Late at night.

Inside the Leng family mansion, located in the prime district of City A.

Bai YiYi weakly scanned the extravagant, somewhat fantastical lounge, finding it both unfamiliar and heart-wrenching.

Home!

This was the home where she and Leng YunTian had been residing for a year.

A sense of helplessness crawls up to the corner of Bai YiYi's mouth.

She tucks away today's newspaper, where her husband, Leng YunTian, was caught embracing a beauty.

Such tabloid news would occasionally surface on newspapers, magazines, or even television.

Bai YiYi had grown accustomed to it.

She weakly nestled into the sofa, hugging her legs, taking back her vacant stare, as an ice-cold tear unconsciously slid down from the corner of her eye.

From outside the door came a distinct, yet unsettlingly familiar, dull footstep.

Bai YiYi hastily wipes away the tear at the corner of her eye.

He once said he detested women crying.

Now, if he saw her shedding tears, he would be displeased again.

Bai YiYi instinctively straightens her back.

The door opened.

Suddenly, the living room became quiet, so quiet that you could hear his somewhat chaotic breathing.

Bai Yiyi turned her head and saw that handsome yet extraordinarily cold face. His cool eyes reflected a hint of drunkenness.

He had been drinking again.

Bai Yiyi shuddered involuntarily.

Despite being her husband for a year, he always felt like a transient guest in this house.

He would visit at random intervals and each visit would entail a mental and physical ordeal for Bai Yiyi. When he was drunk, the ordeal only intensified.

His arrival filled Bai Yiyi's heart with chills, despite it being July.

"You… you're back?" Bai Yiyi timidly asked.

Leng Yuntian didn't answer and merely furrowed his brow.

He elegantly kicked off his shoes and began unbuttoning his shirt, exposing his robust, tawny chest.

"Come here!" Leng Yuntian seemed rather unsatisfied as he looked at Bai Yiyi, who was still frozen on the sofa. "Can't you see your husband is home?"

Bai Yiyi got up and cautiously approached him.

Before she could get close, he abruptly pulled her into his arms.

Tightly held against his chest, she could smell the scent of alcohol on his breath, only just masked by his aftershave.

Bai Yiyi bit her lip, feeling a piercing pain in her heart.

The newspaper reported that Mu Yanxi recently keeps close company with Leng Yuntian. This woman happens to be Bai Yiyi's university classmate, and they have a good relationship. It is well-known that she has an insurmountable political background.

He takes her to various important events, making even Yiyi convinced that she should be Leng Yuntian's true love. Meanwhile, she herself is just a big joke.

The wife stays alone at home, while the husband flies bright flags outside.

In Bai Yiyi's mind, there emerges an image of a woman snuggling up to her husband like a clinging bird. Their affectionate pictures have almost taken up most of the newspaper layout.

Bai Yiyi is not a puppet. When she saw these, she would suffocate from heart pain, but she never had a fight or quarrel with Leng Yuntian.

It's not that she dare not, but she understands that for him and even for her, their marriage is just a sham.

She, this wife, might be dismissed under his wrath today, or maybe tomorrow.

On the day Leng Yuntian married her, he bluntly told her, "You should understand the reason for this marriage. Don't expect me to love you, or think that you can truly be my wife. When I've had enough, you could cease to be Mrs. Leng at any moment!"

Up to now, the words he said after a bit of drink on their wedding night still bleed like a deep wound in Bai Yiyi's heart.

Therefore, no matter how he behaves outside, why should her, a wife who might lose her position at any moment, complain about it?

Seeing Bai Yiyi in a state of drifting thought, a cold smirk appeared on the corner of Leng Yuntian’s mouth.

Is this woman always so absent-minded?

He didn’t care. His hand began to roam flagrantly up and down her slim nightdress.

Action speaks louder than words for Leng Yuntian when dealing with Bai Yiyi.

Before Bai Yiyi had fully prepared, Leng Yuntian's lips dominated hers, greedily invading her defenses. Her silky nightgown was soon torn apart by him.