Blurb：
Yvonne attempts suicide after Adrian Shepherd’s cruel rejection, only to survive and become a celebrated artist. When the truth about Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd’s fatal accident emerges, Adrian desperately seeks forgiveness. At her global award celebration hosted by Kyle, Yvonne overhears Adrian shamelessly praising Chloe Lynn while vilifying her. Unbeknownst to him, Yvonne secretly supported him through his darkest days—cooking meals delivered by Chloe and securing investments for his company. Now successful and married to Kyle Grant, Yvonne confronts her painful past in Seattle’s elite art circles, where Ms. John’s former students and Adrian’s hypocrisy collide. Will Adrian uncover Chloe’s deception? Can Yvonne’s art heal her scars?
Content：
The day I decided to end my life, I couldn’t help but call Adrian Shepherd.
He said, Yvonne, the biggest regret of my life was ever meeting you! Do us all a favor and just die already!
The call ended.
I laughed at my own foolish hope, thinking I might get even a shred of comfort from him.
From the day Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd died in a car accident on their way to my commencement ceremony, my dear Adrian was gone forever.
Out of sheer despair, I slit my wrists.
I didn’t die.
Instead, I became a somewhat well-known rising artist.
Later, the truth behind the Shepherds’ accident came out, and Adrian begged me frantically for forgiveness.
…
The day my painting won an global award, Kyle was overjoyed.
He had invited almost everyone from Seattle’s art scene to celebrate for me.
While hiding in the corridor, I saw Adrian.
He was surrounded by a bunch of people.
Most were former students of Ms. John, all now fairly established in Seattle’s art circles.
“Hey, doesn anyone think the lady of the hour, Mrs. Grant, kinda looks like Yvonne?” said an former acquaintance.
His words were barely out before someone next to elbowed him.
But the atmosphere had already visibly chilled.
Adrian’s face darkened. “Haven’t I said it before? Don’t ever mention that name at any occasion I’m present.”
Someone quickly chimed in, “Yeah, yeah, Mark has no tact, don’t mind him. A bitch like Yvonne couldn’t marry you even in a thousand lifetimes , let alone win some international award.”
“Absolutely! Only our Chloe stood by you, Adrian, even when you were down and out.”
“That woman Yvonne isn’t even fit to be compared to Chloe,” Adrian sneered.
Adrian smiled, looking down tenderly at Chloe Lynn, who was holding his arm. The affection in his eyes was plain to see.
“Yeah, I really owe everything these past years to Chloe. I, Adrian Shepherd, only love Chloe Lynn in my life. I will treat her well, always.”
He spoke with so much emotion, his eyes even glistening slightly.
I couldn’t help but let out a scornful laugh.
Adrian probably never known that all those meals Chloe supposedly brought to him were actually cooked by me. I’d rushed to use the first free stove in a cramped, shared kitchen in a poor neighborhood, often in freezing weather just a few degrees above zero.
The investment that saved his company was something I almost traded my own well-being for.
Back then, he hated my guts because of his parents’ death.
I was too scared to show my face, but I was terrified he would work himself into ruin.
I could only beg Chloe, plead with her to help me deliver meals to Adrian.
Once, I slipped and fell on the bus, covered in mud. When I pulled the intact lunchbox from my backpack, Chloe looked at me like I was trash.
She said, “Yvonne, are you just born a masochist? After all Adrian’s done to you, you still grovel and degrade yourself?”
I just stood there numb, handed her the lunchbox, and thanked her emptily.
“You know, he was so touched hearing I got up before dawn to cook for him. It almost made me feel bad keeping up the lie.”
“What if I told him all these meals were made by you? Think he’d puke up everything he’s eaten these past days?”
That got a reaction out of me. “What do you want?”.
She laughed. “Look at you, scrimping so much you won’t even take the bus. You must have saved up a bit. I’m not like you, I’m used to proper upkeep. Tell you what, give me a thousand, and I’ll keep delivering your meals. Sound good?”
The wind stung my face extra hard that day. I handed over the thousand dollars I’d scraped together with so much effort.
A thousand bucks. How many hours would I have to work my menial job in the cold to earn that back….
…
The fawning over the happy couple over there continued, but I’d lost all interest.
It was just my luck. I’d stood there listening for so long unnoticed, but the moment I decided to leave, Adrian spotted me.
Adrian’s face instantly turned icy.
He caught up and yanked me back, making me stumble.
“Yvonne, why aren’t you dead yet? How dare you stand here?”
His voice was vicious, his expression so twisted it made his handsome face look ugly.
I smiled. “Mr. Shepherd, I assume you’ve matured somewhat over the years? Do you really intend to cause a scene at the Grants’ party?”
