You Live the Rest of Your Life on Your Own

On the day Colby Lambert married Ruben Gibson, the heir of the Gibson Group, no one from the Gibson family showed up to offer their blessings. Only Ruben's grandmother, Brenda, called her.

"How about we make a bet?" Brenda proposed. "If you are still in love in the third year, I will convince our family to accept you. Otherwise, you'll have to divorce Ruben, and I will find him a woman with a matching family background."

With her head held high, Colby agreed confidently.

Ruben loved her with all his heart, even willing to break away from his family for her. How could they not last three years?

Yet, she hadn't anticipated that in their third year of marriage, Ruben would cheat on her.

...

In the eighth month of Colby's pregnancy, Ruben hired a new female assistant, Lesly Barton, whom he took everywhere, drawing much attention.

When people teased that Ruben had found himself a mistress for entertainment, he only smiled without comment, while Lesly blushed shyly, sparking vivid imaginations.

This seductive rumor soon reached Colby's ears.

"Men are all the same. Ruben once spoiled his wife so much, but now that she's pregnant, he still couldn't resist the temptation and found a mistress. And he even brazenly flaunts that mistress."

"That's men. When they love someone, they give them everything. When they don't, they take everything away."

"Rumor has it Ruben is bringing his mistress to his grandpa, Winston's 80th birthday party tonight. Well... well."

Colby's smile froze on her face as she stared at the message Ruben had just sent her. "Don't bother coming to my grandpa's 80th birthday party tonight. It'll just be a hassle for you with all the formalities. You're carrying my baby, precious. And if anyone has an issue, I'll handle it."

When she first read the message, Colby was moved. After all, Ruben had married her despite the entire Gibson family's disapproval, with Winston being the most vocal of the opponents. Winston despised her humble background and felt that she was not worthy of his precious grandson.

Ruben had remained silent, pulling out a revolver with a single bullet, and pointed it at his temple. He fired, then handed the gun to Winston with a sneer.

"Are you willing to take the risk? If you die, you won't be able to control me anymore." Ruben said.

Winston shook with rage, refusing to take the gun. Ruben then fired a shot into the air, and upon discovering it was empty, immediately aimed it at himself again.

After three consecutive shots, Winston clutched his heart, lips turning purple, and conceded, "Fine, I won't interfere. You can marry whoever you want. You are not a qualified heir to the family!"

From then on, everyone knew Ruben had risked his life to marry Colby.

To spare her any discomfort, Colby hadn't attended any Gibson family events in three years of marriage.

Ruben insisted, "My wife doesn't need to worry about anyone's opinions."

Those who understood saw it as his way of cherishing Colby, while others thought she was unworthy of the family's favor. But now, he was parading his mistress openly?

That evening, Colby entered the banquet hall just as Ruben and another woman stepped into the elevator. As the doors closed, she saw them kiss.

Colby's mind went blank. Before witnessing it firsthand, she could convince herself it was all hearsay. After all, Ruben returned home every day, massaged her, applied pregnancy oils, and told stories to the baby. Even in meetings, he would take her calls, affectionately calling her "baby" and saying he missed her.

Every gesture and word assured Colby of his love.

Trembling, she stepped into the same elevator. The scent of Ruben's signature fragrance lingered in the air. This was a scent she loved during her pregnancy.

It soothed her nausea, so despite his allergy to perfumes, Ruben wore it daily for her comfort, enduring rashes as a result.

He said it was worth it to do anything for her.

But at this moment, Colby's sense of smell, which had become unusually sensitive due to her pregnancy, and she smelled the scent of another woman's perfume.

She staggered. It turned out that his bottom line could be lowered for different women. She was not his exception.

The elevator door opened with a ding.

Lesly's shy voice could be heard, "Mr. Gibson, the door is open. I'm shy."

Ruben chuckled softly, "This floor is restricted, only I have access. What are you afraid of? Besides, doesn't this feel exciting?"

The next moment, the sound of clothes tearing and Lesly's moans filled the air.

Colby's steps grew heavier as she approached. She was familiar with this place. Ruben had brought her here when they were dating, using similar sweet talk to her.

Their love marked every corner of the suite.

The difference was that when they got married, Ruben entered her fingerprints and irises into the system. So he deceived Lesly. Colby was also able to reach this floor.

