Chapter 2

The relatives around them kept praising Emily:

"Owen is really good to you. I heard he claimed to be taking leave for surgery, but actually came home to keep you company. What a good man!"

"Such strong work capability, always the top salesperson, and he hands over all his money, even has to report his pocket money to you."

"You don't know how much we all envy you."

Emily's face flushed, happiness practically overflowing from her eyes.

"I've told him too that he needs to spend money when he's out, and doesn't need to be so hard on himself."

"But he cares about me, says he's afraid I won't feel secure, and he's willing to let me manage things."

Only then did I realize—the surgery, being unemployed—it was all fake!

"I heard Owen is about to be promoted to director, right?"

"He's so capable, he'll definitely treat his wife even better in the future."

My heart jolted again.

Director? How utterly ridiculous!

Owen had a job, and I didn't know.

He had such a high salary, yet still felt entitled to spend my earnings.

I'd never even seen him bring home a single penny!

In reality, he'd given it all to another woman, supporting another household!

Emily's tone was gentle as she continued:

"Owen is the best person I've ever met. Being able to marry him is the greatest blessing of my life."

"When he heard something happened to my dad, he rushed over immediately and arranged this entire funeral."

A few days ago, Owen had looked flustered, saying he needed to accompany a newly employed friend on a business trip.

In reality, he came to be this woman's support.

And I'd thought he was being loyal to his friends.

Turns out, the clown was me all along.

"Not only that, everyone knows he's afraid you'll get tired, so he even hired a housekeeper for you."

"Emily, look how well-maintained you are, like a girl in her early twenties. You don't look like a mother at all."

I thought of looking in the mirror before leaving—the exhausted face staring back at me.

I was only thirty, but excessive overtime and running myself ragged for our small household had left me haggard.

Yet the woman before me had clear eyes, unburdened by daily necessities.

All because she had an Owen who loved her to the bone. But I didn't.

Emily's eyes curved into crescents, the grief from our first meeting already more than half gone.

"What touches me most is how good he is to my parents—so much better than me, their own daughter."

"He visits them every week, bringing all kinds of nutritional supplements. Each time he also transfers tens of thousands to them."

Perhaps mentioning her late father, Emily couldn't help but shed two more tears.

Because my dad was rather domineering, he disagreed with Owen and me being together from the start.

I was blind, insisting I had to marry him.

After marriage, to protect his pitiful little ego.

I resolutely moved out of my villa and bought a small two-bedroom to have our own little world.

Though it wasn't far from my dad's house, I rarely went back because of work.

Owen would only visit my dad during holidays, going through the motions perfunctorily.

It seemed cold, yet I couldn't pick out any specific faults.

He spent four days almost every week visiting his "sick" mother Antonelli.

In reality, he came here to reunite with Emily's family.

He even used the William family's money to give to his "in-laws" here.

What a "good son-in-law"!