Blurb：
Dive into the magical world of Eldoria, where ancient prophecies and dark forces collide. Follow the journey of Elara, a young sorceress with untapped powers, and Kaelen, a rogue warrior haunted by his past. As they battle the sinister Shadow King and uncover the secrets of the Crystal of Eternity, their fates intertwine in this gripping tale of courage and destiny. Perfect for fans of high fantasy, magic systems, and character-driven plots. Discover why readers are obsessed with Eldoria’s rich lore and unforgettable heroes!
Content：
In the seventh year of my marriage to Simon Heath, I finally walk away from him after his 32nd mistress shows up at my door.
I join a classified government program and disappear from his world. Now he’s falling apart and calling me non-stop.
Lily, I was wrong. Please come back.
In the past, a single word of apology from him would have been enough to make me stay.
But not this time.
This time, he’s bound to be disappointed.
Chapter 1
I was in the kitchen making dinner for Simon Heath when his 32nd mistress walked through the door.
The young woman standing before me couldn’t have been more than 20. She was young and beautiful and had a cheerful smile.
She gave me a dismissive glance and said smugly, “Mrs. Heath, my name is Sophie Martinez. I’m Simon’s girlfriend.”
Her eyes landed on my apron, and she sneered.
“The Heath family can’t even afford a maid? I guess that’s how it looks when someone stops caring,” she teased. “He says the kitchen’s too greasy and smoky, so he’d never let me set foot in there.”
Hearing that, I found myself staring at Sophie’s pale, dainty fingers. Her words made me zone out for a second.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my finger. When I came back to my senses, blood was already dripping down my hand.
Sophie laughed even harder when she saw the vacant despair in my eyes.
She purred, “Let’s be honest, Mrs. Heath. The one he doesn’t love is always the third party. Simon loves me, and you’re just a box he checks.”
As she said that, she gently placed her hand on her lower abdomen. There was a bright, expectant gleam in her eyes.
For some reason, I felt like laughing.
Every time one of Simon’s 31 mistresses confronted me, they declared their love was genuine. However, he would dump every single one of them without fail.
I figured this time would be no different, but something about Sophie made me uneasy. My heart was racing for no reason, like something was spinning out of control.
When she saw I wasn’t reacting, she grew more agitated.
“Lily Taylor, why is a washed-up woman like you still clinging to Simon like a parasite? Don’t you realize you’re just dead weight dragging him down? You bring nothing to the table and can’t even give him a child.”
She pulled out her phone and shoved it in my face, showing off her messages with Simon.
My mind went blank as I looked at their sweet, affectionate conversations on the screen.
It turned out he could be thoughtful enough to remind her to eat breakfast on time and go to bed early at night. He even shared many random stories with Sophie, like how he spotted a stray cat on the street and so on.
Sophie tucked her phone away and strutted out in her heels.
I ignored the blood still dripping down my hand, reached for my phone, and then scrolled through my chat history with Simon.
Looking back, it was always me keeping the conversation going. All he ever replied with were clipped responses—”Yeah.” “Okay.” “Got it.”
I chuckled wryly, then I called him.
Simon picked up almost immediately, and he asked coldly, “What is it?”
Hearing his voice made my chest tighten with that familiar ache and bitter disappointment. Still, I told him about Sophie’s visit.
The breathing on the other end suddenly became erratic. After a while, his urgent voice came through.
“She’s still young. I’ll talk to her later.”
Hearing that, the truth slowly sank in. Having known Simon for so many years and loved him for just as long, how could I not understand that he had already fallen for Sophie?
I looked at the burned food on the stove and smiled bitterly.
I should’ve known that this marriage was already over.
Chapter 2
“Lily, you need to think this thoroughly. Once you join the Pioneer Program, you’ll be sent to the Norwood Research Institute. You won’t be allowed to share your location with anyone.”
Charles Morgan, the elderly researcher with a full head of gray hair, paused as he spoke.
“All your phone calls will be monitored, and you probably won’t be able to come home. Even if someone in your family dies, you still won’t be allowed to leave.”
Tears welled up in his eyes, and he quietly wiped them away.
