Chapter 3

People say a woman shouldn't expect too much from marriage; having either money or love should be enough.

But I couldn't accept that. That wasn't how Julian and I started.

When the Sterling family dragged him through the mud for being an illegitimate bastard, I stood right beside him, shielding him from their venom.

When he first started his business and had zero capital, I worked three part-time jobs, came up with every excuse to borrow cash from my family, and emptied my entire life savings just to hand him envelope after envelope of crumpled bills.

Or even earlier, back when we were innocent teenagers, I studied day and night to tutor him so we could get into the same university together.

He used to sit right behind me in homeroom, leaning against my desk, gently twirling strands of my hair.

I would rather have that fragile, broke kind of love—the sparklers Julian lit for me in that abandoned classroom, the midnight drives when he helped me sneak out of the dorms.

I didn't want any of this gilded, hollow "luxury" he shoved down my throat.

I drafted the divorce agreement. I didn't ask for his billions; I only asked for the modest townhouse we lived in when we first dated.

When I handed the papers to Julian, he actually laughed, thinking it was a joke.

"Chloe, did I do something wrong, or are you just so bored lately that you need a little dramatic foreplay?"

I sat on the couch, staring straight at him.

"The reason I'm bored is because after we got married, you forbade me from working. You trapped me in this penthouse."

"You're my wife! Why would I let you suffer working some corporate 9-to-5?"

"Then what about my friends? Why did you isolate me from everyone I knew?"

"Because you have me! That's all you need! Chloe, anyone trying to get close to you only wants something from me. They see you as Mrs. Sterling. They're just using you to pitch deals to me. Why would you want fake friends like that?"

I let out a dry, bitter laugh, my eyes burning. Julian finally sensed that something was terribly wrong, but he still looked utterly baffled.

"What is your problem? Is it the anniversary gift? Did you hate the necklace?"

Something in my chest snapped.

My eyes turned bloodshot as I glared at him.

"Yes! I hated it! I hate diamonds, I hate fireworks, and I hate overpriced steak! You do the exact same performative routine every single year!"

Julian shrugged, completely unfazed. "Is that all? Jesus, Chloe. If you're that upset, I'll throw you another anniversary dinner this weekend. Tell me what you want and I'll buy it. Is that worth threatening a divorce?"

"I’ve told you what I like hundreds of times! You just never cared to listen!"

"I'll listen next time. I swear." Julian grabbed my hand.

"Stop throwing a tantrum. Come to the Sterling estate for family dinner tonight. You know I despise those snobs. I need you by my side."

Hearing those words filled me with cold despair. Julian hated the Sterlings, but did he think I enjoyed being their punching bag?

I refused to go. Julian tried pulling and dragging me, but I didn't budge.

When the dinner hour passed, the family patriarch called Julian. Julian deliberately put it on speaker.

The voices blaring through the phone were dripping with mockery and disdain.

"Look at him, hitting it big and suddenly too good for the family. Skipping family dinner like he's royalty."

"A bastard will always be trash. And that cheap wife he married has zero manners."

"Julian is getting cocky. Mark my words, the higher he flies, the harder he'll crash..."

Julian hung up, pacing around the living room like a caged animal. I knew him too well. He was on the brink of an explosive rage.

Whenever things didn't go his way, this was how it started.

In the beginning, I could comfort him, and he would calm down quickly without lashing out at me.

Over time, his temper grew monstrous. Soothing him stopped working, and I became the collateral damage. Sometimes, things turned physical.

"Chloe! Did you hear how they talked about me?! It’s all because you refused to show up!"

"Why the hell are you acting so selfish today?! You used to care about me! If you had just behaved and come with me, would I have had to endure that humiliation?!"

I watched him coldly. "You can't even handle a few insults over the phone? When we went there every single month, the things they called me to my face were a thousand times worse."

"Back then, did you ever say a single word to defend me?"

"That was inside the Sterling house! It's different! In front of outsiders, haven't I protected you enough?!"

Ah. So Julian's legendary devotion to his wife was purely transactional.

When someone below him made a joke, he could play the outraged, romantic hero to boost his public image.

But in front of the powerful Sterlings, when I was dragged through the mud, he conveniently went deaf and blind.

"Julian. I want a divorce."

I reached for the divorce papers again. With a snarl of rage, he shoved me violently.

"Chloe, don't test me! Without me, you think you're anything more than dirt?!"