I Bankrolled Him Five Years for Betrayal

It's the fifth year since I eloped with my boyfriend, Leonard Goodman, and he has gone bankrupt again. My father has tried his best to separate us. He has cut me off financially and left me to fend for myself. In the past five years, I've worked as a janitor and a street vendor. It has been an extremely rough time. But I'm doing all this to help Leonard start his business. I'm rooting for him to stabilize his income so that my father will give in and bless our marriage. However, throughout the past few years, all his attempts to start a business have ended in failure. This time, he's ten million dollars in debt. He looks at me with eyes full of remorse. "Rena, I'm so sorry for dragging you through five years of hardship without making you my wife." I shake my head and tell him it's okay and that I'm willing to go through everything with him. To help him pay off his debt, I secretly take on side jobs at a massage parlor without telling him. Today, I'm attending to a wealthy socialite. She earnestly instructs, "Make sure to watch your pressure during the massage. My body is naturally sensitive and delicate, so my skin bruises very easily. "My husband is a possessive man, and he only allows his marks to remain on my body. Last night, he couldn't control himself and left 108 hickeys on my body. He'll definitely be counting them later." When she finishes speaking, her phone on the table suddenly lights up. On her lock screen, the man holding her in a deep kiss is none other than my boyfriend of five years, Leonard himself. Chapter 1 The wealthy socialite, Tanya Cooper, noticed the shocked look in my eyes. Instead of checking the new message on her phone, she held up her phone and waved it in front of me. She asked, "Hey, are you okay? Was that too much for you? I know it's an embarrassing topic to talk about, but you don't exactly look young yourself. You get it, don't you? Well, he's over 30, but he still keeps me happy every single day. A little spiciness is perfectly normal." Leaning in, she suddenly said in a smaller voice, "But he's a little too strong, and I almost couldn't make it out of bed. So I had no choice but to come to you for some massages. If not, I don't think I can handle him tonight." Her words became even more unbearable with each passing second. Then, she waved her phone, her lock screen image gradually turning clearer. The man in the photo had the same familiar face and silhouette, but he was wearing an expensive suit I had never seen before. I heard my hoarse, bitter voice say, "Is that so? Your boyfriend must love you very much…" As if she had suddenly thought of something, she chuckled. "Boyfriend? No, we've been married for a long time. Look, this is the ring he gave me. I've been wearing it for three years." She extended her slender porcelain fingers toward me. The walnut-sized diamond ring was blindingly dazzling, and it was getting painful to look at. The ring must have been worth at least 50 million dollars. Three years ago, Leonard Goodman could easily fork out 50 million dollars to purchase a diamond ring for another woman. But exactly three years ago, he came to me with reddened eyes, telling me that he wanted to invest in an important project. However, he was short on funds, so he begged me in a low voice to help him raise money. Trusting as I was, I emptied all my savings. I even steeled my heart and sold off everything my mother had left behind. I managed to scrape together five million dollars and gave it all to him to cover the so-called investment deficit. But as it turned out, the project had been a lie all along. The money I sacrificed everything to gather, on top of the capital he already possessed, eventually turned into the blinding diamond ring sitting on Tanya's finger right now. I instantly felt like I had been stabbed in the chest. I was in so much pain that I couldn't breathe. In reality, he wasn't poor, and we weren't fated to endure the hardships of poverty together. All this while, he had been pretending to be poor and deceiving me at every turn. He shamelessly spent the money I got from selling everything I had, all while using his own massive fortune to marry someone else and live a glamorous life. Chapter 2 But my sincere devotion and dedication over the past five years had been nothing but a joke to Leonard. Tanya took off her clothes and lay on the massage table. Her fair, tender skin was covered in hickeys of varying intensity. The marks trailed downward, and I couldn't bring myself to look further. I stiffly took the massage oil and poured some on her back. As soon as my fingertips pressed onto her skin, Tanya let out a tiny moan. I immediately froze. Tanya smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm just too sensitive. To be honest, I wasn't like this at all. My husband insisted that wives should be pampered instead of being forced to toil with their husbands. After so many years of being spoiled by him, I've become quite sheltered. Aside from