Steven laughed loudly, regaling his buddies with tales of his week-long resort fling with his mistress…

When Sarah was born, her mother wept, and her father disappeared into a week-long drinking binge. The baby girl was beautiful and healthy, except for one thing: a congenital defect on her face, a developmental abnormality.

It’s fairly common. Sarah’s upper lip was split, a condition known as a cleft lip. The doctors reassured her parents, explaining it wasn’t a big issue. Modern surgeries could fix it, leaving barely a trace.

But Sarah wasn’t so lucky. Maybe the surgeon was inexperienced, or maybe it was just her fate. The scar turned out crooked and rough, and her upper lip stayed noticeably swollen, almost puffy.

Still, Sarah was an adorable little girl, with light curls and mischievous eyes. Her face was beautiful, even with the scar above her lip, which faded over time. Her lip remained slightly fuller, as if perpetually swollen, but it didn’t detract from her charm.

Her parents adored their daughter and tried to shield her from everything. But how do you protect a child from the cruelty of other kids? In kindergarten, the other children barely noticed her difference, but school was a different story. Sarah endured relentless teasing from her classmates. As she grew older, her father landed a good job in the city.

They sold their rural home, said goodbye to their neighbors, and moved into a city apartment. Not only was Sarah uncomfortable in the urban environment, but her new school wasn’t exactly welcoming. City kids went out of their way to humiliate the “country girl,” and Sarah’s lip gave them an easy target for their cruel jokes.

She tried to ignore them, but at night, she cried into her pillow. Her parents, busy with work and a new baby brother, didn’t notice at first. They expected Sarah to help with the baby and keep up her grades.

They had no idea about their daughter’s struggles. Eventually, Sarah snapped and fought back against her tormentors. They fought dirty, aiming for her face.

When the principal urgently summoned all the parents to the school, it turned out the other kids only had torn clothes and a few scratches. Sarah, on the other hand, was battered. Her cursed lip was horribly swollen and bleeding, staining her school uniform with bright red blood.

Her classmates insisted Sarah had attacked them first. Her father, incredulous, asked, “She took on four boys at once? And if she did, why is she the one beaten up, not you?” The school tried to hush up the scandal. They demanded Sarah apologize to the boys, but she flat-out refused.

She declared she was done with school altogether. Her parents stood by her but didn’t know how to help. Sarah never went back to that school.

Once the bruises faded and her face healed, her father enrolled her in another school, much farther from home. Sarah transferred mid-year, and this time, she got luckier. Maybe the kids were kinder, or maybe Sarah felt more confident, but no one openly teased or picked fights with her…

She started enjoying school more. She even made a couple of friends—girls who struggled academically but loved Sarah for helping with homework and whispering answers in class. But as other girls began crushing on boys…

The boys, shy but eager, started pairing off. No one paid attention to Sarah. Despite her efforts to be outgoing, fun, and active—excelling in games, sports, and academics—her classmates chose other girls. They played with Sarah, sure, but only as friends.

It hurt. Sarah blamed her appearance and hid her pain behind a mask of bravado, trying to seem proud and independent. That’s how high school ended.

Sarah enrolled in a community college, hoping things would change. But no one showed interest. No love notes, no one walking her home hand-in-hand.

She grew more convinced of her own inadequacy, her second-class status. Her friends were getting married one by one. Most of her classmates started families, but Sarah had no hint of a personal life.

She tried to act like it didn’t bother her, and her parents, sensitive to her feelings, avoided the topic. Even her younger brother, a notorious prankster, never teased Sarah about boyfriends. Her youth slipped away.

Sarah began to see herself as a failure, doomed to be a spinster forever. Her brother got married and moved to the state capital with his new wife.

He landed a great job and bought a place of his own. But Sarah? Still invisible. She worked as an accountant, sitting in an office, shuffling papers, and crunching numbers.

Her coworkers left her alone, careful not to talk too much about their families around her. Once, a colleague started gushing about her perfect, beautiful, straight-A daughter. Sarah excused herself mid-conversation and spent the rest of her lunch break sobbing in a bathroom stall.

She desperately wanted a child—a daughter or a son. Even just one, even without a husband. Just someone to love.

But men steered clear of her. The idea of getting drunk and hooking up with someone repulsed and scared her. So she lived alone in the large apartment her parents had left her.

One day, her brother, Mike, came back for a week’s vacation. His wife was delayed in the capital and would join him a couple of days later. Mike decided to throw a reunion party for his old college buddies.

Sarah’s inherited apartment was spacious—perfect for hosting. She missed Mike and was thrilled to have him back, so she greenlit the party.

