- hace 22 horas
My Husband Wanted an Open Marriage
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00:13¡Suscríbete al canal!
00:30Ryan brought a college student named Kelly Smith home.
00:32The girl looked ordinary, yet she was the first woman he kept longer than a month.
00:37Ryan gave me two choices.
00:39Agree to an open marriage and let Kelly be on equal terms with me.
00:43Or just divorce him, split the assets evenly, and go our separate ways for good.
00:48His friends were there, watching the show.
00:50They were sure I'd just keep being a pushover, putting up with everything.
00:54But to their surprise, I chose the latter without hesitation.
00:57In my previous life, I chose to endure, and what I got in return was Kelly pushing her luck further
01:04and further.
01:05She forbade Ryan from touching me or giving me any of his assets.
01:09In my later years, I couldn't help but envy Kelly, who ended up with everything.
01:13Money, children, the whole package.
01:17Even after Ryan died, his will didn't grant me anything.
01:20All his inheritance was left under Kelly's control.
01:24I had been his lawful wife, but ended up with nothing at last.
01:28Reborn into this life, I finally figured everything out.
01:34This time, I just wanted to take the money and leave.
01:38I picked up the divorce agreement, read it carefully from beginning to end, and was about to sign my name.
01:44Ryan finally spoke.
01:46Anna Taylor, think this through.
01:48Once you sign, there's no turning back.
01:51I didn't stop.
01:52I quickly wrote my name down.
01:55I'll pack my things, and leave right now.
01:58In my previous life, I thought bringing Kelly home was just another one of his tricks to mess with me.
02:04Naively, I believed that after all these years of marriage, he must have had at least a little affection for
02:09me.
02:10I was a fool.
02:11He and Kelly had kids one after another and grew old together in love.
02:16And I, in that house, was like an awkward outsider, mocked and ridiculed by everyone around me for my whole
02:23life.
02:24Not until my later years did I hear him talking with Kelly in a hospital room.
02:29He said that back then, the dramatic scene of catching a guy in my bed had been arranged by him
02:35personally.
02:36I was just tired of her and didn't want things to get too ugly.
02:41So I staged the whole thing.
02:42There wasn't a shred of guilt in his clouded eyes.
02:45That way, all I did later seemed completely defensible.
02:50So that was it.
02:52No wonder every time I desperately tried to explain, all I got was his cold disbelief.
02:58Because from beginning to end, he knew the truth.
03:01He didn't love me, yet he used a fabricated crime to trap me for 50 years.
03:06He could have ended it cleanly with one stroke, but instead chose to slowly torture me to death.
03:12Looking at the young, yet still cold face before me, I felt nothing but hatred.
03:20He stared blankly at the signed agreement, his eyes filled with shock.
03:25Outside the door, the faint sounds of whispering abruptly stopped.
03:29The next second, my distinguished parents-in-law rushed in cheerfully.
03:33Oh my, look at her, so young and so energetic.
03:38My father-in-law, who had always treated me with hostility, was smiling kindly at this moment.
03:44Finally, we can send away that useless one.
04:07As expected, still the same familiar sarcasm, the same nauseating tone.
04:13All these years, in order to be a useful wife, I worked myself to the bone at Carter Group during
04:18the day.
04:19At night, I still had to serve these two picky bastards.
04:23Just past 30, yet plenty of white hair had already crept into my temples.
04:28I did look kinda old.
04:33I turned back to my room and began packing my pitiful little bit of luggage.
04:37And I was already planning where I should go first to properly relax after getting the money.
04:42Didn't notice Ryan following me in.
04:46It's so late.
04:47There's no need to move out immediately.
04:49Leave tomorrow.
04:53Isn't the villa in the west of the city still empty?
04:56You can stay there for now.
04:58I'll visit you when I'm free you.
05:02Ana, you're just being emotional.
05:05Calm down.
05:06I know how much you love me, okay?
05:10But I really can't let you be my legal wife anymore.
05:14I can't let my child grow up being labeled as illegitimate.
05:17I didn't respond.
05:19I just picked up my suitcase, walked past him, and headed straight for the door.
05:24There's nothing left to say between us.
05:26I'm very happy we're divorced.
05:29If you really still have a conscience, hurry up and pay me what you owe.
05:34The night wind carried fine snow as it rushed toward me,
05:37biting cold, yet unable to extinguish the fire burning in my heart.
05:42Ryan's efficiency was, as always, impressive.
05:46When I woke up, three billion was already in my bank account.
05:49With the money, the first thing I did was book Harbor City's most luxurious private club.
05:54Haircut, full-body spa, and everything.
05:57The haggard woman with graying temples in the mirror was gone.
