Chapter 1

Elena's POV

I was born into the noble Montclair family, a bloodline that had forged marriage alliances with pureblood vampire aristocracy for generations.

Only the women of our family carried the rare blood that could bond with vampires and produce hybrids capable of walking in the sun.

At my coming-of-age ball, I fell in love at first sight with Jason—heir candidate to the Valerie vampire dynasty.

I should have married him without any fuss and fulfilled the alliance. But my father opposed it.

I was young and headstrong. I refused to give Jason up—even if it meant severing ties with my own family.

I told myself that with enough patience, I could make Jason love me.

I was wrong. For ten years, he treated me like I didn't exist—his unwanted alliance wife, nothing more than air.

He told me I was the type of person he despised most—the kind who won't leave him alone the most.

He told me he would never love me.

I slipped the pregnancy report into my pocket without a word, one hand resting protectively over my stomach, my face showing nothing.

What perfect timing.

It had taken me ten years to finally conceive Jason's child.

I thought this would be the thing that changed everything—that he'd finally see me as his wife.

But Jessica, his subordinate who'd been seducing him behind my back, was pregnant too.

I took a deep breath and turned to look at the woman in Jason's arms.

Crimson eyes. A pale face. That fragile, trembling look—so carefully practiced.

The cloying perfume in the air nearly made me retch.

"Mrs. Valerie... I'm so sorry, please don't be angry. I'll leave right now..."

Her teary-eyed act made Jason's face soften with concern. He pulled her closer, his arm around her shoulder, and the look he gave me was sharp with coldness and disgust.

"The one who should leave is you, Elena."

His cold disdain cut through me, but I just gave a numb nod. I had to admit:

She was exactly Jason's type—a female vampire.

I knew he'd never wanted a human wife. This marriage was forced on him.

I was the one who'd fallen for him at first sight. I was the one who'd clung to him, leveraging my family's bloodline to hold the title of his wife—yet in ten years, I hadn't given him a single child.

"It's fine. Stay here. I don't blame you for any of this."

I gave Jessica a polite nod, holding onto what dignity I had left.

"I just need to pack a few things."

I stepped over the damp clothes scattered across the floor, the sickening smell of the room making my head pound.

This place disgusted me.

I should've known. Tonight wasn't the first time this had happened. How could I still have had any hope?

Jason was only with me because the alliance forced his hand.

He would never care about me, let alone respect me.

Behind me, he murmured soft words to the woman in his arms. I couldn't bring myself to listen anymore.

The wet sound of a kiss sent a wave of nausea through me.

I pulled my suitcase down from the top shelf in silence and packed my clothes, piece by piece.

It took less than ten minutes. The bag was only half full.

The remaining nightgowns had clearly been worn by someone else. I wasn't taking those.

"Since you like these things so much, consider them a gift."

I picked up my bag and looked at the two of them still tangled together on the bed. My heart had gone numb.

"What a good wife. You're getting more generous by the day."

Jason held Jessica close, his tone dripping with mockery. He shared a glass of blood with her and spared me a passing glance.

"Surely you understand by now—no matter how much you fight it, I'll never love you."

"So just be a good little trophy wife. It's better for everyone, don't you think?"

I stared at the sneering man and realized he was a complete stranger to me.

That shy, gentle boy I'd met at the ball—seemed he had never existed at all.

For that one small glimpse of kindness, I'd held on for ten years, enduring every humiliation.

Jason had more women than any human man I'd ever known.

In ten years, they'd come and gone in waves.

Jessica—if she hadn't gotten pregnant with a potential heir, she'd have been replaced by someone new long ago.

I let out a bitter laugh, set the divorce papers I'd already prepared on the nightstand, and looked him in the eye.

"Jason, let's get a divorce. I'm letting you go."