Chapter 2

The agreement was prepared before the marriage, with no date marked, only Liam's signature. Once the lawyer confirmed its validity, I signed my name and asked him to handle the divorce for me. "Please, just send the divorce certificate directly to this address when it's ready. " I left the villa's address and stood up to leave. A familiar sting burned behind my eyes, and I tilted my head back, willing the tears away. I loved Liam, and after we married, I had tried hard, I had dreamed. But after his repeated neglect, his constant indifference, my once burning heart had slowly, agonizingly, turned to ash. Serena was back; it was time for me to go. Unluckily, after finishing my business, I saw Liam and Serena again in the main hall of a department store. Serena was stunning, radiating a bold, almost wild beauty. She linked her arm through Liam’s, beaming. Liam held her son, Finn, with one arm, his eyes filled with an almost sickeningly soft adoration. My breath hitched. How many times had I fantasized about Liam taking Lily and me shopping? Unbidden tears welled up and spilled over. I stared at them, my heart aching with an unbearable intensity. I forced my trembling legs to move, inching away. Back at the villa, I prepared a resume, along with my portfolio, and sent them to several companies I admired in Country A. Then I printed out my resignation letter and took it directly to the office. After marrying Liam, he had moved me away from his side. Now, I was just a regular employee in the admin department. The resignation process was simple. Once I handed over my current tasks, I could leave at any time. I walked from HR back to my office and started packing my things. A moment later, I heard footsteps and polite murmurs of greeting approaching the door. I looked up and saw several executives surrounding Liam and Serena as they walked in. Serena had changed clothes. Unlike her previous striking and wild style, she now looked sharp and professional, immediately capturing everyone's attention. Liam’s arm was loosely draped around her waist, his gaze glued to her, unable to tear itself away for even a second. A fresh stab of pain pierced my heart. I looked at Liam, but he remained utterly indifferent. I lowered my gaze. The next moment, they were standing in front of me. "Clara, this is Ms. Serena, Mr. Liam's girlfriend. She will be taking over your position. You're being transferred to the sales department. Please ensure a smooth handover as soon as possible. "

Mr. Liam's girlfriend? Liam didn't deny it. My eyes burned with unshed tears, and I clenched my fists. Liam was so eager to reinstate Serena, completely disregarding Lily’s and my feelings. I looked at Liam again. "Li—"

Before I could finish, his icy gaze shot me a warning. "Ms. Clara, if you have any issues with your job transfer, you can speak to your direct superior. " He knit his brows, clearly wanting me to keep our relationship a secret. "She's better suited for this position than you," Liam added. I understood what he meant. He wasn't just talking about work. A thousand tiny needles pricked at my heart. I forced myself to appear composed; he truly didn't care about me. "Alright," I nodded, shaking hands with Serena. Liam seemed satisfied. He turned back to Serena, and the harsh coldness in his eyes softened, replaced by a tenderness I’d never seen directed at me. That kind of look, Lily and I had never received. Love and indifference were so starkly obvious. Fortunately, I had long stopped expecting anything. That evening, the company spontaneously organized a team-building event, a welcome dinner for Serena. I had already resigned and didn't want to go, but Serena insisted. "Ms. Clara, are you upset that I took your job, which is why you don't want to attend my welcome dinner? I never intended to take anything; Mr. Liam arranged everything. "

"I just started today, and I'd really love to connect with you. I don't know many colleagues here. Could you accompany me? "

I looked at her ambiguous gaze and smiled faintly, shaking my head. "You're overthinking it. I need to pick up my daughter. I'm sorry. "

"Where's your husband? He can pick up the child! "

My husband? "I don't have a husband," I said blandly, a bitter ache in my heart. Liam never acknowledged being my husband. Our lives were completely separate. Having one or not made no difference. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know," Serena apologized, but she was persistent, determined to make me attend. "Why don't you bring your daughter along? My son will be here too; they can play together. "

"No, my daughter doesn't like these kinds of events. "

Just as I spoke, a small figure ran toward me. "Mommy, Uncle picked me up from school today! " Lily bounced into my arms, her voice joyful. "He even brought me to find you! "

My heart leaped. Liam didn't even know which kindergarten Lily attended. How could he suddenly pick her up? I looked up. Liam strolled over from a distance, his eyes sparkling with a smile, fixed entirely on Serena. He didn't spare me even a fleeting glance. "Liam, you know Ms. Clara’s child? " Serena asked, her face full of confusion. "I ran into her when I picked up Finn, so I brought her along. She's Ms. Clara’s daughter; she's been to the office a few times," Liam explained, as if afraid she might misunderstand. When he spoke of Lily and me, his tone was distant, detached. It was as if we were strangers, as if he feared any association with us. Lily was about to call him.