him, I can't stand anyone else touching me." My lips curved into a self-deprecating smile. Leonard had once said the very same words to me before. When we first eloped, he had indeed doted on me. He accommodated my every whim and showered me with attentive care, and his words were smoother than anyone else's. But the lovey-dovey days didn't even last six months. The gentleness in his eyes gradually faded and gave way to nothing but annoyance. The meals we had in our rented place became simpler by the day. They were often just ingredients thrown together to fill our stomachs. It was only then that I realized that love could never survive on romance and sweet nothings alone. The trivial matters of survival and the stress of daily life were more than enough to crush a couple who eloped and had nothing to their name. To maintain our relationship and ensure we could survive, I forced myself to put up with hardships. I learned to throw away my pride and work hard to make a living. I didn't even manage to complete my studies in college, so there weren't many real career paths for me. On top of that, my father, Marcus Anderson, secretly made sure I was blacklisted, so not a single legitimate company in the city dared to hire me. I worked as a janitor and also a street vendor. After an entire five years of running around, I had ended up in a place like this, where I made a living through private massages. Tanya sounded a little troubled as she continued, "Actually, I've wondered sometimes if I've become too complacent. I'm no different from a parasite if I'm fully dependent on a man. But my husband always says that it's a man's job to make a living, so I'd be hurting his pride if I started working. "Well, what else can I do? I can only go shopping and eat out every day and occasionally pick up my kid from school." I was caught off guard. The bottle of essential oil slipped from my hands and crashed onto the floor. I hastily bent over to pick it up. Five years ago, I ignored my family's protests and burned every bridge behind me as I eloped with Leonard without any regrets. But as it turned out, he already had a family of his own, and he even had a child. Suppressing the dull ache in my chest, I asked in a hoarse voice, "You already have a child with him?" She shook her head lightly. "No, my son is from my previous marriage. Back then, my ex and I got into a huge argument and completely fell out with each other. "My current husband was the one who stood up for me and helped me resolve all the issues. On the very afternoon the divorce papers were finalized, he hurriedly registered our marriage." She spoke in such a youthful tone that nothing about her betrayed the fact that she was a mother. "He has been spoiling me like a princess, and he also treats my son as his own. My husband never mistreated him. Actually, I've always felt bad for my husband. I was already married once, and I even have a child with me. I'm also older than him, so no matter how you look at it, he got the short end of the stick. "But he always tells me that I was officially married on both occasions, so I'm nothing like the shameless women who get involved in affairs. He says he's lucky to have married me." Chapter 3 Tanya turned to look at me, radiating sweet happiness. "Hey, did you know? He had no idea what to do during our first time. I had to guide him along, and I even teased him for being a clueless kid. "He was so embarrassed back then, and he told me it was his first time. He said I was his first, and he would never forget it for the rest of his life." I froze on the spot. I couldn't make any expression, and my chest hurt so much that even breathing felt like a chore. I met Leonard when I was 18. Back then, we were crammed into a tiny, shabby studio apartment. He kept saying he hated to see me suffer, so he let me have the only bed in our home, which was quite small. As for him, he would sleep on the cold, hard floor every night. It wasn't until I turned 20 that we finally had our first intimate moment together. His movements were skilled, and it didn't seem like it was his first time at all. I couldn't help tearing up in pain, and I felt both hurt and anxious. After the ordeal, he sat by the bed and smoked without a word. Back then, I stupidly assumed that he was annoyed by my reaction. But now that I thought back on it, he probably looked down on me in secret. He must've looked down on me for eloping and living with a man at my young age. He probably thought I was a shameless, cheap woman because I wasn't married and didn't have any legal status. Tanya's voice rang out again. "Sometimes I don't even know why he's so nice to me. Last year, I coughed a little during a video call with him. He was on a business trip overseas at the time, but he immediately booked the earliest flight home. He just wanted me to feel safe. "Oh, by the way, I'd like to use the restroom. Can we pause for a minute?" I immediately lifted my hand and pointed toward the restroom. As I watched her leave, I slumped