After the Divorce, She Became the Rival's Darling

On the day I found out I was pregnant, I went to find my husband, Julian Vance, in the pouring rain to share the happy news, only to hear with my own ears—our seven years of marriage were nothing but a substitute game. The one he loved was my half-sister. Home was a cage, and even more, an abyss. When he kicked me down, I collapsed onto the floor, blood trickling down my thighs. Yet, he held another woman in his arms and walked away without once looking back. At that moment, I finally understood that some people aren't worth waiting a lifetime for. I turned and left, leaving behind nothing but a set of divorce papers. Later, I carved out a path of my own in New York's corporate world, becoming a legend in the industry. Meanwhile, the man who had once discarded me like trash knelt before me with bloodshot eyes: "Sylvia, please give me another chance." I looked down at him, letting out a soft chuckle. "And who are you?" Sylvia's POV On the day I found out I was pregnant, I braved the pouring rain to go to the private club Julian was at. After six years of marriage, we finally had a baby. I couldn't wait to tell him the happy news myself. Walking up to the private room, I wiped my soaking wet hair and pulled out the pregnancy report I had protected so carefully against my chest. The door to the private room was slightly ajar, and familiar laughter and chatter drifted out from inside. Julian sat right in the center, his long legs crossed. His sharp, chiseled face was hidden in the shadows, making his expression hard to read. "Julian, you're amazing. In the blink of an eye, you've been with Sylvia for almost seven years, and you've been married for over six!" "Exactly! When you two first got together, none of us expected you to last this long." My lips curved up in an unconscious smile. Julian and I had a whirlwind marriage. He pursued me for three months, and less than half a year after we started dating, we got registered. I didn't expect that almost seven years would slip by so fast. To the outside world, Julian was swift, decisive, and unapproachable. But to me, he had always held me in the palm of his hand, never willing to utter even a single harsh word. "Julian, if Sylvia knew you're only with her because she's a stand-in for Chloe, how would she react?" My hand, which was wiping my hair, froze. "Better not let her find out! She's so devoted to you. If she finds out Julian doesn't love her at all, she'd probably break down and kill herself." "Who told her to look so much like Chloe? When Chloe first went abroad, Julian was so heartbroken that he drowned his sorrows in alcohol every day. The rest of us were worried sick. If he hadn't discovered later on that Chloe had a sister, Sylvia, who looked seventy percent like her, Julian probably still wouldn't have moved on!" My mind felt like it had been struck by a sudden bolt of thunder. My feet felt rooted to the spot, nailed down. Chloe Hayes, my half-sister. The mere mention of this name brought back memories of that painful, unbearable youth. My father, Charles Hayes, and my mother, Eleanor Ward, were childhood sweethearts who founded Hayes Enterprise together. When I was little, Charles would carry me on his shoulders through amusement parks, and he would run across half the city just to buy my favorite chestnut cake. I once believed I was the happiest child in the world. When I was twelve, my mother passed away from exhaustion after years of overwork. Less than a month after my mother passed, Charles brought Regina Cole and Chloe Hayes into our home. Chloe was only a year younger than me. Charles said, "From now on, Regina will be your mother, and Chloe will be your sister." In front of Charles, Regina would dote on me and ask after my well-being, acting like a wonderful mother. But the moment Charles left the house, her claws would come out. She specifically targeted areas covered by clothes, pinching me black and blue. When Charles asked why Sylvia wouldn't come out of her room, Regina would say with red eyes, "Sylvia is hostile toward me. It's okay, I'll take it slow." Chloe was even more arrogant. She dug up my mother's keepsakes that I had carefully collected and threw them into the trash can right in front of me. When I went to retrieve them, she would step on my hand. When she scraped her own arm and bled, she would claim that I pushed her down. Charles also gradually stopped being the gentle, kind father he once was. He began to detest me, even hitting and scolding me. Those years were completely dark for me. Scoldings, frame-ups, and beatings became a regular occurrence. After I went to college, I barely ever returned to the Hayes house. I thought I had finally escaped that nightmare. But I never expected that the lover I thought I would spend the rest of my life with actually loved my arrogant and domineering step-sister. And I was merely a stand-in. I bit my lip hard until it bled. It wasn't a dream after all. The conversation inside the private room continued. "Chloe is returning to the country tomorrow. Julian, what do you plan to do?" "What else can he do? Divorce Sylvia, of course. Julian has waited for Chloe for so many years, and she's finally coming back." "But what about Sylvia? Without her, Julian wouldn't have had such a comfortable life these past few years. If nothing else, Sylvia has been incredibly good to Julian, pouring her heart out for him." "That's true, but Julian can't just drag things out because of that, can he? He doesn't