Chapter 1

I had a fever of 39 degrees and asked my wife to take me to the hospital. She dismissed it as a waste of money and told me to just tough it out.

I was writhing in pain on the floor when I overheard her on the phone, speaking warmly to someone she cherished deeply.

"I got the latest model of the watch. Make sure to wear it for our date today."

"Of course, I have to give you something special. After all, you're the heir to Lin Corporation. I can't let you feel wronged."

My heart sank with despair.

After a brief pause, I asked my wife for a divorce.

She looked irritated.

"You want a divorce over something so trivial? Do you even realize how much you earn monthly? What are you trying to do?"

"If you want to divorce, fine. But all the marital assets must go to me."

I nodded in agreement.

After all, what are marital assets compared to the fact that I've only been away for three years, and someone has already usurped my rightful place as the true heir of the Lin family?

"It's just a fever. Drink some warm water, and you'll be fine. Going to the hospital is just a waste of money."

"Besides, the salary you gave me last month was too little. Our daily expenses are barely covered. If we go to the hospital, we’ll really be out of money next month."

My wife, Phoebe, sighed and gently adjusted the covers for me.

In the past, seeing her troubled and concerned expression might have convinced me.

But her recent phone call is still echoing in my mind.

I looked at her without speaking.

Assuming I believed her as usual, Phoebe patted my hair.

"You stay home and rest. I'll go out to buy groceries and make you a nice dinner tonight."

With that, she left without waiting for my response.

Before leaving, she sprayed on some perfume and checked her reflection to ensure her makeup and outfit were perfect.

Clearly, she wasn’t going grocery shopping but rather on a date.

I sat in silence for two minutes, then got up and followed her in a cab.

Soon, I saw Phoebe's car parked in front of a restaurant. She got out and leapt onto the back of a waiting man with a smile.

Their natural interaction showed this wasn’t their first meeting.

I sat in the car, wrapped in a thick blanket, yet feeling colder than ever.

All my lingering doubts were finally answered.

No wonder she always complained about the lack of living expenses.

No wonder she was hot and cold towards me, even though I tried so hard to please her.

No wonder I often saw receipts for men's gifts in her bag, but never received any myself.

...

Turns out, in her heart, my place had already been taken by another man.

I felt a complex mix of emotions.

I paid the cab fare and walked into the restaurant.

Phoebe and I had come a long way, and I didn’t want to separate over a misunderstanding. I needed to understand her position.

As I entered, I saw Phoebe feeding the man milk tea, using the same straw he had used without hesitation.

But I remembered she had a cleanliness obsession and even found my worn clothes dirty.

I clenched my fist, intending to step forward when Phoebe spotted me first.

"Declan, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be resting at home since you're unwell?"

Her expression was tense for a moment but quickly returned to normal.

I stepped forward, glancing at the sumptuous meal on the table and the bill next to her.

Two people, a meal costing nearly ten thousand.

The card used was our joint one.

The man beside her wore a brand-new watch on his wrist, and even the cheapest model of this brand costs over fifty thousand.

I didn’t respond to her. I just gave a bitter laugh.

"No wonder you didn’t want to take me to the hospital. Turns out all the money went here."

Phoebe got flustered, her usual gentle demeanor vanishing as she glared at me.

"What are you sneering about? Orion is a friend who has helped me a lot. This is just a way to repay him."

"Instead, why are you, sick and all, following me here for no reason?"

Before I could speak, Orion sneered, deliberately showing off his watch to me.

"So you're Phoebe's useless boyfriend?"

"You're useless, making Phoebe suffer so much. If it were me, I'd be too ashamed to ask such questions and would only blame myself for not giving Phoebe a good life."

I looked him up and down, sneering without a word.

"What are you looking at?"

He felt uneasy, getting angry, and kicked at me.

I quickly stepped back. Orion wasn’t quick enough and kicked the table leg instead.

He yelled, and Phoebe immediately supported him, checking his foot without hesitation.

"Why is it bleeding?"

She frowned and glared at me, "Declan, look at what you've done. Apologize to Orion!"

I laughed out of frustration.

It was just a scratch, yet she made it sound serious.

But I'd had a fever for two days, and she only lightly told me to bear it.

Knowing what I was thinking, Phoebe snapped, "Can you compare to Orion? He's the heir to Lin Corporation, someone special, and you're rough and unrefined. Why are you being so dramatic?"

I froze.

Heir to Lin Corporation?

Before I could react, Orion thought I was scared and raised his eyebrows smugly.

"I advise you to listen to Phoebe. Apologize to me now, and maybe I'll spare you."

"Otherwise..."

"Otherwise, what?" I chuckled.

As soon as I spoke, Phoebe slapped me hard.

Her voice was cold, "Otherwise, we'll divorce."

I was stunned, ignoring my ringing ears, staring at Phoebe. For a moment, she felt so unfamiliar.

Three years ago, after we registered our marriage, she tore up our marriage certificate. I was shocked, but she told me tearing it meant we could never divorce.

The person who once insisted on never divorcing now mentioned it first to make me apologize to another man.

"I won't apologize."

I looked at Orion, who was smug, and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"Do you remember? Our marriage certificate was torn."

"Tear it and replace it. Declan, did you really think tearing the certificate meant we couldn't divorce? How naive are you?"

They exchanged a glance and laughed in unison.

The laughter was sharp and piercing.

I clenched my fists, my voice dry.

"Fine, let's divorce."

"Alright, let's go to the County Clerk's Office tomorrow and make it official."

"But don't forget, we signed a prenuptial agreement. No matter the reason, if we divorce, you'll have to leave with nothing."

Phoebe replied swiftly.

She didn’t seem surprised that I agreed to the divorce. There was even a glimmer of joy in her expression.

For a moment, I couldn't help but wonder if everything she'd done recently, even me following her today, was all part of her plan for our divorce.

She'd wanted to divorce me for a long time.

And I was just a fool being played.

I said nothing, turned, and left.

Outside the hotel, I picked up my phone and dialed.

"Mom and Dad, I'll listen to you. I'm coming home to take over the family business."