06:00In her place stood a sharp-eyed beauty with flamboyant red hair.
06:04Just as I finished changing, my best friend Iris Allen called.
06:08Anna Taylor!
06:09What's going on between you and Ryan?
06:11Have you lost your minds?
06:13What the hell happened?
06:15What's wrong?
06:16And you still ask what's wrong?
06:18Haven't you seen the news yourself?
06:20The headlines are full, are full of Ryan and that woman at some banquet.
06:25He said in front of all the reporters,
06:28that woman is his only wife.
06:31He even said they're holding a wedding soon.
06:34Your stuck-up in-laws were right there too,
06:37saying that girl had it coming.
06:38Are you okay?
06:40I never got such public acknowledgement, such recognition.
06:44Ryan had now given it to her.
06:46I'm fine.
06:47We're already divorced.
06:49What?
06:51Divorced?
06:51She'd watched me love Ryan for more than 10 years.
06:54She watched me bend over backward for this marriage.
06:57Give up myself like a servant begging for scraps.
07:00Begging for scraps of affection.
07:02Are you few free tonight?
07:05Let's go get a drink.
07:06My treat.
07:09In Harbor City's most extravagant bar,
07:11the booths were piled high with the priciest wine.
07:14Several young, handsome male models surrounded me,
07:17attentively pouring drinks for me.
07:19Holy shit, I believe it now.
07:22You really have let go.
07:24You were never like this before.
07:25Back then, to prove to Ryan that I wasn't after money,
07:29I calculated cost performance for everything.
07:32I had been afraid he'd think I was wasteful
07:34or didn't care about the family.
07:35Now, sitting in this luxurious private room,
07:38I looked at the woman reflected in the mirrored glass.
07:41The flamboyant red hair,
07:43the perfectly tailored haute couture dress,
07:46was strange, yet familiar.
07:49Iris raised her glass and clinked it hard against mine.
07:52You look a bit like that once-in-a-century genius beauty
07:55from the finance department at Ace University.
07:58She downed a huge gulp of wine and then complained.
08:02Back then, so many venture capital firms
08:04were fighting to invest in you.
08:06If you'd started your own group,
08:08you'd have crushed Carter Group long ago.
08:10Spending over a decade being a servant for his family?
08:13And after the divorce, you only got this much money.
08:16Girl, I really think you deserve better.
08:18I had been a servant for them for more than a decade.
08:21In my previous life,
08:23Carter Group, under my control,
08:25once dominated the national rankings
08:26as the strongest enterprise.
08:28Yet in my old age,
08:30I couldn't even afford a box of painkillers.
08:32In the end, I was thrown out by Kelly's children
08:34and died of illness beside a trash heap on a winter night.
08:37The business empire I built with my entire life
08:39went to Kelly and her children.
08:41Thinking of this,
08:42I drained the wine in my glass in one go.
08:44The spicy liquid burned down my throat,
08:47yet ignited the fire deep in my heart.
08:49I swore I would get back at them.
08:52Without me,
08:53could they really live so well?
08:55The very next day,
08:57news of my group registration spread like wildfire,
09:00stirring the entire circle.
09:01Some people sensed opportunity
09:03and rushed overnight with proposals,
09:05hoping to invest.
09:06But more people mocked and waited on the sidelines,
09:09waiting for the Carter family's reaction.
09:12Someone clearly gave instructions to the media,
09:14so paparazzi articles were all belittling me
09:17for overestimating myself.
09:18I looked at the push notifications on my phone
09:20and swiped them away expressionlessly.
09:22I just didn't expect to receive a call from Ryan.
09:26Anna,
09:27can't you be a bit more understanding?
09:29I've just found true love.
09:32Besides,
09:33instead of starting some small, broken group,
09:37wouldn't it be better to stay at Carter Group,
09:39that Southern District merger you were handling before?
09:41I hung up the phone directly,
09:43as expected.
09:44He had just remembered that I was still useful.
09:47That Southern District project was a tough nut
09:49I'd been working on for over half a year.
09:52I drank until my stomach perforated for it.
09:55Without me,
09:56Carter Group wouldn't even know where to start.
09:58At Carter Group,
09:59although I was the president,
10:00my monthly salary was only $1,000.
10:04All because my distinguished father-in-law said we were family
10:06and shouldn't be so calculative.
10:08I once naively believed that was his test for me.
10:12Now it seemed I was nothing more than an exceptionally capable,
10:15yet ridiculously cheap housemaid they had recruited.
10:19The more I thought about it,
10:20the angrier I became.
10:22I made up my mind at that time,
10:24I would take over all those projects
10:26I brought to Carter Group in my previous life.
10:28Even if my new group couldn't deal with them,
10:31I would personally hand them over to Carter Group's deadliest rivals.
