He Watched Me Shine Without Him novel Chapter 120

Rose jumped up from the bed, but her body was still weak. She nearly fell over. Houston instinctively reached out to steady her—but she jerked away from his hand.

The look in her eyes wasn’t just wariness. It was fear. Avoidance. Disappointment shimmered in her teary eyes as she choked out, “Ethan lied to me—and so did you. I was like a fool, played by both of you.”

“Rose… it’s not what you think…” Houston grasped her hand. Normally so articulate, now he could barely string words together.

He had a past he never wanted to relive, a family full of shame. The darkness and pain he bore—he could reveal it to the world, but he didn’t have the courage to tell his own wife.

Because he was afraid she’d look down on him.

Rose glared at him through tears. “You even used a fake name to marry me, and then you tell me you want a future together? Our whole marriage started with a lie—how do you expect it to last?”

She could forgive Houston for not telling her about his past crush, even for his disregard toward Charlotte. But this? Pretending to be someone else to marry her? That was unforgivable.

It was fraud.

Her voice cracked with grief as she cried, “If I hadn’t stumbled across your identity today, I’d still have no idea I married Crestview’s most powerful man.”

“Was it fun, keeping me in the dark?”

Houston clawed at his hair, yanking it so hard that the pain felt like it tore through his skull. “Rose, I never meant to deceive you. I just…” But he couldn’t finish the sentence.

Rose’s voice dropped, heavy and final. “I can’t accept being lied to by the man I share a bed with. Houston, we’re done.”

“No, Rose. Don’t.” He shook his head.

But Rose was as stubborn as ever. She stormed out, only tossing one sentence over her shoulder: “I’ll wait for you at the civil affairs bureau—until you come.”

Houston collapsed against the wall, eyes closing in helpless despair.

Rose ran all the way home. She tore open every drawer and cabinet until she found her and Houston’s marriage certificate, their household registry—everything she needed to file for divorce.

There was only one thought in her head: I need to get away from Houston.

All of it—his ruthlessness, his secrets, his lies—boiled in her chest.

She couldn’t be with someone so dishonest.

Once she gathered all the documents, she sent him a short, sharp text: “Houston. Get to the civil affairs bureau. Now.”

But sending it didn’t bring relief.

Instead, an overwhelming emptiness settled in her chest.

She opened the door to leave, dazed and heavy, only to come face-to-face with Ethan.

He froze at the sight of her tear-streaked face. Her red eyes made his heart twist. Did Houston hurt her?

“Rose, did he—” The question died in his throat. Guilt hit him like a truck. I’m the one who brought her to Houston… if she really got hurt, how could I feel happy? I should feel ashamed.

But before he could speak further, Rose exploded.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify