Chapter 1
Chapter 1. The Divorce Papers
“Baby... ah... you feel so good. I... I can’t hold back anymore.”
“Julian, faster, babe...!”
I stood frozen in the doorway, staring at Julian, my husband, and Emily, my best friend, tangled together on the couch.
Julian’s naked body moved over Emily’s in a fast rhythm. Their moans and breathless cries pierced my ears, making my heart throb with pain.
“What a perfectly matched pair of trash,” I muttered.
I clicked my tongue and slowly walked toward them.
“Couldn’t you at least rent a hotel room?” I asked.
My hand tightened around the divorce papers I was holding, barely containing the anger I had buried for so long.
Both of them flinched and turned toward me.
“Lilian!” Julian exclaimed.
Without the slightest hint of shame or guilt, Julian rolled off to the side while Emily climbed off the couch.
“Why are you home so early?” Emily asked as she gathered the clothes scattered across the floor.
I remained silent, my eyes lingering on her naked body before shifting to Julian.
“I came home for this,” I replied.
I placed the divorce papers on the table.
“Sign them.”
Julian glanced at the papers.
“What am I supposed to sign?” he asked.
He stood up and began buttoning his shirt.
“The divorce papers.”
His fingers froze halfway through fastening a button. He studied me carefully before letting out an arrogant, mocking laugh.
“Are you sure you want to divorce me?”
“Absolutely. Sign them now.”
Disbelief crossed his face.
Inside, I laughed bitterly at my own stupidity.
Why didn’t I realize it sooner?
Back then, I thought Julian was a good man, someone worthy of my love.
I had been wrong.
He was nothing more than a shameless bastard willing to do anything to satisfy his own ego.
Everything I had sacrificed as his wife had been repaid with coldness, humiliation, betrayal, and worst of all, his affair with Emily, my best friend.
I let out a heavy breath. I couldn’t deny that every wound Julian had inflicted still lingered, leaving an ache deep inside my chest. Ignoring both of them, I headed toward my bedroom.
Right now, I wanted only one thing, to leave this house as quickly as possible and free myself from the misery Julian had caused.
My steps came to a halt when Julian spoke.
“If you divorce me, you’ll lose all this luxury. You won’t be allowed to take a single thing from this house.”
My fists clenched tightly.
I turned to face him, meeting his gaze with icy eyes.
“I don’t care!” I growled.
“Good,” he replied coldly.
My gaze shifted to Emily.
“You got everything you wanted.”
Emily crossed her arms. “Then leave. Right now.”
I said nothing. I had no desire to argue with her.
I was exhausted, completely worn out from dealing with two heartless people who never stopped making my life miserable.
Without another word, I turned to leave.
I stopped once again when Julian’s voice rang out behind me.
“You’ll regret divorcing me, Lilian!”
I tilted my head back, holding back the tears threatening to fall before finally turning around to face him.
“Never. I’m sick of your abuse, your cheating, your constant humiliation, and the way you’ve treated me like a puppet with no feelings.”
Then I looked at Emily.
“You’re disgusting. Such a hypocrite.”
“You!” Emily shrieked, pointing a finger at me.
“Am I wrong?” I challenged.
A mocking smile curled across my lips when she fell silent.
“You can still hide it for now. But...”
I let the words hang in the air. I thought I had gotten under her skin.
I was wrong. She laughed as though my words were nothing more than a joke.
“Cheap woman,” I spat.
She raised her hand to slap me.
I caught her wrist and shoved it aside before her hand could reach my face.
“Don’t you dare touch me!” I shouted.
“Lilian!”
Julian’s voice thundered through the room.
“You!”
He lifted his hand, ready to strike me as well.
But the moment I looked up and met his eyes, he stopped.
“What? Why aren’t you doing it? Haven’t you slapped me plenty of times after I caught you sleeping with other women?”
Julian stood frozen.nSlowly, he lowered his hand. “Leave before I lose control.”
He turned his back on me. “And remember this. Don’t ever show your face in front of me again.”
I remained silent, the corners of my lips lifting slightly. I shot Emily one last cold look. “Enjoy your victory. I’m sure it won’t be long before you end up just like me.”
She lifted her chin proudly.“Julian loves me. He’ll never leave me.”
She leaned closer.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. Julian threw you out with nothing. Everything that belonged to you will belong to me now,” she whispered into my ear.
She chuckled softly. “My goal has finally come true. I’m the only woman worthy of being Mrs. Carter.”
I took a long breath, forcing myself to stay calm. I knew Emily too well. She was deliberately trying to provoke me, hoping I’d lose control so she could cry to Julian and make me look like the villain.
Emily stepped back. Her eyes slowly traveled over my body. She clicked her tongue before giving me a mocking smile and walking over to Julian.
“Baby.”
Her voice was soft, seductive, and obviously fake.
My heart sank as Julian’s expression softened. He wrapped an affectionate arm around Emily’s shoulders. Without realizing it, my hand drifted to my stomach.
I remembered what had happened two months ago, when I lost my baby. The tears I had been holding back finally spilled over. Losing the child I had longed for had shattered what was left of my life.
I straightened my back before walking out, leaving behind the house that had become nothing more than hell. The farther I walked, the tighter my chest became.
Every breath felt as though something inside me was crushing my heart. Before I realized it, I had wandered far away.
I stopped for a moment. “I really am such a fool.”
Suddenly, the sharp crack of a gunshot shattered the silence of the night.
I flinched, my heart pounding wildly.
“A gunshot...” I whispered in panic.
My breath caught as another shot rang out, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.
I turned to run, but froze when a hand suddenly grabbed me.
“Who are you?” I asked.
The stranger didn’t answer. His dark, piercing eyes locked onto mine before his body collapsed in front of me.
My eyes widened. “Isn’t he... the man from that night?”
