She Was Hope, Then She Became My Greatest Regret

My parents were brutally murdered in our home, and the family business teetered on the edge of bankruptcy.

In desperation, I begged my fiancée for help—but she turned away and, without hesitation, held a grand, centurystyle wedding with Karl Emerson

At their wedding, I was burying my parents.

Just when I thought I had lost everything, her older sister—an officer of the law—knelt beside me at the funeral.

“I’ll be your lifelong support,” Caroline Baker said. “I’ll help you uncover the truth.”

I didn’t hesitate. I said yes.

But the investigation ended in silence—no report, no closure.

Still, Caroline stayed. She handled my parents’ funeral arrangements personally, brought me back to the Baker Family, and stood by my side.

We married.

For five years, I believed she was my salvation.

Until one night, I overheard her talking to a colleague—

“Caroline, the Crow Family murder had only one suspect: Karl. Why did you stop the investigation? Do you think you’re worthy of your badge? Victor has been living under the same roof as the killer. What will you do if he finds out?”

“Karl is innocent,” she replied softly. “He was just... there. It had nothing to do with him. I trust him.”

“I may regret wearing this uniform,” she added, “but I don't regret following my heart. Even if he never chose me... if he’s happy, I can endure anything.”

The gift I had been holding slipped from my hand.

All this time—the one who killed my parents had been right beside me.

And the woman I had come to love… had kept that truth from me for five long years.

Our marriage—suddenly felt like a cage.

——

From behind the door, her voice trembled with quiet sorrow as she looked at an old photo hanging on the wall:

“Since Karl didn’t choose me, I’ll clear every obstacle for him. I’ll make sure he never has to look back.

As for Victor... I’ll watch him closely. I’ll never let him learn the truth.”

Even her colleague couldn’t hide the disappointment in their voice.

"You’ve been on this case for eight years. You’ve won countless medals and commendations. Why throw it all away for Karl?"

The voice was sharp, almost pleading.

"He doesn’t love you, Caroline! His appearance at the Crow Residence wasn’t a coincidence—you know that!"

"You could lose your badge, your career. Your name will be destroyed, maybe even prison. Are you insane?"

Caroline let out a soft chuckle, light and detached.

"Crazy? Maybe I am. But love doesn’t need to make sense. This case is over. Don’t bring it up again."

"What about Victor?" her colleague pressed. "You brought him back and let him live under the same roof as the man who killed his parents. He trusts you. He loves you—"

Before the sentence could finish, Caroline’s eyes turned cold.

"Enough," she said sharply. "I have already told you—Karl is not the murderer."

"And if someone must be held accountable, then I’ll take the fall. I’ll pay with my life if I have to."

A beat of silence. Then a sigh.

"I don’t get you at all. There’s evidence. Motive. But you just—"

The voice trailed off in defeat.

"Forget it. Do what you want."

Their footsteps faded down the hallway.

I stumbled back into my room, heart pounding, hands shaking.

The bloodsoaked memory of my parents’ death five years ago surged forward—raw and merciless.

Our company crumbled in the aftermath.

Back then, it was Caroline who reached out to me, the one person who didn't turn away.

She cleared my debts. She brought me into the Baker Family.

I thought I had found salvation. A second chance in life. Maybe even love.

But now I know the truth:

It was all a lie.

She didn’t bring me back out of love.

She brought me back to keep me close—

To watch me. To protect him.

Everything—our marriage, our smiles, her warmth—

It was guilt wrapped in charity.

And like a fool, I took it. I embraced it. I even showed it off like it was something to be proud of.

How laughable.

The door clicked shut. Her colleague was gone.

A moment later, Caroline entered the room.

Her steps were unsteady. Her eyes… unreadable.

She knelt beside me, cupped my face gently and pressed a kiss on my forehead.

Her drunken eyes shimmered with pain.

“Why are you standing by the door?” she asked, voice soft and slightly slurred.

“It’s nothing,” I replied gently. “I brought you some hangover soup but ended up spilling it by accident.”

She frowned slightly. “You should’ve let the nanny handle that. You’ve been exhausted lately. Get some rest, or I’ll feel even worse.”

Then she leaned in and kissed me on the lips.

The gesture was as tender and familiar as always.

But I couldn’t feel her warmth anymore.

It’s true—one person really can give up everything for another.

I closed my eyes, and a tear slipped silently down my cheek.

Wordlessly, I helped her to bed and tucked her in. The alcohol worked fast—within minutes, she was fast asleep.

I sat by the bedside and quietly reached for her phone.

The passcode?

Karl’s birthday.

Of course.

