The night we got married, I passed out drunk, and my husband snuck off to spend the night in his childhood friend's room.

When I found out the next day, he brushed it off. "She just wanted to feel what it's like to be a bride for a night, it's not a big deal!"

We had a massive fight about it.

He stormed out, slamming the door.

The next time I saw him, he was gently helping his childhood friend—already heavily pregnant—shop for baby supplies at the hospital gift shop.

I confronted him, furious and loud.

He shot back, completely self-righteous, "She just wants a child with me to keep her company in her lonely years! It doesn't threaten your position as Mrs. Cole. What's the problem!"

Hearing that, I demanded a divorce right then and there.

He looked completely unfazed. "Fine. Just don't come crawling back!"

1

When Ethan Cole returned three months later, I handed him the divorce papers I’d already printed out.

"Sign them."

Ethan took them, flipped through a few pages casually, and snorted. "Claire, are you serious?"

"Jessica and I grew up together. She lost her family young, she’s had it rough."

"She asked me to give her a child, something to keep her company through the lonely years ahead. What's so wrong with that?"

"Claire, seriously, don't be so petty!"

I remained expressionless. "On this, I can't compromise my principles."

"You should find a wife who's okay with her husband having a baby with another woman."

I grabbed my single suitcase, packed with my few personal belongings, ready to leave.

Ethan stepped quickly in front of me.

"Claire, stop making a scene, okay?"

"Even if Jessica has the baby, it won't affect your standing as Mrs. Cole."

"If it bothers you that much, once the baby's born, I can bring him here for you to raise. Problem solved."

His tone was insistent, his face etched with irritation as he tried to force this 'solution' on me.

The old me would have seen that look and immediately agreed to anything, just to keep him happy.

But not anymore.

Forcing myself to ignore how I really felt was torture.

My voice was cold. "Sorry, if I want a child, I'll have my own."

Seeing I wouldn't budge, Ethan kicked over a display stand nearby.

The crystal rose sculpture sitting on it shattered instantly as it hit the floor.

I stared at the scattered fragments, feeling suffocated.

That crystal rose… Ethan had specially commissioned it from an artisan overseas to celebrate our fifth anniversary.

Now, it was just broken pieces.

Like us. Irreparable.

When exactly did the man who swore he loved only me turn into someone who would father a child with another woman?

Were all those promises of spending a lifetime together just empty words, forgotten so quickly?

Ethan froze for a second, looking at the crystal petal near his foot.

He pressed his lips together, seemingly forcing himself to calm down. "Claire, we've been together for so many years. Are you really going to throw it all away this easily?"

"I know Jessica’s always had feelings for me, but she never meant to upset you."

"Even wanting to be my bride… she just begged me to let her experience it for one night, our wedding night."

Hearing him say that, so matter-of-factly, I almost laughed out loud from sheer bitterness.

What bride on earth would be okay with her husband spending their wedding night with someone else?

It was the ultimate humiliation, like being trampled on!

I regretted so badly not slapping that bitch that day.

My voice dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, right, right. Poor little Jessica, the most pitiful girl in the world!"

"After we divorce, you can just bring her right here to take care of her. Wouldn't want the baby born without a dad, making poor Jessica's tragic life even worse."

"You can show off your boundless compassion then."

Hearing my words, Ethan's face darkened instantly.

"Claire, don't push it!"

"You need to understand something. If you divorce me, you lose all of this – the money, the status, everything!"

"Even if you get on your knees and beg me to take you back, I won't."

"Besides, who would want to marry a divorced woman with a back full of scars!"

2

Those few simple words from Ethan felt like a knife twisting in my heart.

It's true. The people closest to you always know exactly where to strike to cause the most pain.

Ethan was right.

Most men wouldn't want a wife whose back was covered in scars.

But Ethan Cole was the last person on earth who had the right to say that.

In high school, some criminals targeted the Cole family's immense wealth.

They ambushed Ethan after school, trying to bundle him into an unmarked car as he walked home alone.

I saw him struggling.

I grabbed his arm, trying desperately to pull him out of the sedan.

Instead, they dragged me in too, taking us both to an abandoned warehouse.

Even after they got the ransom money, they didn't let us go.

They set the warehouse on fire and fled.

Ethan was unconscious. While trying to drag him out, a burning beam fell, hitting me squarely on the back.

That incident sparked something different between Ethan and me.

Even though it was just me and my grandma, barely scraping by, I refused the Cole family's help after getting into college. I worked my ass off to pay my own tuition.

I wanted to marry him without anyone whispering that I was just after his money.

But now I realized Ethan wasn't worth my effort. Not one bit.

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably as I dragged my suitcase out of the Cole mansion.

It was strange.

I'd already decided I didn't love him anymore.

