Chapter 2: She Will Strip Him of Both Love and Wealth

The same face. The same intimate provocation. Vivian Hale felt a bone-chilling cold wash over her, followed by a wave of visceral, physical nausea. She was certain now. The man she had shared her bed with so many times was definitely not Adrian Cross. It felt as if something was being violently torn from her soul. Meanwhile, Adrian was losing control to his own passion. One large hand caused havoc beneath her skirt, while the other climbed from her slender waist to her chest. In the moment he squeezed her, his movements suddenly stiffened. In the next second, Vivian was roughly pinned facedown onto the sofa. With a gesture of utter humiliation, her skirt was yanked open. A memory flashed through her mind—of a night half a month ago, under the dim yellow glow of the moon. That other man, while possessing her fiercely, had kissed the scar on her chest with near-religious devotion. Every time he did that, she would tremble violently from the intensity of the sensation. Click. The sound of a metal belt buckle being undone made her scalp go numb with dread. She gripped the edge of the sofa tightly, bitterness and disgust intertwining and spreading through her mind as she scrambled for a way to refuse him. A sharp ringing from a cell phone interrupted Adrian’s movements. Pressing one hand firmly against Vivian’s waist, he quickly answered. A clear, flirtatious female voice drifted from the speaker. "Adrian, I made a 'love bento' for you. Why aren't you in the office?" That crisp voice hit Vivian’s heart like another heavy sledgehammer. She felt as if her soul was being shredded. It took several seconds for her to force herself back to reality. She suddenly turned her head, looking at the man with eyes that were intentionally seductive and hazy. "Honey, don't stop." "Adrian? Are you home? You promised me..." The voice on the other end began to throw a petulant tantrum. Adrian quickly stood up and straightened his clothes. "I understand. See you in a bit." He hung up abruptly, then reached out with a patronizing air to ruffle Vivian’s slightly disheveled hair. Like an emperor granting a small favor. "There’s an emergency at the company. Let’s wait until tonight." Watching the man hurry away, Vivian finally couldn't hold it back. As tears fell, she covered her mouth and heaved in a dry gag. She felt filthy. Filthier than she had ever felt in her life.

After putting away the folder, she rushed into the bathroom, stripped off her clothes, and stuffed them all into the trash. She scrubbed her entire body multiple times with disinfectant soap until her skin turned red and began to sting, only then stopping. The shower water poured over her from head to toe. Slowly, her emotions began to settle. She placed a small hand gently over her lower abdomen. She had taken ovulation-inducing medication in advance, calculating the days just to wait for today. She had no relatives left in this world. If heaven could grant her a child, it would be the greatest encouragement for her decision to be reborn. Of course, she would also secure a future for herself and her child. If this man was heartless, she would be ruthless. She was determined to strip him of both his love and his wealth.

After drying off, she changed into a loose casual set and pulled out the divorce agreement hidden in the folder. The compensation and property division sections were left blank; when the time came, she would make Adrian Cross leave the marriage with nothing. During university, Adrian had wanted to start a business. As his girlfriend, she had naturally supported him with both hands, unconditionally giving him her patents to use as the startup project. At the time, Adrian was deeply moved. He knelt before her and swore an oath. No matter how large the company grew, half of the original shares would always belong to her. Now, Adrian’s company was worth hundreds of millions, yet he had never mentioned the matter again. In that case, however she had built him up, she would make him fall back down. He wouldn't be allowed to take a single cent of those things. Of course, she knew it would be difficult. But for the sake of her child and herself, she would find a way. She had intentionally provoked that woman over the phone just now; Adrian would surely go to coax Chloe Bennett tonight and wouldn't return. For now, she needed to make full preparations for her plan. First, she needed a job—a foundation to stand on so she could leave immediately after securing the assets. After a simple lunch, she sat at her computer and conducted a detailed background search on overseas R&D companies that matched her patents. She selected one and submitted her resume. Since she was leaving, she would go far away. Never to meet again.

Busy until evening, she had just finished cleaning the dining room and was preparing to go upstairs to sleep. Then, she heard the sound of the digital lock opening. That person... had he come back in Adrian’s place again? Her heart skipped a beat. Clutching the hem of her nightgown, she looked toward the door with nervous trepidation. The door opened, and a tall, upright man walked in. He lifted his gaze to where she stood. The orange light fell across her soft, delicate shoulders. The cotton nightgown had two beautiful bows on the straps, and the warm tones made her skin look as translucent as jade. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, appearing obedient and soft. An unusual ripple of emotion flickered in the man's eyes. For a moment, Vivian couldn't distinguish who this person was. She froze in place, unmoving. The man slowly took off his coat and held it halfway up in the air. "Come here. Why are you dazed?" Vivian’s heart, which had been in her throat, instantly dropped back into place. This person was Adrian. That other man would never use such a commanding tone to make her hang up his clothes or get his slippers. She lowered her eyes and walked over, taking the coat and placing the slippers at his feet. The man frowned slightly. He was clearly unaccustomed to her lack of a warm welcome. But remembering the events of the day, his lips curled into a smirk. With a sweeping motion, he caught Vivian—who had just set down the slippers—and pinned her against the wall in the foyer. "Vivian, are you angry with me?" "Since I promised to have a child with you, I won't go back on my word." As he spoke, the man reached up and tugged open the collar of his shirt. The breath he exhaled was mixed with the scent of another woman. Vivian could almost imagine it. Before coming home, this man’s mouth might have been passionately kissing another person’s body. Her stomach cramped again with a wave of nausea, and the hole in her heart was torn wider, bleeding with pain. Just as she was about to dodge, the doorbell rang outside, growing louder with each ring. "Who would be coming at this hour?" Adrian asked, displeased. Vivian took the chance to slip out from under his arm and went to open the door. A delivery boy stood outside. He was holding a massive bouquet of Blue Enchantress roses. "Are you Ms. Hale?" Vivian nodded. "I am Vivian Hale." The delivery boy, having confirmed her identity, immediately shoved the bouquet into her arms. "Ms. Hale, your husband, Mr. Cross, said he couldn't make it back tonight due to business. He specially ordered these flowers and wishes you sweet dreams." With that, he turned and left. Vivian finally breathed a silent sigh of relief. She turned around, clutching the flowers, and looked at Adrian Cross, whose face had turned an eerie shade of ugly. She spoke with a half-smile. "Honey, is this another surprise you prepared for me?" She knew Adrian hadn't sent them. That other man was the one who liked to send these flowers when he came over. His timing was certainly impeccable. She intentionally suppressed her true emotions and put on a look of happiness. Picking up a handwritten card nestled in the center of the bouquet, she read the words with a voice that was pure, flirtatious charm. "Last night, you were like a Blue Enchantress blooming in the dark, entangling me until I was intoxicated, unable to pull myself away." Finally, Adrian’s face turned completely black with rage. He snatched the card away. After seeing the handwriting clearly, his expression became even more bizarre. His jaw tightened into a hard line, his teeth clenched. Vivian, appearing entirely oblivious, tilted her head and stared at him with confusion. "Honey, did you order flowers for me because you didn't plan on coming home tonight?" The man’s mouth twitched into a stiff smirk. "Yes... but it was cancelled at the last minute. I forgot I had ordered the flowers." Vivian felt nothing but mockery in her heart, but she covered her lips and laughed. "So that’s how it is. For a second there, I almost thought I had two husbands." Those words hit like a sledgehammer, making the man nearly choke on his own rage. Coupled with the ambiguous words on the card. He suddenly felt as if a vibrant patch of green grass was sprouting right on top of his head.