"Madam, it seems Mr. Lance won't be coming home tonight. Perhaps you should rest first?" Martha Zayne kindly spoke upon noticing the still-lit bedroom.

A hint of disappointment crossed Jennifer Yale's eyes. Just then, the sound of an engine revving came from the yard. She didn't care to put on her slippers as she rushed to the window to peer outside.

Sure enough, it was Maxwell Lance's silver Bentley pulling into the garage.

Jennifer took a deep breath, glancing down at her sensual lingerie while her heart pounded like a drum. Despite being married for two years, Maxwell had always slept in the guest room, and he never touched her.

She knew their marriage was arranged by Maxwell's grandfather, Robert Lance, and it was not his choice. However, two years had passed. They couldn't possibly continue on like this.

Did Maxwell not like her because she was merely an undergraduate with no experience in relationships? Was it because he found her too passive?

With these thoughts, Jennifer quietly approached the guest room, clad in a sexy black lace nightgown. Summoning her courage, she knocked on the door, but there was no response.

Carefully, she opened the door and heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. Maxwell must still be showering.

The water suddenly stopped, and Maxwell emerged from the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist. His muscular physique was in full display with water droplets cascading down his solid muscles.

Jennifer was momentarily stunned. So, was this the embodiment of looking slim when clothed but muscular when undressed?

"Jennifer!" Maxwell frowned, his tone clipped as he snapped, "Are you done staring? Who let you into my room?"

Awkwardly, Jennifer averted her gaze and replied meekly, "You're my husband. Isn't your room also mine?"

Then, with blushing cheeks, she blinked up at him and asked, "Do you like how I look?"

Her petite, delicate frame stood before him, her soft face flushed red, and her long lashes fluttered. She appeared so innocent yet emitted an irresistible allure at the same time.

He never knew his wife had this side to her.

Maxwell masked the strange look in his eyes and subconsciously gulped. Quickly, he put on his robe before tossing her one of his shirts.

Reining in his emotions, he said, "Go back to your room."

Jennifer looked at him aggrievedly, feeling as though she had humiliated herself. In her mind, her best friend Laura Scott's words resurfaced.

Laura had said that a young, energetic man like Maxwell, the scion of the wealthiest family in Haven City, coupled with his good looks, would inevitably attract countless women's attention.

As he couldn't possibly remain celibate for long, he had to be indulging elsewhere and then coming home with a facade of abstinence.

In a moment of doubt, Jennifer blurted out, "Are you seeing someone else?"

Maxwell's gaze flickered briefly, and he neither confirmed nor denied it.

Calmly, he uttered the cruelest words, "Jennifer, on the day we got married, I told you all I could offer was the position of Mrs. Lance. You shouldn't think about having anything else."

Each time he repeated those words, a wave of powerlessness and despair surged within Jennifer, overwhelming her.

Perhaps to him, she was just a girl from a modest background trying to climb the social ladder by marrying him. After all, no one would willingly marry a stranger.

What he didn't know was that, many years ago, he had been a beacon of light that illuminated her world.

While Jennifer was lost in her thoughts, Maxwell had opened the door for her. "Go to bed. Don't dress like that again. It doesn't suit you."

At his evident dismissal, Jennifer left his room dejectedly, her face burning with mortification.

As soon as she returned to her bedroom, her father, Zion Yale, called. "Dad, I'm sorry. He probably won't be going to Grandma's birthday celebration tomorrow."

Jennifer knew she wouldn't be able to persuade Maxwell.

Zion sighed heavily, saying, "You've been married for two years, yet he hasn't visited our family once. I've said we weren't worthy of the Lance family. If it weren't for your mother's insistence—"

"Dad." Jennifer disliked hearing disparaging remarks about her mother. She interjected, "I married him out of my own will!"

…

The next day, Jennifer had to attend her grandmother Agnes Taylor's birthday celebration alone. Although she knew Agnes wasn't fond of her, she had to offer a toast in front of the guests as a show of respect.