Once entered, the screen unlocked—not to her usual apps, but to a hidden interface. The layout was clean. Only one folder sat on the screen: Album.

Inside was a chilling archive.

A thousand photos—each one related to the Crow Family murder case from five years ago.

Every image meticulously labeled.

And every single one pointed to Karl.

His motives. Forensics. Witness statements. Surveillance screenshots.

Even a blurry but unmistakable video of him standing outside the Crow Family villa that night.

Every detail preserved—vivid, damning, undeniable.

But at the end of the album, she labeled it: Unsolved Case.

Caroline hadn’t filed the evidence at the station. Afraid of raising suspicion among her colleagues, she brought it home instead.

Only this hidden archive remained—tucked away on her phone, seen by no one but her.

Her preference and protection were obvious.

And it broke my heart.

She used to be guided by principles, unwavering in her sense of justice.

That was the very reason I fell in love with her.

But I never imagined she’d abandon all of it—for Karl.

There was another album. A private one.

I tapped it open.

Every photo was of Karl.

His smiling face.

Thousands of candid shots—group pictures, selfies, public appearances—meticulously saved.

A fiveyear visual record of his life after marriage.

As the Baker Family’s second soninlaw, he had appeared at countless events.

Caroline saved them all.

And in every family photo, without fail—my face had been cut out.

The message couldn’t have been clearer.

I chuckled bitterly and stopped scrolling.

That night, I backed up everything from her phone onto mine.

Then, I booked a oneway ticket abroad—three days from now.

I submitted a request to cancel all my IDs and documents.

I didn’t sleep a wink.

At dawn, I got up to wash. Just as the cold water hit my face, my phone rang.

It was her.

"Victor?" Her voice held a trace of confusion. "Why did you cancel your documents?"

I quickly pulled the phone away and forced a calm tone.

"Ah, nothing. They were expiring. I just scheduled a renewal."

"You don’t have training today?" she asked softly. "Go on, get busy."

Then she wrapped her arms around me, her voice full of affection.

"Are you planning a surprise for me?"

I froze.

She giggled and reached up to tap my nose.

"I saw the new necklace you bought!"

"You’re always trying to hide things, but you forget—I can see right through you. You’re like glass to me, you know that?"

She leaned in again, her voice turning gentle.

"It’s almost your parents’ death anniversary. Let’s go burn paper together. Tell them the good news about our marriage, alright? We’ll hold a family dinner. Doreen hasn’t come home in so long."

I smiled faintly but said nothing.

She twirled in my arms, laughing.

For the past five years, she had been arranging these socalled reunions—telling me they were to help mend things between me and Doreen.

I used to believe it was love.

Now I know better.

It was all a cover.

An excuse to see Karl again.

This fiveyear deception—it ends now.

As soon as she stepped out, I left home.

I went to the law firm and had the divorce papers printed.

I canceled all my documents.

The case file had already been taken away by Caroline.

If I called the police now, without evidence, I wouldn’t stand a chance.

Leaving was my only option.

When I arrived at her workplace with the agreement in hand, I overheard her colleagues whispering in the hallway.

“Isn’t that Captain Carol’s husband? He looks familiar… Oh right, the Crow Family tragedy five years ago!”

“Shh, do you want to be punished during training? Don’t talk nonsense. Captain Carol has said time and again he wasn’t the killer. Don’t bring it up unless you want her to blow up. She even argued with the director over that case.”

“That suit looks custom—worth millions, I bet. I heard he had just come back from abroad. Someone like that wouldn’t need to kill anyone, right? And the way Captain Carol looks at him… If he really was the murderer, she’d have arrested him herself.”

My nails dug into my palm, the pain sharp but grounding.

I stood outside her office. Through the slightly ajar door, I heard voices—too familiar to mistake.

“Has she been treating you well these past years?” Caroline asked, her voice soft and strained, heavy with emotion.

Karl laughed lightly. “Don’t you know your sister? When she found out I was coming back, she bought me a private jet. No matter how I tried to talk her out of it, she wouldn’t listen. She’s still the same—so naive, even after five years of marriage.”

Caroline’s voice trembled slightly. “That’s good… Then I can rest easy.”

“Sis, I still owe you everything for what happened back then. If it weren’t for you, I’d probably be rotting in prison.”

“I think it’s best I don’t show up at the family dinner tomorrow,” he added with a sigh. “If Victor sees me, he’ll just be reminded of his parents. I don’t want to make trouble for you again…”

Karl—he’s always been like this. Playing the victim, twisting words.

And somehow, turning everyone against me.

