Don’t Mistake My Kindness for Weakness

The day Victoria brought her new secretary into the passenger seat of her car, a stream of comments materialized before my eyes:
The ML is finally here! When is the toxic side-character husband gonna get lost? Hes so annoying!
I just want to see the sweet romance between the stoic FL and the sunshine ML. Get lost, old man.
I pretended not to see them. Instead, I played the part of the magnanimous husband, allowing Victoria to set the young man up in one of our villas, arrange for his grandfather's medical care, and smooth over all his problems.
No one knew that Victoria was pregnant.
A woman wasn't a necessity.
Compared to the fate of losing my mind, making trouble for the male lead, and being burned alive, the alternative seemed far more appealing: secure an heir who carries my name, while discarding the mother. Wasn't that a much sweeter deal?

1
Victoria never mentioned shed replaced her executive secretary.
She pulled up to collect me as usual.
The passenger-side window slid down.
"Mr. Stack, I'm Ms. Vance's new secretary!"
The boys thin, rosy lips curved into a sweet, effortless smile. He showed none of the deference or timidity one would expect when addressing a superior.
He made no move to get out.
Victoria spoke up. "Adrian, Leo gets a bit carsick. You take the back."
This was unprecedented.
Victoria was a woman who lived by boundaries. We'd been married for three years. It was an arranged union, yes, forged to serve the greater interests of our families, but we were hardly a couple in name only.
Every night, Victoria would hold me as she fell asleep, whispering about how much she'd added to my personal investment fund. She had once thumped her chest and promised she would never, ever put me in an awkward position.
For Leo, she broke that promise for the first time.

2
I am not some mild-mannered, spoiled rich kid.
The rules should have been established at the first sign of disrespect.
But before I could let my expression harden, the comments flared to life again:
Here comes the drama! The toxic husband is about to tear into the ML, and the poor boy will have to scurry into the back seat.
It's just a passenger seat! Can't he let the guy who gets carsick have it?
They chattered on, dissecting the plot.
It turned out I was living in a CEO romance novel.
The female lead, Victoria, was cold and untouchable.
The male lead was Leo. He'd grown up in a remote mountain village and had been a recipient of Victoria's charity. Hed endured countless hardships just to get close to her. He was resilient, optimistic, and had earned her special attention and support in his career. Bound by the fact that she was married, he could only bury his years of secret admiration deep in his heart.
To the outside world, our high-society marriage was a merger of assets, devoid of true love. I was merely the husband in name. In the original story, I would have tormented Leo from our very first meeting, kicking him when he was down and pushing him to the brink.
But my cruelty, instead of breaking him, would only strengthen the bond between him and Victoria.
I would continue down my path of self-destruction until Victoria, disgusted, would demand a divorce. Id blame Leo, arranging for thugs to corner him in a warehouse. But a fire would break out. Victoria would rescue him, leaving me to be burned alive.
With the "toxic husband" out of the way, the male and female leads would begin their passionate office romance, leaving a trail of love in their wake, much to the delight of the readers. To avenge Leo, Victoria would then plunder my familys resources, securing an empire for their three future sons.
My poor parents, in their old age, would be reduced to selling hot dogs from a cart.
How infuriating.
This was not my style.
A woman, more important than my family's legacy?
Impossible. Utterly impossible.

3
I opened the rear door and slid inside.
Leo sat beside Victoria, his voice low and intimate. "Ms. Vance, you like that special porridge I make, right? I'll bring some for you tomorrow."
The words were laced with provocation.
Victoria, oblivious, answered instinctively. "Okay."
A cold snort escaped my lips. No wonder shed told the housekeeper to stop making breakfast a week ago.
I was a night owl. Victoria, convinced it was unhealthy, used to drag me to bed with her, force me on morning runs, and watch me eat breakfast. At first, I found her nagging annoying. But she would wrap her arms around me, fiercely declaring that we were going to be husband and wife for life, and she wouldn't allow me to be unhealthy or fall behind. If I did, shed carry me to the finish line herself.
Habit is a poison. And dependency, its venom. Once you're infected, it's damn hard to quit.

