A Hundred Begs After Goodbye

After my divorce from Julian Rivers, he begged me to remarry him a hundred times. I refused every single one.

On the hundred and first time, I said yes.

Only because his dying mother guilted me into it, trading the favor of saving me from kidnappers three years ago for three months of a contract marriage.

When those three months ended, I should have walked away unscathed. Instead, he personally beat me half to death and threw me out of the house, just to make space for his returning first love.

He thought I would die in that snowy night.

But when we met again, he knelt in the rain begging me to come back, while I held my new boyfriend's hand.

"Excuse me, sir. You're making us late for our wedding dress fitting."

Melanie Johnson POV

After Julian Rivers and I divorced, he begged me to remarry him 99 times.

Julian knew I loved adventure, so he prepared the most romantic rose-covered hot air balloon for me, took me to see fireworks by the Seine in Paris, and accompanied me to chase the Northern Lights in Iceland.

Everything I had ever wanted, Julian gave me.

But even so, after 100 marriage proposals, I still hadn't agreed.

Then came the 101st time. Julian knelt before me and asked to get back together.

"Melanie, this is my 101st proposal. This time, will you marry me again?!"

I looked at the man before me, but my thoughts drifted back to the beginning, when I first met Julian.

Back then, he pretended to be a poor guy.

But I didn't care about his money or status. I just loved him for who he was, so I married him without a second thought.

But shortly after the wedding, I gradually discovered some strange things.

For instance, Julian would often stare at his phone in the middle of the night.

Once, I accidentally glimpsed a woman's photo on the screen.

I was about to ask who she was, but Julian quickly put his phone away.

I didn't think much of it. After all, back then I trusted him completely.

But later, similar scenes became more and more frequent.

He would get blackout drunk on certain specific days, or receive a phone call that left him distracted for an entire day.

When I asked what was wrong, he'd just say it was work and tell me not to worry.

Then a sudden kidnapping changed everything.

I was locked in a basement for five whole days. The kidnappers demanded my husband deliver five million dollars, plus a promise that the Rivers family would stop monopolizing their industry.

That's when I learned my husband wasn't some poor guy, but the billionaire heir to the Rivers family fortune.

But four days passed, and Julian didn't come.

I waited and waited in the darkness. The injuries on my body grew worse with each failed escape attempt.

But I believed Julian must be figuring something out. He must be more anxious than anyone.

Then, on the fifth day of my captivity, the kidnappers threw me a phone.

On the screen was surveillance footage from a bar. Julian sat in a corner booth, drinking glass after glass.

On his phone was a photo, that familiar photo of the woman I'd glimpsed before.

I watched my husband stare at that photo for the longest time.

In that moment, something viciously squeezed my heart. The pain was unbearable.

When I was being beaten, he was drinking.

When I was desperately trying to escape, he was grieving over another woman.

Who was she?

Who could be worth my husband completely disregarding my life or death, even getting drunk over a photo in a bar every day while I was kidnapped?

Later, I learned that the days I was kidnapped coincided with the news of Moira Templeton's death.

And Moira was his beloved first love, the girlfriend he'd dated for years before they broke up.

Later, I was rescued by Julian's mother, who paid the ransom. They sent me to the hospital. I was unconscious for three days. When I woke up, I learned I'd lost the ability to have children.

At that time, I cried in that hospital bed for three days and three nights.

But what truly chilled my heart wasn't the devastating news about losing my fertility. It was that Julian never once appeared.

Not until the day I was discharged did Julian finally show up.

He stood in the hospital room doorway, looking haggard, his eyes red.

I looked at him, waiting for him to speak, waiting for an explanation.

But he just stood there, opened his mouth, and finally said, "You... take care of yourself."

Then Julian just turned and left.

Later I learned he was rushing to the airport that day.

Someone said they'd found Moira's body, and he had to personally go retrieve it.

That day, lying in my hospital bed, listening to nurses gossip about how devoted billionaire Julian was, I suddenly laughed.

Turns out, from beginning to end, what I thought was love was just him settling.

And I was merely a substitute during his first love's absence.

I initiated the divorce.

