Chapter 1 A Joke

After graduating from college, I dumped my penniless boyfriend and left the country with a trust fund baby. Two years later, I was dumped. I returned to the country to find out that my ex-boyfriend had been succeeding in his field. He pulled all sorts of tricks to marry me. Everyone said that he was deeply in love with me and was willing to bury the hatchet, but they did not know that he had been making his way through countless lovers as revenge on me. He asked me why I did not care or feel jealous about it. With a smile, I looked at him. "I'm already dying anyway. What does it matter?" … On our third wedding anniversary, Leonard was setting off fireworks with Lily together on the beach. Curling up on the sofa, I called him again and again. "I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable…" As the robotic female voice rang in my ears again, I blacked out. I was lying in a hospital bed when I woke up. The doctor, Patrick Price, was hesitant to speak while he looked at me. Calmly, I asked, "How much longer can I live?" Patrick tried to comfort me. "There's still hope if you have surgery now and undergo chemotherapy periodically." Expressionless, I stared at the ceiling. "This is my second relapse." As my chest throbbed in pain, beads of cold sweat formed on my forehead. "Ms. Green, there is a new drug that could suppress cancer cells. Each injection costs 50 thousand dollars. "As long as you use the drug for six months after the surgery..." Patrick suddenly stopped speaking. He knew I could not afford it. Despite being the wife of Harmon Group's president, I was penniless. If not, I would not have had to delay treatment for my medical condition. Getting up from the hospital bed, I packed my clothes. "Let's schedule the surgery first." I should be able to afford the surgery if it was a few thousand dollars. Touching the pendant on my chest, I felt a mixture of emotions. When I was back in my neighborhood, I went over to thank the neighbor, Agatha Johnson. She looked at me sympathetically. "What are you thanking me for? You should thank Buddy. I wouldn't have found out that you fainted if it was not for his barking. "Thank god the ambulance got here in time. You young people need to take better care of your body." Buddy was the Labrador retriever I had adopted a month after Leonard and I got married. That day, he brought a woman back to our home. They did not bother to stop what they were doing even after seeing me arrive home. They were so loud that it sounded like they were desperate for me to hear them. After that, he told me, "If you play with fire, you'll get burned. I begged you so many times back then, but you never looked back. You're getting what you deserve now." We had a huge fight. Distressed, I left home and happened to see Buddy. Suffering from canine distemper, he was abandoned at the vet's doorstep. The vet complained as he carried the desperate dog inside. As his hopeless eyes met mine, I felt my heart aching so badly. Just like me, he was already suffering from a serious medical condition and was dying. We had both been abandoned by someone. Later, I gave the vet my gold necklace to save Buddy's life. He was the one who had saved me this time. He nuzzled my leg and looked at me happily. Feeling a lump in my throat, I did not dare to pet his head. "Ms. Agatha, I might have to be hospitalized for a while. Could you help me take care of Buddy?" Agatha's golden retriever had just passed away last year, so I knew she would certainly help me out. As expected, she readily agreed and told me to focus on my recovery. I felt relieved as I watched Buddy go with her. He would at least have someone to care for him once I passed away. But when I went back home, I realized I had overestimated myself. I did not have the money for the surgery. Indeed, Leonard was generous enough to get me the most expensive clothes, bags, and jewelry. I was always the glamorous Mrs. Harmon in the public eye. But in private, I would have to get his permission to wear the gowns and jewelry to events. Only then would his secretary open the cabinet for me remotely. He said that I did not deserve to enjoy these items as I pleased since I had never contributed to this family. I glanced at my phone again. The company staff were still discussing Leonard and Lily's outing yesterday in the gossip group chat. "Is Mr. Harmon serious this time? Doesn't he date different mistresses every month?" "It has to be. Lily has been with him for almost three months now." "They were setting off fireworks on the beach on Valentine's yesterday. How romantic! Did you guys see Lily's diamond necklace? It was so shiny!" "Didn't we attend Mr. Harmon's wedding on Valentine's Day though?" I laughed at myself mockingly. Even some of the staff remembered that it was our anniversary, but he did not. Yesterday, I wanted to talk to him and ask him to pass me the things my mother left behind. That way, we could properly part ways. Looking at the dinner on the table that had turned cold, I headed out of the house. Now, I did not need him. I just needed his money. At Harmon Group, Lily was surrounded by a group of people as she enjoyed their compliments and attention. "Lily, Mr. Harmon treats you so well. This must have cost tens of thousands, right?" "What do you know? This necklace is the newest Mulberry collection, and it is over 100 thousand dollars." Lily flipped her hair proudly. "It's not that much, really. He bought it because I like it. I told him it's too expensive, but he said it wouldn't match me if it wasn't expensive enough." Standing at the office door, I watched her coldly. How ironic this was. I was dying and could not even afford the surgery. Yet, Leonard could casually give his mistress a necklace worth over 100 thousand dollars. It was Lily's first time seeing me. When our eyes met, a glimmer of disdain flashed in hers. "Which department are you from? Don't you know the rules in the company?" When the people around her saw me, they quickly tugged at her shirt. "Lily, this is the president's wife, Eva Green." Lily then looked at me rather guiltily, but she became bold as she remembered something. "So she's the prettiest girl in college whom you guys were talking about? In this sorry state? She's just a laughing stock."