Marrying the One Who Set Me Up

I deliberately wore a sexy slip dress, put on some flawless makeup, and let my long hair down. At 27, I'm in the prime of my life, with tight skin, a curvy figure, and big, expressive eyes. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought: I hope this will sort itself out! Not knowing how many people the other side would bring, and since I was the only woman facing them, I chose a busy KFC for the meeting. In case anything happened, I could call for help. Liam was sitting in a café across the street, secretly watching every move here, ready to jump in if needed. I got there 15 minutes early and found a seat by the street. I glanced around, and just then my phone rang. It was a message from Liam: "Huaihuai, I'm sorry. I promise you, I will treat you well from now on and love you for a lifetime!" Liam's message made me sick to my stomach, instantly reminding me of his face twisted with fear from the day before yesterday. That night, Liam returned home looking flustered and nervously shut the door: "I need to go back to my hometown to hide for a few days." I stared at him, confused: "What's wrong?" His eyes were evasive, looking very scared: "Someone's out to get me and said they'd come to my workplace when I'm at work." I thought he'd crossed the wrong people and continued to press him on what had happened. He hesitantly said, "Huaihuai, I'm sorry. I got involved with someone else's girlfriend, but she was the one who initiated it. Really. She was too forward..." Before Liam could finish, I slapped him. Liam shut up, and I was trembling with rage. The room fell silent, and the air felt like it had turned to stone. I started to cry, and when Liam tried to hold me, I pushed him away: "Get out, get the hell out." I cried while hitting and kicking Liam, but he still held me tightly. His strength was too much for me to break free, and I just cried in his arms. I don't remember how long I cried, only that eventually, even I felt it was pointless to continue. Liam saw I had stopped and said, "Huaihuai, what should I do? Help me think of a way. How about you come with me to my hometown for a few days? We'll come back when things settle down." I looked at his once handsome face, now turned cowardly and timid by fear, not like a real man at all, and slapped him again. Liam looked at me in astonishment, then quickly lowered his head without a word. But in an instant, my heart ached again; I was too in love with Liam. For four years, he had showered me with unwavering devotion, comforting me tenderly during my time of the month, always standing by my side whether I was right or wrong. The tender words he spoke warmed my heart, adrift in this big city. I took a deep breath and calmed down: "What's going on? Tell me everything without any lies." It was already half an hour past the agreed time, and the other person still hadn't shown up. I began to wonder if they were messing with me. Just then, the phone rang, "Hello, I'm here, at the entrance." I looked out the door, phone in hand, and saw a man about 1.8 meters tall with a well-proportioned build, his back to me. I guessed it must be him. "Right behind you," said the voice on the other end. Sure enough, it was him. He turned around, and for a moment, I thought I was seeing things—it was like a local version of Brad Pitt. Suddenly, I understood why Liam got involved with that girl; if she could date a guy like this, she must be quite beautiful too. Liam said the girl was a new colleague at the company. That day, while he was organizing things in the warehouse, the girl came in too. She asked Liam to help find something, and when Liam turned around, she kissed him. According to Liam, he pushed her away, but she kissed him again and grabbed his hand, placing it on her chest. Liam said that later the girl claimed she had something to do and left work early. Nothing else happened between them. Then Liam received a threatening call. I didn't fully believe Liam's story, but the main issue now was to deal with the girl's boyfriend. So, I asked Liam to call the girl's phone, and sure enough, her boyfriend answered. I arranged a meeting time with him to resolve this matter. When I heard his tone wasn't that hostile over the phone, I thought this might not be too complicated. The man sat down, and I asked, "Want an ice cream?" The man replied, "No, thanks." I got straight to the point, "What did your girlfriend tell you?" "She said your boyfriend forced her," I said, "Is that what she said? Do you believe it? In the company, with so many people around, could my boyfriend force someone just for a kiss?" We, the ones being cheated on, argued about who made the first move between those two, yet the cheaters themselves weren't present. I continued to