The Ultimate Betrayal: A Lover's Revenge Unleashed

After ten years of dating, I finally gained the acceptance of my boyfriend Nolan Birch's parents through our child.

On the day we went to get the marriage license, I waited outside the city hall all day. When I finally got through to him on the phone, he distractedly muttered, "Sorry, I forgot."

At the same time, his stepsister, Aria Birch, tagged me in a social media post: [My cat is sick, I'm so upset, but luckily Nolan has been with me all day.]

Accompanying the text was a photo of their hands tightly intertwined.

Ridiculously, Nolan even liked the post.

Faced with this provocation, I calmly replied, "Trashy man and bitch, a match made in heaven."

When Nolan came home that evening, I had just finished dinner.

He frowned at the empty plates. "Why didn't you save some food for me?"

I stood up to clear the table, not even looking up. "I thought you'd stay with Aria tonight and not come back."

Nolan paused, then followed me into the kitchen and hugged me from behind, dangling a golddiamond heartshaped necklace in front of me.

"It's for you, do you like it?"

Lately, every time he came back from seeing Aria, he would bring me a gift. Sometimes, it was a necklace, a ring, or a bracelet.

But without exception, they were all styles that Aria liked.

I didn't take it. I pushed him away and started washing the dishes.

Nolan's expression darkened. "Are you still mad about the marriage license?

"That cat is significant to Aria. She's devastated because it's sick. I'm afraid she might do something foolish.

"Let's deal with it tomorrow. The marriage license can wait another day or two."

My heart fluttered, and my hands trembled, causing the dish to slip and shatter.

In a panic, I reached to pick up the pieces and cut my hand, blood gushing out.

He quickly pulled out a tissue to help stop the bleeding.

Just then, my phone rang with a ringtone specially made for Aria.

His attention shifted immediately, tossing the tissue to me. "Hurry up and clean this, get a bandage. I need to take this call."

As he left the kitchen, his voice filled with concern still carried through.

"Aria, how is the cat doing now..."

I let out a sarcastic laugh. So, in Nolan's heart, even Aria's cat was more important than me.

Aria was Nolan's nonbiological stepsister, but they were very close.

When I fainted during a prenatal checkup, he was with her getting her hair done.

When I had severe bleeding during childbirth, he was with her, buying cat food.

When his parents kicked me out of the house in the middle of the night, he was at a club dancing with her.

He rushed over in the rain, promising it would never happen again.

I loved him and didn't want to give up on our relationship, so I kept making compromises and telling myself that everything would be better after we got married.

But after ten years, on the very day we were finally supposed to get our marriage license, he stood me up for Aria's cat.

I didn't want to wait anymore, not even for a second.

When he came back after taking the call, I calmly said, "Nolan, let's break up."

Nolan was taken aback, displeasure flashing in his eyes. "Don't be silly. Didn't we already agree to get the marriage license tomorrow?"

He assumed I was just messing with him and reached for my injured hand.

I dodged his touch and said thoughtfully, "I'm not joking, Nolan. I don't want to marry you anymore."

He let out a sneer and suddenly asked, "And you don't want Aiden anymore either?"

My heart tightened. I never imagined he would use Aiden to threaten me.

I had my son, Aiden Birch, out of wedlock with Nolan when I was just a teenager. He was four years old and had been raised by the Birch family since birth.

The Birches were a wealthy family, while I was just the daughter of a lowly housekeeper.

They wouldn't allow me to raise my child, claiming someone of my status couldn't provide for a child of noble blood.

Even though I'm Aiden's mother, I barely get to see him.

Nolan knew Aiden was my weakness, and I couldn't put up much of a fight.

He reached for my hand again to examine the wound, saying, "You should visit Aiden more often. He's even calling Aria 'Mommy' now."

I knew he was implying I wasn't caring enough for our son.

It was not that I didn't want to see him, but I was restricted to seeing Aiden only once a month.

When his parents made that decision, he was right there, but he didn't say a word in my defense.

I pulled my hand back and continued packing up the firstaid kit, saying indifferently, "Then let Aria be his mom. She's eager for it anyway."

