Farewell, Sterling

Everyone in Los Angeles said that Sean Sterling was madly in love with me. If I wanted the stars, he would never settle for the moon.

Because I was a picky eater, he personally cooked all three meals a day for me for five years.

During an earthquake, he used his own body to shield me from falling bricks and stones. And I had always believed that, too.

Until the night of our fifth wedding anniversary, when a friend request came from an unfamiliar number.

I tapped open the profile and saw every single image of Sean Sterling accompanying her to see the Northern Lights, celebrating her birthday, and passionately entangling with her on our wedding bed.

It turned out deep affection could be massproduced, with a share for anyone who crossed his path.

Later, for her sake, he stole the bidding proposal I had worked on for over half a year, snatching away Vance Group's last saving straw.

On the day I miscarried, he refused to answer my calls. Later still, I signed the divorce agreement and left with Raymond and Rosalind for Milan.

Everyone was waiting to see how pathetic I, the discarded wife, would become.

But Tristan Xavier, the man from Xavier Group who never let women get close, publicly kicked down a local thug who disrespected me at a gala, draped his coat over my shoulders, and declared to all of Milan: "This lady, starting tonight, is under my protection." Vivian's POV "Raymond, Rosalind, why don't you immigrate and live abroad with me?" Hearing my words, my father Raymond Vance and my mother Rosalind Vance were incredibly shocked. "If we go abroad, what about Sean?" "His entire business is here.

He can't just immigrate with us. Can you really bear to leave Sean?" "You two are practically joined at the hip every day, completely inseparable.

If you don't see him for a single day, you can't even sleep." "Not to mention Sean. Last time he couldn't find you for an hour, he was so frantic he searched the entire city.

All of Los Angeles knows. How are you two going to handle a longdistance relationship?" I lowered my head and remained silent.

Indeed, everyone in Los Angeles knew that Sean Sterling—the ruthless, cold billionaire CEO—was completely lovebrained when it came to me, his childhood sweetheart and wife.

If I wanted the stars, Sean would never settle for the moon.

Because I was a picky eater, Sean personally learned how to cook and made all three meals a day for me with his own hands. During a trip one year, we encountered an earthquake.

Sean shielded me tightly beneath him, using his own body to block the falling bricks and stones.

On our wedding day, Sean even set off fireworks across the city for three days and three nights, declaring to the entire world that he had finally married me.

Yet, it was this very Sean who, a year ago, cheated on me with Joy Foster, the new young assistant at his company. Yesterday was our fifth wedding anniversary.

Sean had booked the most luxurious restaurant in Los Angeles far in advance. But no matter how long I waited, Sean never showed up, and my calls to him went unanswered.

Just as I was worrying if something had happened to Sean, I received a WeChat friend request from an unfamiliar number. I accepted it out of habit.

The other side said nothing, so I casually tapped open her Moments. As it turned out, this was Joy Foster's burner account, specifically used to document her daily life with Sean.

On Sean's birthday, I personally baked a cake and waited for him all night.

But Sean didn't return until the early hours of the next morning, looking exhausted and claiming that there was an issue with a company project and he had been in meetings all night.

In reality, he had spent that night with Joy in a hotel suite, in all sorts of positions.

I had always wanted to go to Antarctica to see penguins, but because Sean was busy with work, the trip never happened.

Yet on Joy's Moments, he had already accompanied her to that frozen continent to see them.

When I went on business trips, Sean would videocall me every morning, noon, and night, asking when I would be back.

He said that without me by his side, he had no appetite and couldn't even focus on his work. In fact, he and Joy were inseparable every single day, living and eating together.

The office, the car, hotels, and even our home's bathroom and the master bedroom's large bed—every single place was their playground.

Tears blurred my vision, and my head buzzed so loudly I could barely think. The latest post was published ten minutes ago, taken in a movie theater restroom.

The caption read: [He says he's not free right now, and tells a certain someone to wait.] The phone fell onto the table. With trembling hands, I picked it up again.

A new message popped up: [In the bottom drawer of your master bedroom's wardrobe, there are some things belonging to Mr. Sterling and me. Doesn't Ms.

Vance want to take a look?] The waiter stepped forward cautiously to ask: "Excuse me, ma'am, would you like me to serve the food now?" I forced a bitter smile. "No, thank you." I didn't even remember how I got home.

Once home, I stumbled into the master bedroom and pulled open the wardrobe drawer. Inside were all kinds of toys and devices, all used on Joy Foster. My stomach churned violently.

Covering my mouth, I ran into the bathroom and started dryheaving. That night, Sean didn't come back, and I didn't sleep a wink.

After a night of being torn apart by pain, despair, and selfdoubt, I accepted the reality and decided to leave for good, taking my family with me.

The next day, I washed my face, wiped away my tears, and went to the Vance family home.

Seeing my silence, Raymond and Rosalind immediately noticed that something was wrong with their daughter. "Vivian, did you and Sean have a fight?" I looked up and calmly told them the truth. "Raymond, Rosalind... he cheated on me.

I've decided to leave him." After their initial shock, Raymond and Rosalind didn't ask too many questions. They supported my decision without any hesitation. "Good!

Since Sean Sterling dared to mistreat you, our Vivian will just dump him. We'll find someone better!" "That's right! As soon as we finish this last project, we'll immigrate.

