It had been three years since Alexandra Norton married Hendrix Sanchez when a spilled cup of coffee ruined their marriage certificate.

She headed to City Hall to get a replacement. But after a few clicks on the computer, the staff member looked up and said, "Miss, it says here that you're listed as single."

Alexandra blinked in confusion. "That can't be right. My husband and I got our certificate here three years ago."

The staff double-checked, her expression turning a little awkward. "Well, it does show you're single. But Mr. Hendrix Sanchez is registered as married..."

She hesitated before adding, "His spouse is listed as someone named Elizabeth Quinlan. Does that name ring a bell?"

Alexandra's mind went completely blank. Her ears buzzed, and everything else faded.

Everyone knew she and Hendrix had been childhood sweethearts.

She had always been his beloved crush—the one he had treasured since they were kids.

And Elizabeth was someone Hendrix found to fill the gap while Alexandra was overseas—a stand-in for her during those two years apart.

***

Holding the coffee-stained, fake marriage certificate, Alexandra sat in the car, completely out of it.

It turned out Hendrix had already legally married someone else behind her back.

She thought about the day she flew back home after studying abroad. She hadn't told him she was coming back and wanted it to be a surprise.

But when she walked into the club's private room, she saw him hugging and kissing a girl passionately.

That girl looked 70% similar to hers.

After they got married, Alexandra realized that his assistant had been swapped out for Elizabeth, the same woman he'd claimed was long gone.

He explained again, "I didn't even know she applied for the job.

"She's capable and passed all the interviews. I can't just fire her."

So, Alexandra tolerated it again.

She never thought that all her patience would just make her look like a fool in the end.

When the car pulled into the villa area, her tears had already dried.

She took a deep breath, reaching for the door. But then, she froze—voices drifted from the living room.

Hendrix's friend laughed and teased, "I seriously don't get it. You're in love with Alexandra. Then why marry Elizabeth? Come on, be real with me. Isn't she just someone to fill the gap?"

For a few moments, everything went still.

Then, Hendrix finally spoke, "So what? I figured once Alexandra came back, I wouldn't need Elizabeth anymore.

"But after I let her go, she kept showing up in my dreams.

"I couldn't handle being without her, so I brought her back to work with me.

"I can't be without Alexandra, but I can't be without Elizabeth either.

"Alexandra gets my love out in the open. Elizabeth can only stay hidden. So what if I give her a title just to make it up to her?"

His friend sighed. "Aren't you scared Alexandra might find out? You know how she is. If she knew the truth, she'd leave you without hesitation even if you dropped dead on the spot."

Hendrix paused and gulped slightly. "She can never find out."

Alexandra was right outside the door, frozen like the blood in her veins had turned to ice.

On the way back, she kept thinking if maybe he was going through something.

But now, she knew the truth. He just fell for two people at once.

Alexandra left and did two things right away.

First, she filed a request to erase all her identity information in America.

Second, she changed her name.

The staff told her everything would be processed in about two weeks.

By then, Hendrix wouldn't find her even if he searched the whole world.

It was already dark when Alexandra got home.

Hendrix acted like nothing was wrong. He even leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Go ahead and eat. Don't wait for me."

She said nothing and just gave a nod.

She had just seen the caller ID. It was Elizabeth.

Instead of eating, like he suggested, she left the house, caught a cab, and followed him.

Sure enough, he didn't go to the office. He went to the hospital.

Several doctors and nurses were standing outside a VIP ward, all looking anxious.

The hospital director was bowing and apologizing. "I'm sorry, Mr. Sanchez. Ms. Quinlan slipped in the bathroom. It was our fault. We'll increase the staff. It won't happen again!"

Hendrix looked furious, and his voice was sharp. "If something like this happens again, your hospital is done."

The director hurriedly nodded. "Of course! We'll make sure it doesn't happen again!"

Alexandra was hiding around the corner, clenching her hands.

She remembered his friend had said that Elizabeth just had a few scratches.

But it seemed that Hendrix had rented out a whole building just for a few scratches. Now that something serious had happened, he was freaking out like he was ready to shut the hospital down.

Right then, the ward door opened. Elizabeth sat up weakly, leaning against the headboard. Her face was pale, her eyes red.