4
Victoria was perceptive.
She caught my dark expression in the rearview mirror and offered an explanation. "Work has been hectic lately. I didn't want to wake you, so I left early."
Leo chimed in, "Ms. Vance comes in at the crack of dawn just to personally train me. But I'm so slow... she has to explain things over and over again."
She glanced at him, a warmth in her eyes she didn't even seem to notice herself.
But I remembered Victorias former secretaryan Ivy League graduate, fluent in four languages, a brilliant and resourceful professional. The slightest mistake from him would earn a merciless scolding.
The comparison was stark.
Perhaps my silence was too cold. Victoria realized I was truly angry.
She pulled the car over and turned to Leo. "Get out and take a taxi."
Then, ignoring my protests, she pulled me into the passenger seat and buckled my seatbelt for me.
Leo stood on the rain-slicked curb, looking utterly dejected. A lost puppy abandoned in the storm.
The comments exploded.
No, FL! Don't do it! What if something happens to the ML taking a taxi by himself?
This is all the toxic husband's fault with his constant glaring! He's ruining the romantic tension!
But there were dissenting voices.
I don't get it. They're still married! Are you guys all on Team Home-wrecker, trying to force out the original wife... I mean, husband?
What do you know? There's no real love in these arranged marriages. The one who isn't loved is the real third wheel.

5
I was starting to understand.
The commenters were split into two camps. One side was all about the plot, desperate for the lead couple's sweet interactions. The other side stood on moral ground, but still hoped I would act rationally and not create a mess that couldn't be cleaned up.
In the kitchen, Victoria was personally making me chicken soup.
My feelings were complicated. To be fair, before Leo's arrival, she had been a perfect wife. Beautiful, smart, capable. She would voluntarily give my family's company preferential treatment on projects, we discussed everything, and we were perfectly compatible in bed. We were leagues better than the other society couples who lived separate lives. My mother always said Id hit the jackpot with a wife who knew how to care for a man.
A spoonful of fragrant soup was held to my lips. "Darling, you were jealous today. It made me a little happy."
She sat beside me, leaning into my arms as she always did.
I shifted away, avoiding her intimate touch.
Victoria froze. "Adrian? What's wrong?"
It was the first time I had ever refused her touch.
"Nothing. I'm just tired."
"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I forgot for a moment how much you hate anyone else sitting in my passenger seat. It won't happen again."
Victoria had always been scrupulous, brushing off any man who tried to get close. She used to complain that I was too trusting, even offering me her phone to check.
Now, her explanation felt like a cover-up. "He and I are just colleagues. Nothing more."
"Mm," I grunted.
A sharp pang hit my chest. As much as I hated to admit it, I had fallen in love with Victoria.
But the comments said her true love wasn't me. They were all just waiting for me to lose control.
Why should I give them the satisfaction?

6
Late that night, I feigned sleep.
I heard Victoria answer a call, her voice hushed.
Leo's tearful voice drifted from the phone. "Ms. Vance... I'm still walking home... some bad men are following me."
Pathetic. His apartment was in Northwood, a twelve-mile walk.
I don't know what he said next, but Victoria's voice grew tense. "Don't be afraid. I'm coming to get you right now."
She grabbed her coat and rushed to the garage.
I didn't move.
According to the comments, in the original plot, I would have woken up, furious at being disturbed, and tried to stop her from leaving. Leo would have been mugged by a group of drunkards, and nearly seriously hurt. Victoria, consumed by guilt, would have blamed me. As compensation, she would have bought a sapphire brooch I wanted and given it to Leo. In a fit of rage, I would have shoved her, causing her to miscarry the child she didn't even know she was carrying.

7
After a full night's sleep, I decided to pick up my test results from last week.
At the hospital, Dr. Evans smiled. "Congratulations, Mr. Stack. Your wife is pregnant. Shall I notify Ms. Vance?"
I had forgotten. I was so used to coming to the hospital owned by Victoria's family.
"No, please. Keep this strictly confidential."
Dr. Evans, assuming I was planning a surprise, readily agreed.
I felt a little lost. Victoria had wanted a child for so long. But my unhealthy lifestyle had left me with some minor health issues. She had personally supervised my diet and exercise for over two years before we stopped using protection.
As I wandered in a daze, I saw them.
Victoria and Leo. They were in a hospital room, standing beside a bed where Leo's grandfather lay.
The comments were back.
Grandpa was so good to the ML. FL, you have to pay the medical bills and get the best international specialist for him!
Don't worry, the FL was raised by her own grandpa. She'll definitely have a soft spot for him.

