Chapter 1
Layla sat quietly in her car, her gaze piercing through the rain as she watched the scene unfolding before her.
Haven City's evening downpour drummed against the windshield of her sedan, blurring her vision but failing to obscure the sight that stabbed at her heart.
Her hands unconsciously gripped the steering wheel tighter, knuckles turning pale from the pressure.
Outside the upscale restaurant, her husband, Seth Stanton, was passionately kissing a young woman, both lost in each other.
At one point, the girl seemed to struggle for breath, slightly attempting to pull away, only to have Seth press his hand against the back of her head, deepening the kiss.
She was a young thing, wearing a white chiffon blouse and light blue jeans, looking so innocent she could have been a fresh college graduate.
When Seth had called, Layla had already been asleep. Learning he'd had too much to drink after a business dinner and couldn't drive, she'd thrown on a trench coat without changing and rushed over.
What should have been a fifteen-minute drive took her less than ten, only to arrive and witness this scene at the restaurant entrance.
She didn't get out of the car. She just watched silently until the grief flooded her chest, making it hard to breathe. Only then did she slowly reach for her phone to call Seth.
Through the car window, she saw Seth frown with annoyance as the ringtone interrupted him. He finally released the girl and pulled his phone from his pocket.
"Yeah?" His voice carried obvious irritation.
"Get in the car," Layla said curtly.
Seth paused, holding the phone as he glanced toward the curb. Their eyes met through the car window. Layla immediately looked away, as if even a second longer would cause her to break down.
A minute later, the passenger door opened, and Seth got in, filling the car with the strong smell of alcohol.
Layla looked up to find that the girl had vanished. She hadn't even seen her leave.
"How much longer are you going to stare?" Seth lifted his eyelids slightly to glance at her.
Caught cheating by his wife, Seth showed not a trace of panic or fear.
More accurately, he simply didn't consider Layla worth worrying about.
This attitude stemmed from one thing: he was rich, extremely rich.
As long as Layla didn't cry or make a scene and just did as she was told, he would provide for her every material need. Everything except, of course, affection.
"I knew you were seeing someone, but I didn't expect this type. Did you deliberately call me here just to make me see?" Layla's eyes reflected endless sorrow, leaving nothing but desolation.
Seth's gaze was cold and harsh, filled with contempt and disgust. "What's it to you? You have no right to question anything I do. What? You want me to sleep with you now?"
The vulgar words fell from his lips without restraint. Layla felt her heart being sliced open, a dull ache spreading through her chest.
He had never treated her as a wife; even "bedmate" would be putting it kindly.
Layla took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in her chest. She remained silent and simply started the car.
The man in the passenger seat then twisted the knife deeper into Layla's heart with his next words.
"I'm not going home. Take me to North Shore Heights."
North Shore Heights was one of Haven City's wealthiest neighborhoods, with average home prices around fifteen million dollars.
Layla knew Seth owned several properties there, but he'd never lived in them, merely buying them to keep vacant.
His request to go to North Shore Heights tonight meant that was his "home" with the girl she'd just seen.
Seth was always generous with women; he'd probably already given the house to her.
In three years of marriage, Seth coming home five times a month would be considered frequent. Layla had always thought he stayed at the office because he didn't want to see her, or that he stayed in hotels with other women. Now Layla fully realized that he'd been living with that girl in North Shore Heights all along.
Layla gripped the steering wheel tightly, the burning pain spreading from her chest to every nerve ending, yet she maintained her composure.
"By the way, tomorrow night is your grandmother's birthday. Don't forget."
Seth replied flatly, "I haven't forgotten. If I can't make it, just go by yourself. You know what to say. I've already bought Grandmother's gift; take it with you."
"You're not going to your grandmother's birthday? Won't she be heartbroken?" Layla pressed her lips together.
The man's eyes revealed deep mockery. "You do what I tell you to do. Are you trying to lecture me? She's my grandmother, not yours. If she wants to scold me, she'll call me directly. I don't need you butting in."
Layla bit her lower lip hard, unable to say anything for a long time.
Yes, she had indeed overstepped.
Fifteen minutes later, the car arrived at North Shore Heights. Seth merely had her stop at the entrance before getting out and walking in without a backward glance.
Layla didn't linger. She turned the car around and left.
Back at Oceanview Estate, Layla collapsed onto the bed like a corpse. She stared blankly at the ceiling before closing her eyes, silently letting tears fall.
The next day, just as Layla had expected, Seth used work as an excuse to have Layla attend his grandmother's birthday celebration alone.
When Elizabeth Stanton found out, she flew into a rage, first calling to scold her grandson, then calling Layla to berate her.
"After three years of marriage, you still can't manage him? What have you been doing all these years? Didn't I teach you? Men like to play around, but you need to hold him in bed. Can't you even do that much?"
Layla's face gradually turned pale. She pressed her lips together and said, "I'm sorry, Grandmother. His heart isn't with me."
Elizabeth's tone was severe. "I don't care whether his heart is with you or not. You're now the Stanton family daughter-in-law. We can't have people gossiping that the Stantons don't treat their daughter-in-law well, can we? Where would that leave the Stanton family's reputation? You did save Seth back then, and if my husband hadn't insisted on you becoming Seth's wife, I wouldn't have agreed. Otherwise, how would you two have ended up like this? Three years, and I haven't even held a great-grandchild."
Layla didn't argue back. She just let Elizabeth humiliate her in various ways before finally hanging up after telling her not to come to the birthday banquet either.
After these successive blows, Layla's spirit had been gradually crushed. She sat numbly on the sofa, as if her soul had been extracted.
Five years ago, Layla's father, Thomas Montgomery, had been deceived, resulting in his company being acquired at a low price and the entire Montgomery family going bankrupt.
Unable to bear the shock, her father suffered a brain hemorrhage and died a week later.
Her mother, Susan Montgomery, chose to remarry the nouveau riche Robert Hawkins, abandoning her.
But the good times didn't last. Robert lost everything gambling and ended up in prison.
Three years ago, when Susan learned that Layla had married Seth Stanton, she came crawling back.
Out of blood ties and a soft heart, Layla occasionally gave her mother money, allowing Susan to live quite comfortably these past few years.
The only problem was that when Robert went to prison, he left behind a son from his previous marriage—Brian Hawkins, an underachieving troublemaker who hadn't even made it to college and just drifted through life.
Susan had been supporting him for years, and Layla had been dragged into it too. Because she was beautiful and neglected by Seth, Brian frequently harassed her.
After quickly making a bowl of pasta, Layla was about to rest when the doorbell rang.
Puzzled, she went downstairs to the door and checked the video intercom. When she saw who it was, her heart tightened.