Chapter 1

Five years into building a company with Ethan Thorne, we had gone from broke basement lovers to the power couple everyone envied.

Everyone said Ethan treated me like a queen. He once even walked out on a multi-million dollar VC pitch just to rush me to the ER when I had an allergic reaction.

Until today, when I saw his wedding invitation to his first love.

Yet, just half an hour ago, we were tangled in the sheets, loving each other to death.

I confronted him. "Ethan, what have I been to you these past five years?"

He took a slow drag of his cigarette, his voice painfully calm. "Just your bad luck, I guess. You happened to show up when I was at my lowest."

"And now? Now you have everything."

He turned to look at me, his eyes devoid of any warmth.

"Now? Now it's time to give the seat back to the one who actually belongs there."

I let out a cold laugh.

Then it really is time for me to find a new husband.

Sera's POV

Behind the scenes of Apex Tech's grand product launch, the door to the VIP green room was locked from the inside.

Ethan pinned me against the vanity mirror, kissing me so hard I could barely breathe.

My silk blouse was completely disheveled, unbuttoned down to my collarbone, while Ethan was still immaculately dressed in his bespoke suit, his glasses sitting perfectly on his high nose bridge.

This dominant, possessive contrast made my ears flush crimson.

Ethan's large hand gripped my waist, pulling me hard against his chest. His lips brushed my earlobe as he chuckled darkly, "The press is right outside, Sera. If I open this door, everyone will see you like this. Why are you trembling, hmm?"

The crisp, clean scent of cedarwood on him completely enveloped me. Just as I was losing myself in his rare display of passion, a frantic knock shattered the silence.

"Mr. Thorne, Mr. Carter says there's an urgent matter," his assistant's voice called out from the other side.

Ethan froze, the passion in his eyes vanishing instantly.

He let me go, slowly buttoning his suit jacket, returning to his usual cold, aloof self. "Wait for me here. I'll take care of it."

The door clicked shut, leaving me alone in the quiet room.

I caught my breath, walked over to the sofa, and picked up Ethan's iPad to finish some digital sketches, as I always did.

But the moment the screen unlocked, an iCloud sync notification popped up.

File Sync Complete: Marriage_Certificate_Scan.pdf

My heart skipped a beat. A marriage certificate?

Ethan and I had been together for five years. Though he'd recently mentioned "settling down," we hadn't even bought rings yet. Where did a marriage certificate come from?

I tapped the file.

The high-definition scan filled the screen, and what I saw made my eyes burn.

The man in the photo was indeed Ethan, looking incredibly gentle. But the woman leaning happily against his shoulder wasn't me.

It was Chloe Bennett.

I scrolled down. The registration date was three days ago.

The next page was a pre-drafted Prenuptial Agreement and Asset Transfer.

"The groom, Ethan Thorne, voluntarily transfers 10% of Apex Tech's founder shares to the bride, Chloe Bennett, upon marriage."

In that single second, the blood in my veins turned to ice.

Chloe Bennett.

The name was like a poisoned needle stabbing straight into my heart.

Five years ago, Ethan was just a broke college kid trying to start a business. Chloe, his college sweetheart, stole his core source code, sold it to his biggest competitor, and fled the country to study abroad, leaving him ruined.

Ethan went bankrupt overnight, buried under millions in debt. He was so severely depressed he almost jumped from the roof of his building.

It was me who dragged him back from the edge of that roof. A nobody. A struggling freelance illustrator.

For five years, I worked three jobs. I was a receptionist by day and drew digital commissions late into the night. To help him pay off his debts and restart his project, I drew until my neck was permanently damaged and my vision blurred.

I literally used my own life to pave the way for Ethan's success.

I shared moldy bread with him. I lived in leaky basement apartments. I held him through countless nights of absolute despair.

I thought I had finally become irreplaceable in his life.

Yet now, when he was worth billions and stood at the top of the world, the very first thing he did was bring back the woman who betrayed him and secretly marry her!

He was even giving away the shares I had sacrificed my health for to that parasite!

Tears fell, splashing onto the screen and blurring the text.

So, five years of devotion meant absolutely nothing compared to his first love coming back.

I didn't go to Ethan to scream and cry.

When adults break down, they do it silently.

I wiped my tears, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number I had promised myself I would never call.

When the call connected, Eleanor Thorne's arrogant voice rang out: "So, Miss Vance, have you finally faced reality?"

"Yes, Mrs. Thorne," I said, my voice shockingly calm. "I accept your offer of $50 million. I will leave Ethan forever."