His Doom Comes When He Falls for Her

When I accompany my best friend, Olivia Martin, to the hotel in hopes of catching her partner in the act red-handed, I end up catching my own husband, Wilson Gunner, instead. I don't break down in tears, nor do I throw a tantrum. In fact, I even shoot a smile at the young lady who's with Wilson. "Don't worry. I'll keep this a secret." The lady shoots me a grateful look before stumbling out of the hotel room haphazardly. Not only does Wilson not feel any sense of shame, but he also looks at me approvingly. "I knew you were sensible enough to not cause a fuss. Since you're a plastic surgeon, you should know that it's rare to see young ladies who have never gone under the knife nowadays. "The woman from earlier is au naturale. Besides, she's all clean and pure, so you have nothing to worry about." I lower my gaze and nod gently in agreement. But I don't plan on telling Wilson that the so-called au naturale woman was still a young man last week. Chapter 1 My best friend, Olivia Martin, was fuming. While pointing at my husband, Wilson Gunner, she yelled, "Wilson, you're not even human! Shannon's been nothing but good to you! How could you—" "Enough." I cut Olivia off and turned to Wilson. "We'll go back now. Take your time." He raised an eyebrow and stepped closer, reaching for my waist, but I sidestepped smoothly. He didn't seem to mind. Instead, he smiled. "I like you much better this way. You're not like you used to be, making a scene and airing our dirty laundry for the whole world to see every time I had an affair." His words hit me like a pinprick, breaking the calm I'd carefully built and dredging up memories I'd tried to bury. I had loved him with everything I had. Wilson built himself up from nothing, and I stuck by him through every struggle. I scrimped and saved to support his startup, gave up studying abroad, and poured all my energy into him. Back then, he'd hold me and say, "Shannon, once I make it, I'll give you the best life possible." But once he succeeded, there were plenty of other women around him. The first time I caught him cheating, I cried and demanded a divorce. He hugged me and apologized, claiming it was a mistake. I forgave him. But betrayal was addictive. Once led to countless times. The last fight was the worst. I had a massive hemorrhage from an ectopic pregnancy. I lay on the operating table, hearing the doctor declare me critical. I called him over and over, but he ignored me to celebrate his lover's birthday. When I crawled back from death's door, the first thing I saw was the news of him partying on a yacht with his lover. At that moment, every ounce of love and hope I had was gone. I accepted my fate and learned to be smart, no longer crying or asking him questions. Whether he stayed out late or didn't come home at all, I stayed calm. At first, Wilson found my change unsettling, even alarming. He thought I was plotting something and started coming home more often. But over time, seeing me truly settled, he returned to his reckless ways and even expected me to clean up his mess. When his mistress showed up at the door to provoke me, I handled it. When the paparazzi caught him in a scandal, I buried the story. Even when he forgot his parents' birthdays, I prepared the gifts and went to beg for their forgiveness. "I've already taken care of it. No one will find out," I said to Olivia, who was still steaming. "Don't be too upset. He's not worth it." Olivia looked at me, full of concern. "Shannon, how can you stay so calm after everything he's done?" I smiled faintly and said nothing. Some pain couldn't be shared. It had to be carried alone. And some things would always come back to bite you. After sending Olivia off, I returned to the hotel room. Wilson was dressed, adjusting his tie in the mirror. I bent down to pick up a cheap plastic hair clip from the floor. A few light strands were still stuck to it. Wilson glanced at it. "Throw it away. It's worthless." I clenched the clip, feeling the cold plastic under my fingers. Yeah. Worthless. He had no idea that the innocent woman who wore this worthless hair clip had been lying on my operating table just last week. Chapter 2 What Wilson didn't know was that I was no longer the Shannon Vance who cried over him. He owed me for that brush with death, for all the love he betrayed, and for the child I couldn't keep. And I intended to make him pay with everything he had. How? I'd start with his innocent lover. … For the next three days, Wilson didn't come home. His