When I was 18, I caught my sister lifting Carter’s shirt, her hands trailing over his abs. The boy’s shirt hung loose, and he simply let her do whatever she wanted. At 22, Carter listened to his family and married me. But everyone knew that even though we were married, he still couldn't let go of the sister he loved so fiercely. Later, I asked for a divorce. He stayed silent for a long time before finally signing the divorce papers. "If you ever need any help in the future, just ask." At 28, I came back to attend his wedding to my sister. He glared darkly at the man standing beside me. "You couldn't wait to divorce me back then. Was it all just for him?" 01 "I heard Maya Hayes is back." "I remember she was the one who asked for the divorce, right?" "Carter Vance is the CEO of the Vance family now. I bet she's regretting it." "What's there to regret? She stole her sister's marriage in the first place. This is just returning things to their rightful owner." ... The moment I stepped toward the VIP room, I heard them talking about me. Over the past three years, the rumors about me hadn't died down. They all said I was just playing hard to get. Even my own parents thought so. On the day of my divorce, my mother specifically warned me: "Since you two are divorced, you are not to contact him anymore." "Your sister injured her leg, and she needs Carter right now. Don't do anything to upset her." Seeing me look down in silence, she added: "This marriage belonged to your sister in the first place. If she hadn't gone abroad to further her career, it never would have been your turn." My sister, Serena Hayes, and Carter Vance had been the envy of our social circle. But on the eve of their wedding, Serena ran away. By then, the news of the two families merging had already been announced to the press. Under immense public pressure, the Vance family elders decided to swap the bride and have him marry me instead. I don't know how they convinced him, but Carter eventually agreed to marry me. For three years, we lived like a perfectly normal married couple. But everyone knew that despite marrying me, he had never let go of Serena. He never let me into his home office. One day, he forgot to lock the door. I peeked through the crack and instantly felt like I had been plunged into an ice bath. The walls of his study were covered in his and Serena's pre-wedding photos. I had never seen Carter look like that. So vibrant, so doting, so utterly focused. His eyes were entirely filled with Serena. That was the moment the thought of divorce first crossed my mind. On the day I finally made up my mind, I accidentally overheard him on the phone. He was speaking in a gentle, coaxing voice to the person on the other end: "Yeah, don't be scared. I'll be there in ten minutes... Don't try to walk, just wait for me. Be a good girl." The moment he turned around, he saw me. I spoke calmly, "Dinner is ready. Have some before you leave." He paused for a brief second, then continued walking toward the door. "You eat. Don't wait up for me." Just as he was about to step out, I called his name again. A flash of impatience crossed his face. "What is it?" "Carter," I said. "Let's get a divorce." 02 By the time the news of our divorce reached my parents, we had already signed the papers. Carter didn't mistreat me. He gave me half of his assets. My parents summoned me home in the middle of the night. They interrogated me like a criminal, demanding to know how I could be so cruel as to take half of Carter's fortune. "Maya, is this how we raised you? Did you only marry him for the Vance family's money?" Serena stood to the side on her crutches, shedding tears. "Maya, are you blaming me? Are you mad that I came back and took Carter away from you..." Before she could finish, my parents cut her off. "Carter was supposed to be your husband anyway! If you hadn't been so stubborn about running away, you and Carter would have kids running around by now." Serena loved Carter, but she loved ballet more. Shortly after accepting Carter's proposal, she received an offer from a world-renowned ballet company in Europe. She dumped Carter without hesitation and flew across the world. For three years, she practically cut all contact with him. Until that one night, when Carter received an international call. He had been leaning against my shoulder, trying to catch his breath. He answered the phone right in front of me. Because we were so close, I clearly heard the tearful female voice on the other end. Carter froze. One second... five seconds... ten seconds... It took a full thirty seconds for Carter to react. He quickly grabbed a robe and hurried out of the room. Carter didn't come back that night. The next day, I found out from my parents that Serena had been in an accident during a performance and shattered her leg. Carter personally flew out to bring her back. Even though she was staying at my parents' house, Carter handled everything related to her personally. Because of this, my parents even