**Chapter 1**
Everyone told me I was lucky to marry someone like Julian Hayes.
He’d settled down for me, covered grand plazas in flowers to confess his love.
I used to believe I was truly lucky, and I accepted his devotion without a second thought.
But less than a year into our marriage, he found new bedmates.
I was forced into arguments with him, and our relationship grew colder, more distant.
It wasn’t until the ninety-ninth time he abandoned me for his latest fling that I finally decided to let go.
I handed him the divorce papers while Julian was busy sweet-talking his fifty-second mistress on the phone.
“Julian, let’s get a divorce.”
“Sign these. In a month, once the waiting period is over, we’ll be strangers.”
He grunted, took the papers, and without even glancing at them, flipped to the last page. Casually, he scrawled his name.
Done, he stood up, grabbed his jacket, still murmuring sweet nothings to the woman on the other end of the line.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming to you now, okay?”
He was already at the door when he suddenly remembered something. He turned back to me. “Oh, Delilah, what was it you just had me sign?”
You signed it first, and *then* you ask?
My lips twisted into a cynical smile.
“Divor…”
Before I could finish, Julian waved a dismissive hand. “You know what, if you want to buy a house, just buy it. No need to bring me separate agreements to sign. I’m busy trying to make someone happy. I’ve been home with you for days, and my little girl is throwing a fit, you know?”
That’s when it hit me. He hadn’t heard a single word I’d said. He thought it was a property purchase agreement.
Of course. In our worst fights, my favorite thing to do was buy entire blocks of mansions with Julian’s money.
The real estate market was on its last legs, but I poured billions into it anyway, just to lash out at him and my own raw pain.
Back then, I still held onto hope for him. That lingering bit of love made me unable to accept the fact that his heart had strayed, pushing me to despair.
Yeah, how *did* his heart stray?
I still remembered our first meeting, at a bar.
I was there to pick up a friend and happened to catch Julian, who was stumbling drunk and about to fall. I kindly helped him steady himself.
He just looked at me once, and that was it. He was smitten.
Julian Hayes’s name echoed through our social circles. Heir to one of the most powerful families on the East Coast, with a devilishly handsome, carefree face, he changed girlfriends faster than he changed clothes, leaving a trail of broken hearts across the city.
I didn’t want to be another one of them, nor did I want to get involved with such a playboy. So, I flat-out rejected him.
Who would have thought he wouldn’t give up? Instead, he fixed his sights on me, relentlessly pursuing me, as if he couldn’t see anyone else.
Romantic flower displays covering entire squares on Valentine’s Day, all-night fireworks over the ocean just to make me smile, his constant presence when I felt lost…
My heart, which had never truly fluttered before, surrendered to his relentless, overwhelming pursuit.
After we became official, he stopped juggling different women, focusing solely on me, always letting me know his whereabouts no matter where he went.
Everyone said Julian had changed completely for me.
I believed it too.
So when he knelt, tears in his eyes, and proposed, I joyfully said yes.
But less than a year into our marriage, Julian started getting entangled with other women again.
We fought countless times. Countless times I stood in our shattered living room, screaming hysterically, like a lunatic, while he massaged his temples, utterly exhausted.
Finally, he suggested we “do our own thing, and come back to the family when we’d had enough.”
“Delilah, I love you very much, but being with just one person for a lifetime, it gets boring.”
“Let’s just do our own thing. Neither of us is allowed to fall in love with anyone outside, and when we’ve had enough fun, we’ll come back home and be a family again, okay?”
I refused to agree, but he ignored me, sticking to his plan.
Slowly, I broke down too. I also started seeing a handsome college student, Liam Maxwell.
At first, I just wanted to spite Julian.
But Liam would gently call me “sis” and pamper me. He’d be there at my beck and call whenever I felt utterly alone, and he’d stay by my side, eyes red-rimmed, when I was critically injured in a car accident, accompanying me to follow-up check-ups.
The young man was pure and genuine. Over time, my heart, once riddled with wounds, slowly began to heal thanks to him.
I thought about offering him a house or a check, but he wanted none of it. He only wanted to marry me.
“Sis, divorce him. Try being with me.”
Love filled the young man’s eyes, so clear and bright, reflecting a complete version of me.
A version of me that had been tormented and bruised by that marriage.
Yet, in his eyes, at that moment, I seemed to glow.