Even now, I could still hear his mocking tone, his sneers behind a veneer of politeness.

Back when Caroline was still investigating the case, I read her notes in secret.

I knew—I knew—he was the only suspect.

At our wedding, I stood up and publicly named him as the murderer of my parents.

I tried to drag him to the police station myself.

But everyone turned on me.

They said I was ungrateful. They said I was ruining the day. They said I was insane.

Only Caroline stood by me, trying to explain away my outburst.

She used to be the only light in my life—the only salvation.

But now, it's her who pushed me into the abyss.

In the office, Caroline forced a bitter smile and pulled a small ceramic ornament from her drawer.

“I made this myself,” she said softly. “It’s not as expensive as the ones in stores, but it’s from the heart. I heard Doreen is pregnant… Consider it a gift for the baby.”

Karl accepted it with a grin, his eyes glowing with satisfaction and pride.

My hand trembled without me realizing. The slight shift made the door creak.

Caroline looked up and froze when she saw me through the glass. Her expression instantly tensed.

“Victor? Why are you here?”

“Don’t misunderstand,” she added quickly, walking toward me. “Karl just got back from abroad. He stopped by to say hi—and to talk about tomorrow night’s family dinner.”

“Victor, it’s been a while,” Karl greeted, rising to his feet. He wore a freshly tailored designer suit, polished down to the cufflinks.

Next to him, I looked like a street drifter.

I smiled faintly, suppressing everything boiling beneath the surface.

“It’s nothing,” I said. “I was just passing by and thought I’d check in. Since you’re busy, I’ll head back.”

Thinking I was upset, Caroline chased after me, her heels echoing in the hallway as she tried to explain.

“Victor, please don’t overthink it. Doreen is pregnant, and I just wanted to ask him for advice. To prepare.”

She looked up at me, eyes full of urgency. “Didn’t you always want a child of your own? I’m ready now. I agree.”

I stared at her—really stared. The woman I once loved so deeply. The woman who swore on her badge to uphold justice.

And now, here she was, compromising everything she stood for… just to shield Karl

Even her marriage.

Looking at her desperation—her need to reassure me—I almost laughed.

If she got everything she wanted in the end, who exactly was she still pretending for?

“Don’t worry, it’s all in the past,” I said with a faint smile. “Didn’t you once say it was all just a misunderstanding? I’m not that unreasonable.”

“You two keep chatting. I’ll wait for you at home.”

She let out a quiet sigh of relief and personally walked me to the car.

On the way, my colleagues at the bureau gave me looks filled with pity.

I ignored them, got into the car, and pulled out my phone. I started editing the divorce agreement.

When I got home, I began burning everything Caroline had given me over the past five years. Every letter, every trinket, every trace of what we once had.

When the final flame flickered out, I heard a knock on the door—the courier had arrived.

The sender was Caroline.

The recipient was Karl.

I signed for it anyway.

Curious, I opened the package.

Inside were premium maternity and baby products from all the top brands.

Then came her message, almost too quickly.

“Victor, I accidentally had a courier sent to the wrong address. It’s just office stuff. Please don’t open it. I’ll take it to the bureau when I’m back.”

I replied with a simple emoji.

Then resealed the box.

I had already made up my mind to leave.

Her lies weren’t even worth the effort of exposing anymore.

That night, she didn’t come home—said she was busy with a case.

Karl posted a status update for the first time in forever.

It was tagged at a luxury hotel in the city.

The photo was blurry but unmistakable. A woman in uniform, her shoulder epaulettes clearly visible.

Her wedding ring was gone, but the tan line it left behind lingered.

In the reflection of a wine glass, she smiled sweetly, and he looked at her like she was his whole world.

I gave it a like. Just as he would’ve wanted.

Then I quietly packed my bags.

The next afternoon, Caroline finally messaged me.

She asked me to come to the Baker Family’s old house.

The moment I stepped inside, her parents’ faces dropped when they noticed I came emptyhanded.

“Caroline works day and night at the bureau. As her husband, can’t you at least bring something to show respect to us?” her father snapped. “What are you trying to prove by walking in here like that?”

The relatives sitting around cast me looks of thinly veiled contempt.

“You’ve been married five years and still think you’re the young master of the Crow Family?” someone scoffed. “The Crow Family’s been bankrupt for ages. If it weren’t for Caroline using all her savings to pay off your debts, you’d still be out there selling your pride to survive.”

“They’re your inlaws,” someone else chimed in. “Your own parents are long gone. Can’t you show some manners? From the way you act, it’s like Caroline forced you to marry her!”

