"Who are you? And where am I?"
Beads of perspiration trickled down Melissa Austin's cheeks.
Her eyes crept open to a sliver, seemingly catching the silhouette of a young man's face in her drowsy state.
The man's heavy panting resounded in her ears, the potent aura of masculinity enveloping her.
She wished to resist but the man denied her the opportunity, imprisoning her wrists in a vice-like grip.
She wanted to speak up, but no sound escaped her lips. She was left at the mercy of his whim.
"What... what has happened to me?"
Melissa wanted control, but she was helpless, deeply ensnared in the tender trap he had set.
Every corner of the room seemed to echo with a haze of disoriented passion...
Upon the dawn, every trace of the passionate dream vanished as Melissa woke up, thinking she had experienced a chaotic nightmare.
In the dream, she couldn't discern the man's features, only aware of his towering frame and fresh tobacco scent that lingered on his breath.
Yet, when she came to her senses, she was taken aback by the sight before her.
There stood her husband and best friend!
"You unfaithful wretch, Melissa!"
Just as she sat up, before she could fully grasp the situation, a powerful slap struck Melissa's face.
The blow left her reeling, a trace of bright red blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Melissa could never have imagined, she would be caught red-handed in an act of infidelity by her husband and her best friend.
"Just three days into our marriage, and you're already cheating on me? Melissa, you're truly disgusting!"
Liam Humphrey glared at her, his eyes bloodshot in anger.
Nancy Clarkson, standing aside, watched her with a malicious enjoyment, the corner of her mouth pulling up in a smirk,
"To deal with such a flirtatious woman like you, one need not even dirty their own hands. Liam, do you still dare to want this woman who tarnishes your family's reputation?"
Melissa thought that everything from last night was merely a dream, but to her dismay, they were real.
Tears welled up in Melissa's eyes, as she shook her head frantically, desperately trying to prove her innocence,
"It's not what you've seen! Listen to my explanation!"
"Shut up! I don't want to hear any of your excuses."
Liam said, laying out the marriage agreement before her.
"Just because your lover has run off doesn’t mean I have no way to deal with you. Sign your name on the divorce agreement quickly if you know what's best for you. Accept leaving with nothing. Or I'll release this scandal, and you'll lose your good name."
Looking at the sudden appearance of the divorce agreement, Melissa's eyes held a profound gaze.
It had clearly been prepared in advance.
Did they have the power of precognition, already knowing she'd cheat?
Melissa looked at Liam in surprise, full of confusion in her heart,
"You two conspired to frame me, right?"
"Nonsense! Your cheating evidence is undeniable, and any excuse will be useless. Today, if you won't sign, I will give you one day to consider. However, if you refuse to sign by then, be ready for the court summons! Then your scandal will stir up a storm! Money or face, you decide!"
Having said that, Liam angrily turned and left, seemingly not wanting to spare Melissa another glance.
Melissa clenched her bedsheets tightly. She couldn't believe this was happening.
She didn't even know how she ended up here, let alone who violated her innocence?
Full of resentment, she grabbed her sheets and headed to the washroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, her hand turned into a tight fist...
Melissa didn't know how to face Liam as she returned home in a daze. She was about to reach out to push the door when she found that the door was not locked.
She stepped inside with a perplexed look, but inadvertently overhead ambiguous panting sounds coming from the bedroom.
"Ah! You're so annoying! You hurt me!"
The woman's voice was coquettish, exuding unlimited charm.
That voice sounds so familiar, why does it feel like deja vu?
Melissa tiptoed closer, managing to catch a glimpse of an indescribable scene in the room through the door gap.
To her shock, her own husband, Liam, was in bed with her best friend, Nancy.
Seeing this scene, Melissa covered her mouth in disbelief, her eyes filled with incredulity.
"You're so bad! Doing this in your own home, aren't you afraid of your wife catching us?"
Nancy flirtatiously said, her voice as sweet as honey.
Liam let out a cold hum, showing no regard
"Don't mention that disgusting woman to me, I don't care. Melissa and I are going to divorce sooner or later. Since we've been married, I've never touched her."
"Never touched her? Really? After getting married, you two haven't done anything?"
Nancy expressed skepticism.
"Of course, my baby girl, it's only you in my heart! If it weren’t for the Austin family's wealth, I wouldn’t have married her. Melissa, she's nothing compared to you, my darling!"
Hearing Liam say this, Nancy was overjoyed, adoringly wrapping her arms around his neck, and planting a kiss on his cheek.
"That’s more like it, it’s worth the three years I waited for you. You have to take responsibility for me!"
"Don't worry! As long as I can divorce Melissa smoothly and acquire all the shares of the Austin family, I'll marry you..."
Listening to the conversation inside, Melissa felt her heart splitting in pain.
So, Liam married her for the wealth of the Austin's family after all.
Due to her decade-long affection towards Liam, due to her treating Nancy as a close sister, and because of the equity transfer agreement she signed a few days ago, it turns out everything was set up by others?
No wonder this morning her husband and best friend staged the act of catching an affair. It turned out everything was prearranged by them!
"You are such a pair of scumbag, you've made me suffer so much!"
While thinking, Melissa's hand clenched into a fist in resentment, her forehead vein popping.
Suddenly, with a 'bang', the door was kicked open. Melissa could not hold back and rushed in.
Caught off guard, the faces of Nancy and Liam changed color due to fear.
"Melissa, why are you here?"
Before Nancy could finish talking, Melissa suddenly slapped her on the face. The sound was especially crisp.
"I took you as my best friend all along.
I didn't expect you to seduce my husband first, and then frame me for having an affair. You are indeed my great best friend."
Melissa glared at Nancy, almost wanting to eat her alive.
Nancy wanted to argue, but when she glanced at Liam standing beside her, tears welled up
"Liam, she hit me!"
At this moment, showing vulnerability and pity in front of a man is better than taking the onus onto oneself.
Liam forcefully gripped Melissa's wrist, glaring at her, "Melissa, I never hit women, don't make me."
Melissa sneered
"You used me, claiming the Austin family's property. You're nothing but a thief, pretending to be a gentleman?
Liam, I was truly blind to have taken a fancy to you!
You want a divorce, right? Alright, I will grant you that.”
Melissa took out the unsigned divorce agreement from her bag, scribbled her name on it flamboyantly, and threw it on Liam's face.
The whole process was very fluid, her aura completely intimidating Nancy and Liam.
By signing this divorce agreement, it indicated Melissa's acceptance to leave empty-handed, surrender everything and sever all ties with the Humphrey family forever.
This was exactly what Nancy and Liam wanted. Seeing the names on the divorce agreement, smiles crept up on their faces.
However, they didn't notice the moment Melissa turned to leave, a single crystal-clear tear slowly rolled down from the corner of her eye.
To say she wasn't heartbroken would be a lie! Melissa had given this worthless man the best ten years of her youth!
Betrayed by her best friend, abandoned by her husband, even the Austin family's assets were taken by them. Melissa did not wish to let this scum of a man and his mistress off so easily.
Her temporary concealment did not mean her desolate exit, it was just for an extravagant comeback in the future.
"Liam, Nancy, whatever you took from me, I will someday take it all back. The amount of pain you inflicted on me, I'll return it back to you double-fold!"
This score, we'll settle it slowly in the future!
