Chapter 4

As soon as Tristan got home, he headed straight for the shower. Forgetting to grab his pajamas, he called Nicole to bring them to him.

The moment she pushed the door open, his well-built frame came into view.

But what caught her attention even more were the red marks scattered across his body.

Clearly feeling uneasy, Tristan quickly said, "Just leave them here, Nicky. You should head out."

Nicole gave him a cold glance, raising an eyebrow as she asked indifferently, "What happened to you?"

"Nothing.”

Seeing that she had noticed, Tristan panicked.

"I don’t know what it is—maybe an allergic reaction," he added, trying to shift the conversation. "By the way, Nicky, tomorrow’s your birthday. I’ve invited a lot of people to celebrate. You must be tired, so get some rest."

Nicole had almost forgotten that tomorrow was her birthday.

In the ten years they’d been together, he had always planned surprises for her birthday.

Every year, the gifts were more thoughtful and more extravagant than the last.

But what Nicole had wanted was never those things.

She walked out without another word and lay back in bed, closing her eyes but sleep wouldn’t come.

When she opened her eyes in the middle of the night, she saw Tristan sitting up, grinning at his phone. That smile gave everything away.

Pain clenched her heart, but she repeated silently to herself:

“Soon. Very soon, all of this will be over.”

The next morning, before Nicole was fully awake, Tristan leaned down and kissed her forehead affectionately, his voice soft and tender as he woke her.

"Come on, sleepyhead, time to get up!"

He had a row of dresses and high heels brought in for her to choose from. Even the maids, seeing this, couldn’t help but look on with envy.

"Sir, you’re so good to your wife!"

"Of course I am! She’s my wife. Who else would I spoil if not her?"

Nicole smiled faintly, but her eyes brimmed with mockery.

"Happy birthday, darling. Take a look, what do you want to wear today?"

Nicole casually picked a few outfits, and Tristan immediately instructed the staff to take the rest away.

When she stepped out, dressed and ready, she overheard Tristan telling one of the maids, "Send the rest of these clothes to the Willow Manor."

Willow Manor? Nicole remembered that house. They had bought it in their second year of marriage—a villa not far from home—but they’d never lived there.

A sense of unease crept over her, but she didn’t ask any questions.

For Nicole’s birthday party, Tristan had spent the entire day running around. From decorating the house to overseeing the pastries in the kitchen, he handled every detail personally.

He wouldn’t let Nicole lift a finger, insisting that as the birthday girl, her only job was to relax and enjoy herself.

If she didn’t already know about his affair, she might have believed she was the luckiest woman in the world.

As night fell, guests began to arrive one after another.

"Mr. Ford, you’re ridiculously devoted to Miss Snow! Birthdays, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries—every occasion is a grand event. Aren’t you tired of spoiling her so much?"

"Seriously, attending all your parties throughout the year is practically a full-time job! And they’re all for her. You must really love her, huh?"

Tristan held his wine glass under the glow of the crystal chandelier, his smile brimming with pride as he basked in their compliments.

"So, what if I spoil her? Nicky is the only woman I’ll ever love in this lifetime. There will be just as many parties in the years to come. Are you all coming or not?"

"Of course, we’ll come! With Mr. Ford setting such an example of devotion, we’ve got a lot to learn!"

Nicole sat expressionless on the sofa, watching Tristan chat and laugh with the guests. Her eyes glimmered with mockery.

He was truly impressive—lies rolled off his tongue so effortlessly. In the past, such words would have left her deeply moved.

Suddenly, the room stirred as Lisa made her entrance. The buzz of excitement spread quickly.

Nicole’s face darkened.

As expected, Tristan had invited her.