assistant, Brendon Hart, sent me daily updates on his whereabouts. He was basically only eating, shopping, and watching movies with that woman, Yvette Lawson. They were all lovey-dovey like a couple in the early stages of a romance. It seemed Wilson was actually smitten. He hadn't cycled through anyone new in days, which, given his history, counted as rare loyalty. As usual, I worked my shifts on time and performed every surgery meticulously, getting ready for the near future. In my downtime, I went over the reports Brendon sent. I was so calm, as if Wilson's actions had nothing to do with me. On a Thursday afternoon, after finishing a grueling five-hour surgery, I returned to my office to rest. Suddenly, a nurse knocked. "Dr. Vance, there's a Ms. Lawson here to see you." I paused with a cup in my hand. Realization flashed in my eyes. "Send her in." Soon, Yvette walked in. She wore a white dress, and her makeup was flawless. She looked innocent and pure, but there was a subtle panic in her eyes. "Ms. Vance, sorry to bother you." She stood awkwardly at the door, hands clutching her dress. "Have a seat," I said, gesturing to the chair across from me. "Why did you want to see me?" After sitting down, Yvette remained quiet for a long moment before speaking cautiously. "Ms. Vance, thank you… for the other day." "For what?" I sipped my water casually. "For not exposing me and covering it up." Her voice trembled. "I was so scared that day. I thought you'd be angry and tell Mr. Gunner…" I set down my cup and looked at her. "Since I covered for you then, I won't expose you now." Yvette visibly relaxed, though confusion replaced some of her fear. "Ms. Vance, w-why aren't you angry? Mr. Gunner—" "Anger changes nothing," I replied with a faint smile. "It's been years. I've been used to this." She stared at me, tongue-tied, clearly not expecting this reaction. I studied her anxious expression, then added, "Your surgery went well, and you're recovering well." Yvette's face was drained of color. She snapped her head up, her eyes wide with shock and fear. "H-How do you know that?" "Because I performed your gender-affirming surgery myself," I said, matter-of-factly, as if it were nothing unusual. Yvette froze. Her lips trembled, and she couldn't say a word. After a long while, she finally came back to her senses, and tears suddenly welled up. "I-I had no choice. I was sick. My doctor said gender-affirming treatment could possibly extend my life, but it would cost a fortune. I was desperate, which is why I…" She spoke in choked fragments, recounting her situation. I listened silently. Yvette wiped her tears and looked at me with a pleading gaze. "Ms. Vance, I know what I did was wrong, but I don't want to die. Please, don't tell Mr. Gunner. Once I get enough money, I'll leave and never bother you again." I watched her for a moment, then smiled. "You don't have to leave." She froze. "What?" "I said I'll keep your secret. That includes this. Wilson is obsessed with you right now. This is your chance." I looked her in the eye and said word by word, "I'll get you the money, but you have to do one thing for me." Chapter 3 "What do you want me to do?" Yvette asked, wary. "Reveal that you're transgender when he's riding high," I said with a cold glint in my eyes. "I want him ruined." Her eyes went wide. She hadn't expected me to ask that. But for someone like her, reputation was the last thing to worry about. She hesitated for a long moment while staring at my indifferent expression. Finally, she bit her lip. "Okay. I'll do it." I nodded, satisfied. With Yvette as an ally, my plan would progress more quickly. Wilson could bask in his so-called true love. After all, his good days were numbered. … After striking the deal with Yvette, I fully embraced the role of the perfect wife. When Wilson came home, I'd have his favorite dishes ready. Once, Yvette brought him her homemade chilled scallops. He praised her in front of me, saying she was gentle and skilled in the kitchen. I listened without a hint of annoyance and even smiled. "If you like it, I'll learn to cook too." The next morning, I went to the market and picked up fresh ribeye and plenty of garlic. Yvette's chilled scallops were briny, but their nature was deeply cooling to the system. The pan-seared ribeye, basted in a rich garlic butter, was deeply warming by nature. It perfectly balanced the chill of the scallops while creating a subtle thermal conflict within the body. A few days later, Yvette brought Wilson a red wine beef stew, saying it was