We'll support you for the rest of your life!" Having the support of Raymond and Rosalind warmed my heart a little. "Raymond, Rosalind, I'll find a way to divorce him.

Once everything is settled, we'll leave the country." The front door was suddenly pushed open, and Sean walked in holding a gift box. "Who's going abroad?" After greeting Raymond and Rosalind, he walked straight over to my side.

Raymond and Rosalind tactfully left the room without saying another word. "I want to accompany Raymond and Rosalind on a trip abroad next month.

Do you want to come with us?" My expression remained perfectly normal. "I have a project and need to go on a business trip for a few days, so I won't be able to make it this time.

I'll go with you next time." Sean looked regretful. Of course he wasn't free.

Just this morning, Joy had posted on her Moments that Sean was going to accompany her on a vacation to the Maldives next month.

Sean opened the small box in his hand and took out a pigeonblood ruby bracelet. "Our fifth anniversary gift.

I worked too late at the office last night and missed our candlelit dinner. I'll make it up to you next time, okay?" I stared blankly at the bracelet.

It was an unreleased, limitededition piece I had seen in a catalog half a year ago—a full set of pigeonblood ruby jewelry that required a preorder.

I had only lingered on the page for a few extra moments, yet I hadn't expected Sean to commit it to memory.

Seeing that I was silent, Sean gently ruffled my hair. "Did you miss me after not seeing me last night?

Or is it that you'll miss me during your trip next month?" He gently took my hand to lead me home. "It's just a trip for a few days.

It's not like you won't be coming back." But I truly planned to never return. After next month, I would start a new life—one without Sean Sterling.

Once in the car, I noticed a corner of lace peeking out from under the passenger seat. This wasn't the first time I had found Joy Foster's belongings in the car.

Lipstick, silk scarves, the scent of perfume—Joy had long been dropping hints and provoking me, both intentionally and unintentionally.

Every time, Sean would say it was left behind by a client or an employee. In the past, I believed him and never thought twice about it.

But I would never believe him again. "What are you thinking about?" Sean noticed that I was acting a bit strange today—unusually quiet, constantly spacing out. "Nothing.

I just want to go somewhere first." "Sure, where?" Sean asked, pulling his mind back. "I'll just put it in the GPS for you." I didn't give him a direct answer.

Halfway through the drive, Sean's phone rang. Caller ID: Joy Foster. Sean glanced at me and answered it calmly. "What?

Alright, I'm on my way." Hanging up, Sean looked at me with an apologetic expression. "Vivian, there's an emergency at the office..." When you tell too many lies, you don't even bother coming up with fresh excuses. "Go ahead.

Just drop me off at the next intersection." Seeing my calm demeanor, Sean felt a sudden pang of unease, but he quickly brushed it aside.

After all, it was perfectly normal for his assistant to call him. Besides, I had always been sensible and never disrupted his work.

Watching the Maybach speed away into the distance, the tears I had held back for so long finally spilled over. Sean Sterling, you were so close to finding out where I was going.

Vivian's POV I hailed a taxi and went to a law firm downtown. "Please draft a divorce agreement for me." "Ms. Vance, the agreement you want to draft is... with Mr.

Sterling?" "Yes." I ignored the lawyer's astonished look. The lawyer opened his mouth, his face filled with utter disbelief.

After all, in Los Angeles, hearing that Sean Sterling was getting a divorce was about as likely as the sun rising from the west.

Once the agreement was drafted, the lawyer handed it over, carefully choosing his words to offer a reminder. "Ms. Vance, this agreement will only take effect once Mr.

Sterling himself signs it." He was probably certain that Sean, who loved his wife more than life itself, would never sign his name on this document.

Just as nobody believed Sean would ever cheat. I nodded, tucked the document away, and stood up to head home.

Upon arriving home, I didn't hesitate to start packing up the old belongings Sean and I shared. There were truly quite a lot of keepsakes from our time together.

Rosalind and Sean's mother were best friends as well as neighbors. Right after I was born, Teresa Sterling held Sean's hand to come visit Vivian Vance.

When I was one year old and playing with Sean, my tiny hand grabbed his and refused to let go.

After I learned to call for Raymond and Rosalind, the third name I ever spoke was Sean. Once I learned to walk, Sean would hold my little hand and run all over the yard with me.

From the time I was thirteen, Sean remembered every single one of my menstrual cycles. At school, Sean would coldly block all of my suitors.

At age twenty, he climbed to the peak of the tallest snowy mountain and made a lifetime vow.

During my university graduation ceremony, Sean couldn't wait to propose to me in front of everyone. All of his friends said he was completely lovebrained just for me.

How did such a wonderful Sean change so completely? I pulled myself back from my thoughts. I opened the bottom drawer of the desk.

Inside were the love letters Sean had written to me—from our school uniform days to my wedding dress, hundreds of letters in total.

I threw all the love letters into a cardboard box. Right after, I found my sketchbook in another drawer.

It was a thick book, filled entirely with sketches of Sean—his profile, his sleeping face, him tying his tie, and him focusing on his work.

Flipping to the last page, the man in the drawing was still smiling at me. I closed the sketchbook and threw it straight into the box.

Then, I found a pair of small wood carvings we had made together, the ceramic cups we crafted, the 999 paper stars Sean had folded for me, and so on.

Finally, there were countless photos, from the years we ran around the yard to our wedding day—every single detail of what I once thought were my most precious memories.