sat me down to "counsel" me. "Don't take it to heart. Your sister can never dance again. She's devastated, and Carter is the only one who can comfort her right now." My parents had favored Serena since we were little. She was beautiful, had great grades, and was incredibly talented at singing and dancing. I, on the other hand, was just a bookworm—boring, and terrible at sweet-talking. Everyone revolved around the injured Serena. Including my husband. He gradually lost all patience with me. One evening, he promised to pick me up, but left me waiting in the pouring rain for two hours. I got soaked and came down with a high fever. Carter had no choice but to leave Serena and come to the hospital to take care of me. But my mother believed it was just a manipulative trick to force Carter to come home. She screamed at me hysterically: "Because you dragged Carter away, your sister almost did something unthinkable last night!" "You are a perfectly healthy person! Why do you have to compete with a disabled woman?" I looked at her in disbelief. "But... Carter is my husband." "So what? This marriage belonged to her in the first place! You stole her husband!" But back then, she was the one who begged me to marry him. Before Serena went abroad, she came to me, trying to convince me to marry Carter. "Maya, I know you like him. Isn't this a great opportunity?" "Let's keep the wealth in the family. You don't want Carter ending up with some other woman, do you?" I kept my head down, staying silent. Serena got anxious. "Are you really just going to watch our family go bankrupt?" "I'm begging you, Maya. Or... are you worried I'll come back and fight you for him?" My expression shifted slightly. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't worry. Once I go abroad, I won't ever contact him again. I swear!" For the first three years, she actually kept her word. But in the end, she forgot the vow she had made. 03 After getting the divorce certificate, I moved out West by myself. I didn't contact my family for three years. A little while ago, they reached out to tell me that Carter and Serena were getting married. Serena was the one who called. "Maya, you have to come back for my wedding. I'll only feel like I haven't wronged you if you're there." I stayed silent for a long time before saying, "Fine." The day I arrived home, the weather was beautiful. As soon as I pulled my suitcase through the front door, Serena came running out of her room. "Maya!" Her steps were light and quick. It was late autumn, but she was only wearing a thin slip dress. Behind her, Carter strode quickly, holding a coat. "Why can you never remember to put your slippers on? If you do this again, I'm going to..." His voice suddenly stopped. He saw me. This was the first time we had seen each other since the divorce. Common courtesy dictated I should say hello. I turned and gave him a faint nod. After three years, Carter looked exactly as I remembered. Only, the coldness in his eyes had been replaced by a lingering tenderness. He nodded back, shifted his gaze, and draped the coat over Serena's shoulders. "You two catch up. I need to go handle some work." Serena stepped up to me and affectionately linked her arm through mine. "I was so worried you wouldn't come. I'm going for my dress fitting tomorrow, will you come with me?" I pulled my arm away with a blank expression. "I'm busy tomorrow." Serena looked disappointed. "Is it really important?" "Yes. Very important." She thought for a moment. "Then let's reschedule for the day after tomorrow. Come home early tomorrow after you're done..." "I'm not staying here," I interrupted. "Tell Mom and Dad I'll be pretty busy the next few days, so I won't be staying at the house." With that, I grabbed my suitcase and walked away without looking back. I hadn't walked far when a car slowly pulled up beside me. The window rolled down, revealing Carter's handsome face. "Get in. I'll drop you off." I politely refused. "No thanks. I'm fine." He was stubborn. Since I wouldn't get in, he just drove slowly alongside me. "It's hard to get an Uber around here. Get in." Looking at the endless road ahead, I finally compromised. I got in the car and gave him an address. His brow furrowed slightly. "Why aren't you staying at The Belvedere?" "I don't like it." The condo at The Belvedere was the one given to me in the divorce settlement. But what he didn't know was that I had already sold it. Carter's eyes darkened, but he didn't ask any more questions. When we arrived at my apartment building, I got out, and Carter followed. He grabbed my suitcase, showing no intention of handing it over. "Let's go." "I can take it up myself." I tried to pull the suitcase back, but it wouldn't budge. He scanned the surroundings. "Are you having financial troubles?" This place was more than a few steps down from The Belvedere. "No." He simply dragged the suitcase toward the entrance. "Which building? What floor?" Carter was a persistent man. When he wanted to do something, no one could change his mind. I stopped fighting it and led the way in silence. We got in the elevator and went up. Standing at my front door, I took the suitcase from him. "Thank you. It's not a good time today, so I won't invite you in." "Wait." I looked back. "These past few years... have you been doing okay?" Looking into his sincere eyes, I felt a wave of dizziness. In my memory, he had never spoken to me with that tone of voice. Just as I was about to answer, the door suddenly opened from the inside. A tall, strikingly handsome man appeared in front of us without warning. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, tall and lean—he looked like walking pheromones. He reached out a long arm and pulled me into his embrace. "What took you so long, hm?" He leaned in to kiss me. The moment his lips touched mine, Carter's furious voice rang out from behind: "What are you doing?!" But the man had no intention of stopping. He laid a deep kiss on me before slowly turning his head to look at Carter, still holding me tight. But his words were meant for me: "I've only been gone a little while, and you've already found your next target? You really know how to keep a guy on his toes~" I shoved him lightly, but he didn't budge an inch. I had no choice but to look at Carter. "Whatever it is, we'll talk next time." Carter's hands balled into fists at his sides, his lips pressed into a thin line. It was the precursor to his rage. But before he could explode, I was pulled inside. The door clicked shut. The man in front of me leaned in dangerously close. "If I recall correctly, your flight landed at 11 AM. It's currently 2 PM. Three hours, and you're already meeting up with your ex-husband?" I lightly poked his firm waist. "Liam..." He immediately caught my hand. His voice dropped low. "Don't try to brush this off." I gripped the edge of his shirt, looking down in silence. A large hand gently lifted my chin. The second our eyes met, Liam let out an exasperated laugh. "I haven't even started punishing you yet, why are you crying?" I sniffled. "I missed you so much..." 04 After the divorce, I moved out West and opened a cozy little B&B in a mountain town in Colorado. The town had perfect weather year-round, and the locals were incredibly warm and genuine. Spending time with them did wonders for my mental health. Within a year, the reputation of my little inn grew, and business was no longer as bleak as when I first started. Liam Sterling was the most reclusive guest I had ever hosted. Most of the time, he stayed locked in his room, never stepping outside. He only appeared on the terrace when there were very few people around. At first, I was worried something might happen to him, so I unconsciously kept an eye on his movements. Until one day, while I was sunbathing in the courtyard, he walked over to me with a half-smile and asked: "Do I really look like someone who's about to end it all?" I looked up in shock. He lay down on the lounge chair next to mine, looking completely relaxed and careless. "I heard you on the phone." I was instantly mortified. The night before, I had called my best friend and mentioned Liam. I had said, "That guy is really good-looking. It'd be a real shame if he just dropped dead." I never expected Liam to overhear it. While I was dying of embarrassment, Liam suddenly asked, "You don't look like a local. What made you want to open a B&B here?" I made up some nonsense: "Too much money, too much free time." A low, incredibly pleasant laugh rumbled in his throat. I couldn't help but look over at him, and I was met with a breathtaking sight— The man was resting his head on his arm, staring out at the horizon. His jawline was sharp and clean, his side profile sculpted to perfection. Carter was already incredibly good-looking, but Liam was on a completely different level. He must have felt my stare, because he turned his head, and our eyes locked. I don't remember who looked away first, but from that day on, the atmosphere between us changed subtly. The day we finally crossed the line, Liam and I had gone hiking in the mountains. On our way down, the weather suddenly turned, and a massive thunderstorm broke out. By the time we got back to the inn, we were completely soaked. That night, I developed a high fever. While trying to get up to take some medicine, I shattered a glass on the floor. Liam literally broke the door down to get to me. I don't know if it was an illusion or my fever-addled brain, but I distinctly saw sheer terror on his face the moment he burst in. And the second he saw me, he visibly let out a massive sigh of relief. The sickness hit me like a truck. I was bedridden for five days, and Liam took care of me for all five. He moved his instruments into my room, which was how I found out he was a musician. "So, are you just ready to pack up and leave at any moment?" I asked, clutching a mug of hot water. He didn't answer, instead asking, "Do you want me to leave?" I stayed silent. He took the