Bound by the Past: Entangled with My Ex-Husband

On the tenth day of her cold war with Adrian Harding, Sara Navarro finally hit her limit.

Swallowing her pride, she decided to break the ice and went to find him.

But at the entrance of the club's private VIP room, she froze.

Adrian was there. But he wasn't alone. He was currently getting hot and heavy with his ex.

To be precise, Eva James was clinging to him like a vine, refusing to let go. And Adrian? He wasn't pushing her away.

Sara couldn't hear what was being said, but Eva clearly wasn't in high spirits. She buried her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

Sara had known about Eva's existence long before her own wedding.

Eva and Adrian had been together for seven years. It was no exaggeration to say that Adrian had dedicated the prime of his life to her. In their circle of fame and fortune, a man with Adrian's capital usually had a wandering eye. Yet he had kept himself clean, guarding only her. That kind of devotion was a rarity.

Everyone assumed they would walk down the aisle. Unexpectedly, the relationship ended in a bleak, unresolved mess.

Eva was the one who proposed the breakup. She had left decisively, severing all contact and fleeing abroad.

Fueled by rage and humiliation, Adrian had treated marriage like a joke. He hastily married Sarawho was merely his personal assistant at the timejust to spite Eva.

A metaphorical slap in the face to his ex-love.

But seven years of romance had exhausted Adrian's capacity for passion. After marrying Sara, he was more like a walking iceberg than a husband.

He never remembered her birthday. To him, she wasn't a wife; she was a pet cat he kept around the house. When he was in a good mood, he'd tease her. When he was in a bad mood, he'd ignore her completely.

And never, not once, had he shown Sara the kind of patience he was currently displaying with Eva.

Sara just hadn't expected someone as proud and aloof as Eva James to come crawling back.

*A good horse doesn't turn back to graze on old grass*, the saying went. Sara had thought her life would never intersect with Eva's again. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the woman was right there.

In her husband's arms.

No wonder Adrian hadn't come home for days. Sara had naively thought he was sulking over their argument that night. She had even asked his secretary for his location, rushing over eagerly to make amends.

Instead, reality dealt her a heavy blow. She stood rooted to the spot, her fingers whitening around the handle of her bag.

Perhaps her gaze was too intense. Eva seemed to sense something. She suddenly turned her head, her eyes locking with Sara's.

Life abroad had treated her well; Eva was even more beautiful than she had been three years ago. Tear tracks stained her face, but she didn't look disheveled. Instead, she looked pitiful, fragilethe kind of vulnerability that instantly triggered a man's protective instincts.

No wonder Adrian couldn't resist.

"Ms. James. Long time no see."

Since there was no place to hide, Sara straightened her spine and walked up to them openly.

Eva stared at her for three seconds. Her gaze dropped to the wedding ring on Sara's handa matching set with Adrian'sbefore she finally spoke.

Her tone dripped with thinly veiled mockery.

"It really has been a long time. In the blink of an eye, Assistant Navarro has become Mrs. Harding. Quite the climb."

Eva was born into nobility. She had always looked down on women who traded their bodies for status and wealth.

But over the years, Sara had trained herself to be bulletproof. She merely smiled, refusing to take the bait.

"How did you get here?"

Adrian followed Eva's line of sight, his dark eyes landing on Sara.

Any other wife seeing her husband entangled with his ex might have stormed over, screaming and demanding an explanation. But Sara didn't have that courage. More importantly, she didn't have the right.

Before the wedding, they had signed an agreement: the marriage would last three years. When the time was up, the assets would be settled, the divorce finalized, and they would go their separate ways.

So Sara swallowed the acid rising in her throat and plastered on the smile of a virtuous wife.

"I heard you had a social engagement tonight. I was worried you'd drink too much and upset your stomach, so I came to check on you."

Adrian usually detested people prying into his schedule. Under his unblinking stare, a chill ran down Sara's spine.

But today, Adrian was acting out of character.

Not only did he not scold her, but a faint, unreadable smile played on his lips.

"So thoughtful?"

"Of course. You're my husband. If I don't care about you, who will?"

Sara tentatively stepped forward and looped her arm through his. He didn't hug her back, but he didn't shake her off either. A silent breath of relief escaped her.

However, the sight of their interlaced arms seemed to sting Eva's eyes.

She looked deeply hurt, forcing a strained smile. "Since Assistant... since Mrs. Harding is here, I'll let you two talk. I won't disturb you."

She didn't leave immediately. She lingered for a split second, as if faintly hoping Adrian would stop her.

Unfortunately for her, Adrian acted as if she had ceased to exist. He didn't even spare her a glance.

As if he had truly let go of the past.

Eva could only maintain her forced smile. "No matter what, I'm happy I got to see you today. I don't mean anything by it. I just hope... we can still be friends."

A masterclass in playing hard to get. And sure enough, it hooked Adrian's attention.

Sara could keep the man, but she couldn't keep his heart.

After Eva left the club, Adrian stared in the direction she had vanished, lost in thought for a long time.

Sara couldn't pretend she didn't see it. "The contract still has six months before it expires, but Ms. James is back. Does Mr. Harding plan to end this marriage early?"

Sara's question snapped Adrian back to reality.

He looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "Did I ever say that?"

Sara curled her lips into a faint smile. "Then Mr. Harding shouldn't be so affected. A man should know when to move on."

"Don't presume to guess my thoughts."

