Chapter 1 Chapter 1

After discovering that Jude Pearson was still in love with my stepsister Thalia Yates, I had already made up my mind to disappear from their lives. I reached out to my friend, Naomi Clarke, and started putting together a flawless fake-death plan. Just as we were finalizing the details, I caught the familiar scent of disinfectant—and there he was, Jude, walking in with a bouquet of roses. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and nuzzled affectionately, asking, "What are you working on?""A few things for my research paper," I replied casually. "Don't worry about your paper, honey. I've got you," Jude said as he gently massaged my shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world. For seven years, I had been the woman everyone envied. After all, he was the kind of man who seemed disinterested in everything. He gave up his right to inherit his family business, pursued medicine with unwavering focus, and eventually became the chief clinical advisor for the surgical society. He poured himself into medical research and work for years, never seen with another woman. And yet somehow, he claimed to have fallen for me at first sight. Someone who had never been in a relationship awkwardly pursued me for six months, and I thought this was my redemption after being betrayed. Now I realized that this was just another abyss built on lies. "There's some data in the paper that still needs refining," I said with a smile, my eyes drifting toward the collar of his shirt, where the top button was left undone. Due to his hospital habits, he always handled everything meticulously. He would button everything up to the very last button before being satisfied. He noticed my gaze, and his expression flickered with unease before he straightened his clothes. "There was an emergency surgery at the hospital. I was in such a rush, I must've missed it." I held the roses without saying anything. I knew this flower shop very well because every time he needed to "work overtime", he would buy me flowers from it. After checking, I discovered this shop was incredibly far from the hospital. However, it was very close to Thalia's house. Jude pulled me close again and said, "You shouldn't attend tomorrow's academic research conference. You've been too busy lately. You should get some rest.""But my paper presentation—" He interrupted me. "There will be plenty of conference opportunities. Let me help you refine the details before you present them, okay?" I pressed my lips together without responding. Thalia, he, and I had all graduated from the same medical school. After graduation, he was busy with work and research every day, so I voluntarily gave up my research institute position to help him. Thalia took my place and entered the research institute instead. This conference brought together medical professors and healthcare company CEOs. I suspected that my research might threaten Thalia's path. Jude studied my expression and kissed my forehead. "The day after tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. I'll spend the entire day with you then.""Okay," I agreed with a smile, and only then did he relax. That evening, I turned on the computer, planning to finish my research before leaving. That was when I accidentally noticed one of Jude's folders. I had never pried into his things before, but now things were different—everything about him made me suspicious. The folder was password-protected. I typed in Thalia's birthday, and it unlocked instantly. Inside were rows of files and detailed memos, including photos of Thalia from high school, college and her wedding. There were even pregnancy reports, recorded with pregnancy precautions and care instructions. A small line read, "I'll treat this as if it were my own child." My hands trembled slightly as I kept scrolling down. At the bottom of the documents was an invitation from Herlioth Business School. Next to it, he had written, "For Thalia's heart condition, I must go into medicine." I closed my eyes, and the tears came silently. So, Jude wasn't uninterested in everything after all. He had simply given his whole heart to someone else. In that moment, I completely gave up on our seven-year marriage.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"My research is done. Let's go to the conference together," I said calmly the next morning. Ever since I found out I was nothing more than a pawn in their love story, I had stopped compromising. After all, I had spent months on this medical study, and there was no way I'd let this opportunity slip through my fingers. Perhaps out of guilt, Jude rarely argued with my suggestions. He replied, "Alright. But let's just check in and leave early. I doubt there's anything worth sticking around for anyway…" I noticed a flicker of panic crossing his usually composed face before he quickly regained his calm. I didn't respond and simply got in the car with him, heading to the venue in complete silence. Thalia was surrounded by admirers as if she were royalty when we arrived. Over the past few years, people hailed her as a rising star in regenerative medicine. A few of her published papers had gained decent recognition. "Lyra, what brings you here? I thought you'd given up research altogether. Honestly, being a stay-at-home wife suits you," Thalia said sweetly, but her face showed nothing but contempt toward me. I ignored her and turned my attention to the large screen displaying the upcoming presentations. One title caught my eye as it was nearly identical to mine, and Thalia's name was on it. I rushed over and read through it line by line. Every piece of data and every argument