Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

"August 1st, right? That's soon." I stood up, tossed my half-eaten bread, and gave Arthur an innocent smile. "Hope your marriage lasts, unlike mine where I got betrayed!" Vivian's fake smile faltered. "Emily, you're being malicious, cursing me on purpose."

I shrugged. "Just stating facts. But you two are solid, I'm sure you'll be fine."

Vivian, trying to get under my skin, touched her belly and boasted, "Of course, Arthur and I will be happy. The three of us won't let anyone ruin it."

I almost laughed. She stole my marriage, but now I was the bad guy?

Vivian was the most shameless person I had ever met.

"Vivian, don't joke like that. I was blind once, don't want to be blind again." I said, subtly cursing.

Vivian didn't care about the stares, pointing at me sharply. "Emily, stop being jealous. Arthur told me marrying you was a mistake."

I looked at Arthur, surprised. He avoided my gaze. Guess he didn't expect Vivian to say that in front of me.

No divorced couple could be like Arthur and me just mutual disgust and hatred after two years together.

"Emily, you didn't seem well after marriage. Eating bread for lunch? Can't afford a burger?" Vivian loved putting me down.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Honestly, I could afford a burger, but I was always casual with myself. I used to cater to Arthur's tastes and neglected myself.

"Honey, how can you stand the air quality here?" A familiar voice came from behind.

I turned, and Ethan was beside me, arm around my shoulder. "Honey, it's lunch time. Hungry?" He ignored the two annoying people and spoke to me lovingly. "I..."

"I'll take you to eat."

I wanted to say I already had bread, but Ethan cut me off. He led me towards a fancy restaurant, making me hesitate.

"Actually, I'm not hungry," I whispered.

Ethan leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Then keep me company while I eat."

He pulled me into the restaurant and picked a window seat on the second floor, giving us a view of the pedestrian street.

Arthur and Vivian were still outside, now arguing. Vivian was heading towards the restaurant, and Arthur was trying to stop her.

I could guess what they were fighting about. Vivian had mocked me for eating bread, and now Ethan was taking me to a high-end place. She couldn't stand it and wanted to drag Arthur here.

But this kind of restaurant wasn't cheap. Arthur might splurge on Vivian at first, but long-term, especially after marriage, he wouldn't spend much on her.

They argued for a bit, and finally, Vivian stormed off. Arthur stood there, too proud to chase her immediately. But after a minute, he gave in and went after her.

Ethan's voice brought me back. "If some people only make you feel disgusted, why bother with them?"

I looked at Ethan and sighed. I was not hung up on Arthur; I was just curious. Arthur and Vivian, with their different values, came together for basic desires. It wouldn't last. I just wanted to see how long Arthur could tolerate Vivian. Ethan lit a cigarette, leaned back, and looked at me through the smoke. "Emily, is your past marriage still a hurdle? Do you still hate him? Want me to help? I can ruin him completely."

I looked at Ethan, shocked. Love and hate were often linked. We hated intensely because we once loved deeply.

I couldn't say I still loved Arthur, but there was definitely some lingering hate because I once genuinely cared. And with Vivian always mocking me, I did want to give them a hard time. "Ruining them completely is too much. Just a little lesson," I said.

Ethan smirked. "Emily, your biggest flaw is you're too soft-hearted."

Just then, my phone rang. An unfamiliar number. I answered, and it was someone from the City Planning Department.

"Compensation for demolition?" I looked at Ethan, surprised. He seemed to know and smiled.

Since my dad died early and my mom had an accident, I lived alone from a young age. The registered number was mine, so the demolition office called me. After hanging up, I was still in disbelief. "I didn't expect it to actually be demolished. How did you know?"

Ethan smiled faintly. "I have friends in the City Planning Department."

"Really?" I was skeptical.

"You've come into some money. Shouldn't you call a few people to celebrate?" Ethan changed the subject.

I lowered my voice, "No, this money came from my parents' house. I can't squander it."

Ethan laughed, choking on his smoke, and pinched my face. "Alright, I'll treat on your behalf then."

That evening, he gathered his buddies at the Blue Ocean Bar, and I called Bella.

Ethan told them I was treating, which made me feel embarrassed. I quietly told Bella about the demolition and that Ethan was treating for me.

Bella shrugged, "So what? You're his wife now. If he treats, it's like you treating. What's the difference?"

"I don't want to spend too much of his money. We're not at the point where we don't distinguish between his and mine," I said.

Bella pushed me, disappointed. "What do you mean you're not at that point? You've got the marriage certificate. Why distinguish? Feelings can grow. Ethan is a good man. Hold on to him. Don't be indifferent and let another woman snatch him away. Remember Arthur."

But Ethan already had feelings for another woman. I was by his side, but his heart was elsewhere.

Suddenly, the bar's music shifted from upbeat to soothing, and a female singer took the stage.

Nothing special, but when she started singing, I was surprised. She was singing a song by The Thorn Birds Band.

I wasn't up to date with current trends. I only knew The Thorn Birds Band because of an old tape. Their heyday was years ago, and their songs weren't common now.

I remembered the female singer from The Thorn Birds Band. Her voice wasn't seductive or charming, but it had a soulful weariness that always touched hearts.

The singer on stage, Connie Wilson, was quite good. The booth fell silent, captivated by her performance.

Connie had many admirers. As soon as she started, there were whistles from the audience. After she finished a song, a drunk man with a long face staggered towards the stage. Connie tried to avoid him, but he grabbed her waist. "Hey, you sing well. Sing a few more for me. I have a lot of money."

He pulled out his wallet and flashed a wad of cash, causing laughter from the audience.

Connie, probably used to such scenes, calmly took the money, folded it, and put it in her pocket. "Alright."

Fortunately, he didn't do anything more offensive and staggered back to his seat.

Connie started singing again, and that table of people began chatting loudly. "What's the name of the original singer of this song?"

No one seemed to know. The Thorn Birds Band was from years ago and had disbanded, so it wasn't surprising they weren't well-known.

"She was from a band, called... right, The Thorn Birds Band."

"Yeah, The Thorn Birds Band. I remember now. The woman's name was Fiona Taylor." The long-faced man had an epiphany and slapped the table.

"Yeah, that's the name. That bitch."

"Yeah, I heard she died young. Such a pity, she was quite pretty."

The men gossiped loudly, oblivious to their surroundings. Only one person at the table remained silent, drinking, while the others kept pouring him drinks and calling him 'Zachary.'

I was drawn to their conversation when suddenly there was a sharp sound, and their voices stopped.

I looked over and saw blood streaming down the long-faced man's head. The person standing there with a broken bottle, full of hostility, was Ethan.