He pulled his arm free from her grasp and pushed her away without hesitation.

The smile on Sara's face didn't falter; if anything, it widened. "Is Mr. Harding still angry?"

He glanced at her coldly, then turned and walked out of the club toward the car. Before the door could close, Sara squeezed in after him.

No matter where he went, she planned to stick to him like glue tonight.

"That day was my fault," she began, her voice soft. "Not long after you left, my period came. I didn't pretend to be sick to lie to youI really wasn't feeling well." She tugged gently on his sleeve. "Mr. Harding, you're a magnanimous man. Don't hold a grudge against me."

Thinking back to her stupidity, Sara was full of regret.

That afternoon, she had been mocked by his sister, Bella, at the Harding family estate. Resentment had been simmering in her chest. Later that night, right at the critical moment in bed, she realized they were out of condoms.

At that moment, Bella's insult*cheap trash*echoed in her mind. Suddenly, Sara didn't want to take the pill and abuse her body for his pleasure anymore.

So she used illness as an excuse and rejected him.

It wasn't until Adrian slammed the door and stormed out that Sara realized the gravity of her mistake. Stopping a man when he was past the point of no return? No one would take that well.

Hearing her explanation, the man's lips pulled into a distant, mocking arc. "Such a coincidence?"

His features were chiseled, his brows and eyes striking, commanding authority. But when he didn't smile, he radiated an arrogance that kept people miles away.

Just like now.

In his cool, detached gaze, Sara saw her own pathetic reflection, desperately trying to please him.

"...Did you drink? When we get back, I'll make you some hangover soup. That way, you won't have a headache tomorrow."

Adrian usually fell for this. No matter how big Sara's mistake, as long as she played the role of the caring wife, he would calm down.

This time it didn't work. He simply looked at her, then turned his gaze out the window.

Whether he saw through her clumsy acting or was distracted by thoughts of Eva, only he knew.

But he didn't kick her out of the car, so Sara took it as a small victory.

The car sped through the night, heading toward their villa.

When they arrived, the alcohol seemed to hit Adrian all at once. His steps were unsteady. Sara rushed to support him.

He wasn't polite about it, dumping his entire weight onto her small frame.

Dragging him upstairs left Sara drenched in sweat. She casually shed her coat, moving through the walk-in closet in just her slip dress.

It wasn't overly revealing, but Sara possessed an innate sensuality. The silk clung to her curves in all the right places.

Adrian sat at the foot of the bed, openly sizing her up.

"Did you shower?" he asked abruptly.

Sara turned, startled. Adrian's dark gaze was fixed on her, heavy and intense.

She didn't think he would be interested in her right now. Eva's tears had clearly pierced his heart, leaving him distracted the entire ride home.

*Old flames die hard*, she thought. If their breakup hadn't been so ugly back then, Sara would likely be the one sleeping alone in an empty room tonight.

Dropping her guard, she walked over and handed him his pajamas with a smile. "Mr. Harding has been gone for ten days."

"Keeping track?"

The corners of Adrian's mouth hooked into an ambiguous smirk.

Sara seized the chance to show loyalty. "Wasn't I trying to find a chance to come crawling back and apologize?"

"And it took you ten days to find that chance?" Adrian's tone was half-joking, half-serious. "I thought you'd forgotten a man like me."

A man who is slightly drunk is a dangerous actor.

If a stranger heard his tone, they might think Adrian Harding was deeply in love with his wife.

Sara sighed inwardly, but her smile only grew sweeter. "How could that be? When you're not home, I don't even have the appetite to eat."

He gave a hoarse laugh, but the warmth didn't reach his eyes.

"The water is ready. Go take a shower."

Sara couldn't guess what was going through his mind, so she decided not to try. She turned to leave.

Before she could take a step, the man suddenly unbuttoned his shirt, stood up, and swept her off her feet.

Sara gasped, caught off guard. Still shaken, she looked up and crashed straight into his deep, burning pupils.

His breath, laced with alcohol, fanned against her face. His gaze was scorching.

"Let me checkjust how much weight you've really lost."

It wasn't a request; it was a notification. Before she could answer, he carried her directly into the bathroom.

As expected, Sara was thoroughly conquered.

She hadn't lost weight at all. *When the cat's away, the mice play*without Adrian around to stress her out, she had actually gained two pounds. The result was a brutal, exhaustive lesson from her husband.

They moved from the bathroom to the bed. Although it was only two rounds, it left Sara so drained she couldn't even lift a finger.

Adrian rarely held back his strength, but physically, she had no complaints. It was the one area where they were perfectly compatible.

The next morning, Sara dragged her sore body out of bed. The man was already sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast with impeccable posture.

His "One That Got Away" had returned, yet he still devoured his wife with such fire the night before. Sara truly hadn't expected it.

He really was a calculating businessman. He wouldn't let his "investment" go to waste.

"You tore my dress last night. That was a limited edition."

Sara had been his assistant for a year and his wife for three. She had learned from the best. As soon as she sat down, she started imitating himkeeping score.

Adrian sliced his food elegantly, not looking up. "What's going on between you and Bella?"

It sounded casual, but it was undoubtedly an interrogation.

Sara stiffened. "Did she complain to you?"

Adrian remained unhurried. "Did you get physical?"

Sara gave an awkward smile. "We just exchanged a few words."

Only then did he lift his head, fixing her with a half-smile that didn't look friendly. "Do you need me to mediate?"

