Goodbye to My Love

"Elizabeth, I want a divorce. Please help me draft the divorce agreement. I want to leave with nothing."

After five years of a hidden marriage with Damien Charleston, Amelia Heartford finally realized that he never married her for love. She decided to divorce him without telling him and prepared the divorce agreement as a gift for their fifth anniversary.

Even her friend, Elizabeth Nightray, couldn't believe it.

Immediately, Elizabeth asked her friend, "Amelia, have you really thought this through? Five years of marriage is not something you can just let go of so easily."

Amelia lifted her head, her eyes firm, answering her friend, "I've thought about it. This marriage was a mistake from the start. I don't want to continue."

A few minutes later, Elizabeth took a document from a folder and handed it to Amelia.

"I understand. This is the divorce agreement drafted by Mr. Weston. He isn’t here today, so he asked me to give it to you. You just need to find a way to get your husband to sign it. Also, the prenuptial agreement must be clarified. The divorce cooling-off period is three months, so be prepared."

Amelia took the document and nodded as she said, "Okay, I get it."

She left Elizabeth’s office, got into a taxi and headed to Damien's company.

When she opened the door to the president’s office, Damien was sitting at his desk, reviewing a document. He looked up and saw her, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"Why are you late today? Just because you’re the president’s wife doesn’t mean you can be lazy and skip work."

His tone was gentle, like an older brother’s, but there was no love in it.

"There was a traffic jam."

Amelia walked up to his desk and handed him the divorce agreement.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady as she spoke, "Mr. Charleston, I just negotiated a new deal. This is the contract. You need to sign here."

Damien reached for the document and their eyes met for a brief moment. Her heart skipped a beat, afraid he would sense something was wrong.

But he didn’t even look at it. He flipped to the last page and signed his name without hesitation.

"Another deal? Amelia, you're impressive," he said in a relaxed tone.

Watching him sign, Amelia felt a sharp pain in her chest.

In five years of marriage, the only reason Damien was close to her was because she was useful to him, not because he loved her.

Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and his expression softened. His voice became gentle.

"Are you hungry? I'm in the office right now. I’ll buy you something to eat later, okay?"

Anyone listening would assume he was talking to his wife of five years.

But Amelia knew the truth.

She had loved Damien for many years. They were childhood sweethearts and grew up together.

For him, Amelia gave up her own dreams, studied finance and entered his company as an assistant.

Five years ago, something unexpected happened.

That night, Damien had been drinking. The next morning, he told her he would take responsibility and proposed to her.

Amelia had been overjoyed and agreed immediately. But soon, she learned the truth. It was that Damien he wanted a hidden marriage, a contract marriage. If either of them found someone they truly loved in the future, they would divorce.

Her happiness disappeared in an instant. But she couldn’t resist the temptation of becoming his wife. She signed the agreement and helped him convince his parents.

After they got married, Amelia worked hard, handling business negotiations and supporting Damien. She thought that if she proved her worth, he would finally see her differently. Not as the little girl who needed his protection, but as a strong, capable woman.

But Damien remained distant. Even at night, their intimacy felt like nothing more than a routine.

Later, she discovered the painful truth.

The only reason Damien had slept with her that night was because he was heartbroken. The woman he truly loved, Victoria, had married someone else.

Victoria Charleston was once his adoptive sister, mistakenly taken in by his family. Unfortunately, Damien couldn’t accept her marriage. He almost lost control of himself, so to calm his parents' suspicions, he hurriedly married Amelia.

At first, Amelia had been devastated. But she still believed that, with time, she could win his love. Then, just a few days ago, she saw something on his phone that shattered that hope completely.

Victoria had removed her name from Damien’s family registry. She was now divorcing her husband. With nowhere to go, she turned to Damien.

Damien arranged everything for Victoria. He booked a hotel for her, took her out for dinner, went on walks with her and even helped with her divorce lawsuit.

A month ago, Amelia had been kidnapped by a rival company. She called Damien for help, but his phone was turned off. She became really desperate.

Later, Amelia received a video from an unknown number. That night, while she was locked up and begging for help, Damien had been in bed with Victoria. That was the moment Amelia decided to end this hopeless marriage.

Amelia smiled bitterly to herself, turned around and walked out of Damien’s office. She then mailed the signed divorce agreement to Elizabeth and went home to pack. She sorted through her clothes, books and jewelry, placing them into boxes.

But in her heart, there was no sadness, no regret.

When Damien returned home, he didn’t notice anything was different at first. But after a while, he realized many things were missing.

He walked up to Amelia and asked casually, "Why are you packing? Are you planning to buy new things?"

Without looking up, she replied calmly, "Everything is old. It’s time for something new."

He smiled. "That’s right. You’ve worked so hard for me. You should treat yourself. Buy whatever you want."

Amelia didn’t respond and continued packing.

That night, after taking a shower, Damien wrapped his arms around her. "Let's have a baby, shall we?"

Amelia pushed him away.

Her tone was cold as she responded, "I'm on my period. I don’t feel well."

He frowned slightly, asking back, "Hasn't it been four days already?"

Without expression, she replied, "I'm still not feeling well."

