Everyone knew my wife, Isla Monroe, was born allergic to men, even to me. On our wedding day, when I nervously leaned in to kiss the corner of her lips, she kicked me off the bed.
Her face went pale, and she started throwing up nonstop. That same night, she moved into the study.
We had been married for five years, yet we had never shared a bed. I was treated like something contagious.
Whenever we went out, I had to stay at least two meters away from her. Even at home, I wore raincoats and gloves, afraid that touching her might cause harm.
One day, while I was helping a deaf-mute client go bungee jumping, Isla slipped near the cliff and almost fell. Without thinking, I reached out to grab her. But she raised her hand and pushed me off the edge instead.
I clung to the cliff, my hands shaking as I looked up at her. She turned away, wrapped her arms around the terrified man beside her, and said softly, “Don’t be scared, I’m here.”
So that was it, when she was with the one she truly loved, she could face anything. And at that moment, I decided to give them what they wanted.
——
The cold wind roared across the cliff as the client clung to my hand in panic, his grip slipping little by little. I could feel his strength fading fast.
Desperate, I looked up at Isla and shouted, my voice breaking, “Isla, help me! The client can’t hold on much longer!”
She slowly released the man in her arms and looked down at me. Her gaze dropped to my bleeding arm and trembling fingers. Then, with a faint frown, she said in a calm, cold voice, “There’s water below. From this height, you won’t die. Wait for the rescue team.”
Those were the last words I heard before I fell.
The client, too weak to keep holding on, finally lost his grip. The freezing lake hit me hard, stealing the air from my lungs as everything went dark.
The dirty water filled my chest and stomach, burning as I choked, but none of it hurt as much as her words echoing in my head.
When I woke up, the doctor told me I had swallowed too much water and developed a serious lung infection that needed quick treatment. But the person who came to sign the consent papers wasn’t Isla; it was her assistant.
He looked at me, his face blank, and said in a cold tone, “Sir, do you know your reckless behavior almost made President Monroe miss her international meeting tonight?”
In that moment, it felt like I had fallen into the frozen lake all over again. My heart turned completely cold.
Three days after I was hospitalized, Isla finally showed up, as if she were doing me a favor. She sat cross-legged on the chair, calm and distant, her first words carrying blame.
“Why weren’t you wearing gloves that day? You know I’m allergic to men. Good intentions don’t matter if they cause trouble; that’s just foolish.”
The bedsheet in my hands wrinkled as I gripped it tightly. Swallowing the bitterness in my throat, I asked softly, “Then why did you hug that interpreter? Weren’t you worried about your allergy?”
Her face froze for a moment. For the first time, her usually calm eyes flickered with hesitation.
“He was terrified then, and I forgot.”
“The young man has a weak stomach and can’t stand the cold. He was helping me with work, I couldn’t let him fall, too.”
A bitter laugh rose in my chest.
I couldn’t help but think back to our second year of marriage, when I was burning with a severe gastric fever, barely conscious.
The housekeeper had told Isla to cool me down with a wet towel. But when my finger accidentally brushed against hers, she dumped the entire basin of cold water over me.
Her first reaction wasn’t to worry; she ran straight to the bathroom, washed her hands again and again, and threw up.
“But Isla,” I finally said, unable to hold it in any longer, “you knew I couldn’t swim. Weren’t you scared I’d drown?”
“I calculated it,” she answered calmly. “The rescue team at the base would be there in ten minutes. You’d suffer a little, but you wouldn’t die.”
“Landon Raye, I told you from the start about my condition. You’re the one who insisted on marrying me. So what are you complaining about now?”
Her eyes carried nothing but annoyance, as if I were the one causing trouble. And the truth was, maybe she was right. I had chosen this for myself.
Isla glanced at her watch and stood up.
“Alright, the doctor said you can be discharged. Have the driver take you home. I still have things to do.”
A few minutes later, I heard a man’s startled voice coming from downstairs. I got off the hospital bed and looked out the second-floor window. It seemed Isla had twisted her ankle.
The same sign language interpreter from that day, dressed in a trench coat, was crouched beside her, gently massaging her exposed ankle.
So that was it, her so-called allergy only existed for those she didn’t care about.
It felt as though countless blades cut through my chest, leaving me unable to breathe.
Without another word, I picked up my phone and called my lawyer.
“Please prepare a divorce agreement for me. Yes, I want a divorce.”
When I got home, my phone buzzed with a message from Isla.
