Chapter 2

They were scamming by marrying fools like me, then draining their finances.

In just eight months, they managed to scam $480,000 including the betrothal gift.

Thinking about them calling each other siblings in front of me while doing who-knows-what behind my back made me sick.

I was trembling with rage, realizing they even wanted 70% of my savings.

They took me for a total fool.

If I hadn’t forgotten a document and returned home just in time to overhear their call, I’d have been utterly duped.

I had intended to show Fiona the shareholders’ agreement in a couple of days and try to win her back. After all, though we’d only been married eight months, how could there be no feelings at all?

But I felt as if my heart, like a fallen leaf, was filled with disappointment.

Anger surged from within, and I clenched my fists, wanting to expose their scheme right then and there.

Calm down!

Knowing it’s a scam, I can’t let them off easily. They must pay.

To avoid alerting her that I knew everything, I quietly backed away from the door, closing it as if I’d never been there.

I hid in the stairwell, and soon Fiona, wearing a short skirt and stockings, came out.

She went downstairs and got into a taxi—I could guess where she was going.

If only I had been prepared, I would have followed her.

Fiona didn’t return until ten at night, now wearing a tracksuit instead of her earlier attire. When she opened the door, she saw me watching TV in the living room.

I hadn’t agreed to the divorce yesterday, so she seemed a bit uneasy.

After a moment, she slowly approached me, asking, “Nolan, have you thought about the divorce yet?”

I looked up at her, the love bite behind her ear making me nauseous.

“You really want a divorce? Just because I got fired?”

Fiona’s eyes welled up with tears: “I don’t really want a divorce, but you know I don’t work, and my brother isn’t settled, we need money. Now that you’re unemployed with no income, what can I do? If there was another way, I wouldn’t…”

“I didn’t get fired.”

I cut her off before she could finish.

Her face was a mix of confusion and surprise when I said I wasn’t fired.

She sat next to me, leaning in, her scent faintly present.

Ha, this must be the perfume she wears for her brother-husband. How disgusting.

Seeing me silent, Fiona panicked. After all, not everyone makes a salary of $40,000 a month. Who knows how long it would take to find another fool like me?

And not every sucker would earn such a high salary.

“Hahaha.”

“No worries, babe. I get it, I really do. I was just joking with you. How could someone as capable as your husband get fired?”

I wrapped my arm around Fiona’s waist, pulling her close.

She didn’t resist, snuggling in even closer, though her eyes lacked any genuine emotion.

“Babe, I know it’s tough raising Lachlan alone. I understand your need for money.”

“I wasn’t fired, just teasing you. The company decided to raise my salary starting this month, and I’ll get an extra $40,000 or $50,000 in bonuses at the end of the year. I thought since Lachlan is smart, why not set him up with a company so he can learn to earn too? That’d ease your burden.”

“We won’t get divorced. I’ll always take care of you, okay?”

Then I kissed her on the lips.

Come on, someone else's wife—why not kiss her? It’s a bit thrilling, actually.

Fiona bashfully responded, and as I kissed her more deeply, she responded earnestly with her tongue until we both struggled for breath, finally pulling apart.

Her face flushed, she looked at me earnestly, asking, “Is that true, babe?”

“But starting a company for Lachlan, he doesn’t know how.”

“What if he loses money?”

"We're not getting a divorce. I'll always take care of you, okay?"

With those words, I leaned in and kissed her.

Just kidding, right? Not kissing someone else's wife when you have the chance? There’s a certain thrill to it.

Fiona Adams responded bashfully. Seeing how serious I was, she extended her tongue to meet mine. We only pulled away when we were both out of breath.

Her face flushed, she looked at me earnestly and asked, "Honey, do you mean it?"

"But Lachlan doesn't know how to run a company."

"What if it loses money?"

"Are you really going to give him so much money to start a company?"

Fiona hadn’t expected that not only was I not fired, but my income had also increased, with a year-end bonus that was beyond her imagination.

