Chapter 2

After receiving his confident response, I hung up. I felt as if my heart had been hollowed out.

Everyone in the city knew that I changed careers to become a weather forecaster just so I could marry Cody.

My mother-in-law initially looked down on me, claiming a lawyer was just someone who makes a living with words.

Without a second thought, Cody made me a famous presenter. I received more awards than I could count.

But at the peak of my career, he orchestrated an artificial rain to please a nightclub hostess.

I fell from grace while he mockingly whispered in my ear, "Jealous? Don't be. I went to even greater lengths when I pursued you. Why can't I make other women smile too?"

I finally understood. Once I was his, I became something that he could trample at will.

That night, my boss urgently called me in.

I quickly prepared my script and was about to enter the studio when Sydney Swain approached me.

"Jenny, Cody wants me to try reporting the weather. You don’t mind, do you?"

She greedily eyed my script as if her victory was guaranteed.

I knew Cody would spoil Sydney, but reality was crueler than I imagined.

I smiled self-deprecatingly and let go of the script.

Cody sat in the control room, listening to Sydney's clumsy broadcast with interest, occasionally laughing out loud.

He couldn’t hide the affection in his eyes.

For the first time in my career, I sat on the sidelines.

Sydney even sent me to fetch drinks and write her scripts for her. It was utterly degrading.

The coworkers who looked down on me ridiculed me endlessly.

"Sydney already made her screen debut after arriving three days ago. So what if Jenny is the top presenter in the station? She still has to step aside for Sydney."

"Doesn't Jenny like snow? With Sydney here, I bet there won't be any snow this year."

"Let’s bet five hundred bucks on who will win the June Bacon-Bercey Award tomorrow. I bet on Sydney."

-

After the broadcast, Cody approached me with Sydney, all smiles.

"What do you think? Sydney did well, right? I told you she has great potential."

He couldn’t hide the pride in his voice.

I simply nodded and headed to the break room.

Cody frowned, gazing at my back as if wanting to say something.

The chorus of congratulations from others drew his attention back to Sydney.

Even after I locked the door, the raucous noise outside was still too loud to ignore.

I drank a cup of coffee to sober up. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. I had received an anonymous audio clip.

For some reason, I clicked play. I heard Sydney’s panicked and terrified voice.

"Cody, what do I do? Jenny's mother suddenly rushed out, and it was raining heavily... Please help me, Cody. I can disappear for a while. Just don’t let me go to prison. I beg you…"

My heart tightened. I held my breath, waiting for more.

The audio remained silent for at least three minutes, then Cody’s gentle yet cruel voice came through.

"This is a ticket to go abroad. Leave the rest to me."