Chapter 2 Didn’t I Also Get Eight Years of Him for Free?

His eyes were dark and deep.

Hers were lifeless and hollow.

The atmosphere in the parking garage was suffocating.

The girl beside him looked at Candice, not only making no effort to keep a distance from Kyle, but growing even bolder—she wrapped an arm around his neck and whispered something into his ear.

Candice felt a stabbing pain in her eyes.

She looked away, got in her car, and drove off without sparing them another glance.

Not long after she arrived home, she heard the sound of a car outside.

She was standing in front of the glass case in her walk-in closet, removing her necklace, when a wall of firm muscle suddenly pressed up against her back. The powerful presence of a man enveloped her completely.

He braced both hands on the cabinet, leaning in from behind to look at her face.

"Are you mad?" he asked.

Candice didn’t look at him. She calmly placed the necklace in its place and replied flatly,

“Mad enough to kill someone. You should probably be careful.”

Kyle was silent for a moment, then said,

“The Jones family wants to collaborate with us on the Polaris project. I’ve been meeting with Mike, and the girl you saw—she’s his younger sister.”

“So what? He won’t work with you unless you keep his sister company?”

“…Candice, I’m trying to explain. Don’t get sarcastic with me.”

“I don’t think there’s anything to explain.”

Candice finally turned her head, her eyes cold and clear, like they could see straight through his soul.

“Kyle, if you’re tired of this marriage and want a new woman running the house, I can step aside.”

Kyle’s face darkened instantly. “What did you say?”

“I said we can get a divorce.”

She pushed him away.

But just as she tried to leave, he yanked her back forcefully. Grabbing her face, he warned,

“You’d better not even think about something like that.”

Candice said nothing.

But not only had she thought about it—she had already done it.

She…

didn’t want him anymore.

Kyle stayed home until late that night before another phone call summoned him away. Candice clearly heard the caller—a soft, girlish voice, as if the girl were crying.

The next morning, her lawyer and longtime friend sent her a screenshot: it was a social media post from Kyle’s little girlfriend.

A pair of hands—one large, one small—framed into a heart shape against the dawn sky. The caption read:

"Feeling each other’s heartbeat in the warmth of the sunrise."

Candice recognized his hand at a glance.

She sat there, gripping her cup for who knew how long.

When she finally set it down, it clinked against the table with a crisp sound—like something inside her had just broken loose and fallen away.

In the days that followed, Kyle still didn’t come home.

They only saw each other at company meetings—he sat at the head of the table, she with the other executives off to the side.

There was no eye contact.

Candice didn’t go looking for him either.

In her spare time, she was busy apartment hunting, and clearing out all the gifts he’d given her over the years—anniversary presents, birthday gifts, Valentine’s Day surprises, wedding gifts… She even sold their wedding rings.

She didn’t want the man.

What use was all this emotional junk?

That evening, Vangard’s boss lady, Anna, invited her out to a private club.

It was nearly 11 p.m.—Candice didn’t feel like going, but knowing she’d need a strong network after leaving Aureate Group and starting her own business, she went.

As soon as she walked in, she spotted Anna.

“Anna, I could’ve come up myself. You didn’t have to come down for me.”

Anna linked arms with her affectionately as they got in the elevator.

“I didn’t want you getting lost. You haven’t been here before, right?”

That was true—this place was new to her.

They went upstairs and into a large private room. An antique screen divided the space.

Candice immediately noticed there were people behind the screen, but Anna didn’t take her over. Instead, she seated her in the quieter section with just one other woman—someone vaguely familiar. She realized it was the girlfriend of one of Kyle’s friends.

The woman seemed to recognize her too, looking slightly awkward but still offering a smile.

Candice took off her coat and sat down. Anna left the room.

She took a sip of the drink handed to her. On the other side of the screen, the sounds of chatter and laughter gradually filtered through.

Then—

They started talking about her.

“Kyle doesn’t bring Candice to gatherings anymore.”

“Well, duh. Miss Jones is young and adorable—he takes her everywhere like she’s his little treasure.”

“Took him long enough to change his taste after all these years.”

“Candice might be pretty, but after eight years in bed, who wouldn’t be sick of her?”

“She’s so dumb too. Gave him eight years of her life and all she got was used. Hey, if Kyle doesn’t want her anymore, I’ll take her. I’ve been craving that waist for years.”

…

Candice’s eyes turned icy cold.

She recognized two of those voices—friends of Kyle’s, the same ones who used to call her “sis” with honeyed smiles.

The woman beside her was so embarrassed she didn’t dare meet Candice’s gaze. When she saw Candice stand up, she thought she was going to flee in humiliation.

But instead—

Candice cleared her throat, picked up her drink, and walked casually toward the other side. She leaned against the screen, her tone light and relaxed as she joined their conversation.

“Guys, that’s not quite fair, is it? When Kyle and I got together, he was still a sweet little virgin. Didn’t I get eight years of him for free too?”

The room went dead silent.

Everyone on the couches looked at her in shock.

At that exact moment, two tall men walked into the room.

Everyone looked at Candice—then at the men behind her.

All hope vanished from their faces.