Chapter 1

I once bowed my head with every step outside a historic mountain shrine, praying for my comatose boyfriend of many years to wake up safe and sound.

Finally, Carter Grayson woke up.

But all I got in return was his endless humiliation, night after night.

I watched helplessly as he stripped away everything that belonged to me, just to win a smile from the girl of his dreams.

My heart turned to ash, and I finally chose to leave.

But the man who had carelessly tossed me aside instantly went completely mad.

He knelt on the ground, stabbing himself into a bloody mess, repeating over and over, "Gemma, please love me one more time, okay?"

1

The aloof and untouchable billionaire heir of New York had just demanded me ten times in one night.

Covered in love bites, I pushed away the man's arm that was wrapped tightly around my waist.

I walked quickly out of the room and dialed a number.

My voice was very light, "Is it too late for me to sign up for Global Medical Relief now?"

"If we leave the country, we have to stay for at least three years. Can your husband bear to be away from you?"

I looked up at the bright moon outside the window, directly ignoring the doubt in the second half of his sentence.

"My visa and passport are all ready. How soon do we leave?"

"In one month."

I looked back at the man sleeping with a frown on the bed and let out a long sigh.

In just one month, I could finally end this ridiculous relationship with Carter Grayson.

Everyone in New York knew about it.

My marriage to Carter was a joke from the very beginning.

We grew up together as childhood sweethearts, and it should have been natural for us to get married.

But when I was eighteen, two major things happened to the Mercer and Grayson families at the same time.

Carter was in a sudden car crash and fell into a coma.

When I rushed to be with him, I saw a girl in his passenger seat.

That girl looked almost exactly like my mother.

It was later proven that she was the biological daughter of the Mercer family.

This was the beginning of my life as a laughingstock.

Although Carter was in a coma, the Grayson family was still powerful, and the arranged marriage between the two families had to continue.

I volunteered to step up.

After three years of tireless care, I thought that when Carter woke up, we would have a fairytale ending.

Instead, what I waited for was Carter blaming me for making him miss out on his true love.

Venting his hatred, he took me ten times a night, repeatedly branding me as worthless.

He attended all public events with his first love in his arms, leaving me utterly humiliated.

So when my senior from college found me and said Global Medical Relief was recruiting fresh blood, I agreed without hesitation.

In all the years past, my birthday wish was always to stay by Carter's side forever.

This year, my wish changed.

I only wanted to leave Carter Grayson forever!

Before my thoughts could settle, my back suddenly felt a chill.

The man wrapped his arms around my waist, his hot breath spraying against my neck as he whispered, "Who are you on the phone with?"

My body stiffened. "A spam call."

When I looked back, I met that face full of coldness.

Carter stared at me for a long moment. "It better be."

His large hand grabbed the back of my head, forcing me to crouch down.

Seeing my face turn purple from holding my breath, a satisfied smirk finally crept up the corners of Carter's lips. "Back to the room."

I felt a lump in my throat and didn't respond.

The next morning.

Having stayed awake all night, my legs felt weak as I tied Carter's necktie.

The man's arm caught me, stopping me from falling.

"Are you this useless?"

"Today is your father's birthday. Don't look so depressed when we go back for dinner tonight, or people will misunderstand."

I just laughed.

Since when did Carter care if I lived or died?

He was just afraid that his true love would get jealous.

After the man was fully dressed, he received a phone call and was about to rush out the door.

I glanced at the caller ID, which he had saved as 'Sweetheart', and calmly took out something I had prepared earlier. "You forgot to sign this agreement."

Carter quickly scribbled his signature.

His footsteps were hurried, and he didn't even spare a glance at me.

Naturally, he didn't see the clauses regarding our divorce on that agreement.

I carefully put the divorce papers away.

My eyes focused on the man's tall back.

I couldn't count how many times Carter had only left me with his back.

From the initial sadness and despair to now, my heart was only filled with indifference.

Once upon a time, it was different.

Because of love, I willingly married him and worked tirelessly to care for him for three years.

But the love had worn away.

Now, I could turn around and leave just as easily.