Nolan snatched the disinfectant bottle from my hand and smashed it on the floor, his face livid. "Scarlett, haven't you had enough? Why do you always have to compete with Aria? What's wrong with her being good to Aiden?"

His words brought back a memory from last month when I went to see Aiden. I accidentally overheard Aria coaxing him with lollipops.

"Sweetheart," she said. "When your mommy comes to see you, throw rotten eggs at her. Then let Aunt Aria be your mommy, okay?"

The fouryearold didn't know any better. He called her "Mommy" and threw rotten eggs at me, clapping his hands in delight.

I was a mess, but she was smug. Nolan's parents, Amanda and Oscar Birch, rushed over and simply said the child was too young to understand, while Nolan chose to stand by and watch.

That day, I fled the Birch Estate, only to be accused of being petty.

Some feelings, once they fade, become like a festering wound. No matter what you do, it's wrong.

"She did nothing wrong," I said sarcastically. "It's all my fault. Are you happy now?" I pushed him away and walked out.

Perhaps my coldness provoked him because he flew into a rage. "Why have you become so unreasonable? The gentle and kind Scarlett I once loved is dead."

Yes, the Scarlett of the past was dead. But hadn't the Nolan who once loved her deeply also died in the memories?

Nolan was the heir to a wealthy family, and I was the daughter of his family's housekeeper.

We were worlds apart, him in the skies and me on the ground; by all accounts, we shouldn't have crossed paths.

Yet, the impossible happened.

We attended the same school but not the same class. I was a top student, excelling in my studies, while he was known for smoking, skipping classes, and getting into fights.

We should have never interacted, but then he had a seizure while alone, and I happened upon his secret.

In the sports equipment room, he lay on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

Fearing he might bite his tongue, I reached into his mouth only to be bitten so severely that I still bear the scars.

After that incident, Nolan clung to me, fearing I would reveal his secret.

On the way to school, he'd block my path with his motorcycle, insisting on giving me a ride.

After school, he'd wait outside my classroom and snatch my backpack to carry it on his shoulder.

When I fainted during morning exercises, he rushed me to the school clinic.

For me, he quit smoking, stopped skipping classes, and no longer fought.

The day we went to the mountain to watch the sunset, he confessed his feelings.

Yelling into the valley, he shouted, "Scarlett Haven, I like you!"

Eventually, his parents found out about us and vehemently opposed our relationship.

He was locked up, and my mother was fired under the false accusation of stealing Aria's necklace.

Unable to bear the injustice, my mother jumped off the rooftop.

In the pouring rain, I held my mother's body and cried until I passed out; Nolan sneaked out to help me handle her funeral.

Outside the funeral home, I overheard Nolan arguing with his parents, threatening to sever ties.

At that moment, I resolved to love him for a lifetime.

Later, as an exchange student, I went abroad to study, and Nolan, abandoning everything, came with me.

He found a job there, and the wealthy heir became a laborer in a foreign land.

Seeing his struggles, I secretly took a parttime job to help out, balancing work and study.

Life was tough, but being together with the one you love is the greatest happiness.

I thought we would be happy forever until that incident made Nolan decide to return home.

But after returning, everything changed.

For Aiden's sake, Nolan and I went to the city hall.

We filled out forms, and just as we were about to sign, Aria called, crying that her cat was dying.

Nolan's heart went into a frenzy, and in his haste, he left me once again to go to her, entirely forgetting his promises to me.

The staff looked at me with sympathy, but I actually breathed a sigh of relief.

It felt like escaping from hell.

"Miss, do you still want to take this license?"

I tore the paperwork into shreds and tossed it in the trash can, smiling as I replied, "No, and I won't in the future either."

I wanted to free myself!

Just as I got home, I received a photo from Aria.

Nolan was holding her, her red lips pressed against his white shirt.

[Nolan is mine, and I will never let you take him away from me!] her message read. It was a blatant provocation.

I had always known that Aria's feelings for Nolan were more than platonic, but her status meant she could never be with him.

What she couldn't have, she wouldn't let me have either.

She did provocations, favoritism, and all sorts of schemes to drive a wedge between us.

