Chapter 1

"Miriam, I heard you're working as a lawyer now. I want to divorce Keith. Could you help me draft the divorce agreement?"

As soon as Julia Nolan finished speaking, Miriam Bender, who had been her senior back in university, gasped in shock on the other end of the line.

"You're getting a divorce? From Keith? No way. Didn't he love you like crazy? Back in university, he fell for you at first sight and confessed a hundred times before you finally said yes.

"I was there at your wedding. You gave him a hundred forgiveness cards, saying he had a hundred chances to upset you. He swore he'd never need to use even one. We were all so touched—we cried our eyes out," Miriam said.

Julia gave a bitter smile. Her voice was calm, but her words left Miriam stunned. "Maybe promises are only real the moment they're made."

Keith Carson had already used 96 of those forgiveness cards, and they were all for another woman.

Miriam was left completely speechless.

After opening her mouth a few times without saying anything, she sighed. "Are you really sure about the divorce?"

Julia gave a soft "yes". Her tone was firm. "I told him that once he used up all one hundred forgiveness cards, I would divorce him."

Keith couldn't keep his word, but she wasn't like him.

"When do you need it?" Miriam asked.

"Once he finishes the last few," Julia said. She paused briefly before continuing, "It'll probably be within the next few days, so please send it over as soon as possible."

Miriam let out another sigh and agreed.

Just as the call ended, the front door of the villa swung open. Julia turned around and froze when she saw who was at the door.

It was Catherine Wood, the newly hired secretary at Carson Group—and also the woman Keith had used up 96 forgiveness cards on in just three months.

Noticing Julia staring at Catherine, Keith cleared his throat awkwardly before explaining.

"Jules, the security in her neighborhood isn't great, and there have been several break-ins recently. She lives alone, and she's scared. Since she works under me, I brought her here so that she'd feel safer."

He spoke in a rush, as if he were afraid Julia wouldn't let Catherine stay or worried she'd get the wrong idea. He sounded desperate to prove that there was nothing more between them.

But Julia just stared silently at the man in front of her, who still looked as handsome as ever. His face hadn't changed at all, yet she could barely recognize him.

In the first two years of their marriage, Keith had truly treated her well.

If she casually mentioned a craving, he would cross half the city in the middle of the night just to bring her a piece of cake.

When she had cramps during her period, he would cancel important meetings to stay home and massage her stomach. He never complained, even when the company lost deals worth 100 million dollars because of it.

On every holiday and anniversary, he planned surprises and cleared his entire schedule just to be with her.

She used to think their happiness would last forever—until three months ago, when Carson Group hired a new secretary. That was when his heart slowly began to drift away.

At first, he used to vent to Julia, saying the woman was sloppy and clumsy, incapable of doing anything right.

Later, he said she was just new to the workforce and needed guidance. So, he let her take Julia's usual seat in the car, bought her desserts, and forgave her mistakes at work over and over again.

Eventually, he brought her up more and more, until it got to the point where a single call from Catherine was enough to make him leave Julia behind.

As the forgiveness cards dwindled one by one, Julia finally had to admit that Keith had changed.

Maybe having those forgiveness cards in hand had made him feel like he could do anything without consequences, or maybe feelings really could change in the blink of an eye. But whatever the reason, it had nothing to do with her anymore.

Julia pulled herself out of the flood of memories and looked away. There was no yelling or anger like Keith had anticipated, only an unsettling calm.

"Fine. Do whatever you want," she said.

Her reaction left Keith with a vague sense of unease. But seeing no signs of anger on Julia's face, he brushed it off and took Catherine to the guest room.

Because of that, he didn't see Julia return to the bedroom shortly after and begin to pack her things.

Julia didn't have many belongings. Most of them were packed in no time, leaving just one item.

She opened the drawer of her dressing table and was about to pack the red velvet box into her suitcase. But the moment she picked it up, she noticed the weight felt off. Sure enough, when she opened it, it was empty.

Panic set in immediately. She searched everywhere, turning the place upside down. But no matter where she looked, it was nowhere to be found.

Then, a woman's voice rang out behind her, laced with smugness. "Julia, are you looking for this? Oh, I guess I forgot to mention—I casually said I liked it, so Mr. Carson gave it to me.

"Do you know what that means? It means everything that was once yours will become mine. You'll never win against me. So, why don't you step aside early and save yourself the trouble?"

Julia turned around and froze when she saw the emerald pendant dangling carelessly from Catherine's fingers. But right after that came a surge of anger she could no longer hold back.

