Betrayed Me for Love, Died Full of Regret

The orange juice I had earlier had been sweet and tangy, but now my mouth was flooded with nothing but bitterness.

Last week, I had made a reservation, hoping for a quiet dinner with Ace, but he claimed he was too busy with work.

Yet, with just one word from Faye, he dropped everything and took me out on a date.

Ace had never once cared about how I felt. His eyes fixated on Faye’s hand entwined with that man’s. “Who gave you permission to go on a blind date alone?”

“What’s it to you? You’re the one who stopped taking me shopping after you got married!”

Their voices clashed, and Faye broke down in tears. “I don’t want you meddling! Who even are you to me? Go take care of your precious wife!”

Ace snapped back, “As long as you’re my brother, I’ll care about you for life!”

“You’re not allowed to see this man again!”

Watching his jealousy over Faye pierce my already-deadened heart was unbearable.

I lost all my appetite. As we stepped outside, a large wolfdog suddenly lunged toward us.

Faye screamed in terror, “Ace, save me!”

In that desperate moment, Ace grabbed a wooden stick and shielded Faye behind him, pushing me aside without hesitation.

I spun around in disbelief just as the wolfdog lunged, sinking its teeth deep into my calf. A searing agony exploded through me, and I cried out for help.

But Ace only covered Faye’s eyes and said softly, “Don’t look. It might scare you.”

A chunk of flesh tore away from my leg. His words hit me like a cold wave; my face drained of color, and then darkness swallowed me whole.

When I awoke in the hospital, the IV needle in my hand had already backflowed. A nurse rushed in, flustered. “Where’s your husband? You’re this badly hurt, and he’s not here to care for you?”

Ace arrived late, guilt weighing on his shoulders. “Wife, I’m sorry. Everything happened so fast that I could only protect the one closest to me. I swear, I’ll make it up to you.”

My eyes caught the crooked button on his shirt, and through the gap, a fresh hickey was glaringly visible.

My heart plummeted into a well of bitter despair.

In the two hours I lay unconscious, my husband had already succumbed to temptation with Faye.

I pulled out the divorce papers I had painstakingly prepared. “If you want to make amends, then sign this.”

Ace didn’t even glance at the papers before signing. “Buy whichever villa you want, go ahead.”

I stared at him and asked, “Aren’t you afraid I’d actually make you sign divorce papers?”

Ace raised an eyebrow, a smug smile playing on his lips. “How could that be? You love me too much; you’d never want a divorce.”

My heart shuddered.

Just then, the hospital TV displayed the winner of the rookie design contest. The featured artwork was unmistakably mine: “Rose Maiden.” But the artist’s name flashed as Faye.

“This Faye is incredible! Even though her family went bankrupt, she’s a gifted artist. Look, her very first competition, and she’s already taken the grand prize!”

My mind went completely blank.

That painting, Rose Maiden, had always been tucked away in my storage room. I had painted it in memory of my late mother—it was her silent portrait, her quiet memorial.

The only person who had ever seen it was Ace.

Back then, he had tried to comfort me. “Even though your mom’s gone, you still have this painting… and you have me.”

Now I looked at Ace beside me, guilt plain on his face.

“Why?”

My most treasured artwork had been stolen, yet Ace spoke casually, “It’s just a trophy. You’ve won so many; what’s the harm in giving one to Faye?”

“Don’t be so petty.”

A sharp pain stabbed through my heart. I grabbed a glass and flung it at him. “Ace! You knew how much that painting meant to me!”

A gash opened on his forehead, blood trickling down as his face darkened to an almost inky black. “You’re insane! Jealous shrew!”

I laughed bitterly, tears blurring my sight. Nothing mattered anymore. I snatched up my phone. “I’ll tell everyone right now that Faye is nothing but a plagiarist hiding in the shadows!”

In a panic, Ace snatched the phone and smashed it against the floor with a loud crack. “How can you be so cruel? Faye’s just in her twenties; you want to ruin her life?”

Watching the destruction, I broke down, crying uncontrollably.

Flustered, Ace came closer to comfort me.

“You’re already getting old. What’s wrong with being a good housewife? Faye’s still young; she needs that award more than you do.”

“Besides, without her, your painting might never have become famous.”

A lump rose in my throat. I stared at the man I’d shared a bed with for three years, but no words came.

While tucking me in like a loving husband, he whispered cruelly, “Get some rest. When you wake up, remember to promote Faye a little. I know you’ve got a lot of followers on Twitter. She’s new; she needs the buzz. Do help her out…”

How absurd.

A true artist asked to cheer for a plagiarist.

Silent tears slid down my cheeks.

Thinking I was merely sulking, Ace gently stroked my hair. “Be good, okay? Tomorrow, I’ll book the most thorough prenatal check-up for you, and I’ll stay with you the whole time.”

“There, don’t cry anymore. The baby inside won’t be happy either.” He kissed the corner of my eye. “Listen to me; awards and fame don’t matter. Isn’t my love enough for you?”