CHAPTER 1
"I want to divorce my husband, and I want to resign from his company. Draft me two agreements, Attorney."
The attorney didn't look pleased. He warned in a cautious voice. "Madelynn, you know how hard you worked for this marriage. Are you sure you won't reconsider?"
Madelynn Fontaine had been secretly married to Oliver Kane for four years and had also been his secretary for just as long. But he never cared about her.
When she was attacked by robbers in their home, Oliver refused to answer her calls and texts. She was stabbed and left there to die until she was saved by a neighbor who had heard her screaming.
That same night, Oliver was in a resort with Cecelia Fontaine, Madelynn's sister.
"I've made up my mind, Attorney. And Oliver will be happy about it."
She had always known he didn't love her, but she still thought she could change him. And he had done nothing but hurt her.
And now, it was their wedding anniversary. She had prepared his final gifts for him... Divorce papers and a resignation letter.
She was leaving him for good.
--
MADELYNN
“Madelynn, we both know how hard you’ve worked for this marriage. I advise you to take the time to reconsider this decision.”
“I’ve made up my mind, attorney. I’m going to divorce Oliver and leave his company. Just draft both agreements please.”
Madelynn had been Oliver Kane’s secretary for four years, and at the same time, she had been secretly married to him.
Few months ago, while she decorated the house to announce her pregnancy to her husband, robbers broke in. They forced her to make countless calls and messages to Oliver in order to get the combination to the safe where he kept all his money and valuables. They threatened to kill her if they didn’t get the code to the safe.
But despite seeing the blue ticks that showed that Oliver was reading her messages, he never responded or answered the call.
The robbers had stabbed her in the thigh and left her to bleed to death, but luckily, she was saved by a neighbor who had heard her screaming.
She found out later that Oliver had been at a resort… with Cecelia, her sister.
The marriage she had tried so hard to protect shattered at that moment. She could finally see the truth, and she decided to walk away for good.
She looked at her lawyer. “I’m not changing my mind. And Oliver will probably be happy.”
She knew Oliver didn’t love her. But she had loved him since she was a little girl, so she had jumped at the idea of being his wife. But he didn’t see her as his wife, she was nothing to him. So for their wedding anniversary, she would give him the gift he wanted most… divorce.
Oliver hated messes, especially the ones made from cooking.
Madelynn could still remember the fuss he had made years ago when he came home to find her in the kitchen. “Why don’t you let the professionals handle that instead of turning my house into a pigsty!?”
So she was very surprised when she walked into the house that evening and found him bent over the stove. She knew there could only be one reason… Cecelia.
“There wasn’t much to do at the office today, so why are you late? Only prostitutes get home at such late hours of the night, Madelynn.”
“We had interns today, remember? Someone had to show them around since you bailed.” She said tiredly, ignoring his other comment.
He nodded once. “Let’s eat, I made dinner.”
She reluctantly sat down, and Oliver placed a plate of trout and vegetables in front of her. “I made this especially for you. It’s your favorite.”
Her stomach twisted and turned.
Cecelia was the one who loved trout. Madelynn was deathly allergic to seafood.
They had been married for four years, and her husband still didn’t know about her allergies. If he had paid any attention to her all these years, he definitely wouldn’t be serving her something that could kill her in minutes.
“What’s wrong? Why are you eating?” He asked when he noticed she was just staring at the plate.
She gently pushed the plate away from her and reached into her bag for the documents. “Dinner can wait. I need you to sign these.”
Oliver frowned. “What’s so important that I have to sign now? You know how much I hate talking about work at the dinner table.”
Just as he reached for the papers, his phone vibrated.
He almost sprained his wrist with how fast he tried to cover the screen, but she already saw it.
It was Cecelia.
He immediately stood up and walked over to the balcony to take the call. The sudden movement caused his wine glass to fall off the table, sending shards of glass everywhere.
A small piece of glass nicked her on the arm and red immediately tainted her fair skin and dripped onto the floor.
Oliver didn’t even turn around to look. He spent a long time on the balcony talking to Cecelia before he grabbed his coat from the rack and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” She asked quietly even though she already knew the answer.
“Something came up. I have to go.”
“You haven’t signed the papers.”
He sighed, then walked back to the table and hastily signed his name on the bottom of both pages. “There. Can I go now?”
