Chapter 1

I didn't storm into the study to confront them. I stood outside the door, silent, listening.

"The divorce agreement needs to be signed by the end of the month."

It was David's voice. The lawyer who'd worked with Louis's family for over ten years—the same one who'd handled the family assets when Louis's father Richard was hospitalized two years ago.

A brief silence, then Richard asked, "Will she agree?"

David let out a laugh. "If Louis plays it the way we discussed, she won't have a choice."

My nails dug into my palm. The way we discussed?

Suddenly I remembered the past two months—how Louis kept telling me the company was having cash flow problems, that he needed to tap into my premarital personal assets. Even the lakeside villa we'd lived in for years, he told me, couldn't be sold for now.

I believed him. Eight years, and I'd almost never doubted him. After all, before my family went bankrupt, we'd helped Louis. My father had given him everything—not just his trust, but the funding to launch his startup. Until today.

Richard spoke again. "And the house?"

"Same as arranged," David replied. "Louis keeps the lakeside property, and the company shares stay untouched."

Rage ignited in my chest. The lakeside villa. The company shares. These were exactly what Louis promised me when he proposed! And now they were sitting here discussing how to make sure I walked away with nothing.

Then Richard asked one last question.

"Joyce is ready?"

I stood frozen outside that door. Joyce—Louis's college sweetheart. The woman his mother had never stopped bringing up.

I couldn't listen anymore. I turned and walked back to the banquet hall. The lights were still bright, the champagne glasses still clinking, no one knowing that minutes ago, I'd just heard my marriage reduced to a transaction. My heart shattered.

A few minutes later, Louis found me. "Where'd you go?"

He smiled easily, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I'd have thought this man loved me.

"Bathroom."

"I thought I lost you."

I looked at him and smiled. "How could you? I've been right here."

He bent down and kissed my forehead. I looped my arm through his and kept mingling with the guests.

I asked nothing, because I didn't want to tip them off. If they'd already decided to deceive me, confronting them now would only give them time to destroy the evidence.

And I didn't need explanations. I needed hard proof.

The next morning, I went to the bank first, then to a property records office downtown. After that, a law firm.

The lawyer's name was Rachel—approachable, sharp, and expensive. After hearing my story, she asked only a few questions. "How long have you been married?"

"Eight years."

"Prenup?"

"No. But before we married, my father gave Louis a lot of support and funding."

Rachel nodded. "Got it. Then let's start with the marital assets."

I went home, opened the safe, and brought back every property deed, tax record, and company document I'd kept over the years. Among them was an authorization letter Louis had me sign three years ago.

Back then, he said the company was restructuring and needed my signature as his spouse.

I trusted him. I didn't even read it carefully.

Rachel flipped through the pages, then suddenly stopped, her brows pulling tight. "Do you know what you signed?"

I shook my head. She pushed the document toward me. "Equity transfer authorization."

I froze. "What does that mean?"

"You agreed to transfer a portion of the marital company equity to another entity."

"Whose?"

Rachel sighed softly. "Louis's."

I stared at that document, remembering that night three years ago.

Louis held my hand and told me, "Trust me. This is just to keep the company safe."

I smiled and signed. So the setup to bleed me dry had started even back then.

I wasn't ready to let it go. "What if those assets were marital property to begin with?"

Rachel looked at me, nodding with approval. "Then this becomes a completely different story."

I leaned back in my chair and let out a slow breath.

Maybe Louis's entire family thought I'd cry and beg, that I'd swallow it all to save my marriage.

But from the moment I walked into this law firm, the rules of the game had changed.

And I was ready to settle the score.