Chapter 1

After I found out my husband Edward Lane was cheating, I calmly asked for a divorce.

He froze, his hand hovering where my wedding ring used to be. He stared at me in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

I didn't say a word. He kept going, "Fine, don't come crawling back. There are plenty of women who'd kill to be my wife."

The next day, we went through with the divorce.

Our five years together were real, but now it was truly over. And for me, it was time to start fresh and embrace a new life.

*****

I had finished cooking a big meal when I got Edward's message: [Honey, I have to work late tonight. I won't be home.]

Today was our dating anniversary. For the past four years, no matter how busy he was at work, he'd always come home on time to have a nice dinner with me.

A little while later, he sent another message: [Sorry, honey. Something came up at work and I can't get away. Can we celebrate tomorrow instead?]

The message I'd typed, [Today is our anniversary], sat there in the chat box, stuck, like a lump in my throat. I couldn't bring myself to hit send.

Maybe it was because I hadn't replied for a while, or maybe he was feeling guilty, but he quickly sent another message: [I promise I'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay?]

I agreed, then sat alone at the dining table, chewing on food that had already gone cold.

Staring out at the city lights and the endless stream of cars, I couldn't help but feel a sudden sense of foreboding deep inside.

*****

The next day, I went to Edward's favorite restaurant to set up a candlelit dinner.

Since I was a regular, the waiter recognized me and greeted me with a smile. "Mrs. Lane, are you here to see Mr. Lane? He's already in your usual private room."

Edward hadn't told me about this. Could he be planning a surprise for me?

With that in mind, I smiled at the waiter. "No, I won't bother him."

I was going to hit the restroom before heading home, but for some reason, my instincts pulled me toward the door of the private room.

I paused, afraid I'd spoil whatever surprise Edward might have for me, so I lingered there, torn between curiosity and caution.

Right as I was about to walk away, I caught voices drifting out from inside. It was Edward and his buddy.

"Yeah, I used to really like her, but now whenever I see her, there's no spark left. Honestly, it feels dull now," Edward said.

"So basically, you're bored with her, huh?" his buddy replied.

Edward didn't deny it. After a moment of silence, he muttered, "I'm sick of married life."

"So, you're into your secretary now? Those nights you didn't come home and had me cover for you with your wife. Was that all because of her?"

Edward went quiet again, and the room went dead silent.

"Dude, are you for real?" his buddy asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"I think Sophie is so full of life."

His buddy went quiet for a moment, then finally said, "Come on, man, you used to be crazy about Mrs. Lane. She meant the world to you. You're used to having her around. Don't wait until she's gone to realize what you had. Take it from me. Don't play with fire, or you'll get burned."

Edward suddenly let out a soft laugh. "Nah, she won't leave me. After five years together, she's not gonna walk away that easily."

That conversation chilled me to the bone, making me shiver uncontrollably.

Thinking back to all those nights Edward didn't come home, I realized it wasn't work. He was simply tired of me.

Five years together was a trivial thing to him, and he even saw it as the reason I'd never walk away.

He knew exactly how much I'd given, but treated my devotion as ammunition to wound me.

I knew Sophie, too. She was a recent college grad who'd only been at Edward's company for two months.

I remembered the first time Edward mentioned her. His eyes lit up, and there was real admiration in his voice.

He told me that there were a lot of people interviewing, and Sophie wasn't the most outstanding candidate, but she was the bravest and the one who fought hardest for her chance.

During her interview, Sophie messed up and couldn't answer a question. She knew she might have blown it, so she kept begging the interviewer for another shot.

Just then, Edward happened to walk by. Seeing Sophie crying her heart out, he was deeply moved and hired her on the spot, breaking all the usual rules.

I couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed. I frowned and said, "Interviews should be about ability, not who looks the most pitiful. That's not fair to the other candidates, and it could hurt the company in the long run."

Edward was taken aback, and for once, he shot me a cold glare. He said, "Since when did you get so cold? Maybe I've spoiled you too much."

I paused, but still stuck to my opinion. Edward stormed off to his study in a huff.

We gave each other the silent treatment all night because of that. It wasn't until the next morning, when he finally made breakfast and tried to make up, that things went back to normal.

That was why her name stuck with me.

Thinking about it now, ever since Sophie started at the company, Edward would come home all quiet, barely saying a word. He stopped talking to me about work, and before long, he started using work as an excuse to stay out all night.

At first, I thought maybe the company was going through a rough patch, but it never crossed my mind that Edward was cheating.

Turned out, things had been wrong for a long time. Every change was a clue if I'd paid attention.