This was the first time in five years that she had rejected him. Before, even if she was uncomfortable, she would always give in to him. But not anymore.

From now on, Amelia would put herself first. She would learn to say no. She would no longer endure pain for a love that never existed.

This marriage was over. She kept reminding herself that the divorce cooling-off period was three months. After three months, she would be free!

Chapter 2

Amelia couldn't sleep the entire night.

At dawn, she got up and made breakfast. This time, it was only for herself. She no longer prepared anything for Damien like before.

When Damien came out of the bedroom, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his head to kiss her forehead.

Amelia turned her head slightly, avoiding his touch.

"What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood?" Damien asked, noticing her change right away.

Amelia lowered her head, feeling a lump in her throat. She almost couldn’t hold back her tears. She clenched her teeth and forced herself to stay calm.

"I'm just hungry," she said.

Damien didn’t ask any further. He never cared much about the morning kiss anyway. It was always Amelia who wanted it, not him.

He sat down, picked up a piece of toast and took a bite.

"By the way, which company did you work with for yesterday’s deal? I don’t think I asked."

Amelia remained calm. "It was the Weston Corporation. Do you want to see the contract?"

Damien paused for a moment. Just when Amelia’s palms started to sweat, he suddenly smiled and ruffled her hair.

"I trust you," he said casually.

Amelia lowered her gaze, feeling an ache in her chest.

For a long time, she had wished that Damien would care about her work, that he would take the time to guide her, ask about the risks, or offer advice. But that was only a dream.

After breakfast, as they got into the car, Damien’s phone rang. It was Victoria.

On the other end, her voice trembled as she sobbed, "Damien, my husband’s family is blocking the hotel entrance. They’re on their knees, refusing to let me divorce him. I… I don’t know what to do…"

Damien’s expression darkened immediately. He pressed down on the accelerator, making the car lurch forward.

"Don’t be scared. Stay in your room and don’t come out. I’m on my way," he reassured her.

Amelia tightened her grip on her seatbelt, her face turning pale.

"Damien, slow down! It’s too dangerous!"

Damien seemed to remember she was there. He slammed the brakes and turned to her.

"Take a taxi to the company by yourself. I have to go."

Before Amelia could respond, he sped off again, running a red light in his rush to get to Victoria. Amelia stood by the side of the road, feeling like a discarded doll. She took a deep breath, flagged down a taxi and headed to the office.

The entire day, she stayed busy.

Amelia worked as usual, but at the same time, she slowly started letting go of her responsibilities, of her attachment to Damien and of the life she had clung to for five years.

By the time it was nearly evening, Damien returned to the office. He seemed happy, as if all his worries had vanished. Meanwhile, Amelia entered his office to report work. As she stepped closer, she caught the faint scent of Victoria’s perfume on him.

While flipping through the documents, Damien suddenly glanced at her empty ring finger and asked, "Why did you take off your ring?"

Amelia remained calm as she answered his question, "Didn’t you ask me not to wear it? You didn’t want anyone to find out. And you never wore yours."

"Really?" Damien responded in turn and then nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

If Damien had thought about it carefully, he would have realized how unusual it was for Amelia who always wanted people to know they were married—to take off her ring.

But he didn’t think much of it. Instead, he simply smiled, his mind clearly elsewhere. His mind might be still lingering on his time with Victoria.

Amelia chuckled to herself, left his office and took out her phone. Victoria had just posted a vlog on her social account. In one clip, Damien stood in the kitchen, wearing an apron, cooking with a focused expression.

Damien never liked to cook. Amelia had been the one to learn, putting in effort to make his meals just right. Now, she realized the truth. The truth was that Damien wasn’t unwilling to cook. It was because he just didn’t want to cook for her.

After that, Amelia walked to the lake behind the company. The water sparkled under the fading sunlight, but she only felt cold. She then pulled the ring from her pocket, holding it in her palm, feeling the last remnants of its warmth.

"Goodbye," she whispered.

With all her strength, she threw the ring into the lake. It arced through the air before sinking into the water, disappearing forever.

Taking a deep breath, Amelia turned away. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she walked forward, her head held high. She was done looking back.

Chapter 3

After a meeting, Damien looked at the unfamiliar woman standing beside him and frowned slightly.

"Who is this?" he asked Amelia, who was organizing the documents.

His voice carried a hint of surprise.

"Miss Witt, a new employee I trained," Amelia replied calmly. "She will handle the meeting records from now on."

Damien nodded thoughtfully and said in a relaxed tone, "That’s good. You won’t have to worry about small tasks like this anymore."

Small tasks.

Amelia laughed bitterly in her heart.

These so-called ‘small tasks’ were things she had carefully done for him in the past. She used to sort out the most important points from long and complicated meetings so he could understand them easily.

But to him, all her efforts had been unnecessary.

Miss Witt nervously handed him the meeting notes. Damien quickly flipped through a few pages, his frown deepening.

After Miss Witt left the office, he turned to Amelia and said in a friendly tone, "You know me best. The new employee's summary is too complicated."

He waited for Amelia to take the document and redo it, as she always did. But instead, she just smiled and said, "Give her a chance to improve."

