"Your husband is having an affair."
The message glared at me from the screen. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. My hands trembled as I stared at the phone, then at the hotel room door, and back again, hoping I had read it wrong.
But no matter how many times I blinked, the words didn't change.
Maybe it was a prank. Maybe someone wanted to ruin my marriage. Maybe this was just a nightmare. A wrong message sent to the wrong number.
But deep down, I already knew. The signs had been there.
The late-night meetings. The sudden coldness. The way Mo Yuzhen's gaze passed through me like I was invisible. The lipstick stains on his collar. The perfume that wasn't mine.
I took a deep breath, swiped the keycard, and pushed the door open. The first thing I saw was chaos—clothes scattered everywhere, men's and women's. And in the middle of it all, a shirt I recognized instantly.
His shirt.
The one I'd ironed this morning while humming to myself like a fool in love.
My chest tightened. The air felt too thick to breathe. Then I heard it—soft moans coming from the bedroom. My legs froze, every step heavier than the last. But I forced myself forward.
The door was half open. I pushed it the rest of the way—and my world came crashing down.
There he was. My husband. My Mo Yuzhen. The man who once promised to love me until death—entangled in white sheets with another woman.
And it was not just any woman. It was Jiang Xinyue. His mother's favorite. The so-called "innocent" family friend who always smiled too sweetly when she looked at him.
My stomach churned.
"Mo… Yuzhen," I whispered, my voice breaking.
Jiang Xinyue screamed, pushing him away and clutching the blanket to her chest. "X-Xiyu, w-what... what are you doing here?" she stammered, her cheeks flushed with pleasure.
I didn't even look at her. My gaze was locked on him—the man who had sworn to love me forever. Yet there was no shame, no guilt in his eyes. Just annoyance, as if I were intruding on his little playtime.
"Were you following me?" he asked lazily, still lounging in the sheets.
"Why?" I managed to whisper. "Why would you do this to me?"
He sighed. "Go home, Xiyu. We'll talk about this later. I am busy."
I laughed bitterly, tears spilling down my cheeks. "You're busy right now? Busy cheating on me?"
His lips curved into a mocking smile. "Don't call it that. That word sounds so ugly. This—" he gestured toward Jiang Xinyue, who still hid behind the blanket—"is love. I love her. I finally realized she's the one for me. Honestly, I should've listened to my mother and married her from the start."
Jiang Xinyue blushed, lowering her eyes shyly. "Brother Yuzhen…"
Something inside me cracked. "So what was I, Yuzhen? A mistake? A placeholder until you got bored?"
He shrugged, looking utterly unfazed. "Think of it as a test drive. Thanks to you, I know exactly how to be the perfect husband for Xinyue."
I could feel the blood drain from my face.
Four years.
Four years I had loved him, sacrificed for him, gave up my career, my dreams, bore his mother's taunts so that we could have a happy marriage, and he dismissed it like it meant nothing.
"You… you're despicable," I spat, my voice shaking.
"Oh, come on, Xiyu," he said, clicking his tongue, looking smug. "You knew what kind of man I was. Did you think I'd stay a saint just for you? And honestly, you should thank me."
I blinked, stunned.
"Without me," he continued, "you'd still be a third-rate actress struggling for attention. I made you who you are today. I gave you fame, luxury, and a name. Without me, you're nothing."
"Brother Yuzhen is right," Jiang Xinyue added softly, her voice dripping with false innocence. "You can't blame the hands that gave you everything, Xiyu. The mansion you live in, the designer clothes you wear, the servants around, the food you eat—it's all because of him. You should be grateful, not angry."
I stared at the two of them, laughing softly through my tears. "Grateful? For being betrayed? For being humiliated?"
Jiang Xinyue lowered her gaze. "Don't say that, Xiyu. We didn't want to hurt you. We just love each other too much. Don't make this difficult for Brother Yuzhen. Just sign the divorce papers and move on."
"She's right," Mo Yuzhen said smoothly. "Go home, rest, and I'll send the papers tomorrow. I'll even make sure you get alimony. Don't say I never treated you well."
My heart twisted painfully, but then something inside me snapped. The pain burned, and my fury rose. I wiped my tears and let out a soft laugh. "You two deserve each other," I said quietly. "A scumbag and a homewrecker—a perfect pair."
He frowned. "Why are you being so mean, Xiyu? Afraid of losing me, aren't you? Afraid of going back to that poor, miserable life…" His smirk dripped with arrogance. "If you want, I can keep you as my mistress. But only if you're obedient. No fights. No drama. And you'll treat Xinyue with respect."
I stared at him, disgust curling in my stomach. My fist clenched in anger. How dare he suggest something so despicable?
How could he be so shameless? It was like I was meeting him for the first time.
"Don't flatter yourself, Mo Yuzhen," I spat. "I'd rather rot in hell than live under the same roof as you."
He scoffed, "Suit yourself."
I straightened my back, wiping the last of my tears. "You'll regret this one day," I said, my voice steady. "Both of you will."
Then I turned to leave. But, just as I had taken a step, I paused and turned. Seeing me stop, Mo Yuzhen chuckled mockingly, "Why did you stop? Already regretting your decision? Don't worry. Since you are my wife, I'll give you one last chance."
"Beg me, and I'll let you stay as my mistress."
I stared at him coldly, watching his mocking gaze. Even Jiang Xinyue smiled, as if waiting to see me go on my knees and beg them.
"Want me to beg? Sure," I smiled, my lips curling into a soft smile.