Chapter 1: The “Wife” Who Isn’t One

It took Kelsey only one day after regaining her memories to realize that what she had lived in for five years was never a marriage.

It was suffering.

“I want a divorce.”

The words fell calmly from her lips, yet the entire room froze.

Ramon Holloway looked up slowly, his sharp eyes landing on the woman he had lived with for five years.

His wife…

The same woman who couldn’t meet his gaze when speaking, even after years of marriage, was now standing in front of him, looking straight into his eyes.

A faint crease formed between his brows as annoyance at being disturbed from his work rose within him, before smoothing out again.

“Divorce?” he repeated, his tone indifferent, as he returned his gaze to the document he was flipping through, as if the word meant nothing.

His lack of reaction only confirmed what Kelsey already knew: he never truly took her seriously.

“I don’t want this marriage anymore,” she said, her voice still steady.

It was so unusual for her to speak like this. Even to her own ears, her tone sounded unfamiliar. And from the way Ramon’s hand had paused on the document, she knew he had noticed it too.

“If you are here to talk about what happened at Mum’s birthday, then leave. I’m busy,” Ramon said without sparing her a glance.

He opened his drawer, took out a credit card, and placed it on the edge of the table.

“Go get your wound checked at the hospital,” he added coldly.

A bitter laugh escaped Kelsey’s lips.

The audacity… to dismiss her pain so easily.

Her heart tightened, not just from his words, but from everything she had endured.

Their marriage had never been built on love. It was an arranged union, set up by their fathers.

‘Don’t hate Dad for marrying you off this young. I’m doing this for your safety. I may not be here one day, and when that happens, you won’t be alone. You will have family—your husband’s family—to protect you.’

Those were her father’s words when she signed the marriage certificate with Ramon at twenty-one.

Kelsey did not hate him for it. She knew he meant well. Especially after she had lost her memories in a road accident.

The accident had stolen her past, leaving her with amnesia. She became quiet, withdrawn, and fragile—an easy target for cruelty. She never lifted her eyes when spoken to, fear clinging to her like a shadow. All she wanted then was to be left alone.

But she was not that woman anymore.

She had regained her memories.

Kelsey’s mind drifted back to the recent events that changed everything.

<<< Three days ago >>>

The small bell above the glass door rang softly as another customer entered the ice cream shop where she had started working a few days ago.

She barely looked up at first.

It had been a long day already. Her feet hurt from standing since morning.

“Welcome—”

The rest of the words caught in her throat.

For one brief second, the entire shop felt smaller.

Ramon stood near the door in a blue coat, tall and composed as always, his presence immediately drawing attention from the few customers inside.

Beside him stood Wanda Josh, smiling warmly while holding the hand of a little boy bouncing excitedly beside her.

Kelsey’s fingers tightened around the paper cup.

The boy was her son, Kendrick.

Little Kendrick looked around excitedly until his eyes finally landed on her behind the counter, and his expression changed immediately.

“Why are you here, Kelsey?” Kendrick asked in disgust. “Why do you always show your old and ugly face everywhere”

His words were harsh and not something a four-year-old should say, yet they hit Kelsey harder than they should have, even though she should have already gotten used to it.

Wanda looked almost surprised before quickly smiling down at him. “Ken, that’s not polite.”

“But it’s true,” Kendrick said, folding his small arms across his chest while glaring at Kelsey angrily. “My mood is ruined just by seeing her face.”

Wanda pulled him into her arms.

“Don’t say that, Ken. I brought you here because the ice cream here is good,” she said softly before turning to Kelsey with an apologetic look. “You shouldn’t take what he said to heart. He’s still young.”

Kelsey swallowed the lump forming in her throat, refusing to cry.

She walked out from behind the counter to attend to them, but her eyes were on Ramon, who had just finished typing on his phone.

Ramon’s eyes rested briefly on Kelsey before moving away again, calm and unreadable, as though seeing his wife working in a small shop meant absolutely nothing to him.

That silence hurt more than an insult.

Wanda guided Kendrick toward a table near the window.

“Sit down first, okay? Daddy will order for you.”

They sat down, and Kelsey walked up to them. Wanda quickly placed their order, and Kelsey left to get it.

She didn’t have the courage to say anything. She understood her place well and didn’t want to overstep it. She felt that it was already good enough that Ramon hadn’t divorced her yet to be with Wanda.

Wanda, she had learned, was Ramon’s childhood sweetheart. He had wanted to marry Wanda but was forced into the arranged marriage with her instead.

Shortly after, Kelsey returned with their cups of ice cream, placed them on the table, and went back behind her counter. But her eyes couldn’t help drifting toward them from time to time.

“This is so sweet,” Kendrick commented happily as he ate the ice cream. “Have this, Aunt Wanda,” he said, raising his spoon toward Wanda.

“Hmmm… so sweet,” Wanda hummed with a smile as she accepted it.

Kendrick scooped another spoon toward Ramon, but Ramon shook his head in refusal, making Kendrick pout sadly.

“Don’t be sad, baby. Daddy doesn’t like ice cream,” Wanda comforted him gently.

Kelsey could only watch them.

They looked like a perfect family of three.

“I’ll go take this call,” Ramon suddenly said, patting Kendrick’s head before standing up.

Kelsey’s eyes followed his figure as he walked out of the shop.

“Oh, Kelsey, tomorrow is mum's birthday. Don’t forget to wake up early. There’s still so much preparation left.”

Wanda’s loud voice pulled Kelsey’s eyes away from the door.

Her fingers stiffened.

The reminder felt intentional.

As if she were merely one of the workers hired for the event instead of the daughter-in-law of the house.

“I know,” Kelsey replied quietly.

Wanda tilted her head innocently. “That’s good. Mum has been very stressed lately.”

Kelsey didn’t reply. She had nothing to say.

Ramon’s mother despised her.

“Please don’t feel hurt that Kendrick prefers me to be his mum. You know children don’t understand much,” Wanda continued, shaking her head pitifully. “But I believe as he grows older, he’ll begin to understand life better.”

After saying that, she gently patted Kendrick’s head.

Kelsey’s eyes stung painfully.

Little Kendrick suddenly raised his head from his cup of ice cream as if wanting to reject what Wanda had said.

But suddenly, his face turned red. He began struggling to breathe.

“What’s wrong, Kendrick?” Wanda’s worried voice echoed through the shop.

She stood up immediately, shaking his shoulders in panic.

Kelsey’s heart skipped violently, and she hurried out from behind the counter toward them.

“Why is your allergy acting up?” Wanda cried out as realization hit her. “Ramon!”

“Kendrick!” Kelsey called in fear as she rushed toward her son.