Her stepmother, Jocelyn Logan, remarked sarcastically, "Hey, Jennifer, why didn't you bring Maxwell? It's been two years since you got married, and we haven't even seen him."

Agnes held a glass of wine and echoed with a fake smile, "I suppose our humble Yale family isn't worth his time! Today is an important day, but it seems like Maxwell doesn't value his grandmother-in-law."

Jennifer's stepsister, Bridget Yale, chimed in mockingly, "Jennifer, I think the one Maxwell doesn't value is not Grandma but you. Am I right?"

The voices of ridicule buzzed in Jennifer's ears, making her feel miserable. Out of frustration, she emptied her glass in one go.

However, the aftereffects of the wine hit her hard, and she soon blacked out.

In a car, Jocelyn and Bridget sat on either side of her.

"Mom, as long as we get Jennifer into Mr. Zito's bed, I will secure my role as the second female lead in his new show!" Bridget's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Jocelyn slyly ordered, "We mustn't let your father find out. Since he dotes on that wretched girl so much, he might kill us both."

"I know, I know," Bridget replied. "I've confirmed with Mr. Zito to bring her to Nimbus Lounge's penthouse suite."

Jocelyn chuckled darkly. "What's so great about Jennifer? She doesn't deserve to marry Maxwell. It's only because of her mother who operated on Mr. Lance Senior and saved his life years ago that she got married to him.

"On her deathbed, she entrusted Jennifer to them. At the end of the day, she was trying to reach the top. How shameless!"

Bridget quickly agreed, "Exactly! If anyone should marry Maxwell, it should be me. What makes Jennifer better than me?"

Jocelyn swore through gritted teeth, "Tonight, we will ruin her completely!"

…

Jocelyn and Bridget had only added a few sleeping pills to Jennifer's drink. When Jennifer felt a man's heavy breath and warmth on her, she immediately snapped awake.

"Ugh... Let go of me!"

The room was dark, and she couldn't see the man's face. Thus, she could only struggle against him with all her might, knowing the consequences of letting the man have his way would be irreversible.

However, the man easily subdued her flailing arms. His warm lips brushed against her ear as he spoke in a low and husky voice, "Shh, behave..."

Maxwell had completely lost his rationality at this point.

Whether it was the food or the drinks at the party earlier, something had gone wrong. Now, driven by desire, he found it difficult to control himself.

As he touched the woman on the bed, her soft skin and fragrance aroused him considerably. The innocence in her responses and her helpless sobbing nearly drove him mad!

An hour later, the man was finally satisfied and fell asleep. Jennifer felt as though her entire body had been crushed, the pain penetrating deep into her bones.

Enduring the soreness in her limbs, she hurriedly got dressed and fled from the pitch-black room. In her haste, she collided with a young woman as she entered the elevator.

"Sorry."

Jennifer's face was deathly pale. She quickly stepped into the elevator and pressed the close button.

Rachel Walker immediately looked back after exiting the elevator, staring at Jennifer in disbelief before the doors closed.

She recognized Jennifer as Maxwell's wife, the woman who'd stolen her place!

There was only one penthouse suite on the top floor, so did that mean Jennifer had come out of Maxwell's room?

Did they… sleep together?

Jealousy consumed Rachel. She had put so much effort into bribing the staff at the party and calculating the timing and dosage of the drug in Maxwell's drink, only for Jennifer to beat her to it!

Rachel hurried into the room. In the darkness, she heard Maxwell's even breath as he slept. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

A cunning smile played on her lips as she removed her clothes and lay down beside him.

…

Jennifer emerged from the club. She was too afraid to return to her and Maxwell's shared villa. She feared being seen in this state by him or the housekeepers.

After all, in their two years of marriage, Maxwell had never touched her. But now, her purity had been stolen by a stranger.

At the thought of this, Jennifer's mind went blank and her heart was in turmoil. She hailed a taxi, intending to return to the Yale residence.

At least, she needed to take a shower and change her clothes first.

When she arrived home, Bridget and Jocelyn were waiting in the living room, expecting a call from Daniel Zito.

