Chapter 1

The June sun blazed, scorching everything under its fiery gaze.

Scarlett Miller stumbled out of the HY Group building, her clothes stained with blood. As she looked at the contract in her hands, her delicate face twisted into a bittersweet smile.

Getting this contract had cost her a bullet. It was the last thing she did for Derick Jones.

Derick had pursued her for three years, and they had been married for one, only for him to suddenly declare that he was tired of her.

At first, she had fought and cried, but all she got in return was his cold derision. "You disgust me, Scarlett. Let's get a divorce."

It wasn't until later that she discovered that he wasn't tired of her, but he had actually found his true love.

Since he had mentioned divorce, he hadn't been home for two months. Prolonging it any further was pointless.

Scarlett changed her clothes and hailed a cab to Jones Tower. Arriving at the office, she took the elevator to the top floor, heading straight for the CEO's office.

At the door, she overheard a woman's sultry voice saying, "You're so naughty, Derick. My lips are swollen."

Scarlett's heart ached painfully. But to fully move on, she decided to push open the slightly ajar door and enter.

In the luxurious office, Eliza Miller was sitting on Derick's lap with a flushed face. It seemed they had just been through a passionate encounter, with traces of it still visible on Eliza's lips.

When Eliza saw Scarlett, she panicked. She scrambled off Derick's lap, saying, "Scarlett, I—"

After all, Scarlett and Derick weren't divorced yet. Being the other woman was truly embarrassing.

Scarlett was switched at birth with Eliza, so the latter felt that this marriage originally belonged to her.

Ignoring Eliza's words, Scarlett walked over and placed a contract and a divorce agreement on the desk.

She then turned to the man on the opposite side—Derick, the wealthiest man in Jotoo City.

Dressed in a black shirt and trousers, Derick exuded an air of distinguished elegance and sophistication.

His devilishly handsome face, with sharp brows and piercing eyes, looked at her with a scornful expression that made her heart ache.

"I've secured the deal with HY Group. And here's the divorce agreement. I've already signed it. It's 2:00 pm now. Let's go get the divorce certificate."

Her tone was calm, as if she didn't care about the end of her marriage. However, her face was pale, and her slender body seemed on the verge of collapsing.

Derick's eyes widened in surprise before quickly returning to their usual coldness. "Impressive, Ms. Miller. Many companies couldn't secure the contract, but you did. I'm curious about how you did it."

His voice remained indifferent, suggesting he thought she had used underhanded methods.

Clenching her fists, Scarlett lowered her gaze to hide her tears. She forced a smile. "Does it matter how I did it, Mr. Jones? Are you going to divorce me or not?"

Eliza turned to Derick, clearly anxious. "You promised you'd marry me, Derick. Scarlett took my place in marrying you. Now that I'm back, you need to keep your promise."

Derick gently caressed Eliza's face before glancing at Scarlett with a dark expression. "Of course, I'll marry you. I'll go get a divorce with this woman right now."

His gaze at Eliza was particularly tender. It was an eyesore for Scarlett.

It was then that she realized Derick had never looked at her with such gentle eyes.

"I knew you'd be the best to me." Eliza snuggled into his embrace and gave Scarlett a provocative smile.

Scarlett looked down, unable to bear the sight of the scene that shattered her heart. Her wounds were hurting, but the emotional pain was almost unbearable.

Derick picked up the divorce agreement and noticed a clause Scarlett had altered. His eyes widened, and his voice grew heavy. "You're leaving with nothing?"

Scarlett used all her strength to speak. Her voice was hoarse as she said, "If we're divorcing, let's do it with a clean slate. I want to leave with nothing."

She was determined to cut all ties completely. Once she made a decision, she never changed her mind.

It had been four years. Her four-year promise had come to an end, and it was indeed time for her to leave.

Derick's deep-set eyes were turbulent with visible mockery. "As expected of you, Scarlett. Always so ruthless. Let's go to the courthouse."

Chapter 2

Scarlett managed a bitter smile. So this was how Derick perceived her.

An hour later, Scarlett and Derick emerged from the courthouse, each holding a divorce certificate.

Eliza looked at Derick's divorce certificate with delight. She could now officially become his wife.

She pretended to be concerned as she gazed at Scarlett, who seemed to have transformed.

Her striking and confident face looked even more enchanting, though her expression was so cold that it was hard to look at directly.

Eliza's deepest jealousy had always been directed at that face. And now, she was finally relieved not to have to see it again.