Seeing him like this made me uneasy, so I poured him a cup of warm water.
“You know my parents were in the military,” I said firmly. “If I can serve my country in my own way, I think they’d be proud of me.”
Charles was moved by my words, but he still tried to talk me out of it.
“That’s exactly why we don’t want anything to happen to you. Your parents were heroes who gave their lives for this country.
“You need to understand that the Norwood Research Institute handles classified national security work. It’s dangerous, and you’re still young…”
He paused before continuing, “If you can’t handle it and regret your decision later, there’s no going back.”
I knew exactly what they were thinking. In their eyes, I was still too young to walk this path and too young to endure something so demanding and dangerous. They believed there had to be a better, brighter future waiting for me, one that didn’t involve hardship and sacrifice.
But looking at Charles’ frail frame, something tugged at my heart. They had all dedicated themselves to their country, so why couldn’t I do the same?
I cut him off, not out of rudeness, but because I’d already made up my mind.
“Dr. Morgan, I’ve considered all the concerns you’ve raised. I don’t have parents, children, or even close friends. There’s nothing keeping me from moving forward.”
As I said that, I thought of Simon. My chest tightened with that familiar ache. Maybe it was because we were about to part ways, but all I could think about were the good memories.
Whenever I tried to forgive him, I always thought of his 32 mistresses. Tears welled up, and I fought to hold back the pain.
“I’m filing for divorce soon. My husband and I haven’t had feelings for each other in a long time. Instead of staying here wallowing in self-pity, I’d rather put all my time into research.”
Seeing how resolute I was, Charles sighed deeply and pulled out a classified document from his worn briefcase. When I signed the nondisclosure agreement, his eyes were filled with tears.
“Ms. Taylor, welcome to the Pioneer Program. This is your relocation package. The agency provides for those who serve.”
I expected to leave with him immediately, but he gave me two months to say my farewells to the few people who still mattered to me.
As I watched Charles’ frail figure disappear down the hallway, a bitter smile tugged at my lips. That was when it hit me that I’d been essentially alone in this city for years.
Throughout my seven-year marriage to Simon, my world had quietly narrowed to just him, while the rest of my relationships slowly withered away. Now, two months felt like an eternity.
“What are you doing?”
I heard a familiar voice behind me and turned to see Simon.
I was surprised to see him standing at the front door. I couldn’t remember when it started, but he rarely came home anymore. It was always me desperately asking when he’d be home, and only then would he reluctantly return.
Looking at that handsome face, I felt like I was seeing a stranger. After a moment’s hesitation, I decided not to tell him about leaving. In two months, I’d be gone anyway. After that, we’d be nothing more than strangers, so why bother explaining anything? He wouldn’t care either way.
Simon grew impatient when I didn’t answer him right away. I could hear the annoyance in his voice when he asked, “What did you say to Sophie today?”
I was slightly taken aback.
Then, he let out a low growl. “She’s still young and doesn’t know what she’s doing. Stop being so hard on her!”
Hearing Simon’s accusation, I smiled bitterly. In all our years of marriage, this was the first time he’d gotten angry at me over his mistress. There was no doubt in his voice that he was genuinely concerned about her.
I glanced at our wedding photo on the wall. We looked so happy back then, and the love in our eyes was unmistakable. Back then, the love was real. It just didn’t survive the slow grind of everyday arguments.
When we were still in love, I used to worry about our future and ask whether there would be a seven-year itch between us.
Whenever I asked him this question, Simon would hold me tight and reply, “Nothing would happen. We grew up together, and we’ve already made it through plenty of seven-year marks.”
I’d get lost in his warm embrace and forget that marriage and dating were different things.
“Lily!”
Simon’s furious voice jolted me back to reality. Looking at his dark expression, I smiled faintly.
“I didn’t say anything to her. It was your girlfriend who came to our house to show off how in love you two are. She mocked me for being a dead weight that drags you down, and compared me to a maid. She also told me that I’m the third-party—”
Before I could finish, Simon frowned and looked at me coldly.
“Enough. Sophie’s just being childish. She didn’t mean anything by it. You’re overreacting again. Stop picking fights with her and try being a little more mature.”