back into my chair. I remembered the business trip she was talking about. In fact, I couldn't possibly forget it. It was my birthday. The only birthday wish I had was for Leonard to take a break from work and go hiking and camping with me. I had to beg him for a long time before he reluctantly agreed. I was elated when we arrived at the camping site. However, he was distracted throughout the process. He kept holding onto his phone, and he never stopped replying to messages. I just thought he was busy with work, and I even felt a little bad for dragging him out there. So, I set up camp all alone and organized everything we brought. When dinner was ready, I was about to call him over when I realized that he was missing from his spot. I tried calling and texting him, but to no avail. Flashlight in hand, I looked for him all over the mountain. Suddenly, I lost my footing and fell down a slope. The sound of bones breaking pierced through the silence of the valley. I had dropped my phone somewhere far away. I was in so much pain that I couldn't muster any strength, and I couldn't even get back on my feet. I had no choice but to keep calling for help. I kept praying that he would be safe and that he would find me soon. The sudden downpour completely drowned all my hopes. It wasn't until the next day that I was discovered by some kind souls who were there on a camping trip. I was sent to the hospital right away. As I lay in the hospital bed with a cast around my leg, I called Leonard countless times, but he never picked up. Later on, after seeking help from the police, I finally found out that he had already taken a flight back. I waited until I could force myself to walk again before returning to our rented place, injuries and all. Back then, Leonard seemed haggard, and his clothes were in a mess. He only told me that there had been a sudden proposal for a partnership, and he was forced to leave in a hurry. In our cheap, tiny rented home, he carefully cradled my leg and blamed himself, saying he wished he had been the one who had gotten hurt instead. When I saw how weak and guilt-ridden he was, I suppressed the fury inside me, and my heart ached for him instead. Chapter 4 I just thought Leonard was working too hard because he was too eager to build a future with me. I even felt some regret. If I hadn't insisted on having him accompany me for my birthday, I thought this wouldn't have happened. Ever since then, I would feel a dull ache in my leg on rainy days. I had always thought that I was just getting what I deserved. But now, this woman who claimed to be his wife told me that when I was vulnerable and calling for help in the mountains while enduring the terrifying pain, Leonard had rushed home overnight to make sure another woman felt safe, all because she had coughed a little during a video call. I thought, "What exactly am I to him? Did our five-year relationship even mean anything to him?" Before I could think things through, Tanya had already returned from the restroom. Noticing that I was sitting in silence, she said considerately, "Are you tired? It's okay—you can rest for a bit. We still have plenty of time, so we can resume later." I no longer had the energy to deal with her. I just nodded numbly. She found a spot to sit. After examining me for a long time, she suddenly spoke up. "Actually, now that I take a closer look at you, we kind of look like each other. No wonder I felt an instant connection with you. We might have been sisters in another universe." I looked up at her. I had to admit that we did indeed look somewhat alike. Only our lips were completely different. I suddenly remembered that Leonard would never take the initiative to kiss me when we got intimate. People always said that kissing was the most direct expression of love. There were several occasions when I let my feelings get the better of me and asked him to kiss me. But every single time, he would tilt his head away to dodge it. He brushed it off with an excuse that he didn't like being distracted. I had believed him back then, but now, everything was as clear as day. He never disliked kisses. He just didn't like my lips, which were nothing like hers. Just then, Tanya's phone rang. In her hurry, she accidentally put the call on speakerphone. "Tanya, you're out alone, so be careful, okay? Remember, don't get a cab at night. Just ask the driver to pick you up. I've made some herbal tea for you, so be sure to come home and drink it while it's hot." I knew that voice all too well. Just a week ago, I was at the hospital, tirelessly caring for the owner of that voice. It was Melissa Hinton, Leonard's mother and also the woman I had treated as my own mother for five years. My mother passed away when I was just a child, so I never experienced much of a mother's love. For the past five years, Melissa had treated me with sincerity. She would always worry about my well-being and protect me whenever she could. She even pitied me for having to pinch pennies, so she would always slip me some extra