Chapter 1

The day I divorced Evan Collins, he snarled, "Mark my words. You'll be begging me one day."

A month later, he used his connections to steal the bone marrow meant for my mother's transplant, just to force me to beg.

His new lover flashed an innocent smile. "Instead of humiliating yourself here, you should go home and plan your mother's funeral."

The day my mother died, the three-month-old child I was carrying, Evan's child, died with her.

I thought maybe I was going to die too.

The reason I divorced Evan was simple. He cheated.

When I asked for the divorce, he begged. When that didn't work, his eyes turned red as he hissed, "Just wait. One day, you'll beg me for mercy."

Born into wealth and power, I knew he might make things difficult, but I never imagined he'd use my mother's life to get back at me.

My mother had acute leukemia. After six months of treatment, we finally found a matching bone marrow donor. We were overjoyed, preparing for the surgery, until we were told someone with connections had taken the marrow.

That someone was my ex-husband, Evan.

Furious, I called to confront him, but his lover picked up, a D-list actress named Felicia Payne.

"Hello?" she answered in a sickly sweet voice. Swallowing my disgust, I demanded, "Put Evan on the phone."

"So late for a call," she pretended to sound surprised. "Don't tell me it's about the bone marrow?"

My breath caught.

She chuckled. "Evan and I were just talking about that. Didn't think you'd call so soon."

"What do you people want?" I shouted. "My mother has leukemia! This was her only chance."

"No need to rush," Felicia said leisurely. "Evan and I are getting engaged tomorrow. Will you come?"

All this trouble... just to make me attend their engagement?

I felt sick to my stomach, but for my mother's sake, I had to agree.

The engagement party was held at a downtown hotel. The moment Evan saw me, his smile vanished.

Felicia clung to his arm, looking smug. "See, Evan? I told you she'd show."

Evan looked at her with affection. "So, what do you want as a reward this time?"

"Stop it," she cooed, nestling against him. "Your ex-wife is right here."

Evan smirked, looking me up and down with disgust. "Thought you'd be doing great without me. Look at what you're wearing. Pathetic."

I clenched the hem of my shirt, forcing myself to sound pleading. "Evan, my mother waited so long for this chance. For all the times she treated you like her own son, please..."

"Nothing she did could make up for what you did," he cut me off coldly. "Melantha, remember what I said? If you want to save your mother, beg. Keep begging until I'm satisfied. Then... maybe I'll consider it."

For a moment, I just stood there, my chest tightening with a dull, spreading pain.

Evan lost his mother young. My Mom treated him like her own son. And in the end, he repaid her like this, a heartless traitor using her life to humiliate me.

Maybe my expression was too pitiful, because Felicia giggled. "Evan, your ex has always been so stubborn. She'd never beg. Don't push her."

Her perfume was overwhelming. I felt nauseous and dry-heaved twice.

Felicia's face instantly fell. She buried herself in Evan's chest, whining, "Evan, she's doing this right in front of you."

"Melantha, you really are ungrateful," Evan spat, holding Felicia close and glaring at me with ice in his eyes. "One last chance. Beg or not?"

My mind drifted back to a different Evan, the one who once stood up to his father for calling me a country bumpkin.

He'd said, "Melantha, I won't let anyone talk down to you. Not even my father."

Now, this Evan stood before me, holding his new lover, coldly ordering me to beg.

Gritting my teeth, I steadied myself and nodded. "Fine. I'll beg."

Felicia covered her mouth, amused. "How about by the entrance? More people there."

Evan paused, then stroked her hair softly. "Alright. Whatever you want."

I walked through the crowd of guests and begged at the hotel entrance.

Most of the attendees recognized me, their faces twisting with disdain.

"She only knows to beg now that she's divorced. What a disgrace."

"Right? He's getting engaged and she's causing a scene here. Shameless."