His gentle tone made a chill run down Sara's spine. "No need. We've already talked it out."

Adrian was silent for a few seconds. "So, because of her, you gave me attitude in bed?"

Sharp as a razor, he had instantly deduced the reason for her rejection that night.

Sara knew she had been in the wrong. Taking her anger out on him had been a step too far. His sudden accounting of her sins caught her off guard. Between making excuses and admitting fault, she decisively chose the latter.

"I was wrong."

"Come here." Adrian slowly set down his silverware.

Sara hesitated, then walked over and sat on his lap.

Adrian reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her face was bare of makeup, yet her skin was flawless, delicate enough to break with a touch.

He looked at her with satisfaction, his tone softening. "If something like this happens again, tell me."

Sara felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. "Are you angry?"

"Mrs. Harding performed well last night. Consider your debt paid." His hand rested on her slim waist, his attitude reminiscent of a parent settling a playground dispute. "Tonight, we're going to the old estate for dinner. I'll have Bella apologize to you."

"Dinner is fine, but forget the apology." Sara refused instantly. "It's over. I'm her sister-in-law; I shouldn't be petty and argue with a young girl. There won't be a next time."

The truth was, Sara had already vented her anger that day. By the time she left, Bella had been smashing vases in a rage.

Adrian liked her sensibility. He chuckled low in his throat. "Tell the secretary what you like. I'll have it all delivered to you today."

A reward.

Aside from the black card she could swipe at will, Adrian constantly showered her with luxury goods and jewelry. If it was new and expensive, it would appear on Sara's vanity.

He never shortchanged her on money. But money was the only thing he could give her.

Sara flashed her signature sweet smile. "Thank you, Mr. Harding."

"And?" He leaned back in his chair, waiting.

Sara understood the assignment. She leaned in and planted a feather-light kiss on his cheek.

He patted her head, satisfied, and finally left for work.

Once the tyrant was gone, Sara slumped, feeling as if she'd been granted amnesty.

He wasn't trying to get justice for her; he was clearly protecting his sister. He had questioned Sara without even asking for the full storyproof that he didn't care enough to know the details.

But the look in his eyes when he watched Eva last night still lingered in Sara's mind.

A complexity she had never seen in him before.

Could he really let go of the woman he had loved for seven years?

They arrived at the Harding estate at five sharp. Adrian had cleared his evening schedule, pushing aside a social engagement specifically for this visit.

The moment they stepped into the foyer, Bonnie Harding was lounging on the sofa, watching TV, looking radiant.

Sara slipped into her house slippers and approached with a smile. "Mom, why are you all dressed up today? You look stunning."

"I just threw this on." The delight on Bonnie's face betrayed her. "Look at that mouth of yourssweet as honey, as always."

She didn't even need to look up to know who had arrived. Her affection for her daughter-in-law was genuine.

Sara sat beside her, leaning in close. "I came here to mooch a free meal, so naturally, I have to sing for my supper. Otherwise, how could I have the nerve to eat and drink here?"

From the single armchair nearby, a scoff shattered the warmth. Bella Harding sat scrolling through her iPad, her expression sour.

"Greet her." Adrian's voice was low. Final. He didn't indulge his sister's petty games.

Bella was terrified of him. Reluctantly, she muttered, "Sister-in-law," without lifting her eyes from the screen.

In reality, Sara and Bella were the same age. The title felt forced coming from Bella's mouth, and Sara found it equally awkward to hear.

"I heard your design won an award recently." Sara placed a velvet jewelry box on the coffee table. "A belated congratulations. I hope you don't mind."

Bella glanced at it. "They say it's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to return to poverty. You really went all out, Sister-in-law. This brand isn't cheap."

"Only the best for you," Sara replied smoothly.

The sarcasm rolled off her back. Besides, the money came from the same sourceAdrian paid the bill, and she'd picked up something for herself while she was at it.

Perhaps Bonnie had warned her beforehand, because Bella knew when to quit.

Shortly after, Elijah Harding emerged from his study, and dinner officially began.

At the table, the topic of an heir finally surfacedlate, but inevitable.

The Hardings laid down the law for Adrian, who was approaching thirty: within a year, quit smoking and drinking, start preparing for a baby.

Boy or girl, it didn't matter. As long as the child was healthy. They even offered to raise it at the estate so the couple wouldn't be burdened.

Sara focused on the spare ribs on her plate, silent throughout the lecture.

*In a year?*

The contract would have long expired by then. Who knew which woman would be fulfilling this duty for him?

She certainly didn't expect that later, back in their room, Adrianstoic all eveningwould lean against the doorframe and bring it up himself.

"Do you want one?" Those dark eyes fixed on her. "If you like kids, we can have one."

Was he joking? Testing her?

His expression gave nothing away.

"Having one is fine." Sara walked over to him, gripping his tie, her breath hitching softly. "But Mr. Harding will have to add a surcharge to our original agreement."

"Name your price."

Blunt. Businesslike.

Sara curled her lips. "Unfortunately, I'm not taking orders right now."

A child wasn't a commodity. She wanted any baby of hers to be born into a loving family. Her parents had died young, leaving her to grow up in an orphanage. No one understood the hollow ache of being unwanted better than she did.

Adrian leaned in, his hot breath fanning across her cheek. "You won't take money when it's offered? Developing new clients behind my back?"

