Chapter 1

The pregnancy test in my bag was still warm, fresh from the clinic, when Brenda threw my suitcase out of the front door.

Austin stood right next to her. He looked helpless, but he couldn't even look me in the eye.

"You see how it is, Chloe. We’ve been married for three years and still no baby. My mom wants a grandkid, and she’s running out of patience."

"Let’s just get a divorce. I’m not getting any younger. I can’t waste any more time on this."

My hand slipped into my bag, tightly gripping the positive pregnancy report.

But in the end, I let go.

"Fine. See you at the courthouse tomorrow to sign the papers."

Since your family has a royal empire to inherit...

I’ll take my baby and let them inherit someone else’s empire.

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"Pack your trash and get out. Don't block the door for the new lady of the house."

Brenda sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, eating pistachios and spitting the shells everywhere. One shell landed right at my feet.

I knelt on the floor, packing my clothes. My fingers brushed against a wool scarf in the corner of the closet.

Austin had wrapped it around my neck himself on our wedding day.

Now, it was buried under a pile of junk, covered in dust.

I paused for a second, then left it right where it was.

"Hold on," Brenda said suddenly.

I looked back. She was pointing at the mahogany coffee table in the living room.

"My son bought that furniture. You’re not taking it."

I let out a cold laugh.

"Brenda, I bought that with my own salary."

"So what?" She stood up and walked over to me, looking incredibly smug.

"You’ve lived under Austin’s roof for ten years. Everything you ate and wore came from him. What's wrong with leaving some furniture?"

I took a deep breath.

Forget it. It was just a piece of wood.

Austin walked out of the bedroom, holding a credit card.

"There’s thirty thousand dollars in here. Consider it compensation." He paused. "Just sign the waiver to give up your rights to the house, and we can end this cleanly."

End this cleanly. What a joke.

I took the card and threw it straight into the trash can.

"No thanks. I can support myself."

Brenda’s face twisted. "What do you mean by that? Are you still trying to sue for our assets?"

"I don't care about your assets." I zipped up my suitcase and stood up. "I just hope your new girl can actually produce the heir you’re begging for."

With that, I turned around and walked out.

Behind me, Brenda spat on the floor.

"How dare she! A barren woman has no right to talk about sons!"

Dragging my suitcase into the elevator, the moment the doors slid shut, I couldn't stop my tears from falling.

It wasn't because I missed him.

It was because I was finally free.

When the elevator reached the lobby, I saw a white Audi parked outside.

A young woman in a beige trench coat was leaning against the car. Her hand was resting on her belly, and she was smiling like a rose in full bloom.

Hailey.

I had seen her pictures before. Last month, Austin left his phone on the sofa, and I accidentally saw their Snapchat messages.

"Oh, Mrs. Vance... wait, I should call you... ex-wife now." She walked up to me, intentionally pushing her belly forward. "Austin told me you agreed to the divorce. I’m really grateful."

I gripped the handle of my suitcase.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you." Her smile grew even wider. "By the way, I’m three months pregnant. Brenda said it's definitely a boy."

Three months.

Which meant they were already sleeping together long before we even talked about divorce.

A sudden wave of nausea hit me.

It wasn't morning sickness.

It was pure disgust.

Seeing me stay silent, Hailey took a step closer and intentionally bumped her shoulder against mine.

Instinctively, I protected my stomach and took two steps back.

That single movement was caught by a man standing across the street.

He wore a long black coat and stood under a maple tree, holding a cigarette.

I knew that face very well.

Ethan Vance.

My college classmate, and my current boss.

Seeing me, he stubbed out his cigarette and walked over.

Hailey noticed him too. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly fixed her hair, stepping forward to greet him.

But Ethan ignored her completely. He walked straight to me.

"Give me the suitcase."

He took my bag and guided me toward his car.

Hailey stood frozen on the sidewalk, her face turning pale.

I got into the passenger seat. The moment the door closed, I finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Ethan started the engine and glanced at me. "Does your stomach hurt?"

I froze. "How did you know?"

"Your sick leave request was extremely obvious. If I couldn't figure it out, I shouldn't be your boss."

He spoke casually, but a warm feeling rushed into my heart.

In the last ten years, no one had ever cared about me like this.

Once I got to my hotel room and lay down, my phone rang.

It was my mother, Karen.

"Chloe, your brother Tyler is getting married. Send me thirty thousand dollars right now."

I closed my eyes. "Mom, I got divorced. I don't have any money."

"Divorced?!" Her voice instantly screamed through the speaker. "Why would you get divorced? Do you have any idea how much effort I put into getting you married to Austin?"

"Go back right now! Kneel down and beg Brenda to forgive you!"

I didn't say a word. I hung up the phone.

Then, I blocked her number.

The phone buzzed again. It was a text from Austin.

"Don't forget. 9 AM tomorrow at the courthouse. Bring your driver's license and ID."

I looked at the message and sneered.

So afraid that I would back out, huh?

I replied: "Don't worry. I'll be there."

**Chapter 2**

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