A Lifetime Sealed by a False Oath

While enrolling my son in an elite school, the administrator suddenly tells me my marriage certificate is forged. "According to our records, your marital status is listed as single." "But I've been married to my husband, Chandler Leighton, for seven years!" Behind me, other parents waiting in line burst out laughing mockingly. "Did she just say Chandler Leighton? She must be dreaming." Amid their ridicule, I leave and head straight to the city hall for a confirmation. And as a wife of seven years, my marital status in the system is stated as "Single". A cold dread washes over me as I press. "Who is Chandler Leighton's legal wife?" The clerk flatly spats out a name, "Heather Hammington." It was that name again! I rush home, ready to confront Chandler, but pause just outside the door when I hear voices inside. "It's been seven years, Mr. Leighton. Do you still have no plans to grant Mrs. Leighton a legal status?" After a lengthy pause, Chandler finally answers, "Just wait a little longer. Heather lost both her parents… I'm the only one who can help her, so she needs this title." "What if Mrs. Leighton finds out?" "Danielle loves me too much to leave, even if she finds out. Once Heather has established her foothold in the business industry, I'll make it official with Danielle and give her a true marriage certificate." He sounds so certain, unaware that I'm standing just outside the door with tears streaming down my face. "You'll be disappointed, you liar." I take out my phone and dial a number I haven't called in years. "Mom, I accept the Atwoods' marriage arrangement." Chapter 1 When I registered my son—Alfie Leighton—at an elite school, I discovered that my marriage was nothing but an outrageous farce. "Apologies, ma'am. Your marital status is single according to our records." "That can't be right. I've been married to my husband, Chandler Leighton, for seven years!" I protested in disbelief, but the parents behind me started muttering impatiently. "Chandler Leighton? She's got nerve." "How naive she is to think that a fake certificate will get her kid into this school." "Whose mistress is this? Get her out already; I'm in a hurry to register my daughter!" Clearly annoyed, the staff repeated. "Ma'am, without legal proof of family relations, you can't continue holding up the line." I had no choice but to leave and head over to the local city hall to check. The records said the same thing—that my marriage status column stated "Single". Refusing to believe it, I asked, "Who's listed as Chandler Leighton's legal wife?" The staff glanced at the screen and flatly uttered a name, "Heather Hammington." My hands clenched around the forged marriage certificate I'd carried for years, my vision swimming as I could barely keep my balance. Heather Hammington… Of course, I knew that name. During the third year of my marriage with Chandler, I returned early after a month's business trip and didn't tell him. I'd been planning a surprise, and it never occurred to me that I'd walk in on him kissing an unfamiliar woman in his office. She was the new intern at his company—Heather Hammington. When I exploded, Chandler looked stricken and even fell to his knees to beg for forgiveness. He claimed he was drunk and had mistaken her for me. For six whole months, he pestered me relentlessly and repeatedly swore that he'd have no further contact with Heather. That was when I eventually forgave him. Later, Heather was fired and went abroad, and I never heard anything about her again. I thought everything had finally returned to normal, but I never imagined the entire marriage was a lie from the very start. I drove home as fast as I could, needing to confront Chandler and demand why he'd done this to me. But before I could open the bedroom door, I heard voices inside. "It's been seven years, Mr. Leighton. Aren't you going to give Mrs. Leighton a legal status?" My hand froze mid-air. It was the voice of Chandler's most trusted butler, Gordon Dariel. After a long silence, Chandler's voice finally followed. "Just a little longer. Heather lost both her parents, and I'm the only one who can help her now. She needs this status." "But what if Mrs. Leighton finds out?" Chandler replied, "Doesn't matter. Danielle loves me so much, and Alfie's all grown up. She'd never leave me, even if it's just for our son. "Once Heather has secured her footing in the business world, I'll give Danielle a true marriage certificate." He spoke with such certainty, never realizing I was standing outside the door, tears streaming down my face. It seemed that every step of it had been calculated. My love for him and Alfie was nothing more than his bargaining chips. I quietly stepped away, then took out my phone and dialed a number I hadn't touched in years. "Mom, I accept the Atwoods' marriage arrangement." Chapter 2 I stared at the reflection in the bathroom mirror, my eyes red and swollen from crying. Memories of the past seven years with