Damien looked surprised for a moment as if he felt uncomfortable. but he quickly returned to normal. Just then, his phone lit up with a message.

Amelia glanced at the screen and saw an invitation to an engagement party from Damien’s best friend. The message specifically said he should bring a female companion.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Amelia’s voice was soft, but there was a hidden meaning in her words.

Damien’s expression became conflicted.

He reached out and pulled Amelia into his arms, speaking in a gentle tone, "That kind of event isn’t for you. The people there are troublemakers. I don’t want you to be around them."

Amelia gently pulled away from his embrace.

"That’s fine. I have something to do tonight anyway," she said.

Then, as if feeling her words were too cold, she added, "Come home early."

Damien looked relieved. He kissed her cheek lightly and smiled.

"You’re so understanding. Next time, when there’s a more formal event, I’ll take you with me so everyone can know who you are."

Amelia stared at his sincere expression and suddenly found it ridiculous.

This was the first time in five years that he had said he wanted to make their relationship public. But it happened at the very moment she had decided to leave him.

She turned to leave the office and, without looking back, said, "Alright, next time."

But in her heart, she knew there would never be a next time.

As Amelia had expected, Damien’s "female companion" for the night was Victoria.

At the party, Victoria wore an elegant white dress and held Damien’s arm in front of everyone. Her cheeks were slightly red and she leaned toward Damien from time to time, making the people around them whisper.

"Victoria looks more beautiful these days."

"Yes, she and Damien are a perfect match!"

No one mentioned their past as siblings.

After all, Victoria was no longer legally part of the Charleston Family. To outsiders, they were just a normal couple.

After the party, Victoria, who was drunk, sat in the passenger seat of Damien’s car. She held onto his sleeve and whispered, "Damien ... I really don’t want to go back to that hotel. Can I stay at your house until my divorce is final?"

Damien tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

His mind told him to refuse. If Amelia found out, it would be hard to explain. His family might even get involved.

But when he saw Victoria’s tearful eyes and slightly flushed face, he couldn’t say no. He turned the car toward home. However, when he arrived, an unexpected scene was waiting for him.

Amelia stood at the front door, talking to Julian Weston, a wealthy lawyer known for handling divorce cases. They were holding a document between them.

Damien’s heart suddenly pounded. He quickly got out of the car and helped Victoria forward.

"What are you doing?"

His eyes were fixed on the document.

"Who wants a divorce?"

The papers looked familiar, but before he could get a clear look, Amelia calmly put them into her bag.

"Elizabeth and her husband are getting a divorce. I’m helping her with legal advice," she said.

Elizabeth was Amelia’s best friend. She was using her name to avoid suspicion. Amelia then turned her attention to Victoria, who was clearly drunk.

"What happened to Victoria?" she asked.

"Is she okay?"

Damien hesitated and then replied, "Her ex-husband’s family made a scene. She’ll stay here for a few days."

Then, as if trying to regain control of the situation, he looked at Amelia with concern and softly berated her, "Even if you’re helping a friend, you shouldn’t meet a man so late at night."

His tone was the usual one he used when lecturing her.

Amelia looked at Victoria, who was leaning against Damien, her chest pressed against his arm. The situation was beyond ironic. This man, who treated her like a sister, treated his real sister like a lover.

Julian suddenly smirked and said, "Now that I think about it, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Charleston’s wife yet."

Chapter 4

Julian looked at Amelia and Victoria with a meaningful smile and asked slyly, "Could it be that Mr. Charleston's wife is-"

"It's none of your business," Damien interrupted, clearly unwilling to discuss his family affairs.

Julian nodded calmly, responding, "I apologize. These days, open marriages are quite common. Mr. Charleston, you must be..."

He paused and smirked before sarcastically saying, "Don't worry, I know when to stop."

Before Damien could get angry, Julian turned to leave. As he walked away, he added, "If you ever need a divorce, come to me. I'll give you a discount."

Damien instinctively glanced at Amelia, his voice cold as he spoke, "My wife and I have a good relationship."

Julian was already gone, so it was unclear if he had heard.

But Victoria definitely did.

She leaned against Damien, pretending to be drunk. Her eyes were watery as she whispered, "Damien ... Am I disturbing you and your wife?"

Before he could answer, her eyes turned red and she struggled to pull away.

"You’re not my brother anymore ... You have your own family now ... I shouldn’t interfere. I should go back to my hotel instead."

Damien held her tighter.

His voice was so soft it could melt ice as he responded, "I’m not your brother anymore ... But you are always welcome to be with me."

His burning gaze made Victoria’s face turn even redder. Meanwhile, Amelia stood aside. She watched them as if she were just an outsider.

Finally, Damien seemed to remember her presence. Letting go of Victoria, he looked at Amelia with guilt.

"Baby ... You don’t mind, do you? Victoria is my sister, after all."

He had already planned how to comfort Amelia if she got jealous.

But she only smiled faintly and said, "I don’t mind."

Those three words were light, but they felt like a knife stabbing into her own heart.

The next morning, Amelia woke up and instinctively reached for the other side of the bed. Damien was already gone. She put on her nightgown and walked barefoot to the third-floor hallway, looking down toward Victoria’s room on the second floor.