Seeing how dismissive he was, I suddenly felt this wave of injustice I couldn’t swallow.
Just then, his phone rang. The moment he saw the caller ID, Simon’s expression instantly softened.
He answered the call, and hearing the sweet voice on the other end, his smile became even warmer.
Watching his retreating figure, I collapsed weakly onto the floor.
On the coffee table, the document envelope had “Non-Disclosure Agreement” stamped in bold black at the top, but Simon hadn’t even bothered to ask me about it. He wasn’t like this before.
Chapter 3
Simon and I grew up together.
My parents were both in the military. When I was young, I was kidnapped by terrorists who used me to threaten my parents. They tried to force my parents to betray the country and give in to their demands.
I was locked in a small, dark room while the terrorists and my parents faced off outside. I remembered pressing my ear hard against the cold metal door, desperate to hear my parents’ voices on the other side.
All I heard were gunshots, followed by silence. No matter how hard I screamed for them, no one answered. I was terrified, and I didn’t know how long I was trapped in that room before the door finally creaked open.
Simon’s frightened, anxious face appeared in front of me, followed by a crowd of police officers. I frantically scanned their faces, hoping to spot my parents. But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find them.
That was the day I learned my parents had sacrificed their lives while taking the terrorists down with them. They did it to save me and to end the threat for good.
Later, I became an orphan and no longer had a home. The Heath family took me in, and I lived with them thereafter.
After being held hostage by the terrorists and listening to my parents get killed, the trauma stayed with me. I was scared of the dark, couldn’t be alone, and didn’t trust anyone except Simon. On the day I was rescued, his tear-streaked face was the first thing I saw through the blinding sunlight.
During those days when I shut myself away from the world, he’d stay by my side. He’d hold my hand and sing me lullabies in a low, gentle voice. Whenever I jolted awake from a nightmare, the first thing I’d see was his worried face.
With the constant care of the Heath family and Simon, I slowly began to find my way out of that dark place. I still feared the dark and hated being alone, but as long as I could hear his voice, I could sleep.
So, he called me every night, just to soothe me until I drifted off. Even when nightmares startled me awake, his gentle voice was always there.
When I was 15, a guy from a neighboring school stopped me. His cheeks were red as he handed me a pink envelope.
I stood there frozen, not knowing what to do.
Simon suddenly appeared beside me. He returned the envelope to the guy and turned him down for me.
The guy frowned and snapped, “Who are you to her? What gives you the right to speak for her? Just because she lives in your house doesn’t mean you get to make decisions for her.”
Simon smiled faintly, then reached out to grab my hand. His voice was gentle, but left no room for argument.
“I’m Lily’s family member and also her boyfriend. Don’t you think I should have a say in her decision?”
I used to think the memories we shared were the sweetest part of my life. But now, seeing how deeply he and Sophie loved each other and how naturally they understood one another only made the pain worse.
I once believed Simon was my cure, but now he had become poison instead—the kind that ate me from the inside out.
I calmly went through our old photos and deleted them one by one. Then I gathered the gifts he’d given me over the years. There were expensive ones and cheap ones scattered throughout the house.
The cheapest was a flower crown that had long since withered and dried out. He had woven it for me himself on the day we decided to get married. I had preserved it carefully for seven years, but seeing it now, withered and decayed, I couldn’t help feeling melancholy.
While I was sorting through my belongings, Robert Heath and Carol Bennett, Simon’s parents, appeared in the doorway. Just seeing them filled me with guilt.
They had always treated me well, as if I were their own daughter. And yet I was ready to walk away without a word, never once thinking how much it would hurt them to find out this way.
When Carol saw me going through my things, she looked puzzled.
“What are you doing with all this stuff? Did that rascal Simon make you upset again?” she asked.
When I noticed the warmth in her eyes, my chest tightened. I wanted to throw myself into her arms and spill out everything I’d been holding in, but I held back.
“I was worried things might get moldy, so I thought I’d air them out,” I said evenly.
Seeing them carrying so many bags, I was puzzled.
“Mom, Dad, why didn’t you tell us you were coming? I could have picked you up from the airport.”