Chandler flashed through my mind. When we first got together, he used to wait half an hour in the freezing winter nights just to drive me home from work, often surprising me with macarons I'd once casually mentioned liking. We started our business from scratch. When funds were tight, he turned our tiny rented apartment into an office. For six months after that, he slept curled up on the couch while insisting I take the only single bed. After the company went public, life finally got easier. The day he proposed, he rented out an entire theater and prepared a surprise I'd remember for the rest of my life. When I was pregnant, he never let me lift a finger. All day, he cared for every detail of my life with a private doctor and nutritionist arranged just for me. I'd never doubted his love or wondered if it was all an act. Now, I understood that his love was genuine, but it was split in two. The thought of him holding Heather's hand, kissing her, even sharing her bed somewhere out of my sight, filled me with utter disgust. No matter what, I had to leave. That was when I thought of our son, Alfie. I wasn't sure how I should explain this to him. He'd just started elementary school and was far too young to bear the pain of his parents' divorce because of adult mistakes. As I turned to leave the bathroom, my foot slipped, and I stumbled backward. The fall I'd braced for never came. Instead, a pair of strong hands caught me around the waist and pulled me firmly against his chest. It was Chandler. Without a word, he scooped me up, carried me into the bedroom, and gently laid me on the bed. Noticing my red, puffy eyes, he frowned. "What happened, my love? Why have you been crying?" I looked away and scrambled for an excuse. "I saw a story on the news about stray cats. It's just so sad that all those animals have no home." He chuckled dotingly and ruffled my hair. "You're always so kind-hearted, my love." I pressed my lips together, then tugged gently on his sleeve. "Honey, our marriage certificate got soaked and ruined. Should we get a new one?" His smile stiffened almost instantly. "I've been really busy lately. I'll have the lawyer handle it." "But—" I started, only to be cut off by the abrupt ringing of his phone. He quickly answered it, and I noticed a strange flicker in his eyes. "I'm sorry, my love. There's an emergency at the office, and I have to go. Don't wait up for me tonight." With that, he grabbed his coat and rushed out. My instincts told me he was lying. I checked my phone, and sure enough, a new post appeared on Instagram. Heather had just announced her return to Osnea, and she'd be landing tonight. The caption read, "I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to pick me up…" So that was why Chandler had left in such a rush. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. By all rights, I should have stepped aside the moment I found out that they were the true married couple. Yet I never saw this coming—I'd never expected Chandler to bring Heather home. Chapter 3 "Heather just got back and has nowhere to stay. Since we have spare rooms, I thought she could stay here for a couple of days." Behind Chandler, Heather stepped inside with her suitcase, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. When she saw me, she immediately put on a sweet, apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, Danielle. It's peak tourist season, and every hotel nearby is fully booked, so I had no choice but to ask Chandler for help. You don't mind, do you?" My hand tightened around the stair railing as I forced out the words. "Do whatever you want. Just don't touch anything." Heather beamed and eagerly pulled her suitcase further inside. From the moment she entered, Chandler never left her side, his eyes following her every move. An uncomfortable knot tightened in my chest. I was about to retreat to my room when I heard a voice down the hallway. "I want this room, Chandler! I love it!" Panic surged in my chest as I ran over and shouted to stop them, "No!" Startled, they both turned to look at me. My eyes were red-rimmed as I blurted out, "This was my grandma's room before she passed. There are plenty of other empty rooms; just pick any of them but this one." Heather's eyes glinted with mischief at that. She clung to Chandler's arm and whined playfully. "I really want this room, Chandler. I love the decor; you can see the garden from the window!" Chandler looked at her with clear affection before turning to me with a helpless sigh. "Your grandma's been dead for years, and the room's been empty ever since. No harm done if Heather uses it for a few days." I was nearly begging as I cried out, "Please, Chandler. We promised we'd always keep this room exactly as it was." He hesitated because he'd indeed promised me that at Grandma's funeral. Sensing his reluctance, Heather suddenly released his arm and put on a pitiful act. "I know what, I never should have come here. If Danielle won't even let me stay in a spare