Chapter 1

I am the reincarnation of the Divine Peacock Spirit. My destiny was to shield those close to me from one hundred calamities.

In the three years of our marriage, I exhausted my power to save Caspian Miller one hundred and one times. By the end, I had become nothing more than an ordinary woman.

I was ready to live a quiet, normal life with him.

But while he was fooling around with his childhood sweetheart, he suffered a permanent injury below the belt. He came home and beat me until I was covered in bruises, blaming me for his own filth.

"You are a curse! You lied to me when I married you!"

"If it weren't for Talia, I would still be in the dark. She is the only one who brings me true luck."

Tears of blood streamed down my face. I didn't say a word as I threw the divorce papers at his feet.

The moment he signed, he took Talia Brooks to our master bedroom. They stayed locked away for three days and nights.

When we met again, I was at the city's most exclusive club, Elysium, looking for my new flame. Caspian stood before me, desperately trying to maintain his dignity.

"Lyra Lennox, have you fallen so low that you are working here as a bottle girl? If you get on your knees and please me in front of everyone, I might let you be Talia's maid."

I just laughed. He must have been having a very unlucky year.

I didn't tell him that Talia was actually the embodiment of calamity itself.

I also didn't tell him that my new lover was the man who owned the very empire he worked for.

1

I held the cake box tightly, slipping through the shadows of Elysium to find my new man.

I didn't expect to run into Caspian Miller here.

He had his arm around Talia. A group of trust-fund brats who spent their lives in these neon-lit dens followed them like lost puppies.

One of them lit a cigarette for Caspian, his voice dripping with flattery. "Caleb, you really impressed Mr. Blackwood this time. That project is basically yours. We'll all be riding your coattails from now on."

"Exactly. Gideon Blackwood runs both the corporate world and the streets. Partnering with him means owning half of this city. Only someone as capable as you could catch his eye so quickly."

Caspian smirked, soaking up the praise without a hint of modesty.

Then they turned their attention to Talia, who was clinging to his side.

"Remember when that fortune teller said Lyra was some divine reincarnation who could stop bad luck? What a load of crap. It was our sweet Talia's support that helped you land these deals."

"Lyra always looked so sickly and pathetic. She was the real jinx. Since you left her, your life has been nothing but a win."

"So, when's the wedding? We're all waiting to celebrate the new power couple!"

Talia buried her face in Caspian's shoulder, acting shy. "We're waiting for the custom sapphire necklace Master Zephyr is making for me to arrive from Europe. Then we'll have the ceremony at the Blackwood Estate. Caspian already booked it for me."

The crowd gasped. "The Blackwood Estate? That's a private family manor. Getting a reservation there is impossible! You're a legend, man!"

Caspian's expression flickered with a brief moment of unease. "Of course. I'm giving Talia the grandest wedding possible. Every detail will be top-tier."

I almost burst out laughing. Master Zephyr never took commissions from anyone except Gideon Blackwood. And I knew for a fact that Gideon hadn't mentioned renting out the estate to anyone.

These low-level socialites were clueless. Caspian was just spinning tall tales and treating them like idiots.

I didn't have time for his ego trip. I adjusted my grip on the cake and tried to slip past them through the hallway.

I was dying to see my new man.

But Talia happened to glance back. Her eyes locked onto mine, filled with immediate malice.

She pulled on the arm of the floor manager, Mr. Zhao, with a cruel smile. "Mr. Zhao, does Elysium just let any trash in here now? Your standards have really hit rock bottom."

"Caspian booked this entire floor tonight. Why is this uneducated woman wandering around? Maybe you should bring her over here so we can teach her some manners."

Mr. Zhao wiped sweat from his forehead. He stormed over to me and snarled, "Do you have a death wish? You aren't supposed to be on this floor! Get over here and apologize to the guests right now!"

Gideon told me I could go anywhere in his establishments. He never mentioned restricted zones.

I was wearing a very provocative dress tonight, intending to have a long, heated night with Gideon.

I didn't realize it would make me look like one of the club's hostesses.

I opened my mouth to explain, but one of the trust-fund brats interrupted me.

"Wait, isn't this Lyra? Caspian's ex-wife! Wow, you really hit rock bottom after the divorce. Working as a club girl now? Does the Peacock Spirit only protect you from being slept with by ugly guys?"

He reached out and lifted my chin with a greasy finger. "Hey, goddess. Why don't you spend the night with me instead?"

Mr. Zhao realized there was a history here. He looked at Caspian nervously. "Mr. Miller, how should we handle this woman?"

Caspian's fists were clenched tight. Since the moment I was stopped, his eyes hadn't left me.

Talia, afraid Caspian might show mercy, hissed into his ear. "She's so disrespectful, wandering around like she owns the place. She clearly doesn't take her job seriously."

"Besides, this is the VIP floor. Mr. Blackwood's private suite is just above us. If this b-word ruins your reputation with him by causing a scene, what will you do?"

I didn't know the rules?

The man they were so afraid of would do anything to keep me happy.

Their idea of rules was a joke.

Caspian seemed to reach a decision. He gave a cold, dismissive smirk. "My ex-wife was always a bit slow. She definitely needs to be taught what happens to people who don't know their place."

The moment he spoke, Mr. Zhao shoved me hard. I nearly hit the floor.

"Didn't they teach you which floors are off-limits during orientation? Since you're so lost, get on your knees and apologize to these people!"

I felt a surge of rage at their blatant bullying.

I looked up, trying to keep my voice steady. "Is this a legitimate business or a gang hangout? I've never heard of such a rule."

"This is a public space. If I went to the wrong floor, I can leave. I can apologize for a mistake, but you're the ones harassing me!"

Mr. Zhao didn't care. "You think you have a voice here? You're just a girl selling her time. Stop acting like you're a saint."

"If you keep disrespecting the guests, I'll make sure you don't walk out of here in one piece."

He kicked the back of my knees. My legs gave out, and I slammed onto the floor, my hands catching my weight.

The cake box tumbled, and I heard the sickening sound of the dessert being smashed to pieces.