So why did it still hurt so damn much?

I took my few belongings and went back to the old house in the small town where I grew up.

The town isn't big, not many people live here.

But every single one of them watched me grow up.

When Grandma saw me, she instinctively looked behind me.

I knew she was looking for Ethan.

My lips trembled. I couldn't bring myself to tell her I was getting divorced right after getting married.

But Grandma saw something was wrong anyway.

Her eyes reddened as she took my hand. "It's okay, child. It's okay. You're home now."

That night, lying on the creaky old wooden bed, I picked up my phone and saw a notification from Jessica.

It was four wedding photos of her and Ethan.

Then, within three minutes, she unsent them.

Followed by a text: "Oops, sorry Claire! Meant to send these wedding pics with Ethan to him, accidentally sent them to you."

"You're not mad, are you? 😉"

The fake sweetness, the 'oopsie' vibe… it made me sick to my stomach.

Lying there, a thought clicked in my mind.

So, after Ethan stormed out from our fight, he and Jessica clearly did everything they shouldn't have.

Less than a minute later.

Jessica posted those same photos to her social media feed.

The main picture showed Ethan, smiling down tenderly, holding a heavily pregnant Jessica in his arms.

Her caption read: 【Thank you, Ethan, for making my dream of a happy family come true! 】

I let out a cold laugh, immediately liked the post, and commented: 【Congrats on your happy family reunion! 】

Just as I was about to turn off my phone, it rang. Ethan.

"Claire, what the hell was that comment on Jessica's post?"

"We just took a few pictures, that's all! Did you have to leave such a nasty comment?"

"Jessica saw it and got totally hysterical, now her stomach hurts!"

"She's right here next to me. You need to apologize to her, right now! If something happens to the baby because of this, you can't afford to take responsibility!"

My voice was sharp. "Who the hell does she think she is? Why should I apologize to her?"

"The second I left, she threw herself at you, sleeping with a man who isn't even divorced yet."

"Ethan, my advice? Finalize this divorce ASAP. That way, when people see you together, you can flaunt your love openly."

"It'll be much better for the precious Cole Industries reputation too."

Ethan laughed coldly. "Claire, I already ripped up those divorce papers. I'm giving you one last chance to come back to me."

"Wait until I really don't want you anymore. Then it'll be too late for regrets!"

I replied calmly, "Wow, thanks so much for the chance. Too bad I'm the one who doesn't want you anymore!"

"Right now, all I want is to get this divorce over with!" With that, I hung up.

Ethan, Ethan, Ethan. How can you be so damn confident I'd actually want you back after you cheated?

3

Unfortunately, Ethan seemed completely incapable of understanding reality.

First thing in the morning, I was jolted awake by my phone ringing. His name flashed on the screen. I immediately hit decline.

But then he called the old landline in the house.

Grandma, already up, reached for the phone, but I snatched the receiver faster.

"Grandma, I'm hungry. Could you make me something to eat?"

"When I was away, I missed your cooking every single day!"

Once Grandma was safely dispatched to the kitchen, I hissed into the phone, "Ethan, will you just give it a rest!"

"Can you please stop bothering my grandmother!"

"Well, if you hadn't hung up on my cell, I wouldn't have had to call here," Ethan shot back.

"Where's my breakfast? My stomach hurts, I'm starving."

Hearing him harassing me over breakfast, I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

When I didn't respond, Ethan's voice grew agitated. "Get back here right now and make me breakfast! Do you want me to get an ulcer or something?"

"Whether your stomach hurts or not has absolutely nothing to do with me!"

"Isn't Jessica there at the house? Let her make you something."

Ethan exploded. "Jessica is pregnant! How could I possibly let her cook!"

Those words, coming through the phone line, felt like another stab to the heart.

He couldn't bear to let her cook, but I was supposed to be at his beck and call?

I'll never forget the year I was drowning in my thesis work. He called, saying he craved my homemade chili. So, I rode my bike through a torrential downpour to deliver it to his office.

When I arrived, soaked to the bone, his colleagues stared at me with pity and curiosity.

I knocked on his CEO office door, and who opened it? Jessica, wearing a slinky little dress.

She took the insulated container from me, her voice dripping with faux surprise. "Oh, Claire, you really shouldn't have! Coming all this way in this storm with chili!"

"I told Ethan not to bother you, but he was just so worried about me, he insisted on calling you to make it for me!"

Jessica's words hit me like a bucket of ice water, freezing me from head to toe.

I just stood there, motionless.

It wasn't until Ethan came out from inside that I finally found my voice. "Were you planning to give the food I made… to her?"

Ethan looked completely nonchalant. "It's just food, Claire. No big deal."

"You haven't found a job yet anyway, making Jessica some food isn't exactly hard work."