She was even more surprised when I suggested starting a company for her brother Lachlan; she seemed very excited.

I gently patted her hand and said softly, "Of course, it's true. You're my wife, and Lachlan is your brother. We're family, after all."

"If I don't treat you well, who will I treat well, silly? Don't mention divorce again. Everything I have is yours."

Fiona was touched by my words and embraced me.

I thought to myself, "You think you can take my money that easily? I'll make sure to get it all back with interest."

Pushing that thought aside, I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

Tonight, let's make this night unforgettable with Lachlan's wife.

"Stop it, I haven't showered yet... Mmm..."

......

A year ago, I first met Fiona Adams at a coffee shop near my office.

Just like in many romantic dramas, she accidentally knocked over my coffee, spilling it all over me.

She apologized profusely, trying to clean the coffee stains, and that's when I noticed her. Her looks and style were exactly what I liked, like the girl next door.

She insisted on adding me on WeChat, claiming she wanted to reimburse me for the laundry.

I thought it was just a typical encounter. About three days after the café meeting, I saw her again near the office.

This time, she was in professional attire, sitting dejectedly by the flower bed with her resume in hand. A cleaning lady passed by with a heavy-looking trash cart.

Fiona didn't hesitate to help, despite the dirt.

At that moment, I was moved by her kindness, and something stirred in my heart.

So, I started chatting with her on WeChat.

As we talked more, we grew closer. She seemed perfect to me; we even shared the same taste in food.

Even our hobbies were the same, which made me fall into her trap.

I started pursuing her relentlessly.

Unfortunately, what I thought was true love turned out to be a scam. There’s no such thing as a perfect lover.

Had I not pretended to have been fired on a whim, I might never have discovered the true relationship between her and her brother.

I might have ended up bankrupt, with them taking my money and eloping.

Thankfully, I realized everything in time. Not only did I uncover their scheme, but if I played my cards right, I might even reclaim the money they swindled from me.

When Lachlan Adams heard I was funding his company, he dropped all demands for a divorce and splitting assets at the county courthouse, affectionately calling me "brother-in-law."

Through his narrow eyes, I could see his disdain and contempt for me.

Since we were starting a company, the location had to be prime. As the boss, Lachlan needed a secretary, right?

I used my connections to find an office in a prime location and hired a drama school graduate as his secretary.

Once everything was set up, I called Lachlan and Fiona over to show them the place and introduce the secretary.

Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, you could see the cityscape. The secretary, Daphne Harper, was wearing a professional top and a pencil skirt, with black stockings and high heels, which caught Lachlan's eye.

"So, Lachlan, are you satisfied with this place?"

"Yes, brother-in-law, I'm very satisfied!"

Lachlan couldn't care less about the environment, his eyes glued to Daphne Harper.

"Alright, Daphne, why don't you fetch us some champagne? Let's celebrate. Come, have a seat."

I invited them to the sofa. Lachlan and Fiona were already dreaming about the company's future, grinning widely.

Daphne Harper walked in with a tray, swaying her slim waist. As she passed by Lachlan, I gave her a look.

"Oh no!"

Daphne pretended to twist her ankle, spilling champagne all over Lachlan.

"Sorry, Mr. Adams, I'll clean it up right away."

She bent down to wipe the wine off Lachlan's clothes, her wide neckline revealing a hint of skin.

She was a campus beauty, not only pretty but also with an incredible figure. Her sultry eyes locked with Lachlan's as she wiped, slowly moving the towel from his chest down to his thigh.

"Mmm..."

Lachlan seemed to be enjoying it. Fiona sat beside him, her face dark with anger.

I chuckled, "Daphne, you should be more careful."

"Lachlan doesn't have a girlfriend yet, right? And Daphne, you're single too, right?"

"You two make a handsome pair. If you get along, you could develop something."

Just as I finished, Fiona suddenly stood up, knocking her teacup to the ground, shattering it.

She charged at them like an angry lioness.

"Honey, what's wrong?" I feigned ignorance and asked in surprise.