Chapter 1: The Heart Truly Died
Sophia's POV
Harmony City
It was pouring rain that night.
I was speeding in my car, constantly calling my husband Tyler Thompson on my phone, but every call was rejected, and then I was blocked completely.
I gripped the steering wheel tightly, eyes fixed ahead, driving faster and faster. I even ran three red lights along the way.
More than ten minutes later, I stopped the car in front of a house and rushed inside without hesitation.
"Rhea!" I threw myself crying beside the bed, clutching Rhea's hand tightly.
After my parents died, Rhea had raised me. But fate was cruel—Rhea was diagnosed with late-stage lymphoma at the end of last year. Given her advanced age, the doctor said treatment would be meaningless. Heartbroken, I brought Rhea home and arranged for a caregiver to look after her.
Tonight, the caregiver called to say Rhea was dying.
Rhea gripped my hand. Her hands were covered with dark brown age spots, and she looked as thin as a skeleton.
"Sophia Brown, didn't Tyler and Jasper come..."
My eyes stung. I didn't know how to answer, so I said, "It's the weekend. Tyler took Jasper to Shadow City yesterday. I've already called them, they're... on their way back."
Rhea kept looking at me, then tears fell from her eyes. "...Sophia, after you got married, even though you never said anything, I always knew..."
I squeezed her hand hard, pushing down the emotions rising in my chest.
"Sophia... my safe is in the closet... the password is your birthday."
Before I could ask anything, Rhea convulsed a few times, her pupils gradually dilating. The next second, she closed her eyes forever.
Three days later.
I returned home exhausted after the funeral to the Thompson Villa. When I opened the door, my son Jasper was playing video games with Tyler in the living room.
When the two noticed me, both their faces turned blank.
"Dad, I want to go out and play. It's boring here."
Tyler didn't answer Jasper's question. Instead, he looked at me. "Where have you been these three days? Not even coming home? What's going on?"
Facing all this, I showed no expression. "Didn't you block my number?"
"I was busy."
"Too busy to even take one call?"
"Do you need something? If so, say it now."
I smiled bitterly, said nothing, and dragged my tired body upstairs.
Before entering the bedroom, I clearly heard Jasper complaining downstairs. "Dad, I really hate Mom. Can't we go stay at Ava Davis's house for a few more days? Why did we have to come back?"
Ava, the woman Tyler likes.
So they'd been together all along.
Six years ago, right after college graduation, I married Tyler without hesitation, already three months pregnant. Everyone congratulated me because the Thompson family was one of the top families in Harmony City. Only my mother warned me, "If things don't work out, you can always come home."
But I said without hesitation, "That won't happen! I'll definitely be happy!"
Now, I truly regret it.
In six years of marriage, I've never really been Tyler's wife—just a transparent person he could summon and dismiss at will.
I sat at the desk and entered my birthday into the safe Rhea left me.
The door opened. Inside was just an envelope, addressed to Rhea's house, since I hadn't changed some mailing addresses after marriage.
I opened it—it was an invitation from a top international law firm, inviting her to work there with generous terms.
The date in the bottom right corner was one week ago.
Nervously, I called the number on the invitation. They answered immediately. I briefly explained my situation and received a shocking response.
Rhea had already called them and negotiated time for me to consider.
After hanging up, tears slid down my face. I stared at the photo of my parents and Rhea on the desk, murmuring, "Mom, Dad, Grandma, I still have a chance to choose. This time, I won't let you down."
In the six years of marriage, while I appeared to be a housewife, I'd secretly worked hard to earn various certificates and awards. This was the only right thing I'd done since graduating college.
The next morning, I hadn't planned to take Jasper to school, but he thought I was going to, so he made a fuss. "I don't want you to take me! Ava's coming to pick me up! And after school, I'm going to her house for dinner!"
Just then, the doorbell rang. The maid went to answer it.
Ava appeared, wearing a pink suit and looking sweet.
When our eyes met, she showed no nervousness—only defiance.
"Ava!" Jasper threw himself into her arms.
Ava acted like a mother, asking if he'd eaten, if he'd slept well, completely treating me like I was invisible.
"Let's go to school. Your dad just called me. At lunch, the three of us will go to that restaurant you wanted to try. How about that?"
"Yes! That's great!"
With that, Ava took Jasper's hand, glanced at me, and left with him.
From start to finish, Ava acted like a victor, not seeing herself as a homewrecker at all.
I could see the maid was embarrassed, but I just nodded slightly and went upstairs.