10:34After the call was cut off,
10:36Ryan slammed his phone to the ground in fury.
10:39All these years,
10:40he had grown used to my obedience,
10:41expecting me to show up on command
10:43and disappear at his whim.
10:45Now that I'd hung up on him so decisively,
10:47he felt really mad.
10:49At that moment,
10:50his special assistant awkwardly came in
10:52holding a stack of documents he couldn't even understand,
10:54asking him to sign them.
10:56Days of exhaustion,
10:58plus years of unfamiliarity with group affairs,
11:00had left him truly overwhelmed lately.
11:02Kelly followed the assistant in,
11:04took Ryan's hand,
11:05and said with eyes full of concern,
11:09Ryan,
11:09don't work yourself too hard.
11:11I'm your wife now.
11:12Let me help share your burden.
11:15He hesitated,
11:16somewhat uneasy.
11:17You're still young
11:18and unfamiliar with group operation.
11:21Go rotate through the department first.
11:24Anna Taylor could be the president.
11:27Why can't I?
11:29Ryan subconsciously wanted to say
11:30that at least Anna was a top graduate
11:32from Ace University's finance department.
11:34But the moment he met Kelly's eyes,
11:36all his rationality was thrown away.
11:38His heart softened,
11:39and he just nodded.
11:41Kelly broke into a smile through her tears,
11:43hugged him,
11:44and said affectionately,
11:46I'm just worried about you.
11:48Look at you,
11:49you've lost so much weight lately.
11:51Less than half a month after my group started up,
11:54everything was already running smoothly.
11:56During this time,
11:57Kelly sent people over more than once
11:58to cause trouble.
11:59Just some petty tricks,
12:02all of which I brushed aside with ease.
12:04After all these years,
12:05the connections I'd built
12:06were far beyond
12:07what a little girl like her could compare to.
12:09Those senior employees at Carter Group
12:11whom I personally trained
12:13had long wanted to leave
12:14after hearing I'd gone solo,
12:16especially since after Kelly started working there,
12:19she kept suppressing them,
12:20making their days suffocating.
12:22I didn't rush to bring them over.
12:24I had them stir up a little chaos
12:26before they left,
12:27a small token of allegiance to me.
12:29Kelly thought losing a few people
12:30was no big deal,
12:32even secretly rejoicing
12:33that she'd cleared out
12:34some remnants of me.
12:35But she didn't understand.
12:37Some of them were critical for the group.
12:40Projects fell through one after another,
12:43and Carter Group's stock price
12:44plunged again and again.
12:46Meanwhile, on my side,
12:48with capable team members,
12:49we unleashed astonishing power,
12:52consecutively landing several deals
12:54worth tens of millions.
12:56Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window
12:58in the conference room,
12:58looking at the jubilant team below.
13:01Tonight at OTK Club,
13:04it's all on me!
13:05No one leaves sober!
13:07Amid the thunderous cheers,
13:09I led everyone out of the group building
13:11in a grand procession.
13:13At the entrance,
13:14a familiar black Rolls Royce
13:15was parked quietly by the roadside.
13:17The car door opened,
13:19and Ryan stepped out with an arrogant look,
13:21waving at me.
13:21I didn't even glance his way,
13:24leading my people straight ahead.
13:26Anna Taylor?
13:27What do you mean?
13:28Didn't you see me?
13:30You've really grown bold now.
13:33A little impatient,
13:34I looked at him coldly and said,
13:36Sir,
13:37do you need something?
13:38He seemed slightly taken aback
13:40by my attitude,
13:41but still got straight to the point,
13:43issuing an order.
13:44Shut down your group
13:45and come back to Carter Group.
13:47I was so angered
13:48by his self-righteousness
13:49that I laughed.
13:50He took my laughter as hesitation,
13:52and his tone softened a little.
13:53Anna,
13:54I've really been exhausted lately.
13:56Don't keep fighting with me,
13:58all right?
13:58He paused,
13:59as if making a huge concession.
14:01If you really mind,
14:02Kelly,
14:02I can have her move
14:03somewhere else for now.
14:06Looking at this pompous man before me,
14:07I couldn't help but question
14:08my own judgment back then.
14:10I'm not throwing a tantrum.
14:12I cut him off coldly.
14:13Mr. Ryan,
14:14we're already divorced.
14:16Please don't interfere
14:17with my life anymore.
14:20His patience ran out,
14:22his voice suddenly rising.
14:24I've already compromised.
14:27What more do you want?
14:28The group needs you right now,
14:30and you choose this moment
14:32to put on airs?
14:34I suddenly felt
14:36there was no reasoning
14:36with him at all.
