Fake Heiress’s Runaway: Goodbye, Cheater

Jonathan Lester cheated on her.

Three days ago, Grace Harrison had just finished an eight-hour surgery. As she walked out of the hospital, she received an anonymous photo.

In it, her husband—who had apologetically claimed he couldn't be with her on their anniversary—was now touring Harbor City with another woman. The image showed them lying naked together in bed, their intimacy unmistakable.

She'd spent three days in a daze. Today, Jonathan finally returned from his business trip.

Grace worked at the same hospital. The moment she heard he was back, she rushed to his office.

She stood outside his door for a long time before finally raising her hand to knock, moving like a puppet on strings.

"Come in."

Grace pushed the door open. Jonathan sat behind his desk, head down as he wrote up patient notes. Fresh from his trip, exhaustion lined his features.

"What is it?" Jonathan didn't look up.

Grace forced a smile and handed him a document, flipped to the signature page. "There's a procurement contract that needs your signature. The hospital wants to acquire a batch of the latest minimally invasive equipment for the OB-GYN department."

As their department head, Jonathan had to sign off on all equipment purchases.

"The new equipment is much simpler to operate. Even surgical staff can use it following the manual. It'll greatly improve treatment efficiency."

Jonathan nodded and took the document, signing his name at the bottom without much thought. "Thanks. I'm having dinner with colleagues tonight, so don't wait up."

Grace paused briefly, her expression neutral. "Alright. Got it."

She took the document and left. As she passed the examination room next to his office, she heard faint noises from inside.

Grace's chest tightened painfully, though she already knew what was happening. She kept her gaze straight ahead and left without acknowledging it.

As soon as she returned to her own department, there was a knock at the door.

Grace looked up. "Come in."

"Ms. Harrison." Her student, Zara Jenkins, entered from the hallway.

She looked conflicted. "Are you really applying for that overseas training position? It's three whole years. What about Dr. Lester?"

Grace had received similar opportunities before. If she'd agreed to the training programs, she would have returned with promotions guaranteed.

But she'd turned them all down for Jonathan.

At first, Zara thought Grace was making a mistake—after all, she was just as talented as Jonathan. Why sacrifice her career for family?

But over time, Zara had become charmed by their relationship, secretly rooting for them as a couple.

Now that Grace had suddenly agreed to go abroad, Zara was stunned.

Grace nodded, her tone casual. "I've already submitted the application form to the director. As for him... I'll make arrangements."

She finished speaking and moved the procurement contract aside, revealing the divorce papers underneath.

Her fingertips traced over Jonathan's name, inch by inch. Her mind flashed back to three years ago, to the determination in his eyes. "Grace is the only woman I'll ever love."

His vow still echoed in her ears.

Yet barely three years into their marriage, the man who'd claimed he couldn't live without Grace had already turned his attention to another woman. He'd even used a business trip as an excuse on their anniversary to take his mistress on a romantic getaway to Harbor City.

When the photo arrived on Grace's phone, she'd just finished an eight-hour surgery. The moment she saw it, her legs gave out and she collapsed against Zara.

How could this be?

How could Jonathan betray her?

Grace desperately tried to convince herself the photo was fake. But as she pieced together the evidence, all the anomalies she'd previously overlooked surfaced like blades cutting into her nerves.

His "overtime" had been to celebrate his mistress's birthday.

His "emergency calls" were because his mistress wanted to watch the sunrise from the mountains.

Even when Grace was delirious with fever, he'd been at a birthday party—for his mistress's dog.

"No need," Grace said, pulling herself back to the present. She smiled. "There's no misunderstanding between us."

Zara's face fell at her words.

But seeing Grace's resolute expression, she didn't press further.

There weren't many patients that afternoon. Grace left work promptly at five.

On her way out, she passed Jonathan's office. The door was slightly ajar, and muffled voices drifted out, making her pause.

"Jonathan, you... you hurt me just now..."

"I told you it was nothing, but you insisted on examining me yourself."

The mingled voices of a man and woman reached Grace's ears, freezing her in place.

Against her will, her gaze drifted toward the doorway. Inside, Caroline sat on the examination bed, her face flushed pink, while Jonathan wiped his fingers with a tissue.

Jonathan's eyes were lowered, his expression indulgent. "I don't trust anyone else to examine you."

Caroline huffed softly and turned her head away.

In that instant, her eyes met Grace's through the doorway. She raised an eyebrow, a provocative smile playing on her lips, then grabbed Jonathan's sleeve in a show of possessiveness.

Grace's hands clenched at her sides. She slowly lifted her gaze to meet Jonathan's as he belatedly turned around.

Jonathan's expression remained calm as he looked away, lowering his head to say something else. Caroline immediately smiled, her eyes sparkling with delight.

The brightness in her expression made Grace's eyes sting.

She tore her gaze away, almost stumbling in her haste to leave the hospital.

She'd barely been home long when she heard a car engine outside.

Jonathan.

In the past, Grace would have rushed to greet him with joy. Now she sat exhausted on the sofa, watching quietly as he entered.

He'd changed out of his white coat. Even in a simple dress shirt and slacks, his bearing remained elegant and composed.

"Why didn't you make dinner?" Jonathan's tone was casual.

Grace didn't answer his question. "Didn't you have dinner plans with colleagues?"

"Change of plans." Jonathan's lips curved into a slight smile, his tone teasing. "If I came home any later, I was afraid you might not want me anymore."

Grace's heart twisted painfully.

Overwhelming bitterness spread from deep inside, bringing heat to her eyes.

"Jonathan, don't you have anything you want to tell me?" The question escaped before she could stop it.

Jonathan's smile faded, his voice flat. "I was just giving her a routine physical examination. Don't read into it."

"A physical examination?" Grace's tone turned mocking. "Since when does our surgical genius Dr. Lester moonlight in gynecology?"

"Grace, are you accusing me of something with Caroline?" Jonathan's voice darkened.

Caroline?

Grace caught the intimacy in how he said her name. Yet when he'd first mentioned Caroline, his tone had always been distant.

When... when had they become so familiar?

Suspicion and doubt churned Grace's thoughts into chaos.

Her nails dug into her palms until they became sticky.

Jonathan's impatient voice cut through. "When did your mind become so twisted? Caroline is your sister. Even if she doesn't know we're married, I'm still her brother-in-law!"

"Is that really what you think of me? That I'd do something like that?"

"Besides, if I had any feelings for her, I could have chosen her when she first returned to the Harrison family, instead of marrying you against everyone's objections!"

Each sentence struck like thunder in Grace's ears.

Her mind went blank, yet her thoughts spun uncontrollably.

That's right—she wasn't actually the Harrison family's daughter.