My husband was a well-known,aloof rising star in the industry.

Wealthy women threw themselves at him like he was the last man on earth.But through it all,he stayed loyal to me.He loved no one else.

But one night,I found him in the study,staring blankly at his phone.A familiar woman was streaming live.

She was the one he couldn’t have in his youth.

When word got around that someone wanted that woman dead,my husband lost his mind trying to protect her.

To keep her alive…he traded me.He handed me over to a man so terrifying,even his name made people tremble.

“I’m sorry,Cordelia,”my husband said.“Ivy can’t die.”

And suddenly,it hit me—our marriage had probably reached its end.

——

Lately,something had been off with Jayden.

He used to bring me flowers every week—without fail.But recently,he’d started forgetting.

He used to hate making me wait.Now,he often locked himself in the study long into the night.

Every time,he would follow it up with a tender look,a soft-spoken apology,and try to buy back my forgiveness with gifts even more expensive than the last.

But a woman’s intuition is rarely wrong.

One night,I woke up to find the other side of the bed cold and empty.A bad feeling crept over me.

I slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the door of my husband’s study.

That was how I saw her on the screen of his phone—waving flirtatiously at the livestream viewers.

The moment her dazzling,delicate face appeared,it felt like I’d fallen into a freezing lake.

I pushed the door open.For the first time,panic flickered across my husband’s usually composed face.

“Cordelia,you—”

“That’s Ivy,right?”

He paused for just a moment.Then his features hardened into calm.

“Right,”he admitted.

My eyes turned red as I stared at him.“Why does it have to be her?”

He exhaled and stepped forward,pulling me into his arms.“It’s not what you think.She’s out of options.I just want to help her.”

“She already paid the price for what she did back then,”he added.“And you—you’re doing just fine now,aren’t you?”

He asked,“Please…let go of the past.She’s doing everything she can just to stay alive.”

His voice was sincere but laced with compassion—for another woman.

I stepped back and studied the gentle man standing before me.

And suddenly,it hit me—our marriage had probably reached its end.

His voice dropped to a whisper.“I just want you two to make peace.”

‘Make peace?’I repeated in my head.

But Ivy and I were never friends to begin with.

In fact,she hated me from the very first day of freshman year.

My three years in high school were abyss for me.

My desk was defaced with vile scribbles.My textbooks vanished without a trace.

In the girls’restroom,I was cornered and slapped.

Even on the way home,strange boys would surround me,their eyes full of malice.

It only changed when Jayden appeared in my life.

He wore sun-bleached white sneakers and stood in front of me like a shield.

Even then,I still remember the faint scent of soap clinging to him.

He took a blow meant for me,bled,and was hospitalized.

That was when I saw her—Ivy,crying at his bedside so hard she could barely breathe.

She kept apologizing to him through her tears,calling him a fool.

That’s when I found out—they had grown up together in the same orphanage.They were childhood friends.

The merciless Ivy I knew was afraid of no one…except Jayden Finnegan,the straight-A student.

I still remember the way he looked at me then scolded her.“You should be apologizing to her.”

I didn’t know how to react.

Like a good girl,Ivy apologized to me.She even offered a handshake and a smile.

But days later,I found my bike tires slashed.

The more Jayden cared about me,the harder she worked to maintain appearances.

And the things she did to traumatize me grew increasingly cruel.

She was an expert at quiet cruelty—the kind that didn’t bruise but leave wounds that settled deep under the skin.

Back then,I was just the illegitimate daughter abandoned by the Blumenthals;I had no one to rely on.

Chapter 2

Ivy slithered through my life like a shadowy viper,and all I could do was let her.

Meanwhile,Jayden was like a flawless apple—always managing to keep himself clean.

Later,Ivy was taken away by juvenile detention.

I,on the other hand,was finally acknowledged by the Blumenthals,and I got into the same university as Jayden.

When he was courting me,he said he loved my kindness and innocence.I,in turn,was drawn to his gentleness and steady presence that made me feel safe.

