Chapter 3

I rushed forward in fury and separated them. Bella fell to her knees before me. Her entire body was covered in hickies.

She said she was drugged by her competitor, and she did not have a choice when she slept with Carlson.

When I looked at her tear-streaked face, I chose to forgive her.

However, I set a condition. I wanted her to fire Carlson.

Bella looked a little hesitant when she heard that.

I immediately felt that there was something more to their relationship.

When I pressed her further, I found out that Carlson had been Bella’s neighbor back in her hometown.

“He was just a neighbor. I can give him some money so that he can live a decent life.”

Even though I had set a boundary, Bella chose to keep Carlson.

She told me that when she was younger, her family had tried to sell her off. She snuck out and accidentally fell off a cliff. Carlson was the one who had saved her.

“He saved me and took me to the highway. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve been sold in marriage to an old man in the village.

“It’s because of him that I got to meet you!

“Pete, I only love you. This is just an accident. Please don’t hold it against me, alright?”

Carlson also begged on his knees.

“Professor Taylor, you’re a good man. Please, don’t fire me. I’ll work hard.”

I finally gave in and nodded.

I had not expected that they would betray me very soon.

Three months later, I opened the door to the kitchen and saw Carlson hugging Bella.

They were intimate.

When they saw me, Bella screamed and buried herself in Carlson’s embrace.

I smashed everything in the house angrily and left as I slammed the door behind me.

Bella quickly put on her clothes and chased after me. She apologized and begged me for forgiveness.

“I wasn’t thinking straight. I won’t do that again.”

I sobbed and felt my heart break at that moment. I had loved her too much and gave her another chance.

Bella did not disappoint. She gave Carlson some money and told him to leave the city.

-

The guests' clamor of voices grew louder, snapping me back to reality.

When Bella saw that everyone was laughing at me, she looked apologetic.

“I’m sorry, Pete. It’s all our fault.”

I nodded indifferently. “Who’s going to pay?”

“I’ll pay.”

She dragged me to the kitchen and passed me a bank card.

“You must’ve suffered all these years. Here’s ten million dollars. Take it. Consider it my apology.”

The back of the card looked familiar. It was a rose that I had drawn on the day we got married.

Before I could decline, Carlson barged in.

When he saw the two of us, he was furious. He looked at Bella.

“Bella, what are you doing here with Professor Taylor?”

Bella immediately pushed me away. She grabbed Carlson’s hand firmly.

“Nothing happened between us. Don’t overthink it.”

I looked away and saw that the crowd in the banquet hall was looking at me in pity and disgust.

“I’m sorry. Carlson’s been a little paranoid these past few years. He’s afraid that I’ll leave him.

“What happened to us in the past traumatized him. Please don’t blame him.”

Her first instinct was to apologize, and her second was to justify his behavior.

I felt an indescribable sense of sorrow.

He was the cause of all my sufferings. However, my wife, whom I had once loved deeply, chose the culprit who had hurt me.