“Imagine if both your wife and your lover fell into the water at the same time—who would you save first?”

Upon remembering what her friend had said a few days ago, Myra felt her heart ache; it was so acute that it threatened to suffocate her. She stood stiffly in the banquet hall while the exquisite knee-length blue dress she wore was glued to her wet body, making her like a drowned rat.

When the company employees in the hall saw her, they began to whisper and snicker among themselves. She did not have to eavesdrop to know what they said about her.

“She’s trying to climb the corporate ladder by sleeping with the director…”

“I heard she wanted to push the director’s girlfriend into the pool!”

“How could someone who acts high and mighty all the time be so shameless?”

A few moments ago, Myra had been taking a stroll in the back gardens of The Alegria when Eris, a rising star and Sean’s latest conquest, approached her and blocked her way.

“Myra, you may be Sean’s legal wife, but if I were you, I would have filed for divorce out of embarrassment. After all, there isn’t much point in staying married if you have to watch him fawn over other women, is there?”

Following Myra’s marriage to Sean, scenarios like those were a common occurrence. She felt a sharp stab of pain in her heart and was about to retort when she saw the other girl’s expression change—her arrogance was replaced by a doe-eyed vulnerability.

“Myra, I know you also like Sean. I never would have come between the both of you if he reciprocated your feelings, but he doesn’t. You—aaah! Help—” Before Eris could finish her sentence, she had dragged Myra down into the pond with her.

The scene that played out afterward was one where the valiant hero came to rescue the damsel in distress. Unfortunately, Myra was not the one who was saved. She wiped the beads of water away from her eyes before she cast her gaze toward the banquet doors not too far away.

She could not see their faces, but she could make out Sean’s long and lean frame. She watched as he carefully held Eris’ petite figure against himself and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Myra could already imagine the pain floating in his eyes as he regarded the other girl. Does he also think I pushed her into the pond?

Myra felt as though she had swallowed acid. She pressed her hand against her chest; her fist tightly clenched to the point where her knuckles turned white.

The nanny greeted her in the foyer when she returned home that night. “Welcome home, Young Mistress Myra.”

Myra nodded and hummed in response. Her eyes fell on the pair of black leather shoes that was in the hallway.

Upon noticing that, Greta gave a warm smile and said, “Madam is at a poker game now, and Master has just returned home. He has asked to see you in his study the moment you return.”

It’s my birthday today, Myra thought. Her throat was dry as she stared at the unassuming smile on Greta’s face.

“Oh, my! Young Mistress Myra, why are you soaked?” You need a hot shower immediately!”

Myra nodded and went upstairs. Her footsteps slowed when she walked past the door to Sean’s study, but she closed her eyes and hurried past it.

When Greta brought up the towels earlier, she had mentioned that he had a bouquet of blue roses in his study. With that in mind, Myra hastily showered and proceeded to her wardrobe. She deliberately chose a pale blue knee-length dress with jasmines embroidered at the waist.

She grew nervous as she stood outside his study. However, the door swung open before she could knock. Sean was standing behind the threshold, his face devoid of any expression.

In the absence of a smile, he looked stern and unforgiving. There was always a coldness in his gaze, although his almond-shaped eyes were more than capable vessels for warm sentiments. Myra appraised him and saw that he did not change his clothes. He looked imposing in his black suit and there was a regality about him that seemed second to nature.

“Why didn’t you come the moment you returned home?”

Upon hearing that, she blinked and felt the tips of her ears growing hot. “My dress was wet during the party, so I took a shower before I—”

However, he turned and impatiently retreated into the study before he heard the rest of her sentence, leaving her forlorn out in the hallway. She parted her lips as though to say something, but decided to keep silent as she trailed after him.

The study was decorated to reflect its master’s preferences—it was tasteful and elegant while the furnishings and accents were all in the same dark brown palette. On the ottoman was a bouquet of vibrant blue roses, which provided the only pop of color in the room.

Myra paused when she saw the bouquet and crossed over to Sean while he was adjusting his tie. “I thought you had forgotten about my birthday, Sean,” she said gently.

The resentment she felt since the banquet slowly ebbed away, but just as she was about to help him with his tie, he pushed her hand away.

“Your birthday?” Sean looked as if he had only just noticed her dress. He cast a glance toward the bouquet of roses before turning to sneer at her. “You don’t think those flowers are for you, do you?”

