Chapter 2

"Cassie, you saw everything."

Ethan instinctively shielded Sophia behind him. "I couldn't control myself. On our wedding night, I said something came up at the company and didn't come home. Actually, it was because I saw Sophia crying so sadly at the wedding. I couldn't let her go, so I went to her apartment."

"I took her three times that night. That's why I had a hickey on my neck the next morning. I told you it was a mosquito bite, but it wasn't."

Cassandra froze. Before she could speak, Sophia had already broken down.

"Enough! Stop talking! Ethan, if you say one more word, I'll never speak to you again!"

After screaming, she turned and grabbed Cassandra's hand, crying and trembling.

"I'm sorry, Cassie. I didn't mean to. I couldn't help myself. I really didn't want to hurt you!"

Cassandra could no longer suppress her anger and slapped her across the face.

"Why would you do this to me! I treated you as my best friend! I gave you everything, and you even had to steal my husband! Why!"

"Cassie, we truly love each other... We just can't control it..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Cassandra slapped her again.

"You truly love each other? Then what do these ten-plus years between him and me mean!"

This slap was harder. Sophia fell to the ground.

Ethan rushed forward and shoved Cassandra aside.

"Enough, Cassie. If you're angry, take it out on me. Sophia's health isn't good. Don't touch her again."

Cassandra fell to the ground, sharp pains shooting through her lower abdomen.

But he turned to pick Sophia up. "Sophia, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Go check on Cassie!"

"Why do you still push me toward her at a time like this! You've yielded for so many years. Don't push me away again!"

Watching the boy who had once protected her growing up now protecting someone else.

Cassandra finally understood everything.

Actually, all the signs had been there.

Later, when he made locust flower cakes, there was always a portion for Sophia. He remembered she liked sweet things and would add extra sugar.

When going out shopping, he knew Sophia got cold easily and always kept a jacket in his bag.

He said it was for Cassandra, but she never wore it because she was afraid of heat, not cold.

That jacket was always on Sophia.

She loved steak. Sophia didn't.

So every time they went to a Western restaurant, Ethan would arrange for someone to bring Chinese food specifically for Sophia to enjoy alone.

Sometimes Cassandra would get jealous. He'd just pinch her cheek. "Silly girl, they say your best friend is like a second mother-in-law. If I want to marry you, don't I have to win her over?"

Cassandra had believed him. Now she realized she'd been a fool.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"No need to keep pushing each other away. Since you truly love each other, Ethan, I'll fulfill your wishes. Let's divorce."

"Cassie, I love you too. You know I won't divorce you."

Ethan grabbed her arm, his eyes cold, his tone even colder.

"As long as you apologize to Sophia, I'll forgive what you did today. Sophia has depression. She can't handle stress. If you don't forgive her, she'll do something to hurt herself again tonight!"

"I should apologize?"

Cassandra laughed.

"She stole my husband, and you want me to apologize to her?"

"Ethan, she's the mistress. I will absolutely never apologize to a mistress!"

Hearing the words "the mistress," Sophia suddenly pushed Ethan away and grabbed a bottle from the table, smashing it hard against her own head.

"I'm the mistress! I was wrong! I shouldn't have been the mistress! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Bright red blood flowed from her forehead, but she didn't stop. She grabbed another bottle and continued smashing it against herself.

"Cassie, I was wrong, Cassie! Please forgive me."

Again and again, her forehead became a bloody mess.

Ethan grabbed her hand, his eyes full of heartache.

"Stop! Sophia, stop! You're not the mistress. You're not! I love you, so you're not!"

This statement dealt Cassandra a fatal blow.

She never imagined that the Ethan who had announced at his eighteenth birthday coming-of-age ceremony in front of everyone that he would marry Cassandra when he grew up.

Now said he loved her best friend Sophia.

Seeing this scene, their friends couldn't help but speak up.

"Cassie, things have already come to this point. Why don't you just let them be together?"

"Yeah, we've brought up divorce before, but they both refused. They didn't want to hurt you."

"Aren't you two best friends? Can you bear to see Sophia suffer like this? She's been wronged for three years too, forcing herself into depression."

Their friends looked at Cassandra with indignation, as if she were the only culprit behind everything.

"Since you all think this way, I have nothing to say."

She turned to leave, but Ethan immediately had someone block her path.

"Stop! You think you can just walk away after doing this to Sophia?"

Cassandra bit her lip, tears blurring her vision.

"Then what do you want?"