Cheated Wife's Dirty Little Secret

"Pavilion Manor," a low-key yet extremely private estate on the outskirts of New York City, had also been the most mysterious private club in the city for the past two years.

In the freezing cold, Emily wrapped herself in an oat-colored cashmere coat, standing in the wind for quite a while. Even so, she could not stop the chill creeping through her body.

The man leading the way walked with steady steps, guiding Emily all the way to the last room on the third floor of the small building. Stopping at the door, he gestured politely. "Miss Emily is inside."

Emily hadn't expected to see Jackie so easily. Just as she was about to push the door open, the man suddenly called out to her again.

"Miss Emily, I can take care of your coat for you."

His tone was calm, as if he was used to doing this.

Emily didn't hesitate. With a casual flick of her chestnut-colored wavy hair, she took off her coat, revealing the black backless bodycon dress underneath, and stepped inside.

The exterior of the small building was unremarkable, and the interior wasn't particularly luxurious either. However, the space was quite large, divided by lighting into two contrasting halves-one bright, one dim.

Emily had expected a lively scene inside, but to her surprise, there was only Jackie, sitting alone under the bright lights, slouched lazily in a black leather sofa chair, idly playing with his phone.

No wonder she had been let in so easily. Judging by the situation, Mr. Williams must be quite bored.

Hearing the door open, Jackie lifted his head.

He had an exceptionally handsome face-sharp features, fair skin, and dark, luminous eyes that carried a faint trace of boyishness. At first glance, he appeared normal.

But what kind of "normal" man would say something as outrageous as "Virgins only"?

Not only did he say it, but he had also made it his life motto, shamelessly and publicly declaring it to the world.

When it came to absurdity, no one in New York City could outmatch him.

Jackie's gaze swept over Emily, and after a moment, a playful smile appeared on his lips. "How come I never knew there was such a beauty in New York City?"

Emily lowered her gaze slightly and smiled. "I appreciate Mr. Williams granting me this meeting."

"What, are all the men in New York City blind?" Jackie gestured for her to sit while pouring her a glass of red wine. "A beauty like you, so stunning and full of life, and yet still... untouched?"

Emily knew he had mistaken her for a woman throwing herself at him, but she still reached out and accepted the wine he offered.

"Sorry, Mr. Williams, I believe you may have misunderstood my purpose here today. I came to apologize to you on behalf of my sister."

Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Your sister?"

"Amy."

Jackie didn't respond immediately; instead, he poured himself another drink.

On the round table in front of him, there were two whiskey glasses-one was Jackie's, while the other had tiny beads of condensation forming on the glass.

It seemed the window had been left slightly open, allowing a faint, crisp, and clean scent to drift through the air-like cedar trees on a distant mountain, cool and serene.

It wasn't Jackie's scent.

Emily couldn't help but glance toward the dimly lit area.

Could there be someone else there?

Jackie took a slow sip of his drink. When he looked up again, his expression had turned indifferent. Ignoring the reason for her visit, he simply said, "So, you're saying you're not untouched?"

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Emily's fingers.

Emily had taken off her wedding ring some time ago, but the mark left by wearing it for so long had yet to fade completely.

"Of course," Jackie sneered, staring at the faint ring mark. "Unless you tell me there's actually a man out there who's blind enough to resist a woman as stunning as you."

His smirk was wicked, his tone even more cutting.

"You came to see me-does your husband know about this?"

Emily acted as though she hadn't heard him. From her handbag, she took out a check and placed it in front of him.

"My sister is young and naive. We appreciate your kindness in lending her money, but we don't wish for Mr. Williams to go out of his way for us. Please accept this repayment."

Jackie raised an eyebrow and let out a cold laugh. "Interesting. Your sister made a deal with me yesterday, and today you come to break it. What, do I look like someone who's easy to play with?"

"In life, many things are simply for entertainment. Mr. Williams has met countless people-my sister is not irreplaceable. Why insist on someone so young and immature?"

Jackie suddenly widened his eyes. "Are you trying to suggest that I abandon your sister and... take you instead, Mrs.?"

He deliberately emphasized the word Mrs., dripping with mockery.

Emily remained composed. "I know I'm not to Mr. Williams' taste. All I can say is, if you ever need me in the future, I will do everything in my power to help. Would Mr. Williams not consider it?"

Jackie gave her a long, scrutinizing look.

Emily had a strikingly beautiful face. Jackie had always believed that knowing one's own beauty was a virtue in women. Yet, for some reason, her beauty seemed veiled-like a thin layer of mist obscured it, making it feel unreal.

Elusive, yet enticing.

Suddenly, a faint "hiss" sound came from the shadows. A flicker of light flashed-it seemed someone had struck a match.

Emily turned her head toward the dimly lit area once again.

The fire was faint, seemingly cupped by a pair of hands.