In that instant, I was suddenly inspired. Life should be lived to the fullest. Even kids know to replace a broken toy. But all these years, these years of mad entanglement with Julian, what had I been doing?
So, I said yes.
I agreed to be with Liam.
And to finally end this shattered, unbearable marriage.
**Chapter 2**
Not long after Julian left, I received a FaceTime call from Liam.
He was in the kitchen, wearing a white shirt, cooking. His bangs gently covered his forehead, and his eyelashes curled slightly, making him look fragile and soft.
“Sis, are you divorced yet?”
Even though I was several years older and had experienced a lot more, every time I saw that young face, I couldn’t help but blush and feel my heart race.
With a face like that, it was no wonder the girls at his school still chased him even after being rejected.
I cleared my throat. “I’ve signed the divorce papers. We just have to wait a month, and then we’ll have nothing to do with each other.”
Hearing that, Liam’s handsome lips curved into a slight smile. He murmured, “Since you’ll have nothing to do with him, then during this time, Sis, you mustn’t let him touch you. I’ll be checking.”
I hadn’t expected him to say something like that. My face flushed slightly, and I sternly replied, “Don’t be silly, you’re just a kid.”
Liam looked at me, undisguised possessiveness in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a wronged expression. “Sis, I’m only young in age. In other areas… I’m not small.”
Afraid the conversation would stray too far, I quickly cut him off, said a few soothing words, and finally persuaded Liam to quietly hang up the phone.
The boy was perfect in every way, except…
He was so clingy.
After hanging up, I went out and bought a calendar.
For an entire month, I practically counted the days.
Every day that passed, I’d tear off a page.
From October 1st to the 10th, Julian never once came home.
But I knew where he’d been, who he’d seen, and what he’d been doing.
His new girlfriend, Chloe Miller, an intern at his company, would subtly flaunt their whereabouts daily on her Ins stories.
One day they’d be having afternoon tea at a fancy restaurant, the next they’d be playing golf.
If they weren’t admiring city lights from a mountaintop villa, they were sharing a hot tub.
It was strange, though. Given Julian’s promiscuous nature, he would never waste so much time on one woman.
His previous conquests, all sorts of different women, had lasted a month at most before he grew bored.
But this Chloe Miller, I didn’t know what her secret was, but three months later, he still wasn’t tired of her.
Perhaps this extended shelf life gave her confidence. Unlike other women, she wasn’t content to stay in her place. Instead, she actively added me on SnapChat, subtly provoking me in this way.
I didn’t really care for her little games.
I was getting a divorce; why would I bother with any of that?
These past few days, with nothing else to do, I’d cleaned out everything in the house.
The carefully chosen razor, the suits ironed and arranged daily, the limited edition Patek Philippe watch I’d stayed up all night to snag…
No matter the value or size, anything he owned that I had given him, I packed up and threw away.
Along with them, I discarded all the grievances I’d suffered in this marriage and the genuine feelings I once had for Julian.
I had decided to say goodbye to the past and start a new life.
Two more days passed, and Julian finally came home.
He looked at the noticeably emptier villa and frowned.
“Delilah, you threw away my stuff?”
I was flipping through a magazine. I hummed in affirmation. “Yeah, I did.”
“I bought them. I can throw them away if I want to. Is there a problem? Besides, you never come home, so you wouldn’t even use them.”
Julian thought I was still angry about the last incident and deliberately speaking sarcastically.
He walked over and sat beside me, coaxing me nonchalantly. “Didn’t we agree, before, that we’d do our own thing outside, and never truly fall for anyone else? Why are you suddenly bothered by it again?”
It was the same old casual line.
No matter what he did, he always found all sorts of excuses to explain himself.
And I, his wife, could only passively accept all the pain he brought, unable to even voice a single complaint.
But now, I no longer wanted to argue with him over these trivial matters.
I snapped the magazine shut, stood up, and walked upstairs, my voice utterly cold.
“You’re overthinking. I couldn’t care less.”
Julian immediately assumed I was pretending indifference. He stood up and grabbed my hand.
Then, under my impatient gaze, he pulled an invitation from his pocket and placed it in my palm.
“Don’t be angry. I’ll take you to an auction tomorrow. Bid on whatever you like, just to cheer you up, okay?”
I instinctively wanted to decline.
