Chapter 1

On the day Roxanne Grayson's husband sent her to court, the snow fell relentlessly. From dating to marriage, seven years had passed, and she had always believed their relationship was filled with love and happiness. That belief was shattered when Sebastian Smith personally handed her over to the court based on a single statement from Lexi Watson. The judge began summarizing the case. "Roxanne is charged with possession of illegal substances. On the 23rd of this month, officers found illicit items in her car at a DUI checkpoint on Weston Road. The case is being heard today. "Prosecution, please proceed." Sebastian stood. Dressed in a tailored black suit, his tall frame exuded authority. His sharp gaze swept over the courtroom, but when it landed on her, it was filled with nothing but disappointment and cold indifference. "On November 23rd, the defendant, Ms. Grayson, was driving a white sedan with license plate V8861, where five grams of illegal substances were discovered," he stated. "The defendant claims she received a call from Ms. Watson, asking her to pick me up from Peace Club because I was allegedly intoxicated. However, the investigation showed Lexi never made such a call." His cold, piercing eyes locked onto Roxanne's. "Furthermore, I was never at Peace Club that night. Nor was Lexi. Ms. Grayson, why did you lie? The evidence against you is irrefutable. Do you plead guilty?" The words "Do you plead guilty" thundered in her ears, leaving her stunned. She stared at him in disbelief. His expression, devoid of even the faintest flicker of warmth, drained what little strength she had left. She had never expected that he would turn against her after he became one of the top lawyers in Hyverland. She wanted to laugh but found only tears streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably. Memories flashed before her eyes. They had both been star law students at university six years ago. They had been dating for a year, and their relationship had been full of promise. Their professor had announced an opportunity to study abroad—a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Both of them had been top candidates, but only one spot had been available. Knowing how much Sebastian had wanted it, she had chosen to step aside, pretending to be sick on the day of the selection process. He had no idea she had done it for him. When he had been chosen, he had come to her, beaming with excitement. She had smiled too, happy for him. Two years later, he had returned and proposed to her. At that moment, she had thought she was the luckiest woman in the world. From their university romance to their wedding, their love story had been the envy of everyone around them. After they had married, she had given up her dream of becoming a lawyer, dedicating herself entirely to being the perfect wife. She had become a source of unwavering support for him, ensuring he had a warm home to return to and providing solutions to his work problems. One year into their marriage, his career had taken off. He had become a rising star at his law firm, earning a reputation as one of the best. Then, Lexi had shown up as his assistant. A fresh law graduate, she was young, beautiful, and exuded a delicate charm that made people want to protect her. Sebastian seemed to enjoy having her around. She often accompanied him to work and social events. At a gathering, Roxanne had overheard his friends referring to Lexi as "Sugar Baby". The sting of betrayal had been excruciating, but she hadn't confronted him. She still loved him. As Sebastian's career had flourished, he and Lexi had grown closer. They had been frequently seen together, and people had begun to assume they were an item. Meanwhile, Roxanne, his lawful wife, had endured the humiliation in silence, losing her sense of self and identity in the process. She was just a housewife whose world revolved around him. Now, looking at the man she had loved with all her heart, all she saw was coldness and distrust. She was just like a clown for him. She stood abruptly, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "I plead not guilty. I did not commit this crime." The judge asked, "Do you have new evidence to submit in your defense?" "I do." Roxanne produced a smartwatch. She explained that Lexi had called her on the night in question while she had been using her watch to talk to a friend. The device had an automatic recording feature, and she still had the recording. The playback began. "Roxanne, Mr. Smith's drunk. Can you pick him up? He's at Peace Club." Roxanne stated firmly, "I had no choice but to take Weston Road to get there, where DUI checks were happening. This was all premeditated." She then presented additional evidence. Security footage from October showed a woman opening her car door in the underground parking lot of Sebastian's law firm and placing something inside. The surveillance footage in the underground parking garage captured the scene clearly. The person who had placed the illegal substances in her car was none other than Lexi. Roxanne turned to Sebastian, her voice cutting like steel. "Sebastian, there are two keys to my car. One is with me, and the other one is with you. Did you give it to someone else?" Sebastian's gaze shifted to Lexi, who had gone pale. Lexi stood, panic etched across her face. "It's not true! I didn't do that!" The judge silenced her with a bang of the gavel. She had no choice but to reluctantly sit back down, feeling as though she were sitting on pins and needles. With tears in her eyes, she gazed at Sebastian and continued to explain, "It really wasn't me..." Sebastian's renowned composure cracked. He had never imagined Lexi, the sweet, innocent assistant, would lie to him and find chances to take the key. He looked at Roxanne with mixed emotions. Roxanne's voice was steady and unyielding. "I request that the evidence I've submitted be thoroughly investigated. I want to know why Ms. Watson lied, why she tampered with my vehicle, and where those substances came from." The courtroom buzzed as her evidence cast doubt on everything. The judge called for a retrial, and Lexi was detained for further investigation. Walking out of the courthouse, Roxanne was greeted by a world blanketed in white. Snowflakes fell softly, melting on her skin. Sebastian appeared beside her. "If you had this evidence, why didn't you share it sooner?" She looked at the snow dissolving in her palm. "Would you have believed me if I had?" Her voice was calm, but her words were razor-sharp. She had explained herself countless times before, only for him to reply, "Would Lexi lie?" He had always believed Lexi over her, no matter what. She hadn't shown the evidence earlier as she had still held onto hope for him—that he wouldn't abandon her completely. However, the hope she had clung to was gone. "Sebastian," she said, her tone resolute. "Let's get divorced."