Not a single photo was left behind; they were all packed into the box. At the very end of my packing, I found a strawwoven ring at the bottom of my jewelry box.

That year, Sean was sixteen. We had just started dating, and our first date was on the school sports field.

He had learned the craft from god knows where, spending half of selfstudy class with his head down weaving it before slipping the straw ring onto my finger. "Vivian, once you put on my ring, you have to stay with me for the rest of your life." The teenage boy's hands had been shaking as he slipped the ring on.

Later, fearing the straw would wither and break, he specifically asked me for clear nail polish to carefully paint a layer over it, saying he wanted it to last until our golden anniversary.

And then, at some point, he simply stopped ever mentioning this ring. My phone suddenly buzzed. Joy's burner account had sent a video. In the video, Joy was completely unclothed.

Sean held a wine bottle, slowly pouring the red liquid over her body. Then, he leaned down to clean her up with his mouth. Immediately after, a text message followed: [Mr.

Sterling says it's delicious.] My stomach instantly began to churn. Joy's provocations were becoming more and more explicit. She was forcing a showdown. I looked down at my palm.

The straw ring had long turned yellow and brittle; it crumbled at the slightest touch. Our relationship was just like this ring—never to return to what it once was.

I raised my hand and threw the ring fiercely toward the cardboard box.

But I didn't notice that the ring grazed the edge of the box, bounced off, and rolled under the dresser. "What are you packing?" Sean had returned at some point. "Nothing, just some trash that needs to be thrown out." Without thinking much of it, Sean walked over, pulled me into his arms, and kissed my forehead out of habit.

His breath was still laced with the scent of red wine. My stomach spasmed again. Suppressing my nausea, I pushed him away. "You reek of alcohol.

Go take a shower first." Sean's eyes darted away as he quickly agreed. "Right, I just finished entertaining a client." He immediately turned and walked into the bathroom.

As soon as the shower started running, I pulled out a disinfectant wipe and rubbed my forehead furiously, only stopping when the skin turned red and painful.

Before long, Sean came out of the shower and clung to me again, resting his chin on the top of my head.

I quietly stepped out of his embrace and walked toward the guest room. "There's an urgent project at the company that I need to work on.

Go to sleep first; I'll stay in the guest room tonight." Sean looked at his empty arms, his expression turning lonely. "If you're tired, don't do it.

I can have a professional management team take over. You just need to focus on being Mrs.

Sterling." I let out a soft chuckle and patiently mollified him. "Vance Group is Raymond's life's work. How can we just hand it over to someone else?

Go to bed, don't wait up." In the past, hearing him say the words "Mrs. Sterling" filled me with happiness. Hearing them now, however, only felt ironic.

The guest room door closed, separating two entirely different worlds. Late into the night, I was completely sleepless. The night was too quiet.

The master bedroom door wasn't fully closed, and the sound of Sean making a phone call drifted down the hallway.

He was on the phone with his childhood friend, Logan Carter, speaking in Italian.

He didn't know that I had secretly learned Italian in the past just to help him verify overseas contracts.

Because of that, he had the call on speaker and spoke with absolute abandon. "So, how does it feel to keep a canary?" Sean chuckled, savoring the thought. "Joy is young, so she's definitely tight and wet." Logan laughed along. "Well, looks like Mr.

Sterling's dry spell has finally broken. Aren't you afraid Vivian will find out?" Sean replied nonchalantly. "Joy is very obedient.

She doesn't demand status and never makes a scene.

So, Vivian won't find out." "What if she does?" "Even if she does, she can't leave me." Sean answered with absolute certainty. "She has only ever had one man in her life—me.

She'll only ever be mine." After a pause, he casually added. "But being together for so long, the spark is definitely gone. Holding her hand is like holding my own.

Joy is different—she reacts the moment I touch her." Another burst of knowing laughter erupted from the other end of the line.

I covered my ears tightly and curled up under the blanket.

Vivian's POV The next morning, when I came out of the guest room, Sean had already made breakfast. Shrimp toast, fried eggs, and sliced fruit—all of my favorites.

The shrimp were shelled and deveined, the eggs fried sunnyside up, and the sweet corn soup had no green onions—everything was prepared strictly to my taste.

We had been married for five years, and Sean Sterling had made me breakfast for five years.

Every time he came home from work, the first thing he did was always head straight into the kitchen. Outsiders always said that Mrs. Sterling was the happiest woman in Los Angeles.

I used to think so, too. If he hadn't been so good to me, I wouldn't be hurting this much. "Vivian, eat up. The toast is getting cold." Sean smoothly pulled out a chair for me.

I sat down and quietly ate my toast. Halfway through my toast, Sean's phone lit up. I glanced at it.

It was a message from Joy Foster: [I took a fall, it hurts so bad...] He took one look, quickly shut off the screen, stood up, and prepared to rush out. "Vivian, I'm full.

Take your time, I'm heading to the office first." I pulled out the divorce agreement and stopped him. "Wait, I have something to discuss with you." Sean checked his watch. "Is it really important?" "Yes, very." Sean's phone rang again.

Without any hesitation, he picked it up.

His brow furrowed instantly, anxiety laced with deep concern. "Don't move, I'm on my way." Hanging up, he grabbed his coat and started heading for the door. "Just make the decision yourself, no need to ask me.

