His Secret Wife, Her Public Shame

usband, Cleve, with a special ring. But at the jewelry store, my

ssolved a year ago. And worse, he had remarried the day after the divorce was fi

overheard them. Ivanna, feigning vulnerability, asked what if I found out. Cleve chuckled, saying I was becom

dentical ring. But the lies were poison. I learned Ivanna had undergo

n. An anonymous message revealed Ivanna had switched his medication. At his funeral, Ivanna deliberately

ers. I overheard Ivanna confessing to Cleve that the car accident that fractured my

But I wouldn't be their

pte

s marriage to Cleve Drake. The five years had passed

e drove to the most exclusive jewelry sto

ve-Year Vow," and they only sold these rings to couples who could prove they had been married for exac

but distant smile greeted her. Cecil pointed to the ring she had seen onli

urchase this o

, for the Five-Year Vow collection, we require

lling the documents from her

uring Cleve' s face when he saw the ring. He wasn't a man who cared for fla

rned a few minutes l

stiff. "There seems to be a problem. The sy

t do you mean? Is i

ficate number you provided is invalid. It

as wasting her time with a fake document. The other cus

can't be right. We've been married for five

pite the strange situation. A doctor' s

," the salesperson said flat

simple explanation. "I see. I'll go to the city hall

ents, and left the store, the weight of

It was loud, crowded, and smelled of old paper. Cecil w

the clerk, a middle-aged woman with tired eyes. The

ssion turning strange. She looked up at Cecil, then back

ding to our records, your marriage to M

. It was like hearing a dia

her voice shaking slightly. "We are mar

derstand this may be difficult, but the records are clea

looking un

Cecil pressed, her he

ed. He remarried the day afte

as if Cecil were some delusional woman

ention from people nearby. "I am Cecil Farley. I am Cleve D

ng. A mistake. It

ion. "The system is never wrong, ma'am. The divorce w

d white, was the undeniable proof. Divorce decree, date

and... Iva

the orphanage that Cleve's family charity had sponsored for years. The g

d into a dull roar in her ears. Her legs felt weak

thing, her voice distant.

out of the building and into the harsh afternoon s

. She pulled it out with numb

it for our anniversary tom

oke. A phantom limb of a

r around her. Her mind flooded with memories. Cleve,

the beach. He had fought off bullies who made fun of her for being bookish in hi

ard times. Their business collapsed, their wealth seiz

ay then, too proud to let him

better, Cleve. I can't

anything but you, Cecil. I'll wait. I'll b

worked relentlessly. And when he became the tech mogul everyone kne

ported her through medical school, building a state-o

mentioned wanting to help underprivileged girls with a p

like a lie. A carefu

secret? Marry Ivanna? And then pretend f

ut no answers came. She couldn't understa

She couldn't wait. She needed to

ers, the building he had built from the ground up. The buildin

obby, the staff greeting her with

t like a bran

p floor. His office door was slightly a

oor open, ready

en she

n his lap was Ivanna. His hands were wrapped around

She was wearing a dress that was a replica of one of Cecil's fav

ng a distorted ref

her name. Seeing him do it to another woman, a woman

over Ivanna's body, and she moaned softly, a

ess that made her want to vomit. She backed away, her h

ds, and the last remnant

embling with a practiced vulnerability.

ound. "She won't find out. And even

g to me. She was becoming too independent, too fo

dripping with false sincerity. "I don't want anything but t

s voice softening. "You're m

s title. The title he had just

er to challenge Cecil's position in public. You are my wife in

nna said meekly.

her obedience. "Good. Th

He opened it, and inside was a ring. The exact same ring Cecil had

"Oh, Cleve! I

id, his voice smooth as silk. "To celeb

g into the wall. The sound was soft, but in the charg

ed and fled, running from the office, from

blur of traffic and people. She didn't

and, laughing. The image was a stab to h

ve promising her forever. Cleve prote

secretly divorced her and installed a look-alike in her place. The man who

ated cruelty of i

a betrayal. It

in and started drinking, shot after shot of wh

t help. It only s

her out at closing time. She staggere

ing through the window. Cleve was sitting

ried. The butler said you came home dru

voice he had used to soothe her for tw

red at his hand, the hand that had held

he said softly, ignoring her

r blue velvet box.

s inside. She ha

Their anniversary was a li

Five-Year Vow" ring. An identical t

filled with what looked like love. "It symbolizes o

he one with her, or the on

his face. To claw at his handsome, lying fe

he di

of her. What was the point? The battle was already lost.

to salvage the last

at him. The love of her life.

e would not give him the satisfaction of a

d just d