She Has Every Gift He Gave Me

After the New Year, I unexpectedly noticed that the compact car Id bought before marriage was being driven out every afternoon.

During dinner, I casually asked my husband:

Ian, darling, who have you lent my car to? I thought you said that model was too small, only women liked it.

His chopsticks paused mid-air. He quickly pulled out a receipt from the dealership and handed it to me:

"I was worried the car would deteriorate from sitting too long, so I sent it for maintenance."

He spoke, then picked up a piece of braised fish and placed it in my bowl, smiling considerately:

"What's wrong? Didn't you say I wasn't allowed to sell that car because it held our memories? I just wanted to surprise you."

His explanation was flawless.

I lowered my head and continued eating, but an uneasy feeling grew within me.

The next day, I passed by that dealership and showed them the receipt:

"Hello, my husband brought the car here for maintenance; I'd like to pick it up now."

The manager nodded, about to retrieve the car for me.

Just then, a girl walked in through the front door, approached the counter, and said, "I'm here to pick up Mr. Vance's car."

But what she held in her hand was clearly my car key.

The moment our eyes met, a flicker of panic crossed the girl's face.

Although she quickly composed herself, she changed the subject as if she didn't know me:

"I just remembered I have something to do this afternoon. I'll leave the key here. You can just deliver the car to garage 801 at the Oceanview Estate."

Her voice was trembling.

She didn't dare to linger for another moment after speaking, turning to leave.

I watched her retreating back.

The young woman was quick-witted, trying to pretend she was just an intern running an errand to lessen my suspicion about her holding my car key.

But she didn't know that Ian Vance was a germaphobe; he never let outsiders touch his belongings.

Especially not this compact car, which held such significant meaning for us.

I glanced at the key she'd placed on the counter, my heart sinking little by little. I lifted my foot and followed her.

Sensing my presence, her steps quickened.

After failing to hail a cab for a long time by the roadside, I stood beside her.

She timidly looked up: "Are, are you also waiting for a cab?"

I didn't answer her. My gaze first fell on the bag she was carrying.

The latest luxury brand, more expensive than her entire outfit.

Just two days ago, Ian had given me an identical one.

On her wrist, she wore an icy jade bangle, which, by coincidence, clearly matched the one on my wrist.

I couldn't help but recall my birthday, when Ian kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear:

"Aurora, I told you I'd give you a unique gift every year. This bangle I carved myself. I'll love you forever."

A sneer played on my lips.

It seemed Mr. Vance, the acclaimed actor, was addicted to acting, no longer distinguishing between reality and a billionaire CEO drama.

The girl noticed my gaze and awkwardly hid her bag behind her back: "If you're in a hurry, I can let you go first."

Her eyes were filled with defensiveness and fear.

I smiled, continuing to walk closer to her, then extended my hand: "See, I have a bangle exactly like yours, but my husband said he carved it himself. So I just wanted to ask you, where did you buy it wholesale?"

"Once I find the evidence, I'll divorce him. We've only been married ten years, and he's already getting complacent with me. I'm afraid he's... seeing someone else."

Hearing that last sentence, her face instantly went pale, and she became even more flustered:

"I, I can't remember which street vendor I bought it from."

"Never mind then. But we're still quite fated. My name is Aurora Xu, what's yours?"

"Skylar Lynn."

Oh.

Even the last initial of her name was 'L'.

Just then, a public bus arrived, and Skylar fled onto it, leaving.

I, too, turned around, my face instantly hardening. I returned to the dealership, retrieved my car, and opened the door.

Then I noticed something else was wrong.

The good luck charm hanging in front of the car had been replaced with a plush toy.

I suppressed my emotions, pulled out my phone, and called my best friend:

"Can you help me find out if Ian Vance has truly been filming on set every day recently? Also, what's his relationship with a girl named Skylar Lynn!"

My best friend was an investor in his new show. Hearing this, she asked, puzzled: "Aurora, what happened?"

"I suspect Ian is cheating..."

Before I even got home, my best friend had sent over the information.

She still seemed a bit incredulous.

The data showed that while Skylar Lynn and Ian Vance had indeed acted together in one project, other than that, Ian had only visited her school for movie promotions. The two had not met privately since.

One could say they were strangers.