Myra stiffened as she grew flustered.

She could not deny the glimmer of the hope she had felt when Greta informed about the bouquet of flowers.

I knew it was impossible for him to get me flowers, so why do I still land myself in situations like this?

Her throat felt dry as she asked hesitantly, “Then, why did you ask to see me?”

Sean strode over to the desk and pulled open a drawer before he answered coldly, “I expected you to behave yourself, but you crossed the line anyway. Eris may have brushed off the incident tonight, but I don’t ever want to see you doing something like that ever again.”

His sideburns were trimmed into a clean fade that framed his well-structured side profile. Myra watched him in the full-length mirror; her heart wrenched in a familiar ache at the sight of his stony expression—he was as cold and distant to her as he had always been.

Her gaze flickered over to the bouquet of blue roses. The tension in the study seemed even more prominent when it was juxtaposed with the quiet beauty of the flowers.

Myra feigned strength; she could not stop convulsing fiercely. “It wasn’t me,” she said in a voice that sounded like a whisper.

For a moment, she wondered whether he even heard her. He was already dressed and stood tall, but he did not respond as he took out a heart-shaped red velvet box from the drawer.

Sean glanced at his watch. When he looked up again, his face was colored with indifference and annoyance. “Myra, don’t pull any of those dirty tricks against my woman. I’ve fulfilled your wish for a marriage—what more do you want from me? If you want to claim me as your own, I’m afraid I have no such feelings for you. If you want my heart—”

“I told you I wasn’t the one who pushed Eris into the pond!” Myra interrupted him through gritted teeth before he could say anything more condescending.

Her lips were pale and she trembled so badly that she could collapse at any given moment.

Upon hearing what she said, Sean scowled. “Are you saying that she lied?” A look of disgust passed over his face as he scoffed and turned from her. “She can’t swim—did you know that? She could have drowned if I did not arrive on time to save her. If that happened, do you think you’ll still be standing here?”

“Sean, do you really think I would do something like that?” The floodgates were open, causing the resentment and pain that had built up in her for such a long time to be released. She looked at him bitterly and reiterated. “I did not push Eris. She fell into the water on her own. She came up to me and tried to make me leave you by insulting me, but I never wanted to hurt her!”

Myra’s cheeks were sunken, which only accentuated the size of her eyes. She looked wounded and vulnerable.

Sean saw the dark clouds that gathered in her otherwise luminous eyes, but his expression darkened just as quickly. He regarded the stubborn woman before him with disdain as he thought about Eris shivering in his arms as she advised not to blame Myra for the incident. Anger immediately rose within him and without another thought, he roughly shoved Myra aside.

“You’re the most despicable woman I’ve ever met!” he spat as she staggered backward. Her feet thudded against the floor as she tried to keep herself from falling over. Her face paled as she stared at him with widened eyes.

However, he simply returned her look of astonishment with a cold, baleful gaze before he picked up the bouquet of roses from the ottoman and headed out the door.

Myra had no idea where her courage came from; she ignored the pain that shot through her arm and rushed over to block him as she demanded, “Where are you going at this hour?”

Sean shot her an icy glare. “Move!” he barked.

Her eyes were filled with mist; as she prevented him from taking another step forward, she glanced at the ring on her finger.

It was only a plain, silver band that was bought from one of those nondescript shops. Sean had purchased it for her before their relationship soured, but she still cherished it. He quickly grew tired of her after their marriage and seeing as he never bought her a proper diamond ring, she’d taken the silver one as a token that meant something.

“You’re a married man now, Sean. What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Myra shouted, no longer able to suppress her rage.

For the past two years, she had woken up everyday to see pictures of her husband with his arms around another woman. She could not remember the last time she was happy.

He pushed her arm away. Before the door was slammed shut, he responded in a withering voice, “You should have known what you were signing up for when you first married into the Chase family.”

Myra bristled and she froze in her place.

Greta did not enter the study until after the sound of the front door being closed. She eyed Myra sympathetically as she asked, “Young Mistress Myra, are you alright?”

Myra straightened. She brought her hand to her face, expecting to feel tears streaming down her cheeks, but her skin was dry and taut. She shook her head in a state of daze before she exited the study in silence to make her way to her bedroom.