I'll go along with whatever you want." I froze for a moment, then nodded. "Then just sign this." Sean took the document, signed his name without even glancing at it, and immediately turned to leave.

I hadn't expected signing the divorce papers to go so smoothly. With his little mistress on his mind, he couldn't care less about anything else.

Who would have thought Joy Foster would actually end up helping me out at a time like this? How ironic.

I called a local courier to send the agreement to the law firm, then messaged my lawyer. [The agreement is signed and will be delivered shortly.

How fast can we get the divorce certificate?] The other side was silent for a moment before replying, clearly shocked once again. "Usually it takes a month.

If we go through an expedited channel, it'll take half a month." "Expedite it." A new notification popped up. Joy Foster had sent a photo.

In the photo, Sean was kneeling on one knee, head lowered as he gently massaged her ankle. The caption read: [Mr. Sterling is so sweet.

I only twisted my ankle a little.] This kind of tenderness used to belong to me alone.

Back in our school days, the girls chasing Sean could line up from the academic building to the school gates.

But he was cold to the point of being ruthless—returning love letters on the spot and never accepting the water bottles offered to him.

When a bold girl confessed to him in public, he bypassed the crowd, walked straight to me, and took my backpack to carry on his own shoulder.

I once asked him with a smile if that was too hurtful. "If I don't hurt them, I'll hurt you." The old Sean had clear boundaries and considered my feelings in everything.

Now, he had probably forgotten those words long ago. I put away my phone and went to my family's company.

After I finished handling the paperwork, my assistant, Leah Miller, hovered near the door for a long time before finally walking in. "Ms.

Vance, there's something I just can't keep to myself anymore." "Go ahead." "The last time Mr. Sterling brought Joy Foster here to see you, you weren't in.

The two of them stayed in your office for a full two hours and even locked the door. When they came out, Joy's shirt buttons were mismatched. You... should keep a closer eye on Mr.

Sterling." My grip on my pen slowly tightened. Joy had already flaunted this on her Moments long ago.

On my desk, in my chair... during those two hours, the two of them hadn't wasted a single second. That chair was custommade by Sean from Italy.

He said my lower back wasn't great and that the chair would support it. "I see.

Thank you for telling me." I smiled at my assistant. "Get rid of my desk and chair, and replace them with a new set.

You can go now." That afternoon, I came home from work and was greeted by the aroma of food the moment I stepped inside.

For once, the sound of laughter from two people drifted out of the kitchen. I walked over and saw Sean and Joy standing side by side in front of the stove.

One was washing vegetables while the other was chopping. They moved in perfect harmony, like a married couple who had lived together for years.

Previously, only the two of us had ever set foot in this kitchen. Sean never allowed the housekeeper to help, saying that cooking was a private intimacy between husband and wife.

Sean looked up and saw me, a smile breaking across his face. "Vivian, you're back? Dinner's almost ready. Wash your hands and get ready to eat." Joy also offered a sweet smile. "Ms.

Vance, it was raining so hard today that I couldn't catch a cab. Mr.

Sterling was kind enough to drive me, so I wanted to help cook dinner as a way to thank you both!" Sean chuckled and teased her gently. "Look at you, always so thoughtful." I watched the two of them cook.

Sean stirred the food in the pan and said, "Pepper." Joy immediately grabbed the pepper shaker from the spice rack with perfect precision and handed it to him. "Honey." She turned around and pulled the honey straight out of the fridge.

Her familiarity with our kitchen was practically greater than mine, the actual lady of the house. My gaze landed on Joy again. She was wearing my pajamas.

It was a matching couple's set. When I had asked Sean to wear the men's version back then, he had laughed and refused, saying it was too childish.

Yet right now, the men's version was right there on him. The two of them standing side by side by the stove in matching pajamas made me look like the guest instead.

Seeing that I hadn't walked away, Sean followed my gaze and offered a casual explanation. "The rain was too heavy and her clothes got soaked.

I just let her borrow yours for a bit." On the dining table today, in addition to the light dishes I usually preferred, there were several incredibly spicy dishes.

Neither Sean nor I ate spicy food. It was blindingly obvious who those dishes were made for. Sean began peeling shrimp for me with practiced ease.

Noticing me staring blankly at the spicy dishes, he explained. "Joy secured a major project for the company today. Achieving that within her first year is no small feat.

I thought I'd invite her over for dinner to celebrate." Joy smiled meekly. "It's all thanks to Mr.

Sterling's guidance." Sean gave Joy a doting look and placed the peeled shrimp in my bowl. I kept my head down, eating the plain rice, not touching the shrimp in my bowl at all.

Since when did the CEO of Sterling Group have to personally cook to celebrate an assistant securing a deal? Halfway through, Sean got up to go to the kitchen to fetch the soup.

The moment he left, the meek look on Joy's face vanished instantly. She leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "You really have quite the tolerance, Ms. Vance.

After seeing so much, you can still sit here and share a table with us. You're truly generous!" As she spoke, she unbuttoned the collar of her shirt.

Around her neck, which was covered in hickeys, hung a pigeonblood ruby necklace.

It was part of the same set as the bracelet on my wrist, but its price was ten times higher. "I only casually mentioned that I liked it, and Mr.

Sterling gave me the very necklace you've been dreaming of." Joy toyed with the pendant of the necklace, her eyes glittering with smug satisfaction. "Oh, by the way, guess what Mr.