14:37In his world,
14:39everyone was supposed
14:39to revolve around him.
14:42If you've got any issues, sir,
14:44why don't you go bother
14:45your precious wife?
14:47Kelly Smith,
14:48I'm just an outsider.
14:49I have no obligation
14:51to clean up your mess.
14:53You care about the status?
14:56Anna,
14:57once Kelly gives birth,
14:58I'll think about it.
15:04But you have to promise me,
15:05no going public.
15:07I don't want Kelly to be hurt.
15:09I stared at him,
15:11enunciating every word.
15:13I'll say it one last time,
15:14get lost.
15:15Don't let me see you again.
15:20I'm never getting back together
15:22with you.
15:23Ever.
15:25Anna Taylor,
15:26don't push your luck.
15:28Don't forget this is Harbor City.
15:31If I want to crush
15:32a low-tier little group like yours,
15:35it's easy as pie.
15:36Just then,
15:37a clear,
15:37slightly,
15:38lazy male voice got in.
15:40Oh?
15:41Mr. Ryan sure has a bad temper.
15:44Not only openly harassing my fiancé,
15:47but also threatening to destroy her group.
15:51Ryan turned his head
15:52and was totally stunned.
15:53It was Alex White,
15:54another rich young man,
15:56and Ryan's nemesis.
15:58Alex strolled over lazily
15:59and naturally wrapped an arm
16:00around my waist.
16:02Leaning his head intimately
16:03against my shoulder,
16:04he whined.
16:07Darling,
16:08I've been waiting
16:09in the parking lot forever.
16:10Turns out you were here
16:12stopped by a bastard.
16:14Anna Taylor!
16:15Give me an explanation!
16:16Why did you betray me?
16:19Then,
16:19as if he suddenly figured
16:20something out,
16:21he put on a smug,
16:22all-knowing expression.
16:23I get it now.
16:25You're acting,
16:26aren't you?
16:27You deliberately found out
16:29Alex to piss me off.
16:31Alex rolled his eyes
16:32dramatically
16:32and dragged me away.
16:34Let's just not waste time
16:35with him.
16:42Stop right there!
16:44Ryan tried to chase after us,
16:46but he was too agitated,
16:47and with his recent
16:48chaotic schedule,
16:49his abdomen suddenly seized
16:51with sharp pain.
16:52Damn.
16:54He doubled over in pain,
16:56clutching his stomach,
16:57cold sweat beating
16:58on his forehead.
17:00Anna,
17:02my stomach hurts.
17:03I didn't slow down.
17:05In fact,
17:05I walked even faster,
17:06not turning my head
17:07even once.
17:09Behind me
17:10were his suppressed
17:10groans of pain
17:11and his assistant's
17:12panicked screams.
17:15Alex didn't give me
17:16any chance to look back.
17:17He directly shoved me
17:18into the passenger seat
17:19of his flashy red Ferrari.
17:21The sports car roared
17:23out of the parking lot.
17:24Only then did he take off
17:25his sunglasses
17:26and smile at me sideways.
17:28Well,
17:29not bad acting, right?
17:30I didn't speak.
17:32Just watched the cityscape
17:33speeding past
17:33outside the window.
17:35Hey, Anna,
17:36don't be so indifferent.
17:39I helped you out,
17:40you know.
17:40Not even a thank you.
17:43Thank you.
17:43I kept it brief.
17:44He pouted,
17:45clearly dissatisfied
17:47with my coldness.
17:48But he didn't say more,
17:49only turned up the volume
17:50of the car music.
17:51That very night,
17:53the headlines of Harbor City's
17:54financial and entertainment sections
17:55were all dominated
17:56by Ryan Carter.
17:58Carter Group president,
17:59chasing former love,
18:00suffers stomach spasms
18:02and is hospitalized.
18:03The accompanying photos
18:04showed him being taken
18:05into an ambulance
18:06by his assistant
18:07and bodyguards.
18:08The comment section exploded.
18:10Some mocked Ryan
18:11for bringing it on himself,
18:12saying he should have expected
18:13this day back when
18:14he flaunted his mistress.
18:15Others claimed Kelly Smith
18:17was inferior to me,
18:18which was why Ryan turned back,
18:19and that the two of us
18:21would soon remarry.
18:23In the VIP ward
18:25of Harbor City First Hospital,
18:27Kelly Smith,
18:28eyes bloodshot,
18:30grabbed the glass cup
18:31from the bedside table
18:32and smashed it viciously
18:33onto the floor,
18:34shards flying everywhere.
18:36Why did you go to find her?
18:37Why?
18:38Didn't you say
18:39having me alone was enough?
18:40The sharp,
18:41shattering sound
18:42startled Ryan,
18:43and a dull ache
18:44crept through his abdomen.
