Chapter 1

After the sexual assault, my husband Adrian Sterling stood by me, urging me to heal and move on.

Seven years later, after the miscarriage, he handed me divorce papers.

"Laura, Mira is pregnant. Let's get divorced."

Mira was a poor student he'd sponsored, the same one who'd caused my miscarriage.

When I didn't speak, he went on.

"The truth is, for seven years, every night I've lain next to you, I've seen it. I've seen them on you. I can't control the disgust. Maybe losing the child was...a mercy."

I smiled bitterly. So that's what he saw.

But he didn't know I'd been "assaulted" to save him.

He also didn't know I'd implanted a memory chip in his brain.

In three days, the chip would fail.

And when it did, he would remember everything.

Then he would die.

Adrian spread out the agreement.

"I'm leaving you the house and ten million. It's enough to live on for a lifetime."

I set the papers aside. He hadn't mentioned Stellar Group-our joint venture. He clearly intended to keep it.

"I need time to think about it," I said.

Adrian frowned.

"Laura, don't make this difficult. I've been more than fair."

"Don't worry, I'll sign." I forced a smile. "But the day after tomorrow is our tenth wedding anniversary. At least have dinner with me."

Adrian paused, then said helplessly.

"Laura, why put yourself through this? I promised Mira I'd take her to the clinic the day after tomorrow. If you really need to make it a condition, I'll make time to come back."

He thought I was clinging on.

Just then, Mira called.

"Adrian, my stomach feels a little off. I think the baby misses you too much."

Adrian's expression softened instantly.

"Alright, I'll come stay with you now."

I watched him leave and remembered when he called me his safe harbor.

Now, this home had become a harbor he couldn't wait to flee.

Afterward, I made two phone calls.

One to my lawyer, asking him to draft a stock transfer agreement.

The other to a moving company.

To remove everything belonging to Adrian.

That night, he didn't come home, as expected.

Mira sent me a photo of him shirtless, sleeping soundly.

Fresh kiss marks on his chest.

"See? Only with me can he be uninhibited and show his wild side."

"It's so hard for him to hold back with you. He wants sex even though I'm pregnant."

Once, seeing these would have made me break down completely.

I'd gone crazy cutting up his long-sleeved pajamas.

Asking him over and over why he was hiding from me.

But now, I just calmly saved the messages and turned off my phone.

I understood clearly.

Under mine and Adrian's leadership, Stellar Group now had a market value in the billions.

Our joint assets alone were worth nearly a billion, not to mention our status in the business community.

Now, my goal was crystal clear.

I wanted all the money and power.