"Mom, do you think Mr. Zito has found Jennifer and… Ugh, I'm getting anxious! Why hasn't he called us yet? Shouldn't he just agree to let me be the second female lead already?" Bridget lamented, her eyes filled with greed.

Jocelyn squinted and said, "Calm down. It's only past 11 pm. Mr. Zito is known for being a playboy. He wouldn't let Jennifer slip from his hands."

While they were talking, Jennifer walked in with an extremely gloomy expression.

"J-Jennifer?" Bridget stammered in shock, "Why are you back?"

Jennifer sneered at her reaction. "Why are you so surprised?"

Jocelyn looked equally flustered. She forced out a smile and said, "Jennifer, why did you leave your grandmother's birthday celebration? You didn't even inform us. She was very upset with you!"

Jennifer slowly approached them. Judging from their behavior, she could roughly deduce who had brought her to Nimbus Lounge.

The thought of her innocence being inexplicably tarnished ignited a rage within Jennifer. With a resounding slap, she struck Jocelyn's face mercilessly.

Instantly, Bridget erupted in fury. "Jennifer, how dare you hit my mom? I'm going to call Grandma and Dad right now! Just you wait!"

Jennifer seized Bridget's wrist, forcefully pulling her back.

She shot Bridget a menacing glare as she bit out, "Go ahead, call everyone down. I can retrieve evidence from the surveillance at Nimbus Lounge. Once Dad finds out what happened tonight, let's see if he'll tear you both apart!"

Jocelyn and Bridget's faces turned pale at her threat. They were visibly frightened of the repercussions if the night's affair were to reach Zion's ears.

Back when Zion divorced his ex-wife, Jennifer was still young. She was reportedly bullied during her middle school days, even suffering from depression.

Therefore, he had always felt guilty toward Jennifer, showing her more love. Moreover, what happened to Jennifer was no trivial matter. If things escalated, Jocelyn and Bridget would be in deep trouble!

Jennifer sensed their unease and panic. She violently shoved Bridget away, causing her to fall to the floor, then dragged her weary body upstairs.

Jocelyn hurriedly helped her daughter up, her sharp gaze fixed on Jennifer's retreating figure.

Bridget asked anxiously, "Mom, why did Jennifer come back so soon? Did she and Mr. Zito..."

"They must have," Jocelyn affirmed with a malicious smirk. "Didn't you see the marks on Jennifer's neck earlier? Seems like Mr. Zito was rather rough!"

Suddenly, Bridget became worried. "But Jennifer must hate our guts now. What if she checks the surveillance and tells Dad about this? Did you not see how she looked just now? I thought she wanted to kill us!"

Jocelyn calmly replied, "What's there to fear? Jennifer is married to Maxwell now. Do you think she would dare to reveal today's events? It's her reputation on the line here."

The reasoning made sense, and Bridget began to relax. She then hastily urged, "Mom, hurry up and give Mr. Zito a call. Ask him when I can go to the set."

Jocelyn dialed Daniel's number and questioned ingratiatingly, "Mr. Zito, were you satisfied with Jennifer tonight?"

"Don't even mention it. Someone else has taken my penthouse suite reservation for tonight. I heard he was a big shot." Daniel said dejectedly, "I didn't even get to see the pretty chick you sent over."

Jocelyn's face fell. "What? A big shot? Does that mean you didn't go to that penthouse suite?"

Who slept with Jennifer then? There were so many hickeys on Jennifer's neck!

"Alright, let's talk about your daughter's audition another time." Daniel's mood soured as he hadn't had his fun.

Bridget stomped her foot in frustration, unable to believe that the first role she ever landed was going to be ruined just like that.

At the corner of the staircase, Jennifer secretly observed the mother-and-daughter duo. From their conversation, she came to learn the whole situation.

It turned out that they had planned to send her to Daniel, but because the penthouse suite was taken by someone even more powerful than him, she had been violated by another man…

Jennifer tightly shut her eyes, not daring to recall further. The more she thought about it, the stronger her urge to strangle Bridget and Jocelyn became. Yet, she knew she couldn't act on those impulses.

