Chapter 1

"I want a divorce."

Three years into his marriage, Julian Shaw had decided.

He was doing it without his wife's knowledge.

The lawyer across the desk listened to his request, his voice a flat, professional drone.

"For a divorce, both parties need to sign the agreement. After that, there's a mandatory one-month cooling-off period. Is your wife not here today?"

Julian was silent for a few seconds. "I'll get her to sign."

"Very well. I'll draft the agreement for you."

After a short wait, Julian had the papers in hand.

He walked downstairs, his head bowed, replaying the events of the last few weeks in his mind.

Just as he reached the lobby, a familiar voice stopped him.

"Julian? What are you doing at a law firm?"

He looked up, his heart skipping a beat as he met Helena Locke's gaze—those sharp, intelligent eyes that seemed to see right through everything.

Who would have guessed he'd come for a divorce consultation at the very firm where his own wife worked?

But she wouldn't find out.

She never paid enough attention to him for that.

With that thought, he took a deep breath, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.

"Just consulting on a few things. By the way, the papers for that property transfer my parents mentioned are ready. I need your signature."

He pulled out the divorce agreement, flipping directly to the last page and laying it flat on the counter. He pushed a pen toward her.

The final page had nothing but a signature line. As a lawyer, her professional instincts made Helena frown.

She was about to pick it up for a closer look when a familiar figure at the elevator caught her eye. She hesitated for only a second before taking the pen and signing where Julian pointed.

"There. If there's nothing else, you should go. I have work to do."

The weight in Julian’s chest lifted, only to be replaced by a flash of self-mockery.

If she had just taken one more look, she would have known it wasn't a property agreement. It was a divorce.

But her attention, every last bit of it, was already captured by Milo Cross, who had just walked in.

Looking at that handsome, charming face, Julian felt a bitter mix of emotions.

His hand tightened on his briefcase as he turned and left the firm.

As the automatic glass doors slid shut, two voices drifted faintly to his ears.

"Helena, who was that?"

"A new client. Here for a divorce consultation." Helena's usually icy voice melted into something soft, almost cooing. "Why are you here so early? Wait for me for a few minutes, honey, and I'll take you out for lunch, okay?"

Hearing that coddling tone, then looking down at the signed divorce agreement in his hand, Julian let out a hollow, bitter smile.

Yes. A new client, here for a divorce.

And soon, in just one more month, Helena would get her wish.

Julian and Helena had a secret marriage.

Besides their parents, no one knew they were husband and wife. Not even the man who was the love of her life.

Keeping it a secret was her decision.

They had been college classmates. From the first day of freshman year, Julian had fallen for Helena, the most beautiful girl on campus. He chased her relentlessly for four years, but she never gave him the time of day.

But Julian wasn't completely heartbroken.

Because she hadn't just rejected him; she'd rejected everyone. It seemed she was simply immune to men.

After graduation, he got busy with work while she continued her studies. They had no contact, but he never forgot her.

Their parallel lives unexpectedly converged three years later at a blind date set up by their parents.

At their first meeting, Helena cut straight to the chase, asking if he had any intention of getting married.

Though he didn't know why she was in such a hurry, the dream he'd held for years was suddenly within reach. Julian was overjoyed, assuming her parents were just pressuring her. He agreed without a second thought.

It was only after they were married that he slowly uncovered her secret.

It wasn't that she was immune to men. It was that her heart belonged to someone she loved deeply, but could never have.

His name was Milo Cross, the younger brother of her best friend.

She was five years older, so she had always seen him as a little brother. It was a classic case of unrequited love.

Milo, oblivious to her hidden feelings, married his girlfriend of three years right after graduation.

Helena was devastated. To escape the heartbreak, and under immense pressure from her parents, she rushed into marriage with him.

When Julian found out the truth, he was shattered for a long time. But eventually, he pulled himself together.

He told himself that time was on his side. If he worked hard enough, he could make her see him.

But in three years of marriage, she never truly let him get close.

Just as Julian's confidence was crumbling, he found the photo album.

It was filled with pictures of a boy from age six to twenty-five. He shouldn't have cared.

But what if that boy was the man his wife had loved for years? And what if the album was still being updated, even after their wedding?

Julian couldn't pretend it didn't bother him.

To make matters worse, the very next night, Helena, who never drank, came home completely wasted. Her usually cool, collected eyes were practically overflowing with joy.

He later found out why.

Milo Cross had gotten a divorce.

In that moment, a self-deprecating laugh escaped Julian's lips. He decided, then and there, to end this hopeless marriage.

Perhaps it was because he now had the signed divorce papers, but returning to the home they had shared for three years felt different.

Looking around the cozy little nest he had built with his own hands, memories flooded his mind.

His gaze drifted, finally landing on the wedding photo in the living room, a photo he always kept meticulously clean.

Seeing the forced smile on Helena's face in the picture was like a dagger to his heart. He couldn't stand it. He took the photo down and threw it into the trash can downstairs.

For the rest of the night, Julian sorted through their marital assets.

When Helena came home, the first thing she noticed was the missing wedding photo. She looked at her husband, who was busy writing something, and for the first time in a long time, she frowned and asked a question.

"Where's the wedding photo?"

"The nail was loose. I took it down so it wouldn't fall and hit someone."

Helena didn't press further. She placed the late-night takeout she was carrying next to him and went into the study.

The pungent smell made Julian pause.

He opened the bag and saw the fiery red, spicy food inside. A sour, stinging sensation filled his nose.

For three years, he had eaten a bland diet because of his ulcer.

But his wife had no idea.

The old Julian would have eaten every last bite, no matter how spicy, just to make her happy.

But the Julian of today simply took the entire bag downstairs and threw it in the trash.

From this day on, he would throw away all the pain of this marriage, all the sorrow.

And that included throwing her away.