Chapter 3

Half an hour later, Lilith's fiery red sports car pulled up in front of me with a sharp, stylish turn. She jumped out and gave me a huge hug. "Congratulations, Cordelia. You've escaped the nightmare and embraced your new life."

Seeing the genuine smile on her face, the tension I'd been holding onto all night finally melted away. Tears streamed down my face before I could stop them.

Yes, I got my new life.

I spent the night on Lilith's couch, and when I woke up the next morning, sunlight streamed through the half-drawn curtains, casting warm patches on the wooden floor. Tiny dust particles danced in the beams of light.

I took a deep breath. The air was no longer filled with Derek's cold, woody cologne. Instead, it carried the mouthwatering aroma of milk and pies from the breakfast shop downstairs, mixed with the crisp freshness of mint from the windowsill.

This was the scent of my vibrant life.

I found a place to live as quickly as I could. It was a ground-floor apartment with a small yard. With what little savings I had left, I rented a tiny storefront in a creative district downtown to open my perfume studio.

I named it Memento Studio.

It was not only my dream studio, but also a clean break from my past.

I majored in chemical engineering in college, with a focus on fragrances and flavors. Perfumery was my one true passion, also the only thing I could really count on.

Derek always dismissed it as a pointless side gig, a waste of time. He wanted me to stay quietly at home, playing the perfect housewife, cooking his meals, and keeping everything spotless.

Now, I was finally free to live life on my own terms.

I hired the best divorce lawyer I could find and handed everything over to him. He told me Derek had refused to accept the divorce agreement and made it clear he wouldn't budge unless I went to him and begged.

I replied coolly, "Then let's take it to court."

I didn't expect to get anything from him. All I wanted was my freedom.

On the day Memento Studio opened, Lilith was the only one who showed up to support me. She brought a huge flower with a card that read: [Wishing Ms. Fairfax booming business and endless romantic luck.]

Her joke made me laugh, and for the first time in days, the clouds over my heart started to clear.

"I can do without the romance, but the wealth? I'll take that," I said.

"Come on, you're still young. Don't act like your heart's already dead." Lilith rolled her eyes. "Just wait. I'll set you up with a whole bunch of hot guys and make that jerk Derek green with envy."

I shook my head, still smiling.

Starting a business from scratch was tough. I had no reputation, no clients, and the only way I could keep Memento Studio afloat was by creating bespoke commercial fragrances for small businesses.

I poured all my energy into work, sometimes staying for over a dozen hours at a time in my lab, surrounded by countless bottles and jars of fragrance ingredients. I relished the intense focus, as if nothing else existed but me and these enchanting aromas.

I was developing my signature perfume, centered around the theme of Newborn. This wasn't just my debut fragrance. It marked the beginning of my new life.

A month passed, and my life was quiet. Derek never showed up, like I'd never even existed in his world.

I knew he was still waiting for me to run out of options, to regret everything, and then come back begging, groveling for his forgiveness.

He was way too full of himself.

Another month passed, and my lawyer told me the court summons had finally been delivered to Vance Group.

Derek finally responded. His lawyer reached out, agreeing to the divorce, but only if I left empty-handed and returned the 1.5 million in alimony.

I agreed without a second thought.

I used that 1.5 million to sever the final absurd bond between us once and for all.

The day I finally got my divorce certificate, the sky was a brilliant blue, and the sun was shining. I stood outside the courthouse and took a long, cleansing breath.

In this moment, twenty years of shackles were broken for good. My life was only beginning.