Through the half-open door, she saw Damien carefully feeding Victoria a bowl of hangover juice.

When Victoria frowned and pouted, Damien gently blew on the spoon to cool it. When she complained about her messy hair, he picked up a comb and skillfully tied a beautiful ponytail for her.

Amelia’s nails dug deep into her palm when she saw it.

Then, Amelia remembered when she had stomach bleeding after a drinking party. The next morning, Damien only asked the maid to make her chicken noodle soup. She had once asked him to tie her hair into a simple ponytail, but he had said, "I don’t know how to do it."

Amelia stood frozen in place until Damien finally took Victoria out of the room.

Her legs were numb, but she stubbornly refused to move.

She didn’t want to go downstairs and see them. She didn’t want to feel like a foolish extra, a useless villain in their so-called love story. It was just like those romance novels she hated the most.

Perhaps because she was lost in thought, Amelia didn’t see the steps clearly as she walked downstairs. She stumbled. Then, she fell heavily.

"Ah!"

A sharp pain spread through her abdomen. She curled up on the ground, feeling a warm liquid slowly flowing from between her legs.

Her face turned pale instantly. With trembling fingers, she touched her lower abdomen. A terrifying thought crossed her mind.

"Madam!"

The maid rushed over in panic. When the maid saw the blood spreading on the floor, she became flustered.

"I-I’ll call an ambulance right away!"

The sound of sirens broke the quiet morning.

At the hospital, a nurse anxiously asked, "Where is the patient’s guardian? We need a family member to sign the consent form!"

The maid stomped her foot in frustration as she answered the nurse, "I-I called her husband over ten times, but he didn’t answer … "

She quickly picked up Amelia’s phone and continued, "I even called him seventeen times using my mistress’ phone ... but still, no answer … "

On the hospital bed, Amelia weakly opened her eyes and grabbed the nurse’s sleeve.

"I ... will sign it myself … I don’t want the child … "

Her voice was barely a whisper, but it carried a crushing weight.

Amelia remembered how Damien had told her to prepare for pregnancy just two months ago. She hadn’t been careful with contraception. This child had come unexpectedly.

Now, it was leaving unexpectedly.

The doctor spoke seriously, "The situation is very dangerous. The child may not survive, but we can try-"

"There’s no need," Amelia whispered, closing her eyes.

Tears slipped silently down her face. On the cold operating table, the bright surgical light burned her eyes. The instruments made sharp, mechanical sounds and every movement felt like a piece of her flesh was being cut away.

Amelia bit her lip until she tasted blood, refusing to make a sound. She refused to cry. She refused to feel.

Chapter 5

A week later, sunlight streamed through the gauze curtains of the nursing center, casting a warm glow on the bed.

Amelia put down her phone. The screen still showed Victoria’s latest vlog. In the video, Damien was tying Victoria’s shoelaces, his attention fully on her. They laughed together, looking so happy.

Expressionless, Amelia locked the screen as if she hadn't seen anything.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

"Amelia!" Damien rushed in, his face filled with panic.

"How are you-"

As he got closer, he noticed how pale she was. Her lips were almost colorless.

His brows furrowed as he asked, "Is it your irregular periods again? Why didn’t you tell me?"

Amelia had long been used to her health issues. Since she had instructed the maid not to mention her miscarriage, Damien simply assumed she was recovering from her usual condition. Unfortunately, he took it for granted.

Amelia looked at him quietly.

In the past, whenever she felt unwell, she would act spoiled and ask him to stay with her.

But this time, she hadn’t even called.

Seventeen unanswered calls. It was no different from calling zero times. Why should she keep setting herself up for disappointment?

"I thought you were too busy," Amelia said softly.

"Besides, I didn’t want to disturb you."

Damien’s heart tightened at what his wife just said.

He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms as he said, "I’m your husband. You can always call me."

Amelia didn’t push him away, but she didn’t return the hug either. She leaned against his shoulder and suddenly asked, "Is it the same as with Victoria?"

The moment the words left her lips, she regretted them. She sounded like a jealous woman fighting for his attention. Damien stiffened slightly, but then he smiled and stroked her hair. "Of course, it’s the same."

Just then, Amelia’s phone rang.

It was Julian. She answered briefly in front of Damien, keeping her words short before hanging up. Damien frowned.

"Come to think of it, I saw Felicia’s husband a few days ago. They don’t seem like they’re getting divorced."

"It was Felicia’s decision alone," Amelia said calmly, hiding her emotions.

"Her husband doesn’t know yet."

Damien looked confused as he asked, "But isn’t divorce something both people should agree on?"

Amelia met his gaze meaningfully as she answered, "Felicia found out that her husband was secretly seeing his first love. She couldn’t accept it, so she decided to file for divorce without telling him. If she brought it up, he probably wouldn’t agree right away."

Damien’s expression darkened and he said, "Then she should divorce him! A man like that is terrible!"

Amelia lowered her eyes. Damien obviously knew Felicia’s husband well. Given his personality, he surely knew whether the man had a first love or not. Yet, without hesitation, he immediately condemned Felicia’s husband.

Damien wasn’t as calm as he pretended to be.