She thought the person had lit the match to smoke, but no smell of tobacco followed.

As the match burned, Jackie suddenly chuckled.

"You said if I ever need you, you'd do your best to help, right?" Jackie tilted his chin toward the shadows. "Well, I have a guest here tonight, and he's in a bad mood. Cheer him up, and we'll talk."

Emily met his gaze for a moment, then picked up something from the table before rising to her feet and walking toward the darkness.

Moving from light into shadow, her vision took a moment to adjust. She could barely make out the silhouette of a man standing by the window, his posture as still as a towering pine tree.

He was looking outside, not sparing Emily even a glance.

At the same time, the cold, crisp, and serene scent brushed past her once more, carried by the wind from the open window.

Emily hesitated briefly, then took two steps closer.

"Miss Emily, if you do this, what will your husband think?"

Jackie's mocking voice rang out from the bright side of the room.

But Emily didn't pause. She stepped right up to the man.

He was tall-so tall that, even in high heels, she had to tilt her head slightly to look at him.

She raised her hand, bringing the object to his lips.

In the darkness, the man parted his lips slightly, taking what she offered.

Hiss-

The sound of a match striking echoed once more.

Emily cupped the tiny flame in her hands, gently bringing it toward him.

For a fleeting moment, in the wavering light, she glimpsed the depths of his eyes-dark as midnight, untamed, and unfathomable.

Smoke curled upward, and the glow of the match began to fade.

In the dim light, the ember at the tip of the cigarette burned brighter, mirroring the tightening of the man's jawline as the flame licked at the darkness.

Stepping out of Jackie's private room, Emily felt slightly dazed.

It was just lighting a cigarette for a stranger...

That was all it was.

And then, he had said four words to Jackie-

"Enough is enough."

Jackie laughed like a madman but truly did stop.

So much so that Emily still hadn't quite recovered from it.

It felt like she had done something wrong.

Well, being a married woman, there were things she probably shouldn't do.

But then again...

Why not?

Emily walked downstairs and made her way to the lobby entrance. The cold wind outside hit her, reminding her that she had forgotten her coat.

A black sedan was parked outside-it seemed oddly familiar. A young, beautiful girl sat in the back seat, gazing at Emily through the window.

On a frigid winter night, dressed like this, she was bound to attract some attention.

But soon, the girl's attention shifted.

With a soft "ding," the elevator behind Emily opened, and the girl's eyes lit up instantly. She pushed the door open and hopped out of the car like an excited little bunny, rushing past Emily and calling out sweetly-

"Honey-"

It was an amusing sight, and Emily couldn't help but follow the scene with her eyes.

However, when her gaze landed on the "husband" the little bunny had run toward, she froze.

The man who had just stepped out of the elevator was tall, dressed in a sleek black suit, and so strikingly handsome that heads would turn.

As the little bunny threw herself into his arms, he looked up-his gaze met Emily's.

The moment their eyes locked, Emily almost wanted to laugh.

After so many days, she was finally seeing her husband, James, again.

Yes, the little bunny's husband was also her husband.

A legally wedded one, at that.

The little bunny clung to James's waist and tiptoed to give him a sweet kiss. "I missed you so much..."

James remained as cold as ever. His gaze lingered on Emily, and the indifference in his eyes shifted into clear disgust.

Emily saw it clearly. But since they had already run into each other, she still raised a hand in greeting.

"Hi, long time no see."

The little bunny immediately turned to look at her, then nervously glanced at James. "Honey, do you know her?"

Emily and James's marriage wasn't exactly a secret.

But in the two years since their wedding, Emily had kept a low profile, never appearing in public. While James's name was always in the tabloids, she never made a statement-not even a single word.

Because of that, even though everyone knew James was married, few knew who his wife was. And those who did, treated her as invisible.

After all, James's attitude dictated everything.

Just like now.

Emily figured the little bunny wouldn't get an answer from James, so she spoke up herself. "Can I borrow a few minutes of your time to talk?"

The little bunny immediately became alert and held onto James even tighter.

"With you? What's there to talk about?" James finally spoke, his voice devoid of emotion.

Emily had originally planned to ask the little bunny to step aside to spare her any unnecessary hurt. But seeing James's attitude, she had no choice but to get straight to the point.

"You received the divorce papers, right? If you're busy, your lawyer can handle it. I'm available anytime."

The little bunny's eyes widened in shock. She instinctively loosened her grip on James's waist.

"You've enjoyed the title of Mrs. Green, haven't you?" James sneered. "What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"Our family's current situation... It's not good to keep dragging The Green family down."

Her family business was in crisis, facing trouble from all sides, desperately seeking help.

"I think you have other motives. What is it? Planning to get a divorce, repackage yourself, and sell yourself again?"

James's icy gaze fixed on Emily, dark and unreadable.