She stared at the signatures in resignation, and nodded softly. “Yeah… go.”
He walked out at the speed of light. Like something was chasing him out of their home.
She laughed bitterly. He couldn’t even bother to pay enough attention to know that he had just signed the papers for her freedom.
Or that their floor was stained with her blood.
Oliver had always loved Cecelia. She was the “real” heir to the Fontaine wealth after all.
When Madelynn was a little girl, her mother’s most trusted maid died and left a little daughter, Cecelia. No one knew who her father was, and there were no other family members to take her either.
So Madelynn’s parents decided to take care of her as a way to honor her mother who had worked for the family for years. Her parents went the extra mile to make Cecelia feel accepted, as she was still too young to fully understand what had happened to her mother.
So they never punished her or treated her badly. Cecelia was always treated like an egg. She was the fragile child, and eventually, she became everyone’s favorite. Madelynn’s parents told her to take Cecelia as her sister and to never tell anyone otherwise, else they would look down on her and reopen old wounds.
So to the world, Cecelia was the Fontaine family’s favorite daughter and true heir.
Oliver and Cecelia had loved each other as children, but before they could ever get serious, Cecelia met another man and left the country in pursuit of her ‘one true love’
The Fontaine family and the Kane’s were longtime friends and business partners, so to preserve that relationship, Madelynn was asked to marry Oliver instead.
Oliver had agreed, despite being in love with Cecelia. She figured if she loved him hard enough, he would eventually fall in love with her too, but it never happened.
Instead, Cecelia returned and Oliver immediately betrayed Madelynn.
He leaked controversial videos of her online, and she overheard him and Cecelia talking about it.
“Madelyn will have our parents' support if I suddenly leave her. The only way to do it is by ruining her reputation. That way, we can both be together.”
Cecelia had asked him if he felt anything for Madelynn in the years they had been married.
But her husband shook his head. “Madelyn was just a stand in. But she will never be you.”
She had thought she could change Oliver by being devoted to him. But she was so wrong. Her heart broke as she looked at the divorce papers.
But she had given Oliver too many chances to disrespect and disgrace her, and she wouldn’t do it again.
She always said that one day, she would reach the limit of things she could endure, and the time had finally come.
Tonight, she placed two items into a box, sealed it, and locked it in the safe. It would be her final wedding anniversary gift to Oliver.
He would probably like it, she would give him everything he ever wanted, his freedom.
With everything in place, Madelyn picked up her phone and called the man she hadn’t spoken to in four years.
“Bash? I need you”
CHAPTER 2
Madelynn didn’t expect the response on the other end of the line to come so fast. It was almost like Sebastian was waiting for her to call.
“Jesus…” his voice was almost unsure. “Lynn, is it really you?”
She didn’t say anything.
“After all this time, you’re not messing with me. Are you?”
I broke into a smile. “No… I miss you.”
“I’ve wanted you since the day that I met you in high school. You’ve only ever had eyes for Oliver Kane. What changed?”
“I… I’m leaving Oliver.”
She met Sebastian Wilde in high school. He was captain of the football team and the only son of one of the most exclusive families in New York.
He chased her for years, and she liked the attention. In fact, she had almost chosen him before her parents told her she had to marry Oliver.
She had left him broken, and now here she was calling him out of nowhere.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have called. Forget I said anything.”
A deep growl came from Sebastian. “What do you mean forget? After all this time? We’re not teenagers anymore, Lynn. You called me. You’re the one who said you needed me. And I’m never letting you go again.”
“I’ll be there in a month, Madelynn. Finish off whatever’s left with Oliver. In a month, I’ll be back to take what’s mine.”
Madelynn smiled as the call ended with a soft click. Sebastian wasn’t giving her a chance to refuse.
“He’s still my Sebastian,” she whispered to herself.
Oliver didn’t come home that night. So she spent the entire night packing. The dim lights and soft music from the speakers were her only companion.
By the time the morning light streamed through the curtains and Oliver finally walked into the bedroom, she had boxed and boxes surrounding her.
“What are you doing?” He asked.
“Just throwing out trash.”
He walked over and peeked inside one of the boxes that held all the clothes and gifts he had ever gotten her. Most of them still had tags on.
“Those are trash…”
She sighed. “They’re old. Old clothes and gifts that probably won’t be used. I thought it’d be a good idea to donate them to charity, under your name of course.”
Oliver instantly smiled at that. He always took whatever opportunity that might be good for his reputation. “Oh well, that’s good then.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. Even though she knew Oliver’s quick response meant he just didn’t want to deal with her.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash behind her. Madelynn turned around in shock, only to find her sister.
Cecelia stood by the entrance of the door, and the large hand drawn portrait of Madelynn and Oliver on their wedding day was broken in a million pieces on the floor.
“Oh my God, Oliver and Madelyn,” she cried in pretense. “I didn’t see that there.” She batted her eyes at Oliver while giving her fake apology.
Oliver immediately rushed to her side to check her body for wounds. He didn’t care one bit about the broken picture. “Oh it’s okay. As long as you didn’t get injured.”
Cecelia wasn’t satisfied with that though. She had to get Madelynn’s attention too.
“Maddy, I hope you’re not upset.”
Madelynn stared at the broken pieces of what had once been her perfect life. She had spent a lot of time and money finding an artist that could paint her and Oliver at their wedding. And now, that painting was just ruined.
Years ago, she would’ve definitely fallen for Cecelia’s trap, but now, she didn’t care.
She looked right at her sister as she answered. “It’s okay. Like Oliver said, as long as you’re not injured.”
Cecelia’s smile faltered for a second before she tried to mask it. “You’re so kind.” Then without missing a beat, she turned to Oliver. “Which is why I know that you won’t have any problem with my next request.”
Oliver smiled, still looking at her. “Right. Madelynn, you know that Cece has just returned to the country, so she has to stay here.”
Madelynn frowned. “Why? You got her an apartment a week ago, didn’t you?”
Oliver looked annoyed by her comment. “I did. But she doesn’t like the color of the paint in there. So she’s moving here. And she likes the view of the city from your room, so she’ll be staying there. Please move to a different room.”
Even after all these years of marriage, Oliver and Madelynn didn’t share a room. He said he couldn’t sleep with someone else so close to him. But she knew what it meant. He would be comfortable with anyone as long as it wasn’t her.
She also knew that whenever it came to Cecelia, he always had a long explanation rehearsed, so when she agreed without a fight, it caught him off guard.
“It’s no problem. I’ll just move all the excess stuff out of here.”
It didn’t matter if she stayed or left. She would be completely out of this house very soon.
Oliver’s rehearsed speech was at the tip of his lip the moment she answered him. But Cecelia beat him to it. “Thanks Maddy.”
Madelynn didn’t respond. She just picked up one of the boxes with her bony hands and headed for the door. Just as she approached it, Cecelia put out a foot and made her trip.
Madelynn couldn’t stop the fall in time, and her knee landed in the broken glass from the picture frame. She let out a loud wince as pain shot through her body.
Cecelia winked at her and dragged Oliver away without him even noticing anything.
Madelynn stayed on the floor and let her tears flow freely. She thought about the way Cecelia had always been treated as a golden princess.
Madelynn was the only one who did chores in the house, Cecelia would always make up one excuse after the other.
And even now, when they were both adults and she was married to such an influential man, nothing changed.
Cecelia was always going to be everybody’s princess.
CHAPTER 3
It took her the whole afternoon to finish sorting through all her things. By sunset she was loading it all into a truck.
“Did you have to throw out so much?” Oliver asked, frowning. “You do know that Cecelia isn’t staying forever right? You’ll have your room back in no time, so what’s the drastic packing for?”
“I’ve had all this stuff for years,” Madelynn answered. “I figured it was time for a change.”
“You hate being wasteful.”
Yes she did. Even though she had grown up rich, she hated people that wasted things anyhow.
“Some things just need to go,” she answered him.
‘Some people just need to go too,’ she added silently in her head.
As usual, Oliver didn’t want to waste time on a conversation with her. He changed the topic.
“The annual auction is tonight. I’ve been invited back this year. You’ll come with me… and Cece.”
“I don’t think that’s—”
Oliver cut her off before she could finish protesting. “You’re going, Madelynn. It’s not like I can show up at events like that without my secretary.”
His words made her wince. His secretary. Not his wife.