Hearing that, Robert and Carol exchanged a complicated look. She wanted to say something, but he grabbed her hand and shook his head.
With no other choice, she forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“We hadn’t visited you two in a while, so we thought we’d come see how you’re doing. We just got off the plane and we’re a bit tired, so we’ll go rest now.”
With that, they practically fled upstairs.
I washed a bowl of cherries and grabbed the suitcase they’d left behind, heading upstairs to find them.
Then, I overheard Carol complaining to her husband, “Why wouldn’t you let me tell her?”
Robert replied helplessly, “Lily loves Simon so much. How could she possibly accept divorcing him?”
Her tone sharpened. “But Sophie is pregnant with Simon’s child. We can’t let this child be born out of wedlock.
“We’ve treated Lily well for over 20 years. Isn’t that enough? If she can’t have children, there are plenty of women who can. He likes Sophie too, so Lily should be sensible and agree to a divorce.”
Hearing their words, I stood frozen in place. After what felt like forever, I realized tears were streaming down my face.
I quickly turned and dragged the suitcase behind me, only for the latch to suddenly snap open. Baby items spilled out across the floor in front of me.
Chapter 4
I sat on the hotel bed and hesitated for a long time before finally calling Charles’ number. When he picked up, his voice was as calm and kind as always.
However, I could barely speak past the lump in my throat. I held back my tears and pretended to sound calm.
“Everything’s taken care of on my end,” I said. “I can leave earlier than planned.”
A week later, I went to the hospital to collect my medical report.
During that entire week, neither Robert, Carol, nor Simon had reached out to me. It stung, but I understood that all they cared about now was Sophie and the baby she was carrying. To them, I was just a footnote in their lives.
I ran into Sophie at the hospital entrance. She was dressed to the nines. When she saw me, she gave me that wide-eyed, innocent look.
I had no interest in talking to her, so I quickened my pace to leave, but Sophie called out to me. I heard her voice, dripping with malice.
“Mrs. Heath, what brings you to the hospital?”
She ran a hand over her still-flat belly, then let her eyes drift slowly down to my waist. A smug little smile spread across her face, like something had just clicked.
She said, “Are you here for a checkup too? In my opinion, there’s no point in going through all that trouble. If you can’t conceive, then you can’t. No amount of testing will change that.
“Don’t tell me you’re getting desperate. For your information, a marriage without love is painful. You should give up sooner rather than later.”
Seeing the malice in Sophie’s smile, my patience finally ran out. I had no interest in arguing with her, so I turned to leave, but she grabbed my wrist.
Her grip was unexpectedly strong, and she squeezed it so hard that it hurt. I instinctively shook her hand away.
Sophie let out a sharp cry and fell to the ground. Clutching her belly, she said tearfully, “Mrs. Heath, I know you hate me, but the baby inside me is innocent. Simon and I truly love each other. Can’t you give us your blessing?”
I watched in stunned silence as she put on her act right there on the floor. Then, I heard an angry roar behind me.
“Lily! What the hell are you doing? Why did you push her?”
I turned around to see Simon’s face dark with fury. He rushed over and carefully helped Sophie to her feet.
She collapsed into his arms and sobbed pitifully.
“Simon, I’m scared… Mrs. Heath cornered me and wouldn’t let me leave. She called me a bitch and threatened to drag me to get an abortion. Please don’t hurt the baby. I’ll keep my distance from you and the baby and let you return to your wife.”
Hearing that, Simon flew into a rage. He raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face.
He spat coldly, “Lily, when did you become so cruel? If you’re upset, take it out on me. Sophie is innocent.”
I covered my stinging cheek, and whatever was left of my heart died right then.
The whole scene ended when Sophie fainted. Watching Simon panic over her, I felt utterly desolate. I called my lawyer and told him to deliver the divorce papers to him after I left. Since we’d grown to despise each other, it was better to let go.
With my mind finally made up, I walked—lighter than I’d felt in years—into the office of the doctor assigned to examine the government researcher.
When he saw me, his expression grew complicated. After a long silence, he said, “Ms. Taylor, you’re pregnant.”
Download the GoodNovel app, Search 【 319294 】reads the whole book.
