Chapter 1

Five years ago, Ethan knelt for three days and nights to marry me. That wedding of the century is still talked about today.

For five years, even if I asked for the moon, he would give it to me. I thought I was the happiest woman in the world.

Until I came home early and caught him holding his mistress, saying the same sweet words he'd once said to me on our bed.

"Ivy, I love you more than I ever loved Charlotte."

In that moment, I finally understood. A tycoon's love has a shelf life of only five years.

I didn't cry or make a scene. I quietly signed the divorce agreement, sold the old house my parents left me, and wiped my identity clean.

In twelve days, Charlotte Thompson would cease to exist in this world.

And Ethan, only after I disappeared, went crazy searching for me everywhere.

Too bad. It was too late.

Charlotte POV

Ethan was ruthless in business, but he gave all his tenderness and affection to one person.

I was an ordinary person with no power or influence.

Five years ago, to marry me, Ethan knelt at home for three days and nights before his family agreed to let me marry him.

That wedding that shocked New York is still remembered today.

For five years, Ethan doted on me constantly.

If I casually mentioned wanting cherries, he'd have his private jet fly overnight to bring me the freshest cherries from Chile.

When I caught a cold and had a fever, he canceled a billion-dollar acquisition and stayed by my side at the hospital for three days and nights.

But this man who loved me like his life brought his mistress back to our home and had sex with her on our bed.

Three days ago was supposed to be our fifth wedding anniversary trip.

I'd planned it for so long, arranging everything I could think of. Excitedly, I dragged my suitcase to the airport with Ethan.

Then his phone rang.

He answered, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter. Finally, he looked at me apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte. There's a major problem with a company project. I have to go back and handle it."

I didn't want to make things difficult for him, so I smiled and pushed him toward the exit. "It's okay. I'll go ahead by myself. Next time you can come with me."

Ethan kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry. I'll come find you as soon as I'm done."

A solo trip is inevitably lonely.

The more I walked those streets I'd been looking forward to, the more I missed Ethan.

Every time I saw some novel little trinket, I couldn't help thinking how wonderful it would be if Ethan were here.

On the third morning, I changed my flight on impulse, wanting to come home early and surprise him.

But what awaited me was this scene.

The bedroom door was ajar, and muffled panting and the sound of the bed shaking came from inside.

I froze outside the door. Through the crack, I could see everything clearly.

On the nightstand, our wedding photo sat right there.

The photo of us smiling sweetly seemed to have become a prop to enhance their pleasure.

Ethan's hand gripped the slender waist of the woman beneath him, his other hand tangled in her long hair as he flipped her over and pressed her down beside the wedding photo.

The woman was thoroughly ravaged by him, panting and moaning while tears streamed down her face.

Ethan leaned down to kiss away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Let me hear your voice."

"Can't bear to let me go?"

"Don't cry. Tell me if it hurts, and I'll be gentler."

I stood frozen in place, my entire body ice cold.

These tender words. Ethan had said them to me on countless nights.

So his tenderness wasn't reserved for me alone.

In a daze, many images flashed through my mind.

On our wedding day, Ethan held my hand and looked seriously into my eyes. "Charlotte, in this life, I'll only love you. That will never change, even until death."

One year on my birthday, he went to a snowy mountain to bring me a bouquet of fresh avalanche lilies.

His lips turned purple from the cold, but he still smiled and said, "As long as it's something you want, I'll get it for you."

Last year on our fourth anniversary, he held me on the balcony watching fireworks and swore in my ear, "Charlotte, we'll always be together. When we're eighty, I'll still hold you like this."

I believed it all.

I never imagined he was lying to me.

Ethan's promises had a shelf life of only five short years.

Back then, my parents didn't agree to me marrying Ethan. My mother held my hand and said a tycoon's love is harder to sustain than an ordinary person's.

I didn't believe it then.

Now, watching those two entwined bodies on the bed, I had no choice but to believe.

I wanted to rush in and confront that man, confront that woman.

But I didn't want to cry in front of them both, to become a clown.

In the end, I bit my lip and silently backed out of the house.

I walked down the street feeling lost, my mind completely blank, unable to make sense of anything.

I dialed Ethan's number.

The call was answered, but it wasn't Ethan who spoke.

"Charlotte Thompson, you came home just now. I saw you."

It was that woman's voice!

I stopped in my tracks, unable to say a word.

But Ivy didn't give me a chance to catch my breath. "A man like Mr. Sterling. Who wouldn't want him?"

"You've occupied the position of Mrs. Sterling for too long. It's time for a change."

The call was disconnected.

I wandered the streets and randomly found a hotel to check into.

In the past two years, both my parents had passed away.

Before he died, my father gripped my hand tightly and said, "If you're wronged at the Sterling house, just leave. Keep that old house of ours. It's your last safety net. If worse comes to worst, sell it. It'll be enough for you to start a new life."

I didn't sleep all night.

The next morning, I did three things.

First, I contacted a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement.

Second, I listed my parents' old house for sale.

Third, I processed the paperwork to close my accounts.

Closing the account would take twelve days.

After twelve days, there would no longer be a Charlotte Thompson in this world.