press, "If you don't believe me, call her right now and ask." I thought the man wouldn't call, as being cheated on is quite embarrassing. But to my surprise, he didn't play by the rules; he not only called her but also put it on speaker. The girl stammered on the phone, avoiding the main issue, and I knew I had won. The man's expression remained unchanged. He calmly hung up and asked, "Want some fries?" I was puzzled but nodded nonetheless. So, he ordered some fries, brought them over, and handed them to me, saying, "I'm James. What's your name?" "Wang Huihui," I said, then tried to steer the conversation back to the main issue, "Here's the thing: my boyfriend didn't force your girlfriend; they were both willing. So, in fact, both you and I have been cheated on." James fixed his dark eyes on me and asked, "So why are you still helping him with this?" I avoided his gaze and silently asked myself: Yes, why am I still helping him? Liam and I met online when we were both in college. I was in Chenthor, and he was in a smaller city. After graduation, I stayed in Chenthor to work, while he remained in that smaller city, becoming a company supervisor. For us, who had just graduated, Liam's job seemed quite promising, being entrusted with responsibilities right after graduation. However, he loved me, and for me, he resolutely quit his job and came to Chenthor, searching the city for work. He eventually found a sales job. We rented an apartment together, bought second-hand furniture, decorated our rented place, and cuddled in bed watching movies. Those four years were the happiest time of my life. So, I loved him deeply, loved how good he was to me, loved his dedication. Even if he cheated, as long as he didn't cross my ultimate boundary, I thought I would choose to forgive him. After a long pause, I finally replied, "Because I love him!" I said it, feeling like I was being so noble. James asked again, "Even if he cheated?" That question made me pause. Yes, can I really forgive him just like that? I sighed and changed the subject, "That's the situation. If you want money, we don't have any. If you want to beat him up, go ahead, he deserves it." James laughed at this, picked up his phone, and made a call: "Hey, let's break up. Yes, break up!" Then he hung up. I looked at him in shock, and he raised his eyebrows at me with a smile, "So, do you want to break up too?" I didn't know how to answer, so I focused on the fries in front of me, eating them without tasting anything. Later, I found out that James was a trust-fund kid with two companies of his own. He was easygoing, without the airs of a rich kid, and very humorous. His smile reminded me of Brad Pitt. Although I wasn't a fan of Brad Pitt, this man in front of me was indeed handsome. After exchanging numbers with James, we parted ways. On the way back, I was silent, thinking about the question James asked me. I loved Liam very much, but in reality, Liam wasn't that well-behaved. When I visited his hometown, I found photos of his ex-girlfriend and another ex-girlfriend, along with some diaries. Later, I discovered he was using another account to chat with other women online. Once, he disappeared for two days, claiming it was a company retreat and that his phone had no signal. Thinking about all this and remembering what James said, I realized my heart wasn't as firm as my words suggested. I told Liam that I wanted to crash at my friend Isabella's place for a few days. Liam initially disagreed, but knowing he was in the wrong, he didn't stop me. Because he knew he was in the wrong, stopping me would be pointless. I called Isabella, and since she was going on a business trip for two days, I moved in with her. The next evening, I was idly scrolling through WeChat Moments and saw James post something with a picture of him playing cards, captioned: "Thinking of you so much that I lost at cards." I couldn't help but imagine Brad Pitt's face saying those words, and who wouldn't be swayed? I quickly scrolled past, but couldn't help mocking internally: Ha, a rich playboy who flirts everywhere. Just as I was about to turn off my phone and sleep, Liam sent a string of messages: "Have you eaten? What are you doing? I miss you so much, I'm sorry..." Looking through our chat history, the thought of him kissing another woman while sending me sweet words made me feel nauseous. Suddenly, a message popped up from James: "Lost at cards tonight." I was completely baffled, about to reply when he sent another: "All I can think about is you." This left me even more confused, so I asked, "Did you send this to the wrong person?" Just after I sent that, James called me on video. Without thinking, I hung up, unable to understand what this recently cuckolded rich guy was up to. I replied, "What do you