"Scarlett, with the Miller family disowning you and you leaving with nothing, do you have anywhere to go?"

Scarlett was just a country bumpkin. Being associated with the Miller family was a stroke of luck for her, though that luck was now gone.

Scarlett found it laughable that Eliza could still pretend to be concerned for her at this moment.

Back then, when the Miller family discovered that they had brought back the wrong child, they sent Scarlett to the countryside to be raised, completely ignoring her.

It wasn't until she was 18 that she was brought back, and that was when she met Derick.

Eliza was found two years ago and sent abroad for further education to match the status of Derick, the scion of a prominent family.

When Eliza finally returned, Scarlett learned the truth—the Miller family had found their biological daughter and intended to sever all ties with her.

Since she had never been truly raised by them, the severance didn't bother her. Her return was motivated by a desire to search for her biological parents.

It was only then that she realized why she had been sent to the countryside. It was because she was not the Miller family's biological daughter.

A few days ago, she happened to overhear Derick's friends talking and learned that Derick had fallen head over heels for Eliza when he first met her abroad.

After Eliza returned, they quickly formed a romantic relationship.

Eliza often sent Scarlett photos of the two of them together in bed, deliberately provoking and humiliating her.

Though Eliza was the mistress, she was truly arrogant beyond belief.

Scarlett cast a cold glance at Eliza. "Don't worry about me, Ms. Miller. Where I go is none of your concern."

Without looking at Derick, she straightened her back and hailed a cab, leaving resolutely. The firmness of her departure was driven by another infuriating discovery about Derick's behavior.

Derick clenched the divorce certificate tightly in his hand, his veins bulging. To his surprise, she didn't even spare him a glance as she left.

But why did her gait seem a bit strange?

He watched as Scarlett's car disappeared. His gaze lingered long after it was out of sight.

"This is great, Derick! That bumpkin is finally out of the way. We can be together without any obstacles now," Eliza gushed with excitement.

She was eager to share the news with her parents.

Derick's eyes held a fleeting coldness, though his voice remained gentle. "Let me take you home, Liz."

"My dad will be so happy to hear the news. Let's go home and tell him."

Derick's eyes were clouded with emotions he struggled to hide. He looked at the sweet woman before him and forced a warm smile. "Sure, let's go."

Eliza was overjoyed. She had finally removed Scarlett from their lives completely. It was thanks to her mother's formidable scheming that Scarlett and Derick were now divorced.

As Derick's car stopped at the gates of the Miller residence, he saw a call from the CEO of HY Group. He asked Eliza to get out of the car and wait.

Eliza obediently got out and waited.

"Hello?" Derick's voice was low and cold.

The voice on the other end was mocking. "Mr. Jones, your sales director has quite the nerve. She threatened me with a knife to secure the contract. I shot her, and she actually removed the bullet in front of me.

"I've never admired any woman until I saw Scarlett. Is she still alive?"

Derick's pupils contracted in shock. "What did you say?"

Chapter 3

Derick ended the call and immediately dialed his assistant. "Where's Scarlett?"

"Ms. Miller stopped by the villa briefly and left with a suitcase."

Derick knew she would leave but hadn't expected it to be so soon. Where could she go, injured as she was?

"Did she mention where she was headed?"

"No, Mr. Jones. But she was picked up by an extremely expensive car. A man was driving. He looked very wealthy and was quite handsome."

Derick's eyes darkened upon hearing those words. He slowly put down the phone, pretending nothing was amiss.

She was whisked away by a luxurious car right after their divorce. Perhaps she never loved him at all, which would explain her unhesitating betrayal.

Scarlett was something else.

…

Scarlett had been picked up by her brother and taken to the most luxurious manor in Darael—House of Forde.

Her brother had business to attend to and left shortly after. He was unaware that she had been shot.

Scarlett lay on the soft bed, surrounded by familiar comforts she hadn't seen in a long time.

She could no longer hold on. Her face was pale, and sweat streamed down her forehead. The combination of the excruciating pain from the gunshot wound and her heartache was unbearable.

Weak and exhausted, she closed her eyes, her long lashes trembling slightly.

She couldn't understand how two people who were once in love could break apart so easily.

She thought about the past four years with Derick, about his gentle eyes, which no longer looked at her. The pain in her heart was almost too much to bear.

It turned out that even the most passionate promises had an expiration date.

She had decided to divorce for another reason as well—she was pregnant.

But Derick was too powerful. She couldn't let him find out about the baby.