"Besides, I've always seen her as a little sister. Once we're married, she'll basically be your sister-in-law. Think of it as getting to know each other early."

Back then, naive and trusting, I completely bought his explanation.

There was even a period when I genuinely tried to bond with Jessica.

Thinking back now, I want to shake my past self awake.

Claire, how could you have been so easily fooled!

I gripped the phone tighter, my voice cold. "Ethan, we are getting divorced."

"If you want food, figure it out yourself. Stop harassing me with this nonsense!"

"You have more than enough money, hire someone! Anyone would be willing to cook for you!"

"And I assume you don't want the scandal of your affair with Jessica splashed all over the gossip sites, right?"

Before he could start yelling, I slammed the phone down.

Strange. I clearly won that exchange, yet my heart still ached with a dull throb.

I rubbed my tired eyes and saw Grandma standing in the doorway, holding a bowl of hot oatmeal.

"Was that your husband on the phone, dear?"

I managed a weak smile. "Grandma, he won't be your grandson-in-law anymore. We're getting divorced."

4

After finishing the oatmeal, I rode my bike into town and printed out another copy of the divorce agreement.

Just as I handed the new envelope to the courier, my phone rang again. Ethan.

The frequency of his calls made me momentarily think he'd somehow already received the papers I just sent.

I snapped into the phone, "We are about to be divorced! Please stop calling me!"

There was a pause on the other end, then a sickly sweet voice purred, "Claire, honey, it's me, Jessica."

"Tomorrow, Ethan and I are having our gender reveal party! You have to come, okay?" The triumph in her voice was unmistakable, even over the phone.

"Jessica, you're the mistress, the secret on the side. Who gave you the audacity to provoke the actual wife?"

Jessica's sugary-sweet voice came back, laced with venom. "Oh, Claire. The one who isn't loved is the real third wheel."

"In Ethan's heart, I'm the one who matters most."

"From now on, his heart only has room for me and our baby!"

"Hope you can make it tomorrow. Be there!"

After hanging up, a decision formed in my mind.

Not only would I attend tomorrow's party, but I'd also bring a little surprise for her and Ethan. Something truly unforgettable.

The next day, when I arrived at the party venue, it was already filled with familiar faces.

There were Cole family relatives, along with business partners who worked with Cole Industries.

I recognized most of them from my time dating Ethan.

Seeing me arrive, several people approached immediately, offering congratulations. "Congratulations, Mrs. Cole, to you and Mr. Cole on the wonderful news!"

A few businesswomen chimed in with compliments, "Mrs. Cole, you're several months along and barely showing! What's your secret to staying so slim?"

I smiled serenely. "That's because the one who's pregnant isn't me."

I honestly couldn't understand how Ethan could allow his mistress to be presented so formally in front of all these people.

Wasn't he afraid of becoming the laughingstock of their entire social circle?

He must have been completely blinded by Jessica's manipulation!

Just as I finished speaking, music swelled, and Jessica walked out, arm-in-arm with Ethan.

Seeing her obviously pregnant belly, everyone in the room instantly understood what I meant.

The looks on the faces of all the women present shifted dramatically as they stared at the couple on the small stage.

Jessica, seemingly oblivious to the sudden change in atmosphere, shot me a defiant look.

Putting on a frail, delicate act, she stepped forward and took the microphone.

"I have to thank Claire for me being pregnant with Ethan's baby."

"If she hadn't fought with Ethan, I never would have had the chance to go away with him on that three-month trip!"

"That's when our baby was conceived."

This blatant airing of their dirty laundry actually made me see her in a new, albeit disgusting, light.

Now I finally understood why she insisted I had to be here.

She wanted to force my hand, pressure me into a quick divorce so she could marry Ethan, using the baby as leverage.

And Ethan? He didn't seem worried at all about becoming gossip fodder.

So much for Ethan’s “innocent little sister.”

What a calculating bitch!

Jessica then picked up a champagne flute and walked towards me, smiling. "Claire, I really, truly have you to thank!"

I returned her smile, unfazed. "Since you're so grateful, let me give you a big gift in return."

I snatched the microphone from her hand. "Excuse me, servers? Could you please open the doors? Let's welcome the baby's biological father, Mr. Rick Johnson!"

Under the confused stares of the crowd, a rough-looking man dressed in cheap clothes stormed in, fury radiating off him.

He looked like a gorilla, built and angry.

He saw Jessica, standing there pregnant and glammed up, and slapped her hard across the face.

The force of the blow sent Jessica sprawling to the ground.

He grabbed her by the hair, yelling, "You rotten bitch! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Took me long enough, but I finally found you!"

Jessica scrambled, panicked. "No, no, no! You've got the wrong person!"

The man sneered. "Even if you were ashes, I'd still recognize you!"