On the day of the divorce, Julian asked me with red-rimmed eyes, "How can you be so heartless?"

I didn't answer.

I wanted to ask: During those five days I was kidnapped, where were you? When I was lying in the hospital losing my ability to have children, where were you? When I needed you, who were you getting drunk over?

But I didn't ask any of it.

There was no point.

After that came those 98 remarriage proposals.

Hot air balloons, fireworks, Northern Lights.

Julian suddenly seemed enlightened, making every romantic thing I'd ever mentioned come true.

But looking at this man kneeling before me, my heart no longer felt a single ripple.

I knew what he was thinking.

But so what?

Then Julian's mother became critically ill.

She lay in the hospital bed, tears filling the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

"Melanie, I know the Rivers family wronged you. But I still want to ask you, agree to Julian's 99th proposal. Consider it...fulfilling the contract from when I saved you three years ago."

"Julian still needs time to establish his position in the company. The Rivers family shares need him to inherit them. Just three months. As his wife in name, help him for three months. Once he gets what he needs to get... whether you want to leave or stay, the Rivers family and you will have no further connection."

I looked at this elder who had once saved me. After a long silence, I finally nodded.

So now I stood here, and amid everyone's blessings, I finally slowly extended my hand.

"I do."

"That's wonderful! Melanie, I love you! I've never minded that you can't have children. This time I swear I'll love you properly and never lose you again..."

Julian cried like a child. He reached out and hugged me tightly, but there was no emotion whatsoever in my eyes.

Three months. I would play the role of a good wife by his side, help Julian smoothly inherit everything after his mother's death, to fulfill the contract she'd made before passing.

I nodded, having just calmed Julian down.

But before I could ask about the remarriage timeline, I saw the man beside me, who had been so excited just moments ago, suddenly freeze in place.

And the friends Julian had specially invited also stopped their congratulations and fell silent.

In that moment, I saw disbelief on everyone's faces.

"Julian, I'm sorry for making you worry. I'm three years late, but... I'm back."

In the distance, a woman with slightly red eyes, wearing a white dress, slowly appeared in everyone's view.

I froze in place.

Even though I'd never seen her before, I recognized at a glance that this woman was the lover Julian had cried over every night in the bar three years ago, looking at her photo...

Melanie Johnson POV

Moira's return was like a blade suddenly severing my previously smooth life.

Julian never mentioned remarriage to me again.

He even asked me to temporarily move out of our marital home.

"Why should I move out? You already proposed to me yesterday. What's wrong with me living in our marital home?"

I stood blocking Julian and Moira, who stood beside him. My gaze was calm, but my feet didn't budge an inch.

"Melanie, don't be so unreasonable." Julian's expression darkened.

"Moira barely survived, not to mention she just returned to the country. She has nowhere to stay. Provide her some help. Why are you being so petty about it?"

"Besides, can't the Johnson family even provide you with a place to live? If that's the case, I don't mind personally calling your father to ask."

Julian spoke vaguely, but I still turned pale.

He clearly knew that the Johnson family now only got a small share of the energy industry from the Rivers family. If Julian really abandoned the Johnson family, what could I do?

Moreover, if not for fulfilling the contract terms, perhaps I wouldn't have gotten involved with Julian again at all.

I stopped talking.

It was only three months. As long as I endured until Julian completed the equity transfer and the new year in January arrived, I could leave...

"I can agree to everything else, but moving out-no."

My attitude remained firm, but I no longer mentioned remarriage.

"Since you want to stay here so badly, you can't just freeload without doing anything."

Julian pressed his lips together, thinking for a moment.

"How about you stay by Moira's side, help her get familiar with the environment, and make her some pancakes and sandwiches."

Hearing Julian's words, my whole body stiffened slightly.

What did he mean? Make me Moira's personal maid?

What did he take me for?

My lips moved, but for a long while I couldn't speak.

Finally, I nodded as if compromising.

In that moment, Julian looked at me with a strange expression in his eyes.

But ultimately he said nothing more, just lowered his head and spoke gently to Moira beside him.

"Where do you want to go today? I'll come with you."