Better they hang out at home than bar-hop. The group was small—only seven people, including Mike. Many of their friends had scattered across the country.

Sarah whipped up a feast: appetizers, salads, snacks, and a hot main course. The guys only brought booze, but Sarah’s spread was enough to feed them for two days. The apartment was big enough that everyone had a place to crash…The guys sat around, catching up on life—families, jobs, where they’d ended up. They reminisced about their wild college days. Though only a few years had passed, adulthood had turned those carefree teens into grown men.

Sarah didn’t insert herself into their conversations, but they invited her to join them at the table. She wasn’t a stranger—she was Mike’s sister, and she’d put out an impressive spread. In the dim evening light, her self-consciousness and slightly swollen lip went unnoticed. One guest, the perpetual goofball and charmer Steven, kept flirting with Sarah.

He’d pile food on her plate or offer to pour her another glass of wine. The others didn’t bat an eye at Steven’s attention. He was a notorious ladies’ man, always chasing skirts.

He was also the only bachelor in the group. Mike watched his sister, clearly smitten with Steven’s charm, and didn’t know what to do. He knew Steven too well.

On one hand, this was the first guy to ever show Sarah attention. On the other, Steven’s reputation as a player was the stuff of local legend, rivaling the wildest tales of Casanova. When Sarah stepped into the kitchen to grab more coleslaw, Mike followed.

“Sarah, listen, don’t get too caught up with Steven. You remember his stories from the girls’ dorms, right? A leopard doesn’t change its spots. He’ll love you and leave you.” “I know, Mikey,” she replied calmly.

“You think I forgot your stories about his escapades? But I’ve never even had this. Let me have it, even if it’s just for a little while. I know it won’t last.”

Her tone made it clear she’d made up her mind and was ready for the inevitable heartbreak. But Steven surprised everyone. Maybe out of respect for Mike, or maybe for some other reason, he didn’t try to sweet-talk Sarah into a quick fling. The next day, he kept up the gentlemanly act, still not making any bold moves.

A couple of days later, he showed up with a bouquet of wildflowers, some still with roots from a nearby garden bed. He asked Sarah to the movies. They went to an art exhibit, took a walk in the park after work.

Steven played it cool, never rushing things. After a month, he decided he’d laid enough groundwork. He proposed.

It shocked everyone, especially Sarah. No one expected Steven to settle down, let alone with her. He usually went for model-like women, not a plain girl with unruly curls framing a round face. Sarah knew she wasn’t his type and sensed no real passion in his eyes.

She chalked it up to sudden shyness or nerves. Mike was stunned too. He drove back to town to confront his friend.

Flirting with his sister was one thing—they could break up and move on. But marriage? That was serious. You don’t just walk away from that. Mike was certain Steven would ditch her eventually.

But Steven was adamant. “I’m marrying her, end of story.” He said he was ready to settle down, that he’d been searching for a homemaker like Sarah his whole life.

That’s why he’d been running around with other women, he claimed. Mike wasn’t fully convinced, but the wedding went ahead. Sarah glowed in a simple white dress and veil, her curls untamed.

Mike, in his toast, half-jokingly threatened to break Steven’s legs if he hurt her, then blessed the couple. Sarah was shy about kissing in public when the guests shouted for it. Steven didn’t push, just pecking her cheek.

Everyone laughed and teased, making Sarah blush harder. She stepped outside for some air, overhearing guests marvel that even “someone like her” found a husband. It stung at first.

But then she thought, I won. All those prettier girls were left behind, and Steven chose her. She was better than them all. Proud and happy, Sarah returned to her groom.

Their wedding night was a letdown. Steven just slept. The next night, same thing…Sarah was confused but didn’t press him. He was exhausted from the party, hungover. Of course he wasn’t in the mood for romance.

She’d take care of him, make him some soup, and soon he’d love her. For now, she’d pamper him. A week after the wedding, Steven decided it was time to “set things straight.”

He was affectionate enough, but their intimacy happened in the dark, with no real passion. Sarah was just grateful for what she got. She already knew she didn’t excite Steven as a woman.

She didn’t want to admit it, but it was obvious. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited a week. Still, she had a husband, and married Sarah walked with her head high past neighbors and coworkers.

She found happiness in her new status. No longer second-rate or defective—she was just like everyone else. Maybe kids would come soon, one or two.

Sarah desperately wanted children—a girl and a boy, at least two. She’d love them and be happy…

Steven slept with her occasionally, but there was no fire. He always turned off the lights and closed the curtains, saying it was “more comfortable” that way.

