Chapter 1 Wedding Anniversary

• On the day of our third wedding anniversary. Richard bought me a necklace I've loved for a long time at a high price.
• Everyone said that he's crazy about me.
• I was joyfully preparing a candlelight dinner when I received a video.
• In the video, he put the necklace on another girl with his own hands, "Congratulations on your new life."
• Turns out, today is not just our wedding anniversary. It's also the day his first love got divorced.
• I never thought that this would happen to me. Even though my marriage with Richard wasn’t borne out of romance.
• But in public, he has always indulged me as a doting husband. I sat at the dining table, staring at the now cold steak, and at the still trending search –– Richard spent millions only to please his wife.
• All of these, have become silent mockery.
• At two in the morning, the black Mercedes-Maybach finally drove into the yard.
• Through the floor-to-ceiling window, I could see the man getting off the car, dressed in a custom-tailored dark suit, towering figure, noble and elegant.
• "Why haven't you gone to bed yet?"
• Richard flipped on the light, noticing me sitting in the dining room with a bit of surprise.
• I attempted to get up, but due to my numb leg, I collapsed back onto the chair, saying, "I was waiting for you."
• "You missed me?" He laughed nonchalantly, went to pour himself a glass of water, glancing at the untouched dinner on the table with some surprise.
• If he wanted to pretend, I would hold my emotions back as well.
• I stretched out my hand towards him and said with a crooked smile, "Happy third anniversary, where's my gift?"
• "Sorry, I was too busy today and forgot to prepare for it."
• He paused, then finally realized that today was our wedding anniversary.
• He reached out to tousle my hair but I reflexively dodged it.
• I didn't know what else his hand had touched this evening, and it felt a bit repulsive. He was slightly taken aback.
• Pretending I hadn't noticed, I kept smiling softly at him,
• "Still trying to fool me? You've clearly bid on my favorite necklace, and it's even trending on social media! Give it to me now."
• "Sophia..." Richard slowly retrieved his hand, his face impassive, his voice light,
• "That necklace, I've actually bid for Henry." ...
• As stated online, a brother is always the best shield.
• I barely managed to keep the smile on my face, "Is that so?"
• "Yes, as you know, he attracts trouble like bees to honey."
• Richard's tone and expressions gave nothing away.
• Looking at him under the light, with his flawlessly handsome features, I suddenly feel like I might have never truly understood this man.
• I even start to question if this is really the first time he has lied to me.
• Or maybe, I just trusted him too much in the past. If it weren't for the anonymous video I received, I wouldn't have doubted his explanation at all.
• Seeing that I stayed quiet, he patiently tried to comfort me, "I shouldn't have forgotten such an important day.
• I'll definitely make it up to you with a gift tomorrow."
• "All I want is that necklace."
• I still want to give him a chance.
• The angle in the video didn't reveal the woman's face.
• Just maybe, their relationship isn't something bad.
• Richard showed a hint of hesitation.
• I looked at him with confusion,
• "Is it not possible?
• Let Henry, for the sake of you, his brother, bear losing his admirers.
• It shouldn't be an issue right?" He remained silent for a moment, understanding my insistence, all he could do was reply, "I'll ask him tomorrow, It's not right to forcefully take what someone cherishes."
• "Do I ask 'him' or 'her'?" Unable to inquire further, I simply reply, "Alright."
• "Have you been waiting for me, starving?"
• Richard starts to clean up the dining table.
• His distinctly boned fingers, landing on the china-white tableware, look pretty good.
• I nod, "Mm, it's our anniversary."
• As I stand up to help him clean up, he stops me.
• His voice is soft, "Just sit down, let your husband cook you some noodles."
• "Oh."
• Seeing him like this, the doubt in my heart fades a bit more.
• Could a man who has cheated really be so calm and considerate?
• It's strange, Richard was born with a gold spoon in his mouth, yet he has such good cooking skills.
• His meals are quick and delicious.
• However, he rarely cooks on regular days.
• After about ten minutes, a bowl of enticing-looking tomato and egg noodles is served.
• "It's delicious!" After taking a bite, I praised him generously, "Who did you learn to cook from?
• It's even better than the restaurants outside."
• He looks startled, as if lost in some memory.
• About half a minute later, he finally responds in a low voice,
• "Those two years when I was studying abroad, I had to learn to cook just to satisfy my stomach."
• I originally just asked out of curiosity, without giving it much thought.
• Coming upstairs after taking a bath and laying on my bed, it was already past three.
• Behind me, the man’s hot body pressed against mine.
• His chin was in my neck hollow, lightly rubbing against it.
• “Are you in the mood?”
• His voice was as if it had been polished with sandpaper.
• The breath between his words sprayed onto my skin, causing ripples of shivers.
• Before I could answer, he leaned over, his hand slipping under my silk nightdress.
• He was always dominant in bed, not allowing me to resist.
• But this time, I had to refuse, “Husband, I can't today…”
• My voice, like my body, had softened into a puddle of water.
• “Hm?” Richard was softly kissing on my neck, his hand reaching down, saying embarrassingly candid words: “Down here is welcoming me so much, aren't you?”
• “I, have a stomachache today.”
• Hearing this, he finally halted his movements. He gently kissed my earlobe and pulled me into his arms,
• “I forgot, your period is coming soon.
• Get a good rest.”
• The heartstrings I had just relaxed tightened immediately.
• I turned to look at him without blinking, "My period was at the beginning of the month, it's been over for a while now."
• "Is it?" He looked calm, asking in return without losing his composure,
• "Did I remember it wrong? Does it hurt badly? Should I ask Aunt Sandra to accompany you to the hospital tomorrow?”
• “I went there this morning.”
• "What did the doctor say?" "The doctor said…" I lowered my eyes, hesitating briefly.
• The doctor said that I was five weeks pregnant.
• The abdominal pain was due to a threatened miscarriage.
• I need to take medication to boost progesterone first, and have an ultrasound check-up for the fetal heartbeat in two weeks.
• Finding out that I was pregnant on our wedding anniversary was undoubtedly the best gift.
• I hid the pregnancy test results in a tiny glass jar, concealed in the homemade cake at the center, planning to give Richard a surprise during our candlelight dinner.
• Yet, until now, the cake remained untouched in the refrigerator.
• No one paid any attention to it.
• "It's nothing serious.
• I might have an upset stomach from drinking too many cold beverages recently."
• I chose to hide the truth for the time being.
• If the necklace returns tomorrow, everything will be fine.
• However, if it does not, our marriage, with a third person involved, might struggle to continue.
• Telling him about the child would lose its original meaning.
• I had a restless night.
• Probably no woman could calmly accept the fact that her husband might be having an affair.
• Unexpectedly, the matter that I have been worrying about quickly had a follow-up.
• The next day, while Richard was still washing up, someone knocked on the door.
• I had just changed my clothes, I opened the door to see Aunt Sandra pointing downstairs, "Madam, Miss Bianca is here, she said she came to return something."
• Bianca is the daughter of Richard's stepmother, with no blood relation , two years older than him.
• When you think about it, she could also be considered a lady of the Lincoln household.
• Aunt Sandra was arranged by the Lincoln household to take care of us, and she habitually refers to her as "Miss Bianca".
• I was somewhat puzzled. Normally, besides meeting Bianca at family banquets back at the old house, we don't interact much, let alone borrow things from each other.
• "Return something?"
• "Yes, it's in a very delicate jewelry box, it should be some kind of jewelry."
• Aunt Sandra replied.