Chapter 2

2.

Right then, my phone lit up with one push notification after another.

“Garrett Cole, CEO of Cole Enterprises, Spares No Expense Celebrating Pop Star Candice Miller’s Birthday.”

“Garrett Cole and Candice Miller Spotted in Sweet Birthday Embrace.”

“Garrett Cole’s Public Confession to Candice Miller: ‘You are my only one, forever.’”

The photos burned my eyes.

Garrett looked dashing in his tailored designer suit, practically glowing with pride and power.

Beside him, Candice looked stunning and radiant, wearing a triumphant smile.

I had begged and humiliated myself for Grandma’s surgery money, yet he dropped millions on another woman without blinking.

While I ran around like a beggar, he showered his mistress in luxury.

Was this the dream life I had sacrificed my youth for?

When we got married, there was no ring, no wedding ceremony, and our parents weren’t even present.

We only had a fifty-dollar marriage certificate from city hall.

I still remembered how tightly he held my hand outside the courthouse that day.

“Nora, just wait for me,” he had promised with tears in his eyes. “I’ll give you the most lavish wedding and the biggest diamond ring in the world!”

A bitter laugh escaped my throat at my own foolish naivety.

A text from Garrett popped up on my screen.

“I have a business dinner tonight. Eat dinner by yourself.”

Meanwhile, my social feed was flooded with pictures from Candice’s extravagant birthday bash.

The most prominent post was from Garrett himself.

In the photo, Candice flaunted a massive diamond ring, beaming like a queen.

His caption read: “Happy birthday, my baby.”

Every bit of warmth in my soul froze solid.

I saved the photo, opened my chat with Garrett, and typed a single sentence:

“Let’s get a divorce.”

The top of the screen immediately switched to “Typing...”

A few seconds later, a photo arrived in the chat.

In it, Garrett held Candice closely against his chest, planting an intimate kiss on her forehead.

The picture was swiftly deleted, but I had already taken a screenshot.