She snatched the pendant back. "Catherine, the only things you can take are the ones I no longer want. What's mine—you'll never get your hands on it!"

Catherine was caught off guard and lost her grip on the pendant when Julia snatched it away. Then, hearing Julia's scornful words, her face flushed with embarrassment and rage.

Her gaze stayed fixed on the pendant in Julia's hand. Seeing how much it mattered to her, an idea took hold in her mind.

Without warning, she grabbed a vase and slammed it toward Julia's arm with nearly all her strength.

Julia was stunned by her madness. Pain shot through her wrist on impact, and her arm instantly went numb.

A sharp crack followed as the pendant slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor into several pieces.

"Catherine Wood!" she shouted.

Julia finally lost control and shoved Catherine hard. Catherine staggered from the force and fell hard to the ground. Pain shot through her palm as blood streamed from the wound.

That was the scene Keith walked in on after hearing the noise and coming over.

His heart skipped a beat. He quickly ran over and helped Catherine up. "What happened?"

Catherine leaned against his chest, her expression full of hurt. "Mr. Carson, it was all my fault. Julia hit me and pushed me… but I deserved it."

He frowned at her words and began scolding Julia. "Jules, why are you picking a fight with her? Didn't you already agree to let her stay? What did she even do to deserve this?"

Julia's hands trembled as she picked up the shattered pieces of the pendant. Hearing what he said, she finally broke down.

Tears streamed down her face as she yelled at him, "Don't you see? She broke something my grandmother left me! Keith, who gave you the right to give it away?"

For a brief second, the sight of her tears shook Keith. Just as he was about to say something, Catherine's soft sobs pulled his attention away. "Mr. Carson… it really hurts."

When he saw the wound on her palm, his heart softened. His tone toward Julia turned indifferent.

"It's just a pendant. Jules, I'll use a forgiveness card. Don't stay mad at her."

With that, he walked out with Catherine, murmuring gently to her, "Don't worry. I'll take you to the hospital and get your hand taken care of."

As their figures disappeared through the doorway, Julia suddenly recalled their wedding day. He had held her in his arms and vowed with all his heart, "Jules, for the rest of our lives, I'll never let you feel hurt or upset."

All those past memories had now turned into a sharp blade, stabbing her right in the heart.

Tears slid down her cheeks, and her voice was barely audible as she said, "Keith Carson, you only have three chances left."

Chapter 2

Keith came back late in the evening.

Julia was lying on the bed with her back to him, completely silent, as if she had already fallen asleep.

But it was far earlier than her usual bedtime. He figured she was still sulking, so he climbed into bed and gently pulled her into his arms.

"Come on. Didn't I already use a forgiveness card? I've sent the pendant to get repaired too. Can you stop being mad?"

She didn't pull away, but she didn't respond either.

Just as he was about to say more, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, he hesitated for a moment, then stepped away and answered the call.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Catherine's tearful voice came through at once. "Mr. Carson, I'm all alone at the hospital. I'm really scared…"

Keith instinctively glanced over at Julia. When he saw she hadn't moved at all, he lowered his voice, speaking with a mix of helplessness and affection. "Hang on. I'll be right there."

He didn't hang up until Catherine's crying had eased. Then, he walked back over to the bedside.

"Jules, something urgent came up at the company. I need to go take care of it. Just get some rest, alright?"

Without waiting for her reply, Keith turned and hurried out of the room.

Once the room fell silent again, Julia slowly opened her eyes. She looked toward the door and let out a wry smile. Even though he had gone out to the balcony to take the call, she had still heard every word loud and clear.

She couldn't tell if she felt more sorrow or relief. All she could do was reassure herself that it was alright. There were only three chances left anyway.

…

The days crept by, and Keith started coming home later and later.

One evening, shortly after 7:00 pm, Julia got a message from him. The contents were the same as every day before.

"Jules, things are busy at work today. I won't be able to leave, so don't wait for me for dinner."

She knew full well that the excuse about work was nothing but a lie.

Not long after, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a photo from Catherine. In the photo, Keith had his sleeves rolled up, and he wore an apron as he made some chicken soup.

It had become a daily routine. Keith would say he was stuck at work, and soon after, Catherine would send her pictures and videos just to provoke her.

There were videos of him feeding Catherine chicken soup by hand, watching fireworks with her, or sitting beside her at the movies.

And every single time, Julia acted like she hadn't seen a thing.