I didn't believe Nolan couldn't see it; he just chose to indulge her.

After dinner, Nolan sent a message saying he wouldn't be coming home tonight.

The cat had died, and Aria was in a bad mood. He was afraid she might do something rash alone.

I didn't reply, calmly watching TV shows.

As I was about to sleep, Aria sent another message. It was a photo of Nolan holding her as they slept.

The young man and woman were in thin pajamas, their bodies nearly touching.

It used to upset me, but now my heart is still.

When love was gone, nothing mattered anymore.

During my stay with the Birch family, it was always like this. Aria would often climb into our bed in the dead of night, push me aside, and cuddle up to Nolan.

She even shamelessly helped him scrub his back while he showered, proudly claiming it was a practice they had grown up with.

Laughably, Nolan even defended her, accusing me of making a big deal out of nothing.

Later, when he saw I was furious, he promised to keep his distance from Aria in the future.

But his promises were worthless.

Nolan didn't return until noon the next day.

After lunch, I drove alone to the cemetery.

It was the anniversary of my mother's death.

Having gotten used to solitude since returning to the country four years ago, Nolan had never once accompanied me here.

He was always with Aria.

Once, when I insisted, he turned cold and accused me, "Your mother has been dead for four years, yet you dredge it up daily. Do you expect me to die with her?"

After that, I stopped asking.

The Nolan who once sneaked out to help me deal with my mother's affairs seems like a distant memory now.

I talked to my mom but didn't mention Nolan.

From afar, two figures approached.

"Nolan, my cat is so pitiful, we must bury it properly."

"Sure, I've arranged the best plot for it."

It was Nolan and Aria.

Aria held a small urn, her eyes red, while Nolan wrapped his arms around her, her pillar of support.

He saw me, paused, and then grabbed my wrist in frustration. "Scarlett, knowing the cat is being buried today, you planned to cause trouble, didn't you?"

His fingers pressed too hard, digging into my flesh.

He was so concerned over a cat's death, yet he'd wholly forgotten my mom's anniversary.

Indeed, human affection was biased.

I clenched my teeth and pried his fingers off one by one, my gaze icy. "Do you even remember what today is?"

He couldn't recall.

Of course, his heart was with Aria.

"It's my mom's death anniversary."

His startled eyes swept over the fresh flowers in front of the tombstone, finally resting on my mom's name.

Guilt crept into his eyes. "Aria's cat died, and I came to bury it with her. I forgot, but next year, I'll definitely come with you."

I couldn't help but scoff. He said that every year, he consistently failed to show up.

After hearing so many lies, I had naturally become immune

I didn't want to pay him any attention and continued clearing the weeds.

Nolan hadn't planned to bury the cat here, but Aria looked at my mom's tombstone, a malicious glint flashing in her eyes. Suddenly, she pointed to the space beside it.

And she said, "Nolan, let's bury the cat here. The view here is good; it will help Kitty be an angel soon."

I never imagined Aria would go this far.

I could tolerate her provocations and vying for favor, but now she was even targeting my mother.

Burying the cat next to my mom was just a constant reminder that in Nolan's heart, a cat was more important than my mother.

Rage surged within me, and I shoved her angrily. "Aria, don't push it too far."

Nolan quickly shielded Aria, glaring at me. "Scarlett, what's wrong with you? Aria is already heartbroken over the cat's death. Do you want the cat to have no resting place?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I clenched my fists, my voice hoarse with anger. "Nolan, that's my mom. Are you going to let her humiliate my mom like this?"

"Nolan, I just wanted the cat to have a proper burial. What did I do wrong?" Aria sobbed, wiping away her tears.

Heartbroken? Ha! That was not how she looked when she framed my mom years ago.

To break us up, she falsely accused my mom of stealing her necklace, driving my mom out of the house, and posting it online, subjecting her to endless insults. In the end, my mom couldn't bear the cyberbullying and jumped to her death.

"Need me to remind you how my mom died?"

Aria's face paled, perhaps from guilt, her body trembling.

"Enough!" Nolan barked. "It wasn't intentional, Aria has apologized. Why can't you let it go?"

He still chose to protect Aria.