Hendrix rushed to her side and grabbed her hand. "How is it? Does it still hurt?"

Tears filled Elizabeth's eyes again as she spoke, her voice trembling. "It's all my fault. I first got hit by a car, and now I've even slipped in the shower. I made you miss time with Ms. Norton. What if she gets the wrong idea? I'm nothing but a jinx."

"Don't talk nonsense," he said in a low voice, but his tone sounded gentle. "Just focus on getting better. I'll stay with you for the next few days."

Elizabeth looked up at him with teary eyes. "What about Ms. Norton?"

He said calmly, "I'll take care of it. That's not your concern."

After a short pause, he added, "You're my wife. Of course, I should be here with you."

Alexandra felt her whole body go cold.

"What a perfect match they were."

She turned and left unsteadily, like her legs had no strength at all.

It was already late when Alexandra got home.

Right after she stepped inside, her phone buzzed.

It was a message from Hendrix. "Babe, something came up at work. I need to fly out for a few days. Don't be mad. I'll make it up to you when I'm back."

She stared at the screen, her fingers shaking as they hovered above the keyboard.

She typed out, "Are you truly going away for business, or are you just spending time with your wife?"

But after a moment, she deleted the whole message. Tears dropped onto the screen, making it blurry.

Then, she quietly began packing her stuff.

Three days later, Hendrix came back.

He grabbed her hand, looking excited. "I've prepared a surprise for you."

Before she could even react, he was already pulling her toward the car.

Half an hour later, they stopped in front of a concert hall.

Inside, Alexandra noticed the entire place was booked. The seats were filled, and people were whispering all around them.

"Wow, Mr. Sanchez truly went all out for Ms. Norton!"

"I heard he flew in her favorite orchestra from overseas just to play for her all day!"

Alexandra stood beneath the blinding lights, surrounded by whispers of admiration and envy.

Hendrix smiled at her gently, but all she felt was a deep, icy chill sinking into her chest.

He gave her a fairytale moment, but the title of wife went to someone else.

He leaned over, adjusting her shawl with care. He asked softly, "Are you cold?"

She shook her head, but she subconsciously frowned.

Hendrix noticed it right away. "Is your stomach acting up again?"

She gave a small nod.

He immediately called his assistant, Freddie Robinson, to bring medicine.

Half an hour later, someone rushed over and spoke softly, "Mr. Sanchez, I've got the medicine."

Alexandra and Hendrix turned toward the voice.

It was Elizabeth.

She was holding a paper bag. Her hair looked slightly damp, and her face was a bit pale.

Hendrix's expression shifted instantly. "You just got better. Who told you to come? I asked Freddie, didn't I?"

Elizabeth bit her lip and said softly, "Freddie is caught up in a meeting. I thought Ms. Norton might be in pain, and you'd be worried, so I brought it myself."

Alexandra stayed silent. She grabbed her things and went to the restroom.

When she came back out, Hendrix, who said he'd wait, was nowhere to be seen.

She was about to leave. But then, she heard a faint noise coming from the restroom next door.

Curious, she stepped closer. Through the crack in the door, she saw Hendrix pressing Elizabeth up against the sink, kissing her hard.

Elizabeth let out a soft moan.

He chuckled, his voice low and sweet. "Do you feel that?"

She blushed, gently pushing him away. "You should go be with Ms. Norton. I... I can manage on my own."

"And how exactly would you do that?" he teased, voice full of affection. "Stuff like this is better with a guy helping, isn't it?"

His hand slid lower.

There were soft rustles of clothing, Elizabeth's shaky breathing, and Hendrix whispering, "Easy now. Just relax..."

Alexandra stood frozen outside the door, her heart completely shattered.

He was in there, touching another woman.

It felt like someone had ripped her heart in half. The pain was so intense, she could barely stay standing.

Alexandra stumbled back and accidentally knocked over a fancy vase near the wall.

"Who's out there?" Hendrix's cold voice echoed.

When he rushed out, the corridor was already empty—except for an orange cat crouched in the corner, staring at him warily.

He grabbed Elizabeth's hand and brought her straight back to the concert hall.

When he opened the door, Alexandra was still sitting quietly in her seat, listening to the music like nothing had happened.

Relieved, Hendrix brought Elizabeth over and had her sit next to Alexandra. He said casually, "Babe, it's raining like crazy outside. She loves music, so I figured she might as well stay."

Alexandra nodded slightly, choosing not to expose his lie.

But she noticed right away that he was still holding Elizabeth's hand with his left one.

While holding hers, he was clinging to someone else.

After the performance, people slowly started leaving, but Hendrix stopped Alexandra from going.

Soon, a bunch of musical instruments were wheeled in—pianos, violins, cellos—all top of the line.

"You mentioned before you liked these," Hendrix said with a grin. "So I bought them all for you. Do you like them?"

Elizabeth stood aside, her eyes flashing with something unreadable.

Alexandra pursed her lips and was about to answer.

"What's this?" Elizabeth suddenly tugged on a decorative rope out of curiosity.

"Don't touch that!" a staff member yelled, panicking. But it was too late.

A loud mechanical noise came from above. The next second, a cluster of lights and sound gear came crashing down.

Hendrix instantly pulled Elizabeth into his arms and rolled out of the way.

Alexandra stood frozen, watching as shadows fell toward her.

Bang!

She fell into a pool of blood as she was struck by severe pain. The last thing she heard was Hendrix shouting her name in panic. "Alexandra!"

But the person he saved wasn't her.

He chose to protect Elizabeth and let Alexandra take the hit. Blood soon blurred her vision.

***

Alexandra abruptly opened her eyes, her pillow soaked with tears.

Before she could even process what had just happened, she saw Elizabeth crying and throwing herself into Hendrix's arms in the ward. "I didn't mean to. It's my fault. I never should've pulled that rope. If I hadn't touched it, Ms. Norton wouldn't have been hurt. Please punish me."

He chuckled and playfully pinched her cheek. "Then call me 'Hubby'."

Her cheeks turned red as she murmured, "...Hubby."

Alexandra quietly took in the scene and accidentally knocked over the glass of water on the bedside table.

Clatter!

The noise startled them. Hendrix turned around and saw that she was awake.

He rushed to her side, his face full of worry. "Alexandra, are you feeling okay? Does anything hurt?"

He took her hand gently, his voice filled with regret. "I'm sorry. Everything happened so fast. I grabbed the wrong person."

Alexandra simply shut her eyes and let the lie slide.

She just asked softly, "Where's Elizabeth?"

Hendrix's expression shifted. Thinking she was going to confront her, he quickly said, "She didn't do it on purpose, but yeah, it was her mistake. I've already punished her."

Alexandra recalled the scene when he asked Elizabeth to call him "Hubby" just now.

"Was that a punishment?" she wondered.

She stayed silent.

She didn't scream at him or demand to know why he mistook someone else. She didn't accuse him of playing favorites either.

When it was finally time for Alexandra to leave the hospital, Hendrix thought she seemed bored. So, he threw a huge banquet to celebrate her recovery.

The banquet hall shimmered with lights, and champagne was stacked sky-high in elegant towers. Guests dressed to impress, clinking glasses and chatting about the banquet with admiration.

Alexandra stood in the middle of the crowd without a smile.

Hendrix eventually couldn't take it anymore. He led her to a quiet corner and whispered, "Still upset?"

He gently ran his hand over her wrist and spoke in a coaxing tone, "I truly thought I was grabbing the right person.

"What do you want me to do so you'll forgive me? Just say it, babe. I'll do anything."

Alexandra glanced at him and suddenly smiled. "Alright then. Fire Elizabeth."

Hendrix's face stiffened a bit, and his tone softened. "Her family is broke, and her parents are sick. Isn't that a little harsh?"

She stared at him without saying a word.

He'd just promised he'd do anything. But the second it involved Elizabeth, he backed down.

Right when she was about to reply, Hendrix's phone rang.

It was Elizabeth.

She was crying, her voice cracking through the phone. "Mr. Sanchez, save me! Someone sent guys after me... They're trying to hurt me..."

Hendrix's expression instantly changed. "What? Where are you?!"

But the call ended.

He redialed right away, but there was no signal.

He abruptly turned to Alexandra. His look went from panic to doubt, then to barely contained anger.

"Where's Elizabeth?" he asked, his voice tight.

Alexandra's heart sank.

He didn't believe her.