love her anyway." He doesn't love me? My tears began to flow uncontrollably. My body shook, and I could barely stand. The pregnancy report had already been crumpled in my grip. I had to hold onto the doorframe to keep from collapsing. Julian and I met during a business negotiation. At the time, I was the financial advisor for Party B, and he was the decision-maker for Party A. After the meeting, he stopped me. Using work as an excuse, he asked for my contact information and began pursuing me. Julian's pursuit of me was grand and public. He had fireworks set off across the entire city for me, sent 999 roses every single day, and chartered a luxury yacht to propose his love to me. After we got together, he pampered me to no end. Mr. Vance, worth hundreds of billions, would stand in the kitchen every morning to make sweet corn soup for me. Every time after we made love, no matter how tired he was, he would patiently carry me to the bathroom to wash up, only going to rest himself after I fell fast asleep in his arms. Just to buy me a limited-edition handbag, he took a private jet across half the globe. Seven years of companionship and care... was it all a lie? I couldn't believe it, nor did I want to. "Yeah, Julian, say something!" "After all these years, you didn't actually fall in love with Sylvia, did you?" My heart seemed to stop beating. I held my breath, staring intently at Julian. Holding his wine glass, the man replied casually, "No. The one I've always loved is Chloe." It felt as if something inside me came crashing down. I stumbled backward a few steps, my back hitting the wall of the corridor. I didn't even know when tears had completely blurred my face. "A lie... it was all a lie..." I looked down at the crumpled, ruined report in my hand. In the end, all my love had been given to the wrong person. I turned and left the club, walking straight into the rain. I caught a cab to Vance Manor. Mrs. Vance, Victoria, saw me walk in and hurried over. "Sylvia? Why are you soaking wet? Where's Julian?" She took a towel from the maid and personally wiped my hair. Victoria had always loved me. Not only was I a top student in the finance department, but my character and temperament also perfectly suited Victoria's liking. When Julian and I first got together, his foundation in the group was still unstable. I was the one who accompanied him through strategic analyses and managed financial risks, helping him establish a firm foothold in the company. After our marriage, I stepped away from the company, focusing entirely on Julian and taking care of his life with undivided devotion. Victoria had said to the people around her more than once that marrying me was Julian's greatest stroke of luck. "Victoria," I said as I knelt straight down. "I want to separate from him." Victoria quickly helped me up. "What? Why? Did he make you angry? I'll call him right now and make him come over to apologize!" As she spoke, she reached for her phone. I grabbed her wrist. "Victoria, no." I looked into Victoria's eyes, not flinching. "The person he loves isn't me." Victoria froze. After a long silence, Victoria let out a long sigh. "Sylvia, so you found out." Looking at her reaction, my throat felt choked. So, even my mother-in-law knew. Victoria's expression seemed to age several years in an instant. "Yes, when he brought you home back then, I understood the moment I laid eyes on you." "I've met Chloe. She's not the type to settle down. When she dumped Julian and went abroad, I actually felt a sense of relief." "But because of her, Julian lost his soul. He didn't come home for months and lost a lot of weight." "Only after he brought you back did he regain his spirit." Victoria's gaze toward me was complicated. "Child, don't be hasty. I can tell that Julian has you in his heart. His kindness to you isn't entirely an act. Give him a little more time, and he'll figure it out." I lowered my eyes and shook my head. "Mom, I've been with him for almost seven years, and the person in his heart is still Chloe." "I don't want to wait anymore." Victoria shed tears. She didn't persuade me further and motioned for the butler, Silas, to come over. Silas walked forward holding a small chest. Inside were several property deeds and a certificate of deposit. Victoria pushed the chest in front of me. "Take these." I shook my head again. "Mom, I didn't come to you for money. I came because I promised you back then that I would spend my life with him. I can't do that now, but I couldn't just leave without telling you." Victoria held my hand tightly. "Child, this isn't about money. You've been by Julian's side all these years, and you helped clean up all those messes in the company before your marriage. He wouldn't be where he is today without you. This is what you deserve, and it's what the Vance family owes you. Take it." I didn't refuse again. "If Julian realizes his mistakes in the future, could you give him another chance?" I shook my head gently once more. Victoria closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. "Alright. He brought this on himself; he can't blame anyone else." Walking out of the manor, I dialed a number. It was Julian's biggest rival, Arthur Sinclair. "Does your offer for me to join your company still stand?"Sylvia's POV The voice on the other end of the line was filled with pleasant surprise. "It stands! Of course it stands! It will always stand." He spoke incredibly fast, as if afraid I would back out. "Sylvia, is that true? Have you finally thought it through?" I