…

One day, when her phone chimed again, Julia thought it was just another taunt from Catherine and was about to delete it. But the moment she opened the message and saw the brief line of text, surprise flickered across her face.

"Ms. Nolan, your emerald pendant has been repaired and is ready for pickup."

Without hesitation, she changed clothes and headed out, following the address to the largest mall in Jorvain.

As she stepped out of the pendant repair shop, a familiar voice rang out from the side. She turned her head and saw Catherine, her arms full of shopping bags, pouting sweetly at Keith.

"Mr. Carson, I just got a tiny injury. Do you really need to buy me so many gifts just to make me feel better?"

Keith smiled. His gaze was gentle, and his tone was full of indulgence. "Do you think this is a lot? If you like it, I'd buy out this entire mall for you."

Catherine squealed with delight at his words.

Just then, Keith happened to look up, and his eyes met Julia's head-on.

A flicker of panic rose in his chest. He instinctively put some space between himself and Catherine. "Jules, what are you doing here?"

"The pendant's been fixed. I came to pick it up. Didn't you say you had work to do?"

Her voice was so calm that it was as if she hadn't witnessed anything at all. But that very calmness made Keith uneasy. When he saw her gaze land on Catherine, he quickly began to explain.

"There was work. I was supposed to bring Catherine with me to check on things. We happened to pass by the mall, so I thought I'd grab a few gifts for the Carson Group staff as rewards."

It was a flimsy lie.

Julia stared at him without saying a word.

She didn't ask why a CEO had to buy the gifts himself. She didn't question why, if it was just about shopping, he had to be so close to Catherine. And she said nothing about the promise to buy the entire mall if that was what Catherine wanted.

She opened her mouth to speak, but a sudden commotion broke out nearby.

"Run! The psycho is attacking people!"

Screams and shouts rang out one after another. People fled in all directions, turning the mall into instant chaos.

The three of them turned instinctively toward the disturbance and saw a man in striped hospital clothes pull out a knife and lash out blindly.

Chapter 3

Julia and the others, frozen in place, quickly caught the man's attention. In the blink of an eye, he charged straight at Catherine.

His frenzied behaviour made her face go pale. Her survival instinct kicked in, and she instinctively tried to back away. But when she caught sight of Julia in the corner of her eye, she suddenly changed her mind.

Just as the man was about to reach her, Catherine grabbed Julia and shoved her straight ahead.

Julia was caught completely off guard. She staggered from the push, lost her balance, and fell directly toward the man. She cried out in shock.

"Jules!"

Keith's eyes narrowed sharply. He was about to rush forward, but Catherine suddenly grabbed his sleeve. Her face was filled with panic and helplessness.

"Mr. Carson, he's crazy! This is terrifying! Please take me away first. I'm begging you…"

She kept crying, and Keith hesitated. He glanced at Julia, who was now being choked by the man. He seemed torn, caught in indecision.

But Catherine didn't give him time to waver. She dragged him toward the exit, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath.

In the end, all Keith could do was leave Julia with one line. "Jules, I'll take her out first, and I'll come back for you right away!"

Then, he shielded Catherine and quickly left the mall with her.

Julia couldn't believe what she had just heard. She was the one being held hostage, yet he chose to protect Catherine, who wasn't even in danger.

As the sharp blade swung toward her, her mind went completely blank. She couldn't even remember what she was supposed to do.

Luckily, right as the knife was about to pierce her chest, a group of police officers stormed in and quickly subdued the man.

Even when she was taken back to the police station to give her statement, her legs still felt weak, and the fear lingered.

It wasn't until everything was over that Keith finally arrived. He pulled her into his arms, his voice full of guilt as he said, "Jules, thank goodness you're alright."

The arms that once brought her comfort now left her cold. She gently pushed him away and turned to leave.

Panic surged in Keith's chest as he hurried after her. "Jules—"

In the days that followed, Julia ignored Keith completely. No matter how he tried to explain, it couldn't change the fact that he had left her when she was in danger.

Then came their fifth wedding anniversary.

Perhaps to make it up to her, Keith threw a lavish banquet. The guests included top-tier elites from Jorvain, and they were all amazed by his extravagance.

When it came time for the gift, he even presented her with a castle worth over 100 million dollars.

"I used to think the rumors about how Mr. Carson doted on his wife were exaggerated, but now I see they're true!"

"Exactly! They've been married five years and still look like they're in the honeymoon phase. It makes me feel ashamed of my own relationship."

