Chapter 1

"9:00 pm tonight, Samuel's welcome dinner. Are you coming?" Shelmaine Clarke was still at the studio working overtime when she received the message from her best friend, Isabelle Zach. She was dealing with a difficult client who had rejected her design draft seven or eight times. After half a month of overtime, she glanced at her phone screen, momentarily lost in thought. He was back? But before Shelmaine could feel any excitement, she checked her phone again—there were no messages or calls from Samuel Hasting. She had been so busy lately that she thought she might have missed something, but it turned out that no one had informed her. "Shelly, I have more bad news—Natasha is here too." Isabelle sent another message. Shelmaine paused for a moment, a faint, self-deprecating smile on her lips. Even now, she was the last to know he had returned. "Have fun without me. I'm not going." Shelmaine replied to Isabelle, turned off the lights, and locked the door. Then, she left the studio. ... Shelmaine returned to her apartment in the early hours of the morning. After a quick shower, she went to bed. Not long after, Samuel came back. Shelmaine was a light sleeper, and the sounds outside woke her up. Samuel reeked of alcohol as he sat on the sofa smoking a cigarette. His brows were slightly furrowed while his shirt collar was unbuttoned, revealing a glimpse of his pale skin and the faint outline of his chest muscles. His features were sharp and defined, and the way his Adam's apple moved as he exhaled the smoke was a tempting feast for the eyes. "You're back," Shelmaine said. Samuel lazily lifted his eyes at the sound of her voice and responded with a soft hum. His gaze was cold and unfamiliar, as if he didn't recognize her. Concerned, Shelmaine said, "Why did you drink so much as soon as you got back? You know your liver isn't good. Please don't drink so much next time." She then turned to pour him a glass of honey lemon tea. However, Samuel didn't take it and instead pointed to the table for her to set it down. "Sam..." Shelmaine began. Samuel pinched the bridge of his nose, his facial features starkly highlighted by the light and shadow. "Let's get a divorce," he said. The words hit Shelmaine like a punch, and her heart instantly tightened. She swallowed, thinking she must have misheard. She stayed silent. "I won't leave you with nothing. If you have any demands, feel free to ask," Samuel added. Shelmaine remained calm, though her breathing was unsteady. "I have no demands." "None?" Samuel didn't seem to believe her, his brows knitting together as he studied her. Shelmaine nodded lightly. "None." "Is there anything else you want to say to me?" "No." Her voice and expression were eerily calm, and it surprised Samuel. It wasn't what he had expected. "I thought you'd cry or make a scene," he said. "I won't." Shelmaine had always known that forced love was bitter. She'd known it from the start. Clinging to a husband who didn't love her would be too humiliating, and it was something she couldn't bring herself to do. She couldn't explain why, but she'd had a gut feeling ever since they got married that this day would come. She just hadn't expected it to come so soon. Three years of marriage, over just like that. "I'll have William send you the divorce agreement tomorrow. If you have any concerns, you can discuss them with him," Samuel said. "Alright." Shelmaine nodded, not deigning to say anything more. Upon seeing Samuel's tired expression, she stood up. Then she poured him another glass of honey lemon tea, and gently reminded him, "You really should stop drinking so much." With that, she went back to her room and closed the door behind her. Soon after, she heard the door open and close—Samuel had left. Shelmaine bit down hard, her chest tightening in pain. Her throat felt blocked, and it made it hard to breathe. Shelmaine opened her social media and saw some photos posted by Samuel's friends. The man in the photos was her soon-to-be ex-husband, accompanied by a young, beautiful woman. That woman was Natasha Green, the person who had saved Samuel during the darkest time of his youth. Shelmaine had taken advantage of the situation then, stealing the nest that Natasha should have occupied. But now that the rightful owner was back, it was only natural for her to leave. ... The next day, the divorce agreement arrived at Shelmaine's studio. Without even looking at it, Shelmaine flipped to the last page and signed her name. William Lloyd, the lawyer, observed this and asked, "Mrs. Hasting, shouldn't you review it first? Just in case—" "He's always been generous. He won't shortchange me. And even if he wanted to take advantage of me, I wouldn't stand a chance against your company's legal team." Shelmaine handed the agreement back to him and reminded, "William, I'm no longer 'Mrs. Hasting.'" William didn't argue and simply smiled slightly. With his task complete, he then exchanged a few pleasantries with Shelmaine and prepared to leave. However, just as he was about to go, Shelmaine suddenly stopped him. "One moment." "Yes?" After a moment of serious thought, Shelmaine asked, "I'm going on a business trip in a few days. Could you check if he has time to go to the courthouse tomorrow or the day after to finalize the divorce?" "In such a hurry? I'm not sure. Mr. Hasting didn't say." William was a bit surprised. Who was in a rush to get divorced here? It seemed like Mrs. Hasting was more eager than Mr. Hasting. "Please ask him for me," Shelmaine requested. "Sure." ... The next time Shelmaine would see Samuel was at the courthouse to finalize their divorce. Samuel seemed to be in a rush. His phone was ringing non-stop, unable to stay silent for even a moment. Meanwhile, Shelmaine quietly waited without saying a word nor looking at him. Only when he'd finished his call did she say, "Everything's ready. Just sign them." While Samuel was on the phone, Shelmaine had already taken a number to queue and submitted the paperwork. That day must have been a popular day for weddings because the neighboring windows were crowded with couples getting married. In contrast, there were only a few there for divorces. Shelmaine tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her serene and graceful visage. Today, she wore light makeup and a bright red dress that accentuated her figure. She didn't notice Samuel's gaze lingering on her for a moment. When she turned around, his gaze had already shifted away, and she didn't notice a thing. "Please take these. Here are your divorce certificates," the courthouse officer said. Shelmaine carefully took her copy and tucked it away in her bag. The feeling she had now was completely different from what she'd felt when she had first gotten her marriage certificate. Samuel's car was parked by the curb. As they walked out of the courthouse, he turned to look at her. However, Shelmaine spoke first, "Goodbye." Samuel suddenly asked, "You're just going to leave like that?" Shelmaine looked at him, puzzled. Samuel had one hand in his pocket, and despite his casual posture, he had a striking appearance that commanded attention from some people nearby. But he was used to the attention by now and was indifferent to others' gazes. His deep eyes studied Shelmaine. "You really don't want anything from me?" "Hm?" Shelmaine was confused. "Are you worried that I'll pester you? Don't worry, I won't. I hope you'll find true love." Samuel was about to say something when his phone rang again. He was busy and had only carved out some time to finalize the divorce. He hadn't expected Shelmaine to be in such a hurry. It was as if she couldn't wait to move on. Meanwhile, Shelmaine didn't say anything more. Everything that needed to be said had been said. Soon, her ride arrived, and she left without looking back.