Later, he bluntly told her she should be grateful for even that. Who else would want her? Who’d kiss a woman like her? Sarah endured it, never snapping back.

She half-believed Steven was doing her a favor, marrying her out of pity. She tried to please him in every way, never burdening him with chores. Steven lived like a king—meals served, dishes washed.

He never took out the trash or lifted a finger. Sarah, exhausted, still did her best. Six months later, Steven got laid off.

They needed money, so Sarah took a second job as a janitor in a nearby office. After her accounting shift, she’d clean offices, hallways, and bathrooms.

It worked out. At her main job, no one knew about her side gig. At the cleaning job, she worked after hours, unnoticed.

Steven, meanwhile, “looked for work.” He’d skim the job ads in the paper but never found anything “suitable.” He called a couple of listings but skipped the interviews.

To avoid staying home, he hung out at Mike’s old garage, supposedly sorting through junk. Mike didn’t use it, so Steven considered selling it.

Mike forbade selling, saying they could use it or rent it out. The garage, built by their father, meant too much to him. Steven barely touched the clutter, instead calling Sarah to clean it.

On weekends, she hauled out junk, organized everything, and left it spotless. Steven posted rental ads around the neighborhood and waited. While waiting, he bonded with the guys at nearby garages.

They formed a tight crew, even setting up a hangout spot behind the last garage—a table, benches, and a canopy.

Perfect for drinking beer in the shade, playing cards, or eating snacks. Eventually, Sarah got Steven a job at the company where she cleaned. They hired him as a driver for the company’s CEO.

Steven griped at first—driving a boss around wasn’t “his level.” But he soon saw the perks. Irregular hours meant Sarah stopped asking where he was or when he’d be home. He had his own paycheck to spend on “fun.”

No need to tell Sarah how much he made. Plus, he drove a fancy car. He could run personal errands, and no one knew he was just a driver.

He’d buy flowers for the boss’s orders, and the florists assumed he was some big shot. Driving a sleek car, buying expensive bouquets—what’s not to like?

Steven started chatting up women again, reliving his wild college days. A fling here, a hookup there.

He bragged to the garage guys, who envied his freedom. Life was good. He owed Sarah nothing…He worked, brought home some money. His job was “stressful,” so she couldn’t complain. Sarah figured out her husband was cheating…

He’d convinced her she was undesirable, that he only stayed for the apartment. She didn’t confront him or kick him out. She just sighed, noting two years of marriage with no kids in sight.

Steven ignored her longing, too busy with his own life. His boss had some big plans for the next month, meaning no driving duties. Steven was sent on “vacation.”

He saw an opportunity. He told Sarah he was going on a business trip with the boss.

In reality, he used his savings for a week at a local resort—forest, river, private room, three meals a day. And Lisa, a woman he’d recently met.

She was a firecracker. Steven was ready for a wild time. He lied to Lisa, saying he was a hotshot businessman, that the car was his, and that he chose a low-key resort for “discretion.”

He promised that once they were married, he’d take her to Bali, Milan for clothes, Paris for croissants. Lisa, starry-eyed, pictured herself at the Eiffel Tower.

For such prospects, she’d be extra sweet and passionate. Steven’s budget only covered a week, but he told Lisa he couldn’t be away from “business” longer.

Big contracts needed signing, he said. But soon, they’d jet off for months, hitting exotic destinations.

Lisa ate it up, grinning like a fox eyeing a plump hen. She spent the week being flirty, playful, and insatiable, proving she was indispensable.

Steven soaked it all in. Back from his “trip,” he headed straight to the garage to brag about his week with Lisa.

The guys listened, jaws dropped. They envied his nerve, pulling this off while married. What a player.

They couldn’t live like that—families, kids, in-laws, and chores tied them down. “What if Sarah finds out?” they asked. “She’ll kick you out, no question.”

“She’s not going anywhere,” Steven scoffed. “Who’d want her with that lip? She should kiss my feet for marrying her. And she wants a kid—can you imagine what kind of freak she’d pop out? I don’t need that.”

The guys shifted uncomfortably. Steven was crossing a line. Sarah was a good woman—hardworking, smart, kind.

Her scar was barely noticeable. Why was he so cruel? Did he marry her just for the apartment? “Apartment and a maid,” Steven smirked. “I don’t lift a finger at home. Sarah serves my food, washes my clothes, cleans. You guys are out there vacuuming or taking out trash. I’ve got Sarah for that.”

