"Xiuying, are you sure you don't want to divorce him?" Hou Chen asked. She was aware that her best friend's husband was cheating on her. She'd been telling Xiuying to leave Mu Jianyu to save herself from further pain.
Li Xiuying didn't deserve to be treated like this. No woman should suffer a betrayal like this. Yet, after years of marriage, Mu Jianyu had forgotten his marriage vows to Li Xiuying, the woman who accepted him and gave him a chance to lift up his status in the industry.
While it's true that Li Xiuying and Li Chuntao were only part of the branch family of the Li family, people still held the twins in high regards within the city. By marrying Li Xiuying, Mu Jianyu elevated his social status within his circle of friends. His popularity and net worth surged to a higher level just because he was Lu Xiuying's husband.
"I can't," Li Xiuying replied. It took a lot of courage to pull herself together and keep her sanity as her husband walked away from her life.
Wasn't there any way to save this marriage? Would she have to raise their child alone after this?
"You don't deserve this. It wasn't your fault that he chose that woman. You've done nothing wrong here!" Hou Chen was burning red from anger. She was always there alongside Li Xiuying ever since they found out about Mu Jianyu's affair with that gold digger of a woman. Everyone knew within the model industry that Lin Meirong was a notorious homewrecker who leeches on rich businessmen. Hou Chen still couldn't believe that Mu Jianyu had abandoned his wife for that kind of woman.
Li Xiuying didn't know what she should do. A part of her was tempted to leave him alone and give him the happiness he claimed he could have with his other woman while her selfish side was begging her not to succumb and fight for what was rightfully hers.
Her tears started to fall. She felt empty yet she could feel that she was breaking inside. Whatever happened to the promise he made that day? What happened to 'till death do us part' and 'in sickness and in health, I will be with you'. It seemed that everything he promised her years ago had been forgotten. The man she deeply loved turned into a stranger she couldn't understand.
Maybe her pregnancy was affecting her thoughts that she kept repeating what he said before he left her.
'I want us to divorce.'
'I'm not happy anymore.'
'I don't want to be tied in a loveless marriage.'
She wanted to scream. She wanted to be angry at him, angry at herself. Her whole body trembled as she tried to keep hold of herself. The little life that was growing inside of her needed her to be strong. But the pain Mu Jianyu left her was so unbearable that she felt like dying, being revived just to be killed again and again.
His words never left her. She wanted to scream at his face for the liar and coward that he was. He wanted to end their marriage without telling her the truth.
The envelope on her hand contained the evidence of his affair and unfaithfulness. She opened it for the nth time only to see those pictures that reminded her of his selfishness. Deep down she was hoping that it was a lie, that her husband wasn't having an affair with another woman.
The last remnants of her hope had vanished into thin air as soon as the pictures were presented to her by the detective she hired to follow her husband. Her husband was in all of those pictures, with another woman in his arms. Clearly enjoying each other's company, laughing and kissing in some of the pictures.
'They met every day at the same time. Mostly after office hours. Sometimes they even had lunch together.' She remembered the detective telling her when they'd met.
She'd tried her best not to break down in front of him and held back her tears.
"Thank you for your hard work. If ever I need your services again, I will call you," she replied.
"I'm at your service anytime, Miss Li."
Miss Li… at least the detective was aware that she didn't want to be called Madam Mu ever again. That selfish bastard. She hated him. She hated him for betraying her, for lying to her.
'You were oblivious to my sadness for all these years. You smile and act like there isn't a problem'
A bitter smile formed on Li Xiuying's lips. Did he just assume that she was ignorant all along? Hadn't she known of his affair and yet had turned a blind eye, refusing to believe that he would leave her? She knew everything from the very beginning but despite her awareness of his affair, she had wished the other woman meant nothing to him. That at the end of the day, he would choose her over that woman.