didn't answer his question. "Give me a few days to handle things here, then I'll go to New York to find you." "It's a promise! I'll be waiting for you." After hanging up, I didn't go home but told the driver to turn around and head straight to a law firm. "Please draft a set of divorce papers for me." Once I got the divorce papers, I went home and started packing. Before I could pack much, my phone rang. The caller ID showed Joe Stone, one of Julian's friends. "Sylvia! Come quickly!" Joe's voice was so loud it sounded like he was screaming for his life. "Julian has gone crazy! He insists on racing someone for his life, and none of us can stop him!" "What race?" "Dead Man's Curve outside the city! Sylvia, please hurry. He won't listen to anything we say. Only you can stop him!" I hesitated for a moment. In the end, I still couldn't bring myself to completely ignore whether he lived or died. I grabbed my bag and headed out. Joe had been waiting for me by the roadside. The moment he saw me get out of the car, he grabbed me and ran inside, explaining what happened as we ran. "There was a necklace at the auction tonight that Julian was determined to get. But he stepped out to take a call, and by the time he got back, someone else had snatched it." "Julian wanted to buy the necklace back from that buyer, but the guy had a grudge against him. He insisted on racing Julian at Dead Man's Curve, saying he'd only give him the necklace if Julian won." "Sylvia, that track is incredibly dangerous. Even professional racers have to think twice. Julian racing there is practically suicidal!" By the time we arrived at the scene, it was already too late. The barrier at the track entrance had been lowered, and Julian's car had long since sped away. A few of his friends gathered around the big screen, looking tense. "What do we do? Julian hasn't touched a race car in years, and now he's tackling Dead Man's Curve right off the bat!" "Look how fast he's driving. It's like he doesn't value his life. Is it really worth it just for a necklace?" "How is it not worth it? Chloe is coming back tomorrow, and that's a gift for her. Other than Chloe, who else could make Julian risk his life?" Joe coughed loudly behind them. The men turned around and their faces turned pale when they saw me. "Syl... Sylvia!" I didn't say anything. On the big screen, the two cars chased each other through the curves, neither showing any intention of backing down. The gap between them never widened; they were driving almost bumper-to-bumper. My heart ached sharply. I finally saw with my own eyes how Julian risked everything for Chloe. It turned out this was what he looked like when he truly loved someone. Suddenly, someone shouted, "It's raining!" "The last section consists of consecutive hairpin turns. It's the most dangerous part! Once the road gets wet, you can't brake at all!" "This isn't racing; this is suicide!" The men paced around in panic. I stared at the screen, my fingernails digging into my palms. On the screen, Julian's car suddenly accelerated before the final curve. He didn't care about his own safety at all. His car was the first to cross the finish line. But immediately after, the car skidded violently and crashed into the guardrail of the track. A deafening sound of metal colliding erupted from the screen. Everyone rushed over. By the time I ran over, Julian had already been dragged out of the car. Blood trickled down his forehead, and he was unconscious. Looking at his blood-stained face, my eyes finally turned red. I reached out, wanting to wipe the blood from his face, but my hand was trembling. "A bet is a bet." The buyer walked over and glanced down at me as I crouched on the ground. "If Julian risked his life for you, I could actually understand it." He handed the necklace to me. The friends looked at each other, but none dared to speak. I silently took the box and put it in my bag. They hesitated to speak, but no one dared to stop me. Julian was rushed to the hospital. When Julian woke up, the first thing he saw was me, asleep at his bedside. Startled awake, I lifted my head to look at him. Seeing his softened expression, I knew he assumed I would be heartbroken and must have cried for a long time over his injury. He raised his hand and gently stroked my hair. But when he saw my eyes, Julian froze. My eyes were neither red nor swollen; there wasn't a single trace of crying. I had never been like this before. "Sylvia, are you alright?" "I'm fine. You're awake." My tone was flat as I poured a glass of water and handed it to him. "The doctor said you have cracked ribs and stitches on your forehead, but no internal organ damage. After another day of observation today, you can be discharged." Julian looked at my calm demeanor, his brow furrowing. I knew he was feeling an indescribable discomfort. In the past, even if he had just had too much to drink, I would pace around in anxiety, crying as I watched over him until dawn, not daring to close my eyes. This time, he was hospitalized after a car accident. He was definitely wondering why I wasn't anxious and why I wasn't crying. But I didn't care anymore. "Oh, by the way." I took the necklace out of my bag and placed it on the nightstand. "Your item." Julian's hand hovered over the water glass; he didn't reach for it immediately. After a moment of silence, he spoke up, feeling a bit guilty. "Chloe is your sister. She's been abroad for several years and is about to return. I thought about giving her a welcome gift on your behalf, which is why