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