“Because of your behavior, you affected the client’s emotions. I’ll be hosting a banquet. Make sure to come and apologize properly.”
But what exactly had I done wrong?
Was it because I tried to save her when I should have let her fall from that cliff? Or was it because of that ridiculous ‘allergy to men’?
Even so, I agreed.
On the day of the banquet, I arrived almost at the same time as Isla.
Walking beside her was Cassian Reed. Their outfits, her gown and his tie, were both sapphire blue, made by the same designer. It was a couple’s set released to celebrate the designer’s tenth wedding anniversary with her husband.
We stood several meters apart, distant like strangers. When guests began whispering and glancing our way, Isla paused for a moment, then started walking toward me. I turned away before she could reach me and went straight to the client, handing over the gift in my hand.
The client was a kind lady. Though she couldn’t speak, she signed warmly, “Mr. Raye, you don’t have to be so formal. Are you feeling better?”
“I heard you’ve always wanted a child. Please take care of your health…”
Cassian quickly stepped forward to translate, but I lifted a hand to stop him. I raised my glass toward the client with a small smile.
“Thank you for your concern, and thank you for helping when my wife was too afraid of her allergy to save me.”
“But I don’t wish for children anymore. If a mother sees her husband as a virus and a monster, how could a child born into such a family ever be happy?”
“So, I’ll be divorcing Isla. I don’t want to hold her back any longer.”
Then I turned to Cassian, making sure everyone could hear me.
“Mr. Reed, even though my wife was holding you that day to comfort you, I heard you were really scared.”
“So tonight, let’s not trouble you. I’ll handle everything myself. Please, enjoy your dinner.”
The crowd around us began whispering, their voices growing louder.
“What does that mean? Mr. Raye fell off the cliff because President Monroe was busy hugging another man? But isn’t she supposed to be allergic to men?”
“Her husband was the one about to fall, and that other man was perfectly fine; what was there to be afraid of? Why did he need her to hold him? What’s going on between them?”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Their clothes even match, the same designer, same color. That man’s clearly more than just a coworker!”
Cassian’s face turned pale as paper, and I caught a flicker of surprise in Isla’s eyes.
Yes, I knew sign language too, though she had never cared enough to learn anything about me.
I looked away, gave a polite nod to the guests, and turned to leave. Just as I stepped out of the hotel entrance, someone blocked my way.
“Landon, do you even know what you’ve done?!”
Isla’s face was dark with anger. “Who told you it was okay to embarrass Cassian in public?!”
“There were reporters inside! If this spreads, how is he supposed to face anyone again? Who would still want to work with him?!”
I looked at her furious face and said calmly, “Spreading lies is what you call throwing dirt. Didn’t you hug him?”
“Isla, stop pretending. I know you’re not allergic to him, I saw him massaging your foot.”
Caught by my words, Isla froze. Her face tensed as she rubbed the spot between her brows in irritation.
“So what? Cassian is different from me.”
“No matter what happens, my husband is you. Isn’t that enough? Landon, don’t be too greedy.”
Five years of marriage without a single hug from her, and that’s called greedy?
She wasn’t the same woman she once was. I swallowed hard, pushing down the bitterness.
“You’re right. Wanting more was wrong. So I’ll fix it. Isla, let’s get a divorce.”
Just then, a guest came rushing out and accidentally bumped into me. I lost balance and fell down the steps, my knee scraping against the ground and bleeding right away.
Isla instinctively reached out, but after a few seconds, she pulled her hand back.
“Landon, stop making a scene.”
“If you really want a child, we can do IVF later. As long as you don’t touch me, everything can stay the same as before.”
She wanted to say more, but suddenly turned her head. Not far away, Cassian was covering his mouth, watching us with tears in his eyes.
“Landon, go to your hospital first. We’ll talk at home. I won’t divorce you.”
Leaving those words behind, Isla turned and rushed toward Cassian without a second thought. I watched as she gently held him, whispered something to comfort him, then took his hand and walked away, without even glancing back at me.
I stumbled back to the car, and the tears I had been holding finally fell.
Isla, there was nothing left for us to say.
That same afternoon, Monroe Group released an official statement.
“If anyone continues to slander Mr. Reed, the Monroe legal team will file a defamation lawsuit and make sure the other party pays the price.”
When I heard the news, I was standing at the door of Isla’s study.
She hated being interrupted while working, and that room had always been off-limits to me.