I didn’t keep him waiting;after graduation,we got engaged.

I no longer feared Ivy’s return.That time,no matter what,I believed Jayden would protect me.

But reality gave me a harsh slap in the face.

Jayden validated the trauma I’d suffered.But somehow,he still believed Ivy deserved to be forgiven.

My vision blurred as my tears threatened to spill.He reached out,as if to wipe them away.

But his hand froze mid-air when his phone suddenly rang.

My eyes caught the caller ID.

It was just one word.

[Ivy]

A wave of despair crashed over me.Taking a shaky breath,I warned,“Jayden,if you answer that call now,we’re getting divorced tomorrow.”

He frowned,a mix of helplessness and frustration darkening his features.

“Cordelia,”he said,sighing,“if you want to be jealous,at least pick a better time.If Ivy’s calling me this late,something must’ve happened.”

He paused,then added with conviction,“Even just for the sake of our past,I shouldn’t ignore her call.”

With that,he pressed the accept button.

From the receiver came a soft,lilting voice.

I let my tears fall freely then.I didn’t say another word;I simply turned and left.

Ten minutes later,I heard the rumble of Jayden’s car engine echoing through the courtyard.

I lay down on the bed,crying into the silence.

After all these years,Ivy still had the power to summon him with nothing more than a single phone call in the middle of the night.

Sleep was impossible that night.Following a bitter instinct,I pulled up Ivy’s livestream account.

There she was onscreen,her face as delicate and striking as ever.But that particular night,her smile was calculated—meant to please,to entice.She offered more than beauty to the people watching behind the screen.

Waving the phone in her hand,she said smugly,“I made the call.Whether he shows up or not…we’ll see.”

The comments flew by in a blur,but it didn’t take long for me to understand what was happening.

Jayden was her biggest supporter—the one who never typed a single word in the chat.

He was always there,night after night,lurking in her streams and flooding her with the priciest virtual gifts like some emotionless,automated donor.

[A love that ends without illness or pain]

That line kept flashing through the comment section,over and over again.

Soon,Ivy pulled Jayden into a joint livestream.Though only a part of his face showed on camera,even that glimpse revealed his striking features.

Her fans lost their minds.They flooded the chats with praise,gushing about how perfect the two of them looked together.

Some of them even begged her to ask him out—that very night.

She agreed.And he…actually showed up.

And his wife?I was left in the dark like a fool.

She kept speaking softly into the camera,her tone dreamy and wistful,dropping vague hints about how tangled her love life had become.

The stream only paused when the doorbell rang.

A few moments later,a man stepped into the frame—masked,mysterious.

“Hello,everyone,”he greeted warmly.

He stood tall and self-assured,dressed in a custom suit that practically oozed money.

Ivy’s eyes lit up with barely restrained joy and affection.She reached out and lightly tugged at the corner of his coat.

The chat exploded with two words.

[Perfect match!]

They were even already calling him her husband.

I sat there,watching—long enough for my eyes to burn and my chest to go numb.

Eventually,I closed my eyes.And the memories came rushing back.I thought of the year I married Jayden.

Even as an illegitimate daughter,I still brought considerable assets into the marriage.

With that,I helped him climb the career ladder with ease.

People whispered behind my back,claiming I bought his love with money.A few even had the nerve to ask him,publicly,why he chose someone like me.

Faced with such rude questions,he’d simply smiled politely.He’d brush them off with a joke or pivot the conversation somewhere safer

Chapter 3

Afterward,whenever we were alone,he would hold me tighter than usual,burying his face in the crook of my neck and breathing me in deeply.

It was as if that was how he expressed the overwhelming love he couldn’t put into words.

That convinced me to forgive him.

After all,love didn’t need to be proven to others.

Maybe he just didn’t know how to say the words I love you.

But when he faced the camera,holding another woman’s hand,he looked so sure—so full of affection.