My best friend called back: "You're overthinking it, aren't you? Back then, Ian announced his marriage to you at the peak of his career, Aurora... you two are the entertainment industry's model couple."

I held my phone, but smiled:

"You said 'back then.' If it's really that clean, why do you think Skylar Lynn had my car key?"

This car was the first one we bought on installment with the money we earned when he was still an extra.

Even after he became an acclaimed actor and we owned many luxury cars, this humble compact car had always quietly remained in the garage.

"How about we make a bet? Let's completely blacklist Skylar Lynn and see Ian Vance's reaction?"

After hanging up, I sat in the car, touching the dashboard.

Ian, it's been ten years.

I accompanied you from living in the poorest basement all the way to where you are now.

If you truly betrayed me.

Don't blame me for making you lose everything and ruining your reputation, just like the vow you made back then!

When I got home, I found that Ian had surprisingly returned from the set again.

He was even wearing the hoodie I bought him.

I recalled fan comments: "[Married, yet no hint of a husband, just pure youthful charm. Ian Vance is a divine being!]"

"[Aurora Xu must have saved the world in her past life to marry Ian Vance.]"

I used to think I was very lucky too.

He pulled me into his arms.

"Who dared to make my wife come home so late? Did Old Man Sterling torture you again, making you revise the script repeatedly? Should I go for the casting instead?"

I pressed my lips together, suddenly wanting to ask him directly who Skylar Lynn was.

Just to give him a chance.

However, he took my hand, played with it, and continued:

"I heard Old Man Sterling invested three hundred million in this show and plans to use new faces. You went to the Academy of Dance and Arts today, right? Did you find anyone suitable?"

His probing words instantly choked me up, and a chill shot from my spine to the top of my head:

"How did you know I went to the Academy of Dance and Arts?"

Ian's hand stiffened, but he quickly grabbed my hand again, laughing: "Aren't newcomers always chosen from those few schools? Aurora, I just care about you."

"This script is your mother's unfinished work before she passed away. She was suspected of unfair casting and suffered online bullying, leading to depression. I'm afraid you'll fall into those bad things again."

He seemed genuinely worried about me, no longer pressing the issue, and carried me back to the room.

But in the middle of the night, I feigned sleep.

He, however, picked up his phone and messaged someone.

And for the next few days, every time I finished a conversation with Old Man Sterling, he would "coincidentally" return from the set, either cooking for me or buying me gifts. Yet, each time, he would subtly probe about the new show's casting.

The smile on my face grew increasingly rare.

Until a week later, Skylar Lynn's scandal of hooking up with a sugar daddy suddenly hit the trending topics, also mixed with ambiguous videos of her bribing teachers at school.

Although she wasn't very famous, her social impact was negative.

Her acting career was clearly about to be blocked.

My best friend called, her voice excited: "It took me a week to find enough scandals to blacklist her, Aurora. Someone is really helping her behind the scenes."

I immediately arranged for someone to keep a close eye on Ian's movements.

Sure enough, he took leave from the set that afternoon, first went to Skylar Lynn's school, and then met with the media company that released the video.

What he didn't know was that as soon as he left, the people there called me, their tone playful:

"Aurora Xu, he said he'd exchange a dinner with you for taking down the trending topic. What do you say, should I agree to him or agree to him?"

I clenched my hands, laughing bitterly with anger: "Of course, agree to him!"

But as I laughed, tears couldn't help but fall.

I had thought he was cheating, but I never expected him to use me as a bargaining chip.

Since that's the case.

I abruptly hung up the phone, grabbed my bag, and rushed home, originally intending to prepare to discuss divorce with Ian.

Who knew that as soon as I reached the garage, I suddenly found two handprints on the window of that compact car parked in the corner.

I stared intently at the fresh-looking prints, my steps faltering, leaning against the wall to barely keep myself from falling.

I didn't open the car door, only feeling a surge of nausea.

He actually brought that woman home, and might even be hiding in the car with her right now.

Ian Vance, you truly disgust me!

I stumbled upstairs in a daze that day. Ian, clever as ever, didn't follow me back, not even a call.

Sleepless all night, at dawn I asked my best friend to find me a lawyer.

I sent all the evidence I had gathered to the lawyer.