But my eyes caught sight of the Sotheby’s logo on the invitation, and I changed my mind. I agreed.
I was getting a divorce anyway. Spending his money to have some fun wouldn’t be so bad.
**Chapter 3**
At 5 PM, Julian’s car arrived promptly at the villa entrance.
I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs. Just as I was about to open the car door, I saw a familiar face.
It was Chloe Miller.
She was sitting in the passenger seat, hugging a large bag of snacks and drinks, greeting me with a feigned innocent expression.
“Mrs. Hayes, I get car sick. Would you mind sitting in the back today?”
Seeing the fleeting triumph in her eyes, I lowered my gaze, my peripheral vision catching a dashboard ornament.
It was a custom Hello Kitty, with a line of text printed on the butterfly on its head:
“Chloe’s Princess Ride!”
Seeing I remained silent and didn’t move, Julian knew I was upset again. He murmured coaxingly, “Chloe hasn’t been to an auction before. I’m just taking her to see what it’s like. She’s delicate, Delilah, just humor her.”
Humor her?
Of course, I could. I didn’t even want him anymore. It was just a seat; I could let that go.
I chuckled softly and got into the back seat.
Throughout the drive, Chloe munched on various cakes and snacks.
Then, she used her own spoon to feed Julian, flaunting their affection as if no one else was there.
They chatted endlessly about everything under the sun, her amusing comments and occasional pouts keeping a constant smile on his lips.
From beginning to end, I didn’t even spare them a glance, instead rolling down the window to enjoy the autumn scenery outside.
When we arrived at our destination, after only a few steps, Chloe whined that her high heels were pinching her feet.
Julian chuckled, calling her delicate, but without a word, he took her to the nearest department store, personally selecting flats and helping her try on pair after pair.
Watching him half-kneeling, tenderly checking the softness of the shoes, I couldn’t help but recall how, just half a month ago, when I had a high fever and felt like I was burning up, he refused to even get me a glass of water, maintaining his aloof demeanor.
She truly was his little princess, pampered in a completely different way.
But I used to be the one he held dear and cherished.
Back then, I was reluctant to accept his pursuit, so I deliberately challenged him, saying I’d consider it if he could get me that special artisanal cake from the farthest part of the city.
That part of the city was almost a whole city away from my place, and it was snowing heavily that day. Any sensible person would know I was intentionally making it difficult for him.
But he got into his car without hesitation, spent five entire hours, and presented the still-warm cake to me, carefully held in his arms.
Later, I often wondered why, if his love wasn’t fake then, he could change so quickly.
Now, looking back, he didn’t change.
I just hadn’t seen clearly back then. I hadn’t seen his playboy nature, his true self.
No one can make a playboy settle down.
I gave a self-deprecating chuckle and entered the venue with my invitation.
The first item was already on the block by the time Julian finally came in with Chloe.
The auction and dinner were held simultaneously. The tables were laden with exquisite delicacies and fresh, seasonal crabs.
As soon as she sat down, Chloe’s eyes landed on the crabs, and she pestered Julian, saying she wanted to eat them right away.
Julian smiled wryly, smoothed out her skirt, then politely declined the waiter’s offer of help. He condescended to pick up the tools, meticulously prepared her meal, and placed it before her.
Watching his refined and attentive manner, Chloe’s eyes sparkled with endless admiration.
I, however, just watched silently. Then I saw Chloe casually point to an emerald jewelry set on the stage after finishing her crab, and Julian raised his paddle.
“Bidder number 17 bids three hundred million!”
The price sent a ripple of astonishment through the room. No one dared to challenge it, and gasps echoed from every corner.
Soon, the dinner reached its intermission.
Many guests, holding their champagne flutes, drifted towards table 17, seemingly eager to curry favor.
They saw Julian’s doting affection for Chloe and surrounded her with flattery, constantly addressing her with respectful titles like “Mrs. Hayes.”
Julian looked up at me and casually reminded them,
“You’ve got it wrong. *She* is my wife.”
Instantly, the mistaken guests looked embarrassed and quickly corrected themselves.
I remained silent, paying no mind to their surprised or pitying glances.
They hadn’t actually been wrong.
Soon, I wouldn’t be Mrs. Hayes anymore.
And given Julian’s doting affection for Chloe, he might even marry her as soon as the divorce papers were finalized.
