The Bankrupt Heiress, The Cold Husband1 / 3

Chapter 1

At the charity gala, my father arranged for me to marry Garrett Cole, the brilliant young financial talent he had personally groomed.

Back then, I had no idea that his heart already belonged to someone else.

Years later, my father's company was framed in a massive product fraud scandal, sending the stock plummeting and burying him under criminal lawsuits.

The moment our family fell from grace, Garrett immediately brought his first love, Chloe Hayes, back into his life, declaring in front of me that he would make her his lawful wife.

My mother-in-law sneered at me with pure venom.

"Your family is bankrupt, and you're just a barren hen who couldn't even give him a child. What right do you have to stop my son from remarrying?"

Garrett slid the divorce papers across the mahogany desk, his tone dripping with condescension.

"Sign it like a good girl, and I'll still let you live under my roof alongside Chloe."

I said nothing.

Instead, I quietly booked a one-way train ticket down south to Florida.

Seven days left.

In seven days, I would leave this city behind and start over with my father.

…

The moment my father's empire crumbled, Garrett could not wait another second to bring his first love home.

He shoved the divorce agreement directly in front of me.

"In five days, I'm giving Chloe the wedding she deserves."

"I've let her down for far too many years, and I won't fail her again. If you behave yourself, I might still let you stay here and keep her company."

My family had barely collapsed, yet he was already this impatient.

He was unwilling to wait even a single extra day.

I stared at him in complete silence.

His gaze was cold and detached, looking at me as if I were nothing more than a total stranger on the street.

Five years of marriage, and I had never managed to warm his frozen heart.

I lowered my head, hiding the tremor in my fingers as I picked up the pen and signed my name.

"Fine."

It did not matter anymore, because I was not planning to stay here anyway.

Whoever Garrett wanted to spend the rest of his life with had nothing to do with me from now on.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard by how swiftly and calmly I agreed.

He picked up the document, checked my signature, and stood up with an air of satisfaction.

"Good. When I find some free time, I'll take you to the courthouse to finalize the paperwork."

Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away.

That was typical of him; he had never wasted unnecessary words on me.

Once his tall figure disappeared down the hall, I pulled out my phone and rescheduled my flight down south for five days later.

The moment that divorce decree was stamped, our paths would diverge forever.

Five years ago, at my father's corporate gala, I fell head over heels for Garrett at first glance.

The very next day, he asked my father for my contact information.

Within six months, we had walked down the aisle in what everyone called a fairy-tale wedding.

I truly believed it was a match made in heaven.

That illusion shattered into pieces the day Chloe Hayes posted her own wedding photos on social media.

That night, Garrett came home dead drunk.

Worried that he would choke or fall sick, I cut my evening short and helped him back to our master bedroom.

Yet the moment I dragged his heavy frame onto the mattress, he shoved me away with violent force.

I slammed hard against the nightstand behind me.

The porcelain vase on the edge wobbled, crashing to the hardwood floor and shattering into sharp fragments right beside my bare feet.

My heart leaped into my throat, paralyzing me with fear.

Garrett, who had always maintained a gentle facade, glared at me with bloodshot eyes, roaring at the top of his lungs.

"Stella Mercer, I despise you!"

"If you hadn't set your greedy eyes on me, if your father hadn't used his money to pull me out of the slums, I wouldn't have been forced to dance on his strings!"

"I wouldn't have been forced to marry you while watching Chloe walk into another man's arms!"

His eyes were filled with pure, unadulterated hatred, looking at me like I was his worst enemy.

All those sweet dates and gentle smiles during our courtship were nothing but a lie.

I tried to draw a breath, but the air caught painfully in my chest.

Under his ferocious glare, tears of humiliation finally spilled over my cheeks.

Garrett let out a mocking sneer, staggered to his feet, and threw the wet towel I had used to wipe his face straight at my chest.

"Save your pathetic tears."

"I'm going to divorce you and take Chloe back."

His eyes were hazy, his cheeks flushed crimson from the heavy liquor.

Only an utter blackout could have driven him to spill his darkest secrets so bluntly.

My voice shook as I choked back a sob.

"You're drunk. We'll talk when you're sober."