Your Presence Lights Up My Heart

The hall, where the dinner party was being held, was brightly lit in stark contrast to the sky, which looked like it was draped in black satin.

Rita Su entered the room and the sounds of merriment rang in her ears. People danced and laughed, and wine glasses clinked. She was wearing a handmade, delicate peach evening dress whose hemline was studded small diamonds, which sparkled like stars in the night sky.

Rita Su should have been the center of attention at the dinner party as she was the wife of Flynn Shen, the heir to Shae Group.

However, at this moment, she was sitting in an inconspicuous corner, holding a wine glass, and drinking as if she would never get drunk.

An unexpected incident had led to her demotion. Until yesterday, she was the director of the design department, but right now Flynn Shen had announced the promotion of another person to her position after his speech.

She was people-watching from her corner when she spotted his tall and handsome figure far away, looking as dreamy as her three-year marriage.

"Ms. Su, why are you hiding here? Tell me what's on your mind."

Rita Su, who was slightly drunk, instantly sobered up. She raised her head and saw an enchanting woman pretending to be concerned about her but holding a look of triumph in her charming eyes.

It was Maeryn Han—Flynn Shen's mistress, who had become so bold as to brazenly approach and taunt her in public.

"Miss Han, I'm just tired. Please don't flatter yourself," retorted Rita Su, gulping down the wine in her glass, and throwing a cursory glance at the guests who were laughing and talking.

She looked calm on the surface but a sharp pain was pulsing at the bottom of her heart.

"Ha-ha!" Maeryn Han laughed sarcastically. Since Rita Su was being rude to her, there was no need for her to pretend to be nice anymore.

"Rita Su, you have been Flynn's invisible wife for three years. Aren't you sick and tired of the pretense? Why do you have to hold on? It must be awful to be left out in the cold every day, right? I would advise you to take the initiative to divorce him. It's better to leave with some self-esteem rather than being kicked out by Flynn, isn't it?"

Maeryn Han's husky voice and her charm belied her evilness.

She was born to be the other woman.

Rita Su couldn't help laughing bitterly. What Maeryn Han said was true. She tried her best to ignore it but she couldn't avoid the truth.

For the last three years of marriage, Flynn Shen had turned a blind eye to her as if she was just a piece of decoration for his house. He entertained himself with a string of love affairs. Even at their company where she worked, she was forbidden by him to reveal her true identity.

"Don't worry about other people's private affairs, Miss Han. I'm Flynn's wife. Do you think you are the first person to say this to me? Nobody can replace my position. I'm afraid you can't change it, just like the other women,"

remarked Rita Su with an elegant smile.

But the more she smiled on the outside, the more she wanted to cry inside. Maeryn Han's beautiful face cut her heart like a knife.

"Humph!" Maeryn Han rolled her eyes and looked around. Then she took out a long, thin cigarette from her Chanel handbag and lit it. Taking a deep breath, she blew the smoke on Rita Su's face provocatively.

Rita Su felt her eyes tingling because of the smoke. She was really pissed off at this woman's blatant disregard for her.

"Rita, I've never seen anyone as shameless as you. No wonder that Flynn can't do anything with you. But..."

Maeryn Han stopped abruptly and stared at her meaningfully. She turned the cigarette and stubbed the burning end on her own arm. Immediately, a red mark formed on her skin.

"What?"

Looking at her in astonishment, Rita Su wondered why Maeryn Han was doing this.

Maeryn Han grabbed Rita Su's wrist and shoved the cigarette into her fingers. Then she let out a piercing scream.

"What trick are you playing? Let me go!" Rita Su yelped angrily, but she unable to free her wrist from Maeryn Han's clasp.

Maeryn Han's screams attracted the attention of all the guests at the dinner party. They saw that the two of them were engaged in some sort of a conflict.

Flynn Shen, who was engrossed in an important discussion with the company's top managers, also heard her and came over.

"Mr. Shen, she burned my arm with a cigarette!" As soon as Maeryn Han saw Flynn Shen, she assumed the role of damsel in distress.

Seeing the red mark on her arm, he flew into a rage.

He did not expect Rita Su to be so mean.

"Rita, come to my office tomorrow. You are no longer welcome at this party. Please leave now," he ordered in front of their subordinates without caring about her dignity.

"Why? It was her! She's the one who came here to provoke me!" protested Rita Su, who was embarrassed and indignant. Most of the time she would keep quiet in front of him, but she could not tolerate it right now.

She was so furious that she raised her hand intending to slap Maeryn Han. Now that he didn't believe her, she would vent her anger on the other woman.

However, she was stopped by a powerful hand, which then pushed her aside roughly.

Rita Su staggered and bumped into the security guard. Before she could collect herself, she heard Flynn Shen issuing orders. "Drive this woman out!"

Dragging her tired body, Rita opened the door. It was only seven o'clock in the evening when she arrived home; still early for the dinner party to end.

"Good evening, Mrs. Shen. Welcome back," greeted the maid, taking the handbag from Rita Su respectfully.