Sterling and I were doing before you came home, Ms. Vance?

Here's a hint: right in the kitchen!" Before I could reply, Sean returned with the soup. "What are you two chatting about so animatedly?" I looked up at him.

That was when I noticed a small, inconspicuous wet patch on his pants. It was glaringly obvious what they had just been doing.

I looked away, took off the bracelet on my wrist, placed it on the table, and feigned regret. "Sean, I don't like this bracelet." "I like the matching pigeonblood ruby necklace.

Didn't you preorder it?"

Vivian's POV Panic flashed through Sean's heart. He instinctively glanced at Joy's collar. Her shirt was buttoned all the way to the top.

After making sure nothing was exposed, he turned back to me and explained with a smile. "This jewelry set has a long customization period.

The necklace will take another two days to arrive. Once it's here, I'll give it to you right away." The lie slipped off his tongue with practiced ease. I glanced at Joy.

Her eyes turned red in an instant, tears welling up in them. Watching something she had already claimed about to be taken back, how could she not feel wronged?

I picked up the bracelet from the table and tossed it casually into the trash can. "Fine. I'll wait." Joy could no longer sit still. Tears almost spilled from her eyes.

She abruptly stood up. "Mr. Sterling, I'm full.

I'll take my leave now." Sean stood up after her, blunting out, "I'll drive—" "Joy." I spoke up just in time. "Do you need our family driver to take you home?" The rest of Sean's sentence died in his throat, and he froze in place.

Joy bit her lip. "Thank you, Ms. Vance, but no thanks. I'll call a cab myself." She turned and walked out, her back stiff and stubborn.

Sean stared at the doorway, his brow furrowed in clear displeasure. I asked as if offhandedly, "Sean, where's your wedding ring?" Sean looked down at his bare ring finger.

The irritation on his face vanished instantly, replaced by sheer guilt. He smoothly tried to cover it up. "I had too much to drink at a business dinner.

Fearing I'd lose it, I had Joy keep it safe for me." Leaving a wedding ring with a mistress—now that was a truly unique invention of his.

Despite my thoughts, I lowered my eyes, looking utterly aggrieved. "But you promised you'd never take our ring off." Seeing my distress, Sean panicked immediately and wrapped me in a tight embrace. "It's all my fault.

I'll get the ring back tomorrow and never take it off again. Don't be sad, Vivian." He patted my back to soothe me, his palms burning hot.

This panic wasn't faked; he was indeed still afraid of making me sad. Too bad that for him, being afraid of hurting me and continuing to hurt me were never mutually exclusive.

The next day, to make up for our missed wedding anniversary, Sean booked the most expensive Michelinstarred restaurant in Los Angeles, even hiring a professional live band to play.

The wedding ring was back on his ring finger. I only had to glance at it to know it was brand new, not the original.

Sean had worn the original one for five years; it was wellworn and full of scratches from time. This one was pristine and shiny, without a single scratch.

It seemed Joy had thrown the real ring god knows where. Unable to get it back, Sean had no choice but to have an identical one custommade overnight to deceive me.

Getting it rushed in a single day... it must have been quite a struggle for him. Sean produced an exquisite gift box and opened it.

Inside lay the pigeonblood ruby necklace—the exact one Joy had flaunted the night before.

He stepped behind me to clasp it around my neck, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "Vivian, the necklace is here.

Happy fifth anniversary." At this moment, the look in his eyes was brimming with deep affection. Just as affectionate as he looked in the photos taken while tangled in bed with Joy.

It turned out deep affection could be massproduced, with a share for everyone who wanted it. "I prepared a gift, too." I touched the pendant, feeling only coldness and disgust. "But I won't be able to give it to you until next month." Sean smiled knowingly. "What kind of gift is so mysterious?

Hubby is looking forward to it, then." I returned his smile. Don't worry, it'll definitely be a gift you'd never expect.

As the band started playing their second piece, Sean's phone rang. He glanced the caller ID and pressed decline.

The ringing was relentless, starting up again almost immediately. "Answer it," I said. "Maybe there's an emergency at the office." "Nothing is more important than our anniversary." He silenced the phone and placed it face down on the table.

Before long, Joy barged in, her eyes rimmed with red. "Mr. Sterling, there's an urgent matter at the company.

I couldn't reach you at all." Sean's brow furrowed instantly, annoyance clear on his face. "This is my personal time. I'm not handling work matters.

We'll discuss it tomorrow." Joy pouted aggrievedly, tears threatening to fall. "Mr. Sterling, it's really urgent." Sean grew irritable and snapped at her, "I said tomorrow.

Get out!" Joy's tears spilled over right then and there. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have disturbed your private time, Mr. Sterling, Ms. Vance!" She covered her face and ran out.

Being scolded in front of me was a humiliation Joy couldn't bear. I quietly sipped my soup, waiting for Sean's reaction.

Sure enough, from that moment on, Sean was completely distracted. He sawed at his steak for ages without taking a single bite, his gaze repeatedly drifting to the facedown phone.

Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he picked up the phone and hurriedly typed out a few messages. Whatever response he received made his expression change drastically.

He bolted upright. "Vivian, there's an emergency at the office. Eat first!" Before I could even reply, he rushed out of the private room, not even bothering to grab his coat.