Who said Jayden didn’t know how to woo a woman?

He knew far too well.

I lay still in our bed,staring as the sunlight gradually filled the room.

Later,once again,the sound of a car echoed in the courtyard.

Not long after,I heard a woman’s voice.

“Jayden,is this really okay?Won’t Cordelia be angry?You’re married,after all.”

“My home is your home.That has nothing to do with my marriage.”

Then came the sound of the woman laughing freely.

They must’ve started a house tour because I heard the sound of their footsteps moving back and forth.

“Get some rest,”he said.“From now on,treat this place as your own home.”

“Alright.”

The door opened.

When he saw me sitting up in bed,fully awake,his steps only faltered slightly.

“You’re up,”he said.“Good.I was just about to talk to you.”

I stared coldly at his shirt—rumpled,clearly the same one he had been wearing when he left last night.

Every wrinkle felt like a mocking reminder of how easily my so-called love had been crushed.

“Jayden,”I said quietly,“this isn’t just your home.It’s mine too.”

He let out a sigh.

“Ivy has nowhere to go right now.Let her stay here for the time being.”

“Absolutely not.”

His brows creased.His usually gentle face now carried a sharp edge,leaving no room for argument.

“Cordelia,I’m not asking for your permission.”

I forced a smile through the sting in my chest.

“So you let her move in today.What next?Share a room with her tomorrow?”I asked,my anger rising despite my efforts to stay composed.

The next second,I snapped,“Why not just buy another place next door?That way,when the two of you are basking in your affection,I won’t be in the way!”

The colder his gaze became,the heavier my heart sank.

Just as the tension between us peaked,a delicate voice chimed in from behind him.“Jayden,don’t fight with Cordelia because of me.”

“I know she still holds resentment toward me,”she continued.“I made mistakes when I was young and foolish.It’s understandable that she can’t forgive me.Don’t ruin your marriage over me.”

“If it really doesn’t work out,I’ll stay at a hotel instead,”she insisted.“It’s all the same to me.”

She walked in with graceful poise,as if the trauma she caused me was just a fleeting inconvenience,easily brushed aside.

Worse still,she played the part of the generous,understanding woman—giving him a way out,making herself look considerate.

Maybe my stare was too cold because tears welled up in Ivy’s eyes as she moved a little closer to the man beside her.

And my husband—this aloof,intellectual man—wrapped his hand around her frail shoulder.

“Cordelia,”he said,“try to be more like Ivy.Don’t make things harder for me.”

I responded by slamming the bedroom door so hard it shook the walls.

But even that couldn’t stop the fact that Ivy had moved into my home.

As I leaned against the door,crying in silence,I heard her voice again from outside.

“I’m sorry,Jayden.”

He laughed softly.“It’s you who’s been wronged.I’m sorry.I’ll handle things with Cordelia.”

“It’s all my fault…”she murmured.

Their voices grew fainter as they walked away together.

I collapsed to the floor,suddenly realizing just how badly my hands were trembling.

Turns out,deep down,I had never really gotten over the damage Ivy caused me.

Just the sight of her raising her hand ever so slightly—was enough to send a wave of fear straight through my chest.

Chapter 4

That feeling was like a lake deep enough to drown me—bottomless,silent,and still.

I took a deep breath and locked the door behind me before starting to pack my things.

From outside came a knock,followed by the sound of someone turning the doorknob—I’d almost forgotten Jayden had keys to every room in the house.

When he saw me packing,he didn’t look surprised.But his voice softened slightly.

“Cordelia,please listen to me.”

“Ivy said the wrong thing during a livestream and offended someone.The place she’s staying at isn’t safe now.She and I grew up together—I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

“You’ve always been kind and understanding.Even if you can’t forgive her,surely you can understand me,can’t you?”

My eyes reddened.

“Jayden.Do you really think everything that happened back then can just be erased?”

He paused for a moment and lowered his head.