Just then, Karl arrived at the door, carrying a full load of expensive health products.

The mood instantly changed.

“Karl, you’re here!” Caroline’s mother beamed, rushing over to greet him. “You must be tired from the flight. I’ll have your brotherinlaw cook something special for you. Go rest upstairs, okay?”

“And why do you always bring so many things?” her father added with a chuckle. “We’re getting old—we can’t use all this. You two should just save your money for yourselves.”

I stood there in silence, invisible in my own marriage.

“Karl really knows how to behave—unlike someone who walks in like a debt collector,” Carol’s mother sneered. My parents have been dead for five years, and they still bring it up every time. It’s bad luck just hearing it!

Despite claiming she didn’t need the gifts, she didn’t hesitate to accept them, her hands busily tucking each item away.

Karl smiled proudly and slipped his arm around her in a familiar gesture.

“Mom, don’t say that. It’s been five years and they still haven’t caught the culprit behind the Crow Family case. It’s only natural that my brotherinlaw is still grieving. He’s already carrying enough pain—let’s not rub salt in the wound. We’re all family, after all. You can’t write two Baker characters with one stroke.”

He chuckled lightly, then added, “By the way, Mom, Doreen is pregnant, and I heard my sister is starting to prepare too. Double blessings for the Baker Family!”

“And please, don’t make my brotherinlaw cook—if my sister comes home to that, she’ll scold you for sure.”

At the mention of Caroline, her mother’s smile faltered for a split second before she recovered.

“A married daughter is like water thrown out,” she muttered under her breath, more to herself than anyone else. “That’s what being someone’s wife means.”

"I worry about her working so hard on the case every day, and in the end, showing concern for her makes me the villain!"

If this were before, I might have thought Caroline didn’t want to return to the old house just to protect me. But now, knowing the truth, I couldn’t feel anything at all.

She didn’t want to go home because she didn’t want to deal with Karl in the guise of being my sister. She didn’t want me to mention the murder case in front of everyone and risk embarrassing Karl.

A chorus of voices echoed, praising Karl for taking such good care of her. They marveled at how youthful she still looked, despite traveling the world and enduring all sorts of hardships.

I was left standing at the door, forgotten in the cold.

The wind swept past me just as Caroline arrived. She wrapped her arms around me and lovingly touched the tip of my nose.

"Why are you standing out here? Did your parents scold you again?"

When Caroline entered, my motherinlaw softened her tone immediately. "How could I scold the eldest son of the Crow Family? Your husband is too precious. Please, go upstairs and rest."

Karl, ever the actor, feigned concern. "Mom, I’ve booked dinner at the hotel. It should be here soon. You should rest, don’t worry about any of this."

Carol’s relatives surrounded him, praising his thoughtfulness, while I was left to fade into the background.

Caroline gently pushed me into the bedroom to rest.

I turned around to explain to my motherinlaw that I was feeling unwell, hoping she wouldn’t take my behavior the wrong way.

But Carol’s relatives couldn’t care less. They weren’t interested in me. They were too busy praising Karl for being such a good soninlaw. Every few moments, I could hear their laughter, each burst of sound making the air feel even more suffocating.

When I finally tried to leave and find some peace, Karl appeared out of nowhere, his smile growing more smug when he saw my pale face.

"Long time no see, old classmate," he said with a mocking tone.

"Five years have passed, and you still don’t recognize me?"

He paused for a moment before adding, "By the way, I have to thank you. If you hadn’t taken me home that night, I wouldn’t have found my enemy."

I clenched my fists, my entire body stiff with cold fury as I glared at him.

"Enemy?" I spat, my voice thick with rage. "What do you mean by that? What did my parents ever do to you that justified you going to such lengths to dismember them and kill them so cruelly?!"

In front of me, Karl dropped the pretense, his expression turning vicious.

"Sorry to you?" he sneered. "You should be asking them how they're sorry to me! If it weren't for them, my father's company wouldn't have gone bankrupt, and he wouldn't have been driven to jump off a building. You destroyed everything I had, and now I'm just taking revenge. Can't stand it?"

His words stabbed through me like daggers.

"Why," he continued, his voice dripping with malice, "are you so uncomfortable seeing the real murderer—the one who killed your parents—standing right in front of you, without retribution?"

He paused, a twisted grin spreading across his face.

"Speaking of which, I owe a lot to your fiancée and wife. If it weren't for them, I wouldn’t be living so well today."

The words hit like a freight train. Before I could process what he said, Karl added, "Before your father died, he was still thinking about you, his son. I even have a video of him begging for mercy. Want to see it? Kneel down and beg me."

