“Madison is right.This incident won’t affect you much,but it will be different for her.”

He hurried out and promised her soothingly,“Haven’t you always wanted me to go on a trip with you?We’ll go once these recent events are over.”

The door slammed shut.The staff silently distributed the press release and gave her a sympathetic look.

Wendy slid down the wall and sat on the floor,slowly curling up into a ball.

Promise?Travel?

Now she simply hoped she would never see him again.

As soon as the statement was released,Wendy’s private messages were instantly flooded with abuse.

She huddled at home,her phone constantly bombarded with obscene texts from unknown numbers.Looking in the mirror,she couldn’t even recognize the ghostly figure as herself.

Madison,however,posted several pictures of Michael caring for her in the hospital,captioned:[I hope I don’t make the mistake next time~],earning her countless hearts and well wishes.

With only two scenes left to film,Wendy forced herself to go to the set.The previously covert targeting was now all too apparent.

Coffee spilled,sand found in her lunch and in the final scene,in the water,the male lead deliberately failed over thirty times,leaving her lips purple from the soaking.

Madison,surrounded by stars,stirred an iced drink under a parasol.Suddenly,she chuckled.

“Even after all this,you’re still clinging to Michael,Wendy.Are you that cheap?”

Wendy slumped down,about to speak,when Madison’s familiar,vicious expression reappeared.

“So,I’m giving you a wrap-up gift.”

As soon as she finished speaking,her phone vibrated wildly!With trembling hands,she clicked on the screen.

Top trending search:[Wendy’s secondary account exposed!She posted her marriage certificate.Her husband is suspected to be the youngest filming emperor,Michael!]

The bright red headline splattered the screen like blood.

When she married Michael,Wendy,like every other girl in love,secretly recorded her joy on her second account.

But those anonymous code names and the heavily coded marriage certificate made it impossible to identify their owners.

“I want you to see with your own eyes who Michael will choose.”Madison brushed past her,her voice soft,like a venomous snake’s tongue.

Though the sky was clear,Wendy felt completely numb.

Subtle gazes formed a dense web around her and before she could even stand,the screen lit up again.

The pinned“moon”avatar flickered.It was Michael calling.

“Hey…”

“Wendy!Did I ever tell you we were in a secret marriage?Why are you still posting these things on your second account?”

The gentleness of the past turned into sharp interrogation.Wendy remained silent for a long moment,then suddenly chuckled softly.

“But they’re not wrong,right?Michael,aren’t we husband and wife?”

The desperate,hollow voice gave Michael a pause.

“It was you who proposed to me back then...Tell me,from the beginning to the end,where was I wrong?”

Her only mistake was misjudging him,assuming Michael had feelings for her.

Michael’s breathing hitched slightly,his tone slowed,but he remained firm.

“I told you,keeping it a secret for now is for our own good.Wendy,I’m already with you.What’s the big deal whether others know about it?Can’t you just hold it in for a little longer?”

Without waiting for her to reply,he added hastily,“I’m filming on location for the next two days,so I won’t be back.I’ll handle this matter.We’ll talk when I get back.”

Wait?Wendy repeated softly,smiling and shaking her head.

No,she would never wait again.

Because just now,she had received a text message:[Hello,your divorce application has been processed.Please come to the front desk of the City Hall to receive your divorce certificate.]

Wendy staggered to her feet,ignoring the whispers and took a taxi straight to the City Hall.

Back in the home she had devoted three years of her love to,Wendy placed Michael’s divorce certificate on the coffee table.In the bedroom,a well-packed suitcase sat quietly in the corner,a long-planned farewell.

While waiting for the taxi downstairs,a giant advertising screen on the nearby skyscraper played Michael’s live interview.

He was dressed in a well-tailored black suitcase,sitting on the sofa with his long legs crossed,his posture elegant and calm.

“You look particularly good today,Mr.Greenwood,”the host said,smiling as he passed the microphone over.“It seems those rumors about your secret marriage are groundless.”

That unparalleled handsome face was truly captivating at any moment.He smiled faintly,his tone polite yet perfectly restrained.

“It’s indeed a rumor.My fans would probably prefer I focus on my career,right?”

The audience erupted in applause and screams.

Wendy withdrew her gaze and opened the car door.

“To the airport.”

The roar of the engine drowned out the host’s next question on the screen.“So,about you and Miss Madison…”

The car sped away,crushing the once false warmth and clamorous drama into dust.

After deleting everything about Michael,Wendy leaned back in her chair and slowly closed her eyes.

Michael,from now on,we’ll be on a long road together—We’ll never see each other again.