room, I should just leave." She turned to wheel her suitcase out, so Chandler immediately panicked and yanked her back. "Don't be ridiculous. It's late, and I won't let you stay outside alone. "Danielle, let Heather have this room." His tone was firm and cold. In all seven years of marriage, he'd never spoken to me in such a sharp, commanding tone, but I stood my ground. To my surprise, he shoved me aside and led Heather into the room. I stumbled back and collapsed to the floor in a daze. In the room, Heather twirled around happily before flopping onto the large, soft bed. "Thank you for being so understanding, Danielle. I promise I won't touch anything—Oh!" Before she could even finish, her arm swung out and "accidentally" knocked over a vase on the bedside table. It was my late grandma's favorite porcelain vase, now shattered into pieces on the floor. I couldn't take it anymore and stormed forward to shove her hard. "I'm so sorry, Danielle. It was an accident—" Heather began, but before she was done with her apology, a sharp, stinging pain exploded across my cheek. It was Chandler, who'd just slapped me for the first time in all seven years of our marriage. For a moment, an eerie silence hung in the air. He stared at his hands, eyes wide in panic. I recoiled as he reached out to steady me, and his expression quickly darkened. "Are you done causing a scene? It was just a vase, so was it really necessary to push her? "Heather's staying in this room tonight. You go back to yours and calm down." With that, he gripped my wrist firmly and pushed me into my room. As the door slammed shut, I slid helplessly to the floor, my tears finally breaking free. Chapter 4 I started packing. After seven years with Chandler, nearly everything in the house carried a memory of us together. I selected essentials for my suitcase and threw everything else away. Pictures of me and Chandler, every gift he'd given me, souvenirs from our travels, matching couple's pajamas and slippers… I figured that once Heather moved in, they wouldn't want to see any of it anyway. As I was sorting through my belongings, there was a knock at my door. I opened it to find Alfie standing outside. "The room next to mine is really noisy, Mom. I can't sleep." If I remembered correctly, the room next to his was Grandma's. "You can sleep with me tonight, sweetheart," I said. Alfie obediently climbed onto my bed, and I hummed a lullaby until he drifted off. Once he was asleep, I quietly slipped out of the room and approached Grandma's room. As I drew closer, I could unmistakably hear heavy breathing and muffled sounds from within. "Not so loud, Chandler… What if someone hears?" "Don't worry. Alfie sleeps like a rock, and no one will notice. Or perhaps… you like the thrill of it?" The bed creaked rhythmically before I heard Heather's sweet, intimate voice. "Darling, who's sexier? Me or Danielle?" Chandler seemed spurred on by her calling him "darling," and his movements grew rougher. "You, of course, my dear wife. She's had a child, so her body isn't the same anymore." I wanted to burst into the room and demand answers from Chandler. Did that mean I wasn't the person he fell in love with? Or was it simply that youth, a perfect body, and the newness of it all were more important? But my hand rested weakly on the doorknob. I couldn't turn it. I felt like a fool. The forged marriage certificate, his clear favoritism toward Heather, and their entangled bodies right now were the best answers I could ever receive. After a final, intense moan, the movement in the room stilled. I turned and quickly walked away. Back in my room, I gently closed the door, only to hear Alfie's voice behind me. "Mom." I turned to see him standing by the bed, looking up at me with careful eyes. "Did Dad find a new woman? Is he going to leave us?" My heart ached like it was being squeezed tight. Even at his young age, he could sense that something was wrong, but this wasn't a burden a child should carry. I stroked his hair and tried to comfort him. "It's okay, sweetheart. Your dad will never abandon you." "But what about you, Mom? I saw you packing. Are you leaving Dad?" I hadn't realized he'd noticed, so I had no choice but to nod quietly. Alfie wrapped his arms tightly around my hand and said, "I'm leaving with you. I don't want that woman to be my mom; I only want you." For some reason, tears welled up in my eyes once more. "Okay." Holding Alfie close as though he were my greatest treasure, I finally fell asleep. Chapter 5 After moving into the house, Heather began acting as if she owned the place and criticized everything about its decor. She complained that the paintings on the wall were ugly, the carpet was the wrong color, the stuffed animals were hideous, and the garden flowers were too plain… Utterly smitten, Chandler indulged her every whim. He took down the oil paintings I'd done myself, replaced the carpet we'd chosen together, and threw Alfie's favorite stuffed toys into the storage