The horrifying images of my parents’ tragic end flashed before my eyes. My heart raced, and a redhot fury surged through me. Without thinking, I swung my fist at him.

The blow landed with a sickening thud.

But instead of anger, Karl only laughed—his laugh cold, detached. With the force of my punch, he staggered backward, falling hard to the ground.

Before I could even react, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

Caroline, having rushed in, had kicked me squarely in the heart. The sheer force of her strike, honed by years of training, left me gasping and crumpling to the floor in humiliation.

She then crouched down, gathering Karl into her arms, her gaze full of fury as she glared at me.

"Victor, what the hell are you doing? Are you insane?" she shouted, her voice laced with venom. "Karl was just trying to call you to dinner, and you hit him?"

The sound of footsteps echoed, and Carol’s relatives appeared, eyes full of contempt as they glared at me, wishing they could stab me with their gazes.

Karl, weakly propped up in her arms, began to sob, playing his part perfectly.

"Caroline," he whined, "I'm sorry... I just wanted to apologize to Victor for the misunderstanding from five years ago... I never thought he'd suddenly... do this..."

“Forget it, Doreen broke off the engagement five years ago, and we were wrong. Today's incident should be seen as compensation. Don’t blame Victor.”

The broken ribs throbbed painfully, and I felt a cold sweat break out across my skin.

“Misunderstanding?” I hissed, my voice trembling with fury. “How dare you call it a misunderstanding?”

“Caroline, what happened five years ago? Don’t I deserve an explanation?”

Her eyes flickered with panic, but she forced herself to speak.

“I’ve been investigating the murderer of that case,” she said, her voice wavering. “I’ve told you, it has nothing to do with Karl. Why are you blaming him? I’m a police officer. Don’t you trust me?”

Her words stung like a slap. "What right do you have to defend Karl when the matter isn’t clear? Victor, you need to apologize to him!”

Before I could respond, my motherinlaw’s face turned icy. Without warning, she rushed at me and slapped me hard across the face.

“Are you crazy? You want to accuse Karl now? My daughter’s investigative skills are wellknown. She’s already said it has nothing to do with him. Who do you think you are to attack him?”

Her voice dripped with contempt. “You’re just an orphan whose parents are dead. Do you think you have any standing here?”

“If it weren’t for my daughter saving you, you wouldn’t even know how to sell yourself at that hotel to pay off your debts! It's said that all businessmen are deceitful. Maybe your parents’ death was just karma for their evil deeds.”

“Caroline, don’t waste your time on him. Take Karl to the hospital first.”

Without another glance in my direction, Caroline walked out of the house, Karl cradled in her arms. Five years of love—gone in an instant.

Blood began to trickle from the corner of my mouth as Carol’s parents drove me out of the house. Passersby took me to the emergency room, where I learned that my broken ribs were dangerously close to my heart.

Late that night, Caroline sent me a message. Her words were soft and apologetic.

“Victor, don’t think too much about what happened tonight. I know you didn’t mean it. Karl is my brotherinlaw after all, and I can’t explain things to Doreen if you hurt him. Once Karl is out of danger, I’ll apologize to you in person, okay? Go to your favorite restaurant. Don’t be angry. My parents are just talking nonsense in their anger.”

So, she still remembered she had a home, didn’t she?

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Well, I'll wait for you to come back."

“Thank you for understanding, husband.”

That night, Karl posted a photo with the hospital location. The woman beside him, lying on the bed, looked worried, her face a mix of tenderness and care. The next morning, I discharged myself from the hospital, packed my bags, and headed straight for the airport. On the way there, Caroline sent me the location of the restaurant.

“Husband, I have a surprise for you. I’ll pick you up at home soon. Wait for me.”

I opened Karl’s latest update, posted just minutes ago. In the video, the woman lovingly fed him white porridge, her eyes filled with a tenderness I’d never seen before.

I quietly liked the post, then deleted all their contact information.

As the plane took off, I sent a complaint letter to the director, attaching the records from Caroline’s phone.

I also sent her the signed divorce agreement.

At the restaurant, Caroline was preoccupied with organizing the scene, instructing her colleagues to spread petals across the floor.

Her phone lay on the table, the message I sent her still unread, stirring a feeling of unease deep in her chest. She reached for it, her finger hovering over the screen, tempted to call, but hesitating.

Then, a colleague in a police uniform rushed in through the door, his face drained of color.

"It's bad, Captain Carol," he said, breathless. "You need to get back to the bureau, quickly. The Crow Family case has been reported, and the director is looking for you everywhere! Mr. Crow is in trouble too!"