Chapter 1

An intense wave of nausea made me retch uncontrollably. I hurriedly called my husband, Jayson Kaiser, back, but he didn't pick up until the third time.

I could hear the unmistakable sound of heavy, pleasured breathing in the background as he spoke.

"Do you have any questions about the terms of the divorce agreement, Sherry?"

I quickly explained, "I didn't cheat on you. I just thought that—"

Jayson cut me off with a loud snicker. "You're only saying that now because you want to clear your name and make me leave with nothing, aren't you? I'm telling you, Sherry Abbott, that it's not realistic at all.

"I own a massive business empire. If we really went to court, you wouldn't stand a chance against me. I've already left you five properties in the agreement. Consider it a thank-you for helping me build the business."

I had been with Jayson since I was 18, helping him start his business from scratch and watching his company grow into a Million Global 500 company.

But in the end, he was now telling me that ten years of my youth and devotion were worth nothing more than five properties.

His casual, offhand remarks crushed my heart and shattered me completely. My voice trembled as I spoke.

"Jayson Kaiser! This isn't funny anymore! Stop it with this April Fool's joke! And please stop lying to me!"

I still couldn't believe it. I was desperate for him to give me a different answer, even if I knew that I'd just be lying to myself.

Someone else took over the phone on his end of the line. It was Amelia Greene, one of the female students in his class.

She said, "Dr. Kaiser is not playing an April Fool's trick on you, Mrs. Kaiser. Our relationship is very real."

It seemed like Jayson later snatched the phone away from her, and I could hear his faint voice drifting through the speaker.

"Why are you wasting your breath on her? Let's continue."

A bitter, aching sensation rose in my chest. However, the call was disconnected before I could say another word. And when I tried calling back, he'd already turned off his phone.

I was wide awake by then and couldn't go back to sleep. I just sat there on the bed in a daze for a long time. Tears dripped onto the dusty pink silk nightgown that Jayson bought for me just yesterday.

"Here, Sherry. I specifically got a friend to purchase this for you from abroad. I hope that you'll be able to sleep more comfortably in it."

I smiled bitterly and sniffled, reaching for the pink glittery tumbler on my nightstand. It had been a gift from him too, something he'd also given me yesterday.

He'd said, "Sherry, this tumbler is such a lovely shade of pink. I knew it was perfect for you the moment I saw it. You might be pushing 30 years old, but in my heart, you'll always be a young woman."

My fingers trembled, and the tumbler slipped, shattering into pieces when it fell to the ground. Shards flew up and tore holes in my pink nightgown—just like our relationship.

At eight the next morning, Jayson sent me a location pin in his text message.

"Come here at 10:00 am with the signed divorce agreement."

I saw myself in the mirror and realized that I looked like I'd aged at least three years overnight. I quickly grabbed my skincare products from the shelf and applied them onto my face in a frenzy. I layered the eye cream five times over my skin, trying to hide the fine lines at the corners of my eyes, but it was no use.

Even with carefully applied makeup, I couldn't conceal the exhaustion from being unable to sleep the night before.

After arriving at the pinned location and realizing that it was a cafe, I walked in and saw that Amelia had also come along with Jayson. She was sitting next to him at a table, leaving only the seats opposite them empty.

I took a seat, and Jayson nudged an iced black coffee toward me.

"For you."

"I never take my coffee black. And I don't take iced drinks when I'm expecting my period," I replied.

Jayson frowned and pulled the iced coffee back. "Sorry. I forgot."

He was just about to order another coffee for me when Amelia spoke up in a guilty tone. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Kaiser. That iced black was supposed to be mine, and this hot latte in my hands was supposed to be the one Dr. Kaiser ordered for you.

"It's just that I suddenly felt unwell, and we didn't want to waste the drinks, so I exchanged mine with yours."

I wasn't listening to a word she said. I just stared at her 22-year-old face, feeling a little envious of her. She looked so young and so pretty. Her skin was supple and full of collagen. It was no wonder that Jayson would fall for her.

After all, I used to be just like her, too.

Suddenly, Amelia stared at my necklace and exclaimed in shock, "Wait, didn't I ask Dr. Kaiser to return this necklace back then? Why are you wearing it instead, Mrs. Kaiser?"