Chapter 3

There wasn't much conflict in the Sterling household. Here, I actually felt more comfortable than I had at the Grant house.

I loved reading and still loved researching academic problems. Although I had taken a leave of absence, I hadn't forgotten to study.

As for Holt, he went from not coming home for days at a time to coming home on time every day.

Even when work was busy, he would send me messages saying where he'd gone.

I learned massage techniques from a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. I wondered if Holt's leg could slowly improve through massage.

Once I had the idea, I started doing it. At first, I was a bit shy when I told Holt about my plan.

Later, I became skilled at massaging him. After six months, I could even recite all the acupuncture points on the human body from memory.

Holt went from protesting at first to accepting it, and eventually waited for me to give him a half-hour massage every day. I felt my hands were getting stronger.

Life was actually quite boring. So when I went to Sterling Corporation once to deliver documents Holt had left at home, a short drama editor noticed me. He asked if I wanted to try playing a supporting role in their drama—a scholar character. He thought my temperament was perfect.

I agreed on impulse, and Holt didn't object either.

Unexpectedly, that short drama became a huge hit, and even I, as the third female lead, gained my own fans.

I found it novel. I had never imagined entering the entertainment industry, a place that had nothing to do with me.

Sterling Corporation had many businesses. Rain Entertainment was just a very small part of it. Holt said as long as I didn't use the Sterling name outside, I could do whatever I wanted.

So gradually, I got an agent, Lynn, and a small assistant. I also took on fourth, fifth, and sixth female lead roles in several big IP dramas.

I became an unknown small-time actress. Sometimes scrolling through Twitter, I found it really interesting.

I would lie in bed reading fan comments to Holt while massaging his leg with one hand.

Without paying attention, I pressed somewhere I shouldn't have. Holt let out a muffled groan. I thought I'd hurt him and quickly dropped my phone to check, but Holt pressed me down on the bed.

Kissing came naturally, and what followed was just as natural. We became more and more in sync, both finding pleasure in it.

From that point on, our relationship advanced by leaps and bounds.

He would bring me my favorite little cakes, buy me clothes and jewelry, and occasionally take me to movies or walks by the lake.

We were like an ordinary couple. Holt's leg was getting better and better under my massage. Even the doctor called it a miracle. Now when Holt walked, as long as he didn't move too fast, you couldn't tell he had a limp at all.

In the third year of our marriage, Lila came back.

The day she returned, Holt surprisingly didn't cling to me.

My parents also called for the first time in three years, asking Holt and me to come home.

Lila had been gone for three years and had never come back. At the only family gathering during Chinese New Year, Mr. and Mrs. Grant would awkwardly say that Lila was busy with her studies.

Holt's face was cold, and he said nothing. I didn't know what he was thinking. After all, even though I was their biological daughter, I had barely been back to the Grant house since getting married.

But the preferential treatment that should have gone to the Grant family had never stopped flowing their way.

When Holt and I arrived at the Grant house, I saw a graceful young woman throw herself into Holt's arms like the wind.

I watched from the side. Holt didn't push her away either.

Tears fell from that woman's eyes in large drops, soaking Holt's suit.

Watching this scene, my heart felt like it was being pricked by needles. I deeply regretted agreeing to return to the Grant house.

Seeing me beside them, Lila straightened up. "I'm sorry, I was just so happy."

Holt's temple twitched. With a cold face, he took my hand and led me to our seats.

Lila looked at us with shock in her eyes.

The meal was unbearable. Mr. and Mrs. Grant didn't ask me once how I'd been doing recently. Instead, they desperately tried to get Lila and Holt to talk, saying things like "Lila has been thinking about you this whole time, Holt."

It suddenly struck me that my parents seemed to be pimping out Lila.

From that day on, Lila appeared constantly around Holt and me like a fly.

And Holt went from resisting at first to accepting her in less than a month.

Lila wanted to enter the entertainment industry, so Holt had Rain Entertainment's top agent handle her.

Lila came and went from the Sterling Corporation building like the lady of the house. Everyone assumed she was Mrs. Sterling. After all, I had hidden my identity at Rain Entertainment. No one knew about my relationship with Holt.

But Lila was different. She would loudly call Holt to act cute on the phone, then bring takeout to Holt's office.

As for me, after Holt coldly scolded me the first time I visited, I never went again. Everyone else thought I was some unknown actress trying to seduce the CEO.

Lila was pure and lovely. With Holt's backing, she quickly became popular, with resources constantly flowing her way.

When Lynn asked me if I knew Lila, I said I didn't. Lynn started gossiping about Lila, saying she was a diva who relied on her relationship with the CEO to snatch whatever endorsements she wanted.

It wasn't until three of my endorsements were stolen that I realized Lila was targeting me.

As for Holt, since I entered this industry, he had never given me any preferential treatment. When we ran into each other in the building, he would act as if he didn't see me.

At that time, I hadn't thought about divorce yet. After all, I really did like Holt.