“I believe you were truly hurt by her…”he answered.“But I also believe she must’ve had her reasons.”

He looked at me then,trying to reason it all away.“You’re doing better than she is now.You’re my wife.You’ve already won.”

His expectant gaze lingered on me.“So please,don’t bring it up again,okay?”

The room fell into absolute silence.

I could hear the sound of my tears hitting the floor—and with it,I lost all will to talk to him.

Seeing me remain quiet as I continued to pack,he let out a sigh.

“I have to go to work now.I hope when I get back…you’ll still be here waiting for me.”

With that,he left the room.

I closed my eyes,sealing away my tears—and along with them,the question I’d been holding in my heart.

‘Jayden,what do you really see me as?A proper,dignified,legal wife—someone I should be grateful to become?’

There was a time when I found it hard to believe people like Jayden and Ivy could even be friends.

He was like a rainbow—how could someone like that grow up hand-in-hand with a girl who could dull someone’s peace?

Now I think I understand.They’re so close because there’s something the same in them.

Kindred spirits,connected at the soul.

I called a moving company.

I had everything that belonged to me packed up and taken away.

The noise must’ve been loud because it disturbed Ivy,who had been resting.

Not far off,she leaned against the second-floor railing,a sultry smile on her face,one hand holding a lit cigarette.

She looked nothing like she had the day before when she stood quietly by Jayden’s side.

“Giving up already?”She scoffed.“I haven’t even done anything yet.”

She was wearing a low-cut,high-slit camisole nightdress that made the movers steal glances at her again and again.

When I ignored her,she only grew more smug.

“I just said someone threatened me,and he got all worked up,”she remarked with a shrug.

A grin tugged at her lips.“I mean seriously,Cordelia,you’re so pathetic.I gave you that man for years,and you still couldn’t keep him?That’s honestly hilarious.”

She glanced at the movers collecting my things.Then,she rolled her eyes at me.“You think if you leave,Jayden’s heart will go with you?”

“Please,”she added with a laugh,her tone thick with contempt.“This is the best you can do.”

I looked at her coldly.

“If you’re so capable,”I retorted,“why didn’t Jayden marry you back then?”

Her smile twisted ever so slightly.

And I smiled too—I knew,deep down,Jayden would never marry her.

A woman with a criminal record and nothing but looks to her name?

Jayden was a rational,ambitious man.I knew that better than anyone.

He might throw himself into the fire for her—but make her his wife?Not in a million years.

I stopped paying attention to her.I watched as the movers loaded the last of my belongings onto the truck.

Just as I was about to leave,something heavy struck the back of my head.

A loud shattering followed—the sound of a vase hitting the floor.

A wave of buzzing and blinding pain overtook me.Stunned,I turned around.

There she was,standing upstairs.

A porcelain vase that had been placed in the hallway now lay in shards at my feet.

“Oh no,I’m so sorry,Cordelia!”Ivy exclaimed.“I didn’t mean to knock over the vase and hit you.You’re not mad,are you?”

“Oh my god!”She gasped.“You’re bleeding!”

She came down the stairs,lifting the hem of her dress,and stood in front of me,frowning with exaggerated concern.

“Oh right,”she drawled,“I forgot to ask earlier.Do the wounds still hurt?Do you still remember the smell of the toilet water in the girls’restroom back in our second year of high school—”

My whole body trembled as I used all my strength to slap her across the face,the sound echoing.

She didn’t even flinch.Just a flash of triumph flickered in her eyes.

I couldn’t stop shaking—part of it was fear,the rest was fury.

In the end,the moving truck never left;Jayden came home.

The look in his eyes was full of disappointment.

Even the blood trickling from the back of my neck didn’t stir the slightest trace of sympathy from him.

“You’re being completely unreasonable,Cordelia!”he snapped.

“If you really want to leave,then go,”he continued flatly.“I won’t stop you anymore.”

My vision dimmed slightly.

“Jayden,”I said,“I want a divorce.”