He didn't even investigate and just assumed it was her.

"You don't trust me?" Her voice shook slightly.

"I do," he said, rubbing his forehead. "But she said someone tried to go after her..."

"So?" Her voice cracked. "You think I did it?"

Hendrix was silent for a moment and whispered, "I didn't say that, but this is serious—"

"She calls, and you freak out?" Alexandra smiled bitterly. "What is she to you, Hendrix?"

His frown deepened. "Why are you being jealous when someone could be in danger?"

"Jealous?" she repeated softly. "You think that's what this is?"

Hendrix took a deep breath, trying to calm the tension. "Alexandra, there's nothing between us. But something might have happened to her. Just tell me. Did you—"

"No," she cut in, her voice sharp and clear. "This is the last time I'm saying it—I have no clue where she is. And I didn't send anyone to hurt her."

Hendrix stared at her, clearly getting more anxious by the second.

Minutes passed, but Elizabeth still wasn't answering.

Finally, he snapped. Grabbing Alexandra's wrist so hard it felt like it might snap, he shouted, "I already punished her! Why are you still going after her? It's despicable to ruin a girl! I don't have time to mess around with you. Just tell me—where is she?!"

Alexandra turned pale from the pain, but her answer stayed the same. "I don't know! No matter how many times you ask, my answer won't change!"

Hendrix completely lost it. "You've changed, Alexandra!"

Then, he shoved her away hard.

Bang!

Alexandra stumbled back a few steps. Her lower back slammed into the edge of the table, and her forehead smashed against a sharp decorative corner. Blood instantly poured out.

People around screamed, "Mr. Sanchez! Ms. Norton is hurt!"

But Hendrix turned a deaf ear to it.

Alexandra returned home alone.

Right as she turned around, someone threw a sack over her head.

Before she could even fight back, a sharp pain hit the back of her neck. Her vision went dark, and everything faded.

When she came to, she was still inside the sack. Her hands were tied tightly behind her, and a cloth was stuffed in her mouth.

Through a small gap in the fabric, she could see Hendrix holding Elizabeth and sitting on a high couch. Bodyguards stood all around them.

One of them stepped forward and said respectfully, "Mr. Sanchez, we caught the guy. He's the leader of the group hired by Ms. Norton to mess with Ms. Quinlan."

Elizabeth shrank closer to Hendrix and said diffidently, "Let's just forget it, Hendrix. You showed up on time. Nothing bad happened to me."

Hendrix sneered. "No."

Alexandra felt completely numb.

Everything made sense now—Elizabeth had staged the entire thing.

She faked getting attacked, then paid someone to kidnap Alexandra. Then, she told Hendrix that Alexandra was the mastermind, so he'd take revenge on her without even knowing the truth.

The next second, Alexandra was yanked up and dragged onto a platform.

Below her was a deep pool over ten meters down. The water looked cold and eerie under the dim lights.

Still tied up and trapped in the sack, she was shoved off the platform.

Splash!

The freezing water rushed in, and the shock made her feel like her insides were getting crushed.

Alexandra coughed hard, choking on the water mixed with blood. Before she could even breathe, they pushed her under again.

Once, twice, three times...

After several rounds, Elizabeth stepped forward like she was trying to stop it. "Hendrix, that's enough. Don't torture him anymore."

But Hendrix took a metal rod from a bodyguard and walked toward Alexandra.

"Since you dare to hurt my woman, this is what you get."

Crack!

The first hit landed hard on her back. Her body arched from the pain, like she'd been shocked.

It shot through her spine and into her limbs. She bit down on the cloth in her mouth, but a muffled cry still escaped.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

He sent her one brutal strike after another without mercy.

By the time it was over, Alexandra couldn't feel anything.

Her body was going numb. Everything started to blur.

Crack!

He raised his polished shoe and stomped on her exposed fingers.

Her fingers cracked loudly. Her whole body jerked in pain, but she couldn't even scream.

Finally, Hendrix stepped back with satisfaction and pulled Elizabeth into his arms.

He gently ran his fingers through her hair. "Were you scared?"

Meanwhile, the cloth in Alexandra's mouth finally came loose.

She used the last bit of strength she had left and called out hoarsely, "Hendrix..."

He froze.