Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Easton Cole's little side piece was throwing another tantrum.

He slid the divorce agreement across the counter toward me.

"Just sign it, Yvonne. It is only for show, just to soothe a needy girl."

I stared at the paperwork in silence for a moment before picking up the pen and signing my name.

As I turned to leave, one of his friends chuckled from the barstool beside him.

"Damn, Easton, your wife is so obedient. Would she do literally anything you tell her without making a sound?"

Easton casually lit a cigarette and took a slow drag.

"Want to see for yourself?"

The guys laughed and chimed in, making bets on whether I would still quietly agree to walk away at the city clerk's office in twenty days, even if I was crying my eyes out.

The moment our marriage certificate was replaced by the final decree, my phone lit up in my palm.

It was a text that had just come in.

"Will you marry me?"

I typed back a single word without hesitation.

"Yes."

When I had first walked into the lounge earlier that night, Easton was sitting in the center of the bar, surrounded by his inner circle.

The moment he saw me, a warm smile spread across his face, and he waved me over.

"Yvonne, come here for a second."

I walked up to him. He pulled me close by the shoulder, his tone as gentle and affectionate as ever.

"I need a small favor from you."

He pushed a thick document in front of me.

It was a divorce agreement.

My fingers instinctively tightened, clutching the fabric of my skirt.

Easton noticed my stiffness and lightly rubbed my back, softening his voice into an easy, coaxing whisper.

"Do not look so nervous. It is just a formality."

He leaned in close to my ear, his breath warm against my neck.

"Vivian has been making a huge scene lately. She insists on having a title to feel secure. Just sign it for now as a gesture to comfort the poor girl."

He took a slow sip of his whiskey, looking as relaxed as if he were discussing the weather.

"Once her emotions settle down, this will all blow over. You know you are the only real Mrs. Cole. Women like her on the outside are just temporary fun. They are never fit for the real world."

Seeing that I did not move immediately, a faint flicker of annoyance flashed in his eyes, though his voice remained sweet.

"Yvonne, you have always been the sensible one. Just sign your name, okay?"

Vivian Blake certainly knew how to play the game.

I had heard that when Easton first chased her by throwing lavish gifts and connections at her, she did not even bat an eye.

She had scoffed at him, saying he had nothing to offer besides his trust fund and black card.

It was precisely that aloof, untouchable act that made Easton obsess over her, convinced she was different from the gold-diggers buzzing around him.

Later, when she discovered he was already married, she put on a dramatic display of unyielding moral high ground.

Tearfully, she had told him, "Mr. Cole, I admit I have feelings for you, but my upbringing would never allow me to be a homewrecker. We should end this here and never see each other again."

Yet even as she spoke those decisive words, she projected the perfect amount of vulnerability, longing, and dependence.

She never actually stepped away from the lavish lifestyle Easton funded for her; she simply kept him at arm's length.

Her push-and-pull routine drove Easton insane with desire.

She understood the art of playing hard to get, and Easton fell for every single trick.

I stared at his handsome face.

Those eyes that once held my entire universe were now filled with calculated warmth, hiding his fear that I might cause a scene and ruin his plans.

The barren wasteland inside my chest lost its very last trace of warmth.

I did not even feel any pain anymore. There was only total numbness.

"Okay."

My voice came out flat, devoid of any emotion.

The moment my pen touched the paper, Easton let out a visible sigh of relief and quickly added another promise.

"Good girl. As soon as this storm passes, we will remarry right away. I will throw you an even grander wedding and invite every elite in the city."

He leaned closer, flashing a charming smile.

"Remember how rushed our first honeymoon was? This time, pick anywhere you want, for as long as you want, and I will stay by your side the entire time. You always wanted to visit the Maldives, right? We will do that, just the two of us."

He painted a picture of a future he had no intention of delivering, his tone so sincere it could have fooled the devil himself.

I did not answer him. I simply lowered my head and wrote my name across the dotted line.

The signature was neat, without a single tremor.

The second I set the pen down, his buddy Jax burst out laughing.

"Bro, your wife gives you way too much credit! Even this flies? Would she seriously do anything you tell her without uttering a single complaint?"

Easton leaned back into his leather chair, lighting a cigarette. The curling gray smoke blurred the smug smirk on his lips.