Chapter 1
Chapter 1
"Your husband is seeing another woman behind your back, Naomi. How can you still sleep right now? Aren't you afraid you won't be able to hold on to the position of Mrs. Ludwig?"
In a bedroom of the villa, Heather Quinlan expressed her disappointment to Naomi Goodwin, who didn't react the way she expected.
Naomi asked with sleepy eyes, "Who's the foxy lady tonight, Mom?"
During these two years of marriage, she had stepped aside to give other women lining up a chance. But her mother-in-law would ask her to catch her husband, Brendan Ludwig, cheating with another woman every now and then. She had already become used to it.
But she failed to get evidence of Brendan cheating every time.
"I'll send you the hotel room number on WhatsApp. You go and bring him back," Heather paused for a while before continuing, "If you don't care about Brendan, I can't help you anymore."
Was it Naomi who didn't care about Brendan?
It was Brendan who didn't give her the chance to care about him.
For the past two years, he rarely came home. They always parted in discord whenever the two of them met.
He had been avoiding her like the plague, how would she be able to care about him?
Their relationship wasn't like this previously. He had been very kind and tolerant towards her. But after a certain matter, their relationship had become strained.
Naomi closed her eyes and was silent for a while.
Then, she got up and replied in a lazy tone, "I understand, Mom. Send me the address."
Half an hour later, when Naomi was getting the room key card from the hotel manager, Bailey Jenkins, Naomi's friend, arrived to accompany her.
They came to the door of a suite.
Naomi was holding the key card and was about to open the door. Her mind had been calm just now, but she suddenly felt annoyed.
Even though it was a common occurrence for her, she would still get upset when her things were taken by others.
When the door opened, there was a voice coming from the room, saying, "Four of diamonds.
Both Naomi and Bailey were puzzled. They thought they had come here to catch Brendan in bed with another woman. Why were the people in the room playing poker instead? But the scene of a couple of men accompanied by young ladies was still unpleasant.
Especially Brendan. He had a cigarette dangling between his lips and was picking a poker card with his right hand. Chloe Yates was sitting next to him, sweetly holding his arm. The men around the poker table were some of the most outstanding in Ashburgh. Even in the group, Brendan was still the most conspicuous man among them. He was extremely handsome. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and his hair was slicked back. There was a roguishness in his gentleness. Everyone would still be stunned by him no matter how many times they had seen him.
Two years after he took over the Ludwig Corporation, he became the leader of Ashburgh. Everyone was very respectful of him.
If he were still who he used to be, if it wasn't for that matter, Brendan would be the most perfect husband in the world.
Brendan was indeed a very nice person. It was just that he was no longer nice to her.
Mason Stone's seat was facing the door. When he saw Naomi's appearance, he was surprised. Then he greeted her with a smile, "Na-"
Before he could finish calling her name, Brendan shot him a cold glare. Mason's smile wavered for a moment before he continued less enthusiastically, "Ms. Naomi, why are you here?"
Naomi put on a polite smile and walked in unhurriedly. "I missed you! So I came over to have a look."
"Please don't, Na..." Mason secretly glanced at Brendan and replied, "Ms. Naomi, I do not dare to continue your joke."
Naomi, needless to say, must have come to get Brendan.
They had become accustomed to it over the past two years.
What was Brendan thinking, to leave such a beautiful wife at home and ignore her?
Naomi wore a black knee-length V-neck dress. Her black wavy hair was hanging down casually. She looked irresistible.
She gracefully approached the poker table. All the young ladies in the room were amazed and in awe of her.
When Chloe saw Naomi walk over, she let go of Brendan's arm. She stood up and greeted, "Naomi."
Naomi ignored Chloe and directed her gaze towards Brendan's arm. Chloe quickly explained, "Brendan just won the game, and I was happy for him, so..."
Before Chloe could finish talking, Naomi raised her hand to pinch her wrist. She warned, "If you touch him again, Chloe, I will chop off your hand."
"Naomi, please listen to me..." Chloe furrowed her brows. "Naomi, it hurts. You're hurting me."ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
Chloe's whining made Brendan look coldly at Naomi. "If you don't let go of her, I'll chop your hand off first."
Chloe took the chance to shake off Naomi's hand. She took a couple of steps back, rubbed her wrist, and complained with red eyes, "Brendan."
Brendan turned to look at her. His expression was still calm. "Why are you afraid of her? Sit down."
The girl beside Mason thought something was amiss looking at the scene. She asked Brendan curiously, "Who is she, Mr. Ludwig?"
Brendan gently flicked the ashes off his cigarette and answered, "I don't know her."
At his words, all the other men in the room, including Mason, were shocked.
He didn't know her?
They all knew he had known her for 23 years.
And this year, Naomi was exactly 23 years old.
Naomi stood beside the poker table. She was angry but couldn't help thinking it was funny at the same time.
Even so, she still walked up to Brendan and reminded him softly, "It's 2:30 am now. It's time to leave."
Although he was holding a cigarette in his right hand, Brendan still looked like a gentleman.
He said, "Full House."
It was as if Naomi was just air.
Chloe stood up to smooth the awkward situation. "It's in men's nature to play around,
Naomi. Mason and the others are here too. You don't have to worry so much."
Naomi understood the subtle ridicule in Chloe's words. She retorted, "Why don't you go and get married, then let me play with your husband?"
Chloe fell silent at her rebuke.
After Naomi finished her words, she turned and walked to Mason. She tapped the poker
table and said softly, "Can you get up, Mason?"
Mason looked up and asked, "Do you want to play too, Ms. Naomi?"
Bailey, who came here to help Naomi catch Brendan with another woman, was silently standing beside them all that time. She suddenly laughed, "What? Only men get to play the game? Are women not allowed to play?"
Bailey had short hair which made her look handsome. She was wearing a Hawaiian floral shirt. Those who didn't know would think that she was a man and Naomi's paramour.
Then she looked at Naomi and offered, "I heard the guys in the club of this hotel are good, Naomi. Why don't I go and get two of them for you?"
Naomi sat down in the chair that Mason vacated like nothing had happened. She answered, "Sure!"
As Naomi finished, Brenden finally cast a look at her.
Naomi ignored him and continued the game with Mason's cards. "Three of hearts."
Not long after, a few handsome young men came into the room. Bailey asked the tallest and most handsome young man, Aaron Reed, to sit beside Naomi.
Aaron accepted the task and sat beside Naomi smilingly. "Ms. Goodwin, I'm on a lucky streak. If I sit beside you, you'll definitely win a lot of money."
Naomi was amused. "If I win a lot of money, I'll give you a big tip."
As expected, after a few rounds of games, Naomi was the only one winning. The worst part was she kept getting the good cards and always won after Brendan raised the bet.
So now Brendan looked like he was on a warpath.
When Naomi won with another "Full House", he threw his cards on the table.
His facial expression was cold enough to freeze the air around him.
Naomi didn't care about Brendan and put the cards into the card shuffler. She joked with a smile, "Mr. Ludwig can't afford to lose? If you can't afford to lose, just go home and sleep."
The fact that Naomi told him to go back and sleep made Brendan laugh, "You want to sleep with me? You're such a dreamer, Naomi."
When Brendan was done talking, Chloe gingerly looked at Naomi and wondered if they were going to get a divorce this time.
Naomi ignored Brendan's sarcasm and gave Aaron the money she won. "This is the big tip I said I'll give you."
Aaron excitedly accepted the cash that Naomi gave him. "Thank you, Ms. Goodwin."
The eyes of the other young ladies in the room lit up. They were extremely envious of Aaron.
After receiving Naomi's money, Aaron suddenly said with a blush, "I can make you even happier, Ms. Goodwin. Why don't I leave with you tonight?"
As Aaron finished speaking, the cigarette in Mason's mouth fell to the ground. The other friends also looked up.
The room was exceptionally quiet for a moment. It was so quiet that you could even hear a pin drop.