In a marriage of convenience, Nathan, after a night of drinking, has an affair with Ava, leading to her ectopic pregnancy. Before the surgery, Ava calls Nathan, who is preoccupied with his mistress and neglects Ava, even going as far as to accuse her of having an affair and carrying another man's child after the surgery... As their one-year contractual marriage comes to an end, Nathan realizes his feelings for Ava. But Ava is not willing to play along anymore! Excerpt: "I am Nathan Ford's girlfriend, loved by him, as everyone knows. And you... you're just a title holder, soon to be thrown out. By then, you'll lose all your dignity... no, you've already lost it. I bet your deceased mother would turn in her grave if she knew what you've become." Hearing Iris Hart's sharp and biting words, Ava Sterling initially didn't want to stoop to her level. However, the mention of her late mother crossed a line. A crisp slap echoed before Iris Hart could even react, leaving five bright red marks on her face. "Ah—Ava Sterling—you lowlife, how dare you hit me..." Iris Hart realized she had been slapped and reached out to retaliate, but Ava Sterling was prepared and caught her hand easily. "Listen, Iris Hart, if I'm the joke, what does that make you? You're also a joke. At least I'm Nathan Ford's wife by law! You! Iris Hart, are nothing but a mistress scorned by everyone. Every wealthy man may stray, but a hotel is just a hotel, and home is home. There can be many dishes, but there's only one bowl of rice."
"Ava, I'm sorry, I love you..."
"Loving me justifies this?! Nathan, you're so selfish. Let go of me, let go!"
Nathan's words implicitly admitted that he was behind the studio incident, leaving Ava heartbroken. She couldn't believe that the person closest to her, the one she shared her life with, was the one who betrayed her the most.
Previously, she had been moved by Nathan's concern for her safety, thinking his late-night vigil outside her building was out of love. But now, she realized his true motive was to plant a virus on her computer.
Who else but Nathan had the skills and capability to infect all the studio's computers in one night? She felt foolish for mistaking his deceit for genuine care. His past kindness now seemed like the cruelest irony to her.
Suddenly, Ava felt utterly desolate. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed futile... Seeing Ava fall silent, Nathan grew anxious.