“Sign this paper,” I said.
She was still on the phone, her voice soft and gentle.
“What do you want to eat after the movie? Okay, I’ll come pick you up right now.”
Maybe because she was in a good mood, she didn’t seem bothered by my sudden appearance. Without even looking up, she signed the papers right away.
After ending the call, she stood up and reached for her coat. As she walked toward the door, she turned to me and said, “Landon, I’m glad you finally came to your senses. I’ll tell my assistant to give you a card with no limit. Buy whatever you want; you don’t need my approval anymore. Consider it compensation for your fall from the cliff.”
She had no idea the papers she just signed were our divorce agreement.
My eyes moved toward the small bed in her study, and I noticed part of an ornate box sticking out from underneath.
When I pulled it out and opened it, a bitter laugh escaped me. Inside was a life-sized doll, made to look exactly like Cassian.
No wonder Isla never let me into her study. So while I spent those long, sleepless nights drowning in loneliness, she was right next door, satisfying her desires with another man, even if it was just a doll of him.
After putting the box back, I ignored the calls from her assistant and threw away those useless raincoats and gloves. It didn’t take long before I moved out of the house we had shared for five years.
That afternoon, a bar owner I knew messaged me about a masked party that night. He said they were launching a new wine and asked me to come.
When I arrived, the first thing I saw was Cassian arguing with a waiter. “The private room upstairs is empty, so why can’t I have it? I want that one!”
The waiter noticed me, quickly bowed, and said helplessly to her.
“Sorry, that room was reserved for Mr. Raye. He’s our boss’s partner.”
Cassian turned around, his eyes full of contempt.
“Landon, I thought falling off that cliff might have taught you something. Isla never cared about you; she won’t even touch you. Even if you came all the way here, she still wouldn’t look at you.”
I didn’t look at him. Calmly, I put on the king’s mask and said, “Tonight, everyone’s drinks are on me. Put a sign at the door, This man and dogs are not allowed inside.”
The waiter understood what I meant and was about to call security to remove him.
Just then, Isla suddenly walked in.
“Isla, this place is bullying customers! I came first, but they refused to give me the private room. And your so-called partner just called me a dog and wants to throw me out!”
“How much did he invest?” Isla asked coldly without even glancing my way.
“Five hundred thousand…”
Ten minutes later, Isla’s assistant came in carrying two boxes filled with cash. She reached out and threw the stacks of money at my head, one after another.
“Here’s one million. Take it and get lost. Is that enough?”
People nearby turned to watch. The waiter, unable to bear it, whispered, “President Monroe, he’s not just a partner, he’s your husband…”
“So that’s why he’s acting so bold? He actually knows Landon?”
I was wearing a mask, and Isla clearly didn’t recognize me.
“I’m telling you, whatever Cassian wants, he’ll get. Even if this man were Landon’s father, he still better get out of here.”
I turned to leave, but Isla wasn’t done humiliating me. She said lazily, “Did I say you could go? Is this how you do business? One million isn’t enough to make up for what happened to Cassian? Then get on your knees and bark twice like a dog, and I’ll let you go.”
I clenched my fists, holding back my anger. The waiter froze, shocked at what he was seeing. He reached out to take off my mask.
“President Monroe, you can’t do this. He’s really your….”
Cassian suddenly wrapped his arm around Isla’s and gave me a disgusted look.
“Forget it, Isla. Is he even worth a million? Let’s go eat. Only a lonely, unwanted man would come to a place like this at night. I wouldn’t sit in that private room even if it were free.”
Isla’s face softened a little.
“Alright, whatever you say.”
“Tell your boss to throw him out. Monroe Group will cover the breach fee. Otherwise, this bar won’t stay open much longer.”
She gave the order and walked away without looking back.
I watched as she and Cassian walked off, their hands held tightly together, their heads close. My heart turned completely cold.
The bar owner came rushing over to the private room after hearing what happened. He was an old friend and furious, cursing Isla for acting like that. He couldn’t understand why I didn’t just take off the mask and make them lose face.
“Would it make any difference if I did?” I said quietly.
He was silent for a long time before letting out a sigh.
“A woman who doesn’t even want you to touch her… I really don’t understand why you married her.”
I swirled the wine in my glass quietly. The color reminded me of the blood Isla had shed for me when she was a child.
After her parents went bankrupt, they were forced to take their own lives.
The old butler, greedy for money, sold her off like a toy.
