Chapter 1

My husband walked onto the press stage with another woman and a child at his side.

after working through the night to prepare for the announcement of our marriage and the launch of the company's new flagship technology,

Ten years of a hidden marriage.

I was the one who kept the company running.

After that public humiliation, I didn't scream.

I did three things instead:

I filed for divorce.

I resigned.

And I took the core research with me.

From that moment on,

his life entered its final countdown.

At the press conference, David Blackwell, my husband, was about to announce his love for someone else when Ella Carter, his new executive assistant, suddenly stepped onto the stage holding a little girl.

"Sweetie, Daddy's calling you up here!" she said.

The crowd instantly erupted, bombarding David with questions about his new romance.

David didn't deny it. Instead, he affectionately pulled the little girl into his arms. The display screens even showcased the company's newest, multi-million-dollar prototype, developed from my research, dedicated to her.

"Yes, we have a child," he confirmed.

Seeing me, Victoria Hayes, standing frozen, the reporters were only too eager to stir the pot.

"Ms. Hayes, you've been the Lead Researcher for so long. On such an important day, shouldn't you say something?"

I smiled faintly, then handed the access key for the year's foundational research to the new assistant.

"Good things come in pairs," I said. "Consider this the gift for your daughter."

When I gave the key to Ella Carter, everyone paused for a moment before murmuring in surprise.

"Only Ms. Hayes could be so generous. That research was your life's work!"

"Ms. Hayes, you spoil Mr. Blackwell's daughter so much."

Ella, hearing this, tilted her chin up and shot me a smug look.

David, on the other hand, clenched his jaw, his deep, cold eyes fixed on me.

Seeing him so uncomfortable only amused me.

We'd been married for ten years. Yet, he'd always avoided officially announcing our marriage, using the company's interests as an excuse.

He never acknowledged my role publicly, leaving my contributions in the shadows.

At the office, he kept a strict professional distance, refusing any personal acknowledgment. I was only allowed to address him as Mr. Blackwell.

I never complained, quietly staying in this hidden marriage for a decade, supporting him as we built the company from the ground up.

It wasn't until yesterday, when the proprietary framework I developed secured the landmark deal, bringing in unprecedented investment, that he finally agreed to officially announce me as his wife at today's press conference.

I couldn't believe it. After all these years, he was finally going to recognize me publicly. I'd stayed up all night finalizing the data packs.

The next day, I woke up early, hoping to look perfect beside David.

But in the end, the woman standing next to him wasn't me. I was the punchline.

If this had happened before, I would've been furious.

But now, I just stood there, calmly watching the family of three on stage.

"Wishing you all a lifetime of happiness," I said, my voice steady.

David's eyes turned icy. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the little girl's crying.

Ella tugged at David's sleeve. "David, I think Hannah's scared..."

At her words, David shot me a cold glance. "Look at what you've done."

He waved his hand dismissively, shoving me aside as he scooped up Hannah and took Ella's hand, leaving without looking back.

The push threw me off balance. My heels twisted, and I fell, my head hitting the edge of the display console.

A sharp pain shot through my back. Yet David didn't even glance back.

Watching his indifferent back, I couldn't help but feel a bitter irony.

He was kinder to a stranger than to his wife.

Hannah Carter was only crying from being startled. But when our own daughter had a high fever, delirious and on the brink of death, he did nothing.

Once, David and I had a five-year-old daughter.

That year, while I was at a remote research facility, I asked David to take care of her. He promised he would.

But instead of staying with her, he went out for meetings, leaving our daughter alone at home, burning with fever for hours.

By the time I rushed back, it was too late.

We fought terribly that day.

Later, he knelt, crying and apologizing. I softened because of our shared history, and I forgave him.

I was foolish back then, but not anymore.

I turned and left the venue.

After leaving, I took a taxi home, planning to tend to my wounds.

As soon as I walked in, I saw Ella and Hannah on the couch. Hannah was holding my daughter's favorite stuffed toy.

When Ella saw me, she smiled. "Victoria, you're back! Hannah wanted to see your place, so David brought us here. He said to make ourselves at home!"

She then pulled out a data drive, waving it. "I heard this holds your life's work, the core schematics? And the neural interface prototype Hannah's testing is based on your daughter's project, right?

"I only mentioned it, and David just handed everything over.

"Victoria, if you know what's good for you, just leave already!"

Before, I would have been furious.

But now, I just gave her a cold glance and turned to head upstairs.

I had no time for her games.

But Ella blocked my path.

The next moment, she roughly disconnected the prototype interface from Hannah's temple and slapped her across the face.

Hannah's face turned red, and she burst into tears.

Ella held Hannah and shouted, "Victoria, if you have a problem, come at me! But Hannah's just a child!"

I almost laughed. This was one of her usual tricks.

Before I could react, David rushed over.

His face darkened when he saw Hannah, and he slapped me. "Victoria, you've gone too far! How could you hurt a child?

"Hannah is Ella's niece! They were just lightening the mood. Why make such a big deal?"

Pathetic acting, but David bought it.

If this had happened before, I would have been furious.

But now, I felt nothing.

I picked up the prototype module from the floor, handed it back to Ella, and smiled faintly. "You were just lightening the mood. How could I hold it against you?

"To show my appreciation, I even booked a five-star restaurant for us."

I showed them the reservation on my phone—originally booked to celebrate with David.

Seeing it was real, David said awkwardly, "I'll transfer you the money."

I refused.

David's tone softened. "Victoria, you've changed. I'll make it up to you after the announcement."

But he didn't realize that when a woman suddenly became more understanding, it was not because she was weaker.

It was because she no longer loved him.

This time, I was determined to be the one who walked away first.