Chapter 1 What's Family For?

At the sight of my sister Brooke Zavala smirking smugly by the side, all I felt was an overwhelming exhaustion.

I had known for a while that Brooke wouldn't back down so easily. And Jensen Cruz—he still chose the girl he had spoiled without condition all these years, abandoning me in the end.

Maybe my heart had been broken too many times, because by now, the pain didn't cut as sharply. I could even hold onto Jensen's arm and say calmly, "Let's not drag this out. Let's go get the divorce papers right now."

Brooke hurried after us, putting on a pitiful show with tears brimming in her eyes. "Noelle, thank you for lending Jensen to me. Don't worry, once I have the baby, I'll give him back to you."

The moment Jensen saw Brooke's red-rimmed eyes, his heart softened. He slipped an arm around her shoulder and comforted her gently. "Noelle is your sister. It's only right that she helps you. You don't need to thank her."

"Thank you, Jensen. Without you, I really don't know what I'd do…" Brooke buried her face into his shoulder and sobbed harder, and watching them only filled me with despair.

Even though Brooke and I were biological sisters, I had grown up in the countryside with our grandparents. She, on the other hand, had stayed with our parents, growing up alongside Jensen like childhood sweethearts.

Later, I was brought back to live with our parents and eventually started dating Jensen. Brooke became his personal assistant after she graduated from college.

"Brooke is our sister. It's only right that we look after her."

That had been my thought too, so at first, nothing seemed wrong. But over time, I realized Jensen treated Brooke with even more indulgence than he did me.

At work, everyone else called him Mr. Cruz, but only Brooke called him "Jensen." When she messed up and lost an important contract, drawing the client's fury, Jensen would rather make the whole company clean her mess than scold her.

When he bought a new car, he didn't even consult me before transferring it directly under Brooke's name. I'd been angry, but he snapped back impatiently, "You know how distressed Brooke is, squeezing into the subway every day? You're her sister. What's wrong with giving her a car? Why are you so petty, fighting with Brooke over something like this?"

Later, when rumors spread that the two of them had an improper relationship, he turned on me with a cold face and scolded, "I'm your husband. Can't you trust me even a little? Besides, Brooke is your sister. How can you suspect us of something like that?"

I had loved Jensen with all my heart for five years. When we married, I hadn't even asked for betrothal gifts. Back then, I was blinded by love. No matter how many times we fought, I always swallowed my grievances and gave in. But I never imagined that after giving her a job and a car, Brooke would still want me to hand Jensen over to her completely.

Looking at the two of them clinging to each other, anyone who didn't know better would have thought they were the ones expecting a baby and about to get married.

I forced a smile despite the ache in my chest. "You're right, Brooke. What's family for? Come with us to the registry office. Once Jensen and I file for divorce, you can marry him right away."