Second Chance: Marrying into Wealth

When Lawrence Phillips called to say he wouldn't be home for dinner, I had just placed the last dish on the table.

In the video, Lawrence's handsome face was full of guilt. "I'm sorry, Honey. You know the company is in a growth phase, and I really can't avoid entertaining clients!"

Lawrence is my husband.

Since my parents passed away, he knelt in front of their graves and swore to take care of me for life, to give me a worry-free life. This was already the seventh time this month that he didn't come home because of client meetings.

I felt a bit disappointed, but more than that, I felt heartache.

Today is his birthday. I had planned to cook a meal of his favorite dishes to celebrate, but he was so busy working for our future that he couldn't even come home.

"It's okay." He seemed to be hiding in the bathroom to call me. I looked at the white wall behind him and the noisy background outside, and said softly, "Drink less alcohol. If it's too late and unsafe, don't come back tonight. Come back tomorrow."

Lawrence looked instantly moved. "Honey, you're too good to me. Marrying you is my greatest fortune!"

He wanted to say more, but there was a sudden knock on the door.

Then a charming female voice sounded, "Lawrence, are you ready?"

My heart tightened. That voice and that address.

Just as I was about to ask, Lawrence hurriedly said, "Honey, the client is urging me. I can't talk now. Love you!"

With that, he kissed the screen and hung up the video call.

On my end, I felt a moment of unease.

Even if a client didn't call him Mr. Phillips, they shouldn't address him so intimately, right?

But that woman called him so intimately?

Maybe she was an assistant or something from the client's side.

Isn't it common now to use more intimate addresses to build closer relationships?

However, suspicion, like a seed, had been planted in my heart.

I ate dinner without tasting it and kept comforting myself while washing up, thinking it might be the pregnancy hormones making me suspicious.

Lawrence loves me so much, is gentle and considerate. He doesn't seem like someone who would mess around outside.

Even though I kept telling myself this, I still slept uneasily.

In a daze, I suddenly heard my phone ring.

Instinctively, I picked it up, thinking it was Lawrence calling for me to pick him up.

"Hello?"

I called out, but there was no response from Lawrence's end, only the sound of intertwined heavy breathing.

I froze, my heart tightening.

I sat up, clutching the blanket, and turned on the light. "Hello, speak up. Who are you?"

My heart was in my throat, and unease gripped my throat, making it hard to breathe.

The breathing continued, but then a charming voice spoke.

"Every time you see me, it's like you haven't had sex in ages, wanting to devour me. How does Melinda even manage to be your wife, leaving you so unsatisfied!"

Melinda Turner, that's my name.

Hearing this, I held my breath instinctively.

Then I heard a very familiar voice, but in a tone of disdain I had never heard before.

"Why bring up that fat and ugly Melinda at a time like this? It's disgusting!"

Boom!

That sentence was like a thunderbolt, making my head buzz.

In the later stages of my pregnancy, my appetite had increased significantly, and I had gained over thirty pounds.

I had gone from a slender figure of over ninety pounds to a plump one of over one hundred and twenty pounds.

My once well-defined face had become puffy like a steamed bun, oily, and covered with pregnancy spots.

Often, I couldn't help but feel disgusted when I looked in the mirror.

I was so anxious that I couldn't eat or sleep well, and I had asked Lawrence more than once if he would find me repulsive now.

But he would hold me and comfort me in the gentlest and most patient tone, "Melinda, what are you talking about? Am I the kind of ungrateful person? You became like this to have our child. I love you too much to ever find you repulsive."

At that time, I was deeply moved by his words, feeling that I had found the best man in the world.

But now, I felt like I was soaked in ice water, the cold seeping into my body, freezing me.

The woman giggled, "If you find her so repulsive, why don't you divorce her? Every time you see me, you use clients as an excuse. What client would let you mess around like this?"

"Honey, I have no choice," Lawrence said helplessly. "She's pregnant now. Even if I wanted a divorce, I couldn't get one. Be patient, I promise I'll do what I said."

The woman hit him playfully, "You just know how to sweet-talk me. If you really can't stand her, how did she get pregnant?"

Lawrence chuckled, "I guess I wasn't trying hard enough, letting you have the time to think about these things!"

With that, there were a few forceful thrusts, the sound of slapping flesh filling the air, making me almost vomit.

The woman's voice broke into fragments, unable to speak, leaving only the sounds of their lovemaking.

I couldn't listen anymore and hung up the phone.

The bedroom was very quiet, so quiet that only my disbelieving breaths could be heard.

I clutched my phone tightly, still in a daze.

I couldn't believe that Lawrence, who loved me so much, had really betrayed me.

Lawrence and I were college classmates. During military training, the boys and girls were separated into different squads.

But because of friendly competitions between squads, I met him.

At that time, we were arranged to spar against each other. As soon as he saw me, his face turned red.

He was the training model of his squad, but he deliberately lost to me.

Everyone in both squads was cheering. I watched Lawrence, looking handsome and refined in his uniform, his face as red as a tomato in the autumn sun, too shy to even look at me directly.

That scene, which I recalled countless times, made my heart race!

After that, he confessed to me, and I accepted. We got together.

On the day of our graduation, he represented the outstanding students and gave a speech. But on stage, he directly proposed to me.

He said I was his first love, and from the moment he saw me, he knew I was the one for him.

He said all his efforts were to give me a better life in the future.

He said I was his lifelong pursuit, his greatest treasure, which is why he always called me Honey.

He said a lot that day, and many classmates in the auditorium were moved to tears.

Everyone was cheering for me to marry him, and even many teachers were optimistic about us.

How could Lawrence, who once loved me so much and put me on a pedestal, suddenly stop loving me?

Taking a deep breath, I decided to confront Lawrence.

I immediately dialed his number.

The first time he didn't answer, the second time it was hung up, and the third time it rang almost to the end before he picked up.

Lawrence's voice was very low, as if he was covering the phone and speaking cautiously, "What's wrong, Honey? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Where are you?" I didn't question him immediately.

Lawrence said, "I'm still entertaining clients. It will probably end very late. I really want to hold you and sleep right now, but I can't. For the sake of our future and the baby, you'll have to sleep alone tonight."

"Are you really entertaining clients?" I couldn't hold back, my voice turning cold.

Faced with my questioning, Lawrence didn't get angry. He patiently comforted me, "Honey, is the baby bothering you again? Don't be mad. When he's born, I'll definitely spank him. Don't overthink it, get some rest. I have to go now, love you!"

With that, he hung up the phone.

He sounded like a hardworking, good man, making it hard to doubt him.

If I hadn't just heard his conversation with that woman, I would have been fooled again.

I was about to call again to test him, but before I could dial, I received a video.

The video was sent from Lawrence's phone. I thought he was trying to prove to me that he was indeed with clients.

But when I opened it, I saw a mess of clothes.

Lawrence's white shirt and a woman's red lingerie were intertwined, the diamond-shaped cufflinks reflecting the warm orange light.

Those cufflinks were a gift I carefully chose for him on our wedding day!

I couldn't possibly be mistaken!

So, Lawrence really did cheat!