After being shot, she had removed the bullet herself. She was too afraid to use anesthesia for fear of harming the child.

Scarlett thought about the promise she had made to her grandfather, Albert Robinson, and finally decided to return home and take over the family business.

She had ultimately let go of her feelings for Derick and returned to her original self—Scarlett Millar.

…

A month later, the early autumn sun shone brightly.

Scarlett had recovered from her injuries and stepped out of House of Forde. She put on her sunglasses and gazed at the clear, sunny sky. Her lips curled into a deep smile.

For a month, she had stayed here, cut off from the outside world. Now, she was dressed in a crimson suit with bold red lips and a defiant smile.

She got into the luxury car waiting for her and headed to Jones Tower to collect her belongings.

At the entrance of Jones Tower, Scarlett stepped out of her car and immediately encountered Derick, who was leaving the building with the ever-graceful Eliza by his side.

The tender look Derick gave Eliza stabbed Scarlett's heart. Her hands clenched involuntarily at her sides.

Eliza, noticing Scarlett, was briefly surprised but masked it quickly. She offered a mocking smile. "It's been a while, Ms. Miller!" she greeted.

Scarlett ignored her.

Meanwhile, Derick looked at her with a faint smile. His gaze briefly swept over the luxury car behind her. It was worth millions of dollars at the very least.

When their eyes met, his sharp, deep gaze seemed to linger, almost imperceptibly, on her shoulder.

He laughed coldly, and his eyes were filled with disdain. "Ms. Miller, you're quite the survivor. You got shot, and yet here you are, alive and well."

Scarlett felt a sudden sharp pain in her chest. Her heart, already wounded, seemed to hurt even more.

"Sorry to disappoint you by not dying. I'm just here to collect my things, and then I'll be gone," she said indifferently.

Derick's gaze grew colder as he noted her emotionless and indifferent expression. "No wonder you insisted on leaving with nothing during the divorce. Turns out you had already found a new lover. You really are shameless."

Scarlett's heart stung as she looked at his mocking face. "Mr. Jones, you cheated during our marriage. What right do you have to accuse me?"

Without another word, Scarlett walked past the two and headed into Jones Tower.

Suddenly, Derick's angry voice rang out behind her. "Stop right there, Scarlett!"

Chapter 4

Scarlett stopped in her tracks. Before she could even turn around, Derick's hurtful words struck her. "I'll have your things sent down. Don't dirty my company's floors. Don't you know how filthy you are?" he said, his tone dripping with disdain.

His ruthlessness hit Scarlett like a thunderclap, landing painfully on her heart. The one truly filthy was him, yet he had the gall to accuse her.

Furious, she turned around. "Aren't you filthier, Derick?" She glanced at Eliza beside him.

Though Scarlett hadn't directly addressed Eliza, the words felt like a stinging slap across Eliza's face.

"Derick…" Eliza gritted her teeth and glared at Scarlett.

Derick deliberately kissed Eliza on the cheek. "It's okay, Liz. I'll buy you your favorite ice cream cake in a bit."

Scarlett's fists clenched tightly. She refused to look at the gut-wrenching scene.

She also loved ice cream cake, but Derick had never let her have it, claiming it wasn't good for her health. Now she knew the real reason. He simply didn't want to buy it for her.

That was the difference between love and indifference.

Eliza nestled obediently against him while smiling happily.

Meanwhile, Derick narrowed his eyes at Scarlett. She seemed to have changed. Though she was once cold, she was never this confrontational.

He finally noticed her attire today. The crimson suit accentuated her perfect figure. It was a striking contrast to her previous understated style. But what shocked him most was her haircut.

He remembered saying once, "I like your hair long." She had rarely cut it after that.

Now, her hair was cropped short, giving her a shrewd appearance. The red outfit made her look like a fiery force of nature, and her usually cold gaze held a newfound calmness and depth.

Scarlett didn't want to go upstairs anyway, so she called a former colleague, asking her to bring down the items from her drawer.

She had no desire to set foot in Derick's company ever again.

A few minutes later, the colleague brought down Scarlett's things. She glanced at them and noted that the files she needed were all there.

Hugging the file box, she got into the car and left without looking back.

Eliza hadn't expected Scarlett's luck to hold. No matter how she tried to crush her, Scarlett always seemed to land on her feet with someone rich by her side.

But this worked in Eliza's favor. She could have Derick all to herself.

"Derick, Scarlett's new man must be very rich. Her car is even better than yours."

