The Withering of Love

"Ms. Spencer, your condition is extremely rare. If you don't seek treatment soon, it could be life-threatening."

In the hospital room, the doctor handed a diagnostic report confirming Kallmann syndrome to Yanny Spencer. "I'm sorry, our medical capabilities here are limited. I've heard there are relevant treatment options in Novaria. You need to discuss this with your family as soon as possible and make a decision."

Yanny took the thick stack of reports, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably.

She hesitated for a long time before dialing her husband, Ethan Smith.

The phone rang for a long while unanswered. Just as she was about to give up, the call was suddenly picked up, the background somewhat noisy.

"Is something wrong?" Ethan's tone was impatient.

Just as Yanny was about to speak, a delicate female voice came from the other end of the line, "Ethan, can I wear your bathrobe?"

Her heart sank abruptly. Was Ethan with another woman again?

"You can," Ethan replied, then said to Yanny on the phone, "I'm busy with something. I'm hanging up."

He ended the call hastily.

Ethan was a germaphobe and never let outsiders touch his things.

Now he was letting this woman wear his bathrobe, which spoke volumes about their relationship.

Yanny stood stunned, holding the phone for a long time, feeling only exhaustion.

In her three years of marriage, incidents like this had happened more than once.

She and Ethan were in a business marriage. When her grandfather had told her that her marriage partner was Ethan, she had been overjoyed for a long time.

Because she had a long-standing secret crush on Ethan, marrying him was something Yanny hadn't even dared to hope for in her wildest dreams.

However, married life was not a continuation of happiness but the beginning of a nightmare.

For three years, Ethan had been cool and distant with her, while frequently being linked to other women in scandals.

Everyone in their high-society circle secretly mocked her for being Mrs. Smith in name only.

Ethan frequently had affairs with other women and never shied away from letting Yanny know.

Whenever Yanny confronted him, Ethan would just look at her coldly, a disdainful smirk on his lips. "Yanny, this is just a business marriage. You're overstepping your bounds."

From the initial pain and suffering, she had gradually grown numb.

She knew very well that Ethan was deliberately humiliating her.

Yanny returned home, utterly crestfallen.

As soon as she entered, she saw her mother-in-law, Bianca Johnson, sitting on the living room sofa with a grim expression.

"You're finally back?" The moment Bianca saw her, she threw several photos onto the coffee table. "Look at what you've done! You can't even keep your own husband in check. Is this how you act as Mrs. Smith? Useless!"

Yanny glanced at the photos. They were intimate pictures of Ethan and a young woman on the deck of a private yacht.

The woman was wearing the very dark gray silk bathrobe Ethan often wore, caught perfectly by the paparazzi.

Bianca looked at her coldly. "I don't care what you have to do, just make this news disappear immediately! Ethan is about to preside over an important overseas merger and acquisition. There can't be any negative news affecting the group's stock price and his image!"

Yanny lowered her head and said softly, "I know, Mom."

Every time Ethan was involved in a scandal, Bianca never blamed her own son but shifted all the responsibility onto her and made her handle it.

"I really don't understand why Mother insisted on you being her granddaughter-in-law. You're clearly good for nothing," Bianca muttered disdainfully before getting up and leaving.

Yanny picked up the photos to examine them.

When she saw the woman's face clearly in the pictures, her heart tightened.

She knew this woman. It was Ethan's first love, Maisie Brown.

Was she back in the country?

Yanny immediately scrolled through the comments below, which were almost uniformly blessings.

[Ms. Brown and Mr. Smith are such a perfect couple. They got together back in their school days, and Mr. Smith even chartered an entire yacht for her.]

[Exactly. I heard Mr. Smith got married, but I don't believe it. He loves Ms. Brown so much, how could he possibly marry another woman?]

Since Yanny had married Ethan, he had rarely acknowledged their relationship in public.

It was as if in his mind, she was not worthy of being Mrs. Smith.

So, many media outlets believed Ethan was still single, waiting for Maisie to return.

The major entertainment sections were all sensationalizing the CEO of the Smith Group's rendezvous with his first love on a yacht, speculating a rekindling of their old flame. In the photos, Maisie was all smiles, nestled against Ethan.

Ethan, in turn, looked at her with a doting expression, a tenderness in his eyes that Yanny had never seen.

It turned out he wasn't cold by nature; he had just reserved all his gentleness for Maisie.

Yanny's heart sank bit by bit.

She had only learned of Maisie's existence after marrying Ethan.

Back then, Ethan's grandmother, Cleo Williams, had opposed their relationship. Maisie had left the country in a fit of pique, and because of this, Ethan had never been pleasant to Yanny.

Yanny knew that the previous scandals were just Ethan playing around, but Maisie was different. This time, he was serious.

It was late at night when Ethan returned.

Seeing the living room light still on and Yanny sitting on the sofa, Ethan frowned. "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Yanny pushed the photos on the table toward him. "Mom wants me to handle this."

Ethan glanced at the photos, his brow furrowing even tighter. "Just be the nominal Mrs. Smith you are. Don't meddle in things that don't concern you."

Yanny looked up, her gaze fixed on him. "This time, you're serious, aren't you?"

Ethan replied coldly, "It has nothing to do with you."

With that, he took off his jacket and walked straight to the bathroom.

Yanny shook her head helplessly. As usual, she went over, picked up his jacket, and prepared to have the maid send it for cleaning.

For three years, she had been like the most dedicated housekeeper, taking care of his every need. Yet, not only did he show no gratitude, but he also often mocked her, saying she would do anything to be Mrs. Smith.

Yanny was tired, weary. The initial heartbreak and sadness had gradually turned into numbness.

Suddenly, her gaze froze on the collar of the suit jacket. There was a lipstick stain. She didn't have to guess to know it was from Maisie.

Remembering their intimate posture in the photos, Yanny's eyes reddened instantly.

Just then, her phone rang. It was the hospital.

"Ms. Spencer, I've contacted the hospital in Novaria for you. The professor there has reviewed your report and agreed to accept you, but his schedule is very full. This is your last chance for the near future. I hope you can consider it soon..."

Yanny glanced at the lipstick stain on Ethan's collar, then looked up and said, "There's no need to consider. I'll go."