Chapter 1

Right before the National Sculpture Contest, my tenth piece was smashed to pieces by Julian's toxic "first love," Chloe.

She sneered in front of the crowd, "Does a gold-digger who slept her way up even deserve to be a finalist?"

The clients I was negotiating with frowned.

Chloe smirked, growing even bolder. "Sculpting isn't her real talent, anyway..."

I stepped up and slapped her across the face.

Julian’s retaliation came that very night.

He unleashed an online mob on me and threatened my clients: "Do business with Riley, and your company goes bankrupt."

He let Chloe drag my name through the mud on Twitter and Instagram, accusing me of seducing men—she even dug up my deceased father to insult him online.

A few days later, Julian came to confront me:

"She didn't make the contest finals and was devastated. Did you really have to provoke her?"

Chloe stood beside him, chin held high:

"Divorce her right now, or I’ll kill myself!"

Julian immediately nodded: "We’re already divorced."

Like always, he pulled out a fake settlement agreement to pacify her.

I sneered, took the papers, and tore them in half.

"Why fake it? Let's sign the real deal."

"You think you can let Julian go? A woman like you snuck into his bed while his real girlfriend was away, faked a pregnancy, and trapped him into marriage. You really have the guts to walk away?"

Chloe’s mocking words made the onlookers gasp.

Everyone looked like they had just struck gold with the juiciest drama.

I was already completely numb to it. I just glanced at Julian.

I thought that knowing the truth, he would at least shoot Chloe an annoyed look.

Instead, he tucked his chin into his chest, playing the coward.

I chuckled. "So, now that I'm divorcing your man, are you satisfied?"

"That's enough!"

One sentence from me, and Julian flew into a rage again.

I honestly wondered if I had a button installed on him that triggered him every time I opened my mouth.

"Why are you making a scene right now? If Chloe’s condition gets worse because of your temper, can you take responsibility?"

"And if your precious Chloe finds out you’ve been fooling her with fake divorce papers, can she handle that?"

I deliberately raised my voice. Before Julian could speak, I looked right at Chloe. "Did you know your man is the one who refuses to let me go? He’s pathetic. He can’t bear to leave me."

"Slap!"

Julian put all his weight into it. My cheek burned like fire.

Julian looked stunned by his own action. He opened his mouth to explain, but Chloe cut him off.

"So you’ve been lying to me this whole time? Because of this bitch, you lied to me?!"

Watching Chloe act like the eternal victim, I couldn't help but laugh.

I was Julian’s legally wedded wife, yet this psycho stalker acted like she was the one wronged.

Just because she claimed to have a mental illness, she could do whatever she wanted?

Right in front of me, Julian wrapped Chloe in a tight embrace.

"It’s okay, Chloe. I love you. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved. I’ll divorce her right now. Today."

Chloe’s expression softened slightly. "Really?"

Julian nodded solemnly.

Then he scowled at me. "Are you happy now? We’re heading to the courthouse."

If this had been the past, hearing those words would have shattered me.

When I first learned Julian had a childhood friend who struggled with mental health, I actually felt sorry for her.

Until our first dinner with his friends after we got married, when I finally saw what her "illness" really meant.

Even though it was the first time Chloe and I had ever met, her hostility toward me was venomous.

"Ahhh! Julian, make her leave! Get that woman away from me!"

Back then, Chloe jumped up like someone had stepped on her tail, screaming hysterically.

After that, Julian never brought me to their gatherings again.

I fought with him about it constantly. "Why should I be the one excluded?"

At first, he would explain gently, but soon he grew impatient:

"Chloe has been sick for years. It’s not just you. Do you have to be so dramatic?"

Back then, I already felt he treated Chloe better than me, and we gave each other the silent treatment for a long time.

In the end, Julian swore an oath to me, and I reluctantly forgave him.

Later, he broke every promise he made.