Chapter 1

“Sign it. We’re done. I want you out with your things before the end of the day.”

Rylee couldn’t believe the words spoken by her husband, Sebastian, when he came home from a business trip. She was supposed to be with him in Boston for a party, but at the last minute, he told her he would go alone because his mother, Cecilia, would be left alone at home if she did.

She took the paper he was giving her, ignoring the familiar woman who had arrived with him.

“Divorce papers?” She suddenly felt confused when she saw what it was.

What had she done to deserve this? She had done everything she could in their two years together.

“What? Why? What did I do? I did everything to help you.” She still couldn’t understand it all and felt dizzy from the events.

“That’s exactly why I’m leaving you, Rylee. You did everything for me, but you didn’t do anything for yourself. How can I face people with you beside me when you have nothing to be proud of? When was the last time you looked in the mirror? Your haircut is out of style. Your clothes are cheap. Should I go on?”

As Sebastian listed the things that made him want to leave her, she felt a surge of anger and disappointment. After all the sacrifices she made for the man she chose, and following his wishes to live a simple life, she had forgotten herself. 

Was she really that blind to the man she loved?

“You think I’m nothing?” Rylee asked, making sure she understood correctly.

But instead of Sebastian answering, her mother-in-law, Cecilia, joined the conversation. She felt even more disappointed that Cecilia was not there to fix things between her and Sebastian upon hearing what she said.

“You are nothing, Rylee, and you know it. Does it hurt to hear the truth? Look at yourself and then tell us that you deserve to be the wife of a CEO. Maya is a better match for him. Just look at her.” She pointed at the woman next to Sebastian. “Beautiful, smart, and look at her nails—manicured and well maintained. Her hair is nicely done and in fashion.” When Cecilia looked her up and down and back again, she grimaced. “I can’t even compare her to you. You look like a fish vendor at the market! My goodness!”

Maya smirked. “Don’t you own a comb or something? Your hair is so… lifeless.”

If it was just Sebastian insulting her at first, now there were three of them.

Rylee felt like she would tear the paper in her hands from the sheer anger she felt. How dare they insult her after everything she had done for this mother and son? And to compare her to Sebastian’s mistress? Have they forgotten that she was the one who had left him when he had nothing?

“I was the one who stayed with you when you had nothing, Sebastian. Do you remember that?”

She focused on her husband. She didn’t care what the two women said because they were outsiders from their marriage.

“You were with me, but do you know?” Sebastian wrapped his arm around Maya. “Maya was secretly helping me with the business. She really loves me, and now that she’s divorced, we can be together again. That’s why I need you to sign the divorce papers so we can be together officially.”

“Helping you?” she asked her husband in disbelief. “Wait, you’re telling me that Maya is the anonymous investor in our restaurant? That’s a lie.”

“I wasn’t lying!” Maya snapped, but Sebastian silenced her, so she fell quiet.

“About that, I’m buying your shares in the restaurant. That’s included in the one hundred thousand settlement I’ll give you once the divorce is finalized,” Sebastian said. “And to answer your question, yes. Maya was the one who invested in my restaurant business. I didn’t want to believe it at first, but she proved it to me. She was very sorry for leaving me. She thought she would be happier with a wealthy man, but she really loves me. That’s why I could forgive her so easily for leaving me then because she never forgot me all this time.”

Rylee felt her heart sink. “And you—" She topped to take a breath. "How about you? Didn’t you forget her while we were married?” She fought back tears.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Maya rolled her eyes at Rylee. “Would he forgive me so easily if he had forgotten about me? The whole time he was with you, he was thinking of me.” Maya stepped closer to Rylee. “With every touch and kiss he gave you, Sebastian was imagining me underneath him.” She grinned. “Sign that and at least have some dignity left for yourself. He used you. You were just a rebound. Just think of this as a bad dream and move on."

“I’m not asking you—I’m asking my husband,” she replied firmly to Maya. “This whole time, did you just use me while waiting for her to come back?” Her voice cracked.

“I cared for you, Rylee.”

“That’s not my question!” Rylee shouted. “Did you just use me while waiting for him to take you back? Answer me!”

“I love Maya.” There was a deafening silence after that, and Rylee felt her knees weaken. “I loved her then. I love her still. Set me free, Rylee. It’s over between us.”

She snatched the pen from Sebastian’s hand and crossed out the settlement amount. She made it zero and then signed with her initials. She flipped to the next page and signed her name, then handed everything to Sebastian.

He looked at the papers. “Zero? Are you out of your mind? Where are you going to live? You have no money—“

“I want nothing from you.” She removed her cheap ring and threw it at Sebastian.

“Good! More for us,” Maya chimed in with a laugh.

She went straight to their bedroom and grabbed a small suitcase. Aside from some papers and books, she didn’t take anything else. The clothes and shoes she had were all bought from a local market and she doesn't need them.

Cecilia followed her and watched her pack. 

“I want to see what’s in your suitcase. You might have taken something that doesn’t belong to you,” she said as Rylee was about to close the luggage. 

Rylee opened her suitcase. “Go ahead and dig through it if you want.”

“That is not necessary, Ma,” Sebastian said to his mother who just came in the bedroom, but his mother wouldn’t listen.

“It’s better safe than sorry. She might have stolen money, which is why she doesn’t want to take what you offered her earlier," said Cecilia.

Rylee just shook her head. “The only thing I’m taking is my stuff. I left everything your son bought, Cecilia.”

“Rylee!” Sebastian exclaimed in shock. “Have some respect! She is my mother. Why would you call her by her first name?!"

“I’ve signed the divorce papers. She’s no longer my concern—just like you. Are we finished here? I have to go.”

When she zipped up her small luggage, she left without looking back.

As the dry air hit her face, Rylee told herself that she will take back everything she gave Sebastian, plus interest.