Chapter 1

VICTORIA

“You actually did all this?” Trent’s cold voice came from behind me.

I froze, the knife still in my hand as I sliced the cake. I turned slowly, smiling brightly at him. “Happy anniversary,” I said softly, hoping he’d at least smile back.

He didn’t. He just looked around the dining room like everything disgusted him—the candles, the flowers, and the meals I had spent hours cooking.

“You cooked?” He lifted his brow, his tone dripping with annoyance. “Why? We have chefs for that.”

“I wanted tonight to be special,” I said. My voice had started trembling slightly. “It’s our third anniversary, Trent.”

He loosened his tie and sighed. “You didn’t have to bother. You know I don’t like surprises.”

My stomach sank. I tried to laugh it off, stepping closer to him. “It’s just dinner. I thought we could sit together, talk for a bit, and reminisce. You’ve been so busy lately…”

He looked at me then—like really looked—but it wasn’t the way a husband should look at his wife. His gaze trailed from my face down to the dress I wore, and his lips curled up in disgust.

“You look so old and fat,” he said flatly. “And what were you thinking wearing this ugly dress you can barely fit into? Trying too hard doesn’t suit you.”

My smile fell. “Trent, please don’t—”

“This food smells awful,” he cut in. “You’ve really let yourself go, Victoria. No wonder I barely recognize you anymore.”

His words hit me harder than a slap. I swallowed hard, trying not to cry. “I just wanted us to—”

He raised his hand suddenly, and before I could move, he actually slapped me. The sound filled the room while my cheek burned, and my breath caught in my throat.

For a second, I couldn’t move. I couldn't even think.

Then, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a white envelope. He dropped it on the table next to the cake.

“What’s this?” I whispered.

“Divorce papers.” His tone was calm, almost bored. “You’ll sign them tomorrow.”

My hand shook as I picked it up. “This is a joke, right?”

He stared at me like I was nothing. “I never loved you, Victoria. I married you for your money and because you were pregnant back then. You helped me build Rhodes Enterprises, and for that, I suppose I should thank you. But you lost the baby, and now you’re just... in the way.”

I stumbled back, shaking my head. “You can’t mean that.”

“Oh, I do.” He slipped his watch off and set it on the counter. “I’ve been pretending for long enough. My family never wanted you around, and honestly, neither did I.”

Tears blurred my vision. “Why are you doing this now?”

He laughed humorlessly. “Because I don’t have to pretend anymore. I’m marrying Diana.”

For a moment, I didn’t understand. “Diana?” I asked, my lips going slack from shock. “My stepsister?”

He smiled, looking cold and satisfied. “The woman I’ve always loved.”

The air left my lungs. I felt my knees weaken, so I gripped the chair beside me just to stay standing. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.” His voice was cruel. “She’s pregnant.”

I blinked fast, trying to process his words. “After my miscarriage, you told me you didn’t want kids until six years into the marriage. You said—”

He cut me off again. “I said that to you. Not to her.”

It was like my heart cracked right there. My whole body trembled, and the tears flowed out in buckets no matter how hard I tried to stop them.

“After everything I did for you? You wouldn’t even have Rhodes Enterprises if it weren’t for me! I gave you everything, my savings, my love, my time—”

He smirked. “And I gave you a last name worth having. Be grateful.”

When I didn’t move, he walked past me, opened the front door, and said, “Get out. You have no place here anymore.”

I just stood there, frozen. “Trent, please—”

“Out.”

He didn’t yell. He didn’t even look at me. He just pushed me out the door, slammed it behind him, then turned around and walked into his study, leaving me standing there with my heart in pieces.

I picked up my phone with shaking hands and called the only person who would still care.

“Vic?” Isabella’s voice came through, worried.

I couldn’t talk at first. Just the sound of her voice made me break down.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” she asked quickly.

“He—” I swallowed hard, my voice cracking. “He threw me out, Izzy.”

“What?!”

“I tried to make it special. I cooked, decorated, and even wore the dress he liked. But he said… he said I looked old and fat. He hit me, Izzy. Then he told me he never loved me.”

Her tone softened. “Where are you?”

“Outside the house. He’s marrying Diana. She’s pregnant.”

There was silence before Isabella cursed under her breath. “That bastard. Stay where you are. I’m coming right now.”

I sat on the cold pavement, hugging my knees to myself. The cold night air bit at my skin. The lights from the house behind me blurred through my tears. Everything hurt so much.

By the time Isabella’s car pulled up, I was completely numb from the unforgiving cold. She rushed out and wrapped her arms around me.

“Vic, oh my God. What did he do to you?”

I couldn’t even speak. My voice was gone. My whole world was gone.

She helped me into the car and turned the heater on full blast.

“I told you, didn’t I?” she muttered with anger in her voice. “I told you he was bad news.”

I stared out the window. “I thought he’d change,” I said quietly. “I thought maybe… tonight would fix things.”

Isabella looked at me sadly. “He never deserved you, Vic.”

I wanted to believe her. But right then, I felt small and broken.

As we drove, the memories came back, one after another.

How Trent had pushed me down the stairs during an argument and I’d lost the baby. How he made me give up my budding fashion business a week before the wedding, saying a wife shouldn’t work. How my father never once stood up for me when my stepmother and her kids treated me like a burden.

I closed my eyes as more tears slipped down again. “He’s marrying her, Izzy.”

“I know,” she whispered. “But listen to me. You’re not going to let this destroy you.”

I wanted to believe her words, but I was too tired.

When we got to her apartment, she helped me inside. I sat on the couch while she went to get me water. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

Then my phone buzzed.

I frowned as I picked it up. It was a number I didn’t recognize.

“Who is it?” Isabella asked from the kitchen.

I stared at the screen, my heart already beating fast. “I don’t know,” I said. “It’s… an unknown number.”

“Don’t answer it,” she warned. “It’s probably him.”

But something made me hesitate. Trent wouldn’t call me. He didn’t care.

The phone buzzed again.

I wiped my tears, staring at the glowing screen through my blurry vision. My chest tightened as I whispered, “Who could be calling me at midnight?”

The phone kept ringing, louder and louder, and I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t have any friends apart from Isabella. So who could it be?