Chapter 1

After my sister-in-law, Sarah, tragically passed away, my wife of five years, Chloe, threatened to end her own life if I didn't divorce her.

She did it all so she could marry my older brother, Julian, and take Sarah's place.

This time, I didn't stop her. I simply nodded and let her go.

In my past life, I had fought tooth and nail to prevent this madness. I made a massive scene in front of our families and friends, forcing her to abandon the idea.

But that choice led to a spiral of tragedy. Julian ended up drowning in a river after a night of heavy drinking, and his daughter, Lily, was assaulted by local thugs.

Chloe blamed me for all of it. On our tenth anniversary, she pushed me off a cliff in the deep mountains.

This time, I chose to walk away. I wanted to pursue the aviation dream I had once abandoned.

Six years passed in the blink of an eye. Then, an emergency landing brought us face-to-face at a disaster rescue site.

She was holding Lily’s hand. Seeing me dressed in simple, worn-out clothes, she scoffed.

"I’ve finally found the love of my life, Ethan. Stop trying to ruin our happiness!"

I didn't even look at her. I walked right past her, rushing toward a sobbing little girl nearby.

But Chloe suddenly panicked. She ran after me, grabbing my sleeve, her voice trembling.

"Who is she? Ethan, didn't you promise to love me forever?"

I never expected to run into Chloe Miller under these circumstances.

Our flight had just made an emergency landing due to severe turbulence. In the chaotic, surging crowd, I got separated from my daughter. When I turned around to look for her, I saw Chloe. She had apparently chartered a car and rushed to the scene.

The noisy airport lobby grew even louder, and people began whispering as they looked at her.

"Her husband was on that flight! The moment she heard about the accident, she rushed here with her kid. Now that's true love!"

"Wait, she looks familiar. Isn't she that famous news anchor, Chloe Miller? Since when is she married? I never saw anything on Snapchat."

Just then, Chloe took Lily’s hand and ran toward the opposite crowd, throwing herself straight into Julian’s arms.

She scanned him from head to toe, her face pale with worry. "Thank God you're okay. You scared me to death, Julian."

Watching them, a memory from my past life flashed across my mind.

Once, Chloe had made me drive across town in the middle of the night to pick her up from overtime work, only for her to hop into a male coworker’s car instead.

Later, when I got into a car accident on my way back and called her from the emergency room, she brushed me off. She said she was too tired and needed to sleep. She didn’t bother showing up at the hospital until the following evening.

During our five years of marriage, she was always "too busy with work."

Now I finally understood. She wasn’t busy. She just didn’t care about me.

I looked down, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. I turned to search for my daughter, Maya, but accidentally bumped into an elderly man behind me.

He instantly collapsed to the ground, grabbing my leg and yelling that I was trying to run away after hitting him.

In seconds, we became the center of attention.

I frowned, feeling a headache coming on. Just as I was about to explain, Chloe’s voice cut through the noise.

"Ethan Vance? What are you doing here?"

My legs froze. For a second, I didn't know how to face them.

Julian was the first to speak, a fake, polite smile plastered on his face.

"Ethan? It really is you. Where on earth have you been all these years?"

When I didn't answer, his eyes darted between Chloe and me. He asked in a testing tone, "Don't tell me you've been keeping tabs on us? Did you rush here the moment you heard about the plane trouble, hoping to find Chloe?"

Hearing this, Chloe’s face instantly turned cold. She couldn't wait to draw a line between us.

"Ethan, we agreed when we signed the divorce papers—we were never to see each other again. Are you here to mock Julian?"

"Look at yourself. You look like a total mess. How do you even have the nerve to show up in front of me?"

Ever since the plane landed, I had been frantic to find my daughter. My clothes were wrinkled, and my collar was half-unbuttoned. I did look a bit disheveled.

The bystanders began to gossip. Some even loudly advised me to stop chasing after a married woman.

"Move on, buddy. She’s already got a family. Don't be a homewrecker."

I took a deep breath, meeting Chloe’s impatient gaze, and spoke calmly. "I was on this flight. It’s a coincidence."

But Chloe clearly didn't buy it. "A coincidence? Of all the flights in the world? Julian just happens to return to the country, and you happen to be on the same flight? If you're looking for an excuse to see me, at least make it believable."

She walked right up to me, looking down her nose.

"I get it. You can't let go of our five-year marriage. You only agreed to the divorce back then to save your pride. But Ethan, I have a new family now. Stop stalking me, okay?"

Seeing my silence, Julian patted my shoulder with an air of superiority.

"Ethan, I know you hold a grudge against me. You think I stole your wife. But if I hadn't been working overseas back then, Chloe would have married me in the first place. I just reclaimed my own happiness."

"If we're talking about who came between whom, you were the one who took her from me first."

Chloe nodded in agreement, leaning into Julian’s chest as she stared at me.

"Fine. Name your price. How much money will it take for you to stay away from my family?"