Chapter 4 · The Woman He Shouldn't Have Betrayed

I returned to my long-abandoned passion, interior design.

I signed up for an elite course taught by industry pros, and every night after work, I buried myself in study, barely eating or sleeping.

Those edges of my personality that had been dulled by years of everyday routines started to sharpen once more.

For the first time in ages, I began to reevaluate who I was, not just James's wife, but someone with her own dreams and worth.

Soon enough, my hard work began to pay off.

A reputable interior design company gave me a shot with an interview.

Armed with solid expertise and a refined sense of style honed over two decades of living, I breezed through the interview.

On the day of the interview, as I stepped out of the office building, a cool late-autumn breeze brushed against my face.

Just around the corner, I caught sight of those two painfully familiar figures.

Sophie linked arms with James, laughing and chatting like a couple in love.

She was swinging a glimmering, limited-edition designer bag, flaunting its luxury as it caught the sunset's golden light.

I'd had my eye on that exact bag for my birthday last year.

I just brought it up casually, but James immediately frowned, clearly irritated.

He said, "At your age, you're still going after these flashy things? What a waste of money. Wouldn't it be better to spend on the kids' tutoring?"

And now, that so-called waste of money was hanging right from Sophie's arm.

Sophie glanced up and caught sight of me.

She didn't look the least bit rattled.

Instead, she flashed a smug smile and lifted the bag a little higher, throwing James an even sweeter, syrupy grin. Her eyes sparkled with open challenge.

James noticed and instantly looked embarrassed. He tried to pull his hand back, but Sophie clung on for dear life.

Back in my previous life, I would've gone running over like some crazy wife, kicking up a fuss, yelling and sobbing, just totally embarrassing myself in front of everyone.

But now, I just stayed cool, stood my ground, pulled out my phone, and snapped a crystal-clear shot of that in-your-face moment.

My heart didn't even flinch.

Then I spun on my heel and headed straight into the 24-hour print shop next door, having that photo printed out.

Back home, I unearthed a long-forgotten rosewood box from the deepest corner of my study drawer, its surface covered in a thick layer of dust.

Inside was a faded letter James wrote at our wedding. It said, Loyal to family. Never betray you. The sincerity remained clear.

I set that painfully clear photo of their little rendezvous right beside the equally painful promise letter, locking them away together in the box.

This was my ultimate gift for the two.

Chapter 4

I returned to my long-abandoned passion, interior design.

I signed up for an elite course taught by industry pros, and every night after work, I buried myself in study, barely eating or sleeping.

Those edges of my personality that had been dulled by years of everyday routines started to sharpen once more.

For the first time in ages, I began to reevaluate who I was, not just James's wife, but someone with her own dreams and worth.

Soon enough, my hard work began to pay off.

A reputable interior design company gave me a shot with an interview.

Armed with solid expertise and a refined sense of style honed over two decades of living, I breezed through the interview.

On the day of the interview, as I stepped out of the office building, a cool late-autumn breeze brushed against my face.

Just around the corner, I caught sight of those two painfully familiar figures.

Sophie linked arms with James, laughing and chatting like a couple in love.

She was swinging a glimmering, limited-edition designer bag, flaunting its luxury as it caught the sunset's golden light.

I'd had my eye on that exact bag for my birthday last year.

I just brought it up casually, but James immediately frowned, clearly irritated.

He said, "At your age, you're still going after these flashy things? What a waste of money. Wouldn't it be better to spend on the kids' tutoring?"

And now, that so-called waste of money was hanging right from Sophie's arm.

Sophie glanced up and caught sight of me.

She didn't look the least bit rattled.

Instead, she flashed a smug smile and lifted the bag a little higher, throwing James an even sweeter, syrupy grin. Her eyes sparkled with open challenge.

James noticed and instantly looked embarrassed. He tried to pull his hand back, but Sophie clung on for dear life.

Back in my previous life, I would've gone running over like some crazy wife, kicking up a fuss, yelling and sobbing, just totally embarrassing myself in front of everyone.

But now, I just stayed cool, stood my ground, pulled out my phone, and snapped a crystal-clear shot of that in-your-face moment.

My heart didn't even flinch.

Then I spun on my heel and headed straight into the 24-hour print shop next door, having that photo printed out.

Back home, I unearthed a long-forgotten rosewood box from the deepest corner of my study drawer, its surface covered in a thick layer of dust.

Inside was a faded letter James wrote at our wedding. It said, Loyal to family. Never betray you. The sincerity remained clear.

I set that painfully clear photo of their little rendezvous right beside the equally painful promise letter, locking them away together in the box.

This was my ultimate gift for the two.