Suddenly, Lesly screamed and hid behind Ruben, "There's... someone."

Ruben, who was concentrating on making love, suddenly stiffened. When he slowly turned around, the sound of vaginal fluids could be heard.

He turned around without any concealment, revealing a body all too familiar to Colby, one that had brought her immense pleasure.

Colby's vision darkened, and she nearly fainted. Ruben swiftly caught her in his arms, but his scorching body made Colby feel sick. She pushed him away forcefully, resisting his attempt to get close again.

Ruben coldly glanced at Lesly, his voice icy, "I told you, if you upset my wife, what should you do?"

Lesly gritted her teeth and knelt before Colby, slapping her face repeatedly, "Madam, it's all my fault. I was tempted by Mr. Gibson's charms and seduced him. But he's only made a common mistake many men make. He still loves you."

Colby found it was ridiculous, but she noticed Ruben looking at Lesly with approval, seemingly pleased with her performance.

Colby felt a dull pain in her belly, wanting nothing more than to ignore these two bastards and leave for the hospital. Yet Ruben held her back and then turned to Lesly, "It seems your sincerity isn't enough. My wife doesn't want to forgive you."

Lesly bit her lip and, under Ruben's chilling gaze, walked out naked. Colby widened her eyes, filled with shock and disbelief.

Ruben, now dressed, approached Colby, his gaze filled with genuine affection, as if he hadn't just been caught in the act. "Colby, I only love you. If she makes you unhappy, I will never let her go."

Colby was so angry that her legs weakened, unable to walk. She had no choice but to let Ruben hold her.

She rebuked him, "You are the one who cheated on me, not her."

"Colby, I have no feelings for her. I'm your husband. We're one entity. Everything I do is to avoid hurting you. But Lesly, what is she compared to you? If she makes you unhappy, she must face the consequences."

As he spoke, he kissed the corner of Colby's lips, a gesture she once loved. Whenever she threw a tantrum, Ruben would kiss her until she calmed down.

But now, his mouth carried the scent of another woman, and Colby fainted.

Colby was awakened by the chatter of two nurses, "Did you hear? Mrs. Gibson fainted after seeing Mr. Gibson and Lesly have sex. She fainted because she couldn't bear the shock."

"I heard that to let Mrs. Gibson vent her anger, Mr. Gibson made Lesly, who seduced him, get naked in public. Wow, let's see who dares to seduce Mr. Gibson in the future."

"Mrs. Gibson is so lucky. With no parents, she still found an ideal husband like Mr. Gibson."

After changing the IV bottle, the nurses left. Colby slowly opened her eyes and smiled bitterly.

Was she lucky?

She used to think so. Ruben was wealthy, handsome, romantic, and gentle, fulfilling all her fantasies about men. She often asked Ruben what she did in her past life to deserve meeting him.

Ruben would then lift her and sit her on his strong, muscular thigh, his voice soothing and tender, "I was the one who did something good in my past life to have the fortune of marrying you."

His words still echoed in her ears, but in the next moment, he appeared in Lesly's social media posts.

"So annoying, making me cry and then coming to comfort me. But since you're so handsome and caring, I'll forgive you..." Ruben's hands, which wiped Colby's tears, that massaged her, were now peeling shrimp for Lesly, the oil splattering onto the blue diamond of their wedding ring, tainting it.

She painfully removed the IV needle, holding her stomach as she left the hospital, heading straight for the old house where her parents lived before they passed away.

Yet, standing outside, she couldn't help but think of Ruben.

It was from this house that Ruben took her away on their wedding day.

That day, he said, "Your parents cared for you in the first half of your life. Let me take care of the second half."

But she never imagined the promise he made to care for her for life would be fulfilled so briefly.

Slowly climbing the narrow, dim staircase, Colby pushed open the door to find Ruben gripping Lesly's waist, passionately kissing her.

"Get out of my sight!" Colby screamed through her tears. This was her home, filled with cherished childhood memories.

She grabbed a cushion from the sofa and hurled it at the two intruders, but the man swiftly snatched it away. "Colby, don't make a scene. Lesly is just here to help check the house," Ruben said.

"My house doesn't need a caretaker. Get out, both of you!" Colby shouted, ignoring her eight-month-pregnant belly as she pushed against them.

