Chapter 3

When Vivienne invited me to that business gala, I already knew she had no good intentions.

On the phone, her voice was gentle and flawless.

"Evelyn, I think you should get to know more of Alex's friends now."

"After all, you're also a member of the Whitmore family."

When she said the word also, I heard the distance hidden behind it.

But I still went.

Because I wanted to know exactly where Alex placed our relationship.

The event was a private business gathering jointly hosted by several top investment firms.

Over the past fourteen years, I had attended countless occasions like this with Alex.

Except back then, he wasn't the center of attention.

Back then, he would hold my hand and tell me,

"When I succeed, I'll make sure everyone knows that without you, there would be no successful Alex Whitmore."

But now, I stood among the crowd, and no one knew I was his wife.

When Vivienne saw me, she immediately walked over.

She took my arm and smiled as she introduced me to the people around us.

"This is Evelyn Carter."

"Alex's friend from when he was younger."

She deliberately paused.

"She's also someone who has always supported him."

Several people around us exchanged meaningful looks.

"Oh, I see."

"I thought Miss Carter was also part of Whitmore Group."

"After all, everyone around Alex now seems to be a business partner."

Every seemingly ordinary sentence was actually reminding me of one thing.

There was no place for me here.

I looked at Vivienne.

"I'm Alex's friend?"

She covered her mouth and gave a soft laugh.

"Isn't that right? I'm only introducing you based on how Alex describes you publicly."

Only then did I understand.

She wasn't unaware.

She was reminding everyone that Alex had never publicly acknowledged my identity.

Later, someone asked about my career.

"Where does Miss Carter work now?"

Before I could answer, the woman beside us smiled first.

"Evelyn is a very low-key person."

"She has always spent so much time supporting Alex, so perhaps she hasn't had much time to develop her own career."

Her tone sounded gentle.

But her words turned me into a woman who depended on her husband.

I placed my glass down.

"Miss Laurent might have misunderstood."

"It's true that I spent a lot of time accompanying Alex."

"But while Alex was building his career, I was also improving myself and developing my own work."

"I have my own studio."

The surroundings fell silent for a moment.

I continued,

"Carter Atelier is currently handling several private residential design projects."

"If there is an opportunity in the future, I would also love to collaborate with Laurent Foundation."

Just then, Alex walked over.

I thought he would finally say something for me.

Tell everyone that I wasn't some so-called "person from his past" or someone useless.

But he only glanced at the situation.

Then he said to Vivienne,

"You don't need to spend too much time taking care of her."

Then he turned to me.

"If you don't like these kinds of events, you can leave earlier. Go home and wait for me."

My heart slowly turned cold.

His words sounded like he was considering my feelings.

But in reality, he had silently accepted everyone's assumptions.

He had accepted that I didn't belong here.

On the way home, I didn't argue with Alex.

I was exhausted.

Suddenly, I realized something.

Not every wound came from outsiders.

Sometimes the most painful moment was discovering that the person who had been closest to you for fourteen years would choose silence when everyone misunderstood and humiliated you.