I—" "I know." I interrupted him. "I understand. No need to explain." Julian looked at me in confusion, his expression complex. "You're not angry?" "Why would I be angry? Weren't you doing it for my sake?" "Of course." Julian let out a sigh of relief, squeezing my hand. "It was indeed for your sake." I didn't respond. I pulled a document out of my bag and handed it to him along with a pen. "I recently set my eyes on a beachside villa. Could you buy it and give it to me?" Feeling guilty, Julian didn't even look at it. He flipped straight to the last page and signed his name. "Of course I can. You can have whatever you want, Sylvia. Even if you wanted the stars from the sky, I'd pluck them down for you." I curled the corners of my mouth, but didn't say a word. I put the divorce papers into my bag and stood up. "I'll come pick you up from the hospital tomorrow. I didn't get much sleep last night, so I'm going home to catch up on some rest." Julian Vance froze. He looked at me, and I knew he found it strange. He was hospitalized, yet I wasn't going to stay with him? I was actually leaving? His instinct was to stop me and demand an explanation, but what came out of his mouth instead was something else. "Chloe is coming back tomorrow, and Charles Hayes wants to throw a welcome-home dinner for her. Let's go back to the Hayes house together, okay?" I stopped in my tracks. Julian knew I didn't have a good relationship with the Hayes family. Over the years, he had never once suggested I go back. Even during holiday gatherings, he would step in and make excuses on my behalf. But this time, for Chloe Hayes, he was asking me to return to that place. "Sure." I gave a faint smile and pushed the hospital room door open to leave. Once I stepped outside the hospital gates, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to a certain number. "Look into Chloe Hayes's life abroad over the past few years. The more detailed, the better." The next morning, I went to the hospital to pick Julian up. When I arrived, Julian was already packed and ready. He had put on cologne, dressed in a brand-new suit he'd specifically ordered to be delivered, and was meticulously styling his hair in front of the bathroom mirror. I clenched my fists so hard that my fingernails dug into my palms. The car pulled up at the gates of the Hayes estate. Chloe Hayes quickly rushed out to greet us, affectionately wrapping her arm around mine and pulling me inside. "Sylvia! Long time no see! I missed you so much!" Before I could even respond, a sudden tickle hit my nose. Tears welled up uncontrollably, followed by a succession of sneezes. The living room was filled with Casablanca lilies, their heavy, sweet scent drifting all the way from the front door to the hallways. I was allergic to Casablanca lilies. When we were kids, once Chloe found out about my allergy, she made a point of telling everyone that Casablanca lilies were her absolute favorite. Every few days, she would have a massive bouquet bought and placed right in the living room. She even had them placed in Charles Hayes's study. From then on, I never dared to linger in the living room, nor did I dare to look for Charles in his study. Slowly but surely, there was no longer any room for me in this house. The house full of Casablanca lilies was meant to welcome Chloe, but it was meant to keep me out. Julian frowned. He knew I was allergic to these flowers; we never kept lilies in our home. Yet, looking at Chloe's joyful expression, he merely tugged at my hand. "Chloe just got back and she's happy. Let's not ruin the mood for everyone." Charles Hayes walked down from the second floor. Seeing me standing at the door with tearing eyes and sneezing, his face instantly darkened. "Crying the moment you walk through the door! Your sister just returned from abroad with great difficulty, and this is how you choose to ruin the mood?" Julian handed me an antihistamine. "Take one and bear with it."Sylvia's POV Feeling absolutely miserable, I quickly took the antihistamine. Julian took out a necklace and presented it to Chloe. "Sylvia asked me to prepare this for you as a welcome-home gift." Chloe opened the box, her eyes lighting up. "It's beautiful! Thank you, Julian!" Holding the necklace, she leaned in close to Julian and brushed her hair aside, revealing her neck. "Julian, could you help me put it on?" Julian reflexively glanced at me. I was looking down, sipping my water, showing no reaction. He withdrew his gaze, took the necklace, and fastened it around Chloe's neck. "I'm glad you like it." Chloe spun around and asked with a beaming smile, "Does it look good?" "It looks beautiful." The corners of Julian's lips turned up slightly, his gaze gentle. Charles Hayes nodded repeatedly from the side. "Stunning. Chloe has grown up, and she's still as sweet and sensible as ever." He took Chloe's hand, his face full of fatherly affection. Regina Cole chimed in at the right moment. "Chloe has always been so thoughtful. Even during her years abroad, she never forgot to send me gifts for holidays." Charles glanced at me as I sat in the corner rubbing my nose, his face instantly souring. "Sylvia, look at your sister, then look at yourself. You weren't like this when you were little. How did you become so unreasonable as you grew up?" I didn't answer. Julian was gazing intently at Chloe, paying absolutely no attention to our side. Regina offered a smooth, placating smile to diffuse the tension. "Chloe just got back. Let's keep things happy for the family and not