8
The old man, Mr. Henderson, opened his eyes. He took his grandson's hand and placed it in Victoria's. "You must be Leo's girlfriend, right? My grandson likes you so much. He has your picture by his bed."
"Grandpa!" Leo flushed, embarrassed.
Victoria started to explain, but when she saw his pleading eyes, her lips tightened, and she said nothing.
The comments cheered as if it were New Year's Eve.
So sweet! The FL sees how much the ML cares for her!
Look at them avoiding each other's eyes! Even Grandpa with his bad eyesight can see the sparks!
Are you guys crazy? She's a married woman!
If you don't like it, get lost. We're here for the ship.
Strangely, as long as I wasn't in the same frame as the main characters, the comments seemed unaware of my existence.
When Victoria left the room, I stepped back around a corner.
Leo tugged at the sleeve of her designer blazer, his eyes welling with tears. "Ms. Vance, thank you for saving me last night. And for bringing my grandpa to the hospital."
"Stop crying," she said softly. "I'll buy you a car, then you won't have to worry about taxi fares."
Overcome with emotion, he pulled her into a hug. She held him, murmuring comforting words.
If I wasn't the man being cheated on, I might have found it touching.
I took a deep breath.
I walked a short distance away and dialed her number.
She whispered something to Leo before answering. "Darling, I had to go back to the office for an emergency last night. Are you up? I'll have the housekeeper make you breakfast."
"Victoria," I said quietly, "turn around. I'm right behind you."

9
Victoria's tall, composed figure seemed to turn to ice. I could feel her stiffness even from a distance.
The comments, hearing my voice, erupted.
Crap, how did the toxic husband get here? Don't let him show his face in front of Grandpa! He'll give the old man a heart attack!
Quick, camera on the toxic husband! I want to see his rage-face and how the FL is going to protect her man!
They kept calling me the "toxic husband," as if I'd committed some heinous crime.
Victoria turned around slowly, her voice trembling, terrified I had overheard her tacitly accepting the role of Leo's girlfriend. "Adrian, I..."
But she didn't see me.
The comments breathed a collective sigh of relief.
See? No way the toxic husband would be here. This is a crucial scene where the future granddaughter-in-law makes a good impression. Thanks to Grandpa, we get all the sweet plot points later.
That husband is a liar! He tricked the FL and almost tricked us!
A few disagreed.
Why are you guys as disgusting as the main characters? The FL has a husband! Why didn't she clarify? Emotional cheating is still cheating.
Brainless plot-bunnies. You attack the husband just so you can ship your CP. So far, I haven't seen the 'original spouse' do anything to hurt the ML. But the ML is being manipulative and shady. If you were the husband, could you tolerate this?
I felt a small sense of vindication. Some viewers had clear eyes.
Using the angle of the building to my advantage, I stayed hidden and watched her.
"You sound guilty," I said into the phone. "Been up to no good?"
Her clenched fist relaxed slightly. "Of course not. I was just afraid you'd worry when you saw I wasn't home."
I teased her deliberately. "Disappeared at the crack of dawn. Don't tell me you rushed to the office to eat that porridge your male secretary makes."
"Adrian, don't be silly. I'm out shopping with Cassy."
"Don't lie to me. Or I'll call Cassy to confirm."
"I'm not lying! Call her if you don't believe me."
"Alright, alright. When have I ever doubted you? Get back to what you're doing."
"Okay! Remember to eat breakfast. I'll worry if you're hungry."
A woman's words can be pure deception. It had never been clearer.
After hanging up, I saw her immediately dial another number. Cassy was her best friend; providing an alibi would be no problem.
But once you tell the first lie, you have to keep telling more to cover it up.

First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "279545" to read the entire book.