"Husband, are you jealous?"

She only used that title on specific occasions.

It was always dripping with insincerity.

Perhaps it was the atmosphere, or the way her red lips parted slightly, inviting a taste. Adrian didn't think. He acted.

A man and a woman aloneit took only a spark to ignite dry tinder. Passion swept through the room instantly.

In bed, their chemistry was undeniable. A single glance from Adrian, and Sara knew exactly what he wanted.

But right at the critical moment, his phone buzzed.

"Adrian, can you help me"

Eva James.

For convenience, he'd answered on speaker, not expecting the unfamiliar number to belong to his ex-girlfriend.

The lust in the room evaporated.

Adrian glanced at Sara, grabbed his phone, and walked out to the balcony.

She couldn't hear the conversation, but through the glass, his brow furrowed deeper with every passing second.

It looked urgent.

*The hero saving the damsel in distress*a classic clich. But if he left tonight, it would prove his earlier coldness toward Eva was nothing more than an act.

When he returned, he was already buttoning his shirt.

"Are you going out?" Sara asked, though she already knew the answer.

Adrian loosened his tie slightly. "Hoping I'll leave?"

Before she could respond, he grabbed her ankle under the duvet and pulled her toward him.

Staring into his eyesblack whirlpools threatening to drown herSara felt momentarily dazed.

Feelings aside, he was a qualified husband. Handsome, wealthy, attentive in bed. Occasionally, when his mood was right, he'd take her shopping or dining. There were moments she almost deluded herself into thinking he loved her.

But the spell shattered as quickly as it had formed.

After a brief, rough round of intimacy, they fell asleep tangled together.

In the middle of the night, thirst woke her. She reached out

The space beside her was cold.

Sara checked the time. 4:00 AM.

Adrian was gone.

Only a set of discarded pajamas lay crumpled on the floor.

Cast aside.

Just like her.

When she went downstairs for breakfast, a WeChat message from Adrian was waiting.

He didn't hide his absence, but he wasn't exactly honest either. A few curt words explained that an unexpected issue had arisen with a company project, requiring his personal attention at the site.

*What kind of project demands the CEO's presence at a construction site at 4:00 AM?*

Sara stared at the absurd excuse.

Did he think she was a toddler?

Was it true that a man could never forget his first love?

True or false, it didn't matter. At least now, if Bonnie asked, Sara had a cover story to protect the family peace.

Years ago, when Eva had made a scene about their breakup, the fallout between the Hardings and the Jameses had been nuclear. Aside from necessary public functions, the two clans avoided each other entirely. Elijah had even explicitly forbidden Adrian from ever tangling with Eva again.

If word got out that they were meeting in secret, it would be chaos.

Near noon, Bonnie invited a few friends over for mahjong. One player short, Sara filled the seat.

In the past, she hadn't known a bamboo tile from a circle, but to please Bonnie and integrate into this world, she'd forced herself to learn. Flower arranging. Tea ceremonies. Every required course for a socialite crammed into her brain.

She wasn't a master, but she knew enough to avoid being the butt of a joke.

Unfortunately, after the marriage, Adrian rarely took her out in public. With her backgroundan orphan who didn't even know her biological parentsshe wasn't fit for the high society stage.

So they hid her away. A calculated move. When the contract ended and they went their separate ways, her lack of public presence would minimize the blowback on Adrian's reputation.

As lunch approached, Bella came downstairs.

Seeing Sara making Bonnie laugh, she stood on the sidelines, throwing passive-aggressive jabs.

Sensing the impending drama, Sara seized the opportunity to slip away, claiming she needed to head home. Before leaving, she pushed all her winnings toward her mother-in-law.

"A little treat for you, Mom." The other ladies cast envious looks.

Bonnie offered a driver, but Sara declined, hailing a taxi instead.

Her destination wasn't the marital villa Adrian had bought.

It was a residential complex on the opposite side of the citya world away in every sense.

The location was remote, the buildings aged. Its only advantage was the quiet.

Sara didn't knock. She pressed her thumb to the fingerprint scanner and unlocked the door.

Outside, the sun was blazing. Inside, the apartment was pitched in darkness.

Blackout curtains were drawn tight, sealing the room in suffocating gloom. The stale air hit her face, heavy with despair.

The contrast between the opulent Harding estate and this tomb-like space made Sara freeze in the doorway. An invisible hand squeezed her heart. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust.

Taking a steadying breath, she stepped inside, her high heels clicking on the floor. She marched to the window, ripped open the curtains, and threw the sash wide.

Sunlight and fresh air flooded the room.

She made no effort to be quiet, deliberately making noise to rouse the occupant of the bedroom.

Moments later, the master bedroom door creaked open. A tall, gaunt figure emerged.

Hearing his footsteps, Sara didn't turn around. She placed the takeout on the table and slowly changed into her slippers.

Before she could finish, a mocking voice grated against her ear.

"I've always been curious about one thing. Does Adrian know you're using his money to keep another man on the side?"

Sara's back stiffened.

She recovered in seconds.

Turning to face a pair of cynical, teasing eyes, her expression remained calm. "You're bored, Simon."

Simon Simmons curled his lip. "Is it not the truth?"

She ignored the jab. "The weather is beautiful today. After we eat, come downstairs for a walk with me."

"Not going." He dropped onto the sofa, rejecting her instantly.

Several bags of trash were piled by the door. She didn't need to ask to know he hadn't left in days.

