“What?” Olivia’s mind went blank. She’d never expected someone as reserved as Chloe to say something so blunt. But what truly stunned her was that Ethan, that absolute scumbag, had the nerve to humiliate Chloe this way. Olivia muttered a curse, her voice a low growl. “Forget the courier. I’ll bring the agreement myself. Then I’m heading back to the office to work overtime.” There was no way some delivery bike was going to beat her four wheels today. After she hung up, even Chloe was surprised by how easily the words had left her mouth. Perhaps it was because the resentment had been building for so long, a suffocating weight in her chest, in her thoughts, in every fiber of her being. It was just like that night at the club, when Ethan himself had admitted it—he had never touched her. No one would believe it, but after three years of marriage, she was still a virgin. At first, she’d wondered if something was wrong with him. Then she found him, more than once, in his study, clutching a photo album while he pleasured himself. The low, guttural moans he’d made… each one had felt like a slap across her face. Once, when he realized she’d seen him, he had pulled her into a desperate embrace, murmuring into her neck. “Chlo, I’m sorry. I just… I was afraid of hurting you. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. So I used your photo instead.” What a pathetic joke. And the saddest part? She had believed him. She had actually blushed. But the night she flew back to Riverport, her body aching and her mind clouded with fever medication, she used what little strength she had to pry open the locked cabinet in his study. Inside, she found the album. Every page was filled with Isabella—radiant, vibrant, electric with life. Every smile, every glance, captured and preserved like a holy relic. Chloe had never felt more like the punchline of a cruel joke. In a daze, memories drifted back. She remembered tagging along behind Ethan like a little shadow, but that wasn't the truth. She had been following her older brother, who was always at Ethan’s side. She’d simply seen Ethan so often that the idea of marrying him had eventually seemed normal, even pleasant. He had been patient and gentle, always bringing her little gifts when he visited her brother. Among all his friends, he had seemed the most refined, the most courteous. And yet this supposed gentleman would rather spill his seed for a picture of his sister-in-law than lay a single finger on his own wife. Chloe hadn’t expected Olivia to be so fast. She had just finished dressing and hadn’t even made it downstairs when the doorbell chimed. Olivia burst in with an energy that screamed, If the courthouse were open, I’d have dragged you both there myself. With the agreement safely in her hands, Chloe felt a little steadier. But then a sharp crack echoed from upstairs. Before she could react, Helen, the housekeeper, rushed down, her face tight with worry. “Ms. Miller—” “What is it?” “Leo… he broke the family photo in your bedroom.” Chloe assumed it was just the frame. But when Helen handed her the pieces, the color drained from her face. Her parents had died in an accident when she was five. That photograph was all she had left of them. Her only keepsake. Clutching the shattered remains, she stormed up the stairs. At the landing, Isabella stepped out of a room, her son nestled in her arms. Chloe’s voice was ice. “Isabella. That was my room.” “Uncle Ethan said this is my home now,” Leo piped up, his chest puffed with a child’s bravado. “Uncle Ethan also said he’s going to take care of me and Mommy like a real dad!” Chloe’s eyes flickered to Isabella, who showed no sign of correcting her son. A cold laugh escaped Chloe’s lips. She crouched slightly, meeting Leo’s gaze. “Do you know what Santa Claus does to little boys like you on Christmas?” The boy lifted his chin proudly. “He gives me lots of candy!” “Wrong.” She shook her head, her smile deceptively sweet. “He cuts off the hands of children who break things, bakes them in the oven, and feeds them to monsters.” “WAAAHHH!” Leo, after all, was still just a child. He burst into terrified tears, clinging to Isabella as if his life depended on it. Isabella glared at Chloe. “He’s just a kid. Did you really have to scare him like that?” “You can’t even teach your own child how to behave. What are you good for, besides indulging yourself?” Chloe didn’t wait for a reply. She turned and walked away. That night, a black Blackwood rolled into the driveway. Chloe stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching as Ethan stepped out of the car. Leo ran to him at once, dragging Isabella by the hand. The three of them, illuminated in the headlights, looked like a perfect little family. Eventually, there was a knock on her door. Ethan stepped inside. The crisp white of his shirt and his confident stride seemed at odds with the slight tension in his voice. “You scared Leo?” “I did,” Chloe said, gesturing toward the broken picture on her nightstand. “He destroyed my only photo of my parents.” Ethan froze. For the first time, he seemed to realize he didn't have the full story. He reached out to ruffle her hair, a familiar, dismissive gesture, but she recoiled. Thinking she was still angry, he softened his tone. “That’s my fault. Let me apologize on his behalf. Is there anything you want? I’ll make it up to you.” Chloe smiled faintly. “Anything at all?” Ethan nodded. “Of course.” “I only want two things.” She handed him the documents she had prepared. Ethan glanced at the first, a property transfer contract, and signed it without a moment’s hesitation. He flipped the second document straight to the last page and signed just as quickly. When it came to money, he was always generous. Afterwards, he let out a slow breath and gently pulled her into his arms. “Chlo, how did your brother raise you to be so obedient and sensible?” A wave of nausea churned in Chloe’s stomach. Just as she was about to shove him away, a soft knock came from the half-open door. The moment Ethan saw who was standing there, he dropped his arms and took a step back. Chloe went rigid. And in that instant, everything clicked into place with sickening clarity. He had gone three years without touching her to prove his loyalty to the woman he truly loved. Now that she was living under his roof, he had to keep up the act. Isabella stood in the doorway, looking mildly annoyed. “Ethan, Leo won’t sleep unless you’re with him.” “I’m coming.” Ethan turned back to Chloe. “You’re not still mad, are you?” “Not at all,” she said, her voice flat. After he left, Chloe picked up the second document he had signed. It was a divorce agreement. Yes, she was obedient. So obedient, in fact, that she had prepared the papers herself and handed them right to him.

Chapter 2: You Believed His Words