Betrayed by Orion's Return to Toxic Love

Each year, my boyfriend would visit his late ex-girlfriend's resting place, earning him the reputation of being the entertainment industry's most devoted lover. That image was shattered on the day of our engagement party when he vanished without a trace. It turns out his ex-girlfriend had seemingly reappeared, and the pair were spotted in a passionate embrace by a cliff significant to their past. Devastated, I was involved in a car accident.

When I awoke, I found myself given a second chance at life. My gravely ill boyfriend had ventured into the stormy Alps to visit his ex-girlfriend once more. This time, I chose to let him go. Not long after, the news broke: the popular star had fallen off the cliff, suffering severe injuries and becoming paralyzed.

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After work, I returned home to catch up on the news. The reports were all about Orion Smith, a rising star in show business, who had fallen off a cliff while visiting his late ex-girlfriend. He remained in intensive care. The incident only cemented his status as the industry's most devoted lover. Before I could fully digest this, Miles Smith barged into my home.

In a meticulously tailored suit, his words were far from refined. "Where have you been? Orion's seriously hurt in the hospital, and you didn't bother to care for him. The mountain roads are treacherous at night, yet you let him go alone..."

"What's so important about your job anyway? A woman's main duty is to take care of her man; otherwise, what's the point?"

His harsh words brought back memories of when Orion and I first confirmed our relationship publicly. At a gathering, someone asked Miles about me. His dismissive answer was, "My son is young; she's just a fleeting fancy. She's not fit for our family."

Afterward, I faced ridicule for months from Orion's circle for being a small-time director daring to date someone of his stature. Miles wasn't done; he declared in an interview that I was merely a gold-digger, after the Smith family's wealth. This led to Orion's fans harassing me online, costing me several jobs.

Under pressure, I once considered breaking up with Orion. But around that time, my dad fell into debt from gambling, and his creditors were threatening him. Orion stepped in to resolve everything, keeping our family safe. He publicly declared that I was the most genuine, kind-hearted girl he'd ever met and vowed to marry no one else, asking those from influential circles and his fans to respect me.

I was touched, convinced Orion truly loved me. But I was naive; I didn't understand that the living can't compete with the memory of the dead, especially when the deceased was his first love.

Miles, noticing my blank stare, lashed out more viciously. He scrutinized me from head to toe and sneered. "What are you wearing? You’re embarrassing the Smith family. Go change and come to the hospital to take care of Orion."

Without a word, I went into my room and slammed the door, locking it behind me.

"Don't make me say it again. Get out here!" Miles bellowed, losing his composure.

Just then, my parents returned from the grocery store and saw Miles yelling outside my door. They hurriedly put the groceries down and started fussing over him, calling him "in-law" repeatedly.

Disgusted, Miles shot them a disdainful glare and shouted toward my door, "If you dare disrespect me like this, don’t ever think about joining the Smith family!"

I couldn't help but retort, "Who cares?"

Miles stopped, seemingly caught off guard. In the past, out of respect for Orion, I'd always treated him politely.

Seeing Miles at a loss, my parents started pleading for me to apologize. "Angelica, how can you talk to your in-law like that? After all, he's your elder, and you'll have to live with him in the future. Come out and apologize."

They knocked desperately on my door, worried I might upset Miles. They were eager for me to marry into the Smith family. Ever since they found out my boyfriend was a high-profile figure from an influential family, they urged me to marry quickly.

When I showed no signs of compliance, they leaked our relationship to the tabloids, making me a laughingstock in Orion's circle. Everyone dubbed me an opportunist, accusing me of trying to force a marriage.

When I discovered this, I was furious, but they acted as if nothing was amiss. "Who else would you marry if not Orion? We're helping you; don't be ungrateful."

"Do you think you're something special? Nearly thirty, and aside from Orion, who'd want you? Stop being so picky."

We had a massive argument then, and I avoided home ever since. Fortunately, Orion seemed to understand and continued to publicly stand up for me.

Irritated by Miles' booming voice, I put on my headphones. Outside, my parents continued to fawn over him, offering him coffee and asking him to stay for dinner. Their efforts were met with nothing but scorn: "What makes you think I want to be in-laws with people like you? Keep dreaming."

Miles' words left my parents humiliated. Turning back to my door, he shouted, "Don't be ungrateful. I'm telling you for the last time, come with me to the hospital to take care of Orion! Get out here!"