Chapter 1
The stench of disinfectant burned her nose.
Raine Hayes gripped the diagnostic report that was printed clearly with the words, [Advanced Gastric Adenocarcinoma with Multiple Metastases. Estimated prognosis: 3 months.]
Her fingers were trembling so hard they nearly tore the paper apart.
She was twenty-eight this year.
She had loved Sebastian Prescott for ten years and been his lawfully wedded yet highly despised wife for three.
The entire internet scolded Raine for being a scheming gold digger who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted.
They labelled her a manipulative woman who crawled into Sebastian's bed through despicable means.
Worst of all, they branded her the murderer who crippled Liliana Blake, Sebastian's beloved, in the car accident three years ago.
Raine was the only one who knew how she had lived like a shadow unworthy of light for the past three years, guarding a secret she could never tell.
For the last three years, she bore the weight of the world's hatred and protected the Prescott family for a man who would never look back at her.
*****
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
It was a message from the butler, Arthur, [Mrs. Prescott, Mr. Prescott is back. He's waiting for you in the living room.]
Raine took a deep breath and folded the diagnosis report into a tiny square. She tucked it into her inner pocket, as if she were hiding all the secret love and messy vulnerability she'd carried for ten years.
She wiped her face, pushing back the tears, and walked out of the hospital.
When she got back to the Prescott Manor, the living room was freezing. Raine shivered as soon as she stepped inside.
Sebastian was sitting on the leather sofa, a cigarette between his fingers. Smoke blurred his sharp features, making him look even more untouchable.
He was the head of Prescott Group, the man at the very top of the pyramid. With those deep-set eyes and icy aura, he was the dream of every woman in Ostville, and Raine's biggest weakness.
Hearing her footsteps, he looked up, his gaze as cold as ice, piercing straight into Raine's heart.
"You're back," Sebastian said, his voice low and dripping with disgust, "Good timing. Sign this."
A document slid across the smooth marble coffee table toward Raine. The bold words on the cover stared back at her, [Divorce Agreement.]
Raine's fingers curled tightly, and a familiar cramp twisted in her stomach, making her face go pale in an instant.
She instinctively pressed her hand to her abdomen, her fingers trembling.
"What's wrong?" Sebastian sneered, stubbing out his cigarette.
He leaned forward, his eyes dripping with sarcasm. "Raine, what game are you playing now? Is the payout too small for you?"
He slid another cheque toward her, the number followed by a long string of zeros. It was enough for an ordinary person to squander for several lifetimes.
"Here's a hundred million. Sign the divorce papers and get out of the Prescott family. Never show up in front of Liliana or me again."
Liliana Blake.
That name landed heavily on Raine's heart. Every day for three years, it was like a poisoned knife that never stopped cutting.
Three years ago, on that rainy night, Liliana had been drunk driving and had accidentally killed someone.
Raine had used her own license to shoulder the blame for the fatal crash.
She was hounded and cursed by the victim's family, and the whole internet spat on her name.
Meanwhile, all Liliana had to do was act scared, limp around, and cling to Sebastian to be his flawless and untouchable muse.
Sebastian hated Raine. He hated her for hurting Liliana, for forcing him to marry her with the old Mr. Prescott, William Prescott's will, and for holding onto the title of Mrs. Prescott for three years.
For three years, he humiliated her at every turn. Cold indifference became routine.
With a single word from Liliana, Sebastian would leave Raine out in the rain all night or force Raine to deliver Liliana's favorite desserts despite running a high fever.
He could also announce to all of Ostville's elite that Raine wasn't even worthy to carry Liliana's shoes.
Raine endured it all.
She kept hoping that someday Sebastian would see the truth, turn around, and finally notice the love she'd hidden for ten years.
But now, she couldn't wait anymore.
She only had three months left to live.
Raine looked up at Sebastian, her voice barely audible, carrying a tiredness she hadn't even realized was there. "Is that what you want, Sebastian? To get rid of me?"
"What else do you expect?" Sebastian scoffed, as if he'd just heard the most ridiculous joke.
He stood up and walked over, towering above her, his disgust so intense it threatened to swallow her whole. "Raine, you've clung to the title of Mrs. Prescott for three years. You made Liliana suffer for three years. What more do you want?"