After a busy period at work, our long-awaited vacation finally arrived. Andre and I enjoyed two wonderful weeks together, traveling carefree. Hot on the heels of our return, an elder from the Koch family stormed into the house, accusing Andre of being ruthless and merciless. Although younger family members quickly persuaded the elder to leave, my unease remained.

Recalling the elder's hateful glare, I nervously asked, "Will he try to get back at you?"

"Don't worry," Andre reassured me with a calming smile. "I've got it under control."

Seeing his calm demeanor, I felt more at ease.

On my mother's death anniversary, Andre took me and my younger siblings back to New York. After staying there with me for a few days, he returned to Washington. Around the same time, Andre's parents from the Koch family concluded their stay abroad and settled in Washington.

I've always gotten along well with Andre's mother, and genuinely liked her. One day, during a casual chat, she told me stories from Andre's childhood. She even took me to a room at the end of the third-floor hallway to show me his childhood photos and awards.

"There's also this drawer," she said, pointing to one. "It's full of his treasures. Even I wasn't allowed to touch them, though I accidentally caught a glimpse once."

She found the key, opened the drawer, and handed me a small box.

"Mom, this belongs to Andre. Isn't it inappropriate for me to look without his permission?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "What's the harm? You're his wife. There shouldn't be any secrets between you two."

She opened the wooden box. "Go on, take a look. I'm sure you'll like what you find."

Looking inside, I was startled to see several familiar photographs—pictures from the award ceremonies I attended for my painting achievements as a child. Each photo had the date noted on the back.

One photo stood out—the one from my first major award at an art exhibition in Washington when I was eighteen. In the group photo of all the winners and dignitaries, Andre was standing right beside me. It turned out my first major award had been presented by Andre himself. And back then, he was healthy.

My vision blurred as tears welled up. I had never imagined such a deep connection between us.

Later, Andre was in an accident, leaving him paralyzed. He gradually withdrew from the public eye. Around the same time, I became involved with Clint. Eventually, Clint left me, and I became the laughingstock of high society. Perhaps because of this, Andre sought a marriage alliance with the Brown family; their eligible daughter was his only choice. Andre had planned everything long beforehand.

Holding those photos, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I thought of what Andre's mother had said—these were his most treasured belongings, and no one was allowed to touch them. I couldn't bring myself to think about the five years I spent with Clint. During those years, while Andre was enduring the aftermath of his accident, how had he managed to cope?

I stood frozen for a while, then carefully put the photos back and locked the drawer. I didn't know how to handle this revelation, so I decided to pretend I didn't know.

Three months passed quickly, and my siblings' vacation was coming to an end. During our time in Washington, Andre had inquired about their future plans and arranged for renowned tutors and rigorous schedules. It was exhausting, but they learned a lot. Before leaving, they both thanked Andre sincerely and even gave him gifts.

Unexpectedly, I ran into Clint at the airport. After seeing them off, I wheeled Andre toward the parking lot, where we unexpectedly ran into Clint. He stood behind a pillar, wearing a hat. He looked thinner than the last time I saw him, and his confident aura was gone. After Andre retaliated against Clint for stealing a project, the Mars family's company suffered heavy losses, and Clint was stripped of his position. Even Clint's parents grew distant, shifting their focus to their youngest son. But Clint had brought all this upon himself. I felt no sympathy for him.

When Clint saw me, he tried to approach, but Andre's bodyguards stopped him. I helped Andre into the car and instructed the driver to leave. But barely an hour after we got home, Clint showed up at the Koch family's gate. I still refused to see him and contacted the Mars family's parents to take him away. They repeatedly apologized and promised Clint wouldn't bother me again.

A month later, my best friend shared updates about Clint and Rachel.