"Mrs. Carson is really lucky to have a husband like Mr. Carson who loves her so much. I heard he confessed to her a hundred times before she finally agreed!"

…

The endless murmurs and praise around her didn't move Julia in the slightest. She only found it ridiculous.

The nonstop flattery left her stifled, so she slipped away to get some air.

The chilly breeze brushed her face and cleared her head a little. She didn't want to go back in, but to her surprise, Catherine came looking for her.

Her voice carried a hint of certainty and smugness. "Julia, don't think Mr. Carson's doing all this because he truly loves you. As long as I'm around, he'll always choose me first."

Julia just felt emotionally drained and had no energy to respond.

Catherine misread her indifference and thought Julia didn't believe her. Her expression immediately twisted with resentment. "If you don't believe me, then let's test it right now!"

Julia frowned and turned to walk away. But before she could take a step, a sharp pain struck the back of her head. In the next second, everything went black.

When Julia regained consciousness, a dull ache still throbbed at the back of her head. She tried to move, only to realize her wrists were tied tightly with rope, which was digging painfully into her skin.

She looked around and found herself on the top floor of an abandoned factory. Cold wind howled through the open space, and beneath her feet was a drop of several stories.

Catherine was tied up right next to her, but there wasn't a trace of panic on her face. Instead, she wore a confident, victorious smile.

"You're awake?" Catherine asked, tilting her head to look at Julia. Her tone was flippant. "Relax. I just want Mr. Carson to make a little choice."

Julia stared at her coldly. "Are you out of your mind?"

Catherine chuckled, a hint of sarcasm flickering in her eyes. "You're the crazy one. Mr. Carson's been sick of you for a long time, but you still shamelessly cling to the title of Mrs. Carson."

She leaned closer and lowered her voice. "Today, I'll let you see with your own eyes who he really chooses."

Right after she finished speaking, the factory doors were flung open.

Keith strode in wearing a black trench coat, several bodyguards flanking him. His expression darkened the moment he saw the two women tied up. His voice turned icy and commanding.

"Let them go!"

A masked kidnapper ambled slowly between the two, a knife gleaming coldly in his hand under the sunlight.

"Mr. Carson, did you bring the ten million dollars?"

Keith lifted his hand, and a bodyguard stepped forward with a silver case. When he opened it, it revealed neatly stacked bundles of cash.

The kidnapper nodded with satisfaction, but then his tone suddenly shifted. "But… I've changed my mind."

He grinned wickedly, flicking the knife between Julia and Catherine.

"I'll take the money, but I'm only letting one of them go. Mr. Carson, make your choice. Will it be your secretary… or your wife?"

The air froze instantly.

Chapter 4

Julia lifted her gaze and looked at Keith quietly.

Meanwhile, Catherine was already crying out, "Mr. Carson, save me! I'm so scared!"

Her shrill voice echoed through the empty factory.

Keith's eyes darted between them, his brows knitting tightly.

Three seconds passed. Then five. Then ten.

He finally said in a hoarse voice, "Let Cate go."

Julia closed her eyes. A bitter smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Just as she had expected.

The kidnapper burst out laughing, slashing through Julia's ropes with the tip of his knife. "Mrs. Carson, you really failed as a wife, didn't you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he shoved her hard.

Julia stumbled backward, caught completely off guard.

"Jules!"

Keith's eyes widened in panic. He lunged to catch her, but all he grasped was the fluttering edge of her dress.

Wind howled past her ears. Seeing the fear on Keith's face, Julia suddenly found it absurd. He had chosen to give her up, so why was he looking at her like that now?

A loud thud sounded as her body slammed onto the platform below. A wave of searing pain surged through her, and blood spread beneath her, staining her dress red.

Keith bolted downstairs in a frenzy. He cradled her in his arms, and his voice trembled as he said, "Jules! Hang on. I'll get you to the hospital…"

Julia wanted to push him away, but she couldn't even lift her hand. In a daze, she heard the kidnapper fleeing, Keith's desperate shouts for a doctor, and the shrill sounds of an ambulance siren.

When she opened her eyes again, all she saw was the hospital's white ceiling.

A doctor stood at her bedside, and his voice was somber as he said, "Mrs. Carson, you were pregnant. But… we couldn't save the baby."

Julia didn't catch the rest. She gently touched her stomach, stunned. Her chest tightened with an ache she couldn't name.

She and Keith had wanted a child for so long, yet it never happened. Now, just as she had decided to leave him, the baby had come—only to slip away without a sound.

