Chapter 3

That night, the air was bone-chillingly cold, as if describing Ariana's mood that had been frozen in years of suffering.

Ariana stood in front of Nathaniel with her hands clenched into fists, her body trembling not from fear, but from the anger she had been harboring. The dim lights in the living room reflected her fragile silhouette, but behind it, there was a fragile blaze of love.

"Nathaniel, in the five years I've been married to you, you've never given me more money," she said, her voice soft but filled with pain. "Can I ask for money for plastic surgery?"

Nathaniel who was leaning back casually on the sofa looked up, his brows furrowed. His cold eyes looked at Ariana as if she had lost her mind. "Plastic surgery?" he asked, his tone scornful.

Ariana nodded. His eyes, which had always radiated sincerity, now contained only despair. "Yes. I want to be a wife you can consider! I'm tired of this face, Nathaniel! I'm tired of being insulted! I want to change!"

Nathaniel snorted. He set his coffee cup down on the table roughly, the sound echoing in the quiet room. "Don't be crazy, Ariana! Plastic surgery costs hundreds of millions. I'm not willing to give you that kind of money!"

Ariana's blood seemed to stop flowing.

Too many times she had been insulted, belittled, treated like trash. But this time, something inside her cracked. The wound that had been tightly closed was now gaping, stinging to the bone.

With her jaw clenched, she took a deep breath. "If you won't give me the money, then I demand my salary as a maid in this house!"

Nathaniel stared at her for a moment before laughing a loud, mocking laugh. He got up from the sofa, stepping closer to Ariana, until they were only an inch apart.

Nathaniel's gaze was sharp, as if he wanted to pierce her heart deeply. "A maid's salary? Who do you think you are? A wife is supposed to serve her husband, not demand payment!"

Ariana stood her ground even though her heart was beating hard. Her eyes were getting hot, but she didn't want to show her weakness.

"If I'm really your wife, why have you been letting your mother treat me like a maid?" her voice trembled, but she persisted.

"At the very least, if I work in this house, I deserve to be paid!"

Nathaniel squinted, then snorted. "You stupid woman! Don't dream of getting money from me!"

Ariana tightened her grip on his hand. Her entire body trembled, no longer from fear, but from anger that had reached its limit.

She had been patient enough. Enough suffering.

All this time, she just wanted to be recognized as a wife. But what did she get?

Humiliation. Loneliness. A wound that never healed.

She wasn't even allowed to walk side by side with her husband in public.

Now everything was clear.

Ariana looked at Nathaniel with a different look in her eyes. In the past, she had always been afraid. But now, that fear had evaporated, replaced by something stronger-the desire to free herself.

"I now know why you never recognized me as your wife." His breathing was heavy, but he continued. "It's all because of my ugly face, right?"

Nathaniel was silent. For the first time, he didn't answer right away.

This was the first time Ariana had fought back after five years of marriage.

"Ariana, I will never give you money. Remember that!" Nathaniel finally opened his voice, this time his tone was colder, sharper.

Ariana smiled sadly. "Then divorce me, Nathaniel."

The man's face instantly changed. His eyes widened, a look of surprise clearly reflected there. "Divorced?"

"Yes." Ariana's voice was steady, full of conviction. "I want to be free of you."

For a moment, silence fell over them. But then Nathaniel laughed, a low, terrible-sounding laugh.

"I'm not divorcing you, Ariana."

Ariana's heart pounded. She bit her lip, holding back the turmoil in her chest.

"If you won't give me the money," she insisted, staring at him with a boldness she had never shown before. "I will still leave. I'll still decide to get a divorce."

Nathaniel gave her a long look, then squinted.

"You think you can live out there? You'll probably be a glander."