"If you stay cooped up like this, you're going to get sick."

"Then let me die. Better to rot here than go out and have people stare at me like I'm a monster."

His self-loathing sparked a flare of anger in her chest.

But then her gaze landed on the hideous burn scars creeping up his neck and arms.

The anger dissolved into heartache.

The scars weren't just on his skin. They had ravaged his soul.

Ever since his discharge from the hospital, he was a different person. Volatile temper. Complete withdrawal from the world. If this continued, Sara feared his mind would break entirely.

She sat beside him, her voice softening. "If you die, wouldn't my sacrifice be for nothing?"

Simon glanced at her and scoffed. "Who asked you to save me?"

"Right, I was meddling." Her tone dripped with reverse psychology. "I shouldn't have made a deal with the devil to pay your medical bills. I should have just bought a bottle of cheap poisoneconomical and practicaland set us both free."

She nudged him. "If you don't want to see me, just say the word. I'll leave right now."

His face remained cold, but he fell silent.

Sara was his most important personand he was hers. They had grown up together in the orphanage, two pieces of driftwood clinging to each other in a stormy sea. No relatives, only each other.

Just like the curtains in this roomno one but Sara was allowed to open them.

"I knew you were bluffing. You can't bear to see me go." A triumphant smile crossed her face as she pulled him toward the dining table. "Now, eat."

Simon used to be a chatterbox. Now he finished the entire meal without uttering a single word.

Sara's heart ached.

Starting at sixteen, he'd worked part-time jobs while studying. No childhood. No fun. He sacrificed his youth, even giving up a chance at graduate school, just so Sara could live like a normal girl. He refused to let her feel inferior to her classmates because of money.

The year of the accident, he had finally caught a break. A good job. On the verge of becoming a regular employee.

Then came the explosion at the restaurant where he moonlighted.

He didn't make it out in time.

Massive burns. ICU. Life hanging by a thread.

It was to scrape together the astronomical medical fees that Sara had entered into this absurd marriage contract with Adrian.

After Simon was discharged, she rented this place and hid him here. The Harding family's drivers and nannies were all Adrian's spies, so she couldn't visit often. She'd hired a caretaker, but this morning, the woman's resignation text arrived.

"Everything was finewhy did you fire her?" The thought of him alone was unbearable.

Simon knew why she'd come. "I have hands and feet. I don't need a babysitter."

"The caretaker's wages come from money I borrowed from a friend. Don't feel burdened. If the Hardings didn't forbid their women from working, I would have gotten a job long ago. Just six more monthsonce the divorce is final, we won't have to hide anymore."

He listened in silence.

Then he spoke. "I had a dream last night."

He rarely shared anything personal these days. Sara leaned in, feigning bright interest. "Tell me about it."

Half-serious, half-joking, he said, "I dreamed you were getting married, and I went to crash the wedding to steal the bride."

A melodramatic soap opera plot. Sara smiled gently. "Did you succeed?"

"No." His answer was crisp, his expression solemnas if recounting a memory rather than a fantasy. "You rejected me because I was penniless. You even had security beat me up."

Sara nodded gravely. "That is a tragedy." Then she shifted tone. "Dreams are fake, Simon."

He stared at her fair, flawless face. "Why not say the opposite?"

"Because I never even had a wedding." She laughed, though it didn't reach her eyes. "How could you crash a wedding that never happened?"

She and Adrian had only signed the papers. Even the rings were an afterthought. Back then, the Harding family hadn't accepted her.

When Elijah found out, he'd slapped Adrian in public, accusing him of treating marriage like a game just to spite Eva. But Adrian hadn't listened. When the family objected, he took Sara and moved out.

Whether Eva had tried to win him back then, Sara didn't know, but Adrian's relationship with his family had frozen over.

For six months, they barely spoke. Sara had shamelessly, tirelessly mediated, smoothing things over until she finally earned her place at the table.

Only then did Adrian stop treating her like a pretty vase.

Simon didn't laugh.

His eyes fixed on the faint reddish mark on Sara's neckhe'd noticed it the moment she walked in.

"Looks like he likes you a lot."

"A man brings a wife homehow many are just for display?" Sara lowered her gaze, her thick lashes concealing the emotion in her eyes. "With me, he wants my body, not my heart."

"And you?" Simon asked quietly.

"Did you give him yours?"

Sara's jaw tightened mid-chew. She smoothed her expression and shook her head. "No."

Simon's gaze didn't waver. "The truth."

"Why would I lie to you?" She met his eyes, her voice steady. "Adrian Harding values people who know their place. If I didn't, he wouldn't have sought me out. Do you really think I'd dare challenge his boundaries?"

Something in Simon's shoulders loosened. He exhaled slowly, the tension bleeding out of him.

Silence stretched between them. Then, without a word, he picked up a choice cut of meat and placed it in her bowl.

The gesture said what he couldn't. Simon had never been one for sweet words or apologieshe let his actions speak instead.

Sara felt the knot in her chest unravel. Despite the simple meal, she was lighter than she'd been in months. Only with Simon could she shed the suffocating rules of "high society" and just *be*. He wouldn't judge her. He demanded nothing.

Before leaving, she insisted he hire the caretaker back. Since the restaurant explosion, the mere mention of fire drained the blood from his face. Leaving him alone wasn't an option.

She hurried home.

The apartment greeted her with hollow silence.

