001: The Anniversary Gift

Elena arranged the plates on the dining table and checked the time again.

9:32 PM.

Her husband was still not home.

She looked at the food she had spent hours preparing and forced herself to smile. Today was their third wedding anniversary. Adrian had forgotten the last two, but she still hoped this year would be different.

She adjusted the candles and picked up her phone to check if she had gotten a response from Adrian. No response still. The dinner was already getting cold.

A few minutes later, she heard the front door open downstairs. She heaved a sigh of relief immediately.

“Adrian?” she called softly as she walked toward the staircase.

Then she stopped.

She heard laughter.

A woman’s laughter.

“Elena is probably sleeping already,” Vanessa said.

Elena froze.

“That’s good,” Adrian replied carelessly. “I’m tired of explaining myself to her.”

Vanessa laughed again. “Then divorce her.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why? You don’t even love her.”

There was silence for two seconds before Adrian answered.

“You know I don’t.”

Elena felt her chest tighten.

Vanessa lowered her voice playfully. “Then why are you still keeping her around?”

“She listens. She doesn’t question me. And honestly, she’s useful.”

Useful??? Elena repeated quietly.

Elena tightened her grip on the stair rail.

Vanessa hissed. “Please. That woman has nothing. No status. No money. No connections. I still don’t know why you married her.”

“I was stupid back then and I regret it so much"

Elena stopped breathing for a moment. She didn't want to believe what she was hearing.

Then Adrian added casually, “Besides, after tonight, she won’t be my problem anymore.”

Vanessa sounded confused. “What do you mean?”

“The deal is done.”

“What deal?”

Adrian chuckled. “Damian Blackwood wants her.”

Elena’s brows pulled together immediately.

Vanessa gasped. “Wait… seriously? You’re actually giving your wife to another man?”

“It’s a contract arrangement,” Adrian corrected. “And in return, Damian invests in my company.”

“Oh my God.” Vanessa laughed in disbelief. “That’s insane.”

“It’s business.”

“And Elena agreed to this?”

“She doesn’t have a choice.”

Elena felt sick. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.

Her body moved before her mind could stop it. She walked downstairs slowly until both of them saw her.

The moment Adrian noticed her standing there, his expression changed slightly.

“Elena.”

Vanessa stepped away from him immediately, but it was too late.

Elena had already seen everything.

Vanessa was wearing Adrian’s shirt.

Her lipstick was smeared.

And Adrian didn’t even look guilty.

Elena looked at him quietly. “You’re cheating on me?”

Adrian sighed like he was already tired of the conversation. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

Vanessa crossed her arms. “Well, now you know.”

Elena ignored her completely and kept staring at her husband.

“Today is our anniversary.”

“I forgot.”

No apology.

Nothing.

Elena laughed softly, but her eyes were already filling with tears. “I cooked for you.”

Adrian loosened his tie. “Elena, let’s not make this dramatic.”

“Dramatic?” she repeated. "You’re sleeping with my best friend and you say I'm being dramatic?"

Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Please stop acting innocent. Your marriage has been dead for a long time.”

Elena looked at her slowly. “For how long has this been going on?”

Vanessa smirked. “Six months.”

The answer hit harder than she expected.

Elena looked back at Adrian. “Six months?”

“It just happened.”

“It just happened?” Elena repeated in disbelief.

Adrian walked toward the table and picked up a file. “Forget about that for now. There’s something more important.”

He handed the papers to her.

“Sign them.”

Elena looked down at the document.

TRANSFER AGREEMENT.

Her face slowly lost color.

“What is this?”

“Damian Blackwood requested you personally.”

She blinked. “What?”

“In exchange, he saves my company.”

Elena stared at him like she had never seen him before.

“You’re selling me?”

“No one is selling you.”

“You literally just handed me transfer papers!”

Adrian’s expression hardened immediately. “You want to keep living in luxury, don’t you? This house, these clothes, everything you enjoy came from me.”

Elena looked at him in shock.

“You think I owe you?”

“I think you should stop pretending you’re too good for this arrangement.”

Vanessa stepped closer to Adrian and wrapped her arm around his.

“You should just sign quietly, Elena. At least this way, you’ll finally be useful.”

That was the moment something inside Elena broke completely.

Before she could respond, the front door opened again.

The room fell silent instantly.

A tall man walked inside wearing a black suit. His eyes landed directly on Elena.

Damian Blackwood.

His expression changed the moment he saw her.

And Elena’s heart stopped too.

Because she recognized him immediately.

The stranger from that night.

The one man she prayed

never to see again.

Damian stared at her for a long moment before speaking.

“You’re married?”