room. Turning around, he dug up all the lilies I loved from the garden and replaced them with her preferred roses. It was as if Heather were the true lady of the house. I pretended not to care. After all, they were legally married, and in the eyes of the law, this house was indeed their shared property. Plus, I was leaving soon anyway, and this was no longer my home. I let Heather have her way until one night, while she was out, I slipped quietly into Grandma's room. When Heather first moved in, she'd promised not to touch anything, but now, the entire room had been transformed. The simple, solid-colored bedsheets had been replaced with bright pink ones. The decorations that once adorned the walls and desk were gone, now swapped with Heather's makeup and jewelry. Grandma's last traces had been erased. Fighting back tears, I reached under the bed and pulled out a small wooden box, holding Grandma's belongings. Heather hadn't found it, so it remained safe and untouched. I opened it; inside were Grandma's belongings and an old picture album filled with years of memories of our time together. Suddenly, a sharp voice came from the door. "Danielle, what are you doing in my room?" Heather had returned, and I instinctively hid the box behind my back. "This was never your room. You're just a guest." I tried to explain, but she dropped her usual gentle act and strode forward to snatch the box from my hands. "Are you stealing from me? I can't believe this is who you really are." "Give it back! Those are my grandma's stuff!" I shouted and struggled with her over the box, and in the chaos, its contents scattered across the floor. With a deliberate stomp of her heel, she crushed the photo album before ripping it apart. "Look closely. This is what happens when you try to take what's mine!" She lifted her chin smugly before a small figure darted into the room and rammed into her. "Don't you dare hurt my mom!" It was Alfie. He kicked and punched at her, but as an adult, Heather quickly overpowered him and slapped him twice across his face. "You little brat! Did your mom never teach you manners?" Rage surged through my veins. "Don't you dare touch my son!" I shouted and shoved her away with a force I gathered from nowhere. She fell backward and knocked her head against the corner of the table before blood immediately began to flow. Just then, Chandler walked in, and his expression darkened with fury as he took in the scene. "Danielle! I never thought you could be this vicious. How could you attack her like that?" Hugging Alfie close, I tried to explain. "It wasn't me. She hurt Alfie first…" "Enough!" Chandler roared. I'd never seen him so mad. "According to the Leighton family rules, you will spend one week confined in the basement. As for Alfie, his summer camp is canceled, and he's grounded for a month." My face paled. "No, Chandler, please… You know I'm afraid of the dark..." But he ignored me and scooped Heather into his arms before rushing out. Looking at the wreckage, I stood frozen in despair as bodyguards barged into the room and seized me by the wrists without mercy. Chapter 6 Four years ago, Chandler and I were accidentally locked in the company warehouse overnight. I'd always suffered from claustrophobia, and back then, I was so terrified I could barely breathe. It was Chandler who held me tightly, comforted me, and promised he'd find a way to get us out. But now, it seemed he'd forgotten entirely about my claustrophobia. I was locked in a dark, damp basement. My phone was taken away, cutting me off from the outside world entirely. Time lost its meaning as I drifted in and out of sleep in the darkness and spent every waking moment crying in a breakdown. I couldn't understand how Chandler had turned into a man like that. He used to love me so much, but the moment Heather appeared, it was as though he'd been bewitched to shower all his love and trust on her instead. Or perhaps, the scale deep within his chest had always been tilted in her favor. Was it just because her parents were gone, and she had no one else to rely on? I couldn't make sense of it. Eventually, cold and exhausted, I curled up and fell into a deep slumber. Slowly, I sank into a long dream, where I was nestled safely beside Grandma, with Alfie listening intently by our side as she gently told us fairy tales. But in the next moment, both Grandma and Alfie began drifting away from me, their calm voices shifting into heartbroken sobs. I tried to run to them, but a looming figure blocked my path. It was Chandler, who frowned and berated me for disobeying his words, before Heather's mocking voice followed. "Look closely. This is what happens when you try to take what's mine!" When I jolted awake, I found myself drenched in cold sweat. Just then, the basement door swung open before Chandler rushed in and gathered my soaked body into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Danielle. I was too impulsive, and I never should've lost my temper or locked you in