mug from my hands and suddenly leaned in to kiss me. His burning breath seared every cell in my body. I gripped his shirt, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst from my chest. After that day, Liam essentially became the new co-owner of the B&B. Changing lightbulbs, fixing broken chairs—it all became his job. The guests at the inn loved to tease him: "You're such a good househusband! You should make the beautiful boss marry you already." Whenever they said that, he would turn to me and ask: "When are you planning to marry me?" I would always just laugh it off. On the surface, he didn't seem to mind, but the second we were alone, he would find every way possible to torment me in bed. Even when I begged for mercy, he showed absolutely no restraint. I thought those days would last forever. But one day, Liam vanished. I asked the other guests at the inn, and they gossiped: "Where else could he have gone? With a face like that, and being in the music industry? I bet a sugar mama came and scooped him up." 05 And today, after his sudden disappearance, I finally saw him again. The more I thought about it, the more it hurt, and my tears fell even harder. Liam stared down at me, waiting for me to finish my sentence. But I didn't say a word. I just kept crying. After a long moment, the man who had looked furious just seconds ago resignedly cupped my face. "I am so fucking hopelessly wrapped around your finger." "Are you still going to leave?" "Leave? You're a mess, how could I possibly leave you?" I still didn't quite believe him. Exhausted from crying, I wrapped my arms around his neck and refused to let go. Helpless, he had no choice but to lie down with me. I slept incredibly soundly that time. When I opened my eyes, Liam was no longer beside me. My phone had been switched to silent at some point, and I had 99+ missed calls—more than half of them from Carter. Aside from that, the long-dead college alumni group chat had suddenly exploded. It was Carter sending a message, saying he wanted to organize a reunion. [If Carter is hosting, we absolutely have to go!] [I heard Liam Sterling is back in town too. Someone invite him!] [Liam? Liam Sterling? When did he get back?!] [It's really him! I'm a massive fan, I track all his movements. Word is, he came back this time to propose to the girl he's been secretly in love with for ten years.] Just as I read that, my hand felt empty. My phone had been snatched away. Liam's handsome face zoomed in close. He ruffled my messy hair. "Sleep well?" I shook my head and slowly shuffled over to rest my head on his lap. "I thought you weren't going to come." Before I flew back, I had sent him an email giving him my address. He never replied. I assumed he was too busy to even check his emails. I never expected to see him the moment I got back. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. But behind the surprise was also a bit of a shock. He scooped me up into his arms. "Are you mad?" I wrapped my arms around his waist, buried my face in his chest, and refused to make a sound. His voice softened. "I left in such a rush that day, and I lost my phone, so I couldn't contact you right away. But I reached out as soon as I could, didn't I?" "Don't be mad, okay?" After he left, I had fallen into a deep emotional abyss for a long time. When they said a sugar mama had taken him away, I actually believed it. His phone was disconnected, he didn't reply to texts—it was like he had vanished off the face of the earth. If he hadn't finally managed to get a hold of me later, I would have gone to the police. I rolled over in his arms and kept interrogating him: "Then why didn't you reply to my email?" "The second I saw the email, I bought a plane ticket. I wanted to give you a surprise. Instead, you gave me a heart attack." Thinking back to how he must have felt seeing me show up with Carter, the impact definitely wasn't small. I smiled faintly. "But I still haven't forgiven you." He lowered his head, a dangerous aura instantly enveloping me. "Then I'll just have to use that method." My instinct was to run, but he grabbed my ankle and pulled me right back. Don't let Liam's polished exterior fool you—he was a completely different beast behind closed doors. I pressed my hands against his chest. "Liam, I just got off a plane..." "It's fine. I'll do all the work, you just lie there." By the time he was done tossing me around, it was the middle of the night. I was starving and exhausted, pouting in his arms. He seemed to be in a fantastic mood and brought up the alumni reunion. "I'm meeting up with a good buddy of mine. Do you want to go to the reunion together later?" I purposely tried to get a rise out of him: "Carter's going to be there. Aren't you worried something might happen between us?" His hand slowly trailed down the curve of my waist, his smile so handsome it made the hairs on my arms stand up. "You're welcome to try." What a petty, jealous man!
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