Chapter 1

Adele's POV

This was the first time Lucius Martin had ever accompanied me out to dinner.

From time to time, he lifted his head to glance at the clock across from him, his fingers tapping impatiently against the tabletop.

It wasn't until I slid a house purchase contract toward him that he finally stopped.

He didn't even finish reading it. He signed his name at lightning speed, stood up, and prepared to leave.

"It's already midnight," he said coolly. "Our wedding anniversary is over. I should go."

Before leaving, he handed me a gift box. Inside lay a sapphire necklace.

I glanced at it and pushed it back to him.

"You've already given me a house," I said. "There's no need for the necklace."

Lucius looked as though he'd just heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Adele, do you think I care for a little money? Keep it," he said casually. "In case there's a next time—consider it an advance payment."

With that, he turned and left without a backward glance.

A next time.

Yes. After all, there had already been one hundred times.

The first time, I caught him kissing a young model in his car. He gave me a set of globally limited-edition jewelry.

The second time, he brought his new lover directly into our home. I cried and screamed until the whole ordeal ended with a pearl necklace.

He never cared about my emotions, because to him, this marriage was nothing more than a business alliance.

But I fell in love with him at first sight. From that very moment, this relationship was doomed to be unequal.

It wasn't that I liked the jewelry he used to compensate me. It was simply that every time I saw them, I was reminded that what bound us together was nothing but money.

The ninety-ninth time I received jewelry, I finally broke down and demanded a divorce.

That was when Lucius unexpectedly softened his tone.

"Don't worry," he said. "I don't have feelings for any of them. It's just for fun."

"I'll play around one last time," he promised, "then I'll behave and come home."

So I waited.

And waited.

What I ended up waiting for was him, in my bedroom… sleeping with my older sister, Maisie.

She even left a used condom under the pillow along with a note that said, "Adele, your husband is pretty good in bed."

When I saw those words, I suddenly didn't feel like storming over to confront them in a rage, the way I always had before.

Because Maisie had bullied me for as long as I could remember, beating and scolding me whenever she pleased.

Lucius knew this very well. I had even shown him the scars she'd left on my body.

And yet he still slept with her. On my bed.

At that moment, I knew I was done waiting.

That day, I pushed open the door to his study and tossed the note and the condom onto his desk.

"Lucius," I said, "this is the ‘last time' you were talking about."

His brows knitted tightly, as if he were searching for an explanation.

But I only laughed softly, crumpled the note, and threw it into the trash.

"No jewelry this time," I said. "I'll take a villa instead."

A flash of surprise crossed his eyes. Then he curved his lips into a smile and stepped toward me.

He gently rubbed my head.

"Adele," he said, "you've finally satisfied me—for once."

Yes. In the past, I'd always cried and screamed like a madwoman, embarrassing him terribly.

In public, he was the flawless, perfect husband everyone admired.

That day, Lucius asked me, "So does this mean I can keep playing around in the future?"

I smiled and nodded. "I have to accept reality."

For example, the reality that a playboy never truly reforms. Or the reality that Lucius never loved me at all.

He looked at me for a long moment, then let out a soft scoff.

"Sounds pretty pitiful. Fine," he said. "Our wedding anniversary is coming up again. This time, we'll celebrate it together—your reward for being obedient."

I nodded meekly.

And so today, on our wedding anniversary, I placed a divorce agreement beneath the house purchase contract.

At last, I got the ending I wanted.

When the final signature was written, this marriage finally came to a close.

Ten days from now, Lucius and I will have nothing to do with each other anymore.