CHAPTER 001

ELENA’S POV

“Damn it!”

The curse tore from my chest as I stared at the television. The news banner flashed across the screen.

“Rising star and supermodel Danielle spotted walking arm in arm with CEO of Hudson Tech, Adrian Hudson.”

Before I could stop myself, I hurled the coffee cup in my hand. It slammed into the screen with a sharp crack, shattering into pieces as dark liquid splashed across the glass.

I stood there, breathing hard. I had seen headlines like this before. But this one cut deeper.

That useless husband of mine had promised he would be home for my birthday. And yet, there he was, not just late, not just absent but publicly parading another woman.

Not just any woman. Her. Danielle. His ex-fiancée. The woman he was never supposed to still have. The woman I had spent four years silently competing with.

My gaze drifted slowly toward the dining table.

Candles burned low, their wax melting into uneven pools. The food I had spent hours preparing had gone cold. The cake sat untouched, its icing beginning to sag at the edges.

A birthday dinner for two, in the end reduced to nothing. My hands trembled as I picked up my phone. A notification blinked on the screen.

It was a video from Danielle. My stomach twisted. Don’t open it. I should have ignored it.

I knew I should have.

But I didn’t. My fingers moved before my mind could stop them. The moment the video played, my entire body went rigid.

It was them. Adrian and Danielle.

In a luxurious hotel suite, tangled together without shame. Her voice filled the room, soft, breathy, deliberate. His face was relaxed, familiar in a way I hadn’t seen in years.

My chest tightened so painfully I thought I might collapse. How dare she? How dare they? My breath caught in my throat as reality crashed over me.

I had been a fool.

My friends had warned me. Over and over again. They told me Adrian never let Danielle go. That I was walking into a marriage where I would always come second.

But I didn’t listen. I thought love could fix it. I thought I could fix it. I gave up everything, my family’s approval, my comfort, my pride, just to be with him.

I was a naive young girl who thought that the love I had for him was enough for both of us. Adrian had been a total dreamboat when we got together.

He was rich, handsome and definitely every woman's choice. Even though he hadn't really shown me that he loved me, he made sure I lacked nothing.

From clothes to jewelry to money, he provided. Most times, I consoled myself and let myself believe that he really cared about me.

But when Danielle returned, even though he told me not to worry, I saw the love in his eyes for her. The same gaze I wanted more than anything else.

He was giving it to her. At first, I let myself think that I was overreacting. I thought I was just being jealous. And he reassured me that nothing was going on.

Worst part, I had believed him. And now I saw the truth. I hadn’t just lost my dignity. I handed it to him. Without hesitation, I exited the video and typed a message.

“I’ve seen the video. I want a divorce.” My finger hovered for only a second before I hit send.

The phone rang almost immediately. Adrian. I declined the call. It rang again and again.

Finally, I answered. “What is your problem?” Adrian’s voice snapped through the line, sharp and irritated.

I let out a quiet, humorless laugh. “My problem?” I repeated.

“You’re going to make a big deal out of this?” he continued, clearly annoyed. “I told you I had business with Danielle. She just returned from abroad and her parents asked me to take care of her. That's all. She doesn't have anyone else here, that's why I'm with her. Yes, it’s your birthday, but you need to stop acting like a child. Not everything is about you.”

Something inside me went still. “I’m not making a big deal out of anything,” I said calmly. “I’m ending this marriage.”

There was a pause. Then a scoff. “Elena…” he said, his tone dropping into something cold and dismissive, “stop being dramatic. I’ll be home soon.”

The line went dead. I stared at my phone for a long moment. Dramatic. Of course. To him, this was nothing.

I ended the call and slowly lowered my hand.

Then I turned away from the ruined dinner and began clearing the table.

There was no reason to keep any of it. That night, I didn’t sleep. By the time dawn crept through the curtains, I was already awake, packing.

From my clothes to my documents and then my essentials. Just enough things I would need for a while before the divorce was finalized.

I moved through the house like a ghost. This place had never truly been a home. Not really.

It was just a beautiful shell filled with empty promises.

My reflection stared back at me in the mirror, puffy eyes, pale skin, exhaustion written all over my face. I barely recognized the woman looking back.

When did I become her?

My phone buzzed again. Adrian. I ignored it. Then another call. His mother. I almost didn’t answer. But I did and regretted it immediately as her harsh voice flowed through the phone.

“Where are you?” her sharp voice came immediately. “Do you enjoy embarrassing this family? You were never right for my son. I warned him, but he refused to listen. Honestly, this marriage should have ended long ago.”

For four years, I had endured her words, her judgment and her rejection. But today, they meant nothing. “You’re right,” I said quietly. “It should have. That's why it's ending now.”

And then I hung up.

I was zipping up my suitcase when the bedroom door slammed open. Adrian. He stood there, slightly disheveled, anger written all over his face.

His eyes swept over the room, the open wardrobe, the packed bags and his expression darkened. “What is this?” he demanded.

I didn’t stop packing. “What does it look like?” I replied calmly.

He let out a short, incredulous laugh. “You’re leaving?” he asked. “Because of the news?”

I finally turned to face him. “Not because of the news, Adrian,” I said. “Because of everything.”

He scoffed. “Elena, don’t start this again.”

“I’m not starting anything,” I said, my voice steady. “I’m ending it. I want a divorce.”

Silence fell between us. For a moment, he just stared at me.

Then, he laughed. “You’re unbelievable,” he muttered, shaking his head. “You always do this. Throw a tantrum, say things you don’t mean…”

“I mean it.”

His eyes hardened. “No, you don’t.”

I walked over to my bag and pulled out the photos. Then I handed them to him. One by one, his expression changed.

Confusion. Then shock. Then anger. Every photo captured him and Danielle being intimate. The evidence was undeniable.

“This…” he clenched his jaw. “Where did you get these?”

“Does it matter?” I asked.

“Yes, it does!”

“It doesn’t,” I cut in sharply. “What matters is this, if you don’t agree to the divorce, these go public.”

The room went still. His gaze snapped back to mine. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.” For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then Adrian’s lips curled into a cold smirk.

“You’re bluffing,” he said. “You love me too much to do something like that.” Something in me broke. Not painfully, not loudly. Just quietly.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” I said.

He stepped closer, his voice low and firm. “I’m not agreeing to a divorce, Elena. So you can stop this nonsense right now, unpack your things, and calm down.”

I let out a soft breath. Then I met his eyes, truly met them for the first time in years. “Our marriage is over.” The words landed between us like a final verdict. There was no anger in my voice, no desperation. Just the truth.

Adrian’s expression flickered for just a second but it was enough. He wasn’t used to this. He wasn’t used to this version of me.

Too bad. Because I wasn’t going back.