18:45He rubbed his temples
18:47tiredly,
18:47even opening his eyes,
18:49feeling like an effort.
18:50His voice was very light,
18:52heavy with irritation.
18:54What are you yelling for?
18:55I went to see her
18:56for group matters.
18:58Are group matters
18:58more important than me?
19:00I don't care!
19:01You swear right now,
19:03promise you'll never
19:04go see Anna Taylor again!
19:05Never!
19:06She was shouting too loudly,
19:08with a suffocating pressure.
19:09Shut up!
19:10He suddenly shoved her away.
19:12If you hadn't messed
19:13the group up so badly,
19:15would I need to lower myself
19:16to go beg her?
19:19Kelly still wanted
19:20to say something.
19:21I...
19:22But then the ward door
19:23was pushed open.
19:24Ryan's mother walked in
19:26carrying a thermal food container.
19:27When she saw the mess
19:29all over the floor
19:29and her son's pale face,
19:31her anger instantly flared.
19:34Kelly Smith,
19:35you're really becoming
19:37more and more outrageous.
19:38She slammed the container
19:39heavily onto the table
19:40and pointed at Kelly's nose
19:42as she scolded.
19:43Can't you see Ryan
19:44isn't feeling well?
19:45Why are you still
19:46yelling at him?
19:47The more she spoke,
19:48the angrier she became.
19:49If Anna were here,
19:51she'd have Aldi gone home
19:52to make dinner for Ryan by now.
19:53You only know how
19:54to make a steen.
20:11Anna Taylor?
20:12You're talking about her again?
20:15Kelly instantly bristled,
20:17letting out a cold snort.
20:18I'm not her.
20:19I don't want to do
20:20that kind of servant work.
20:22She crossed her arms
20:23over her chest
20:24and stubbornly talked back.
20:26What do you mean?
20:27There are so many servants
20:28at home.
20:29Why do I have to cook myself?
20:31I think you're just
20:31picking a fight on purpose,
20:33deliberately using her
20:34to put me down.
20:35I'm carrying your grandson.
20:37You don't want him anymore?
20:38How dare you talk back?
20:40Ryan's mother was shaking
20:41with anger.
20:43What have you ever done
20:44for Ryan?
20:45Other than spending money
20:47and causing trouble,
20:49what else did you do?
20:51What trouble did I cause?
20:54Get out!
20:55Both of you, get out!
20:57A sharp roar
20:57instantly drowned out
20:58all the arguing.
21:00Ryan forced himself upright,
21:01grabbed the pillow
21:02by the bed,
21:03and hurled it at them
21:04with all his strength.
21:05Get out!
21:06Now!
21:06The ward fell into
21:07dead silence in an instant.
21:08Ryan's mother and Kelly
21:09were both stunned.
21:12Ryan collapsed weakly
21:13back onto the bed,
21:14burying his face
21:15into the blanket
21:16as suppressed sobs
21:17seeped out muffled.
21:18This was the first time
21:19he regretted it.
21:21Regretted divorcing Anna.
21:23When Anna was around,
21:24the group never had
21:25any problems,
21:26and the household
21:27was always in perfect order.
21:29Anna would arrange
21:30everything properly,
21:31and Ryan could just
21:32enjoy his life.
21:33But now,
21:35because of several
21:36useless relatives
21:36Kelly had stuffed
21:37into the group,
21:38accidents happened
21:39again and again,
21:40and several projects
21:41had already been cancelled.
21:43By the time he realized
21:44something was wrong,
21:45most of the capable
21:47backbones in the group
21:48had already left.
21:49And his parents,
21:50who once praised
21:51Kelly non-stop,
21:52now constantly complained
21:54and expressed
21:54dissatisfaction.
21:56Life seemed to have
21:57gone back to years ago,
21:58when his group
21:59was on the brink
22:00of bankruptcy,
22:01besieged on all sides.
22:03The difference was,
22:04back then,
22:05when he turned around,
22:07I was always there.
22:09And I would gently
22:10tell him,
22:10Don't be afraid.
22:11You've got me.
22:13But now,
22:14behind him,
22:15there was no one at all.
22:22A few days later,
22:23the contract with
22:24the white group
22:24was officially signed.
22:25This was the biggest deal
22:27I'd landed
22:27since leaving Carter Group.
22:29It meant my small group
22:30had finally gained
22:31a firm foothold.
22:33Alex White
22:34attended in person.
22:36President Anna,
22:37to celebrate
22:38our successful cooperation,
22:40how about dinner together?
22:42I looked at his handsome face
22:43and declined politely.
22:45No,
22:46I still have something
22:47to do tonight.
22:48His smile faded.
