Chapter 1

After six years of marriage, I gave him everything I had, yet my husband wanted a fake divorce.

*****

After Adrian Locke and I got our divorce papers, we got a room at a hotel.

From evening until dawn, we couldn't keep our hands off each other.

Just as we were about to have sex again, he suddenly said, "Brielle, I'm going to get married."

Our wedding was a total rush job, and Adrian had once promised me a real, lavish wedding.

My heart skipped a beat. I thought he meant us. "Is that really okay? We just got divorced. What will our families say?"

"Celeste is coming back today. I'm going to pick her up," he cut me off, his voice still husky from last night. "Before we check out, let's make love one last time."

So the divorce wasn't for some thrill after all. My excitement vanished in a heartbeat.

I looked at my ashen reflection in the mirror, trying to tug the corners of my mouth into something like a smile.

All that bitterness churned inside me, but I forced myself to act like nothing was wrong.

Even though we'd been skin to skin all night, chasing pleasure again and again, our hearts were worlds apart.

Just then, Adrian's phone buzzed on the nightstand. He glanced at the caller ID.

His eyes instantly softened. Noticing my reluctance, he gently pushed me away.

When he picked up, his voice grew lighter. "You're early, aren't you, my little princess Celeste?"

A sweet, soft voice came through the phone. "Adrian, I knew you were late on purpose. The baby and I are starving. Hurry up and come get us."

"Alright, I'm coming right now. Wait for me," Adrian replied.

He hung up and hurried into the bathroom, not even sparing me a glance as he passed.

Yeah, I always knew he only married me out of impulse, just so Celeste would feel jealous or maybe even a little heartbroken when she found out he'd moved on while she was overseas.

After we checked out, we stood at the hotel entrance, waiting for the driver to come pick Adrian up.

He said he was heading to the airport to get Celeste, and told me to just grab a cab back to work on my own.

Adrian was slowly adjusting his cufflinks, and I stood next to him, pretending everything was fine as I fixed his tie for him.

I looked up at him, my eyes rimmed red, my voice shaking as I asked, "Adrian, didn't you say this was just a sham divorce?"

"Celeste is pregnant. I have to give the Monroe family an answer," Adrian said, staring straight ahead, his tone emotionless. "Don't worry. I'm not going to leave you hanging.

"I've already told my assistant to draft the contract. I'm giving you five percent of the company."

My hands froze, and tears slipped down my cheeks before I could stop them.

So he really didn't even remember the promises he once made.

He'd already forgotten those words. "Every wedding in my life will be with you."

"Five percent?" I let out a bitter laugh, my voice trembling. "Adrian, is that really all our years together mean to you? Just five percent of the company?"

Adrian finally spared me a glance, like he was doing me a favor. "Isn't that enough? The company's worth way more than when we first started. Brielle, I know this isn't easy for you, but don't ask for too much."

He leaned down and gently touched my head. "You had me. You should be satisfied with that."

When I looked at the face that once made my heart flutter, all I saw now was a stranger.

After a long silence, I finally forced myself to ask.

"Adrian, after all these years, was I ever really your wife? Or was I just something you kept around like a pet, or maybe just something convenient for you to use?" I said.

The driver arrived right on cue. Adrian just looked at me, silent, like he was trying to come up with a better answer.

But before he could respond, my phone suddenly buzzed.

My fingers shook as I answered, still unsettled. "Hello? What's the matter?"

The hotel entrance wasn't really meant for parking, so after a while, the security guard came over and told us to move along.

"I've got to go. Celeste's still waiting for me at the airport," Adrian said. He seemed to notice I wasn't quite myself, but kept moving. "We'll talk about this some other time."

After Adrian got in the car, the window rolled down in the distance. When I watched his silhouette fade away, it felt like a fist was clenched around my heart, squeezing so tight I could barely breathe.

He didn't stop for me and didn't bother to answer my question. He just left me all alone right where I stood, already moving on like I was nothing.

The call was from the hospital. They said my mom had been in a car accident and was being rushed to the ER.

My eyes froze on the spot for a few seconds, lost in a daze, but the voice on the other end was painfully clear.

The person kept repeating, "Hello? Can you hear me? Your mom's in critical condition."