"How much longer is Victoria’s divorce cooling-off period?" Amelia asked suddenly.

"Fifteen more days," Damien answered without thinking.

It was clear he had been counting down every day.

Amelia looked outside at the bright sunlight and whispered, "Then it’s almost happening at the same time."

"What?" Damien was puzzled.

"Nothing."

Amelia smiled faintly but said no more.

Just then, Damien’s phone vibrated. The same man who ignored Amelia’s seventeen missed calls immediately answered, his voice softening.

"Hello, Victoria?"

On the other end, Victoria was crying and said, "Damien … I feel so scared being alone at home … "

"Don’t be afraid. I’ll be back soon," Damien reassured her, not realizing his eyes had flickered toward Amelia.

Amelia watched quietly. She no longer felt disappointment, just understanding. So, this was why.

When Victoria was with him, Damien ignored his phone because he knew Amelia’s calls weren’t important to him. But when Victoria wasn’t around, he was afraid of missing anything from her. After hanging up, Damien hesitated.

It might be guilt. Or, it might be because Amelia had just mentioned ‘Felicia’s husband secretly seeing his first love’ and it hit too close to home. For once, he didn’t rush to leave.

"Go to the office," Amelia said first.

"Don’t let work pile up."

Damien seemed relieved, saying, "When will you be discharged? Send me a message and I’ll pick you up."

With that, he left without even looking back.

A week later, Amelia packed her suitcase, preparing to leave the hospital. She called Damien three times. No answer.

At the same time, Victoria’s latest video was trending online, with over 100,000 likes.

In the video, Victoria proudly showed off the "boyfriend’s efforts" with limited-edition handbags, money transfers, pictures of her global travels and close-ups of Damien cooking, washing dishes and massaging her feet.

The comments were full of admiration.

[What a perfect boyfriend!]

[What a rich and devoted boyfriend! I’m so jealous!]

Victoria didn’t clarify their true relationship, allowing netizens to believe whatever they wanted.

Finally, Damien called back.

His voice was casual as he answered her call.

"I was busy and didn’t see the calls. What’s up?"

Sure enough, Damien had completely forgotten that he was supposed to pick her up. In the background, Victoria’s laughter was clear as day. Yet, Damien still lied calmly.

"I’m talking about business. If it’s not urgent, why don’t we talk at home later?"

Amelia’s voice was gentle as she said, "It’s okay. I just wanted to confirm where you were."

After hanging up, she opened the calendar on her phone.

Victoria’s divorce cooling-off period had one week left. The divorce agreement would take effect in fifteen days. Soon. There was no need for Amelia to feel sad anymore.

Chapter 6

When Amelia opened the door, she almost thought she had walked into the wrong place. The house, which once held the memories of her five-year marriage, had completely changed. It broke her heart.

She had already packed most of her personal belongings before she left last time, but now it was clear that Victoria had taken advantage of her absence to remove even more of her things.

Amelia walked slowly toward the master bedroom bathroom.

On Damien’s washstand, there was a pair of red and blue toothbrushes. She looked around and saw that the entire house was filled with matching items in pairs. Couple cups, couple slippers and couple pillows were there.

Anyone who didn’t know the truth would think this was the home of a couple deeply in love.

Amelia then remembered that when she first got married, she had excitedly bought a set of couple mugs.

At the time, Damien had only glanced at them coldly and said, "What's the point of these childish things?"

After that, she never brought up the idea again.

Amelia took a deep breath, ignored everything and went to her room to pack the last of her personal belongings. She had already gotten used to being treated differently by Damien. After so many disappointments, she no longer felt anything.

She finished packing the remaining clothes and books and sent them to the Heartford Family by courier.

That evening, both Amelia and Damien received invitations to a dinner party from mutual friends. Since the invitations were sent separately. One in the name of the Heartford Family and the other in the name of the Charleston Family. Both of them arrived at the event separately.

When Amelia reached the winery, she saw Damien getting out of the car with Victoria.

Damien noticed her and, looking a bit uncomfortable, stepped forward.

"Sorry, I should have sent a driver to pick you up."

"It’s fine," Amelia replied with a polite smile.

"Besides, I have a driver too."

As more guests arrived, someone asked curiously, "When did Mr. Charleston and Miss Heartford become so close?"

Damien hesitated. He had promised Victoria that he would make their relationship public on an official occasion. But when he glanced at the petite woman beside him, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Amelia smiled brightly as she remarked, "Have you forgotten? Mr. Charleston is my boss now. Of course, I know him well."

Someone laughed as they said, "The eldest daughter of the Heartford Family working as a secretary? Isn’t that a waste of such a talented woman?"

Another person joked, "You still haven’t given up? Mr. Charleston is already married!"

The people around them chuckled.

Almost everyone in their social circle knew that Amelia had once had feelings for Damien. Everyone except Damien himself. Hearing this, Damien froze.

Before he could react, Amelia spoke lightly, "That was a long time ago. But I’ve been working with Mr. Charleston for a while now, so I got used to it. Now that you mention it, maybe I should find a more challenging job."

With just a few words, Amelia had steered the conversation in another direction and the atmosphere became lively again.

Hearing her mention leaving, Damien suddenly felt uneasy.