Adrian didn't return. A single message arrived before bedperfunctory, brief, offering no explanation.

She had waited, hungry and hopeful, only to be stood up. She'd even messaged him in advance.

Ever since Eva James returned, the ground beneath Sara's feet had been shifting.

What surprised her even more was Eva reaching out to arrange a meal. Sara wanted to refuse, but Adrian's erratic behavior left her grasping at air. If he planned to reconcile with his ex, she needed to prepare her exit strategy.

She went.

The location was the very restaurant Adrian had taken her to countless times.

The moment Sara stepped inside, Eva's gaze locked onto her. Gone was the gentle facade from their last encounter. Today, she radiated a suffocating superiority.

This wasn't a social call.

It was a negotiation.

Sara sat down, posture neutral. "Ms. James. You wanted to see me?"

"Assistant Navarro and I are old acquaintances. Our last meeting was too rushedI wanted to catch up." Eva's smile didn't reach her eyes. "And while I'm at it"

She pulled something from her handbag and slid it across the table. "Adrian left this with me. I'd appreciate it if you returned it to him."

Lying on the white tablecloth was the watch Adrian had worn the day he visited the old residence.

So when he left in the middle of the night without a word, he had gone straight to her.

It was no longer a suspicion.

It was a cold, hard fact.

"It's just a watch." Sara kept her voice light, breezyas if her heart wasn't hammering against her ribs. "Why would Ms. James need to make a personal trip for something so trivial?"

Eva's lips curled. Calm. Triumphant. "He's a very nostalgic man. This watch was the first birthday gift I ever gave him. He's worn it for years."

She watched Sara like a hawk circling prey. "And this restaurant... the brand of clothes you're wearing... we founded them together back then."

*So that's how it is.*

Sara had noticed Adrian's "soft spots" for certain brands and places. She hadn't realized they were all monuments to Eva. He had never forgotten her.

He just never spoke her name.

Under the table, Sara's nails dug into her palms.

She had lied to Simon.

And she had been lying to herself.

A man might separate sex from love, but she couldn't. Two and a half years of marriage had fostered feelings she had no business having for the man who sheltered her.

She knew the chasm between them. She kept calling him "Mr. Harding" to remind him of his comfort zoneand to remind herself of her place. But in this moment, the ache spreading through her chest told her the truth.

She was in far deeper than she'd thought.

"What?" Eva tilted her head, mock concern dripping from every syllable. "Did Assistant Navarro not know?"

She saw the crack in Sara's armor. Her smile deepened, a ghost of mockery playing at the corners of her mouth.

"I really didn't," Sara admitted, deciding to drop the charade. "But people and objects aren't exactly comparable, are they?"

"True." Eva's voice turned silky. "That's why I called him that night to test him. I didn't expect him to actually come."

Eva knew exactly how to twist the knife.

Sara's eyes narrowed. "Given Ms. James's arrogance, did something happen between you and my husband?"

Eva only smiled, saying nothing.

She let the silence do the work. Let Sara's imagination run wild.

Under what circumstances would a man take off his watch?

Sara thought of Adrian's habits. He only removed it to showerbefore and after sex.

"Ms. James, do you understand the concept of a breakup?" A dry laugh escaped her throat. "It seems when you told everyone at the club 'I only want to be friends,' you were lying."

Eva didn't flinch. "If he had no feelings for me, I wouldn't cling to him."

"But your actions contradict your words. And why do you think he still has feelings? Because of one phone call?" Sara tilted her head, feigning amusement. "Anyone with a shred of compassion wouldn't stand by and watch someone die."

"Since Assistant Navarro doesn't believe me" Eva raised her glass in a mocking toast, challenge glittering in her eyes. "Let's wait and see."

At exactly five o'clock, Sara arrived at the Harding Group's underground parking garage.

Adrian could neglect her, but she couldn't neglect him. One misstep, and the fragile peace she'd repaired would shatter.

She didn't go up. She sat in the car, waiting.

Because of her former status as his assistant, Sara rarely appeared at the company after their marriage. A Cinderella story of an assistant marrying the CEO looked inspirational on the surface, but behind closed doors, it attracted scorn.

Perhaps being back at her old workplace triggered the memories. Sara's mind drifted to their wedding.

After his breakup with Eva, Adrian had become a machine. Four hours of sleep a night. Every other second filled with high-intensity work until his body nearly collapsed.

Sara, as his assistant, had been the one picking up the pieces.

In his hotel suite, Adrian had asked her without preamble: "I heard you need money."

At the time, Simon was in critical condition after the explosion. Sara had drained her savings and borrowed from every friend she had, but she'd barely scraped together a third of what was needed. She'd applied for a salary advance, never expecting the CEO to notice.

Before she could respond, Adrian dropped the bomb. "Marry me, and I'll give you everything you want."

It hadn't even been twenty days since Eva left him.

Sara stared at him in disbelief. "Why me?"

His answer was cold and concise. "I need a wife."

A transaction, clearly priced. He used her to retaliate against Eva's abandonment. Sara knew this. But with Simon dying in a hospital bed, dignity was a luxury she couldn't afford. Every second she hesitated, Simon's chances of survival dropped.

She didn't think twice.

She couldn't lose Simon. They weren't blood relatives, but they were family.

From proposal to marriage certificate, it took two days. She sold herself into the marriage in a daze.

Back then, she never expected to fall in love with him.

