Leaving Husband, Loving First Love

In the middle of the night, Harper Mellon rose to find her husband wrapped around her stepsister, murmuring tender words.

Rupert Getty, who was usually cold and impatient with Harper, now showed infinite patience. "Irene, it's not your fault. The real culprit is Harper! She ruined both our lives! Were it not for her, you would be my wife at this very moment."

Irene Getty nodded shyly, looking wounded as she tugged at his sleeve. "Rupert, I regret that we couldn't marry, but what's done is done. I'm just worried that moving in with my son might upset your wife?"

Rupert's gaze turned colder than ever. "Those decisions aren't hers to make."

Harper's fists clenched so tightly her knuckleswhitened, the ache in her chest making it hard to breathe.

No matter how many times she explained Irene's marriage situation, Rupert remained convinced that Harper had orchestrated everything—that she'd somehow forced his beloved stepsister into pregnancy and a marriage with that useless man!

Biting her lip,she watched as Irene rose onto her tiptoes, their longing-filled gazes meeting, the atmosphere heavy with intimacy.

As their lips were about to meet, she finally found her voice.

"What exactly are you doing?"

Bright light flooded the living room as the lights blazed on.

Rupert instinctively pushed Irene away, immediately questioned why he should feel guilty. Harper was, after all, nothing more than his arranged wife.

He frowned with displeasure. "Why aren't you in bed? What are you doing sneaking around so late?"

Harper's lips twisted with mockery. "Had I not interrupted, you two would've been kissing, wouldn't you?"

"Shut up!" A flash of guilt crossed Rupert's face before he lashed out. "Harper, I'm warning you to watch your mouth. Irene just arrived at the Getty home, and I was simply comforting her."

Harper found his excuse laughable. "Is that what you call comforting? Holding your stepsister in your arms?Don't forget, Rupert-you're a married man.

Did they think she didn't exist? Brazenly carrying on in the living room!

Rupert's tone dropped to ice. "Harper, don't push your luck! If it weren't for you, Irene wouldn't have married that abusive bastard— she wouldn't have suffered at all.

As he spoke, he pulled up Irene's sleeve, revealing large purple bruises.

"Irene's been beaten black and blue. What's wrong with me comforting her? And you come in here with that accusatory tone and those judgmental eyes—what exactly are you implying?"

Irene quickly pulled her arm back, her voice timid. "Rupert, don't be angry with Harper. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have come back. I'll take my son Jared Carter and leave right away."

She made to go, but Rupert stopped her with a tone that brooked no argument. "This has nothing to do with you. You're staying right here. Harper's being unreasonable—just ignore her."

The tenderness in Rupert's eyes when he looked at Irene nearly blinded her with pain—the special treatment she had desperately sought for years but never received.

Harper had never felt such agony in her chest before, as if an invisible knife was repeatedly stabbing her heart.

She had loved him for ten years, given him everything, only to be called "unreasonable"!

Tears glistened in Irene's eyes as she spoke with emotion, "You're all I have to rely on."

Before Harper could respond, the door to the adjacent room suddenly burst open.

A small boy rushed out, headbutting Harper directly in the stomach.

"Bad woman! Don't you dare bully my mom!"

Completely unprepared, Harper took the full impact and fell hard on her back.

"Jared!" Irene called out anxiously, immediately running to scoop up her fallen son.

"Jared, let mommy check if you're hurt!"

Rupert rushed over too.

Just when Harper thought Rupert was coming to help her up, she received only his merciless scolding.

"Harper, how long are you going to keep up this act? A three-year-old knocked you down?"

Her outstretched hand froze in mid-air.

Even strangers would help someone who had fallen and ask if they were okay. But Rupert couldn't see her pain—instead, he accused her of playacting.

After his cold words to Harper, Rupert turned to comfort Irene with gentle tones.

"Irene, if you're worried about Jared, I'll have the family doctor come check him right away."

Harper stared in disbelief. "He ran into me. Isn't that his responsibility?"

Under normal circumstances, Jared couldn't have knocked her down, but what if she was already injured? What if Jared had hit exactly where she was hurt?

Three months ago, Rupert had been targeted by a business rival who tried to run him over.

She had pushed Rupert out of the way, resulting in her being hit by the car and hospitalized.

Now he seemed to have completely forgotten about it.

"Aren't you too old to be picking fights with a child?"

Rupert left her with those impatient words as he took Jared from Irene's arms.

From every angle, they looked exactly like a loving family.

Parents in love, child adorable.

Only Harper stood alone, watching as the bedroom door closed.

A bitter, painful smile crossed her lips.

From beginning to end, not a single person had shown concern for her condition.

Harper tilted her head back, her eyes feeling as if they'd been filled with sand, grinding painfully.

The laughter from the bedroom echoed while she stood alone in the living room.. Even in obvious pain, Rupert offered her not a single word of concern.

All the years of humiliation and hardship spent in Rupert's shadow came rushing back.

She felt, all at once, like a joke. A complete, utter joke.

The next day, Harper forced herself to go to work despite her condition.

With Rupert's attention entirely on Irene, all the complex business matters fell to Harper.

After a full day's work, Harper was dizzy and exhausted, she hadn't even had time for launch.

Just as she massaged her temples, her phone suddenly rang.

It was Rupert's friend.

"Harper, Rupert's had too much to drink. We're at the bar. You should come pick him up."

"I'll be right there."

After hanging up, Harper grabbed her car keys and rushed to the bar.

As she reached the private Rupert was, she paused outside , the sound of raucous laughter coming from within.

"Rupert, you lucky dog! A wife at home and a hot stepsister too—living the dream! Tell us honestly, which one do you prefer? The wife or the stepsister? Which one gives you more satisfaction?"

Harpercame to an abrupt halt, instinctively holdingher breath.