Chapter 1

Three months into our marriage, my wife, Clara Sterling, suddenly installed a camera in our bedroom.

Then she kicked me out to sleep in the guest room.

"I lost a bet to Dylan Blackwood."

"The wager was to sleep in separate rooms for thirty days, so you'll just have to make do with the guest room for now."

With that, she forcefully pushed me out and slammed the door shut.

That night, I overheard her telling Dylan on the phone:

"I've already set up the monitor, you can supervise anytime, anywhere. I promise I'll stick to our agreement."

"He absolutely won't step foot in my bedroom this month."

In the past, I would have relentlessly pressed her for answers, demanding to know why.

But now, my heart was calm, unburdened by her anymore. I'd become completely detached, letting go of any lingering feelings for her.

Suddenly, I felt like this marriage had run its course. It was time to end it.

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The moment she saw the divorce papers, she completely freaked out.

"Ryan Caldwell, it's just thirty days in the guest room! Are you seriously going to divorce me over that?"

Watching her outburst, a bitter smile touched my lips.

"What else, Clara? Should I wait until you two sleep together and you’ve completely made a fool out of me before I even think about divorce?"

My gaze locked onto her, searching for even a flicker of guilt or hesitation in her eyes.

But all I saw was shock and pure fury.

Her face flushed with rage.

"This is ridiculous! I don't even know what you're making such a fuss about!"

"If Dylan and I were ever going to do anything, I wouldn't have married you in the first place! Why would I wait until now?"

"It was just a stupid bet, why are you taking it so seriously? After thirty days, you can come back to the room."

I just watched her, calmly observing her hysterical meltdown.

After a long moment, I finally countered,

"If it was just a bet, then why are you taking it so seriously?"

Without a moment's hesitation, she shot back:

"I already promised him! What else was I supposed to do?"

"If I don't follow through, how can I ever face him or my friends again?"

"People with twisted minds see malice everywhere. Can you please stop looking at us through such a dirty lens?"

Deep down, I knew it. In her heart, I still couldn't compare to Dylan Blackwood.

I was just a pawn in their twisted game.

"Are you sure he doesn't have feelings for you?" I scoffed, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

My question stunned her. She paused, momentarily speechless.

After a brief silence, she looked me dead in the eye, her expression earnest.

"I am absolutely, one hundred percent certain."

I unlocked my phone and found the messages Dylan had sent me.

Then I read them aloud, word for word.

"Ryan Caldwell, I'm going to compete with you fairly. I'll take her away from you."

I paused after that sentence, looking up at her. Her face had gone a little pale.

I continued reading.

"You only snatched her away because I wasn't around. Otherwise, she definitely would have married me!"

"You know what? I hugged her today. Her body was so soft, so fragrant. I almost couldn't stop myself."

…

Before I could finish, she snatched the phone out of my hand. Her movement was sudden and frantic.

"No way, he wouldn't send these! You must have fabricated them to try and divorce me!"

I watched her calmly, not a single ripple in my heart.

"Whether he sent them or not, why don't you confront him directly and find out?"

Suddenly, Clara gave me a meaningful look. She let out a cold laugh.

"Ryan Caldwell, you know what? You're pretty devious."

"I can't believe you'd stoop to this level just to break us up. You're truly ruthless."

"But you think I'll believe you? Dylan and I have known each other for over a decade. I know exactly what kind of person he is."

"We might not be blood siblings, but we're closer than any brother and sister I know."

"You think one sentence from you can make us doubt each other and ruin our bond?"

"You underestimate our relationship."

She grabbed her bag and walked out, not a moment of hesitation.

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