Chapter 1

Just because I wore the same designer suit as Sierra Langford’s boy toy, she had my clothes torn off in front of everyone and locked me in a walk-in freezer.

She didn't let me out until six hours later.

Right before I passed out from hypothermia, I heard her vicious voice echoing above me.

“Stop faking it. If I catch you bullying Hayden again, it won’t be as simple as a little cold air.”

I closed my eyes and gave a faint nod.

The day I was discharged from the hospital, Sierra threw a lavish company banquet at her family’s luxury hotel. I stood outside the VIP suite with the divorce papers in hand, listening to the roaring laughter inside.

“Sierra, you hate your husband so much, why haven’t you kicked him to the curb yet?” someone teased, handing her a glass of champagne.

Sierra waved her hand dismissively, her tone dripping with contempt.

“Why bring up that piece of bad luck? My mother said that unless he asks for it himself, I’m stuck with him as long as she’s alive.”

Hayden Cole took the glass from her hand and brought it gently to her lips.

“Don’t let him fool you, Sierra. He’s just a kept man, clinging to your wealth like a parasite.”

The room instantly erupted in agreement.

I lowered my gaze to hide the bitter numbness in my eyes, then pushed the heavy double doors open.

The bustling hall fell dead silent.

Sierra slammed her glass down, shattering it at my feet. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Today is our corporate celebration, and Hayden is here with me. Get out before you ruin my appetite.”

Hayden stroked Sierra’s back soothingly, shooting me a smug, provocative smirk.

He was waiting for me to lose my temper. Every time he flaunted their intimacy, I would break down, only to make Sierra despise me even more.

But this time was different.

I forced myself to look away from their intertwined bodies and clenched my jaw.

Tucking the divorce papers deep into my coat, I turned on my heel and walked out.

Behind me, Sierra stood frozen in shock.

On my cab ride home, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from Eleanor Langford, Sierra’s mother.

“Zachary, have you truly made up your mind to end your marriage with Sierra?”

“I have, Mrs. Langford. I kept my promise to you, but Sierra… she doesn't need me anymore.”

There was a long silence on the other end.

“Very well. Since this is your choice, I respect it. I’ll wire the compensation we agreed on to your account immediately.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Langford.”

After hanging up, I instinctively opened Sierra’s social media.

Throughout our five years of marriage, she had never posted a single picture of me.

Her profile banner was still that old, faded picture of her younger self wrapped in another man’s arms, both of them beaming at the camera.

When we were first married, I casually asked who the man was. For that alone, she cursed me out and threw me out into a freezing winter night.

Before closing the app, a fresh post popped up on my feed.

It was a photo of Hayden kissing her in a luxury penthouse bedroom.

Hayden had already left a comment beneath it: “Oh my, if Mr. Brooks sees this, won’t he be furious?”

Sierra replied carelessly: “Who cares about him? He might as well be dead to me.”

Looking at Hayden’s face, which bore an uncanny resemblance to the man in her banner photo, I zoned out for a moment.

Then, I opened a delivery app, ordered five giant boxes of ultra-thin condoms, and sent them to her hotel room with a rush-delivery note.