The band's song wasn't finished yet, but there was only one listener left. The waiter looked at me with pity in his eyes.

I ripped the pigeonblood ruby necklace off my neck, tossed it casually onto the table, stood up, and left. Not long after returning home, I received a call from the police station.

Sean had injured someone and was suspected of brawling. The other party wanted to press charges, so the police wanted a family member to come down and assist with mediation.

The CEO of Sterling Group, famously devoted to his wife, ended up in a police station on his wedding anniversary—all for another woman. When I arrived, Sean was sitting on a bench.

Blood was smeared on the corner of his mouth, and his right hand was wrapped in gauze, likely injured from hitting someone too hard.

His shirt was also stained with blood, and it was impossible to tell whether it was his or someone else's.

When he saw me, his eyes darted away, and he hung his head, not daring to look me in the eye. Joy rushed over to greet me first.

While guilt was blatantly plastered all over her face, the smugness in her eyes was impossible to hide. "It's all my fault, Ms. Vance.

I ran into some thugs on my way back to the office, and Mr. Sterling got dragged into this just to save me. Please don't blame him.

If you have to blame anyone, blame me..." I didn't reply. I recalled the year in high school when I was cornered in an alleyway by some thugs.

Sean had charged in alone and had three of his ribs broken by them. By his hospital bed, I had cried hysterically, gasping for air.

Heartbroken by my tears, he promised he would never get into another fight.

Later, after I took over Vance Group, I encountered clients who tried to get touchyfeely during business dinners.

He really didn't use his fists then, opting instead to steal two major contracts from their companies to vent his anger. I had always thought he had finally matured.

Only now did I realize his impulsiveness and recklessness were still there.

It was just that they were now reserved for Joy. "What nonsense are you talking?" Sean's low scold snapped me out of my thoughts.

He frowned, glaring at Joy. "Those people needed to be taught a lesson. What does that have to do with you?

Vivian is not an unreasonable person." He defended her with such practiced ease.

A faint smirk touched my lips as I looked at Joy. "You'd better hurry back to the office and prepare an emergency PR plan, Joy." "If news of Mr.

Sterling getting into a fight goes viral on hot searches tomorrow, Sterling Group's stock price is going to take quite a hit."

Vivian's POV "Vivian!" Sean barked, scowling at me. In his eyes, I was placing the blame on Joy. Joy immediately lowered her head in panic, apologizing. "I'm sorry, Mr. Sterling!

I'm sorry, it's all my fault for causing losses for the company!" She admitted her mistakes so quickly and obediently that, naturally, I was cast as the villain.

I had no desire to keep playing a role in this couple's little drama. And I certainly didn't want Vance Group to be dragged onto the hot searches alongside Sterling Group.

I turned around, paid the fine to the officer, completed the mediation paperwork, and walked away. Ignoring Sean completely, I headed straight to the parking lot to drive home.

Sean got into the passenger seat after me, his expression unreadable. Neither of us spoke a word the entire way back.

Halfway home, Sean was the first to break the silence. "Joy comes from a poor background, and she's always worked so hard.

You've been pampered and shielded by Raymond, Rosalind, and me your whole life, so you don't understand the struggles of people at the bottom.

I don't blame you." "But what happened today had nothing to do with her.

Don't make things difficult for her." My grip tightened on the steering wheel, but I quickly let go and chuckled softly. "Sean, do you even remember that you were supposed to be celebrating our fifth anniversary with me today?" "Do you also remember promising me that you would never get into another fight?" "Are you trying to tell me now that Joy is special, that she actually matters to you?" Sean instantly panicked. "I'm sorry, Vivian!

I... I didn't mean it like that." Mr. Sterling, who was usually so commanding and decisive, couldn't even speak clearly right now. "Please don't be angry.

I promise, it'll never happen again." I looked at his frantic attempts to reassure me and gave him a gentle smile. "Why are you so panicked?

I was just joking." "On our wedding day, you said that if you ever wronged me, your punishment would be to grow old and die completely alone." "So, I believe you won't." Sean's expression was priceless, his face turning from green to pale.

It took him a long while to regain his usual composure. "Of course. You're the only one I love. How could I ever wrong you?" I focused on driving and didn't reply.

As it turned out, the expiration date on that vow was only four years. For the next two days, Sean behaved himself.

He came straight home after work and dedicated all his time to being with me. In the past, I would have been deeply touched and filled with happiness.

Now, I just found it exhausting to deal with. Two days later was the Sterling Group's anniversary gala.

Sean and I attended in full formal wear, walking down the red carpet with our fingers tightly intertwined. "Mr.

Sterling and his wife are truly a match made in heaven!" "Childhood sweethearts making it to the altar—they're the ultimate model couple in Los Angeles!" Flatteries echoed all around us.

Sean looked absolutely triumphant. I responded to each compliment, keeping a pictureperfect smile on my face. "Vivian!" A cheerful shout pierced through the crowd.

Yvonne Sterling, who had been studying abroad, was back on break.

The moment she saw me, she rushed over and clung to my arm, refusing to let go. "Sean monopolizes Vivian all day long.

Tonight, Vivian belongs to me!" Sean reached out to pull her away. "Vivian is mine.

Stop causing trouble." "Give me a break." Yvonne rolled her eyes. "You've been competing with me for Vivian since we were kids.

