Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The house was dark and freezing cold.

By the pale moonlight, I looked down at the clock on the wall as the hands crept toward midnight. I let out a soft sigh that barely made a sound.

This was the third birthday of our marriage, and once again, Luke Vance was nowhere to be found.

I sat alone in the dark for hours until the sky outside began to turn gray. Finally, the front door clicked open.

Luke walked in, bringing a rush of cold air with him. When he saw my silhouette on the couch, he frowned.

"Why are you still sitting there?"

When I did not answer, his eyes drifted to the small cake on the coffee table, now completely covered in melted wax.

"Oh, it is your birthday, right? Sorry, I got caught up with work and forgot."

"I just wired some money to your account. Buy whatever you want. I am exhausted, going to sleep."

With a quiet chime from my phone confirming the transfer, Luke walked straight into the master bedroom without looking back.

There was no genuine apology, no birthday wish, and no warmth. It felt like an automated email from an employer to a random worker.

I had grown used to this chilling indifference.

Instead of arguing, I blankly tapped my phone screen.

The screen lit up with Chloe Liang's latest Instagram post from exactly midnight.

It was a carousel of photos. The main picture showed two hands intertwined, wearing matching luxury couple rings that caught the light.

Her caption read, "So grateful to have you by my side. Every single day feels like an anniversary."

Even without a face in the frame, I instantly recognized Luke's hand and his watch.

I even recognized the rings. They were the latest release from my favorite jewelry designer.

It was almost laughable. When Luke casually asked me weeks ago which design I liked best, I foolishly thought it was meant to be my birthday gift.

I blinked my dry, burning eyes and let out a bitter chuckle.

So Chloe was the real owner of the ring all along.

And this was the urgent business that made him forget my birthday.

The half-melted cake on the table looked sickeningly sweet.

I could not tell what was harder to swallow, the thought of that frosting or the bitterness in my throat.

Maybe the old me would have screamed, cried, or begged him to stay like I used to.

But I was completely drained. Ever since Chloe returned from abroad, every passing second had felt like an endless nightmare.

After sitting in silence for a long time, I stood up and retrieved the divorce papers I had prepared weeks ago. Then, I pushed open the bedroom door.

Luke was lying on his side, his back turned to me. From where I stood, I could clearly see the man who claimed to be too exhausted to talk scrolling through his phone with a bright smile.

The entire screen was filled with messages back and forth with Chloe.

Hearing the door open, Luke jerked his phone behind his back, his brow instantly furrowing as he snapped at me.

"Do not start overthinking things. Chloe and I were just discussing a work project. Stop trying to create drama out of thin air."

Look at how quickly he made excuses before I even said a word.

Unfortunately for him, I did not care anymore.

It did not matter who he was texting, who he truly loved, or who he spent his holidays with.

All I wanted was to be free.

I nodded calmly, stepped forward, and handed the divorce papers to him.

"I am not overthinking. I just have something for you."

"Luke, let us get a divorce."