So, an apology was enough? What about my mother's life?

It was worthless in his eyes.

Yes, it was done. I saw through his deceit.

Heartbroken, I turned to leave.

Boom!

Thunder roared, and heavy rain began, soaking my sorrowful heart as if mourning with me.

The cat was eventually buried next to my mom's grave.

The tombstone read: [The beloved cat of Nolan and Aria.]

After returning from the cemetery, the first thing I did was visit a law firm to consult about fighting for custody of my child postbreakup.

The results were devastating.

Once a child reached the age of two, custody could only be determined through mutual agreement. But the Birch family would never let me take the child away.

Leaving was easy, but I couldn't bear to leave Aiden behind.

Aiden was too young to grow up in such an environment; I had to take him with me.

I returned to the villa in a daze and moved my things into the guest room.

It was three days later when Nolan found me there.

Perhaps feeling guilty about my mother, he embraced me from behind, his soothing voice magnetic in my ear.

"Don't be mad, how about I go with you to see Aiden tomorrow?"

I didn't respond, struggling in disgust.

He held me tighter. "Don't want to see Aiden anymore?"

My struggling ceased abruptly; he always knew how to manipulate me with Aiden.

He chuckled with satisfaction, pulling me closer, his commanding presence overwhelming. "Why not just be good?"

I suddenly calmed down. "Nolan, do you still love me?"

"Of course, why else would I still want to get a marriage license?" he blurted out without thinking.

I clutched his hand, pleading, "If you really still love me, can you give me Aiden back?"

Nolan's expression darkened visibly. "Scarlett, don't push it too far."

He stormed out, slamming the door behind him, and I couldn't hold back anymore, breaking down in tears.

The next day, I followed Nolan back to his family home.

Amanda and a few friends were chatting and sipping coffee in the yard.

Upon seeing me, she rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Some people, born lowly and still dreaming of becoming a phoenix. If it weren't for my grandson's sake, she wouldn't even be worthy to carry Nolan's shoes."

The crowd burst into laughter.

She publicly humiliated me again. I bit my lower lip to suppress the urge to react.

Nolan spoke up, a hint of displeasure in his voice. "Mom, please watch what you say."

Amanda just snorted and fell silent.

Nolan returned to his room while I went to the backyard to look for Aiden.

Aiden and Aria were playing by the lake.

All the bitterness and grievances seemed worthwhile when I met Aiden.

I rushed forward excitedly to hug him.

But he dodged me with a look of unfamiliar fear and ran into Aria's arms.

My heart shattered at that moment, and tears moistened my eyes.

My child was close to someone else but a stranger to me.

What else could I do but feel helpless?

"Baby, I'm your mommy," I said.

Aiden hugged Aria; he said in his childish voice, "Aunt Aria is my mommy."

Aria rubbed his head proudly and asked, "You're so smart! What should we do when we meet a bad person?"

"Kick them out!" Aiden said and swung a broom at me.

The force wasn't strong, but it felt like a sharp blade slicing through my heart, making it hard to breathe.

Aria clapped her hands gleefully. "Aiden is truly a man."

Aiden's youthful face showed a proud smile following the praise. At four years old, he couldn't discern right from wrong; Aria was deliberately leading him astray.

New and old grievances flooded my mind. I lunged at her in anger, and we wrestled.

We both ended up falling into the lake.

Aiden started crying loudly, and Nolan came running at the sound.

In the lake, Aria and I struggled.

His girlfriend and his stepsister fell into the water at the same time. Who would he choose to save first?

I didn't hold onto any illusions that he would save me first.

As expected, almost without thinking, Nolan jumped into the lake with a splash and swam towards Aria.

Suddenly, I didn't want to struggle anymore. The cold lake water choked my lungs, and my eyes welled up with moisture. I didn't know if it was tears or water.

He swam towards the shore, holding Aria, while my body sank deeper and deeper.

Past events surfaced in my mind, painful and sad. A life without hope seemed meaningless.

The lake water submerged my eyes, tears mixing with the water. I closed my eyes.

If I were to die like this, perhaps it would be for the best.

Suddenly, a large hand grasped mine.