here." He held me as though afraid of losing something precious and carefully carried me out of the basement. I stayed silent the whole time, too emotionally and physically drained for days to respond. All I felt was weariness. Back in the light, I realized Chandler hadn't kept me imprisoned for the whole week just as he'd instructed. He'd released me on the third day. Grandma's belongings and the torn picture album had been carefully gathered and placed on the desk in my room. But it made no difference because the damage was done, no matter if the harm was great or small. I'd stopped believing in him from the moment he chose Heather. Chandler laid me on the bed and gently pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I'm sorry, my love. I won't ever do that again." He handed me two theater tickets and added, "To make it up to you, I booked us tickets to the musical tomorrow night." I stared blankly at the tickets. It was the same theater where he'd proposed to me seven years ago. At the same time, I picked up my phone, unused for three days, and saw multiple notifications from Heather. They were intimate pictures of a man and a woman, along with raw video clips. All of them were taken during the two days I was locked in the basement. It was as if she were using me as her personal sex diary with Chandler. Beside me, Chandler still had his arms around me, oblivious to what was happening on my phone. I looked at him and suddenly asked, "Why don't you take Heather instead?" He flinched before looking at me with a mix of surprise and guilt. "What are you talking about, my love? This is our date; what does she have to do with it? "Are you still upset? Don't worry. Heather and I are just friends, and she'll be leaving soon." I closed my eyes, unwilling to look at the steady, practiced calm on his lying face. "Alright." I softly agreed as a grand, final farewell to this relationship. Next week, I'd leave this all behind. Chapter 7 On the day of the performance, Chandler held my hand tightly the whole time. It wasn't until the musical began that I realized it was the same musical we'd watched seven years ago. The familiar storyline and songs pulled me back to the night he proposed, when I'd thought I was simply there to watch a show. At the finale, the theater suddenly went dark before a single spotlight illuminated him standing there in a suit, holding a bouquet of roses. Amid the actors' soaring voices and a shower of rose petals, I tearfully said yes. Seven years had passed since that night, and the man beside me was no longer the same person I used to know. Once again, tears started streaming down my face. Chandler noticed I was crying and gently wiped my tears with a tissue. "Why are you getting emotional over a musical? You're still as sentimental as ever, my love." I didn't respond. Just then, a familiar figure appeared beside us. It was Heather, dressed in a striking red dress, as she casually slid into the seat next to Chandler. "What are you doing here?" Chandler frowned. Though his voice sounded sharp, his eyes remained fixed on her. "I just wanted to apologize," she said softly, putting on a pitiful act. "I shouldn't have flirted with that doctor at the hospital. Let's not stay mad at each other, and forgive me, alright?" I could feel the tension around Chandler ease visibly. That was when it struck me—his fight with Heather was the reason he'd let me out of the basement early and brought me here. Everything was just an act to make her jealous. I almost laughed out loud, feeling utterly absurd. What did they take me for? A tool for their games? The theater lights dimmed as the musical reached a climactic scene. In the darkness, I gripped the armrests tightly, listening to the hushed whispers and rustling sounds of fabric coming from the two beside me. They probably thought the musical's volume was loud enough to drown it out, but I heard everything. Suddenly, a sharp, metallic snap echoed through the theater. Someone screamed, "Watch out above!" I looked up toward the ceiling. In the deep shadows, I could make out a massive crystal chandelier swaying precariously. And before I could react, it came crashing down on us. The sound of shattering glass filled the theater. An excruciating pain shot through my body as something like a giant boulder heavily pinned me down. Just before darkness swallowed my consciousness, I saw Chandler throw himself over Heather and shield her with his body. Chapter 8 When I woke up, I found myself lying in a hospital ward. Chandler, whose eyes were bloodshot, was sitting by my side. "Oh, you're finally awake! Thank heavens!" He looked as though he hadn't slept for days, with dark circles under his eyes and a thick bandage still wrapped around his head. Clutching my hand desperately, he covered it with kisses as if on the verge of tears. "I thought I was going to lose you, my love. It's such a relief that you're fine... If anything had happened to