money on the side. I treated her like my own mother. She had always been in poor health, and she was constantly coming down with one minor illness after another. Most of the money I earned went to Leonard for his business ventures, and the rest was mostly given to Melissa to help pay for her medical bills. Tanya complained half-heartedly, "Oh, come on, Mom, I get it already. Why are you always worrying about me like I'm a child?" The middle-aged woman on the other end of the line sounded like she was smiling. "You're the only daughter-in-law I have. Who else should I pamper if not you? I can't lose you, you know. How else am I going to get a grandchild?" Tanya seemed a little embarrassed as she gave me a smile. "Alright, Mom, I'm keeping someone waiting. I'll hang up now. Bye." After ending the call, Tanya casually explained to me with a sigh, "The old folks just love to nag. You get it, don't you?" If it were any other situation, I might have just smiled and said yes. But just seconds ago, I found out that her mother-in-law, who pampered her so much, was the same person I had been caring for so earnestly and treating as my own mother. I couldn't bring myself to agree. Chapter 5 I thought, "How could I 'get it'? How could I be okay with the fact that Melissa had pampered Tanya like her own daughter, but when she fell ill, I was the one who had to care for her through the night? "How could I accept the fact that while their family was living a comfortable life of luxury, I was the only one trapped in a cheap rented apartment and forced to endure year after year of hardship? "How could I be fine with the fact that Melissa and Leonard had worked together to deceive me for five whole years?" I couldn't do it. I almost gave in to the urge to tell the woman in front of me that she was being kept in the dark too and that we were both pitiful women Leonard had deceived. But when I saw the blissful expression on Tanya's face, I couldn't bring myself to expose the truth. Throughout all this, Leonard was the one in the wrong. There was no point in having two innocent women bear the humiliation and agony as a result of his actions. A long time later, I suppressed the bitterness in my heart as I said calmly, "Ma'am, please lie down, and we can begin the massage." While Tanya adjusted her posture, I navigated to the number I hadn't dared to contact in a long, long time. Then, I sent a message. "Dad, I regret everything I did. Please come get me home." Dad's reply came almost instantly. "I'll be right there." Putting my phone away, I remained calm on the surface as I deftly poured the massage oil. Then, I reached out and started massaging Tanya. Tanya was still in high spirits as she shared her thoughts. "Actually, I did want to have another child with my husband, but unfortunately, to give my son and me security, he had a vasectomy right after we got married. He even told me that unless I tell him in person that I want another child, he will never reverse it. He said he would never force me to have a kid." Up until this point, everything I knew about Leonard's hidden side had come from Tanya. However, this was the only thing I had known beforehand. But Leonard had told me a different story. Two months after we got together, I found out that I was pregnant. Back then, we had nothing to our name, and we lived a difficult life in poverty. We were incapable of managing a household together, let alone ready to be parents. After debating about it for an entire night, Leonard said to me with reddened eyes, "Rena, let's not have the kid." That single sentence took my first child away from me. While I recovered from the procedure, he never once showed up to keep me company. Instead, he had a vasectomy done behind my back. It was only after the procedure that he held my hands and explained, "Rena, I'll reverse it when we settle down and become more capable of giving our child a proper home. For now, I don't want you to go through the pain of losing a child again." Back then, I was so clueless that I felt touched by that for a long time. As it turned out, he had come up with two completely different excuses for the same matter. He had lied to me, and he had also deceived the poor woman right in front of me. Looking at the sweet smile on Tanya's face, I was surprised to realize that my sympathy for her surpassed the hatred I felt toward Leonard for betraying and lying to me. I could just go back home if I got hurt, but she was different. She had nowhere to go, and she even had a child with her. Just then, a familiar male voice sounded at the entrance. "Honey, why are you getting a massage in a place like this?" Leonard slowly walked in through the door. I subconsciously tried to turn around so that Tanya wouldn't find out how we were connected. But in the next second, Tanya sat up. Her gaze fell upon my desolate face, which looked pale under the lights. Then, she put on a half-smile as she answered, "Why else? To meet the shameless homewrecker who seduced my husband, of course."