Chapter 1

We had been married for three years, and the only thing Edwin Lennox ever said to me, Violette Yates, was, "Violette, you make me sick."

He hated me for breaking him and his first love apart, and for forcing him to marry me by threatening his grandfather's life.

I hid the stomach cancer diagnosis behind my back, smiled, and signed the divorce papers. "Edwin, I'm setting you free. From now on, we won't see each other again, in life or death."

He paraded around Rivergate with his first love, while I was in the rented apartment, coughing up blood.

Until one day, he found that crumpled medical report in the trash and rushed like a madman to my funeral, only to find a pile of old clothes in the casket.

A year later, on a street in Swisey, he grabbed my hand, begging for forgiveness. But I politely brushed his fingers away. "You have the wrong person, sir. I don't know you."

*****

Candlelight danced across the table, showing off the beautiful dishes Violette had spent all afternoon preparing.

The door clicked open, and she hurried to greet him, her heart brimming with anticipation, only to freeze in the entryway.

Edwin had returned, but he wasn't alone.

A slender woman was wrapped around his arm, her perfume taking over the whole room and drowning out the scent of dinner.

It was Samantha Reed, the ex he'd never gotten over, even after all these years.

Violette's heart plunged into a frozen pit.

"Edwin, you're back," she said, forcing herself to sound calm, trying to maintain her dignity as the hostess.

But Edwin didn't even bother to look at her, heading straight to the dining room with Samantha clinging to his arm.

Samantha pretended to be surprised, covering her mouth. "Wow, Ms. Lane, you made all this? Too bad Edwin and I already had dinner outside."

Every word from her was like a sharp needle, piercing right into Violette's heart.

Edwin scanned the table, his expression filled with open disgust.

He took a bit from each dish, not to taste, but just to make a show of it.

Under Violette's stunned gaze, he gathered the plates and walked deliberately toward the kitchen.

With a careless sweep, all the food she'd spent three hours preparing for their third wedding anniversary was tossed into the trash without a second thought.

The sound shattered Violette's last hope. "Edwin, what?" she asked.

"You're annoying," Edwin cut her off, walking out of the kitchen and casually grabbing a tissue to wipe at nonexistent grease.

Samantha giggled, leaning into him, the dazzling diamond necklace around her neck catching the light and sparkling sharply.

Violette's breath hitched. That necklace was the Tears of the Stars Edwin had won at auction last month. He'd said it was a gift for Mrs. Lennox.

So, the Mrs. Lennox he'd spoken of was never Violette.

Samantha noticed Violette spacing out and started fiddling with her pendant, showing it off on purpose. "Ms. Lane, pretty, isn't it? Edwin gave it to me."

Edwin pulled Samantha close by the waist, staring down at Violette, his words dripping with disdain.

"Only Samantha is worthy of something this exquisite," he sneered.

He paused, looked her up and down like she was just some bargain-bin item. "On you, it'd look like something from a flea market."

Her stomach twisted violently, a stabbing pain crashing over her and sending her vision spinning into darkness.

Violette staggered, cold sweat instantly soaking her back. She knew her chronic condition was acting up again. She couldn't let herself break down here, not in front of them. That would be unbearable.

Her hand shook as she reached for her purse on the sofa. Her emergency meds were inside. As long as she took them, she'd be okay.

Her fingers had barely touched the edge of her bag when a big hand came crashing down.

The purse hit the floor with a harsh slap, scattering everything, lipstick, keys, and a small white pill bottle.

The bottle rolled, its cap flying off, spilling white pills everywhere. Her lifeline was now scattered across the floor.

Violette's face drained of all color. She tried to bend down to pick up the pills, but the stabbing pain in her stomach was so intense she could barely keep herself upright.

Edwin stared down at her with nothing but scorn, not a trace of pity in his eyes.

"Violette, quit acting like you're at death's door.

"Faking illness for sympathy again, on our third anniversary?

"You make me sick," he sneered.

Violette gripped the sofa as she slowly, inch by inch, forced herself upright.

She looked at the mess on the floor, at the crushed white pills, at the undisguised disgust on Edwin's face, and at the smug smile in Samantha's eyes.

The flame of love that had burned in her heart for three years was snuffed out for good in that moment.

Maybe it was for the best. Violette suddenly let out a laugh, one that was both desolate and liberating.

She didn't bother with the pills on the floor, nor did she waste another look on those two lovebirds.

She turned calmly and picked up a manila envelope from the scattered mess.

Violette brushed the dust off, her movements graceful and detached, untouched by the chaos around her.

Then, she held the envelope out to Edwin.

"What's this?" Edwin frowned, clearly caught off guard by her move.

"What you've always wanted," Violette said.

Edwin took it with suspicion and pulled out the document.

Five bold words stared back at him, hitting like a punch: [Divorce Agreement].

He froze for a moment, then let out a cold laugh, like it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen.

"Violette, so desperate to get me back, you'd pull this stunt?

"You think I care?" he sneered.

He grabbed a pen from the coffee table, didn't even bother to read the agreement, and signed his name at the bottom with a bold, decisive flourish. The ink practically bled through the paper.

He tossed the divorce papers at Violette, the sharp edge scraping her cheek and leaving a thin red line.

"I'm giving you what you want," Edwin said, his voice colder than ice. "Don't regret this. You're walking out of here with nothing, not a single thing from this house."

Violette picked up the agreement, gently smoothing out the creases, as if it were her most precious possession.

She lifted her head, meeting Edwin's gaze, and a brilliant, almost defiant smile lit up her pale face.

"Fine," she replied, her voice soft but unwavering. "All I want is my dignity."