talk about this." She warmly pulled Chloe over, peeling fruit for her while asking how her life had been abroad. Charles immediately followed up, asking where she wanted to go for fun over the next few days and telling her the driver was on standby. Chloe chattered happily about her experiences abroad, leaning affectionately against Regina's shoulder like a spoiled child. Every now and then, she would look up and flash a sweet smile at Julian. Julian's doting gaze remained fixed on Chloe the entire time. "Julian, I want to go to that new amusement park that opened this year! I saw so many people posting about it while I was abroad, and I've been dying to go! Can you take me?" Julian didn't hesitate. "Sure, I'll set it up this weekend." My hands tightened. I had once begged Julian to take me to an amusement park. Julian had said he disliked crowded, noisy places and told me to just go with my friends. But when Chloe asked, he agreed without a second thought. I lowered my eyes. It turned out it wasn't that he couldn't go; I simply didn't hold enough weight in his heart. A wave of bitterness rushed over me, but I suppressed it. Whatever. I would go to these places on my own in the future. I didn't need anyone to accompany me. When dinner was served, the table was loaded with dishes that were incredibly greasy, salty, and spicy. There wasn't a single dish I could eat. I couldn't handle spicy food. I had always preferred light, bland food. Julian knew this, and Charles used to know it too. I pulled out my phone and ordered takeout. Charles put down his utensils, his expression turning sour. "With a whole table of food here, what are you doing ordering takeout? Your mother specially had the kitchen busy all afternoon. What is the meaning of this? Are you trying to humiliate her?" "I can't eat spicy food. Didn't you know?" I said without looking up, continuing to place my order. Charles choked on his words, and then grew even more displeased. "What's wrong with having a few bites of spicy food? Everyone else can eat it, so why can't you?" Chloe put down her utensils, looking guilt-ridden. "It's all my fault for loving spicy food..." "It's not your fault." Julian looked at Chloe with concern. He turned to look at me, a trace of blame in his eyes. Regina smiled and tried to keep the peace. "Now, now, let's not dwell on this. Eat up, the steaks are getting cold." The others picked up their utensils again, and soon the dining room was filled with lively chatter. Julian ladled a bowl of corn chowder for Chloe, then pulled out a napkin to wipe her mouth. When Chloe said she wanted crab, he meticulously cracked open the shells, flaking the crabmeat out and placing it in her bowl. Watching this, a dull ache throbbed in my chest. Julian had never deshelled a crab for me. On the contrary, every time we had seafood, I was the one peeling his shrimp and cracking his crabs. He would take them and eat them, taking it entirely for granted. And I, too, had never thought anything was wrong with that. Tears threatened to spill over, but I forced them back. I lowered my head and drank some water, not letting anyone see my expression. My takeout arrived. I opened the container, but after just two bites, a sudden wave of intense nausea surged in my stomach. Covering my mouth, I stood up and bolted to the bathroom. Then it hit me—I was pregnant. This was morning sickness. Julian had originally put down his utensils and was about to go check on me. "Ouch!" Chloe let out a soft cry, pulling back her hand. "What's wrong?" Julian's attention was instantly pulled back to her. "I accidentally poked myself on a crab shell... It hurts so much." Chloe held up her hand, a tiny bead of blood welling on her fingertip. She bit her lip and looked at Julian with a pitiful expression. "Let me see." Julian sat back down, taking her hand to carefully inspect it. By the time I returned to the dining table, my takeout was gone. Charles spoke coldly. "Refusing to eat a perfectly good home-cooked meal, insisting on ordering takeout, only to throw up after two bites—what kind of behavior is this? I had someone clear it away and throw it out." "I'm not eating anymore." I turned and walked toward the stairs. "Stop right there!" Charles slammed his utensils onto the table. "Can't you just have a proper meal? What kind of attitude is this? The whole family is sitting here, and you're the only one causing a fuss. Being this selfish, you really take after your mother!" My steps paused, but I ignored him and continued upstairs. Behind me, there was the muffled thud of Charles slamming the table again, accompanied by Regina's timely, soothing words. My room was at the very end of the second-floor hallway. Although it was called my room, it was actually more like a hotel suite. The bedding was top-tier, the lighting was great, the space was spacious, and it was fully furnished. But there wasn't a single personal item of mine inside. After I got married, Regina had only set aside this room for us as a couple out of respect for Julian's status. Back in my teenage years, all of my belongings had been systematically ruined, claimed, or discarded by Chloe and Regina. The day I left for college, I walked out with my last suitcase of belongings and never intended to return. This villa had originally belonged to my mother. But now, almost none of her traces remained. There was only one room left—my mother's former bedroom. On the day Charles brought Regina and Chloe into this house, he had promised me that he would preserve