How to live happily ever after as a cheating wife

Chapter 3

This time, Graham Severan did not seek Rosemary’s opinion. She was too fragile to make such a decision.

For him, he wanted his wife to come home with him—divorce had never been what he truly desired. But Rosemary had always been unpredictable. Even though her obsessive extramarital affair had failed, Graham couldn't be certain she would willingly return. His expression remained cold, but uncertainty churned within him.

For Rosemary, a woman who had been abandoned by her so-called lover, having a home to return to was better than anything else.

Facing the man with his usual taut expression, Rosemary answered without hesitation, her voice light with certainty. “Go home!”

She couldn’t hide the gratitude in her tone. Her bright eyes met his, carrying an unmistakable smile—an expression of longing, as if she were truly looking forward to returning.

For a brief moment, Graham Severan was caught off guard.

As they rode back, Rosemary sat in the back of the car, an unfamiliar sense of inspiration stirring within her. In this era, owning a car was not particularly remarkable—but Graham had earned it through his own efforts, not through the foolish traditions of nobility, not by mere inheritance.

If he could build his success from nothing, why couldn't she?

"Is Madam feeling better?" the driver asked as he maneuvered the vehicle onto the main road.

He was quite talkative—nothing like the usual, reserved chauffeurs employed by noble families.

Rosemary recalled his surname—Carter. She wasn’t accustomed to people like him, nor did she understand why Graham had chosen to hire such a man. The nobility preferred silent, obedient servants, not ones who engaged in casual conversation.

But now, with a newfound sense of inspiration stirring within her, she found herself wanting to understand every class in this society.

"Yes," she said, her voice carrying a hint of excitement. If she truly wanted to stand on her own, this was the first step. She needed to engage with people from all walks of life.

“…Then what did the doctor say?” Carter asked again, surprised that Rosemary had actually responded. Given her previous aloof demeanor, he instantly regretted initiating the conversation, fearing he might be reprimanded.

Rosemary answered smoothly, "It's just a mild cold."

"Do we need to stop by and say goodbye to your relative?"

Rosemary's gaze shifted from the passing scenery to the rearview mirror, where she caught Graham Severan’s warning glance.

No one had known of her departure—no one except Graham. She had left him a letter, a quiet farewell accompanied by a request for divorce.

Realizing now that the driver remained unaware of her attempted elopement, and that Graham must have crafted some excuse in her absence, Rosemary chose her words with care. There might have been whispers, but neither she nor Graham could afford for the truth to surface.

She met Graham's gaze in the mirror.

With a soft, almost apologetic smile, Rosemary lowered her eyes.

Graham Severan frowned. Worried that she might say something careless and expose the scandal, he tensed.

But Rosemary sighed gently and said, "It was just a distant relative. You know, I have no real family left. When I heard about the wedding, I rushed over to congratulate them."

Graham Severan withdrew his gaze from the rearview mirror and looked straight ahead.

With Graham silent, Rosemary, too, fell quiet.

She turned her attention back to the view outside. The city streets present a charming blend of historic and modern elements. People stroll with leisure under the afternoon sun. She had never truly taken in these sights before, never appreciated their simple beauty. But now, after standing so close to death, her past obsessions seemed like echoes from another lifetime.

She turned her gaze back to Graham.

From this angle, she could see his profile—the hard line of his jaw, the thick eyebrows, the straight nose. Even in the moments when she had despised him, she had never been able to deny that he was a handsome man.

The excitement of being saved from the brink of death was fading, and the memories she had long suppressed began to surface again.

Especially when she thought of home.

A small figure formed in her mind, fragile and innocent.

"Mama, when are you coming back?" A child's voice echoed in her memory.

He had asked her that, not understanding what her departure truly meant.

The child didn’t realize he had been abandoned.

A sharp pang of guilt twisted inside her. She could still recall the hopelessness she had felt when she had collapsed on that dingy floor, the overwhelming despair of betrayal. But more than anything, she felt remorse. She had abandoned her son.

That little boy, too young to comprehend the cruelty of the world, had been left behind by his mother. And for what? A love that had never been real?

She felt upset. No matter how her husband would punish her for her betrayal, she had to keep her marriage going. She knew that even if she was never happy in the marriage, she owed her son a stable life.

She looked at the rear-view mirror once more, only to find Graham meeting her gaze again.

Sorry, husband, she thought, but I still have to stay in your life.

This time, she didn’t look away.

Graham Severan studied her for a moment before shifting his focus back to the road. His grip tightened slightly.

Neither of them spoke again for the rest of the ride.