Chapter 1

Upon returning home, I wiped all my social media posts related to Nikolai and stopped tracking his every move. It was as if I had forgotten my identity as his wife, pouring every ounce of my energy into my work.

One day before I was set to leave Nikolai forever, he finally sensed something was off and came looking for me.

“Vivienne!”

He called me from the doorway, his voice aced with false tenderness. I didn’t turn around. My tone was light, almost detached.

“What’s up?”

I didn’t turn to greet him as I had before, or even glance at him.

“Vivienne, what Rosalind said that day was just drunken nonsense. You know she has always been jealous of your academic achievements. This is why she stole your boyfriends one by one to retaliate against you. She wants to provoke you. You have to believe there is absolutely nothing between me and her. I’m simply helping her out of pity, she is penniless…”

Not lifting my head, I replied coldly.

“I don’t care.”

Nikolai frowned slightly.

“Vivienne, are you throwing a tantrum? We haven’t spoken in days!”

All of a sudden, he clamped down hard on his rising anger.

“Vivienne Thorne! I’m talking with you!”

The moment the words left his lips, his phone rang. On the other end, Rosalind’s voice was thick with tears.

“Nikolai, my birthday cake was accidentally knocked over today. Could you pick up a new one for me on your way over? Otherwise, my birthday won’t be complete…”

Nikolai narrowed his eyes in slight annoyance, yet his body betrayed him as he immediately turned and walked toward the door. But just before stepping out, he paused.

“I’ll be back soon. Don’t be so petty, Vivienne.”

Before I could say something, the door clicked shut, and he was gone. The sound of his retreating footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, a stark reminder of how easily I had been replaced. He didn't even realize that his petty wife had already packed her heart away.

In the corner of my studio, Audrey tried to speak up for me, her voice trembling with indignation.

“How could Nikolai celebrate Rosalind’s birthday? You’re his wife!”

“I don’t care.” I murmured, my voice remaining as light as ever. But, the draft on my desk was a mess, smeared with dried tear stains.

Nikolai had fallen for Rosalind long ago, but he had been hiding it from me. They even had children together. I wiped my tears dry, making a silent vow.

I would never shed another single tear for Nikolai. The woman who loved him died the moment she heard the truth.