Emily had always been stunning-bright eyes, white teeth, a face that could captivate with a single glance.

That radiance had shone through even when she had short, edgy hair in the past, drawing admirers like moths to a flame.

James had witnessed that spectacle firsthand.

After they got married, she deliberately toned herself down, ditching the bold makeup and vibrant persona to play the role of a gentle, virtuous wife. She had almost fooled everyone.

But luckily, he had never forgotten her true colors.

Now, with long flowing hair and bold red lips, she looked more dazzling than ever-just like before.

James suddenly reached out, gripping her chin, forcing her to look up as he studied her face.

"Tired of pretending, aren't you?"

Emily's face remained in his grasp, and for the first time in two years, her once-dim eyes flickered with light.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Two years of pretending-it's exhausting for anyone."

Emily had never been stingy with her smiles. Her gentle and virtuous persona required it.

But this time, her smile was different.

She wasn't pretending anymore. She seemed genuinely relieved, as if she had finally been freed-her smile was bright, sincere, and dazzling.

James, however, felt an inexplicable fire rising inside him, growing stronger.

He tightened his grip on her face. "So desperate-is it because you already found a new man?"

Emily frowned slightly from the pain but still met his gaze head-on. "No. Just basic morals-otherwise known as self-respect."

James let out a cold laugh. "Self-respect? Or is it that no one else wants you? What The Green family throws away-do you really think anyone in New York City would dare to pick up?"

Emily knew exactly what he meant.

James wasn't just talking about women.

In the face of The Green family's overwhelming power, how many in New York City dared to defy them?

Just like now-her family was in trouble, yet everyone was waiting to see The Green family's stance.

Everyone knew the two families were in-laws. If even The Green family refused to help, why would anyone else?

And James, as the so-called son-in-law, had already made his position clear.

He was going to let them die.

Emily had accepted this reality long ago.

"After our divorce, I won't be Mrs. Green anymore. Whatever comes, I'll deal with it myself. And you-" she glanced at the little bunny beside him, "-can have whatever you want. Isn't that best for both of us?"

"For both of us?" James repeated the words softly. "But Emily, what if I can't stand seeing you happy?"

Emily's gaze remained steady.

"If you married into The Green family, then be prepared to stay there for life," James said, releasing her chin. "You can't save your family. And no one else can, either. Just watch them fall-"

With that, James strode toward the entrance.

The little bunny, still dazed, stumbled after him and got into the car.

Emily stood quietly, watching the car drive away.

She remained under the corridor for a long time before realizing-snow had begun to fall.

The first snowfall of the winter in New York City, drifting lightly through the air.

Emily reached out, watching as a snowflake landed on her palm.

At that moment, she faintly smelled the scent of cedarwood.

She thought she was imagining it. She lifted her dress slightly and stepped into the falling snow.

But suddenly, the snowflakes above her were blocked.

Emily looked up.

A black umbrella.

A chauffeur-like man stood beside her, holding out her coat in one hand while shielding her from the snow with the other. "Miss Emily, it's snowing. Do you need a ride?"

"No need." Emily took her coat and wrapped it around herself, but it didn't bring any warmth.

"Then please take this umbrella-the snow is getting heavier."

Her car couldn't get through, and there was still a long walk to the gate.

Emily accepted the umbrella. "Thank you."

The wooden handle was finely polished, smooth as silk, carrying a faint, cool woody fragrance.

Emily turned back, glancing toward the dimly lit windows on the third floor of the small building.

Half-lit, half-dark-she wondered if the mysterious man was still behind that window, watching.

After a restless night, Emily arrived home late.

The villa was quiet; it seemed everyone was already asleep.

She walked up to the second floor. As she turned a corner, she was suddenly met with a pale, ghost-like face of a young girl, staring at her with resentment.

"Emily." Amy called her full name, "Did you go see Jackie?"

"Yes." Emily couldn't be bothered to say more than a word.

Amy curled her lips. "I knew it. You just had to ruin my plans."

Emily was exhausted and didn't want to argue. She tried to pass her, but Amy blocked her path again.

"Emily, you're really pleased with yourself now, aren't you? Our family is finally in trouble, on the verge of collapse. You must be overjoyed, right?"

"Enough!"

A hushed yet stern voice came from behind Amy, followed by Mary, who quickly stepped forward and grabbed her arm. "Don't talk nonsense. Apologize to your sister!"

"Sister? What kind of sister is she?" Amy scoffed, pointing at Emily. "She can't wait to see the Wilson family fall apart! How can she still walk around our house acting so high and mighty?"

Mary slapped Amy across the face. "Do you realize your mistake now?"

"My mistake? What did I do wrong? I was just trying to help the family!"

"You dare say that!" Mary's voice remained low, but her authority was undiminished. "Our family already has enough troubles. Your father's health is getting worse by the day, and yet you went and got involved with someone like Jackie. Are you trying to push him to his grave?"

