Chapter 1

"Lisbeth, you'd better agree to this divorce quickly! Otherwise, I'll make these photos public and let all your fans see how their beloved star with millions of followers was once molested by an old man!"

"What?" Lisbeth Whitaker looked up in shock, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Her husband of five years, who had cheated on her with the female caregiver she'd hired to look after him.

Now he was resorting to blackmail to force her into a divorce so he could make room for his mistress!

"Don't play dumb. How could a woman as soiled as you deserve to be my wife?" Leopold Hearst sneered, pulling out a thick envelope.

It contained the case file from when she was sexually assaulted years ago.

Inside were detailed records of how that man had torn her dress, bitten her neck and chest, and let his hands wander lower... It even included the medical examination photos taken afterward as evidence.

Back then, Leopold, heartbroken by her suffering, had worked tirelessly to gather all this evidence to help her win her case.

Now, however, it had become the weapon he was using to force her compliance.

Lisbeth trembled with rage, finally managing to choke out words. "You're actually using this to blackmail me into a divorce? Fine, you say you don't love me anymore. Whatever! But what about Dennis? If this gets out, how will Dennis ever face the world?"

To her surprise, Leopold responded with a contemptuous laugh. "You dare mention Dennis? You know exactly how that child was conceived while I was in a coma!"

Blood drained from Lisbeth's face. She couldn't believe her ears. She grabbed Leopold's collar and demanded, "What are you implying?"

"Isn't it obvious, Lisbeth? That bastard doesn't look anything like me! I didn't bring it up before because I thought I'd preserve your reputation for old times' sake. Did you really think I was that stupid?"

Leopold shoved her away, his eyes full of mockery and condescension.

"I know you're desperate—a mother with HIV, a son diagnosed with leukemia—that's why you've been clinging to me. But why should I be your personal ATM?"

He thought he was being reasonable, just stating facts without embellishment. Little did he know, every word was a knife precisely targeting Lisbeth's deepest wounds.

She regretted agreeing to Leopold's honeymoon trip so much.

If they hadn't gone abroad, they wouldn't have encountered the riot. She wouldn't have been disfigured, and Leopold wouldn't have lost his memory!

Most importantly, Leopold wouldn't have fallen in love with the caregiver she'd hired at great expense, and he wouldn't be calling his own son a bastard!

"Shut up!" Lisbeth's eyes blazed red as she pulled out the documents and slapped them against his chest. "You want a divorce? Fine, you've got it!"

At the courthouse, the clerk spoke mechanically. "For a divorce, please present your divorce application and a copy of your marriage certificate, along with related materials."

Lisbeth spoke with difficulty, "The copy of our marriage certificate was torn up..."

Leopold frowned impatiently. "Where can we get a replacement?"

Seeing Leopold's eagerness to divorce her, her heart ached like it was being stabbed with needles.

When they got married, Leopold had torn up their marriage certificate copy, laughing as he said, "This way, you can never ask for a divorce, and we'll grow old together."

Now, the man who had made that promise was breaking it.

In less than thirty minutes, the divorce was finalized.

"The house is mine. Remember to move your things out when you get a chance." Leopold couldn't wait to leave, coldly dropping these words before turning to go.

Behind him, Lisbeth's hoarse whisper followed, "Fine. Just don't regret it when your memory returns someday."

Regret? Impossible! Leopold scoffed, walking out without looking back.

Outside the courthouse, he wrapped his arms around Elora Foster's waist and lifted her up.

And Lisbeth stood on the other side of the glass doors, watching as the husband who once loved her deeply spun another woman around in circles.

Then, hand in hand, they walked to the parking spot where he retrieved a large bouquet of vibrant roses from the trunk.

"Lora, I'm finally free! I love you, and I'll protect you for the rest of my life! Will you marry me?"

In the dazzling sunlight, Leopold knelt on one knee, his smile bold and uninhibited. In his palm, a jewelry box held a sparkling diamond ring.

Several passersby stopped to applaud, shouting, "Say yes! Say yes!"

Watching the all-too-familiar scene unfold, Lisbeth could only find it darkly comical.

Leopold's impatience seemed ridiculous, and her own years of effort and perseverance even more so.

She let out a long breath, her heart now still, and turned to leave when her phone rang with a call from the hospital.

"Dennis Hearst's condition has rapidly deteriorated. We've done our best, but we can only buy him three months. If we can't find a suitable match for him soon..."

Lisbeth immediately panicked. "Wasn't his condition under control? How did it suddenly get worse?"

"Leukemia is a highly unpredictable malignant disease. Please notify the child's father to come in for compatibility testing as soon as possible."

The father? Lisbeth turned her head sharply, only to see Leopold slipping the ring onto Elora's finger before standing up to share a passionate kiss with her.

Lisbeth laughed bitterly, and as she laughed, tears streamed down her face.

He had called Dennis a bastard—how could he possibly care whether his son lived or died? Why would he ever agree to be tested as a donor?

"I understand. I'll hurry," she said, her voice hollow.

After hanging up, Lisbeth leaned against the wall and sank to the ground.

She squeezed her eyes shut, then dialed a number she hadn't contacted in years. "I'll agree to marry you. But only if you help me save Dennis!"