It felt like fate was mocking her.

The door swung open. Keith stumbled in, his eyes red-rimmed with tears. "Jules, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were pregnant."

He gripped her hand, his voice choking with regret.

Julia pulled her hand away and turned her face aside, not wanting to see him.

Keith panicked. He pulled out a card from his pocket and pressed it into her palm. "I'm using a forgiveness card. Jules, please don't be mad, alright?"

Julia slowly turned back, staring at the card that once held so many sweet promises. Then, she suddenly laughed.

"Keith, do you remember what you said on our wedding day?" she asked.

He froze in place.

In a soft voice, she repeated his vow from years ago. "You said you'd never use those forgiveness cards."

Keith's eyes turned red. "I was wrong. Jules, please forgive me," he said in a low voice.

Julia said nothing. She simply closed her eyes, exhausted.

He let out a breath of relief and asked, "How many forgiveness cards do we still have?"

She didn't answer.

"I think… there are still more than 60 left, right?"

Julia opened her eyes and looked at him silently. She didn't correct him.

There were only two forgiveness cards left.

Chapter 5

To make up for what had happened, Keith stayed by Julia's side every day while she was in the hospital, taking care of her with the utmost care.

Moments of warmth returned between them, and sometimes she found herself dazed, almost believing they were back at the very beginning—back when Catherine wasn't in the picture and he still loved her.

But the peace didn't last long. The hospital door suddenly swung open, and Catherine walked in with a bouquet of lilies, guilt written all over her face.

"Julia, are you feeling any better? It's all my fault. If Mr. Carson hadn't chosen to save me first, you wouldn't have gotten hurt so badly. This is all on me."

"Cate," Keith cut her off, his tone unusually stern. "This wasn't your fault. You don't need to apologize or feel guilty. You were dragged into this too. The kidnapper knew too much about our relationship. He was clearly after me."

Julia's lips curled into a faint, sarcastic smile. He always had a way of letting Catherine off the hook.

Catherine's eyes welled up with tears. "But—"

"That's enough." Keith softened his voice. "You should go back first. Jules needs to rest."

Once Catherine was gone, the room fell back into silence. Keith tried to hold Julia's hand, but she subtly drew it back.

"Jules, the doctor said you can be discharged," he said with a forced smile. "I'll come pick you up tomorrow."

…

On the day Julia left the hospital, the sun was so bright it made her dizzy.

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Keith standing beside Catherine in front of the car. Catherine was holding onto his arm with obvious affection and only let go grudgingly when she saw Julia.

She jogged over, putting on a show of enthusiasm. "Julia! If it weren't for you and Mr. Carson, I honestly wouldn't have known what to do. You even lost the baby because of it. I feel terrible, so I made a reservation at a restaurant. I hope that's okay with you."

Her act was flawless. If Julia hadn't already known the truth, she might've believed Catherine was genuinely here to apologize.

She let out a cold laugh. "No need."

Keith stepped forward and lowered his voice. "Jules, Cate's just trying to be thoughtful. Don't make it awkward for her."

There it was again. He always put Catherine's feelings above hers.

In the end, Julia was dragged along to the restaurant.

The restaurant had a refined interior, softly lit by warm yellow lights. Catherine sat beside Keith, flipping through the menu with a sweet menu.

"Mr. Carson, I remember you love spicy food. This place is famous for its spicy barbecue ribs!"

She enthusiastically ordered several signature spicy dishes, then turned to Julia with feigned concern. "Julia, would you like to try some too?"

Julia said nothing. She silently stared at the table crowded with dishes drenched in red sauce. Her stomach had always been sensitive, and she couldn't handle spicy food.

Once, a housekeeper had accidentally served a spicy dish. After a single bite, she was writhing in pain, drenched in cold sweat as she curled up on the bed.

Back then, Keith was so worried his face went pale. He even called in their private doctor in the middle of the night. From that moment on, no spicy dishes ever appeared on the table whenever he was around.

But now that Catherine liked spicy food, everything was different.

Keith seemed to have forgotten all of it. He spent the entire meal tending to Catherine—serving her food, refilling her glass, and even gently wiping the grease from the corner of her mouth.

It wasn't until they were nearly done eating that he noticed Julia had barely touched the food. He frowned, assuming she was still sulking. He placed a buffalo wing in her bowl.

"Jules, try it. Cate spent a long time choosing this restaurant. The food is really good."

Julia pushed the bowl aside, her tone eerily calm. "I'm not hungry."