Chapter 3

The yacht party didn't wrap up until late into the night.

Instead of heading back to our penthouse downtown, I took a cab straight to the hillside estate.

This property was pre-marital property inherited from my grandfather, and technically our primary residence.

Once home, I pulled every document out of the safe.

Deeds, trust agreements, bank statements, and the original mortgage agreement where I pledged this very estate to secure Julian’s startup loan.

I photographed and cataloged every single original page.

I used to believe marriage meant sharing everything. What was his was mine, so I never kept score.

I had even walked away from my own burgeoning art career to handle all his company's internal operations behind the scenes.

I had poured my youth and talent into becoming the stepping stone beneath his feet.

Looking back now, I was pathetic.

At 2:00 AM, the electronic front lock chimed.

Julian and Maya walked in, one after the other.

Both reeked of alcohol. Maya was still in her slip dress from the yacht, with Julian’s suit jacket draped over her shoulders.

Seeing me sitting on the living room carpet sorting through files, Julian paused.

"What the hell are you doing in the middle of the night?"

He yanked his tie off, his tone dripping with irritation.

I ignored him, sliding another contract into a waterproof folder.

Maya strutted over in her heels, deliberately pulling Julian’s jacket tighter around herself.

"Chloe, are you really throwing a tantrum? Today was your anniversary. Julian was just playing along with me. Who are you putting on this sour face for?"

I stopped what I was doing and looked up at her coldly.

"You had your fun, and I watched the show. Now, get the hell out of my house."

Maya’s face froze, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

She looked at Julian with an aggrieved pout.

"Julian, look at her... How could she talk to me like that?"

Julian stormed over, stepping directly in front of Maya to shield her while glaring down at me.

"Chloe, have you lost your mind? Maya is your sister! Where do you expect her to go at two in the morning?"

"This bitter, spiteful attitude of yours makes me sick."

Watching him act like her white knight, my heart didn't even ripple.

"She has two legs. She can go to a hotel, or she can sleep on the sidewalk. It's none of my business."

"I'll only say this once: this is my house. You two leave right now, or I'm calling security to throw you out."

Julian scoffed in disbelief and kicked the coffee table beside him.

"Your house? I spent over a million dollars renovating this place! Every single piece of furniture in here was handpicked by me! Now you're drawing lines between what's yours and mine?"

I stood up, meeting his furious glare.

The renovation of this house was another dagger in my heart.

I had originally wanted a warm French country style, filled with sunlight and lush greenery.

Julian claimed he was a minimalist with neat-freak tendencies and hated clutter.

So, I compromised.

The entire villa had been redone in cold, stark black-and-white minimalism.

When I wanted to hang my own oil paintings in the living room, he said the colors were too loud and ruined the vibe. Instead, he hung an overpriced abstract piece he bought at an auction.

Time and time again, I conceded, turning my own home into his sterile showroom.

"A million dollars for renovations, right?" I asked calmly.

"Tomorrow, my lawyer will calculate the depreciation and wire the remaining value into your account."

Julian froze, clearly stunned that I was being so ruthlessly clinical.

"What are you talking about?"

"Exactly what I said." I picked up my phone and dialed my real estate broker.

"Leo, sorry for calling so late. That hillside estate? I'm listing it."

"Yes, as fast as possible. Price isn't the priority, but it must be an all-cash buyer. You can bring clients for showings starting tomorrow."

I had put the call on speaker, and Leo's thrilled voice echoed clearly through the silent living room.

Julian's face drained of color.

He lunged forward to snatch my phone.

I took half a step back and ended the call.

"Chloe! Are you insane? This is our marital home!"

He roared at me, panic finally creeping into his voice.

"Not for much longer."

I turned around and pulled out the suitcase I had already packed.

"My attorney will contact you tomorrow. You can negotiate the terms of the divorce with her."