22:49He leaned forward,
22:50bracing his hands
22:51on the table,
22:52staring straight at me.
22:52Anna Taylor,
22:53how long are you
22:54going to keep running?
22:55You clearly know
22:56what I mean.
22:58Ever since that day
22:59in the parking lot
23:00when he helped me out,
23:00Alex White had launched
23:02a fierce pursuit.
23:03Flowers,
23:04gifts,
23:05and endless invitations.
23:07It was impossible
23:08to ignore.
23:09But I remained distant
23:10the entire time.
23:11I frowned and said,
23:13Mr. Alex,
23:14if you're just trying
23:15to provoke Ryan,
23:17there's really need
23:18combated
23:18Shin-o-nem-or-neen.
23:19Alex looked at me
23:20with his big eyes.
23:21He suddenly smiled.
23:23I'm not that boring.
23:26I really do like you.
23:28His gaze was far
23:29too intense.
23:30I subconsciously
23:31stepped back,
23:31but he grabbed my sleeve.
23:33Alex's fingers
23:34were long and warm.
23:36He gently shook my arm
23:38and softened his voice,
23:39his tone full
23:40of coquettish pleading.
23:42Come on,
23:43just give me a chance.
23:45Have dinner with me,
23:46okay?
23:47He winked playfully
23:48at me and lowered
23:49his voice.
23:49A secret about Ryan.
23:51I wanted to say no,
23:53but unconsciously agreed.
23:55All right.
23:56With a loud bang,
23:58both of us were startled.
23:59The receptionist
24:00then hurried in anxiously.
24:03President Anna,
24:04I'm sorry this gentleman
24:05insisted on barging in.
24:06We couldn't stop him.
24:07I waved my hand,
24:09signaling her
24:09to step out first.
24:11The uninvited guests
24:12were right behind
24:12the receptionist.
24:13The one in front
24:14sat in a wheelchair,
24:15which was Ryan.
24:17Only a few days had passed,
24:18yet he looked as if
24:19all vitality had been
24:20drained from him,
24:21his face sallow
24:22and his eye socket sunken.
24:24Anna,
24:25I'm here to take you home.
24:26I looked at him,
24:28not feeling sorry for him,
24:29but only mad at him
24:31for interrupting me.
24:32I reached out
24:33and pressed the internal
24:34line on the desk.
24:35Security,
24:36come here
24:37and take these
24:38uninvited people out.
24:39Ryan looked
24:40kind of stunned.
24:41He probably hadn't
24:42expected me
24:43to be this ruthless.
24:44His eyes
24:45instantly reddened.
24:46Anna Taylor,
24:47how can you
24:48treat me like this?
24:49I've already
24:50thought it through
24:51these past few days.
24:52We're the most
24:53suitable for each other.
24:54I've already brought up
24:55divorce with Kelly Smith.
24:57Come back to my side,
24:59okay?
24:59If this were my
25:00previous life,
25:01I probably would have
25:02softened after seeing this.
25:04But now,
25:05I only found it noisy.
25:07Don't have any feelings
25:08for you anymore.
25:09Who you marry
25:10or divorce
25:11has nothing to do
25:12with me.
25:13My voice was
25:14cold as ice.
25:16Please don't come
25:17disturb my life again.
25:19I don't want to be
25:19your servant anymore.
25:22The decisiveness
25:23in my words
25:23left his face
25:24full of hurt.
25:25We've been married
25:26for so many years,
25:27remember?
25:29You won't even
25:30give me one chance?
25:33He stared at me
25:34in disbelief
25:35until he confirmed
25:36that there was
25:37only indifference
25:37left in my eyes.
25:39Only then
25:40did he understand.
25:41I wasn't saying
25:42this out of spite.
25:43He stopped
25:44faking tears
25:45and his eyes
25:45were filled
25:45with fierceness.
25:47Anna Taylor!
25:48Don't forget!
25:49If I hadn't
25:50sponsored you back then,
25:51you would even
25:51have been able
25:52to go to college!
25:54Now you're leaving
25:55me after your achievements?
25:58I don't want much.
26:00Just help me
26:01hold Carter Group
26:02together for five years.
26:04Alright?
26:05At last,
26:05he pulled out
26:06this trump card.
26:07The so-called
26:08debt of gratitude
26:09had weighed me down
26:09for a full ten years.
26:11I fell silent.
26:13At the moment
26:13I hesitated,
26:15a warm hand
26:15covered the back
26:16of my hand.
26:17Alex had somehow
26:18come to stand
26:19beside me.
26:21Ryan Carter,
26:23do you have
26:24no shame at all?
26:25His voice was clear,
26:26with undisguised contempt.
26:28Using my credit
26:29to blackrail others?