want?" James asked, "Where do you live? I'll pick you up for work tomorrow." If I couldn't understand his intentions by now, I'd truly be dense. It seems my earlier judgment of him as a playboy was spot on. I decisively refused: No need. The fairy tale of a rich guy and a Cinderella, I've only seen in fairy tales. In reality, I'm rational. However, early the next morning, I saw James downstairs, with a G-Wagon parked beside him. I was surprised at how he found this place. He said it was a secret. I didn't take James's car but took the subway to work instead. As an ordinary person, I really can't handle the lavish attention of a rich guy. That evening, Isabella returned, and I told her everything that had happened recently, including the matters with Liam's ex-girlfriend. Isabella hesitated before speaking, "Don't blame us for adding insult to injury, but when you first got together, we all talked about how Liam isn't reliable. He may seem deeply in love, but with his pretty face, even if he's honest, others will still throw themselves at him." I shook the bottle in my hand, took a swig, wiped my mouth, and said, "But I still love him." The alcohol was bitter, mixed with tears slipping down the corners of my mouth, and the bitterness reached deep into my heart. Isabella wiped away my tears and advised, "He's been messing around with other women, can't you see him for what he is? He's the type who just wants to play around all day, without any real ambition. That little manager job back home was just because he got into his relative's company. Actually, you know all this in your heart, you just don't want to face it. You just love the part of him that has given so much to you." Hearing this, I fell silent. Liam treats me very well, everyone can see that. But when it comes to work and dealing with people, Liam is like a child, needing me to hold his hand every step of the way. I even helped him submit his resume for his current job. Plus, Liam lacks ambition, always counting on his parents to cover the down payment for a house. Sometimes it's just so exhausting. The next morning, Isabella and I left for work together, and James was waiting downstairs again. Isabella curiously asked me, "Is that the rich kid?" I nodded, pulling her along, "Let's take the subway." Seeing this, James handed over a bag and said, "Breakfast, I didn't know your friend was back, so I only bought for you." I didn't take it, but Isabella smiled and accepted the bag, saying to James, "I'll give it to her!" James smiled too, and it seemed like they had some sort of unspoken agreement. I walked away helplessly, with Isabella chasing after me, asking me to wait for her. I remembered Isabella's words from last night: the best way to forget a relationship is to start a new one. But how can you just forget years of feelings like that? After work in the afternoon, Liam was waiting below the office building. Seeing him suddenly made me feel exhausted. I didn't know what to do. I love him, but this incident showed me just how cowardly he is, only knowing how to run away from problems. When Liam saw me, he quickly came to pull me, "Huìhuì, come back with me. I miss you." I used to find those words so sweet, but now they just leave me numb. I really don't know what to do, and I can't stay at Isabella's forever, she has a boyfriend too, so after much consideration, I went back home with Liam. Since I returned home, James seemed to have disappeared, not posting on social media or sending me messages. Maybe the rich kid's brief interest has finally fizzled out. Liam and I are the same as before, but actually, everything has changed. I began to resent him in so many ways, dissatisfied with everything he did. After the last incident, he's left a cowardly impression on me. But I don't know how to break up, can I get used to life without him? Have I really stopped loving him? Thinking about all this, I was mindlessly scrolling through social media and saw a friend I met years ago, who runs a guesthouse in Dalyria, posted a photo of a rainbow, and it was just so beautiful. Suddenly, I felt the urge to unwind. So I immediately took some vacation days and booked a flight to Dalyria. I told Liam I was going with Isabella to relax, but this trip was actually a journey for myself. By May, Dalyria was already feeling the heat. During the day, I mostly chatted with other travelers at the inn, not particularly interested in visiting any attractions. At night, with the wind howling, I'd take solitary walks along the beach. When I returned to the inn, the owner said, "Huai Huai, someone is looking for you." Looking for me? Who? I was curious and followed the direction the owner pointed. To my surprise, it was James standing there. I exclaimed, "What on earth are you doing here?"