And she certainly never expected that once she did, Eva would return.

A group of people exited the elevator, snapping Sara back to reality.

Adrian was in the center. Sharp suit, commanding attention, standing out effortlessly from the crowd.

The driver unlocked the doors, expecting Sara to get out. She stayed put. The short distance between the car and the elevator felt like an uncrossable chasm.

"Work was hard."

When the crowd dispersed and he opened the car door, Sara had already buried her sorrow. She greeted him with a practiced smile.

Adrian paused, surprised to see her. "When did you get here?"

"Just now." Warmth coated her voice. "Are you working overtime tonight? The housekeeper made dinnerlet's go home together?"

He didn't refuse. He barked a few final instructions to his secretary, then slid into the car.

Sara kept to her side, silent and obedient. When he closed his eyes to rest, he hated chatter.

She thought she had memorized all his preferences. After two years, she still hadn't cracked the code to his heart.

Against Eva, she was defenseless.

Even her love had to be hidden, lest he find it burdensome.

"Who did you see?"

The man beside herwho she thought was sleepingsuddenly spoke, his brow furrowed.

Sara froze. "Mr. Harding, why do you ask?"

His eyes opened, expression unreadable. "You never use this perfume."

Sara lowered her head and sniffed. The scent of Eva still clung to her clothes.

A bitter laugh threatened to escape. In the past, he never noticed the details of her life. Now he noticedbecause the scent belonged to *her*.

She handed over the watch. "Ms. James came to return something."

Adrian glanced at it but didn't take it. No guilt crossed his features. No panic at being caught in a lie.

"Mr. Harding isn't going to say anything?" Sara half-joked, testing the waters. "You tricked me quite thoroughly. Luckily I'm quick on my feet, or the family at the old residence would have been suspicious."

His lips twitched, devoid of warmth. "If you didn't have that much ability, you wouldn't be 'Mrs. Harding.'"

"You really have no conscience." She smiled to cover the sting.

He truly didn't care about her feelings.

Adrian's gaze sharpened. His voice dropped to a command. "Stay away from her."

"What are you worried about?" Sara asked, genuinely confused. "Afraid I'll be bullied? Or afraid I'll bully her?"

The words hung in the air.

Adrian's gaze turned to ice.

Just when Sara thought he might offer a sliver of comfort, he proved once again that hope was a dangerous thing.

"Stop playing the victim." His voice was flat. "Who could possibly bully you?"

He didn't explicitly defend Eva, but he clearly cast Sara as the villain.

The accusation lodged in her chest like a stone. Ice water seemed to pour over her head, extinguishing the last spark of hope.

She couldn't refute it.

She knew exactly what he was alluding to.

Shortly after they married, a model had tried to provoke her. Assuming Sara was just a glorified assistant with no real power in the Harding family, the woman had tried to seduce Adrian at a banquet.

Later, while tidying his suit, Sara found the model's contact info and a room key in his pocket.

She didn't dare confront Adrian. Instead, she quietly investigated the woman. Finding the model was bribing judges in a competition show, Sara leaked the evidence. The model was cut from the program, her career ruined, buried under a mountain of debt for breach of contract.

Sara thought she had been subtle.

But when the news broke, Adrian had looked up from his tablet. "You did it, didn't you?"

Terror had seized her chest.

But he had smiledgentle, terrifyingand a chill had crawled down her spine. "Are you happy?"

When she couldn't answer, he pulled her onto his lap. It felt less like affection and more like a warning. "Don't do things like this again. If you have a problem, tell me directly. Understand?"

Caught red-handed in her first act of ruthlessness, she had nodded obediently.

He never brought it up again. But the label *vicious* had likely been stamped on her file in his mind.

A white rabbit was cute.

A rabbit that bit was a pest to be guarded against.

Especially one sleeping in his bed.

That night, Adrian didn't touch her.

Whether exhausted from work or simply uninterested, he fell asleep the moment the lights went out. Even when Sara had brought him a bathrobe earlierstepping into the bathroom while he was damp and exposedthe air remained cold.

No "accidents."

No sparks.

Adrian wasn't a man ruled by lust. He valued quality over frequency. When work consumed him, going weeks without intimacy was common.

Ironclad self-control, both in the boardroom and the bedroom. Toward people he shouldn't lovelike Sarahe wouldn't waver. At most, he would pay her off.

It saved time and effort.

But Eva was different. The fact that she dared to provoke Sara meant she knew she had leverage.

Sara was a pragmatist. Illusory love didn't pay the bills; hard currency did.

She immediately began preparing for divorce.

There was no prenup, but the disparity in their status meant she couldn't dream of taking half his assets. The Harding family, obsessed with face and profit, would crush her like an ant if she tried.

Eva had protection.

Sara had nothing.

Even if he offered money, she'd be wary of taking it.

Her only liquid assets were the jewelry, designer bags, and couture in the walk-in closet. Although she had a supplementary credit card, every transaction pinged his phone. She couldn't use it to build an escape fund.

This was why she'd had to borrow money for Simon's care.

Privately, Sara contacted trusted resellers and began liquidating the luxury goods she rarely used. She deposited the cash into an anonymous account in small batches.

Simon's recovery was complicated by heavy scarring; he would need future surgeries. Sara had to plan for their survival.

During those weeks, both she and Adrian were busy.

When Adrian came home, he bypassed the bedroom and went straight to the study. He seemed buried in an endless stream of video conferences and documents.

