Stars Shine, No Return

“Or when you handed her a check and she kissed you—was that innocent too?”

The more I spoke, the paler his face became, his shame laid bare.

Around us, the whispers started.

“So much for being a good man—he’s just a cheat.”

“‘Female buddy’? Please. I don’t buy that men and women can have such pure friendships.”

“It’s always just an excuse for flirting. No woman would tolerate it.”

That day, terrified I’d humiliate him further, Ethan suddenly dropped to his knees before me in front of everyone.

“Lily, I was wrong. I’ll do whatever you say.”

“Hit me, yell at me—fine. But Chloe’s hurt badly. Please, let me take her to the hospital. If she dies, you’ll be the one in prison.”

I sneered. I knew exactly how much strength I had used—she wasn’t going to die.

But for the sake of our years together, I gave him that much face.

“Tomorrow night then—we sign the divorce papers.”

I turned and walked out.

Ethan’s pale face turned after me, calling my name, but I didn’t pause for a second.

When the time came, Ethan never showed. Instead, Chloe sent me a video, smugly flaunting.

She was lying in a hospital bed. Ethan was feeding her soup.

“Ethan, it’s all because of you that your wife beat me like this,” Chloe whined. “I don’t care, I can’t drink it myself—you have to feed me.”

Ethan sighed and gave a doting smile.

“If my wife finds out, we’re both dead.”

But while he said that, his actions betrayed him—obedient, tender, feeding her mouth-to-mouth.

Watching their lips meet on screen, I crushed my phone in my hand.

I immediately called my father.

“Dad, that project you said you’d help Ethan with—forget it. And I want him bankrupt, as fast as possible.”

Since Ethan had broken his promise, I had no reason to keep mine. I grabbed my passport and left for an overseas trip.

By the time I came back, half a month had passed.

Ethan was in a panic, calling me nonstop, but I never answered.

My assistant finally told me the news: Ethan really had gone bankrupt.

For a week straight, Ethan hunted for me, begging me to ask my father to let him go.

I refused to see him, only passing a message through my assistant:

“Unless you agree to divorce, you’ll only sink deeper into debt.”

At last, Ethan caved.

“Fine. I’ll divorce you.”

But when I went to sign the divorce papers, Chloe was there too—already discharged.

“Chloe, I’ve done all I can to trick Lily. What more do you want before you’ll help me?”

Ethan, for once, looked humble, his voice tinged with desperation.

Chloe sneered arrogantly.

“That night at the hotel, she beat me so hard I nearly landed in intensive care. I’ve been choking on that anger ever since.”

“If you want me to help your company back on its feet, you’ll have to pay me back first.”

“I want to whip Lily twenty times myself. Agree to that, and I’ll have my cousin invest in you.”

Ethan’s eyes lit up at once. He frowned and came over to me, trying to coax me.

“Lily, just agree. It’s only a few lashes—it’s fair, isn’t it?”