If he was taking her as his secretary, she wanted to ask why he was taking Cecelia, but she didn’t. She nodded obediently. It was just one more thing she would have to endure before she was truly free.
When they arrived at the auction hall later that night, Oliver held the door open for Cecelia and led her to the front door, letting Madelynn trail behind them.
The parking lot was full of luxurious cars and the hall held the most important people in the city. If you didn't get an invite to the auction, then it simply meant that you weren’t that important.
The host rushed up to them immediately as they entered.
“Mr Kane. My name is June and I’ll be your host today. I’ll take you to your seats, right this way.”
June led them to two empty seats. “We were informed you were coming with your wife? The second seat is for her.”
Madelynn’s blood turned to ice. And she could see Oliver and Cecelia freeze too.
If there was one thing Oliver did well, it was hiding their marriage from the public. Only family and a few friends knew about it. Madelynn turned to him, waiting to see what he would do.
He had two women, and one seat. Who would he pick?
But of course, she already knew the answer.
“Wife?” He scoffed. “I have no idea where that rumor came from.”
The poor host blushed in embarrassment. “Oh… what about these two then?”
Oliver slipped his arm around Cecelia’s body and pulled her closer. “This is Cecelia Fontaine. Daughter of Fontaine Tech’s CEO.”
“Ah,” recognition flashed in June’s eyes. “Miss Cecelia Fontaine.” She nodded politely.
Then he turned to Madelynn, almost like he was being forced. “The other one is my secretary.”
Madelynn didn’t react. She already knew that Oliver would rather die than introduce her as his wife. But that knowledge didn’t stop her heart from shattering.
Still, she stood up straighter and swallowed the pain. She might not have anything left, but she would keep her dignity intact.
Oliver and Cecelia took their seats, while Madelynn stood behind them like the secretary that she was.
Maybe it was the cold air in the hall, or the fact that she was standing in five inch heels, or maybe it was the shameful situation that she was in. But the pain wouldn’t stop. It spread through her chest and body till it settled in her stomach.
She pressed a hand to her belly and quietly slipped out of the room like the unwanted presence that she was.
She found a balcony that was empty and stayed up there, trying to inhale the fresh air.
It was impossible for her to get her period, so why did the cramps hurt so much? She had also had a doctor’s appointment the day before, so she knew that her baby was safe.
She stayed there for a few more minutes, trying to ease the pain but to no avail. When she finally decided to go back to the hall, the glass doors to the balcony wouldn’t budge.
It was locked from the outside.
CHAPTER 4
Madelynn’s heart was racing as she struggled to open the door. She knocked off on the unbreakable glass, feeling her panic rise every second.
All of a sudden, Cecelia emerged from the shadows, laughing like she was crazy.
“Tell me sister, how does it feel receiving second hand love?”
“Oliver has always been mine. He’s been in love with me since we were kids, and I’m back for good now, dear sister. That means you have to move out of the way.”
She smiled mischievously. “You really thought that if you showed up here with him tonight, you would steal my spotlight? Think again.”
Another jolt of pain attacked Madelynn’s stomach and she almost doubled over. A trickle of sweat ran from her brows down her face. “Cecelia, he’s yours. If you want him, you can have him. I’m not stopping you.”
Cecelia didn’t believe her. “You really think I’m stupid? You think I will fall for your stupid lies? You’ve always tried to steal our parents’ love and now you want to take Oliver from me too? You think you’re all that!?”
Madelyn shook her head in pain. “Cece, you’re not making any sense. Please just let me out and we can talk.”
“No, no no,” Cecelia laughed. “You’re spending the night here. And no one is coming to save you.”
With an evil glint in her eyes, Cecelia dragged over the huge yellow sign that read “Restricted area- Under construction” and set it in front of the doors.
“Cece what are you doing?” Madelynn yelled. “It’s cold out here and a storm’s coming!”
Cecelia ignored her and bounced back to the hall.
“Come on!” Madelynn exclaimed. They had all given their phones to the woman at the door because the auction was a private and exclusive one, so there was no way she could even call anyone.
With the storm coming, no one would even think about coming to the balcony because of the cold and rain. Still she knocked on the door. “Help! Somebody help!”
Thunder roared and she knew there was no way anybody could hear her. The pain was slowly overtaking her body, so she slid to the floor and laid there, thinking of a way out.