His expression soured further. His eyes boring into mine, one hand clamping down hard on my wrist. “Yvonne, you disgust me.”
“I truly regret ever letting Mom bring you home. You killed my parents.”
“You garbage, you jinx. How dare you live so well.”
He spat the words through gritted teeth, each one bursting with bitter venom.
He was gripping me so tight it hurt. My face cooled.
I used to not be able to handle him bringing up Ms. John’s death.
Every time he said those things, my heart would be swamped with overwhelming guilt and pain, leaving no room to breathe.
Back then, I endured all his anger and humiliation. Carrying the guilt of killing Ms. John, I servilely tried to please him, to love him.
Later, Kyle spent a long time taking me to see many doctors before I finally broke free from that guilt.
I met his gaze directly. “Adrian, do you truly believe Ms. John and your dad died because of me? Or are you just shifting the blame onto me so you can live with yourself?”
Adrian was stunned for a brief moment. Then, like an enraged leopard, he shoved me hard to the ground, just like he’d done countless times before.
Luckily, Kyle was here this time. He caught me in time.
“Mr. Shepherd, this is not a place for you to theatrics. If you can’t control yourself, I won’t mind having security escort you out,” Kyle’s voice was cool, his hand patting my shoulder reassuringly.
Adrian opened his moutsearching for a defense, but his tongue seemed to tie itself into knots under Kyle’s steely gaze.
“Mr. Grant, I… I’m sorry, I lost my temper. It’s just… this woman is too vile. She killed my parents, she deceived me…”
Kyle’s captivating eyes narrowed. I think he noticed the red marks on my wrist from Adrian’s grip.
Before he could erupt, I looped my arm around his waist first. “Darling, this party is really important to me. Don’t make a scene here, okay?”
I knew Kyle was weak to me acting like this.
“What? Can’t bear to see me rough up this man?” Kyle’s tone held a dangerous edge.
“How could that be?” I let out a light laugh. “Does he worth you personally teaching him a lesson?”
I turned to the security who had followed Kyle over. “Keep an eye on these gentlemen. Don’t let them cause any more of a spectacle and ruin my party.”
I knew Adrian and his crew’s faces must be ashen.
Who would have thought the wtetch they once stepped on would, in one day, become the woman of the head of Seattle’s most powful family?
Especially since they’d just been trashing me to curry favor with Adrian.
“Hearing yourself get trashed like that, you don’t want to teach them a lesson?” Kyle deliberately whispered by my ear.
My heart itched. I turned my head and bit his lip.
“They’re just a bunch of spineless fence-sitters. No need to bother with them. Seeing me live so well now is sour enough for them.”
I hung half my body on Kyle without a care for the audience and complained coyly, “It’s all your fault for holding me so tight just now. You wrinkled my dress. Come with me to change.”
After we left, those people seemed to snap out of their shock.
“Yvonne… she really is Mrs. Grant?” someone said.
“Impossible! She’s just damaged goods I once played with. How could the Grant marry a woman like her?” Adrian’s voice held a panic even he didn’t notice.
“Right! Probably just some plaything Mr. Grant keeps on the side. Just wait, at a formal event like this with the real wife present, she’s in for some humiliation.”
“Yeah, yeah, we said such awful things about her, and Mr. Grant didn’t even bother with us. Seems he doesn’t care that much about her.”
A chorus of agreement rose.
Soon, in the main hall, the party reached its climax. After speeches from the emcee and industry giants, I gracefully took the stage.
“Thank you all for taking the time to be here for me.” My gaze swept around. I saw the group that had been around Adrian turn pale. Those with sense had already put distance between themselves and him.
…
“Actually, winning this award, I must thank my husband for his care and companionship these three years.” I looked at Kyle, seeing the smile reaching his eyes.
“But the person I need to thank even more is my mentor. Although she can’t be here today, I will always remember Ms. John’s training and care for me. Without her, I probably would have abandoned my brush long ago…”
“You murderer! You monster! How dare you mention my mother!” Adrian interrupted my speech.
The security around him was trying hard to restrain him, but he was like a wounded leopard, his face flushed crimson, eyes wide with rage, charging toward the stage.
Kyle stepped sternly in front of me and kicked Adrian, who was rushing over.
“Mr. Shepherd, words require evidence. Slandering my wife in public like thismy legal team at Grant Corp isn’t for show,” Kyle said, looking down at the kicked-down Adrian.
“Yvonne, dare you say my parents didn’t die because they were attending your goddamn commencement ceremony?” Adrian pinned down and used his mouth as his sharpest weapon.
“You killed them, and now you stand here feigning grief, profiting from their memory! Yvonne, you are the most disgusting, most shameless woman I’ve ever met!” Adrian’s voice was a raw, shredded scream.
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