specially made for him for nourishment. So I bought some celery and cucumber and went home to make a chilled cucumber-and-celery gazpacho. Celery helped with digestion, while the cucumber was cooling and hydrating. Together, they perfectly contrasted the warming effect of the red wine beef stew. When Wilson came home, he drank two bowls of gazpacho, then mentioned Yvette's beef stew. "Yvie's beef stew warms me up more. This one makes me feel cold." "Lately, you've been staying up late and going out a lot, so I made this gazpacho to help you cool down." I calmly poured him a third bowl. "Healthy eating isn't just about rich, warming foods. It's about balance." If Yvette made a creamy potato gratin to thicken his blood and build heat, I'd make an arugula salad to drain his system. If she made spicy lamb shank, I'd serve sea bass ceviche to lower the heat. One evening, mid-meal, Wilson set down his cutlery and reached for me. "Shannon, let's have another child." My body froze instantly. A flicker of subtle pain flashed across my eyes. I'd had a child once. I'd been overjoyed, anticipating his arrival. But Wilson's second lover had spiked my milk, causing a miscarriage just to force a divorce. Wilson was out with her at the time. He only learned of the miscarriage from Brendon. When he returned, he said, "We can try again later." After that, he never mentioned it again. I gently pushed him away and replied calmly, "I've been handling big surgeries lately. I'm too tired to think about that right now." Rejected, Wilson looked at me with nostalgia. "You know, I like the old you better. As chaotic as you were, at least you were lively. Now, it feels like something's missing." I looked up at him with a faint smile on my lips. "People change." He looked at me, hesitating to speak. In the end, he just sighed and said nothing. He'd forgotten that I became this way because of him. Some men were never content. After shaping their women into the image they desired, they'd still complain that they were not lively enough. Wilson never asked about having a child again. As the days went by, Wilson doted on Yvette more and more. Chapter 4 As expected, like every other woman Wilson had been with, Yvette started taunting me. She'd send intimate photos of herself and Wilson with a text. "Ms. Vance, Mr. Gunner says I'm the most special woman he's ever met." She'd call me when Wilson was coming home and say innocently, "Ms. Vance, Mr. Gunner won't be coming back tonight. He wants to watch the stars with me." And clearly, Wilson was wrapped around her finger. Each time Yvette provoked me, he'd sign over another property to me, calling it compensation. I didn't get upset. I just signed the papers quietly. On my birthday, Yvette didn't let up. My party was grand, with friends, family, and business partners. Wilson, as my husband, stayed by my side, accepting everyone's wishes. But halfway through, Yvette called him. I didn't hear what was said, but his expression changed, and he urgently said, "Yvette's in trouble. I have to go." Ignoring the curious eyes of our guests, he turned and left. I stood frozen. The smile on my face stiffened as a flicker of loneliness crossed my eyes. Around me, the guests began to whisper. Their gazes were a mix of pity and gossip. Olivia wanted to storm out and confront Wilson, but I stopped her. "Forget it." I took a deep breath and forced a smile to face the guests. "Sorry, everyone. My husband had an urgent matter. Let's continue the celebration." I raised my glass, keeping up appearances until the last guest left. Once the room emptied, the fleeting hurt on my expression vanished, replaced by calculation. Olivia looked at me with concern. "Shannon, why do you let yourself suffer like this?" "Suffer?" Smiling, I patted her shoulder. "I'm not suffering. I'm just laying the groundwork before a big move." She looked at me in confusion, but I didn't explain further. Wilson returned the next day. His expression carried a mix of apology and mild irritation. "Shannon, what was with you yesterday? Everyone was gossiping after I left. It made me look terrible. Couldn't you have been more mature and just kept up appearances?" I didn't get defensive. Instead, I replied softly, "It's my fault. I'll handle it better next time." His frown relaxed at my words, though for some reason, he felt unsettled. "Why aren't you angry?" he suddenly asked after staring at me for a while. I looked at him, puzzled. "Why aren't you angry? After everything I do, you should be mad." Wilson grabbed my