that room. From that day forward, the room had remained locked, and the key had been in my possession. It was my last remaining solace in this house. I walked up to the door of my mother's room and unlocked it. The moment I pushed the door open, I froze in my tracks. The room was completely unrecognizable. My mother's vanity was gone. The oil paintings that used to hang on the wall were gone. The bedding on the bed, the curtains at the window—all gone. In their place were piles of old clothes, shoes, and cardboard boxes. Everything was strewn about in a complete mess. Jars and bottles cluttered the tables, some rolling onto the floor. Half-eaten snack bags lay discarded in the corners.Sylvia's POV How was this still a room meant for living? It had been turned into Chloe Hayes's storage room. Laughter drifted up from downstairs, where the family of four was enjoying their harmonious gathering. Standing in my mother's room, I trembled with pure rage. I bent down, grabbed a cardboard box off the floor, and hurled it out into the hallway. Then, one by one, I threw Chloe's old clothes, shoeboxes, cosmetics, and snack bags out of the room, letting them crash onto the hallway floor. Halfway through, Chloe came upstairs. Looking at the absolute mess all over the floor, she didn't seem angry in the slightest. These things were essentially garbage to her anyway—clothes and shoes she had cast aside and no longer wanted. She had put them here solely to spite me. Seeing that she had successfully riled me up, a delighted smile spread across her face. "Sylvia, how does it feel to see me taking over your mother's room?" Ignoring her, I bent down and kept throwing her things out. Chloe leaned against the doorframe, her smile widening. "It's fine if you don't talk. This house has been mine for a long time anyway. This villa, the Hayes family assets, and Charles Hayes's favoritism—it's all mine." She tilted her head, sizing me up. "You have nothing in this house. Sylvia, you're like a stray dog that got kicked out, only allowed back inside occasionally if you behave yourself." I slammed the last box into the hallway and brushed the dust off my hands. "Keep this house if you want it. I don't give a damn." I looked Chloe dead in the eye. "But as long as I have a breath left in me, don't you dare touch my mother's room." Chloe froze for a split second, then burst into loud laughter. "Your mother? That woman has been dead for how many years now, and you're still clinging to this room? Sylvia, you really are incredibly stubborn." Once she was done laughing, her expression turned relaxed and smug. "But speaking of what belongs to me, Sylvia, there's actually something I've been dying to tell you in person." She took two steps closer. "Do you know why Julian Vance ended up with you?" "Because of me." Chloe's smile was sweet yet vicious. "He's my ex-boyfriend. Sylvia, I was the one who dumped him first, and only then did he go after you. After all, you look like me. Since he couldn't have the original, he settled for a knockoff." "You don't need to tell me about your past." I turned around, refusing to look at her. "I don't want to know." "You don't want to know?" Chloe was highly dissatisfied with my reaction. "Well, I'm going to make sure you know anyway." "Did you honestly think he belonged to you just because he married you? Sylvia, he's flown out to see me every single month for the past few years." I froze. Without fail, Julian would go abroad for a few days every month. He always claimed it was for international business. I had never once suspected him. "On your very first wedding anniversary, didn't he claim he had a last-minute work thing?" I remembered. That day, I had booked a restaurant and put on a new dress, only to wait until closing time without him ever showing up. He had texted me saying he was negotiating an important contract and told me to go home first. Later, he bought me a bracelet, promising to make it up to me next time. "And your birthday last year—he didn't spend that with you either, did he?" Chloe held up her hand, counting on her fingers with a triumphant grin. "In all the years you've been married, how many anniversaries, birthdays, and Valentine's Days has he missed?" My hands began to shake. It wasn't a matter of how many times he had missed them; he had never shown up once. For every single milestone, Julian always had an excuse to be absent. Each time he promised to make it up to me next time, but "next time" never came. Chloe was finally satisfied with my reaction. "I did it on purpose. Why would I let him spend the holidays with you? All it takes is one word from me, and he'll fly right over to be with me." So that was how it was. I was the one blowing out the candles alone at home, the one packing away a new dress that no one would ever see. It turned out he had spent every single one of those days with Chloe. "And Sylvia, did you really think he only had coffee and chatted with me whenever he came to visit?" Chloe's eyes filled with suggestive meaning. "Every time he sees me, he's like a beast that's been locked up for too long, desperately pinning me down on the bed." She swept her gaze over me from head to toe, her face practically dripping with smug contempt. "Sylvia, is there something wrong with you? Does your husband look at you and find himself completely turned off? When you two are in bed, does he just go through the motions?" She covered her mouth and giggled. "No wonder he's always so insatiable when he comes to me. It turns out he