You've been at it for over twenty years, and you're still not satisfied?" Yvonne was two years younger than me, and the three of us had grown up together.

To her, I was Vivian, but I was also her absolute best friend. Looking at her bright, lively face, my heart felt a mixture of warmth and bitter sadness.

Among the people I would miss the most when I left, Yvonne was definitely near the top of the list.

Halfway through the gala, Sean was pulled away by some business partners to socialize, while Yvonne was surrounded by several familiar elders who peppered her with questions.

Left alone, I took a glass of champagne and walked over to a quiet corner. Joy Foster materialized out of nowhere, her face twisted with venomous hatred. "A model couple?

A match made in heaven?" She sneered. "Do they know that Mr.

Sterling can't keep his hands off me the second he sees me?" "You think him coming home every day lately means he's giving me the cold shoulder?

Let me tell you, yesterday in his office, Mr. Sterling slept with me three times!" I looked Joy up and down. "You want the title of Mrs. Sterling? Go ask him for it yourself.

It's useless to come to me." I swirled the champagne in my glass and calmly delivered a parting blow. "Even if I divorce him, he won't necessarily marry you." This statement struck Joy's Achilles' heel with perfect precision.

Her composure shattered instantly. "Do you really think Sean still cares about you that much?

If he did, he wouldn't be clinging to me day and night!" Before she even finished speaking, she suddenly lunged her hands toward me.

Not knowing what she was planning, I instinctively raised my hand to block her. The next second, Joy stumbled backward and fell heavily onto the floor.

Her collar was pulled open, partially exposing her chest, making her look disheveled and pitiful—as if she had just been humiliated and bullied.

Before I could even react, Yvonne rushed over.

She had witnessed the entire scene, clearly seeing how Joy had set me up. Slap! Yvonne slapped Joy hard across the face. "Where did this little green tea bitch come from?

How dare you pull your manipulative stunts here! Look around and see where you are!" The surrounding guests all turned to look. "Isn't that Mr. Sterling's assistant?

How dare she try to frame Mrs. Sterling like that?" "She's so young yet so calculating.

She must be absolutely desperate to climb the social ladder." Joy clutched her cheek, crying pitifully. "I know I'm just an ordinary person, and I can't compare to you wealthy heiresses." "But I have dignity too!

You can't just bully and frame me just because of your status..." "Enough!" A deep, furious shout erupted from behind the crowd.

Sean pushed through the onlookers and stepped forward. Yvonne couldn't wait to speak up. "Sean, your assistant is incredibly manipulative!

She actually tried to frame Vivian in public! Fire her immediately!" Sean looked down at Joy, who was sitting on the floor, and a flash of heartache crossed his eyes.

When his eyes fell on her open collar, a surge of fierce possessiveness flared up in his gaze.

But when he looked up at Yvonne and me, his eyes held nothing but rage. "Who taught you two to use your status to bully others like this?" With that, he stripped off his suit jacket, bent down to wrap it around Joy's exposed body, scooped her up in his arms, and strode away. "Sean!

Sean! Sean!" Yvonne yelled after him, but he never once looked back. His tall figure vanished through the entrance of the banquet hall.

The room fell silent for a moment before the whispers began to spread. "I thought Mr. and Mrs. Sterling had such a great relationship.

Why did he carry another woman out?" "Could it be that Mrs. Sterling and Miss Sterling really did bully that poor assistant?" "Maybe Mr.

Sterling is just infatuated with his assistant. Men will be men, after all. None of them can resist straying, and Mr.

Sterling is no exception." As the gossip drifted into my ears, I forced myself to maintain my composure.

Yvonne stared blankly at the doorway, unable to snap out of it for a long time. "Vivian, what is wrong with Sean?" I curled my lips into a bitter smile. "Yvonne, it's exactly what you just saw." Yvonne understood.

Her eyes instantly turned red with rage. "How could he do this! I'm going to track him down and make him pay right now!

I'm going to tell Raymond and Rosalind and have them come back to deal with him!" She turned to give chase, but I grabbed her arm. "Yvonne, don't bother." I looked toward the entrance, a faint smile playing on my lips. "In a few days, I'll be leaving anyway."

Vivian's POV Yvonne was shocked. "Vivian, where could you possibly go? Your home is here. Raymond, Rosalind, your company, your friends—everyone is here.

Where can you go?" "Next week, Raymond, Rosalind, and I are emigrating." I looked at her and explained gently. "We won't be coming back." Yvonne's tears spilled over instantly. "Vivian... are you giving up on Sean?" "He was the one who betrayed our relationship first." Yvonne panicked and desperately grabbed my hands. "Vivian, can you please give Sean one more chance?

He might just be temporarily confused and hasn't realized what he's doing.

Once he wakes up, he'll definitely regret this for the rest of his life!" My expression darkened. "Yvonne, he's been having an affair for a year already." "What?" The clutch in Yvonne's hand slipped and clattered to the floor.

She didn't even bother to pick it up. She just stood there, dazed and utterly bewildered. "A year? How is that possible? He loved you so much." Yes, he loved me so much.

He had loved me since we were children. His love was so legendary that everyone in Los Angeles knew about it.

Even Yvonne, his own sister, couldn't believe he would ever have a change of heart. I let out a bitter, selfdeprecating laugh. "Yvonne, don't tell Sean that I'm leaving.

If you do, I won't be able to get away." Yvonne understood what I meant.