shoulders, his expression darkening slightly. "I know you didn't mean it, and I know you care about me, so I don't mind," I replied with a smile. I turned to the kitchen and brought him a thermos. "I made this beef bone broth for you. You've been exhausted lately. Thought you could use some nourishment." Wilson took it. Seeing me as gentle as ever, he told himself that he had probably just overthought things. "You're always so thoughtful. I knew you loved me the most." I smiled faintly, not responding. What he didn't know was that my care extended far beyond this. … Lately, Wilson had been acting off. He complained of fatigue, low energy, occasional fevers, and coughs. He'd been checked at the hospital, but nothing was wrong. He chalked it up to stress and became increasingly dependent on my bone broth. That evening, after finishing his soup, he held me and said, "Shannon, once I help Yvette settle down, I'll be completely focused on us. She's different from the others. She's pure and innocent." Chapter 5 As I leaned against Wilson's chest, a cold smile curled at the corner of my lips. Of course he thought Yvette was different. After all, she used to be a man. She knew better how to please one. … Wilson's obsession with Yvette grew deeper by the day. Soon, he was doing anything she asked. When she said she liked houses by the sea, he immediately bought her a luxury beachfront property in a coastal city. When she mentioned wanting a designer bag, he swiped his card without blinking. He even secretly transferred 10% of his shares in Gunner Corp into her name. When Brendon told me about it, I was sitting in my office reviewing a surgical plan. My pen froze in midair. Ink spread across the page, a dark blot blooming like the pain and hatred I couldn't hide. Even at the height of our love, he had never given me 10% of the company, and yet he handed it over so easily to a mistress. How pathetic. I took a deep breath to force down the storm inside me and called Yvette. When she answered, I got straight to the point. "It's time." There was a pause on the other end. Then, her voice came through. "Okay, I got it." After hanging up, I stared out at the busy city beyond the window with a cold gaze. It was time for Wilson to pay for everything he owed our child and me. That night, Wilson actually came home. He looked worse than before. His face was pale, and he had dark circles under his eyes. His coughing had gotten worse too. "You're home late," I said, placing a bowl of freshly made soup in front of him. "Drink this to warm up." He took a few sips and sighed tiredly. "Work's been crazy, and I need to look after Yvette. I'm exhausted." He set the bowl down and looked at me. "Shannon, once the novelty wears off, I'll go back to becoming a good husband. We can have another child. What do you think?" Novelty? So even now, Yvette was just a fleeting amusement to him. I looked at him and felt a deep sense of irony. Wasn't it a little too late to play the part of a good husband? "Sure," I replied gently, though my gaze remained calm and empty. Wilson seemed relieved. He leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes to rest. The next morning, something happened to him. When I arrived at the hospital, the emergency room light was still on. Brendon paced anxiously outside. When he saw me, he rushed over. "Dr. Vance, thank god you're here. Mr. Gunner suddenly collapsed. The doctors say his condition is critical." I nodded calmly. "I see. Let's wait for the doctor." Just then, my phone vibrated with a news alert. The headline read, "Scandal Breaking! Gunner Corp Chairman, Wilson Gunner, Steals Woman's Boyfriend for Thrills!" The comment section had already exploded, with netizens slamming Wilson for taking things to a sick new level. Had he actually coerced a man with a girlfriend into a gender-affirming surgery just for thrills? Gunner Corp's stock price had already started plummeting. Not long after, the emergency room light turned off. A doctor stepped out and said, "The patient is temporarily out of danger, but his condition is still serious. He'll need further observation and treatment." Wilson was wheeled out moments later. His face was ghostly pale, and his eyes were barely open. Brendon rushed to tell him the news. Wilson struggled to speak. "Shannon, what's with that news? What do they mean I stole someone's boyfriend?" I put my phone away and walked to his bedside. Leaning down, I looked into his confused eyes and said slowly, "Yvette is transgender. She used to be a man."