This matter involved both the Yale family's and the Lance family's reputation, as well as her own dignity. Hence, she could only swallow her anger and let the matter rest.

Jennifer made her way to the bathroom. Standing under the shower, she vigorously scrubbed her bruised body. She felt absolutely filthy.

Her virginity had been taken by a stranger instead of her husband. The thought made her sob uncontrollably, the sound blending with the rush of the shower, creating a poignant melody of despair.

…

Jennifer spent the whole night pondering. She was unable to suppress her indignation. She wanted to know who the man from the night before was.

Thus, early the next morning, she went to Nimbus Lounge, hoping to retrieve surveillance footage or guest registration information.

Unfortunately, she was told that guest information was kept strictly confidential. Furthermore, their surveillance system was hacked last night and only got back on moments ago. As for the footage, it was gone.

Nimbus Lounge was the most upscale entertainment club in Haven City, with complex connections behind it. A young girl like Jennifer couldn't do anything about it.

And so, Jennifer couldn't find a single clue. She couldn't seek help from anyone else either. If she were to make a fuss about it, it would cost her pride and dignity.

Exhausted, Jennifer returned to the villa she shared with Maxwell. Along the way, she bought emergency contraception pills.

Even though she was only 22 and inexperienced, she still had some basic knowledge. She took the pills and absentmindedly placed the box in a drawer.

Jennifer collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep once again. When she woke up, it was already noon. To her surprise, Maxwell had returned at some point and was sitting on the bedroom couch.

He was dressed in a black suit with a silver-gray tie, exuding an air of sophistication and elegance. However, his demeanor seemed extra aloof.

Jennifer was startled. Because of what happened to her the previous night, she felt a sense of guilt and unease. Besides, Maxwell usually headed straight for the guest room upon his return, never setting foot in the master bedroom.

At this moment, Maxwell stood up and walked over to her. "I came home earlier and heard from the housekeepers that you looked unwell. I thought you were sick, so I came in to check on you."

Jennifer heaved a sigh of relief.

Then, he tossed a pillbox in front of her.

"I was looking for a thermometer in your bedside drawer, and I found this. Care to explain?" His tone was calm, but there was a palpable coldness and questioning in it.

Jennifer saw the emergency contraception pills she had bought and felt her heart clench.

Jennifer looked at him in a panic, choking out, "Hear me out. Yesterday I—"

"Enough," Maxwell cut her off, his gaze falling on the hickeys on her neckline. It was unmistakably the aftermath of a liaison.

His tone remained calm and indifferent as he continued, "It's partly my fault for ignoring you these two years. I don't blame you for what you did. But, Jennifer, the Lance family can't accept a tainted woman as the lady of the house."

Jennifer's mind went blank. All her explanations now seemed futile. Anyway, why would he listen to her when the truth was right before his eyes?

Besides, even if she could prove that she had been framed by Bridget and Jocelyn, it was still a fact that she was tainted.

Jennifer smiled bitterly. "So, are you asking for a divorce?"

Maxwell nodded. "I hope you will make it clear to Grandpa that you're the one asking for a divorce. I can offer you a bit of dignity by keeping him in the dark about your infidelity."

Jennifer felt her eyes sting with tears, but she desperately held them back. After a long while, she inhaled deeply and asked, "Can you... answer a question?"

"Go ahead." Maxwell's eyes betrayed no emotion.

Staring at him, Jennifer quavered, "Are you seeing someone else? In these two years of marriage, have you felt anything for me? If it weren't for her, would you have liked me?"

Maxwell's gaze softened slightly, and he replied casually, "Sorry. As I told you on the day we got married, all I can offer you is the position of Mrs. Lance."

Although he wasn't answering her question, Jennifer, being a woman, had an intuition that he had long harbored feelings for another woman.

"In the next few days, I'll have my lawyer draw up the divorce agreement. You only need to sign it and then explain things to Grandpa."

Maxwell spoke of divorce with such casualness, as if he were discussing what to have for dinner. After saying that, he left the master bedroom without hesitation.

