Chapter 1

On the day of Elise Livingston and Victor Gardner's fourth wedding anniversary, she asked him for a divorce.

"You want a divorce just because I accompanied Quinn and didn't spend the anniversary with you?" Victor frowned, looking baffled. "Elle, we've been in love for eight years."

Elise nodded. "There are many reasons for it, but this is the one right now."

Last night, she'd asked the housekeeper to prepare a nice dinner. She'd even bought fresh flowers and a gift to have a romantic anniversary evening with Victor.

That had been their ritual for the past four years of their marriage. That was how they would spend each anniversary.

She'd even changed into the new lingerie she'd bought for the occasion. But just as she was taking it off, Victor's phone rang. A woman's sobs came from the other end of the line.

Victor had immediately frozen, gotten out of bed, and gone to the bathroom. As the sound of running water rang out, Elise lay on the bed, her skin still flushed.

When Victor had emerged from the bathroom, she'd asked, "Can you not go?"

He'd already slipped on a shirt and buttoned it up, his chiseled features set with concern. "Danny is having a fever. I'll go check on him and come right back."

He'd left after that. That night, Elise had waited, but Victor had never returned.

She'd stayed up until dawn, when she'd finally gotten a text from her adoptive sister, Quinn Livingston.

In the photo, Victor was cradling his nephew, Daniel Gardner, on a hospital bed. His expression was gentle and focused, like he was looking at his own child.

A message had followed. "Elise, try to sleep. Victor is really worried about Danny. He treats Danny like his own son, maybe because he flew overseas to be with me when I was giving birth. He won't be going home tonight."

Elise had read that message over and over in shock. Disbelief had clouded her eyes.

Victor had been with Quinn throughout her labor?

Back then, Victor's older brother, Vaughn Gardner, had suddenly died. Quinn had used her heartbreak as an excuse to go abroad, and she'd discovered she was pregnant not long after. She'd stayed overseas to have the baby.

All at once, Elise had remembered how often Victor had gone on business trips during the month Quinn had been due. It turned out he'd actually gone to be with Quinn when she gave birth.

Elise's tears had splashed across her phone screen as she shut her eyes, her heart aching. It turned out Victor's care for Quinn and Daniel had started a long time ago. No wonder one phone call was enough to make him rush over whenever anything happened on Quinn's end.

He'd always explained to Elise, "Danny is my brother's only child. With Vaughn gone, it's only right for me to step up as Danny's uncle. You can understand that, right?"

Elise had tried to convince herself that Daniel was her husband's brother's only flesh and blood. Victor was obligated to care for him.

But now, she suddenly didn't want to put up with this anymore. Who could say for sure whether his devotion was really directed at Daniel or Quinn?

Elise opened a drawer and pulled out a divorce agreement. Before she left the house, her gaze settled on the wedding photo hanging on the wall. She smiled so sweetly in it.

After the four years she and Victor had dated, followed by their four years of marriage, their relationship would now end in divorce.