At first, Sara brought him coffee, trying to play the dutiful wife.

Eventually, she stopped. She would deliver the cup and retreat to her room.

His obsession with work was a coping mechanism. The last time he worked this hard was when he and Eva broke up.

He needed the noise of business to drown out his thoughts.

Sara didn't know what happened between them that night. But it was clear Eva was the only woman with the power to unravel him.

Other people couldn't earn his love.

Even earning his hatred was a luxury.

One afternoon, Sara entered the study with coffee as usual.

He didn't look up.

She turned to leave, her hand on the doorknob, when his voice stopped her.

"Change your clothes. You're coming with me."

It wasn't until they were on the road that Sara Navarro pieced it together: Adrian Harding hadn't planned this. Some friend had thrown together a last-minute gathering and begged him to grace them with his presence for a few drinks.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't a formal occasion. They were all from the same circlethe kind of people who ran into each other constantly, whether they liked it or not.

But everyone else had brought a female companion. Adrian, likely wanting to sidestep the unwanted advances of random gold diggers, had broken his usual precedent and dragged Sara along as a shield.

She didn't want to be there.

Adrian's friends were nothing like him. While Adrian might not respect her, he at least maintained a passable surface demeanor; he only made things difficult behind closed doors.

These rich, second-generation brats had no such class.

In their eyes, humanity divided into two neat categories: those with use-value, and those without.

Sara belonged to the latter. On the few occasions she'd encountered them, she'd been treated like airor worse.

But since Adrian rarely brought her into his social sphere, she couldn't very well spoil the mood.

Forty minutes later, the car pulled up to a private club so grand it bordered on obscene.

To the wealthy, this was merely a spot for leisure. To ordinary people, a single bottle of liquor inside cost more than a year's salary.

The manager was already waiting at the entrance, having heard Adrian was arriving. He ushered them in with a reverence usually reserved for descending royalty.

The private room was packed.

Sean Whitney, the organizer, approached first.

Sara knew Sean. His family owned a bankso poor they had nothing left but money. Aside from a decent face, he possessed neither character nor intellect.

He and Adrian were polar opposites. The phrase "spoiled rich kid" might as well have been tattooed across Sean's forehead.

Despite his young age, the women around him rotated like a revolving door. A different face on his arm every day wasn't an exaggerationit was an understatement.

He'd occasionally tried to shove women onto Adrian, so Sara held no goodwill toward him.

The feeling was clearly mutual.

Seeing her, Sean's eyebrows shot up.

Sara understood why immediately.

Eva James was there.

Her gaze snapped to Adrian.

He'd been kept in the dark too. His eyes narrowed, a look of cold displeasure cutting toward the mastermind.

Being set up was what Adrian hated most.

Sensing the temperature plummet, Sean scrambled forward. "She showed up last minute. I didn't know beforehand, I swear. Couldn't exactly kick her out. Just turn a blind eyepretend she's not here."

The instant Adrian looked over, Eva looked back.

Their eyes met.

Sara's heart seized.

"Adrian, thank you for helping me last time. I caused you trouble."

Eva moved closer, taking the initiative, staring at him as if the rest of the room had dissolved into mist.

Adrian's response was ice. "If you knew it was trouble, Ms. James, you shouldn't have contacted me."

That same rigid barrier. Keeping strangers at arm's length.

*So it still hasn't been settled.*

*She rushed over to show off to meprobably because she feels insecure.*

"If it were really a bother, Adrian wouldn't have gone," Sean interjected, smoothing things over with a practiced smile. "Eva, no need to be so formal. We all grew up together. Helping each other is just what we do."

Eva's gaze lingered on Adrian's indifferent face. She forced a smile.

Adrian seemed completely blind to her disappointment. He led Sara past her and sat down without a backward glance.

But Sara knew better.

If he truly didn't care, he would have left the moment he saw her.

A woman's intuition screamed at her: Adrian still couldn't let go.

There was nothing she could do. She could only brace herself, sit beside him, and play the part.

As the night wore on, she heard someone ask Eva, "Now that you're back, are you leaving again?"

"Even if the outside world is wonderful, being alone is lonely in the end." Eva's words carried a weight meant for someone specific. "Unlike here, where I still have you friends."

"Then stay."

Several mutual friends chimed in, clearly trying to broker peace. "Back then, you pursued your career and insisted on going abroad. Now you're a world-famous pianist. Time to settle down, right? You're twenty-nine. If you don't consider marriage soon, you'll miss your chance."

Eva smiled, half-joking, half-serious. "I'd like to. I'm just afraid someone won't welcome it."

"Impossible. If you came back for good, everyone would be overjoyed."

The small talk flowed. The atmosphere livened up.

Naturally, the games began.

The room was full of the rich and noble, but the man at the apex of the pyramid was undoubtedly Adrian Harding.

No one dared prank Adrian.

Sara wasn't so lucky.

During the third round of Truth or Dare, the bottle spun and pointed directly at her.

Knowing she'd studied dance, someone immediately goaded her to perform on the spot, denying her the option to choose Truth.

Sara wasn't stupid. She heard the malice dripping beneath their smiles.

They were using the game to test her weight in Adrian's heart.

If he didn't step in to protect her, she had a dark premonition she would die a miserable social death tonight.

The room fell silent.

Every gaze shifted to Adrian, waiting for his reaction.