He forced a smile as he said, "Miss Heartford is very capable. I’d hate to lose her."

Someone else asked, "Why didn’t Mr. Charleston bring his wife tonight? Your wedding was so low-key … "

Damien responded vaguely, "She’s busy."

The guests wisely changed the topic. No one questioned why Victoria, who had no connection to the Charleston Family, was there. While Damien was caught up in drinking with friends, Victoria suddenly approached Amelia.

She smiled innocently and asked, "Sister-in-law … Oh, I-I mean, Amelia. I heard from my brother that you and Damien already agreed to divorce, right?"

Amelia looked at the woman pretending to be innocent and calmly replied, "Yes."

Victoria let out a relieved sigh, her smile growing more natural. "That’s good ... I thought you really liked my brother."

As soon as Victoria finished speaking, she acted as if she had said something wrong. She shook her head, waving her hands in panic.

"I-I didn’t mean anything bad! It’s just ... I’m just not used to my brother being someone’s husband … "

She lowered her head, nervously twisting the hem of her dress like a shy little girl.

But Amelia could see the hidden satisfaction in her eyes.

"Really?" Amelia asked and set down her glass, a faint smile forming on her lips.

"It sure took you a long time to feel that way."

Chapter 7

Victoria hadn’t expected Amelia to react so calmly. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. Slowly, she began to believe that maybe Amelia truly no longer had feelings for Damien.

Her hostility faded slightly and she took Amelia’s arm affectionately, pretending to be naive.

"Amelia, you don’t know how much I rely on my brother … "

Her voice was soft, but there was an unmistakable sense of pride in it.

"This time, my brother helped me handle my divorce. My ex-husband’s family caused trouble and even blocked the entrance of my hotel."

"But my brother hired a lawyer and had them driven away overnight. When it came to the property settlement, he used the Charleston Family’s connections to ensure I got the best deal. Even my most difficult mother-in-law didn’t dare challenge him."

Victoria’s eyes shone with admiration.

Then, she lowered her voice shyly, "To be honest ... I never married my ex-husband for love. I had no choice. But now that I think about it, fate really works in mysterious ways ... My brother and I aren’t biologically related, nor are we legally siblings … "

Her meaning was obvious.

Victoria had only married someone else because of family ethics and now that nothing stood in the way, she and Damien could be together.

Amelia swirled the champagne in her glass and asked lightly, "So, what you’re saying is … you like your brother?"

Victoria’s face flushed instantly.

She lowered her head and whispered, "I … I don’t know. I’ve just always depended on him."

Her voice took on a nostalgic tone as she continued, "When I was sick as a child, my brother stayed by my bedside all night. When I was bullied at school, he personally went to confront my classmates’ families. Even when I got my first period, my brother ran out to buy me some tamponss ..."

Amelia listened, feeling an emptiness grow inside her. She suddenly realized that even though she and Damien had grown up together, she could never compare to the "familial bond" that he and Victoria shared.

The Damien who had always been distant, cold and professional with her … had been endlessly loving and indulgent toward Victoria. Amelia had been blind to it for too long. Only after getting hurt over and over again had she finally learned to let go.

Victoria suddenly raised her head, her gaze cautious.

"Amelia … do you think the way I look at my brother is… strange?"

Amelia remained silent, studying her.

Victoria’s possessiveness over Damien was so blatant, her schemes so shallow, that she had even dared to say this to Damien’s wife.

But instead of reacting, Amelia simply smiled as she calmly responded, "It’s not strange. I think … your brother likes you very much."

Victoria’s voice dropped to a whisper as she said, "Then, Amelia ... will you give my brother to me?"

Amelia met her expectant gaze and answered lightly, "Maybe."

She didn’t say outright that she was ready for a divorce. There was no need to hand Victoria a victory so easily.

Still, Victoria seemed satisfied with the ambiguous answer. A triumphant smile spread across her face, as if Damien was already hers. On the way home, Victoria dozed off in the back seat.

Damien glanced at Amelia through the rearview mirror and spoke in a low voice.

"Baby, next time … I promise I’ll make our relationship public."

Amelia smiled gently as she said calmly, "It’s okay. Our marriage was just an agreement. I understand."

Her calm response made Damien uneasy.

He hurriedly reassured her, "At the earliest, in a week, I’ll-"

"We’re here," Amelia cut him off, looking out the window.

The car had already stopped at her door.

One day became a week. A week became a month. A month became a year.

Amelia had learned not to wait for promises that would never be kept. Five years of marriage. She would treat it as nothing more than a dream. And now, after waking from that dream, it was time to pack up and move on.

The city lights flickered outside, just like the hope she had clung to for the past five years, always igniting, only to be extinguished again and again. Now, she had finally learned. There was no point chasing a light that would never shine on her.

Chapter 8

It was dark when Damien hugged Amelia from behind, his warm breath brushing against her ear.

"Baby, I’ll accompany you home to see your parents in a few days, okay?"

Amelia stiffened at his words, confusion clouding her expression and asked, "Why do you want to go home suddenly?"

Damien’s fingers gently traced the curve of her shoulder as he answered, "You’ve seemed down lately. I thought maybe going home would lift your spirits."