Given Sean's ruthless methods and obsession, if he found out beforehand, I wouldn't even be able to step out of my front door.

Even Raymond and Rosalind would likely be dragged into it. She threw her arms around me and sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Vivian. Sean is such a bastard!

How could he do this to you?" "If you leave, does that mean I'll never see you again?" I gently patted her back to comfort her. "Of course not.

I'm just moving abroad, not going into hiding. You can come visit me anytime you're on break." Though I said that, we both knew in our hearts that things would never be the same.

We used to be best friends, and even more than that, we were family. Now, Yvonne would always be the sister of my cheating exhusband. The dynamic would be incredibly awkward.

Yvonne sobbed until she could barely breathe. For the next few days after the gala, Sean acted like he was throwing a petulant tantrum.

He didn't come home once, nor did he contact me. Or rather, he was deliberately throwing a fit. He was furious that I had "bullied" his side chick in public.

He was angry on her behalf, so he was giving me the cold shoulder on purpose to teach me a lesson. I didn't bother looking for him, yet I was never short of updates about him.

Joy's Moments were updated every single day. During the day, she accompanied Mr.

Sterling to meetings and handled office work; at night, she joined him for business dinners and social events.

Late at night, she would post a dimly lit photo of a shirtless man sleeping on the pillow beside her.

The caption read: [Our own sweet little moments.] After reading it, I quietly exited the screen. My heart remained completely undisturbed.

There was only one thing left that could affect my emotions now. The Vance Group's very last project—the Marina New District Development—was up for bidding next week.

I had been working on this project for over six months, revising the proposal dozens of times.

Winning this bid would be the perfect grand finale for the Vance Group, allowing Raymond, Rosalind, and me to leave with peace of mind.

I was absolutely determined to win this contract. But on the day of the bidding, the colleague who went to submit our proposal returned with a deathly pale face. "Ms.

Vance, we lost." "How is that possible?" I stood up abruptly. "A new company showed up at the evaluation.

Their proposal was almost identical to ours in concept, even matching our phased development plan. But their quote was slightly lower.

When the two proposals were compared, they were cheaper, so the judges had no reason to choose us." "Which company?" "A small company called Jiaoning.

We've never heard of them before. They seem to have just been established." I didn't have time to dig into the shady details of their quote and proposal.

The consequences of losing this bid were severe, and I had to resolve this crisis immediately.

For this bid, the Vance Group had invested a massive amount of capital upfront, draining all the cash from our accounts.

With the project falling through, any hope of recovering those funds vanished.

The banks immediately tightened our credit line, and our partners sent urgent payment notices overnight.

Our cash flow was on the verge of breaking; the Vance Group was in critical danger.

With redrimmed eyes, the CFO reported that the remaining funds on our books were barely enough to cover this month's payroll.

I immediately called an overnight meeting with our executives to discuss selfrescue measures. We applied to the bank for a loan extension, but they politely declined.

We scheduled meetings with investors to discuss capital injection, but they turned us down politely as well.

As every single avenue closed off, my father's life's work was on the verge of going up in smoke. In my dark office late at night, I opened the contact list on my phone.

The screen hovered over Sean's name. I knew that with just one word from Sean, the Vance Group could be brought back to life.

But I didn't want to have anything to do with him ever again. I wanted to leave cleanly, cutting all ties once and for all.

Yet, I couldn't bear to watch my father's lifelong hard work go down in ruins either. My finger hovered over the screen, unable to press down.

Just as my fingertip was about to touch the dial button, the phone suddenly rang. It was the investigator I had hired to look into Jiaoning. "Ms.

Vance, I've found something." The investigator's voice sounded incredibly tense. "Jiaoning was only registered last month.

The legal representative is Joy Foster, and the source of their registered capital is... the Sterling Group." The Sterling Group? It was Sean. In an instant, everything clicked.

He was the one who set up a new company for Joy, helping her steal the Vance Group's project. Perhaps he didn't know that this contract was the Vance Group's final lifeline.

But he certainly knew that I had been busy with this project for over six months, and that I had stayed up late for months on end revising the proposal.

And yet, he simply packaged it up and handed it over to his little mistress. I burst out laughing. Sean, you really are something else.

You even went through the trouble of registering a shell company. Were you afraid I'd find out? Afraid I'd be heartbroken? You can't get any more considerate than that.

As I laughed, tears began to stream down my face. My chest felt tight and agonizingly painful, and my stomach suddenly churned violently.

I leaned against the edge of the desk and dryheaved, retching until my vision began to go black in waves.

I tried to brace myself against the corner of the desk, but my hands were so weak I couldn't muster any strength. As the world spun wildly around me, I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital ward. My assistant was guarding my bedside. The moment she saw me open my eyes, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

She hesitated, but in the end, she spoke up anyway. "Ms. Vance, the doctor said... you're pregnant. It's been nearly two months." I froze instantly.

Slowly, I raised my hand and placed it on my lower abdomen. Flat and warm beneath my palm, a tiny new life had already taken up residence there.

Since the day we got married, Sean and I had longed to have a child. I had even picked out a name long ago—Yuan Yuan, signifying reunion.

We had waited for five long years, but a child never came.

Now, my company was on the brink of collapse, my husband was sharing a bed with another woman, and my bags were already halfpacked.

And of all times, this was when the child finally arrived.