Chapter 1

Cats were known to sneak out for a bite while men often strayed from fidelity. Lily Joyner's mind echoed that sentiment as she watched the video of her husband's infidelity for what felt like the hundredth time after receiving it. The footage showed a woman knocking on Xavier Fulton's hotel suite's door at 11:00 pm. He greeted her, clad in a robe, and invited her in. The door didn't open again until three hours later. It went perfectly with Xavier's persona. The timestamp in the corner of the footage was from yesterday. It was his third day on a business trip. She was probably someone he had called over to ease his loneliness and satisfy his physical needs. After all, his desires at night were insatiable despite his refined and gentlemanly appearance. She had rarely been free in the two years since she married him. Did this count as cheating if it was what she had thought? This didn't count as cheating from the perspective of her mother's teachings. However, a barrier had formed in her heart. Lily set down her phone and looked at the melting cake before her. Xavier wasn't one for celebrations. He had never celebrated her birthday with her. Yet, it was his birthday today. She knew he disliked frosting, so she had deliberately learned to make an ice cream cake for him. He was like a fierce tiger to her. Hence, she had even learned to make a little fondant tiger. The chill of late autumn seeped through the air. She had been waiting for too long. The cake was starting to melt, and the tiger sat lopsided on top, looking slightly silly. She wasn't even thinking whether she should eat it or call to ask if he was coming back. She kept thinking about that video so much that she didn't even notice when his car pulled into the driveway. The unlocking sound of the electronic door lock sounded before the familiar sound of his footsteps approached from afar. Lily lifted her gaze and saw Xavier stepping out from the dimly lit foyer. He had narrow brown eyes, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips. He was dressed in a tailored black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and lean waist, exuding an air of elegance and distinction. It still made her heart race even though she had seen that face daily for the past two years. He was handsome, well-built, privileged, and competent. Lily simply couldn't find a single flaw in him. She had fallen for him without question the first time she met him and discovered he was the fiancé promised to her since childhood. Therefore, she agreed to a secret marriage. She had given up her dreams to become his secret wife, and her days revolved entirely around him. She had turned into a devoted wife like her mother. However, she was uncertain whether Xavier felt the same way. She recalled that he was the one who stepped in and agreed to honor their engagement two years ago when the Joyner family had plummeted after a failed investment and her father intended to marry her off to an old tycoon for financial aid. Only then was she able to stand here today as his wife. Therefore, she thought he must have liked her too. The unknown sender and blurry face made her think the video might only be a misunderstanding. It was his birthday today. She decided to ask him about it tomorrow. "Weren't you supposed to be back by six?" Lily stepped forward to take the black blazer Xavier had just taken off. A strong scent of perfume wafted over her. She was slightly stunned before she lifted her gaze to meet his. "I was busy with work," he said tersely and glanced at the cake on the table before he frowned slightly. "Happy birthday!" Lily dismissed her troubling thoughts while appearing gentle and calm. Two small dimples appeared at the corners of her smile. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. His expression remained indifferent as usual. He ignored her friendly gesture as he tugged at his tie twice with his well-defined hand, revealing his tanned chest. "Make me some hangover soup." She could also smell alcohol besides the strong scent of perfume. She immediately got up and walked toward the kitchen. "You should go upstairs to wash up first. The bath's ready." He didn't respond. She turned around and realized he had gone upstairs. It was not the first time she had been ignored like this. What once left her feeling aggrieved had become something she had grown used to over time. Her mother had once told her that men were just like that, and she had slowly learned to accept that. A wave of frustration welled up inside her. It was probably due to the video that she had seen today. It took her a while to suppress those emotions. She cleaned up the cake as she prepared the hangover soup so it would look less terrible. He must have been feeling too uncomfortable from drinking to notice her blessing earlier. She believed he would try the cake once he had the hangover soup. She picked up her phone and prepared to call him downstairs when the cake was salvaged and the hangover soup was ready. A news notification popped up the moment her phone screen lit up. "The president of Nova Group threw a lavish birthday bash for the vice president of his company. The two are suspected to be in a romantic relationship." Lily's heart skipped a beat as she tapped on the notification. Several photos came into her view. Xavier was dressed in a shirt with an unbuttoned collar. He was holding a woman's delicate hand with his well-defined hand while cutting a six-tiered cake. The captions beneath the photo identified the woman in the photo as Sarah Lynde, the vice president of Nova Group. According to insiders, Xavier had personally planned the birthday bash as a surprise for Sarah. All of the company's employees had even received birthday bonuses. Sarah's and Xavier's birthdays were on the same day. They exchanged gifts and sang Happy Birthday together. He had personally planned it. It was an advanced preparation. It all happened when he claimed to be busy with work this evening. He was busy planning Sarah's birthday surprise while Lily was thoughtfully planning a birthday surprise for him. The gift he chose for Sarah was jewelry from an international brand with a starting price of six figures. Sarah gave him a tie in return and personally fed him with the cake. His usually cold expression had softened. His eyes brimmed with tenderness as he looked at her. Although it was only a few photos, Lily could still recognize that Sarah was the woman in the video who knocked on his hotel suite's door in the dead of night. Her wavy hair and curvaceous figure were unmistakable. Lily suddenly remembered something. Xavier often went on business trips. It was either a couple of days or a week. He wouldn't answer her calls or reply to her messages during his trips. Was he spending his time alone with Sarah? He was wrapped in another woman's embrace while she lay awake at night yearning for him. It turned out that the video was the truth. The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning. It drained all the color from her face. She couldn't fathom how long this had been going on between them. All she knew was that she had been played for a fool! On their wedding day, he asked her to be a full-time housewife before she was willing to give up her dreams for him. His casual remark had kept her bound for two years. However, she finally understood now. What he truly liked was a strong woman like Sarah. She could no longer deceive herself. She had listened to her mother's advice to endure and tolerate every grievance she had felt in this marriage, but infidelity was the one thing she couldn't endure! "Help me pack a few things," his cold voice sounded. He descended the stairs with loose strands of hair falling over his forehead. The deep gray loungewear gave him an approachable appearance. However, his features were shadowed with a hint of exhaustion. He sat beside Lily and drank the soup silently without sparing her a glance. Her phone was placed on the table. The screen was still active, displaying the photo of Sarah feeding him the cake. He glanced at it and continued to drink her soup without saying a word. "Is it a part of your job to celebrate your subordinate's birthday?" Lily couldn't hold back anymore. Her tone was far from pleasant. This was the first time she had spoken to him in a questioning tone since their wedding. He frowned and looked at her with an unfathomable expression. "Of course." "Why have you never mentioned that the vice president who's always with you is a woman?" Her anger flared further at his matter-of-fact tone. "It's not necessary." He downed the hangover soup before getting up to head upstairs. His indifference had successfully lit a spark of fury in her chest. She had utterly forgotten what her mother had warned her about the way of marriage at this moment. She got up and blocked his path. "What do you mean not necessary? We're husband and wife. You're spending our shared assets when you throw a birthday bash and buy gifts for another woman. I have every right to know about it and have a say—"