"At least I'm better than her, right?" Amy pointed at Emily again. "I'm trying to help our family! What about her? She's still trying to divorce James at a time like this. She probably thinks we aren't falling apart fast enough! From the beginning, she believed you stole Dad from her mother, and now she's finally getting her revenge. She wants us to be completely ruined! And you still trust her? She's nothing but an ungrateful traitor-"

Emily had a headache. She didn't want to hear any more of this, so she turned and went into her bedroom.

After taking a hot shower, she still felt groggy. As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, she saw Mary sitting on the edge of her bed, seemingly waiting for her for some time.

"Emily, Amy is immature. Don't take her words to heart."

Ever since her parents' divorce, Emily had insisted on changing her last name to follow her mother's. From then on, her father, Andrew, only called her by the childhood nickname he had given her, and Mary followed suit.

Emily sat down by the bed and said, "Auntie, don't worry. Jackie won't be a problem."

Mary nodded, as if she had expected Emily to handle it.

After a moment of silence, she asked, "What about you? He didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"

It sounded like concern, but her tone was still stiff.

She had always been like this. Emily didn't mind and simply shook her head.

Mary didn't press further. She stood up and said, "You've had a long day. Get some rest."

Emily nodded and collapsed onto the bed.

She had thought she was exhausted enough to fall asleep quickly, but two hours passed, and she was still wide awake.

There were too many things on her mind.

James loathed her, and because of that, he hated the Wilson family as well. He would rather torture himself than grant her a divorce, forcing her to watch the Wilsons crumble.

Regardless of whether she was Mrs. Green or not, in New York City, people followed James's lead.

Under these circumstances, there was no way to save the Wilson family.

Andrew was exhausted from dealing with everything. Mary appeared cold but only truly cared about her husband and children. Amy had just turned 18, and her younger brother, Charles, was only 16. With a situation like this-plus Emily being a burden as Mrs. Green-anyone would say the same thing:

There's no hope.

But was that really true?

For some reason, Emily thought of the mysterious man in Jackie's room again.

He stayed hidden, as if he didn't want anyone to know his identity.

Jackie, who usually surrounded himself with women, had none around that night and was so bored that he could only play with his phone.

They seemed to have a good relationship, yet Jackie's usual flamboyant, reckless demeanor didn't rub off on him at all.

Among the elite circles of New York City, no one like him came to mind.

Who was he, really?

After barely one or two hours of sleep, Emily managed to nap a little longer in the morning, but she woke up feeling even worse-probably from catching a cold the night before.

She went downstairs, took some cold medicine, and sat on the couch in a daze for a while before remembering she had an appointment today.

Tonight was The Hall family's annual charity gala. In the past, Emily never attended such events, but this time, she had already booked a stylist and planned to go as Mrs. Green.

Even in the dead of winter, she chose a custom-tailored, modernized cheongsam. The deep starry-blue fabric seemed subtle at first glance but shimmered like a sky full of stars when touched by light.

"This color suits Miss Emily perfectly," the stylist praised, "Your skin looks so bright-it's practically illegal to be this beautiful."

She was a new client, and the stylist didn't hold back on the compliments.

Emily sneezed loudly, then put on a pair of sapphire earrings. "Yeah, it's rare for me to go out. If I'm not stunning, then who would even look at me?"

James wanted her trapped in the role of Mrs. Green forever, and indeed, he could make that happen.

But only because, for the past two years, she had played the role flawlessly.

James despised her, but she had never done anything as Mrs. Green that could justify his anger.

That was why he could endure it-why he could use this as a way to torment her.

But what if she changed?

Would James still tolerate it?

Right then, her phone rang. Emily glanced at the caller ID, then stepped out onto the balcony to answer it.

The styling studio was in a standalone building along the river. As she answered the call, she pushed open a door at the end of the hallway.

The room was empty except for a large sofa, likely for guests to rest. Another door led to what seemed to be a bathroom.

Emily stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and answered the call.

A laughing voice on the other end said apologetically, "Sorry, ma'am. The male escort you requested had an unexpected issue and can't make it tonight. Would you like us to send someone else?"

Emily held back an eye roll. "I already paid, and you're telling me this now?"

"We're really sorry. We can replace him with someone just as tall, good-looking, and strong. How about that? We guarantee he'll take good care of you."

"So basically, even after paying, I don't get to choose?" Emily was too tired to argue. "Refund me ten times the amount, and just shut your business down already."

She hung up, then turned to head for the bathroom.

But the moment she opened the door, she realized something was wrong.

A thick mist of steam swirled under the white ceiling light.

And beneath it stood a tall, lean man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, wearing only a towel around his hips, leaning casually against the sink-watching her.

His dark eyes were calm, unreadable.

She had just seen him last night.