He Died, Yet Made Me Watch His Mistress’s Wedding

Chapter 3

I hailed a cab back to the apartment. The living room coffee table still smelled of Layla's perfume, but I had no energy to clean up. Leaning against the wall, I shuffled into the bedroom, fished out an entire blister pack of painkillers, poured some warm water, and swallowed them.

The medicine needed time to take effect. My insides felt like they were being torn at by countless thin threads. The pain was so intense I curled into a ball on the bed, cold sweat beading on my back.

I lost track of how long I endured before a wave of drowsiness crept in through the pain, and I gradually sank into a deep sleep.

In my dream, I drifted back many years.

Back then, we had just started our business. Our savings were barely enough to cover the rent on our apartment, and every meal was nothing but the cheapest instant soup.

That day, it was pouring rain. I ran out in the rain to meet with a potential partner, and when I returned, I was soaked through, shivering uncontrollably.

Kai wrapped his only thick coat around me and wiped the rain from my face. His eyes were earnest and serious as he held my hand and made a promise, "Once the company takes off, I will definitely give you a secure life. I'll spend the rest of my life with you and only you. Always together."

The warmth felt too real. I murmured unconsciously, a few fragmented words slipping out.

The apartment door lock clicked softly. Kai had returned.

Although he had successfully taken over the company, he was still brooding and wanted to come talk to me again.

He entered, didn't see me in the living room, and walked further inside. When he reached the bedroom door, he happened to hear my indistinct murmuring.

"Kai... don't go..."

He paused at the doorway, and most of the hostility in his eyes faded.

He was convinced. Sure enough, no matter how cold Eloen seemed on the surface, she still wasn't over him.

Kai tiptoed to the bedside and pulled a small velvet box from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

Inside was an exquisite diamond ring he had originally planned to give me after successfully proposing at the dinner party.

He leaned down and gently shook my shoulder, his voice soft. "Eloen, wake up. I know I'm still in your heart. I can let bygones be bygones. Let's get back together for real."

The sudden touch sent a shudder through me, jolting me awake.

I had finally managed to suppress the severe pain with painkillers and fall asleep, but now, ripped out of sleep, the crushing pain in my chest suddenly intensified.

My gaze swept over the glittering diamond ring in his hand, and I snapped, "Get out! Get out of my house right now!"

I pushed myself up, my tone full of anger.

The warmth on Kai's face faded, giving way to stubbornness. He said, "I own half of this house. This is my home too. Why should I leave?"

My lips twisted into a cold smile. I said, "If you won't leave, then I'll leave. How's that?"

These words pierced Kai's pride like a needle. He clutched the diamond ring tightly, his face darkening dangerously.

He demanded, "Do you have to be this ruthless? Are you deliberately trying to provoke me? Fine. Just you wait!"

Kai spat those words, turned, and slammed the door behind him.

The next day at noon, Kai drove straight to the downtown shopping district. He had already sent a message in advance, telling Layla to come as well.

When a notification popped up on my phone, I was leaning against the window drinking water. I casually glanced at the screen showing the spectacle Kai was about to stage, but my heart didn't stir in the slightest.

The pedestrian street was packed with people, shop neon lights dazzled overhead, and streams of pedestrians flowed past.

In the center of the square stood Layla, looking blissful, and Kai, kneeling on one knee.

The surrounding passersby quickly took notice, stopping one after another, and many raised their phones to film them.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kai pulled out last night's diamond ring from his pocket and held it up to her, deliberately raising his voice, "Layla, these past three years, you've endured hardship by my side. I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Please, marry me."

Layla's eyes reddened, and she threw herself into Kai's arms, reaching out to take the ring and put it on.

Cheers erupted around them. Countless phone screens lit up, and shutter clicks and recording sounds came in waves.

Kai tightened his arm around her, deliberately holding his head high to let the onlookers take their photos. He was fueled by spite. He just wanted me to get a good look at how triumphant he looked marrying someone else.

In just half an hour, the hashtag #MercerTechFounderBusinessDistrictProposal shot up the trending charts.

Major media outlets scrambled to report the news that Kai Mercer, the new president of Mercer Tech, had made a high-profile public proposal in the business district.

Comments poured in. Some sighed over their love forged through shared hardship, while others dug up the old story from three years ago when the company was on the verge of collapse and how I alone had kept it afloat. Online users on both sides were at each other's throats.

When the phone notification popped up, I was leaning against the window drinking water. I casually glanced at the screen showing Kai and Layla embracing, but my heart didn't stir in the slightest.

That familiar dull pain throbbed deep inside again. I tossed the phone aside, took out another painkiller pill, and waited for the medicine to take effect.

The proposal farce, the love and hate. For someone whose days were numbered, they weren't worth a mention.

But what I absolutely could not accept was that someone else wanted to disturb the little peace I had left.