Chapter 3

I holed up at home for three whole days, unable to face those videos.

Even more afraid to imagine how many people had watched them.

When Andre came home, he found me sitting by the window, drunk.

He walked over and held me in his arms with a sigh,

"Kingsley, I'm sorry. Did someone spread rumors again? If you can't take it anymore, let's just get divorced."

He looked so pained, so devoted.

I calmly pushed him away, staring hard into his eyes, wanting to see even a fraction of genuine pain, wanting to see if all my efforts over these years had been worth even a little.

"Andre, I didn't do anything wrong. Why are you treating me this way?"

Andre's whole body froze, then his eyes reddened with grievance,

"Kingsley, I can understand if you find me disgusting, but I really don't want to leave you." With that, he hugged me and started crying.

At that moment, I seemed to see the Andre from ten years ago.

Back then, he'd follow me around all day calling me baby, delivering the finest pastries to my hands.

He'd even carry me on his back all the way up the mountain when we went hiking.

Under the brilliant starlight, the young man's eyes shone brighter than the stars as he gripped my hand tightly,

"Kingsley, I never want to leave you in this lifetime. Let's be together forever, okay?"

Back then, I thought we'd have a forever future.

Until Andre and I went traveling in the mountains and encountered fourteen-year-old Marta.

She was being pressed to the ground by several men and lifted onto a three-wheeled cart. She knelt on the ground struggling desperately, pleading,

"Dad, please don't give me to someone else. I can chop firewood in the mountains, work the fields—I can earn money."

Tears mixed with dust smeared across her dark face, her hair tangled in a disheveled mess on her head.

From the surrounding people's discussions, I learned that her father wanted to sell her to a fifty-year-old man for money to build a house.

I immediately felt compassion, rebuked those people, and protected her.

Finally, after an argument, Andre gave all our travel money to Marta's father, saved her, and promised to sponsor her education going forward.

Who knew that after graduating from college, Marta would seek out Andre directly and stay by his side as his assistant.

She played the victim at every turn, acting meek and timid in front of me, as if I'd bullied her.

Andre told me more than once that Marta was timid, that I shouldn't be too forceful when talking to her, to be more gentle.

I thought she was just naturally unable to handle social situations. I never expected she was deliberately digging traps for me.

Until my birthday that day, when I kindly handed her a glass of fruit wine,

"Marta, let me introduce you to some friends. Play with them from now on."

Unexpectedly, after just two sips, she clutched her stomach and accused me of forcing her to drink, deliberately harming her.

She cried hysterically, collapsed in Andre's arms clutching her stomach. That day, Andre looked at me with eyes like poisoned arrows. In the end he said nothing, just rushed to the hospital carrying Marta.

That day I was furious too, had a huge fight with Andre, demanding to break off the engagement.

Finally, after his pleading and both sets of parents' mediation, I naively thought the matter would just pass.

But I never expected that the seed of resentment had already been planted.

Andre became convinced I'd deliberately killed the child, and began using a lifetime to punish me.

I coldly raised my hand to touch his head, laughing mockingly,

"Andre, if I made you choose between me and Marta, who would you be unable to bear leaving?"

Panic immediately flashed through Andre's eyes,

"Kingsley, why bring her up out of nowhere? Did someone tell you something?"

"I haven't been in contact with her for ages. Don't overthink it."

I lowered my eyes to wipe away tears, rising indifferently,

"Nobody said anything."

"I'm just feeling sentimental. If I hadn't given Marta that glass of fruit wine back then, perhaps your child would be four years old by now."

Andre's expression grew visibly tense, his spine stiffening involuntarily as he blurted out,

"Kingsley, how could I possibly have a child with another woman?"

I laughed mockingly, supporting myself as I slowly walked toward the bedroom, clutching the message Marta had just sent me,

"Kingsley, you know what Andre says about you? That high and mighty woman isn't even as good as a whore."

"Oh, and to prove his devotion to me, Andre specifically video-called me every time you stripped naked to seduce him. I figured I shouldn't let it go to waste, so I did a live stream. Over a million fans watched—everyone praised how slutty you are."

Andre, if you betray me, I will never let it rest. I'll make you face retribution.