With an excuse that I had slapped Sybil Mason, my husband, who had been married to me for ten years, locked me up in the security office. After they kept me in for a week, they finally released me.
During that time, the permanent job position that was supposed to be mine was given to Sybil as an apology, by none other than my husband.
Furious, I confronted him, but he scrunched his brows and scolded me coldly, "If you hadn’t gone to Sybil's workplace and slandered her, she wouldn’t have lost her job!”
Then he added, "Since you slapped her, you should apologize to her."
I nodded calmly. “So, you’re saying that as the rightful wife, I should not only let the mistress off the hook but also give up my secure job as an apology?”
With a child in her arms, Sybil dropped to her knees before me and sobbed, "Blake and I are innocent! By saying things like that you're pushing me to my death!"
I let out a casual “Oh” and said, “Then go ahead and die.”
——
The surroundings fell into absolute silence.
The visitor and employees who was gathered in front of the department store to watch the scene unfold was stunned. Especially when they heard my words that Sybil should die, their expressions turned disapproving.
"It was already tragic enough for Sybil to lose her husband right after getting married, but now she was being slandered by Blake Mason's wife that she was having an affair with Blake, even though Blake was merely taking care of his late comrade’s widow."
"Sybil has always been a timid and well-behaved woman. How could she possibly be a mistress?
"Jean Landon only managed to marry Blake because she got him drunk. Now that she can’t keep his heart, she’s paranoid about every woman around him."
When I heard the words that the people said about me, my gaze turned icy.
As she hid behind Blake, Sybil put on a pitiful act. “I was in the wrong. Even if you spread rumors about me and Blake, even if you hit me without understanding the situation, I shouldn’t have gone to the department store for an interview. If I hadn’t, they wouldn’t have found out that you were slacking off at work.”
“I’m willing to give up the job for you,” she continued, eyes brimming with tears. “As long as you stop doubting me and Blake.”
Her words, coupled with a single teardrop rolling down her cheek, earned her even more sympathy. People whispered amongst themselves.
"She got into a state-run job and still dared to slack off? She must be out of her mind!
"She only got that job because her parents sacrificed their lives for the country. Otherwise, how could she have landed such a good position?"
"Tsk, tsk, some people are just hopeless. Even when given a golden opportunity, they can’t hold onto it."
Blake's gaze turned ruthless as if he wanted to tear me apart. “Go home. Now. Stop making a scene.”
I took a deep breath and met Blake’s eyes with cold determination. “When did I ever slack off at work?”
In my past life, after being released from imprisonment, I had rushed to the department store to ask my supervisor for an explanation. I never expected that he would inform Blake in advance.
Blake had then used his authority as a manager to send me back to the security department and imprison me there. Meanwhile, Sybil spread rumors that I had stolen from the store and painted me as a villain. All of those eventually ruined my reputation completely.
When I was finally freed, I couldn’t find a job anywhere. People saw me as nothing more than a thieving lunatic.
As for my own husband, instead of defending me, he spent his days flaunting his closeness with Sybil every single day.
Since I could not get a job, I could not get money and food stamps. In the end, I starved to death in the cramped, dilapidated house I once called home.
When I died, Blake didn’t even blink. He merely ordered someone to dispose of my corpse. Then, under the guise of an apology, he handed over all my parents’ belongings to Sybil.
I had wanted to tear those two apart, but when I lunged at them, I grasped nothing but air.
Until a blinding white light flashed before my eyes and suddenly, I was back to the day I was first locked away.
This time, I wouldn’t be foolish enough to run to the department store and find the team leader for answers. Instead, I would strike first.
At the busiest hour of the morning, I blocked the two of them at the entrance, right in front of the entire crowd.