When Myra woke up the next morning, she glanced at the empty room in a daze.

She had turned twenty-four the day before. Sean had probably forgotten about it or maybe he never committed to remember her birthday at all. He bought flowers for another woman and spent the night with her, leaving Myra with nothing more than a cold shoulder.

Myra went downstairs after getting dressed and she was greeted by a cheery Eve. “Myra, you’re just in time for breakfast!”

Eve was probably Myra’s saving grace in the family. Not wanting to look sad in front of her, Myra nodded and seated herself in the dining room.

“Myra, I know you’re upset with the way Sean behaved last night, but please don’t be sad—I’m always on your side. I’m sure one day he will come to realize that you’re the woman whom he should spend the rest of his life with.”

Myra felt tears pricking her eyes, but she remained reticent.

Eve sighed and shoved a pair of chopsticks into Myra’s hands. “You should, dear. Sean left early to attend to a couple of things, so I’ll ask the chauffeur to drop you off at work later.”

Just as Eve said that, Greta entered the dining room with today’s newspaper in hand. “Madam, here’s the newspaper you asked for.”

Greta had only just placed the newspaper on the dining table when Eve caught a glimpse of the front page news. Greta’s face faltered, but it was too late for her to take the newspaper away.

Myra stiffened as she fixed her gaze on the headline.

Below it was a picture of Sean kissing a certain young female celebrity and it was taken in front of a hotel. Clearly, he did not even come home at all last night.

“Myra—”

“Thanks for the breakfast, Mom. I have to go to work now,” Myra stoically interrupted as she rose from her seat. She took her purse and headed out the doorway.

Unable to respond on time, Eve stood by the doorway and watched as her daughter-in-law drove off.

Greta was apologetic as she approached. “I’m sorry about that, Madam.”

“It’s not your fault.” Eve sighed. She turned and looked at Greta with a somber expression. “Call Sean later and tell him that if he doesn’t come home tonight, I’ll disown him!”

Upon hearing that, Greta hastily nodded, “Okay.”

Myra and Sean’s wedding had been a low-profile affair for many reasons—there were only a handful of people who knew about the matrimony between the daughter of the Stark Family and the heir to Chase family.

Even those in Chase Group were unaware of Myra’s real identity. As far as they were concerned, she was only the leader of Design Team A.

“Myra, I’m so sorry, but I don’t think I will be able to join all of you for lunch today. I have an appointment with Director Chase at noon.” Elsie sounded apologetic enough, but she was gloating. She was cooped up in the restroom for nearly an hour before lunchtime and when she emerged, her lips were painted with a bright shade of red. Myra winced at that sight, but she made no comment.

After having excused herself, Elsie took her purse and left. Her hips swayed as she walked toward the elevator that was meant for company executives.

“What did she look so pleased for? Everyone knows how she became the leader for team B—and it’s certainly not because of her talent!” scoffed a woman who was on one side.

Myra paled. Without speaking another word, she grabbed her purse and made her way to the elevator as well.

With some time to spare after lunch, everyone chattered in groups of two or three before they returned to work.

“Myra! Look at this—the heir to the Hart Family fortune has returned to the country, and he’s officially taking over the Hart Group!” Tilly announced as she placed the tabloid in front of Myra. She was the newly-recruited intern at the design department and the only one who showed any loyalty to Myra despite what happened at the banquet last night.

She followed up with a dreamy sigh. “Oh, where do I even begin with Tony Hart? He’s a legend in the business world. He went abroad when he was eighteen and when he was twenty-two, he graduated from Harvard with a double PhD in Management and Business Economics respectively. He built his own business empire, Hartwell Group, at the age of twenty-six and up until today, no one has been able to replicate his achievements in the country. Now, he’s returned to take over the Hart Group. Oh, my God—more importantly, he’s charming and handsome without being tainted by any scandal! He’s nearly thirty-five and he’s still a bachelor!”

Myra felt herself unwinding when she saw the starstruck gleam in Tilly’s eyes. “Do you have plans to woo him?”

Upon hearing that, Tilly’s spirits seemed to die down a little. She scratched her earlobe as she muttered, “Of course not. Dreamboats like him are meant to be admired from afar. They’re not dateable.”

“Does that mean you were excited over nothing?” Myra teased as she cast a brief glance at the tabloid cover.