Amelia’s thoughts drifted to the villa area in her hometown, St. Paul, a place filled with memories of her and Damien. Every blade of grass, every tree, held fragments of their shared past.

Lost in these memories, she heard Damien then added, "By the way, I heard your father isn’t feeling well. It’s a good time to go check on him."

"Dad is sick?" Amelia sat up abruptly.

"Why didn’t I know?"

Damien quickly reassured her.

"Don’t worry, I overheard the maid mentioning it. It’s nothing serious, just a small thing."

He pulled her back into his arms and asked her gently, "So, will you go back and visit him?"

Amelia was still unsettled, but Damien’s surprising tenderness that night made her hesitate to overthink it. She nodded. Although she wasn’t sure about Damien’s sudden kindness, it was strange. Tonight, he was just … holding her, nothing more.

Amelia clutched the corner of the blanket, reminding herself not to jump to conclusions. She had once heard that when a man suddenly seems distant, it means he had found something … or someone else.

The next morning, for the first time in a long while, it was just the two of them traveling together.

As the car drove through the familiar villa area, Damien pointed out a sycamore tree along the side of the road, smiling.

"Remember this? You used to love picking up fallen leaves here to use as bookmarks."

Amelia’s eyes followed the direction he indicated, her nerves slowly loosening.

Damien continued, "And you always followed me home after school. One time, I checked to see if you were really following me and you got lost. You cried so hard, I felt bad."

Amelia’s gaze wandered with his words and memories of their childhood came flooding back. It was strange how easily they all came to mind, how vivid the images were despite the years that had passed.

Damien smiled nostalgically, but then his voice faltered, as if he’d just remembered something. "And the fountain ... When Victoria came for the first time, she insisted on eating skewers, despite the unhealthy food. She wore a white dress, a bow tie and ... acted like a spoiled child."

Amelia’s heart clenched at the mention of Victoria.

Damien had effortlessly tied every memory to her, while the same moments, once shared between him and Amelia, were now forgotten or overshadowed by Victoria’s presence. It felt like every corner of their history had been claimed by her. Amelia felt like a joke.

It was said that a man who had a childhood sweetheart could never forget her, but here she was, Amelia, the childhood companion, cast aside.

As soon as the car stopped, the sharp ringtone of Damien’s phone shattered the quiet.

"What? Victoria had a car accident?" Damien’s face turned pale.

"I’ll be there soon!"

He didn’t even bother entering the Heartford Family’s gate. He was already in motion.

"Baby, I’ll make it up to you next time," he called over his shoulder, rushing off.

Amelia glanced at the calendar on her phone. Today was the day Victoria’s divorce was official.

"There won’t be a next time, Damien," she whispered to herself, gathering the supplements and walking towards the villa alone.

Her parents had been waiting by the door.

After the usual greetings, her mother hesitated.

"Did Damien go to park the car?"

"He went to find his sister," Amelia answered, her voice calm despite the chaos she felt inside.

Her mother’s brow furrowed.

"That girl ... is already … ?"

"Yes, she’s no longer a member of the Charleston Family," Amelia said simply, telling her the truth about the marriage agreement.

The mention of Victoria caused her father to explode with anger. He fainted on the spot.

Amelia’s heart raced as she dialed Damien’s number. Her husband couldn’t have gone far and getting him to the hospital would be faster than waiting for an ambulance.

Beep … beep … ! The phone rang, but no one answered. Frustration boiled in her chest. Ameia then helped her father up and drove him to the hospital herself. Thankfully, her father was fine.

While waiting for the test results, Amelia scrolled through her phone and stumbled across a new post from Victoria.

In the video, Damien was carefully disinfecting a small scratch on her knee. The caption read something that hurt her even more.

[Thank you, brother, for coming so quickly. Thankfully, it’s just a scratch from the electric car!]

Amelia stared at the insignificant injury and, to her own surprise, laughed out loud.

But as the laughter died in her throat, tears began to fall.

Finally, Amelia understood. Damien had made it clear that Victoria’s problems were always urgent, while anything involving Amelia could wait.

Damien, if he knew she came home to tell her parents about their separation, would he regret it? Would he even care? But she no longer expected an answer.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Julian. Their relationship had grown stronger since her divorce.

Amelia answered and Julian’s voice was lighter than before as he spoke, "All the procedures are complete. You just have to wait another week and you’ll be completely free."

He paused for a moment before suggesting, "How about we go out for a meal? We can celebrate your escape from the sea of suffering."

Amelia smiled faintly as she told him from the other end, "Let’s wait until the divorce is fully finalized."

Chapter 9

After that, Amelia hung up the phone and returned to the ward.

Mr. Heartford had woken up. His face was still a little pale, but his eyes were particularly firm.

He held Amelia's hand and, in a hoarse but powerful voice, said, "Divorce, you must divorce Damien."

Amelia gently held her father's hand back and whispered, "Dad, I'm already divorcing him. You don’t need to worry about it."

In the last week before the divorce, Damien had been accompanying Victoria to clean up their new house, thinking that he would make up for things with Amelia once everything was settled.