Derick's eyes darkened, his thoughts unreadable. That man's identity was mysterious. For the past month, he hadn't been able to find any trace of Scarlett, let alone any information about the man.

"She's divorced me. We're done with each other," Derick said as he walked toward his car.

Eliza watched his back, feeling a wave of frustration. For the past month, she had been by Derick's side, hoping to finally win him over completely.

But despite his kindness, he never spent the night at her place.

"Derick, wait for me." Eliza hurried after him, getting into the car as well. They were headed to a charity gala that evening.

She had heard there would be an extremely expensive violet diamond up for auction. She was determined to have Derick bid on it, hoping to make it their wedding ring.

Derick had called her early that morning, saying he would take her to the auction. She had been thrilled and dressed up beautifully for the occasion.

…

Scarlett had barely driven a few miles when her phone rang. It was Albert.

"Yes, Grandpa?"

"Letty, there's a charity gala tonight. A violet diamond will be up for auction. Make sure you win it, no matter the cost."

Scarlett was surprised. "Grandpa, I thought you liked rosary beads. Since when did you start fancying diamonds?"

"Don't worry about that. Just get the diamond. I have my reasons."

Scarlett chuckled. "Alright, I'll be there later. Have someone send me the invitation."

Chapter 5

As the city lights began to shine, Eclipse Auction House was abuzz with excitement. Everything auctioned here was of top quality.

When Derick and Eliza entered, all eyes were on Eliza.

That night, she was breathtaking in a red, limited-edition dress from Kismet, complemented by sparkling diamond earrings that highlighted her radiant presence.

The envy and admiration from everyone around made Eliza feel immensely proud. She lifted her chin higher with every appreciative glance.

She was the only woman Derick publicly acknowledged.

Scarlett had been Derick's wife, but since he never loved her, he never took her out in public. At this thought, Eliza felt even more self-satisfied. She greeted those around her with grace and poise.

Derick's arrival caused a stir, but he remained aloof, guiding Eliza to their seats.

As a VIP, Derick was seated in the best spot in the first row. However, after he and Eliza took their seats, he noticed that there was an empty seat beside him.

This meant that that person held an even higher status than him.

He turned to his friend, Evan Mitchell, who was also the owner of the auction house. "Who is that guest next to us?"

Evan's features were almost enchanting, with long, slightly curled hair that fell just below his ears. He looked just like a prince straight out of a comic book who had a carefree, devil-may-care attitude.

In contrast to Derick's aloof and reserved demeanor, Evan appeared quite the dashing charmer.

Evan smiled, a hint of intrigue in his expression. "I'm curious too. My dad arranged it. He said it's for his most distinguished guest."

Derick frowned. His gaze was cold and piercing, sharp as a blade. This "most distinguished guest" seemed like they were also after the violet diamond.

Who could this influential figure be?

Eliza, too, was curious about the identity of this esteemed guest.

The auction house's luxurious seats gradually filled up, but the most distinguished guest remained absent.

The auctioneer took the stage, and the first item was brought forward under the guards' protection.

Most of the attendees were here for the violet diamond.

At that moment, a slender figure entered through the side door.

Scarlett arrived just in time. She preferred to avoid crowded places, but Albert had insisted on her acquiring the violet diamond.

Her arrival drew significant attention. Her dazzling face and commanding presence were impossible to ignore.

She glanced around briefly and noted that all the attendees were tycoons from Jotoo City. It seemed the violet diamond must hold some secret she was unaware of.

Derick's eyes focused sharply on Scarlett, who was wearing a black dress that exposed her delicate collarbone and flawless skin.

She rarely wore dresses, but he knew she looked stunning in anything.

That night, she captivated the entire room.

Eliza's eyes flashed with malice upon seeing Scarlett. "Derick, it seems Ms. Miller isn't ready to give up yet. How did she manage to track us down here?"

Derick, looking nonchalant with a relaxed posture, remained silent.

This wasn't a place one could easily access. The moment he recalled that she was picked up by a luxury car, his anger flared up. Just a month after leaving him, she had already moved on to someone new.

Scarlett didn't acknowledge Derick at all as she took her seat in the most prestigious spot.

A hush fell over the room.

Eliza's eyes widened in shock as she realized that the most distinguished guest was Scarlett.

Likewise, Derick was also surprised. His dark eyes revealed a simmering intensity.

His gaze shifted to Scarlett. So, she was the most distinguished guest.

This was intriguing. It seemed she had been hiding quite a lot from him.