I locked myself in the bedroom studying frantically. When I finally looked up with tired, aching eyes, it was already dark.
I walked to the balcony and saw Tyler's car pull up. Ava got out of the back seat first, then bent down to lift Jasper out, while Tyler got out from the driver's seat.
"Jasper, go home and rest well. Remember to brush your teeth, and don't eat anything after brushing, okay?"
Jasper hugged Ava and wouldn't let go. "Ava, I want to live with you. I hate Mom so much!"
My heart tightened, my chest felt stuffy and breathless.
I heard Ava comfort him softly, "It's okay. Soon the three of us will be living together."
I smiled bitterly, my heart numb with pain. It seemed my fate had already been decided.
Then the maid came out to take Jasper inside, while Tyler and Ava got back in the car.
More than ten minutes later, I took a deep breath and went to Jasper's room. When he saw me, his face was full of disgust, clearly saying "I hate you."
"Jasper, let me read you a story tonight."
"I don't want you to!"
"It's that book you said you liked. I bought the complete set for you." My tone was gentle. Even though Jasper hated me, he was still my son. I couldn't hate him.
Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number, with a photo attached.
"Sophia, we almost had a car accident today. Tyler's afraid I'm scared, so he's staying with me tonight. Please don't be mad."
Below was a selfie of her wearing red lace lingerie, and behind her, Tyler was shirtless, leaning against the bed reading a newspaper.
At this moment, I just can't suppress the feelings of hurt and bitterness welling up inside me.
A couple of years ago, after I discovered that Tyler and Ava were getting close, I suspected their relationship. Maybe Tyler felt guilty about it, because he insisted on having sex with me twice a week.
Later, he started making excuses to avoid having sex with me, and bought me a bunch of women's products. I never used them once though.
Because his behavior made me feel absolutely worthless.
"Mommy, I don't want you to read me a story. I want Daddy!"
Snapping back to reality, I smiled bitterly. "Daddy's working late."
"I don't care! Daddy promised that whenever I want him, he'll be right there with Jasper!"
Seeing how stubborn Jasper was being, I just went ahead and called Tyler.
He picked up after a few rings, his voice cold. "Hello, what is it?"
"Jasper wants you. He wants you to read him a story. Come home."
Tyler was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I'll be right back."
After hanging up, I didn't know whether to feel happy or sad. Everyone could see how good Tyler was to Jasper - if he wanted the stars, he'd throw in the moon too. Any good thing in the world that Jasper liked, Tyler would buy without hesitation. Jasper loved fireworks, so when he turned three, Tyler spent a million dollars on all kinds of fireworks, coordinated with the authorities, and put on a huge fireworks show just for Jasper.
That spectacular fireworks show could go down in Harmony City's history books.
"Daddy will be back soon."
"Yay!"
I took a deep breath and decided to give myself one more chance.
"Jasper, before Daddy gets back, can I read you a story?"
Jasper seemed to hesitate, pouting. "Mommy never reads me stories. You don't like me at all. Other kids' mommies play with them every day. You're not like a mommy at all."
Hearing this, I sighed silently, my eyes getting a bit red.
Yeah, and I had Ava and Tyler to thank for that. When the kid was just over three, Tyler would often take him out. I used to think it was because he loved the child so much, but later I found out he was taking him to see Ava.
Over time, I had fewer chances to spend time with Jasper, so naturally Jasper came to dislike me.
"I'm sorry, Jasper. From now on, tell me anything you need, okay? I'll buy you whatever you want."
"I don't want that. Daddy and Ava buy me everything."
I stopped trying to coax him and just watched as he got into bed to look at his picture books by himself, then left.
More than ten minutes later, Tyler came home.
I heard him, but I didn't go out.
About an hour later, the bedroom door opened. I knew Tyler had come in. I pretended to be asleep - I didn't want any interaction with him.
I could feel the strong masculine presence behind me, then his hand touched my body. I felt a wave of nausea in my stomach, unable to stand the thought that he had just been with another woman and was now touching me.
I sat up directly. "It's late. Let's sleep."
Tyler's expression was hard to read. "It's been a long time since we were together."
Thinking about the past, I just felt ashamed.
"I don't want to right now, okay?"
Tyler seemed really put off by my rejection. He sat up and grabbed my wrist. "You've been acting strange these past few days."
"Have I? What would count as not strange? Clinging to you like before?"
Tyler frowned, then said, "It's been a long time since I went with you to see Rhea. I'll go with you this weekend."