Chapter 2

“Good job.” James’ tone was filled with approval. “Julie, you’re so much more considerate than she ever was.”

A glacial chill seeped into my veins.

Those were not just client files. It was the backbone of my practice, the foundation of everything I had built, and the reason my name carried weight.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm.

As a top-tier attorney specializing in divorce and family law, I had seen far uglier betrayals.

I just never expected to one day find myself on the receiving end.

I pulled out my phone and pressed the record button.

Inside the study, their conversation went on.

“When are you going to tell her, James? I don’t want to keep sneaking around like this.”

“What’s the rush?” James soothed her. “She still has her uses. Once I’ve absorbed her entire network, I’ll dump her. After that, you’ll be the only woman in this house.”

“You’re so annoying.” Julie giggled softly. “But what if she finds out? She’s a lawyer.”

James let out a contemptuous snort. “What of it? She can be ruthless in court all she wants. At home, she’s still just a stupid woman desperate for a man’s affection. I’ve been toying with her for ten years. Breaking her will be effortless.”

So that was how he saw me. A joke.

We were not even divorced yet, and he was already plotting how to carve up my assets.

I sneered in anger. I had heard enough.

I soundlessly slipped back to the bedroom and locked the door.

Right there and then, I drafted a divorce agreement. Each clause was crafted with surgical precision, designed to ensure he would not get a single cent from the divorce.

Then, I attached the agreement and the recording and sent them via encrypted email to my most trusted partner in the firm.

[Subject: Initiate maximum asset protection.]

[Target: My husband, James Marshall.]

The next morning, I got up as usual.

James was already seated at the breakfast table, eating with effortless elegance.

When he saw me, he set his knife and fork aside. He stood and pulled me into a warm embrace. With a gentle tone, he said, “Honey, did you sleep well? I’m sorry for coming back late last night. I got caught up discussing some work stuff with Julie after you had gone to bed.”

I calmly watched his performance. “It’s fine. You work so hard.”

I carried our daughter for ten months. When she was born, I bled heavily on the operating table and barely made it out alive.

To give her the best education possible, I worked relentlessly and clawed my way from an ordinary associate to a named partner at my firm.

James always said he would give our family a life filled with art and romance, while I would provide the financial foundation that made it all possible.

I believed it to be a perfect division of labor.

So when he said his gallery needed seed funding, I sold the old house my parents had left me without hesitation.

When he said he needed access to high-end circles, I brought him to every client’s dinner.

I thought my sacrifices would buy me love and respect.

I worked hard for this family for ten years, only to pave the way for a pair of shameless lovers.

One hour later, the call came from the firm.

“Ms. Sophia, asset preservation procedures are now in effect. All company shares, real estate, vehicles, and bank accounts under James’ name that were funded by you have been frozen. In addition, we found out that over the past year, Julie repeatedly used your authorization credentials to extract confidential client data from the firm and forward it in batches to James’s personal email account.”