Chapter 3
But after that, Willow was everywhere in our married life.
She said she wanted to learn the ropes of business, so she joined the company as Darren's assistant. The two of them were practically inseparable, always together day and night.
Whenever he worked late, she'd be there, keeping him company with her gentle presence.
After a night of drinking with clients, she'd be right there to look after him.
Even when Darren and I finally had a rare moment alone, Willow's tears would pull him away. She'd say she missed her late parents and how she always felt like she never truly belonged.
On those nights when she felt sad and lonely, Darren would have to stay with her, soothing her until she fell asleep.
I resented it, I endured it, but in the end, I just couldn't take it anymore and blurted out, "Darren, she's an adult, not a little kid!"
But Willow just showed us her medical certificate for depression.
Darren, who'd treated me with respect and care for the past three years, rubbed his temples and said impatiently, "Is it really that hard for you to tolerate her?"
My mother-in-law, Debbie Huber, started looking at me like I could do nothing right.
She said, "If I had known my daughter-in-law would be so petty, we should have just let Willow marry into the family."
Right then, Willow was standing in the second-floor corridor. Her previously fragile, sorrowful expression was gone. She just arched an eyebrow at me and gave me a cold, mocking smile.
After Willow fainted, Darren carefully picked her up and carried her to the lounge.
The engagement ceremony was postponed for half an hour. But the livestream stayed open.
Netizens were still busy digging up my dirt.
[If I were Eliana, I'd just lie low and play the perfect Mrs. Huber after landing a spot in a rich family. Seriously, she's punching way above her weight here.]
[Honestly, Mr. Huber was way too tolerant of her. She entered showbiz and shamelessly chased money, embarrassing the Huber family. Paparazzi even caught her entering a hotel with an old man. If Mr. Huber were ruthless, he would have gotten rid of her long before she hurt Willow.]
[I saw an insider blog post. It said Eliana had been with more than just one man. Everyone knows how filthy showbiz is. Who knows how many guys she's hooked up with by now? How could she ever measure up to someone like Willow, a real-deal heiress?]
Those paparazzi shots flashed through my mind.
Back then, the Norrel family had just gone bankrupt. My dad had a stroke and was rushed to the hospital, and all that crushing debt landed squarely on my shoulders.
But the Huber family wouldn't lift a finger to help.
After all, it was the Norrel family that leaked the details of our joint project, blowing up an investment worth a billion dollars. The Hubers didn't go after us for it, and Darren didn't divorce me or kick me to the curb. Most people thought I should be grateful just for that.
By then, Darren and I had been giving each other the cold shoulder for almost a month, all because of the drama with Willow and the mess with my family.
With nowhere else to turn, I scrambled to find anyone who could help me get a foot in the door of showbiz. It was the fastest way to get some cash in my pocket.
And honestly, just like the netizens said, showbiz really was that dirty.
At that fundraising dinner with the film crew, everyone kept pushing me to toast the investor boss.
Messing around with regular actresses was nothing compared to the thrill of targeting Mrs. Huber.
I thought it'd just be a few drinks, but after the party, they handed him off to me and made me escort him back to his hotel.
When I fought that old man off and ran out of the hotel, desperate to get away, I had no idea there were hidden cameras catching everything.
The next time I saw Darren, he slammed those photos down right in front of me.
He commanded, "Quit the showbiz. This is your last chance."
He was always the picture of composure, but now his eyes were dark-rimmed, and he looked utterly exhausted. When he met my gaze, all I saw was disappointment. "I've already made sure your scandal got covered up, but... Eliana, I'm only human."
I wasn't sure if I was seeing things, but his eyes seemed a little wet when he said that.
His voice was rough as he asked, "Did you ever think about me? About us?"
I laughed, but inside, it felt like my heart was being torn to shreds.
I said, "Really, Darren? You trust the paparazzi more than your own wife? I never did anything wrong, and I never disgraced you or the Huber family. Don't think you can define who I am just because of a few pictures.
"And what about you? When you were with Willow day and night, did you ever care about our marriage at all?"
He nodded hard, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Wonderful. Just perfect. Then go. I think we need to seriously rethink our relationship."
With that, he slammed the door and went back to living at the office.
That night, after I finished packing, I stepped out of the bedroom into the dark hallway, only to find Willow waiting at the staircase. She had a sly smile as she watched me.
"Moving out already, Eliana?" Willow called out.
She continued, "What a pity. Tomorrow's my birthday, and Darren was going to throw a family dinner. Guess you won't be around for that, huh?"
She strolled right up to me, stopped just inches away, and said softly, "Honestly? This is the best birthday gift I could've ever hoped for.
"It was worth all the effort I spent leaking that project plan and having paparazzi follow you. Blowing hundreds of millions just to kick you out of this family was well spent."