26:33How can you be
26:34so utterly shameless?
26:36Ryan's expression
26:37changed abruptly.
26:38Alex White,
26:39why are you here?
26:40Alex laughed and said,
26:42Why can't I be here?
26:43If I weren't,
26:44I wouldn't have known
26:45that you've been
26:46taking my to my credit,
26:48using my kindness
26:49to threaten the woman
26:50when I love.
26:52You're talking nonsense!
26:54Shut up!
26:55I did sponsor her!
26:58Is that so?
27:00Alex took out his phone
27:01and presented it to me.
27:03Anna,
27:04see for yourself.
27:07These are all the records
27:08of payments I made
27:09back then
27:09through an anonymous
27:10charitable organization
27:11to your accounts
27:12from high school
27:13through university.
27:14The one who sponsored you
27:15was always me.
27:18My mind buzzed,
27:20turning completely blank.
27:21On the screen,
27:22rows of transfer records
27:23were displayed
27:24with crystal clarity.
27:25Dates and amounts,
27:27every single one
27:28matched exactly
27:29the scholarships
27:30I had received back then.
27:31The recipient account
27:33was my high school
27:33financial aid fund account
27:35and the designated beneficiary
27:37was Anna Taylor.
27:38In both my past
27:39and present lives,
27:41I had always believed
27:42it was Ryan.
27:43In my freshman year,
27:45he had taken the initiative
27:46to find me
27:46and told me
27:47he was the anonymous sponsor.
27:49Because of that debt
27:50of gratitude,
27:51I was deeply thankful to him
27:52and,
27:53after graduation,
27:55threw myself
27:55into his group
27:56without hesitation.
27:57It was also because
27:58of that gratitude
27:59that I had developed
28:00feelings for him.
28:01Even when he trampled
28:02my dignity
28:03time and time again,
28:04I endured it
28:05because of that
28:05supposed kindness.
28:07I thought it was
28:08something I owed him.
28:09So from the very beginning,
28:11it had all been a lie.
28:12Ryan looked terrible,
28:14but he still wanted
28:15to make a final,
28:16desperate struggle.
28:17I stayed by your side
28:19for four years in college
28:21and always encouraged you.
28:24doesn't that count
28:25as emotional support?
28:29Yeah,
28:29I didn't sponsor you
28:30financially,
28:32but we were husband
28:33and wife for ten years.
28:35Isn't that bond enough
28:36for you to help me
28:37just once?
28:40Have you forgotten
28:41how much you used
28:41to love me?
28:43I promise I won't care
28:44about your past affair
28:45anymore.
28:46You forgive me
28:47this once too.
28:48We can still live
28:49a happy life together,
28:50okay?
28:52I almost laughed
28:54from sheer anger.
28:55At this point,
28:56he was still trying
28:56to bind me
28:57with his twisted logic.
28:59Ryan Carter,
29:00do you really think
29:01I'm an idiot?
29:02My voice wasn't loud,
29:04but it froze the air
29:05in the entire conference room.
29:07Back then,
29:08after I sobered up
29:09from drinking,
29:10the man in my bed
29:12was sent by you.
29:13Even the drugged
29:14glass of water I drank
29:16was prepared
29:17by you personally.
29:18Ryan's face
29:19instantly turned
29:20deathly pale.
29:21I shook my head
29:22in disappointment,
29:23the last shred
29:24of lingering feeling
29:25in my heart
29:25turning to ashes.
29:27The thing I regret
29:28most in this life
29:30is being with a man
29:31like you,
29:32full of lies.
29:34Those words
29:35became the final straw
29:36that crushed him.
29:37He slumped weakly
29:38in his wheelchair,
29:39tears rolling down
29:40in big drops.
29:42It's not like that.
29:44How can you regret it?
29:45You love me.
29:46You clearly love me.
29:47You clearly love me.
29:49He muttered to himself
29:50looking deranged.
29:51You clearly love me.
29:54At that moment,
29:55the security guards
29:56who had arrived late
29:57finally broke through
29:58Ryan's black-suited bodyguards.
30:00Together with the wheelchair,
30:02they pushed the whole group out.
30:03The world finally
30:04became quiet.
30:05In the conference room,
30:07only Alex White
30:08and I remained,
30:08and it was super awkward.
30:10He didn't look at me,
30:11his gaze drifting
30:12to the patterns
30:13on the carpet.
30:16Well,
30:17I still have some things
30:18to deal with
30:19at my group.
30:20I'll head out first.
30:22After saying that,
30:23he turned around,
30:24about to slip away.
30:26I grabbed his wrist.
30:28Didn't you say
30:29we were going to have dinner?
