Chapter 1

1

On the night of our seventh anniversary, my husband's female assistant sent me a photo.

In the picture, my husband and her were tangled together, completely naked and locked in a passionate kiss.

I replied with a brief message of congratulations.

The photo was unsent almost immediately.

Then, the assistant called me, her voice thick with fake tears.

"Mrs. Lowery, I am so sorry. I accidentally sent a private artistic photo of Jace and me to the wrong person."

"Please don't be angry. Don't start a fight with him. He's been so stressed with work lately."

Before I could speak, I heard my husband's voice in the background, hushed and tender, as he comforted her.

I couldn't take it anymore and interrupted.

"Since you're so busy, Jace, you'd better find a gap in your schedule to sign the divorce papers."

Jace's voice turned ice-cold the moment he realized I was listening.

"I've been the one providing for you all these years, Cassia. If you want a divorce, fine. But we're going to settle every single debt first."

...

It was our seventh wedding anniversary.

Jace Lowery's assistant, Mia Rivers, had sent me that message while I was waiting at a high-end restaurant in Chicago.

The photo was undeniable.

Jace and Mia were skin-to-skin, their eyes filled with a hunger that made my stomach churn.

I was currently pleading with the restaurant manager to keep the kitchen open just a little longer.

The manager looked at me with pity.

"Ma'am, we've already stayed open two hours past our closing time. It's nearly midnight."

I knew I was being unreasonable.

But this was the place where Jace had proposed to me.

This anniversary was supposed to be the one that saved us.

My phone buzzed, and my heart leaped, thinking it was Jace.

"My husband just messaged me!" I told the manager, a desperate smile on my face. "Please, I'll pay extra. Just a few more minutes."

I tapped the notification, and the smile died on my face.

My mind went completely blank.

With trembling fingers, I typed back: "Congratulations. I hope you both have a wonderful night."

The photo vanished from the chat a second later, leaving my reply sitting there like a pathetic joke.

I looked at the manager, my voice hollow.

"Never mind. I'm leaving."

I stood up, stumbling slightly, and fled the suffocating atmosphere of the restaurant.

A cold Chicago rain was pouring down, the droplets stinging my skin like tiny needles.

I didn't call an Uber; I just walked aimlessly through the downpour until my phone rang.

It was Jace.

When I answered, it wasn't his voice, but Mia's, sounding breathless and sobbing.

"Mrs. Lowery, I'm so sorry... I sent that photo by mistake. Please don't take it out on Jace."

I knew Jace was busy.

He had been obsessing over a massive development project in the city for months.

But today was our seven-year milestone.

Mia continued to sniffle over the line, and then I heard Jace's voice, softer than he had spoken to me in years.

He was cooing at her, telling her everything would be okay.

Each word was a jagged blade carving into my heart.

I listened to their intimacy all the way home.

When I reached our house, it was pitch black.

A tiny, foolish part of me hoped this was all a sick prank―that I'd open the door and find him waiting with candles.

But the line was still open, and he was still whispering to her.

The darkness of the empty foyer felt like a monster swallowing me whole.

"Jace Lowery," I said, my voice cracking. "I don't care how busy you are. Make time for a divorce."

The silence on the other end was heavy.

He finally realized I was still there.

He let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"Fine. But keep in mind, I've been your sole provider for a decade. We're going to go through the books and settle the score before you walk away with a dime."