Seeing their disapproval, Steven wrapped it up. Sarah would be home from her second job soon. Time to head back—he was hungry after all the talk…Sarah opened the door but blocked his way, smirking strangely. She looked at him with contempt, almost arrogance.

She wasn’t letting him in. “Here to say goodbye?” she asked, eyebrow raised mockingly. “I’m home. What, not happy to see your husband?” “I’ll be happy to see my ex-husband in divorce court. Papers are filed. Here’s your summons.”

She handed him a document, which he took automatically. “Want me to give you Lisa’s address? She came looking for you at the office today. Thought you were the company owner for some reason. But Andrew, the CEO, called me in, and we explained to Lisa that she can marry you once the divorce is final. Good luck taking her to Paris on unemployment checks. But you should try. Maybe Lisa will work two or three jobs to keep you comfortable.”

Steven stood there, trying to process it. Because of Lisa, he’d lost his job and his home? No way. Sarah would forgive him. She’d beg him to stay.

“Sarah, what’s with all this nonsense? Aren’t you ashamed, kicking out your own husband? Who else will love you like I do?” “No one will love me like you, that’s for sure. And I’m ashamed I put up with you so long. My only family is my brother. Don’t try to claim you’re kin.”

Steven stepped forward to hug her—she used to melt when he did, rare as it was, usually when he wanted something. But Sarah recoiled with a disgusted smile. Someone else was in the apartment. Andrew, the company CEO, stepped into the hallway from the kitchen.

He stood beside Sarah. “Steven, your termination papers are signed and waiting in HR. Pick up your records tomorrow. Don’t come back here. Sarah’s brother arrives tomorrow, and until then, she’s under my protection. Go to your mistress. Maybe she’ll let you crash, since you took her on that resort trip. And hand over the keys to Mike’s garage. You’re done there,” Sarah said coolly.

It finally hit Steven—he’d lost control. Sarah wasn’t taking him back. He’d lost everything.

His belongings were in the suitcase from his trip. Numbly, he pulled out the keys to the apartment and garage and handed them to Sarah.

She took them, stepped back, and locked the door. Steven stood there, dazed.

He had no idea what to do. He had no place of his own. He’d only latched onto Sarah for the apartment.

Now what? He trudged down the stairs, wondering where to go. He remembered Andrew’s jab and headed to Lisa’s, clinging to a faint hope.

Maybe she really loved him. They’d had such a great time. But Lisa laughed in his face.

She mocked him not just as a failed “businessman” but as a pathetic lover. It was a gut punch, literal and figurative. He was left with nothing.

Meanwhile, Sarah sipped tea with Andrew.

They talked openly. Andrew had always wondered why she took the janitor job.

Did she need money that badly? Why couldn’t her husband work? She was an excellent accountant. He’d hired her as a cleaner out of pity, thinking she had debts. Then he agreed to hire Steven, wanting to help this gentle woman with sad eyes.

He’d almost asked her what was wrong—why she worked two jobs, why Steven slacked off. But he stopped himself. It wasn’t his place, and they weren’t close enough for such questions. Sarah was always guarded, never oversharing…Her coworkers knew nothing either. Then Andrew noticed Steven’s behavior. His infidelity was blatant—he didn’t even hide it.

He bragged about his conquests in the break room, making the guys laugh or envy him. Andrew found it disgusting, the way Steven disrespected Sarah, taking her care and trust for granted, not valuing her beauty.

To Andrew, Sarah was stunning. He thought about her often, sometimes lingering at work just to see her. Sarah couldn’t believe this handsome, intelligent, kind man was saying these things.

She’d secretly admired him but never dreamed he could find her attractive. How could anyone think she was beautiful with her defect? “It’s a charming, unique feature,” Andrew said earnestly. “I often caught myself wanting to kiss those lips. But you were married, and I couldn’t.”

They sat, gazing into each other’s eyes, saying nothing more. No words were needed. Sarah had nineteen days left as Steven’s wife.

Nineteen long days until the divorce hearing. The next morning, Mike arrived, letting himself in with his key.

He headed to Sarah’s room, ready to give her his usual playful peck on the nose, but stopped short. Sarah wasn’t alone. She was asleep on a man’s shoulder, his arms wrapped around her tightly, protectively, even in sleep.

Mike quietly closed the door and went to the kitchen. He realized this was Andrew, the boss who’d called him yesterday, explaining everything while Sarah sobbed in the background.

Let them sleep. Mike had to find Steven and make good on his wedding-day promise—not literally, perhaps, but that jerk needed a lesson.

Mike left his suitcase in the kitchen and slipped out of the apartment.