At that time, I was only a servant in a wealthy household. To keep my throat from being destroyed by poison, I pretended to be mute and used sign language to communicate.
Isla had stabbed the rich man and was beaten again and again, left hungry and weak. I couldn’t bear to see such a young girl die like that, so every day, I shared part of my food with her.
She was the only one who knew I could talk.
One night, while everyone was asleep, I secretly helped her escape. But we were caught, and the rich man tried to beat me to death right there. Isla threw herself over me, taking the blows meant for me, and her blood dripped down onto my face.
That was the first time I felt someone saw me as a real person.
Later, her aunt came with people to rescue her, and the rich man’s place was raided by the police. But we never got the chance to say goodbye.
Still, I never forgot what she whispered to me through the pain that night. “We have to live. Grow up. Wait for me to marry you.”
I could barely remember how I survived all those years, fighting my way through hardship until I finally saw her again, just as Isla had long forgotten the silent boy from back then.
The day I came back after getting my visa, a group of strangers kidnapped me and took me to the rooftop of an old building on the edge of the city.
Cassian’s hands were tied, his body hanging dangerously over the edge, yet he still laughed.
“The main characters are here. The show can start.”
A rush of footsteps came, and Isla appeared with her people.
“What are you doing?!” she yelled.
“Isla! Mr. Raye hates you for not saving him that day because of me; he’s trying to kill me! Please, save me!” Cassian cried out.
It was the first time I saw pure anger in Isla’s eyes, aimed at me.
She ordered her bodyguards to take down the kidnappers, then ran straight to Cassian and pulled him up.
She held him tightly, her face pale with fear, like someone who had almost lost the most important person in the world.
“Thank goodness you’re safe. I won’t let you be in danger again.”
Just like before. So when she coldly walked past me, I grabbed her hand without thinking.
“Isla, it wasn’t me.”
Her face instantly lost all color. She forced back the nausea rising in her throat and yanked her hand away from mine.
The slap came without warning, hitting hard across my face.
“Get away from me! Don’t touch me! You make me sick!”
“Cassian would never lie to me. She’s the kindest person in the world.”
Blood ran down the corner of my mouth, and at that moment, I didn’t feel like explaining anything anymore.
“Landon, everyone has to face the results of their own actions, and you’re no different.”
“Break his arms. Beat him until he learns his lesson, so he’ll never dare touch Cassian again.”
The bodyguards pinned me down, and the iron rods came down on my arms again and again.
The cracking sound of bones filled the air, cold and cruel. The pain was so intense that everything around me started to fade.
Through the dizziness, it felt like I had gone back to that night long ago when Isla took the beating for me.
As the pain blurred my sight, I quietly hummed the little lullaby I had made up back then.
That night, she had passed out from the pain, and I had been terrified, scared she would never wake again, yet unable to do anything to help her.
I stayed by her side, softly humming to her, hoping to ease even a bit of her pain.
Isla froze for a moment. She hesitated. “This tune… sounds familiar…”
She took a small step closer, wanting to listen more carefully, but Cassian held onto her arm.
“Isla, my arm hurts.”
Her face turned cold again. She took off her coat and wrapped it around him.
“Landon, this is the last time.”
When the final strike landed, I thought to myself, Isla, I don’t owe you anything anymore.
The bar owner rushed over and carried me to the hospital. Afraid I’d be alone, he came with me on a flight abroad a few days later.
……
In her office, Isla couldn’t stop thinking about the gossip she had overheard from her employees.
“Did you hear? President Monroe’s husband tried to kill Mr. Reed out of jealousy. That’s just awful!”
“No wonder President Monroe won’t touch him. I heard that allergy thing was fake; she just can’t stand Landon. Married five years and still a virgin…”
Her feelings were mixed. So this was how everyone secretly saw Landon.
She knew her supposed allergy came from the trauma of her childhood, but things couldn’t stay like this forever.
It had already been several days since Landon had last contacted her, which had never happened before.
Maybe she should have a child with him, properly, to silence all the gossip.
For the first time, she reached out to Kelvin, someone who had also been held by the rich man in the past but had managed to rebuild his life.
When Kelvin heard that she had found the boy she once cared for as a child, he congratulated her over and over and asked to see a picture of the “little mute.”
Isla sent him a photo of herself with Cassian. Half a minute later, a message came back. [Isla, I think you’ve got the wrong person.]
[That boy is definitely not the little mute.]
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