Moira, standing beside Julian, naturally didn't hold back when he spoke. She turned and raised her chin at me.

"Melanie, I just returned to the country. I don't know what's changed here."

"Why don't you be the driver today and take Julian and me to that club we used to frequent?"

"...Okay."

I agreed, then got the car and drove Julian and Moira to New York's largest premium private club.

I thought Moira was just acting on a whim, wanting to have some fun.

But when I followed them into the private room, I realized Moira had already called all their mutual friends from before.

Melanie Johnson POV

"I'm back in the country today-let's drink till we drop!"

Moira excitedly popped open a bottle of champagne, not caring that the spray splattered all over my clothes.

She just called out, "Where's the bartender! Get everyone some drinks!"

Everyone around joined in Moira's excitement.

My fingers gripping the wine glass turned white. I raised my eyes and looked toward Julian.

But the man across from me just frowned slightly, and the moment our eyes met, he instinctively looked away.

My heart immediately turned cold. I put down the bottle with a self-mocking smile and turned to leave.

"What's wrong, Melanie, you're unwilling?"

Moira's voice suddenly came from behind, blocking my path, a slight smile on her face.

"Seems like you're not giving me face. After all, just a few days ago Melanie was so good at drinking and partying. If you won't today, that means you look down on me!"

As Moira spoke, she suddenly produced a thick stack of photos from somewhere.

The photos clearly showed me sitting in a bar, pouring drinks for different male models.

The air in the private room suddenly went quiet.

Julian stood to the side, his eyes full of disbelief as he looked at the stack of photos Moira had thrown out. He froze in place, his face instantly flushing red, as if someone had publicly slapped him hard across the face.

"Melanie Johnson, I thought you just liked to have a little fun, but I didn't know you were this loose! Since you love playing with men so much, I'll make it happen for you!"

Julian seemed to have gone mad with anger. He grabbed that stack of photos and forcefully threw them in my face.

Then he raised his hand and called in two security personnel, pointing at me and angrily ordering, "Hold her down and make her pour drinks for everyone as a server!"

As the man's words fell, I was immediately restrained.

I was forced to pour drinks for everyone, even forced to drink.

In that moment, I felt like a servant at everyone's beck and call... completely stripped of my dignity as an heiress.

Why... did I have to degrade myself to this extent?

I bit my teeth hard, forcing myself not to cry.

But Julian on the side kept watching me. Finally, he seemed unable to bear it.

"Enough..."

"Julian, just for me today, let's drink happily and not let anything spoil the mood."

Before Julian could finish, Moira, sitting beside him, grabbed his hand.

In that moment, with my mouth being forced open, I watched Julian stiffen slightly, then stop moving. He just turned and drank freely again with Moira and the others.

By the time I finished pouring drinks for the last person, I'd already been force-fed into oblivion.

I don't know how I got back. When I woke up again, Julian was silently feeding me aspirin and water.

"Take the medicine and go to sleep. Tomorrow is the company's board dinner announcing the equity transfer. I don't want you to be late."

After the man finished speaking, he shoved the water glass into my hand, turned, and left.

I sat up silently and looked around, only to discover I'd been moved from the master bedroom to the cold basement.

Melanie Johnson POV

The headache after the hangover was excruciating.

When I woke up, there was only one hour left before the Rivers family dinner.

I quickly got myself ready and rushed to the banquet hall. But as soon as I entered, I felt the strange looks the guests were giving me.

What's going on?

I frowned, but the murmuring around me grew louder.

"This is the ex-wife Julian Rivers proposed to? How dare she show up today?"

"I heard a few days ago she spent hundreds of thousands at a bar on male models. A woman like that has the nerve to attend the Rivers Corporation dinner?"

...

The discussions surrounded me, countless voices entering my ears.

I suddenly stopped, turned to face the nearest person with the loudest voice, and spoke clearly.

"Yes, I admit I spent lavishly on male models at a bar a few days ago. But at that time I hadn't accepted Julian Rivers' proposal. I don't think I did anything wrong."

I straightened my back, my voice firm and powerful.