With the sign there, no one would even think of coming this way. Cecelia was right. No one was coming to save her.
She didn’t know how long she stayed there, uselessly calling out for help, but soon enough, the rain started beating on her relentlessly, and she passed out.
Oliver finally noticed Madelynn’s absence when the auction ended.
“How long has she been gone?” He asked no one in particular, his brows furrowed with concern.
Cecelia pouted, masking her features and feigning ignorance. “Oliver, maybe she was really upset about me sitting next to you instead of her? This is all my fault. If I had known she would be so upset, I would’ve just stayed back home.”
Hearing her blame herself, Oliver frowned. “You’re the princess of the Fontaine family. The rightful heir. And I care about you. You really think I should’ve let my secretary sit next to me instead of you?”
“Don’t worry about her, Cece. Madelynn has had her head in the clouds a bit too much lately, it’s good to let her know her place. Let’s head home, she’ll show up whenever she wants.”
Madelynn never showed up at home that night, but Oliver barely noticed. And he definitely didn’t care.
The next morning, a security guard finally unlocked the doors to the balcony at the auction hall.
There, huddled in a soaking mess in the corner was Madelynn. Even though she was barely conscious, her body still trembled from the cold.
The guard immediately sprang into action, worried. “Ma’am? Are you okay? Did you spend the entire night here? How did you get locked out here? Ma’am? You don’t look okay. I’m calling 911 right now.”
Madelynn’s damp lashes weakly fluttered open as he gently shook her. She pressed her arm against the floor, pushing herself up with all her strength.
“I’m fine, thank you. But there’s no need.”
“How can you say that?” The guard asked. “Stay here. I’ll get a blanket and call the ambulance.”
The pain in her belly had eased. But it had rained on her all night. It was almost like even nature was against her.
She had really thought Oliver would come looking for her when she didn’t return to the hall. But clearly, her expectations had been too high once again.
She clearly remembered one time when Cecelia left town without telling anyone. Oliver had called the police and hired drones and helicopters to find her.
But now, even after a whole night without contact from his wife, he hadn’t even bothered to try and find her.
True to his words, the guard had returned with a warm blanket for her and called the ambulance. As they loaded her into the ambulance, she only had one thought.
‘So this is what it felt like when someone you loved didn’t feel even a shred of love for you.’
Her phone was handed to her just before they left for the hospital, and she checked it. Just as she had thought, there was no single call from or text message from Oliver.
Instead, she had several unread messages and missed calls from Sebastian.
[Lynn, I don’t think I can wait a whole month. I’ll be in New York for business in a week. I’ll come and get you then.]
Warmth spread through her chest as she read the message. She immediately sent back a reply. [I agree. A month is way too long. Come get me in a week.]
‘One week.’ She said mentally. ‘One more week and she would finally be free of Oliver and all his problems.’
CHAPTER 5
Madelynn walked into her home to find Cecelia lounging on the couch in her nightgown.
Madelynn’s nightgown.
The sound of the door opening made Cecelia look back with an eye roll. “You’re back so soon? You look absolutely filthy.”
She stood up from the couch and strolled over to Madelynn, lifting her chin with a finger like she was inspecting it. “Look at you. You’re as pale as a sheet. There’s nothing interesting about your face, and anyone would assume you’re on your deathbed.”
She pulled the robe down her shoulders to proudly display the glaring red marks on her neck and chest. “See these hickeys? It’s all Oliver’s handwork. Last night was… intense. As you can see, he couldn’t wait to claim me as his.”
It was like she became even bolder the more she spoke. She lowered her voice, leaning into Madelynn’s ear in a mocking whisper.
“Last night, while we did it in your bed, he said I was the only one who could make him feel like a real man. He said you lie there like the dead—and you never knew how to slice things up.”
“You should’ve heard how he screamed out my name in pleasure and treated my body like something he worshipped.”
The moment the words left her sister’s lips, Madelynn’s eyes darkened. She raised her hand and slapped Cecelia hard across the face before she could stop herself.
“Cecelia! Know your place. No matter how bad Oliver treats me, I’m still his wife. And you… you’re just the other woman! Push me too far and I’ll hold a press conference. I’ll let the world know you’re nothing more than a maid’s daughter who stole her sister’s husband!”