30:30He looked a little annoyed
30:31and said,
30:32I didn't use this
30:33to pressure you.
30:34Don't misunderstand.
30:36If you don't like me,
30:38you don't have to force yourself
30:39to be with me
30:42just because I sponsored you.
30:44Seeing his awkward
30:46yet proud demeanor,
30:47I wasn't so upset anymore.
30:48I couldn't help
30:49but laugh a bit.
30:51I won't, Alex.
30:52I softened my tone,
30:54still holding his wrist.
30:55I just really, really
30:58want to have a meal with you.
30:59I looked into his eyes
31:00and asked again seriously.
31:03So, Mr. Alex,
31:05would you like to?
31:07Under my gaze,
31:08his cheeks grew
31:09redder and redder
31:09and then he nodded gently.
31:15To prevent Ryan
31:16from coming back
31:16to pester me again,
31:18I threw a few obstacles
31:19into some of
31:20Carter Group's
31:20overseas projects.
31:22I didn't intend
31:22to do anything drastic
31:23to Carter Group.
31:24I just wanted
31:25to keep him busy,
31:26keep him from bothering me.
31:28But the foundation
31:29of Carter Group
31:29had long rotted.
31:30My small move
31:31was merely
31:32the first domino
31:33to fall.
31:34Carter Group's
31:34stock price
31:35plunged without warning.
31:37Several major projects
31:38under negotiation
31:39blew up
31:39one after another.
31:41Partners withdrew
31:42their investments
31:42and the capital chain
31:43snapped on the spot.
31:45When the first domino
31:46fell,
31:47the whole thing
31:47wouldn't last for long.
31:49Bank collection notices
31:50piled up like mountains
31:51and every day
31:52there were creditors
31:53blocking the gates
31:54of the Carter family villa.
31:55Kelly Smith,
31:56the once gentlewoman
31:57who had obeyed Ryan
31:58and everything,
31:59realized that Carter Group
32:00was absolutely going down.
32:02She immediately turned around
32:04and filed a lawsuit,
32:05demanding a divorce
32:06and division
32:07of Ryan's assets.
32:08The two of them
32:09made a huge scene.
32:10The former lovers
32:11faced each other in court,
32:13hurling accusations.
32:14All of Harbor City
32:15was watching Ryan
32:16make a fool of himself,
32:17laughing at how he ditched
32:18his good wife
32:19only to marry that bitch.
32:20I saw this news
32:22while on dates with Alex,
32:23through push notifications
32:24on my phone.
32:25I only glanced at them
32:26before immediately
32:27locking the screen.
32:28It had nothing to do
32:29with me anymore.
32:30What I cared about more
32:31was Alex,
32:32sitting across from me.
32:34Our relationship
32:35slowly became better
32:36through dinners,
32:37movies,
32:38and visits to art exhibitions.
32:41On Christmas Day,
32:42Harbor City saw
32:43its first snowfall
32:44of the winter.
32:45I booked out
32:46the mountaintop
32:46revolving restaurant.
32:48Through the huge
32:49floor-to-ceiling windows,
32:50we could overlook
32:51the dazzling lights
32:52of the entire city.
32:53Alex,
32:54dressed in a bespoke suit,
32:56sat quietly across from me.
32:57The snowy glow outside
32:58reflected on his face,
33:00making him look
33:00kinda unreal.
33:02Amid the gentle sound
33:03of violin music,
33:04I knelt on one knee.
33:05He froze for a moment,
33:07a hint of panic
33:08in his eyes.
33:10I looked up at him,
33:11holding his cold hand.
33:13These past few months,
33:14every day I've spent with you
33:16has made me very happy.
33:18I want to turn this happiness
33:19into a lifetime.
33:20So,
33:21would you be willing
33:22to be my boyfriend?
33:23His eyes instantly turned red,
33:26his lips trembling,
33:27unable to utter
33:28a single word.
33:29The surrounding diners
33:30had gone quiet,
33:31all watching us.
33:32After a long while,
33:34he finally lowered his hand
33:36in disbelief
33:36and nodded hard.
33:38Thunderous applause
33:39erupted throughout
33:40the restaurant.
33:40I put the ring on his finger
33:43and threw myself
33:43into his arms.
33:45My phone vibrating
33:47on the table,
33:47but I ignored it.
33:49The person I was holding
33:50was my whole world.
33:53Only later
33:54did I find out
33:54that those notifications
33:55were the final headlines
33:56of that night.
33:58Carter Group officially
33:59announces bankruptcy
34:00and liquidation.
34:01former Carter Group
34:03president's lover
34:03Kelly Smith
34:04suspected of commercial
34:05embezzlement
34:05and leaking trade secrets.
34:07Now arrested by police.
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