Chapter 1

For three years, I played the perfect invisible wife at Sebastian Cross's side.

Everyone knew Sebastian was devoted to his childhood sweetheart, Evelyn — and that he treated his actual wife like she was nothing.

What no one knew was that I could hear Sebastian's thoughts.

He'd mock me out loud, calling me "worthless." But in his head, he was screaming, Look at me, baby.

I told myself that if I just held on long enough, I could melt the ice around his heart.

Then came the charity auction. He took the piece I treasured most — my late mother's work — bought it without a second thought, and handed it to Evelyn. In the argument that followed, I lost my voice. Permanently.

With nothing left inside me, I slid the divorce papers across the table and walked away.

And Sebastian — the untouchable, all-powerful Sebastian Cross — stood alone in that empty mansion and completely fell apart.

The lights blazed inside Veridian City's most prestigious charity gala.

My eyes were locked on the necklace displayed on the stage — a sapphire piece called Blue Reverie.

It was my design. Three sleepless nights of work, poured into every detail for this event.

"Five million dollars."

A low, cold voice cut through the silence of the hall.

The room erupted. Every head turned toward the man sitting beside me.

Sebastian Cross — the youngest powerhouse in Veridian City's business world. And my husband.

I looked at him, caught off guard.

Sebastian's profile was half-swallowed by shadow, his jaw sharp, his expression unreadable.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd around us.

"Mr. Cross really does look out for Mrs. Cross — five million for his wife's work? That's his way of showing support."

"Who said Mr. Cross and Mrs. Cross had a bad marriage? He just threw five million dollars at her."

Something stirred in my chest. A feeling I hadn't felt in a long time.

Three years of marriage, and he'd rarely given me any dignity in public.

Was tonight different? Was this for me?

The moment the host's gavel came down and announced Sebastian as the winning bidder, he stood up.

He took the gleaming necklace from the presenter — and didn't walk toward me.

He walked straight to the front row, to a woman in a white gown, delicate and fragile as a wilting flower.

Evelyn.

Sebastian's childhood sweetheart. The daughter of his late mentor.

"Evie." Sebastian's voice was quiet, but the people nearby could hear every word. "The color of this necklace suits your complexion perfectly."

Evelyn covered her mouth, her eyes going glassy. "Seb, this is too much — and this is Ellie's work. She put so much into it..."

Sebastian let out a short, contemptuous laugh. His gaze swept over me, cold and dismissive.

"Her work?" His lip curled. "It's cheap. Tacky. The kind of thing that doesn't belong in a room like this. Consider it a little toy."

"Put it on. I won't say it twice."

The whispers around us flipped in an instant — each one landing like a slap across my face.

"So he bought it for Evelyn..."

"God, poor Mrs. Cross. Her own husband buys her work just to give it to another woman — and then tears it apart in front of everyone."

I pressed my hands into fists at my sides, my nails cutting into my palms.

And then Sebastian's inner voice detonated in my ear.

【That necklace my wife designed — no one else was getting their hands on it. I wasn't about to let some other man walk away with it tonight.】

【Evie's just holding onto it for me. She ran interference with the drinks all evening — this is just me being polite. The second we get home, I'm taking it back and putting it on my wife myself.】

【Baby, look at me! I just spent five million dollars on your design. Aren't you even a little touched?】

I stared at his cold, hard face. I listened to him gloating in his own head, practically bouncing with pride.

Three years.

For three years, I had forgiven every cruel thing that came out of his mouth — because I could hear what was underneath it.

I told myself he was just guarded. That he didn't know how to show what he felt. That a difficult childhood had twisted the way he expressed himself.

I told myself I could fix him.

But now, watching Blue Reverie — my necklace — rest against Evelyn's collarbone, I felt something in me go very, very quiet.

I was exhausted.

This push and pull, this gap between what he said and what he thought — I was done with it.

I stood up. I walked toward him, meeting his startled gaze head-on.

"Since Sebastian thinks my work is so cheap," I said, my voice steady, "then stop torturing yourself. Stop being tied to someone as cheap as me."

"I want a divorce."