Chapter 1 Even Their Marriage Was Fake

Iris Hotel had just hosted a medical forum.

Evelyn Mason walked out only after the final session ended. The winter air struck her the instant she crossed the doors, and the freezing wind cut straight through her coat.

Instead of looking up, she focused on her phone and typed a message to her husband, Aaron Foster.

Before she could hit send, a bold headline flashed across the screen-"Foster Group Unveils New Targeted Drug, Celebration Banquet Held at Iris Hotel."

For a brief second, Evelyn wondered if her eyes had betrayed her.

That drug was her research, something she had painstakingly created for Aaron's company. How could they throw a banquet to celebrate it without even telling her?

After lingering in place for a heartbeat, Evelyn turned on her heel and headed back inside. Outside the Hall Three, a large sign clearly displayed the words "Foster Group Celebration Banquet."

When she arrived at the entrance, the sight of Aaron and Karina Tucker standing together intimately struck her like a blade.

Karina worked at the same hospital as Evelyn; she and Aaron had grown up together. However, the way he held her made it clear their bond had crossed the line long ago.

Aaron's arm rested firmly around Karina's waist, and from time to time, he looked at her with affection.

A sharp wave of hurt surged through Evelyn's chest. Never once had Aaron looked at her that way.

Laughter drifted from inside, followed by the teasing voices of Aaron's friends.

"Aaron, you and Karina look perfect together. So when are you finally marrying her?"

"Exactly! Karina is talented and stunning. Why stay married to that invisible wife you never even bring around? You should just divorce her."

"Wait, wasn't the drug created by Aaron's wife? Sounds like he still needs her brains."

Every sentence stabbed into Evelyn like sharp splinters, and the pain spread through her body in heavy waves that wouldn't ease.

Even so, she kept her gaze on Aaron, clinging to the small hope that he would at least stop them from humiliating her.

Instead, Aaron let out a careless laugh and pulled Karina closer. "That woman means nothing to me. The drug was Karina's achievement. She's the true backbone of Foster Group!"

A deafening buzz filled Evelyn's head.

Did Aaron really just say that?

Was he seriously handing over the credit for the drug she had built through endless sleepless nights to Karina?

Evelyn's vision blurred as heat burned behind her eyes, and tears threatened to spill.

For years, she had loved Aaron without holding back. She poured her time, her energy, and her talent into Foster Group, yet now she was the punchline of their conversation.

At that instant, Evelyn understood that this marriage had already collapsed.

Breathing became difficult as the ache in her chest tightened.

Unwilling to let anyone witness her breaking apart, she quickly turned away and walked toward the restroom.

After spending several minutes alone and forcing herself to calm down, Evelyn stepped out again, only to catch a woman's sharp and possessive voice.

"Aaron, how much longer are you going to keep Evelyn around? I'm your lawfully wedded wife, yet she's been holding that title all these years."

From the dim corner of the hallway, Evelyn saw Karina and Aaron.

Cold disbelief flooded her chest.

What did Karina mean by she was Aaron's lawfully wedded wife?

Leaning in, Aaron pressed his lips to Karina's and let his hand slide possessively around her waist. "Karina, give me a little more time. Evelyn only completed phase one of the drug, and that alone brought Foster Group a billion in profit. Once she finishes phases two and three, we're talking tens of billions. I only staged the marriage registration because of her talent. Don't worry, Karina. Every cent she makes for the company will belong to us. When she's no longer useful and gets thrown out, she won't walk away with anything."

Evelyn's breaths grew rough and irregular.

She quickly covered her mouth, afraid the storm of fury and heartbreak rising inside her would burst out in a scream.

Her eyes turned a violent shade of red, as though they held back tears stained with blood.

Only then did she understand that her entire marriage had been built on lies.

The man she called her husband had never loved her.

Even their marriage was fake.

At Aaron's words, Karina laughed softly and lifted her chin to kiss him again. "Aaron, you really know how to plan ahead..."

As their lips met, something inside Evelyn snapped, and the hurt in her gaze hardened into rage. "Aaron, what exactly are you doing?" she demanded.

"Evelyn? Why are you here?" Aaron asked, and for the first time, a flicker of discomfort crossed his usually indifferent face.

Forcing down the taste of bitterness, Evelyn stared at him with blazing eyes. "If I hadn't shown up, how long would I have remained clueless about my husband's affair?"

In a rush, Aaron released Karina and tried to smooth things over. "Evelyn, you've misunderstood. I drank a little too much, and things just got out of hand..."

To him, Evelyn was the source of his fortune, and he couldn't afford to lose her goodwill.

Just as Aaron lifted his hand toward her, Evelyn yanked her arm away and struck him hard across the face. Her eyes burned red as she snapped, "Don't you dare touch me with those dirty hands!"

The slap shattered Aaron's calm act, and his expression twisted with anger. "Evelyn, have you lost your mind!"

Standing at his side, Karina clenched her jaw and shot back, "Evelyn, he's your husband. How can you hit him?"

A cold laugh escaped Evelyn, though the agony in her eyes was impossible to hide.

"Why can't I hit a cheating husband?" Evelyn shot back. Resolve sharpened her gaze. "Aaron, this ends now. We're divorcing."

Without sparing them another glance, she turned and walked away.

By the time Evelyn walked through the hotel doors, heavy rain was already crashing down from the sky.

Water streamed down her face until no one could tell whether she was crying or simply soaked.

All she could feel was the deep, slicing pain in her chest, as if something inside her had been torn open.

Right then, her phone rang. The caller ID showed Yregend, a foreign country.

She answered the call, and a low, steady male voice came through.

"Is this Evelyn Mason? I'm Matthew Dale, your father."