Chapter 1
On our fifth wedding anniversary, Samuel Pierce bailed me out of the police station.
On the way home, I asked for a divorce.
"Samuel, let's just let each other go," I said.
The Maserati pulled over to the side of the road.
Samuel gripped the steering wheel, his voice cold as ice.
"Give me a reason. What is it this time?" he said.
I rolled down the window, watching the car that had been secretly following us.
"It's nothing. I'm just tired," I said.
Before he could say anything else, a familiar figure stepped out of the Porsche behind us. A girl with tear-stained, red eyes hurried over.
She said, "Vivian, I'm so sorry. I swear I didn't mean for any of this to happen.
"Sam told me no one else knew about that house except you, and today's your anniversary. I never thought you'd actually come, so when I saw someone there, I thought it was a break-in and called the cops.
"This is all on me. Please, don't let this turn into a fight between you and Sam. I'm begging you here."
Samuel got out of the car, his heart aching, and wrapped her in his arms. "Vivian, you win.
"Give me thirty days.
"Just stay out of my business for the next thirty days. After that, I'll send Evelyn overseas, and she'll be gone for good."
I just stood there, watching him. Samuel didn't even look back—he just turned and walked away with Evelyn in his arms.
And so, on the first day.
Everyone at Pierce Corporation witnessed their always cool and collected CEO, Samuel, grabbing his secretary Evelyn and kissing her passionately right at the company entrance.
On the third day.
He reserved the entire ten-mile stretch of Harbor Bay's coastline and put on a private fireworks show just for her.
On the fifteenth day.
He took her to the aquarium and did everything ordinary couples do.
On the thirtieth day.
Every media outlet caught the heart-wrenching airport scene: Samuel and Evelyn locked in a tight embrace, looking back with every step as if they were saying goodbye forever.
When we got home that night, Samuel looked totally wrecked, empty bottles everywhere. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at me.
"Are you happy now? From now on, I'm yours and yours alone," Samuel muttered, his voice hoarse.
Watching him pass out cold, I suddenly felt nothing but emptiness. 'This is so pointless,' I thought.
"But Samuel, I never agreed to any of this," I said quietly.
"Your thirty days are over. Now it's my turn. My thirty days for the divorce countdown starts tomorrow," I told him.
I picked up the phone and called my lawyer.
"Understood, Miss Lane. I'll go file for the divorce tomorrow," he replied.
Samuel, passed out drunk on the couch, didn't hear a word of it.
But even in his sleep, he kept mumbling.
"Eve... Eve," he murmured.
I just gave a wry smile and let it go. In the eight years we'd known each other, and five years of marriage, I'd only ever seen Samuel drunk twice. The first time was at our wedding—he held me tight, refusing to let go, acting spoiled and affectionate like a little kid.
"Vivian, I swear I'll love you forever," he whispered.
And now, the second time, he was mumbling another woman's name in his sleep.
I picked up his phone and unlocked it. His password was my birthday.
He never put up any walls with me, and I always believed he never checked my phone, either.
But today, it hit me. Everything on his phone, from the wallpaper to the chat backgrounds, was a photo of him and Evelyn kissing.
I opened up WhatsApp.
Evelyn was gone—her contact deleted, her number and messages blocked, and even the company database couldn't find her anymore.
He'd kept his promise about the thirty days.
But as I looked at it, it felt like I'd just been slapped.
It was as if I was the homewrecker—the one who tore them apart.
The next morning.
When I came downstairs, Samuel had already sobered up and was back to his aloof, untouchable self. "You're up? Come have breakfast. I got someone to make bird's nest soup for you," he said.
I sat across from him, stirring the bowl of premium bird's nest soup, watching the strands stretch as I stirred, and suddenly let out a laugh.
"Don't you remember I'm allergic to bird's nest?" I said.
Samuel's gaze froze for a moment.
He'd mixed up my preferences with Evelyn's, treating me like I was her.
Regret flashed across his face, and maybe a hint of longing for someone else. I kept my bitterness hidden deep inside.
He pressed his lips together and let out a quiet sigh.
"Sorry, I guess I'm just used to it. I'll change, and from now on, I'll only love you," he said.
Habit, huh?' I scoffed inwardly.
Just thirty days with Evelyn, and all our eight years together—2,400 days—are wiped out like they never mattered.'
"No need," I replied.
"If you can't let her go, I'm not going to play the villain who keeps you two apart. Let's get divorced. Go find her," I said.
The room fell silent, only Samuel's impatient breathing filling the air. "Trying to play hard to get? Vivian, I told you—I'll only love you from now on, and I will make it happen."
"I've already sent Evelyn out of my life. What more do you want from me?" he demanded.
He shot to his feet, towering over me with a look of disdain.
"Stop saying things like that. For you, I've already given up the things I loved," he said.
Then he turned and walked away.
Just like thirty days ago, he didn't even spare me a glance.
I let out a bitter, mocking laugh and dumped the bird's nest soup in the trash without a second thought.