matched my paper exactly. This was clearly the result of months of my hard work! How had it become her achievement? She noticed my stare and came up beside me without any hesitation. "What's wrong, Lyra? Does this research look familiar to you?""Shameless!" I cursed harshly. Before I could say anything else, she cried out, "Lyra, what are you doing?" I hadn't even touched her, yet she suddenly gasped in pain, slammed into the table before collapsing to the ground, clutching her stomach. "My baby! Oh no, my baby!" she cried and screamed. "Thalia!" Jude's familiar voice was laced with panic I'd never heard before. He rushed over immediately, his usually calm face full of tension and worry. "Lyra, are you out of your mind? She's pregnant!" I was speechless, just watching coldly as he cradled Thalia in his arms with unbearable gentleness. The heartbreak in his eyes was practically spilling over. Someone murmured, "I can't believe she would do something like that...""Don't you know? I heard Lyra was Thalia's husband's ex-girlfriend. It's probably jealousy. Poor Thalia." The whispers around me reached my ears and made my whole body tremble. Jude seemed to notice my distress and stood up, walking toward me. "No matter what, you shouldn't have pushed her. She's pregnant, and that was completely out of line." I scoffed."Out of line? Then tell me—where did she get that paper?" His expression shifted, unease spreading across his features as he hesitated. "Regenerative medicine research is all pretty similar. Maybe it's just a coincidence." I laughed bitterly. To protect the confidentiality of my work, I had encrypted the file with a password that only he and I knew. When I reviewed the paper earlier, I discovered he had carefully added an ending to make the research more complete. He had indeed kept his promise to help me refine the conclusion, except it was for the woman he truly loved. I felt nauseous and turned to leave immediately. Jude frantically grabbed my hand. "Lyra, are you going home? Let me take you back." Pain stabbed through my chest, and I tried to pull away. However, he held on tightly, his tone unusually guilty. "Wherever you want to go, I'll come with you. Let's leave here right now, okay?" I thought of my plan and turned to look at him, "Sure. Let's drive out to the spot just outside the city that we used to visit."

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Jude nodded. He was just about to get the car when Thalia suddenly grabbed his hand. She whimpered, "Jude, my stomach really hurts. Can you take me to the hospital?" He instinctively reached out to support her, then glanced at me with guilt flickering in his eyes. He hesitated for a second. "I'm really not feeling well. I'm sure Lyra will understand," Thalia said gently. He looked at me as if asking for permission. However, his body was already guiding her toward the car. "It's fine. I'll head over first and wait for you," I replied. He immediately looked relieved. "Alright. Just wait for me and don't go anywhere. I'll come pick you up in a bit." After saying this, he helped Thalia into the car, leaving me watching their retreating figures. Meanwhile, I called for a ride and headed to the spot outside the city. Once I arrived, I called Naomi to confirm the plan. Soon, I would "die" here. After ending the call, I saw Thalia's Instagram post. The photo showed her lying in a hospital bed, holding another man's hand. The caption read, "Won an award for my research today! Plus my husband's doting support and care—it's truly been a perfect day!" I recognized that hand and the wristwatch. It was Jude's; he always wore that watch. I immediately called his number, and after a few rings, Thalia answered. "Lyra? What's up? Jude's in the shower," she purred, her tone dripping with smug implication. She added, "Thanks again for the research paper, Lyra. And as for Jude, I didn't even steal him. I gave him to you all those years ago. But I guess you're just not that charming. Seven years and you still couldn't keep your man." I listened calmly. Though my heart ached with every word, it no longer fueled my anger. I replied, "Thalia, don't waste your breath trying to provoke me. I'll step aside for both of you." Too lazy to hear more, I just hung up and went to meet Naomi, who was almost here. After everything was set up, it was already dark. Even then, Jude still hadn't appeared, and my phone never rang either. I looked at the bloodstains below the cliff and the belongings I had left behind. My mind wandered through seven years of married life. The man who showed no expression outside would always come home smiling, give me massages, bring me flowers, and tell me to rest more. Yet, all of this was ultimately a grand deception. I dialed his number one last time, but no one picked up. Then, I threw my phone over the cliff as well and left the place. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Jude had gotten drinks spilled all over him by Thalia. After showering, he hurriedly grabbed his phone and coat, preparing to leave. "Jude, where are you going?" Thalia grabbed him with an aggrieved expression. "Lyra is still waiting for me. Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary, and I promised to spend the entire day with her." Thalia looked annoyed. "But I'm still not feeling well.""I'll come to see you immediately after tomorrow," Jude said before rushing out the door. Just then, the phone in his coat pocket suddenly started vibrating. He answered the call, and the voice on the other end immediately said, "Hello, are you Ms. Lyra Yates' family? I'm sorry to inform you that Ms. Yates has jumped off a cliff."