Chapter 1

Rumor had it Marcus was cold as ice, completely uninterested in women. Yet, yesterday, in his office, he took me, not once, not twice, but *eight times*.

I naively thought he’d finally accepted me, his ordinary wife. But the moment he was done, he vanished without a trace.

He disappeared for twenty whole days.

Later, as I knelt sobbing at my father’s tombstone, my husband was holding the wedding of the century.

But the bride wasn’t me. It was Serena, his beloved "sister," who only survived because she stole *my* kidney.

A cold realization washed over me. This entire marriage had been a sham from the very beginning.

If that’s how it is, then I’ll grant you your wish.

I sent him a text:

“Let’s get a divorce. See you at the courthouse at 9 AM the day after tomorrow!”

To my surprise, he replied instantly.

“Okay.”

That single, light word utterly shattered my heart.

Our mismatched marriage, doomed from the start by our different worlds, had finally reached its end.

The person he loved had never been me.

I thought back to six months ago, the first time he’d shown a vulnerable side.

“Scarlett, if you were the only one who could save me, would you be willing to pay any price?”

I stroked his face, answering without hesitation, “Of course. You’re my husband. I’d do anything for you.”

He then asked, “What if it’s for my sister?”

“Your sister is my sister. We’re family, and I’d help her just the same.”

He suddenly looked up, his eyes intense. “My sister needs your kidney. Are you really willing to donate it?”

I froze.

He saw my hesitation, and tears instantly welled in his eyes.

“Didn’t you just say you’d do anything for me? Turns out you were lying to me too!”

He pulled away from my embrace, shoving me away.

“You only married me for my status and wealth, you gold-digger, you social climber!”

Watching him lose control, my heart twisted in pain.

Finally, I nodded. “Okay, I promise.”

I didn't know how long I’d been kneeling before my father’s tombstone. It wasn't until dusk began to fall that I finally prepared to leave.

But at the cemetery gates, I ran into the two people I least wanted to see.

My soon-to-be ex-husband, Marcus Shen, and his so-called "sister," Serena Wen.

Serena was Marcus’s childhood friend, but he’d always told me she was just a neighbor's kid.

It was only recently that I discovered this "sister" identity was nothing but a smokescreen.

“Marcus, it’s so sweet of you to come with me to see Misty. Thank you so much.”

Her familiar voice reached me, and I instinctively looked up.

Misty was a purebred Ragdoll cat I’d rescued from a pet clinic.

She was filthy and had a broken leg back then. After I nursed her back to health, I named her Misty, a quiet whisper for new beginnings, for hope.

I never imagined that one day, when Serena visited our home, she’d burst into tears at the sight of Misty.

Apparently, Misty looked exactly like her lost beloved cat.

One evening, not long after, I came home to find Misty gone.

Marcus said he’d given the cat to Serena.

I had a huge fight with Marcus then, but he simply accused me of being unreasonable.

Later, seeing how genuinely Serena cared for Misty, I gradually put my mind at ease.

And yet, here they were, chatting and laughing effortlessly in the cemetery.

The moment my eyes met Marcus’s, all tenderness vanished from his face, replaced by pure disgust and contempt.

“Scarlett Lin, are you stalking me?”

At this absurd accusation, I couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

“Mr. Marcus, you’re quite the comedian. I have far better things to do than stalk you.”

He narrowed his eyes, a sneer twisting his lips. “Really? This isn’t the first time you’ve pulled this stunt. Don’t think I don’t know your little games.”

“What, did you come here early to pick out a grave for your father? Or are you trying to use his illness to gain sympathy again?”

“Last week, I contacted the best specialists. They all said your father could fully recover if he actively cooperated with treatment.”

I turned to leave, unwilling to humor his sarcastic remarks.

“Think whatever you want.”

My indifference seemed to infuriate him. He grabbed my wrist, his voice laced with icy coldness:

“I heard you bought your father an exorbitant critical illness policy? No wonder you kept preventing him from getting treatment. Scarlett, you’re quite the schemer, aren’t you?”

That sentence ignited my fury.

I violently yanked my hand free, the force making him stumble back. Serena quickly caught him.

“Scarlett Lin! You crazy woman, how dare you lay hands on Marcus!” Serena shrieked, pointing a finger at me.

In the past, I always chose to silently endure their humiliation.

But now, I wouldn't let anyone slander my father.

“Marcus Shen, you can trample on my dignity, but don’t you dare try to tarnish the bond between my father and me!”

I turned to Serena. “And you, Serena Wen, aren’t you perfectly alive and well right now?”

“If it weren’t for *my* kidney, you’d be lying in this cemetery right now! Stop with the innocent act, you fake saint!”

Marcus’s face instantly darkened. He snapped his fingers behind him. “Bodyguards! Make her kneel and apologize!”

Several men in black suits advanced towards me, but Serena suddenly interjected, “Wait!”

She clutched Marcus’s arm, feigning tenderness. “Marcus, don’t get upset over a woman like this. It’s bad for your health.”

Sure enough, Marcus immediately calmed down, waving off his bodyguards.

“Scarlett Lin, this is your final warning. If you cause any more trouble, don’t blame me if I revoke your father’s medical expenses too.”

Watching their retreating figures, walking hand-in-hand, the setting sun stretched their silhouettes long and distorted, like a cruel, jagged sword piercing through the last flicker of warmth in my soul.

I gazed at the darkening sky, my voice filled with an unprecedented resolve:

“Marcus Shen, 9 AM the day after tomorrow, courthouse. Consider these three years of marriage a time I was utterly blind.”