Chapter 2

Samuel came back in no time, shooting off with. "Not dead yet, huh? Switching up your tricks? Trying to get a divorce?"

Samuel's snarky words had a sting to them, but honestly, he wasn't wrong.

In my previous life, the whole reason I ended up married to Samuel was just because our families needed a partnership.

At the time, the Monroe family was drowning in debt, their business lagging behind by decades. My marriage was basically the Sinclair family bleeding dry just to keep the Monroe family's bottomless pit from collapsing.

So, whenever I asked for a divorce, Samuel would back down.

Back then, I thought his compromise meant love. The only love I ever got from him.

But now I see it clearly. It wasn't love. It was just about profit. Samuel only gave in for the sake of the Monroe family's survival.

After pulling myself together, I noticed Sophie standing right behind Samuel.

Sophie was two years younger than me. Years ago, the Monroe family adopted her from an orphanage, and she's been a part of them ever since.

She and Samuel grew up side by side, basically joined at the hip.

I ever kid myself that, just like in those web novels, the childhood friend always loses out to the mysterious new girl who just drops into his life.

Truth was, I was never that mysterious girl. Not even close.

To Samuel, I was nothing but that clingy, over-attached Charlotte.

I handed him the divorce papers. "Sign them."

Samuel let out a mocking laugh and ripped up the papers right in front of me, didn't even care about my feelings.

"Sophie's moving in. You'll give her your master bedroom. No objections, right?" he said.

Objections? Like I'd ever dare.

Same old story from my previous life.

Sophie insisted on taking the master bedroom in the new house Samuel and I were supposed to share.

I said no, so she had to bunk in the guest room off to the side. And then, one night, she went straight out the window.

She made it sound like it was all because the bed was too close to some giant window, just an accident, supposedly.

That was some real carelessness. Seriously, no one in their right mind goes to sleep with a floor-to-ceiling window wide open.

Samuel pinned the whole thing on me.

He said it was to teach me a lesson and tossed me into a pitch-dark room, no food, no water. By the time he finally remembered me, I was practically at death's door.

My best friend tried to stand up for me. "Just get a divorce, Charlotte. If you keep putting up with this, that jerk Samuel is going to kill you."

Honestly, my brain must've been fried back then, because I actually snapped back at her.

"Why is he only a jerk to me? Why not to anyone else?"

"Why is it only my life he wants? Why doesn't he go after anyone else?"

"He's obsessed with me. Like I'm all he's ever cared about."

After hearing me talk like that, my friends just started to drift away. Eventually, no one even bothered to keep in touch.

Looking back now, I must've been totally brainless.

Since Sophie loved stealing other people's spots, I gave this one right over to her.

"Okay."

I agreed, totally calm, like I couldn't care less.

A flash of surprise flickered in Sophie's eyes. Whatever dramatic scheme she had planned just died on the spot.

She kept glancing over at me, then tugged at Samuel's arm.

"Samuel, about that thing..."

Sophie started to say something, but stopped herself.

Samuel pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, every bit the picture of refined elegance. Back then, I was hopelessly drawn to that 'gentleman on the outside, devil on the inside' act.

Now that I thought about it, I was downright delusional.

Samuel said, "Sophie's not doing so hot, and she's getting ready for a baby. For the next two weeks, you're going to wait on her hand and foot. If I remember right, you studied nursing, didn't you?"

Yeah, I did. Only because of him.

Back then, Samuel was out partying and drinking at endless business events for the Monroe family's sinking ship, and wrecked his stomach so badly he was stuck in the hospital for over a week.

We couldn't afford a real nurse, so I picked up the basics in a few days and stayed by his side round the clock, barely slept, never let myself leave him even once.

I didn't even blink. If he raised a hand, I was there with water; if he turned over, I massaged him right away. Honestly, I worked harder than any housekeeper ever could.

I always thought he'd appreciate everything I did for him, but it turned out, all he ever remembered was having a free maid at his beck and call.

I agreed with a calm smile, but this time, I was determined to take back what truly belonged to me.

"Samuel, you give me back the three Sinclair family seals I handed over to you before, and I'll agree," I said.

Those three Sinclair family corporate seals were the lifeline that pulled Monroe Group back from the edge.

Thinking back, marrying Samuel was like moving a thousand miles away from everything I'd ever known.

My family was from Betriton. Initially, my parents strongly opposed the idea and even provided three official seals, saying that with these, all the industries and businesses in Hayston would give the Sinclair family enough face to cooperate with the Monroe Group.

And they told me, as long as I could ever reclaim those three seals, even if they were halfway across the world, they'd drop everything and come rescue me.

When I handed those three seals to Samuel, I made him carry them everywhere, swearing they'd bring him business luck and save his empire.

In my previous life, I brought it up to him, too.

But instead of listening, he got right in my face and started shouting.

"Charlotte, who the hell do you and the Sinclair family think you are? And those fancy seals? Please. You really think you're so important? Even without you people, the Monroe family would rise from the ashes just fine."

It was only then that I realized I couldn't ever satisfy an ungrateful person.

No matter how hard I tried, nothing could thaw a heart that cold.

If he didn't care for it, at least a dog would be glad I threw it a bone.

Samuel just scoffed and tossed me one from his pocket. "The other two? You'll get one every two weeks."

I knew exactly what he meant. He wanted me to take good care of Sophie for the next two weeks.

Once he handed over the seals, that would be my signal to walk away for good.

By then, my parents would handle the divorce paperwork for me.

I had withdrawn all my admiration for Samuel, eager to see if Sophie would still love him when he was no longer a Monroe heir, but a beggar in debt.