To ensure Julian's equity transfer could proceed smoothly, after agreeing to Mrs. Rivers' contract, I had proactively arranged a meeting with the Rivers family's biggest business competitor a few days ago.

When I learned the person in charge was a woman who loved drinking, I even chose New York's biggest bar as the venue.

During the meeting, I spent hundreds of thousands hiring several male models, just to get her to agree not to acquire the Rivers family's scattered shares.

But I couldn't broadcast these things publicly.

Julian was at a critical juncture in the equity transfer. If people with ulterior motives learned the details, I feared Julian wouldn't successfully complete the Rivers family equity handover, and I would violate the contract.

"Is that so, Melanie?"

As my words fell, several Rivers family board members who had been sitting nearby suddenly stood up.

"You being single and hiring male models is indeed not wrong, but you actually met privately with our biggest competitor at the Rivers family-what exactly were you trying to do?!"

"I think you, Melanie Johnson, have ulterior motives! Getting close to Julian Rivers was just to extract Rivers family secrets. Now this photographic evidence is conclusive-what else can you argue?!"

Those board members spoke, then suddenly produced the photos Moira had released at the club last night.

"I didn't! I..."

I tried to explain, but when the words reached my lips, rationality made me close my mouth again.

But my silence at this moment seemed like speechlessness after being exposed in a lie.

In an instant, countless board members whose interests were tied to the Rivers family stood up and began accusing me.

Some even pushed and pressured me!

I was pushed back step by step under their shoving and insults, until suddenly someone shoved me hard. I felt my footing give way and immediately fell backward.

But the expected pain didn't come. A warm embrace steadily caught my body.

With a familiar scent and voice, yet the tone was so cold.

"Melanie Johnson, why did you betray me?"

Melanie Johnson POV

I didn't know when Julian had arrived at the banquet. Standing beside him was the smiling Moira.

He looked down at me with disappointed eyes, his tone ice-cold.

"I thought you just liked to have some fun. I know I wronged you badly back then, but I believed that as long as I was sincere, you would definitely come back to me."

"But I never imagined my sincerity would be met with your betrayal! I could overlook you drinking with male models before the remarriage. But you went alone to meet the Rivers family's biggest competitor. How dare you claim you're innocent?"

I looked at the man before me and suddenly felt how strange he'd become.

Even everything I'd done for him before now seemed so ridiculous in this moment.

Perhaps his mother should never have paid my ransom back then. She should have let me be beaten to death by those kidnappers!

That way I wouldn't have to fulfill any contract, better than now experiencing the taste of sincere devotion being betrayed and wasted!

I suddenly laughed, laughing until tears flowed, my whole body trembling violently.

"Julian Rivers, you don't believe me, but I didn't do it! If it weren't for the inheritance-related agreement, I..."

Slap.

Before I could finish, I heard a loud slapping sound.

The next second, I felt a burning pain on my cheek.

"What right do you have to mention that?! That was my mother's life's work in the Rivers family. You actually wanted to destroy it!"

Julian's eyes turned bloodshot, his words spoken through gritted teeth.

"Melanie Johnson, you're not worthy to stand at this banquet. Get out-! Get..."

Before the man could finish, the surrounding guests suddenly erupted in shocked commotion.

Before I could turn around, I heard someone roar, "Julian Rivers, go to hell!"

In that moment, I don't know if it was because of my former feelings for Julian or that contract requiring him to stay alive. I just instinctively rushed in front of him.

As the voice hit the ground the next second, I only felt my abdomen go hollow.

Blood instantly sprayed out, immediately staining the white dress I was wearing red.

I saw Julian's face change dramatically in that moment. Suddenly flustered, he rushed to me and caught me as I fell.

Before losing consciousness, I seemed to clearly hear Julian's panicked, terrified voice ringing in my ears.

"Melanie Johnson, don't fall asleep! You can't die! Do you hear me?!"

"Someone come quickly, call an ambulance now!"

"If you can't save Melanie Johnson, you'll have me to answer to!"

Warm palms seemed to press tightly against my bleeding wound.

In a daze, I blinked weakly and finally couldn't hold on anymore and passed out.