After a brief break, the second half of the auction featured antiques.
I wasn’t interested in those, so after bidding on a few of the most expensive pieces, I left early.
I had just reached the elevator when I heard Chloe’s syrupy voice behind me.
“Mrs. Hayes, can we talk?”
I paused. “There’s nothing for you and I to…”
Before I could finish, I saw Chloe’s hand fly up.
*Smack!*
The next second, a harsh slap landed squarely on my face.
**Chapter 4**
The slap was delivered with full force, and my face immediately flushed crimson.
I instinctively clutched my cheek, my head ringing, a blank void in my mind.
“Chloe Miller! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Once I regained my senses, fury flared in my chest. I raised my hand, intending to slap her back.
But my slap never reached Chloe’s face. Julian intervened, catching my wrist.
Julian clutched my wrist, his voice laced with suppressed anger. “Delilah, Chloe didn’t provoke you, why would you hit her?”
I sharply pulled back my tingling hand, my voice trembling. “*I* hit *her*? Julian, ask any of these bystanders who hit who first!”
At that, Chloe immediately adopted a pitiful expression, tears welling in her eyes.
“Julian, you said I was timid and needed to find opportunities to build my courage. I just wanted to try slapping the CEO’s wife in public to get over my fear, otherwise, I couldn’t find a suitable chance. But Mrs. Hayes was so fierce just now, I was so scared, boohoohoohoo.”
Understanding the convoluted reasoning, Julian frowned. “I told you to build your courage, but why would you hit someone?”
“And of all people, Delilah?!”
Chloe sniffled, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls.
“I’m so sorry, I’m just so silly. You said Mrs. Hayes had a good temper, and I thought she wouldn’t get angry if I hit her, but I didn’t expect…”
Seeing her cry, Julian’s heart melted. He forgot all about being angry, wiping her tears away and comforting her.
“It’s okay, no one’s blaming you. Don’t cry, sweetie.”
Watching the scene unfold before me, I felt a mix of anger and pain, finally unable to hold back my sharp reprimand.
“Julian Hayes, *I’m* the one who was hit! How dare you forgive her on my behalf? And Chloe Miller, why are you playing the innocent victim? Who would ever think of hitting someone to ‘build courage’?”
Chloe shivered, frightened by my outburst, and began to wail even more heartbreakingly, struggling for breath, on the verge of fainting.
Julian’s heart ached for her. He said nonchalantly, “She’s just a little girl, how hard could she possibly hit you? Do you really have to be so petty? She’s practically crying herself unconscious now, Delilah, that’s enough.”
With that, he picked up Chloe and left.
I never imagined he would say such a thing. I was utterly incredulous, as if plunged into an icy abyss.
In the end, I don’t know how I got home.
I kept telling myself not to cry, so I held back my tears the entire way, my eyes eventually bloodshot.
Upon returning home, the housekeeper gasped at the red mark on my face, immediately asking what had happened, if I had been bullied, and wanted to call Julian to make him come back and demand justice for me.
“No need,” I softly stopped her.
All her pain, he had personally given her.
I sat by the window, applying an ice pack for an hour. Just as the swelling on my face began to subside, I received a SnapChat message from Chloe.
“Mrs. Hayes, are you home yet? I’m at the hospital too. Julian was so worried about me. I just fainted, and he booked the entire VIP floor, calling over a dozen doctors to examine me.”
“Oh, how’s your injury? It’s all my fault for hitting you too hard. It must hurt, right? Why don’t you come to the hospital now? I’ll be generous and let you have one of my doctors to check if you’ll be disfigured.”
I just glanced at it and immediately forwarded it to Julian.
It wasn’t until past midnight that he replied with a few words.
“Chloe meant well.”
I laughed, tears streaming down my face.
The next second, I sent him a voice message.
“Protecting her so fiercely? Why not marry her right now? I’ll step aside, and even wish you both a long and happy life together.”
This time, Julian replied instantly.
“Delilah, why are you saying angry things again? I’ve told you countless times, my wife will only ever be you. These other people are just fun. Don’t overthink it, okay? Get some rest. I’ll be back to be with you tomorrow.”
Reading that message, I felt all the strength drain from my body, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over me.
I gave a self-deprecating laugh, unwilling to waste any more time on his meaningless excuses, and turned off my phone.
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