Madelynn had promised herself she wouldn’t stoop to Cecelia’s level, but the latter kept pushing her too far, and there was only so much she could take.
Just as Cecelia was about to retaliate, she looked up and saw Oliver approaching and she immediately flipped the switch.
Her knees buckled, and she dropped to the floor.
“Maddy, I’m so sorry— I knew I never should’ve come back! I’ll leave today! I would rather die than be in your way.”
Before Madelynn could even react, Cecelia suddenly sprang to her feet and ran straight toward a wall. Oliver rushed forward just in time to catch her.
“Cece, This is my house and I invited you here. If anyone has a problem with you, they have a problem with me and they should take it up with me!”
Cecelia’s bright pink lips curled into a sinister smile.
Oliver, supporting Cecelia, turned and barked coldly, “Madelynn, you will apologize to her right now!”
“I will do no such thing! I have been nothing but nice to Cecelia. Oliver, do you even have any idea where I was last night? Aren’t you even the least bit curious?”
“I don’t care where you were last night,” he snapped. “But you don’t get to hurt Cece! You have no right! And if you don’t apologize right now, you’ll be suspended from the office until you learn to have proper manners!”
In his eyes, Madelynn’s only joy came from working in the office. So he figured suspension would be the ultimate punishment. What he didn’t know was that Madelynn never even cared about the work. She had a master’s degree that meant she could work in much higher places rather than being a mere secretary. She could own the company if she wanted. She worked harder only so Oliver could have it easier.
Seeing the hurt in her eyes, His chest tightened with guilt. But he still turned away, taking Cecelia with him.
Before leaving, he turned to the maid and guards and ordered, “She’s not to have any food or water until she apologizes!”
Madelynn watched him walk away with tears slipping silently down her cheeks. This was the man she had loved for years. But there was no way she could keep loving him after all this.
For days, she was locked inside the villa like a prisoner.
Three times a day, the guards would ask if she had realized her mistake. Madelynn never gave an answer. She spent the time staring out the window and counting down the days. In five more days, she would be gone from this life for good.
Sitting on her balcony swing, her phone kept buzzing with texts. All of them from her sister.
She ignored them until she couldn’t anymore and decided to read the latest one.
[You couldn’t even get your parents to keep loving you, and now you can’t even handle a man. If your parents could pick me over you, then best believe that Oliver will dance to my tunes too. Just one word from me, and he’ll never return home to you.]
She proved her words.
For the next couple of days, Oliver didn’t return to the villa. Cecelia never let her have peace though. She kept sending her pictures and videos everyday.
She sent videos of her kissing Oliver. Pictures of them walking by the beach. Videos of him cooking for her and taking her shopping to get whatever she wanted.
She even sent intimate videos that no one else should’ve seen.
In the past, Madelynn would’ve gone mad with anger and pain, but now… she was just numb.
A man like that wasn’t worth crying over. She knew better now.
On the fourth day, they finally let her leave her room, but because she still refused to admit to her mistakes, food and water was still withheld from her.
She decided to take a stroll through the garden and smell the fresh flowers, but she had underestimated how weak she really was from the lack of food.
She tripped on a fallen branch and fell face flat on the rough hard floor. Searing hot pain shot through her stomach and the next thing she saw was blood.
Madelynn instinctively yelled out in agony. It wasn’t even from the pain. It was from the knowledge that something had definitely happened to her baby. The same baby that she had tried so hard to have. The same baby that had come after so much pressure from hers and Oliver’s parents. The baby that had come only because Oliver had gotten so drunk and had done that 'thing' with her.
The guards rushed her to the car to drive to the hospital. But they were unable to get out of the gates of the community, because the roads were blocked.
“Mrs Kane,” the driver said nervously. “Mr Kane has called a parade for Ms. Cecelia’s birthday party today and the roads are blocked. We can’t… we can’t get through.”
While blood kept gushing out of her and stained her clothes and the car seats, fireworks erupted in the sky.
It was all for Cecelia.
The proof of Oliver’s love for her sister was on full display for the world to see while she sat helplessly in the car, losing their baby with every drop of blood that flowed from her.
Madelynn let out an almost inhuman cry. With all the strength she could muster, she pulled her wedding band off her finger and tossed it out of the window.
She was done with Oliver and this sham of a marriage.