The lawyer said that while I could ruin Ian Vance's reputation, without concrete evidence, I would only get half the assets.

I immediately went to check the surveillance footage, but last night's video had been silently deleted.

Indeed, not a single trace left behind.

Two more days passed.

Then Old Man Sterling's assistant suddenly called me: "Ms. Xu, Mr. Vance visited Old Man Sterling alone yesterday, saying you entrusted him with the casting? He wants to start casting early. Old Man Sterling asked me to confirm with you."

I paused, then sneered.

It seemed Ian, seeing that my script was ready but I was unwilling to let him handle the casting, was getting anxious from that little vixen's pestering?

He knew Old Man Sterling would definitely notify me. I wanted to see how he'd explain himself.

That evening, Ian called: "Darling, today I passed by Old Man Sterling's place after a dinner party, and went up to ask him to allow me to handle the casting for you."

"You haven't appeared in public for years, and I don't want you to be affected by public opinion again. If anything happens... just let me bear it, alright?"

Listening to his affectionate and concerned tone, my nails were almost digging into my flesh.

But I still agreed with a smile.

Not long after, my best friend sent me a photo.

Her people had finally caught Ian meeting Skylar Lynn alone, a worthwhile expense given how much I paid several media outlets.

After that, to help Skylar Lynn meet Old Man Sterling's requirements,

Ian began to expose himself frequently.

First, he stole my revised script. During the day, he filmed, and in the evenings, he dined and socialized with me. Late at night, he still had to go and explain the script to Skylar Lynn.

My best friend couldn't help but exclaim in anger: "He's truly a master of time management! And that Skylar Lynn, she's not even that pretty, but Ian Vance insists on promoting her."

"Aurora, half the entertainment industry now knows he's problematic... everyone's waiting to laugh at you."

After hearing her, I just told her to collect more evidence.

Even people I had feuded with came by, making veiled remarks, mocking me, saying what good was my arrogance now if I couldn't even control my own man.

The day before casting, Ian specially came home and cooked me a meal himself.

The dining table was filled with all my favorite dishes: Longjing shrimp, lotus root and pork rib soup.

"Darling, I heard from Old Man Sterling that you're going directly to the set tomorrow, not the casting audition?"

He asked, probing.

I took a bite of shrimp; it used to taste incredibly fresh and fragrant, but now I felt a little nauseous.

Lowering my head, I hid a sneer in my eyes: "Yeah, Old Man Sterling asked me to set up the venue first. Besides, don't I have you for the casting?"

I clearly saw a flicker of triumph in his eyes.

Someone who once loved me so much, yet insisted on destroying something I had poured all my heart and soul into, and betrayed me.

He held my hand: "Darling, don't worry. I know how important this show is to you. After filming... I'll go with you to visit your mother."

He still had the nerve to see my mother.

I silently withdrew my hand. For the sake of the past ten years, I decided to give him one last chance, staring into his eyes and saying:

"Ian Vance, do you still remember why my mother wrote this script?"

"That year, my father cheated, bringing his mistress and their son to my mother's face. My parents were childhood sweethearts. She wrote this script during her most painful time."

He seemed to suddenly remember this as well, and his expression started to change:

"Of course I remember, Aurora. Have you heard anything recently?"

"It's all just gossip cooked up by the company for publicity. You know, I'd give my life for you."

Saying this, he leaned in, trying to kiss my lips, his hand beginning to wander over my body.

I was already physically repulsed by him, and I pushed him away.

Using the excuse of needing to pack, I returned to my room first.

He didn't know that as soon as I entered the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and rinsed my mouth over a dozen times.

My phone chimed twice; it was a message from my best friend:

[Aurora, you guessed it! That scumbag Ian Vance really cheated!]

[Damn it, he often drove your compact car to deserted outskirts, and the two of them were in the car in the middle of the night... so disgusting.]

[Now we have the evidence. Should we send the lawyer's letter immediately?]

I looked at my somewhat disheveled self in the mirror.

[No, send the evidence to the lawyer first. I still want to give him a grand gift!]

Ian Vance wants Skylar Lynn to step on me to climb to the top, paving her way to become an award-winning actress through me...

Now that the evidence was conclusive, I tidied my hair and smiled at myself in the mirror.

This time, I won't hold back!