Caged for Him, Crowned by Another

The moment my eyes fell on the divorce papers in front of me, my head roared as if it were splitting apart, a wave of piercing sorrow surging through my chest.

I had spent five years in prison for Luke Dashwood, only to walk out on my first day of freedom and be greeted with this.

Luke's brows furrowed tightly, his voice heavy with hesitation.

"Adam, during these five years, Ian has done so much for me. He even saved my life in a car crash.

"He's an orphan, just like you. Now, he's dying, and he only wishes for a little warmth, a family to call his own. Can't you understand? Just endure this for a while. When he's gone, I'll remarry you."

My gaze dropped to the date on the divorce agreement—it was last Saturday.

That very day, I had been writhing in bed, stomach pain tearing me apart. I begged the prison guard to call Luke.

He never answered. After several attempts, he finally sent me a single message: [I'm busy.]

Turned out he had been busy with this.

Tears blurred my vision as my heart broke in silence. "He sacrificed so much for you, and you want to repay him?

"But what about me? I gave you five years of my life behind bars. What right do you have to sacrifice my happiness in return for his?"

Luke's hand clamped onto my shoulder, his expression pained.

"Adam, I've never forgotten your sacrifice. It's carved into my heart. Just… help me one last time, alright? Ian has been by my side for five years, and he has never asked for anything. This is his dying wish. I can't turn him down. You've always been gentle and obedient… You won't put me in a difficult position, will you?"

So in his eyes, if I refused, I'd be the one making things hard for him?

Was my love for him reason enough to justify endless sacrifice?

Because I was meek and sensible, did that mean I had to yield over and over again?

A sharp ache seized my heart, stealing my breath.

At last, with trembling fingers, I picked up the pen that felt as heavy as a thousand pounds and signed my name.

He pulled me into his arms, relieved. "Adam, don't worry. I won't let you down. Once this is over, I'll remarry you. You can stay here as before. Your identity will only change for a short while."

He thought we still had a future. But this time, it was truly goodbye.

Even though the divorce procedure would take time, I could no longer stay.

I shoved him away. "Since we're divorcing, I can't possibly keep living here."

Dragging my suitcase through the grand villa, I left without looking back. He didn't follow.

Maybe he thought, as always, that I'd return once my anger cooled.

But he didn't know—this time, I would never go back.

I had met Luke in middle school. Back then, I was plagued by the shadow of being an orphan—always ridiculed, always bullied.

Once, in the restroom, some kids yanked down my pants, doused me with water, and sneered, calling me a parentless bastard.

It was Luke who drove them off and retrieved my stolen clothes. From then on, he became my only friend.

He shielded me, shared his snacks, and even took me out to eat when I couldn't afford meals.

I had planned to drop out after high school to work, but he convinced me to continue, even urging me to apply for college with him.

He was brilliant—far beyond my reach. I only wanted to trail quietly behind him, content just to stay near.

But he confessed first, saying he loved me and promised a lifetime together. Only then did I agree.

Back then, he truly loved me. He was fiercely possessive and protective.

After our SATs, we celebrated at a bar. A drunken man harassed me, and Luke, furious, confronted him. The quarrel escalated into a fight.

In the end, Luke smashed a bottle over the man's head. The man died. Luke was to be charged with excessive self-defense and faced prison time.

But he had just been accepted into university. His future was bright and boundless. If not for him, I would never have made it that far. So I made the decision to take the blame, serving five years in his place.

At first, to ease my heart, Luke married me while I was behind bars.

But who could have imagined that the moment I walked free, he'd hand me divorce papers?

What a cruel twist of fate.