My Last Twelve Hours as His Wife

"Mr. Beckett," I cut him off apathetically. "I don't need the jewelry, and I couldn't care less about you and your new flame. I came here for one thing only—a divorce."Had my father, Fabian Jennings, not sacrificed his own life to save Evan's grandparents, a woman of my family background and social standing would never have been able to marry into the Beckett family. Everyone knew he was out of my league, so the upper echelons of the city's elite looked down on me. Even though the research papers I published had literally taken the world by storm, I, too, believed I was unworthy. Consequently, I dimmed my own light, stripping myself of all dignity just to cater to Evan's every whim. Now that I had let go of this obsession, my forbearance over the past five years had become a total joke. Naturally, it was time for me to reclaim my rightful place. "Fiona…" Evan started, but his sentence was cut short as someone burst into his office without knocking on the door. Astrid Smith fl

"I hope you won't regret this!" Evan was furious. He picked up his fountain pen and aggressively scrawled his name across the document. "We can get divorced, but you won't get a single dime of my family's money."I carefully tucked the signed agreement into my bag. I didn't feel sad at all. If anything, it felt as though a crushing weight I had carried for years had finally been lifted from my chest. I had fallen in love with Evan at first sight. Granted, I had been well aware of his reputation as a womanizer in Vaeloria, so it never crossed my mind that he would actually honor the agreement between our families and marry me. Plus, among his long list of stunning ex-girlfriends, I was literally just an ugly duckling. Hence, when he'd actually dropped to one knee and proposed to me, it caught me completely off guard. I had been both overjoyed and deeply moved. At the time, I had naively believed that since Evan had asked for my hand in marriage, he must like me at least a little bi

My whereabouts became a total mystery, even to Astrid, the woman who had helped me escape. I vividly remembered the look she gave me before I left that night. At the time, her eyes had been filled with triumph and ridicule. She must've thought that she had driven me out, that I was a loser running away with her tail between her legs. Little did she know, I had already secured a lifetime placement with the national polar research expedition. I wasn't admitting defeat, nor was I running away. I was starting over.I had always been a brilliant mind in biological research. Back then, for Evan's sake, and to protect a marriage I believed would work out, I'd willingly clipped my own wings. I traded my lab coat for an apron and confined myself within the four walls of the Beckett residence. I'd turned down national-level research projects and reined in all my ambition, solely to match his pace and fit into his world. Yet, after pouring my heart out for five years, all I had received

"That's enough. Go wash up and get yourself together. Don't let others make a laughingstock out of you. "The only daughter of the jewelry tycoon is returning to the country the day after tomorrow. I want you to clear your schedule and pick her up from the airport yourself." Chloe's intention was crystal clear. Evan also knew that he should comply with Chloe's arrangements. After all, if his grandfather hadn't forced his hand back then, he would've married an heiress from a prestigious family that actually matched his pedigree. Consequently, he did as he was told. He cancelled all of his corporate meetings and personally drove to the airport.Yet, the entire way there, his mind was flooded with memories of the moments he had shared with me. While he was waiting at a red light, a news alert suddenly popped up on his phone. "Fiona Jennings, a Researcher at the Institute of Biological Sciences, Has Made Waves Internationally With Her Newly Published Paper, 'The Impact of Extreme C

Looking into Evan's teary eyes, I calmly crushed his last shred of hope. "Evan, you can't make it up to me. You can't make up for the late nights I endured alone, you can't make up for the agony of losing our baby, and you can't make up for the five years of grievances that consumed me. "When I needed you most, you were nowhere to be found. When I was at my lowest, you were the one kicking me down. Now that I've dragged myself through hell and built the life I always wanted, your change of heart is completely meaningless!" The blood receded from his face until he was completely pale, and his body swayed as if he might collapse at any moment. His voice cracked as he pleaded, "I know I can't make up for the past, but I can make up for the future! I will pour everything I am into loving you for the rest of my days. Won't you let me?" I gently shook my head. My eyes were crystal clear and filled with detachment. "That won't be necessary. There is no longer any room for you in my futu