Meanwhile, Amelia spent her time with her parents. Looking at the white hair on her father's temples and the fine lines around her mother's eyes, she suddenly realized something. And that realization slapped her hard even more.

Amelia had been the eldest daughter of the Heartford Family, living a life of luxury since childhood. But for a man, she had given up the family business and had been willing to assist him, handling the smallest tasks, all while enduring his neglect. Indeed, she was an idiot.

Since she already made a firm decision, Amelia didn’t return to the place she had shared with Damien but instead moved back to the Heartford Family home. She packed up all the photos, gifts and even the small items Damien had given her and sent them to his home.

Then, Amelia carefully wrote a farewell letter, just like she had done in high school. She thought that if the love letter she had written back then had not been responded to, this farewell letter probably wouldn't get a reply either. But it didn’t matter.

After all, she was just giving an explanation to her younger self.

Amelia submitted her resignation at Damien's company, said goodbye to her parents and boarded a plane to go abroad.

Julian called again, but Amelia didn’t answer. She simply sent a message:[Amelia Heartford: Mr. Weston, now I am only thinking about finding a son-in-law for the Heartford Family. You can't do it.]

Damien finally remembered to go home after settling Victoria in her new place. Along the way, he was still thinking about how he should apologize to Amelia if she was angry. He wasn’t too worried. After all, whenever he stood her up or broke a promise, Amelia would just get a little upset and things would be fine in a few days.

But this time, as soon as he entered the house, he noticed something was wrong. The house was too quiet. He looked around and found that all of Amelia’s things were gone. Her slippers, her cup were ... all gone.

Damien's heart sank suddenly and he immediately took out his phone to call Amelia.

"The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable … "

His heart sank even more and he sent a voice message:

"Baby, stop making trouble. Are you still playing the game of running away from home?"

A red exclamation mark appeared next to the message. Damien then realized that he had been blocked. His face turned completely black. This was the first time Amelia had been so upset to him.

He scratched his hair irritably and was about to go upstairs when he saw the maid coming over with a box.

She said carefully, "Sir, this is from Miss Heartford."

Damien hadn’t noticed the change in the maid’s address yet. He took the box and eagerly opened it. On the top was a letter.

Immediately, Damien picked it up and unfolded it. Amelia’s beautiful handwriting appeared before him. He quickly read it.

[Damien, do you still remember the first time you helped me drive away the boy who bullied me in junior high school? That day you stood in front of me, not much taller than me, but you said fiercely, “I'm protecting her.”

From that day on, I fell in love with you.

In high school, you got injured playing basketball and I secretly put ointment in your desk. You thought it was sent by someone else and you asked around who it was. I didn’t dare admit it, so I just listened to you and your sister discussing, blushing, 'Which girl who has a crush on you is so careful.'

When you were in school, you inherited the company and faced setbacks. You got drunk and I sat with you on the rooftop all night.

You said, “Amelia, why are you so stupid to waste time with me.”

“Yes, I am really stupid.”

I thought that love would grow over time. I thought that as long as I loved you enough, you would always see me. But it turns out that some people are destined not to wait. On this fifth anniversary, I will give you two gifts. They are at the bottom of the box.

Goodbye, Damien.

The rest of your life, may each of you be well.]

Damien’s hand trembled slightly as he held the letter. He never knew that Amelia had liked him for so long. He thought that she would only fall in love with him as she grew up.

Yes, he always knew Amelia loved him, but he never returned that love.

Damien felt a pain in his chest and continued to look through the box, finding two documents at the bottom. One document was a familiar divorce agreement that he recognized from a month ago. But he didn’t expect the other document.

The other document was a B-ultrasound report from the hospital.

It clearly stated something that really shook Damien to his core.

[6 weeks of pregnancy, needs to be aborted.]

There was also a note on the report, written in beautiful handwriting of Amelia’s.

[Damien, when you were with the person you loved, our child chose to leave us. This may also be her way of telling me that I should live for myself for the rest of my life.]

Damien's ears suddenly buzzed and his vision went dark. He tightly grasped the ultrasound report as his fingers shaking uncontrollably. He had never thought about it.

How could this be possible? When had Amelia gotten pregnant? Why hadn’t he known about it?

He quickly grabbed the divorce agreement and saw that the date was from a month ago. How could he have signed such a document?

A memory suddenly flashed back to that afternoon a month ago."Mr. Charleston, I just negotiated a new deal. This is the contract. You need to sign here."

Amelia had handed him the document.

He signed it without even looking at it and said with a smile, "Another deal? Amelia, you're impressive."

In an instant, countless overlooked details came to his mind.

Damien remembered taking Victoria home in the middle of the night and running into the famous divorce lawyer, Mr. Weston, with Amelia. He also clearly recalled that Felicia's husband didn’t have a first love and didn’t get a divorce, yet Amelia had said she was helping people with divorces.

And in the past month, Amelia’s things had gradually disappeared from the house, replaced by Victoria’s things.

Then, Damien remembered the day at the nursing home. Amelia’s pale face and the maid’s hesitant expression. Damien grabbed the car keys and rushed out, frantically dialing Amelia's number.

The call was not connected. Instead, a cold automatic voice informed him that the number was no longer in service!