Ruben, tall and strong, barely moved, but Lesly was no match for Colby's height. She stumbled back, crashing into the dining table, knocking everything onto the floor.

Despite the pain, Lesly remained silent, her frail yet resilient demeanor piercing Ruben's heart. He grabbed Colby's wrist and said coldly, "Lesly has already paid her dues. Must you be so unforgiving?"

Colby froze for a moment, quickly realizing the truth.

The punishment Lesly received that day wasn't to avenge Colby, but to pave the way for Lesly. Could there be a harsher punishment than having everyone watching Lesly naked?

There was none, and there never would be.

Colby's eyes turned from despair to cold resolve as she looked straight at Ruben, her voice unwavering. "Let's divorce, Ruben. Let your beloved be your wife."

Ruben frowned. "That's impossible! In my world, marriage is for life, not to be ended by divorce."

After hearing Ruben's words, tears rolled down Colby's cheeks. Ruben felt a pang of guilt, wanting to console her, but thinking that she, who was always gentle and generous, had disturbed him all the time because of such a small matter, he could only harden his heart.

"Think it over. I'll have the driver take you home later. And remember, the house is in my name. I make decisions about this house." With that, he turned and left with Lesly.

Once the hallway fell silent again, Colby dared to look at the changed house. The old mementos from her parents were gone, replaced by modern decor. Ruben had allowed Lesly to destroy her home.

Tears streamed down Colby's face.

Years ago, when her parents died suddenly, they left behind this house with an unpaid mortgage. When the bank came to repossess it, she pleaded desperately with them to let her keep it. It was then that she met Ruben.

Ruben fell for her at first sight, but respected her youth and did not act. He paid off the mortgage and pretended to buy the house himself so she wouldn't feel indebted. For two years, she lived there rent-free until the night she grew up, when Ruben declared his love, and she fell for him completely and had sex with him. They moved into Ruben's house after solidifying their relationship.

Ruben once offered to transfer the house to her name, but she refused.

"I'll always remember how you protected this house for me. It's a tangible sign of your love." She never imagined that five years later, Ruben would use the house deed, in his name, to let another woman move in.

Colby couldn't understand how Ruben's heart had changed. She noticed a photo of her parents under the sofa and painfully tried to pick it up, but her pregnant belly wouldn't allow her to bend down.

Overwhelmed by her grievances, she broke down in sobs again.

Her husband was gone, her home was falling apart, and she couldn't lose the only photo her parents left behind.

Unable to bend down, she knelt, and as her knees hit the floor, shards of broken glass pierced her skin, turning her face pale with pain. Her belly hurt, and she struggled to breathe, dialing 911 for emergency help.

While waiting for the doctors, she called Brenda. "Brenda, does our bet to test his loyalty still stand?"

A silent chuckle echoed from the other end. "Of course. But you're carrying his child. Once you give birth, I'll ensure you leave."

After hanging up, Colby recalled how, before the wedding, Brenda had approached her with a challenge to test Ruben's loyalty.

Naively, Colby had believed he never would change his heart.

Brenda had smiled, shaking her head, saying men were inherently fickle. If Ruben remained faithful for three years, she would persuade the family to accept Colby.

But if not, Colby would have to leave, and they'd find Ruben a wife of equal status to maximize the interests of both families.

Colby had agreed without hesitation.

Now, it seemed ironic. They were a month away from their third anniversary, and their child was due around then too.

But Ruben had an affair.

When the doctors arrived, Colby was barely conscious from the pain. After a quick examination, they found the baby was already on its way.

The conditions were less than ideal, but Colby couldn't last until reaching the hospital. After some basic sanitation, she followed the doctor's lead, and half an hour later, the room was filled with the cries of a newborn.

Looking at the wrinkled little one in her arms, Colby smiled through her tears. "Dad, Mom, I was born in this house, and 23 years later, my child is too. Mom and Dad, up there, please bless me to achieve my wishes." she whispered, cherishing the legacy of her parents, hoping they'd help her leave the Gibson family with her child.

When Brenda received the news, she quickly rushed over with a more professional medical team. By then, the baby was already nursing at Colby's chest.

Brenda cast a stern and authoritative glance at Colby. "On the baby's one-month celebration, I'll arrange for you to leave and give you another card with 10 million in it, and you won't come back."