you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself…" Listening to the tremor in his voice, I instinctively pulled my hand back. "I'm tired. I just want to rest." Assuming I was still upset with him, he planted a doting kiss on my forehead and said, "Rest well, my love. I promise to make it up to you once you've recovered." As he was leaving, he paused at the door. "Oh, and our wedding anniversary is next Saturday. I booked the largest opera house in the city to celebrate and promise to make it an unforgettable night for you." Instead of responding, I turned my back to him and listened to the door click shut. I slept for a long time after that. A nurse came in to check on me throughout and said I was lucky not to have suffered any injuries to my organs or bones. Outside the door, a few nurses were gossiping. "That couple in the room next door is just so sweet. Mr. Leighton hardly ever leaves his wife's side." "Right? I even saw him feeding her meals and water himself." "That's wonderful. I wish my husband were that attentive." I knew they were talking about Chandler and Heather. Though I'd been married to Chandler for seven years, I was just a mistress without an official status all this time. And even when our lives were in danger, his first instinct was to protect Heather, not me. I lay quietly in bed, letting their words sink in. Just then, my phone rang. It was from Mom, who sounded panicked and anxious. "Why haven't you answered your phone for so long? I thought something happened to you!" Listening to her voice, the tears I'd been holding back finally streamed down my face. My voice cracked as I whispered, "I'm fine, Mom. I was just busy." She fussed over me for a while before finally relaxing after making sure I was truly fine. "The Atwoods' son is returning to Osnea next Saturday. Since you've made up your mind, I'll have him pick you up." Next Saturday was the day of my fabricated wedding anniversary with Chandler. The news brought me an unexpected sense of relief and made me smile through tears. "Sure, I'll be ready by then." Chapter 9 On the morning of the wedding anniversary, Chandler left early to oversee the arrangements at the opera house, while I stayed at home alone. He'd invited a long list of elites, filled the venue with tens of thousands of roses, and hired Osnea's top symphony orchestra for a live performance. The entire evening was to be streamed live across major social platforms. For our seventh wedding anniversary, he custom-made a massive seven-tier cake. Each layer was a beautiful tribute, decorated to represent a different year and a cherished memory from our seven years together. He said he had a surprise for me. And by coincidence, I had one for him, too, though I wouldn't be there to deliver it in person. I'd packed all my belongings and gathered every keepsake from our years together. After tossing them into the trash can in the backyard, I set them ablaze. "Where are we going after this, Mom?" Alfie asked uneasily and held my hand as we stood before the fire. I forced a smile. "To another man's place. He was a good friend of mine a long time ago… though we had a fight. I think he'll be kind to you, but even if he isn't, I'll always be here to protect you." Alfie nodded and didn't probe further as a Rolls-Royce pulled up at the gate. I recognized it as the car sent to pick us up. "Goodbye, Chandler." I took one last look at the house and the roaring flames. And without a trace of nostalgia, I turned and got into the back seat. … At the opera house, Chandler moved through the crowd with a glass of champagne, greeting guests one by one. Everyone praised him for being a true model husband, devoted and loving even after seven years of marriage. But he felt a growing, unexplainable unease as his eyes constantly drifted toward the entrance. I was the one he was waiting for, and yet, I was still nowhere to be found. He pulled out his phone and checked our chat. The latest messages were all from him. "My love, are you awake?" "The venue is all set. Have Gordon bring you over." "My love?" He sent another message, only to realize he'd been blocked. A cold dread washed over him as he tried calling and attempting other social platforms, only to find that he'd been blocked everywhere. With trembling hands, he called Gordon. "Haven't you picked up Mrs. Leighton yet?" Gordon's stammering, hesitant voice came through the line. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Leighton. We just went inside to check, and it seems Mrs. Leighton has left on her own…" Chandler froze, his voice trembling as he spoke. "That's impossible! Look again. If you don't find her today, don't bother working in that house again!" As he ended the call, his heart pounded wildly. "It can't be… She wouldn't leave me…" he muttered to himself, scrambling for a reasonable explanation. "She said she had a surprise, so maybe she's just preparing it." Just then, the doors of the ballroom swung open, and every guest turned their eyes toward the entrance.