can't even get hard for you. Sylvia, honestly, don't you think you're pathetic? You can't even satisfy your own husband, yet—" I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. "Sylvia! What do you think you're doing?!" Julian's furious roar boomed from behind me. He rushed forward with large strides, shoving me aside to support Chloe. "What happened to your face? Let me see." He cupped Chloe's face, his brows knitted in tight concern. Chloe's tears fell instantly as she clutched Julian's sleeve, sobbing. "Julian, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have put my things in Sylvia's mother's room. That's why Sylvia got mad. It's all my fault..." She wept like a delicate flower in the rain, looking utterly aggrieved and innocent. Charles and Regina rushed upstairs right behind them. The moment Charles saw Chloe's swollen, red cheek, he didn't hesitate for a second. He raised his hand and slapped me across the face. "You lunatic! How dare you strike your sister!" This slap was far heavier than the one I had given Chloe. The impact sent my head snapping to the side, and half of my face burned with searing pain. Seeing me get hit, Julian instinctively took a step forward. Chloe let out a soft whimper, burying herself in his chest and trembling like a leaf. His gaze darted back and forth between Chloe and me. After all, I had been the one to strike first. Hardening his heart, he looked down to soothe the woman in his arms. "Stop crying, Chloe. Let's go apply some ointment. You'll be fine." Regina chimed in, her voice sounding gentle and diplomatic. "Charles, I know you're angry, but don't resort to violence. Sylvia is still just a child. Don't let this ruin your relationship with your daughter." Hearing this only fueled Charles's rage further. "You're still defending her? She just struck your daughter!" Regina let out a sigh, her expression turning sorrowful. "Chloe and I just don't have that kind of luck. Sylvia has always felt that we stole her father and her home. She's harbored resentment in her heart all these years, so this is just our cross to bear." With just a few words, Charles's face flushed red with anger. I clutched my burning cheek, watching the scene unfold before me, finding it utterly absurd. "You promised me that you would protect my mother's room and let no one enter." I stared directly at Charles. "You promised me with your own mouth." Charles choked on his words, caught off guard. He stubbornly turned his head away. "The living are always more important than the dead. Chloe was coming back, and we didn't have enough rooms. What's wrong with clearing it out temporarily?" "The moment you come back, you disrupt the peace of the entire household! I should never have let you return!" "I didn't want to come back either." "In this house, there is absolutely nothing left for me to cherish, except my mother's room." After saying that, I turned around and walked toward my room. “Get back here! Sylvia Hayes! I said stand right there!” Charles roared behind me, the veins on his forehead bulging. I didn't even look back. I returned to my room and slammed the door shut with a bang.Sylvia's POV I sat alone in my room, one side of my face burning with pain. After a while, the door opened. Julian walked in holding a tube of ointment. He crouched in front of me and gently cupped my face in his hands. The moment his palm touched my swollen cheek, his brows furrowed. Charles Hayes hadn't held back when he slapped me. Half of my face was already swollen, much worse than Chloe Hayes's. “Does it still hurt?” I turned my head away and refused to look at him. Julian Vance sighed and opened the ointment. Julian Vance used to care about me deeply, too. Once, I had been pruning roses in the garden when a thorn pricked my finger. It was barely an injury. The bead of blood that appeared wasn't even as big as my fingernail. The next day, Julian Vance hired a professional gardening team. He told me that from then on, they would take care of the flowers, and all I had to do was enjoy looking at them. But just now, in the hallway, my own father, Charles Hayes, had slapped me across the face. Julian had been standing right beside us without reacting at all. His eyes had been filled with nothing but concern for Chloe Hayes. Compared to Chloe Hayes, the concern he had once shown me was apparently worth nothing. And I didn't want this kind of second-choice affection. Even less did I want the scraps of concern Chloe Hayes had left behind. Julian's fingers, coated with ointment, moved toward my cheek. I slightly turned my head to avoid him. “Don't dodge.” Julian Vance clicked his tongue, his tone neither harsh nor gentle. “If you don't put some medicine on it, it'll swell even more tomorrow.” Without giving me a chance to refuse, he firmly gripped my chin and turned my face back toward him. His movement was forceful, but the pressure of his fingers was gentle. He carefully spread the ointment over my cheek as he spoke. “You really did go too far today.” “Chloe is still young. She just put her things in the wrong place. You could have simply told her. Why did you throw all her belongings out?” He patiently lectured his unreasonable wife. “Sylvia Hayes, you should make allowances for her. No matter what, you shouldn't hurt Chloe.” I clenched my teeth and said nothing. “Charles Hayes was a little too heavy-handed, but what he said was right. That room was empty anyway. Now that Chloe is back, she needs somewhere to stay.” He closed the lid of the ointment and