Jennifer felt cold. Despite it being a hot summer day, she felt like she was trapped in ice.

What made her hopeless was not Maxwell's proposal for divorce, but the fact that he believed she had an affair and yet remained so composed.

She knew that his calmness was not due to his manners and upbringing, but because he simply didn't love her.

Jennifer was in a daze. She had always known their marriage would eventually end like this.

But now that day had truly arrived, she found herself unable to bear it. She was unwilling to let go.

Taking out her phone, she dialed her best friend's number.

"Laura, have you finished work? I... I..." Jennifer's voice choked up. She felt so aggrieved that she couldn't speak.

Sensing her distress, Laura said troubledly, "Jennifer, I have to conduct an interview tonight, and it might take a while. How about I send you the address and you come to find me? We can talk after I finish the interview, okay?"

"Okay." After Jennifer agreed, she immediately set out. According to the address Laura gave her, she arrived at a dance studio and parked her car downstairs.

The studio was holding its grand opening, and the owner wanted to make a splash by arranging an interview with the local TV station in Haven City.

When Laura heard that Jennifer had arrived, she ran downstairs and got into her car.

"The studio owner is so unreliable. The ribbon-cutting and opening were supposed to be in the morning. I could have finished work early today. But because she changed the time, I had to stay here and work overtime for the interview. I mean, who schedules a grand opening in the evening?"

Laura started complaining as soon as she saw Jennifer. Jennifer could only comfort her. "This is Haven Tower. Every inch of space is precious. The rich can be capricious."

As the two were talking, Laura received a call from her colleague asking her to go up.

"Go ahead, I'll wait here," said Jennifer as she felt too exhausted to tag along.

After Laura left, Jennifer's gaze fell on the street not far away. The next second, her eyes widened in shock. That was because she had inadvertently spotted Maxwell get out of a Bentley.

He was holding a bouquet of red roses. The bright red color was as glaring as blood.

Jennifer's hand on the steering wheel trembled. This man had talked to her about divorce not long ago. And now, he was here with roses that she had never received before.

Maxwell headed into Haven Tower. Immediately, Jennifer got out of the car and followed from a distance.

At the entrance of the dance studio, the lights were on and the atmosphere was lively.

Laura was interviewing the studio's owner, a knowledgeable and beautiful woman. The latter spoke with a warm and friendly smile. In her hands were the roses Maxwell had just given her.

Jennifer felt a buzzing in her ears, and her eyes fell on Maxwell. Nonetheless, he didn't see her as all his focus was on that woman. Even the gentle smile on his lips was one she had never seen before.

Jennifer clenched her fists tightly, willing herself not to rush over to confront them.

…

After the opening ceremony, Rachel and Maxwell went to the lounge alone.

"Max, did you really bring up the divorce with your wife?" Rachel leaned in his arms, looking aggrieved. "Your grandfather won't blame you, will he? I'm afraid you'll offend him because of me."

Maxwell comforted her softly, "You're the woman I cherish the most. If I can't have you as my wife, I'd rather not lay my hands on you. I've felt guilty for letting you follow me in obscurity all these years. Since I took your virginity last night, I will take responsibility."

A scheming glint flashed in Rachel's eyes, but she quickly resumed her pitiful expression. "I'm lucky to be your woman. I've never regretted it."

Rachel then held her chest and said meaningfully, "Thank goodness your assistant told me that you were drugged. Otherwise, if another woman had entered that room, I... I really wouldn't be able to take it. Max, I don't want to share you with anyone else."

Amid their affectionate moment, Maxwell's phone rang. He was surprised to see that it was a call from Jennifer. Why would she call him?

"What do you want?" he answered somewhat indifferently.

Jennifer said, "Maxwell, I regret the divorce."

Maxwell paused. "What do you mean?"

"Come home. I think we need to talk."

Jennifer hung up the phone after that.

Meanwhile, Rachel's expression had changed too. She had vaguely heard that Maxwell's wife didn't want a divorce anymore.

"Rach, I need to go home for a bit." Maxwell explained truthfully, "There may be some changes regarding the divorce."

......