As Derick's friend, Evan naturally knew Scarlett and was aware of their past relationship. Now that they were divorced and Derick had a new flame, Evan was not particularly surprised.

He was used to Derick's frequent changes in partners. Women rarely stayed in his life for more than three months.

It had taken Derick four years to tire of Scarlett, which had almost made Evan believe Derick was serious about her.

However, Scarlett had never been this dazzling before. This piqued Evan's interest. He looked at Scarlett's side profile and thought that she didn't appear as unremarkable as the rumors suggested.

Derick's voice was cold and distant. "Scarlett, do you think you belong here?"

Chapter 6

Tonight, only the top elites of the city were present. They all gathered for the violet diamond.

To Derick, Scarlett had no place here. She wasn't even worthy of entering.

Scarlett glanced at him with a cool, enigmatic expression. She couldn't understand why he was looking at her with such disgust. What had she done to deserve such scorn?

Her heart ached even more knowing she was carrying their child, nearly four months along. She had hoped to make their life together work, only to be betrayed.

Derick's agitation grew as Scarlett remained silent. "What are you doing here, Scarlett? Don't you know your place? You have no right to be here. You'll be so embarrassed when the real guest arrives."

Scarlett cast him a cold glance, though her heart ached with a sharp, relentless pain.

Just how did he perceive her?

His betrayal had brought her a painful realization—she was unlikely to find love from others. He was never the light guiding her path forward.

Her voice was lazy and indifferent as she said, "If you're allowed in, why shouldn't I be? My seat seems to have more prestige than yours."

Derick's expression grew stern as he looked at her strikingly beautiful face, where flickers of fire seemed to dance in her cold eyes.

Thinking of the luxury car and handsome man his assistant had mentioned, he asked sharply, "Are you here for your new man?"

He suddenly realized that Scarlett had become unfamiliar to him.

He had known her for four years. But throughout the four years, she had always been subdued, never this dazzling and unrecognizable.

Scarlett gave a cold smile. "I'm here on my own merit."

At that moment, Evan tapped Derick's arm and showed him a name. The top seat was reserved for Ivan Jackson.

Derick's eyes flared with fury as he turned to Scarlett. "So you're really here for your man."

It turned out that she had hooked up with the mysterious billionaire, Ivan Jackson.

His anger was searing. How had he missed how adept she was at seducing men?

"You really disgust me, Scarlett." Derick's voice was filled with burning jealousy. It had only been a month since their separation, and she was already with someone new.

Scarlett felt as if her heart had been cleaved in two by a giant blade. The pain made her heart contract sharply, and her face twisted in anguish.

She kept her gaze lowered, avoiding looking at Derick.

His aversion to her had reached such an extent that even seeing her made him feel disgusted.

At this moment, Scarlett's heart, once filled with love, slammed shut with finality.

When she looked up, her gaze was cold, with a touch of sinister and wild arrogance. "You disgust me too, Derick. A decent ex should act as if they're dead and never appear again."

Derick was left speechless, unable to respond.

Hearing Derick's words, Eliza smiled with satisfaction. Scarlett couldn't compete with her.

Meanwhile, the auction was underway.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we now present the first auction item of the evening, Eternal Horizons."

As the auctioneer's words faded, Scarlett's attention was immediately on the display on stage.

Her pupils dilated in shock. How could Eternal Horizons appear here? Why was Alex's painting here?

Her heart ached as she saw the artwork. Alex had been dead for four years.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the painting. It wasn't until Derick raised his paddle to place a bid that she snapped back to reality.

She turned her head slightly to glance at him. Their eyes met.

When Derick saw the tears in her eyes, shimmering and radiant like precious gems, his breath caught in his throat.

It was the first time he had seen her cry. Her sorrow and pain were mixed together, stirring deep sympathy.

For whom was she shedding these tears?

Realizing her emotional slip, Scarlett quickly refocused on the auction. She didn't understand why the painting was here, but it couldn't fall into someone else's hands.

There was a significant secret tied to it.

She sent a message to her assistant, Sophia Turner, who was sitting at the back.

Scarlett had prepared for this—she had a backup plan to have Sophia bid on anything she liked.

Her primary goal for coming here was to secure the violet diamond.

"Sophia, make sure to win that painting, no matter the cost."

"Yes, Ms. Millar."

The bid for the painting had already reached ten million dollars. Derick was the highest bidder, and no one dared to challenge his offer.

The auctioneer's voice rang out with excitement. "Ten million dollars, going once! Ten million dollars, going twice! Is there any further bid?"