softened his tone. “The living shouldn't have to keep making room for the dead.” I shot to my feet. “What did you just say?” Julian Vance froze. Only then did he realize that mentioning my mother, Eleanor Ward, had been a mistake. He reached out, wrapped an arm around my waist, and pulled me back into his embrace. “Don't be angry.” He rested his chin on my shoulder and coaxed softly into my ear. “I missed you. We haven't really spent any time together in so long.” His hand moved to unbutton my pajamas. “We still want to have a child, don't we?” My entire body went rigid. I thought of the baby growing inside me. Then I remembered the words I'd overheard outside the club. I forcefully pushed Julian Vance's hand away. “I'm tired.” I lay down without another word, turned my back to him, and pulled the blanket over myself. Julian Vance's hand remained suspended in midair. He said nothing else, turned off the light, and went to bed. In the middle of the night, I woke up choking. The air was filled with a sharp, acrid smell of burning. Julian Vance was nowhere to be seen. I suddenly sat up and saw thick smoke seeping through the gap beneath the door. There was a fire! I threw off the blanket and rushed outside. Most of the hallway had already been swallowed by gray smoke. Flames were shooting up from the direction of the staircase. My first thought was my mother's room. Without thinking, I ran barefoot toward it. The closer I got, the thicker the smoke became and the larger the flames grew. The heat blasted against my face, my skin feeling as though it were being scorched. But I didn't stop. The door to my mother's room was wide open. Fire was pouring out of it, and the doorframe had already been burned black. I rushed inside. The flames were raging. One of the ceiling beams had already collapsed. More than half the room had been destroyed. I was on the verge of breaking down. The last things my mother had left me were being reduced to ashes right before my eyes. I frantically searched through the flames. The smoke made my eyes stream with tears, and I burned my hands several times. Finally, inside a drawer that hadn't been completely burned through, I found a handkerchief. It was embroidered by my mother herself. One corner had been scorched, but most of it was still intact. I clenched the handkerchief in my palm and turned to run outside. When I reached the doorway, my foot caught on a piece of broken wood. I fell heavily to the ground. Julian Vance appeared at the other end of the hallway. He saw me lying on the floor. He stopped for a moment, conflict flashing across his face, a brief flicker of concern appearing in his eyes. Then he turned decisively and ran toward Chloe Hayes's room. I watched his back as he disappeared down the hallway, my chest feeling as though I'd been struck by a heavy blow. When Julian Vance and I had first gotten together, we'd once gone on a road trip. We encountered a car accident along the way. Both of us were trapped inside the mangled vehicle, unable to move. When the rescue workers arrived, Julian Vance desperately shouted for them to save me first. Back then, I thought I'd finally found true love. I thought this man was truly willing to risk his life for me. But at this moment, he hadn't even thought about saving me. He had given up on you, I told myself. But don't give up on yourself. I struggled to get back on my feet and stumbled all the way outside. Charles Hayes rushed toward me and pulled me into his arms. “Are you all right? You scared me to death!” My entire body trembled. How long had it been since Charles Hayes had hugged me like this? My eyes instantly grew hot. Was Charles Hayes still concerned about me after all? “Chloe, let me see if you're hurt!” So he thought I was Chloe Hayes. “You've got the wrong person.” I suppressed the bitterness rising in my heart. “I'm Sylvia Hayes.” Charles Hayes froze. Then he abruptly released me. “Where's Chloe?” Charles Hayes grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. “Chloe is still inside! How could you leave her behind and run out by yourself?!” He turned and was about to rush into the fire. Regina Cole was crying nearby, calling Chloe Hayes's name. The firefighters stopped Charles Hayes. “Sir, the structure inside is already unstable. It could collapse at any moment. You can't go in!” Two firefighters held Charles Hayes back as he struggled violently, the veins on his forehead bulging. At that moment, Julian Vance came running out with Chloe Hayes on his back. His face was covered in soot, and he had several burns and scalds on his body. But Chloe Hayes, on his back, was completely clean and unharmed. Charles Hayes broke free from the firefighters and rushed over. “Chloe! Chloe, are you all right? Are you hurt?” Regina Cole rushed over as well, and mother and daughter embraced each other, crying. Chloe Hayes climbed down from Julian Vance's back and obediently wrapped her arms around Charles Hayes and Regina Cole. “Dad, Mom, don't worry. I'm fine. I'm not hurt at all! It's all thanks to Julian for saving me.” The three of them embraced each other in a heartwarming scene that could bring tears to anyone's eyes. Julian Vance stood nearby, looking at Chloe Hayes with tenderness in his eyes. He didn't look in my direction even once. I stood alone a few steps away, clutching the handkerchief tightly in my hand. After the warmth of the moment faded, Chloe Hayes lifted her head from Charles Hayes's arms. “Sylvia Hayes, why did you set the house on fire?” [Paid cliffhanger]