Chapter 1

"Breaking news! The princess of Sphere City runs to her true love at the airport in the middle of the night. Have they rekindled their love?"

The article included a photo of a woman in a white dress who laughed as she threw herself into the arms of a man in a black suit outside the airport. The man held an umbrella and tilted it in her direction as he carefully shielded her from the pouring rain.

Countless netizens shared and commented on the photo, indicating that they adored the couple.

Meanwhile, Terence Stone sat in a Folysian restaurant. He zoomed in and out on the photo but couldn't seem to make out the look on the woman's face.

Just then, a voice rang out beside him. "We're about to close up for the night, sir. Would you like to continue waiting?"

Thunder clapped outside the window, and the rain grew heavier. Terence looked out, his expressionless face reflected on the glass.

It was his birthday today, but he couldn't bring himself to feel happy at all. He'd booked Hailey Rainer's favorite restaurant half a month before his birthday. Then, he'd spent several hours speaking to the chef about her favorite dishes.

On the day itself, he'd woken up at 5:00 am to get dressed and ready for the date. Finally, he'd arrived at the restaurant with Hailey's favorite vanilla cake.

It was his birthday, but he'd chosen to go with all of Hailey's favorites for the celebration. She'd yet to arrive at the restaurant, but he didn't dare disturb her because he knew how busy she was. So, he'd waited until the sky had turned dark and the lights had come on.

He'd waited until the server kept asking whether to serve the dishes, until the exquisite dishes had gone cold, and until his warm heart had frozen over. Yet, Hailey was still nowhere in sight.

Terence looked down at the slender woman in the photo again, his lips curving into a self-deprecating smile. He'd waited for Hailey countless times throughout their five-year marriage. He would always start off hopeful but end up disappointed.

Whenever that person was involved, she would dump everything, including her husband of five years. Suddenly, Terence felt exhausted. He didn't want to wait for her anymore or remain in this marriage where he was the only one contributing.

He smiled at the server. "No, thanks. I'm not going to wait any longer. None of these dishes have been touched. Can I get an umbrella in exchange for them? Thanks."

Terence walked out into the rain with an umbrella over his head. He hailed a cab and got in. He leaned against the window and stared at the rain, his thoughts wandering.

He came from a poor family and was orphaned at a young age. Without the Rainer family's sponsorship, he wouldn't have gotten a proper education. Even after making it out of the countryside based on his hard work, he hadn't forgotten the help the Rainers had given him.

He'd met Hailey during a charity banquet. She'd been seated elegantly, the light leaving half her face in shadows. Her eyes had glinted coldly, and her demeanor had given one the feeling that she was unapproachable.

Terence had seen her from afar, but that was enough to make him feel like he was being sucked into her gaze. His heart had raced. Upon seeing the name plaque before her and realizing who she was, he'd mustered the courage to approach her so he could thank her.

She'd looked at him before sipping her champagne. Then, she'd asked why he was there. He'd taken a deep breath before conveying his gratitude for the Rainer family's help over the years.

When she'd heard that he wanted to repay her family's kindness, she'd appraised him, her gaze slightly unfocused from the liquor. Then, she'd chuckled. "You want to repay me, huh? I don't lack money or power, but I do need a man I can bring around with me. Are you going to repay me with your body?"

In that instant, he'd felt shocked and lost. Ultimately, he'd still agreed when he realized how quickly his heart was beating.

There hadn't been any proposal, ring, wedding, or announcement about their matrimony. Terence and Hailey had merely registered the marriage.

Perhaps it was because of how easily she'd won him over that she couldn't care less about him after the marriage. He'd tried hard to make his way into her heart over the past five years, but the door remained locked.

He thought it was because he still wasn't good enough. Only later did he discover it was because someone else was already in there. His name was Matthew Cooke, and he was Hailey's first love.

They'd been madly in love in their youth, but the relationship had ended with Matthew breaking up with Hailey and leaving the country. She'd never forgotten him, though.

Terence had slowly realized he was nothing but a tool for her to move on from her heartbreak. The first time they'd met—the day she'd asked him to marry her—was when Matthew announced he was getting married.

Terence and Hailey's marital home was a villa Matthew and Hailey had viewed together. Even the restaurant where they celebrated their wedding anniversaries was where Hailey had confessed to Matthew for the first time. All these coincidences had slowly erased Terence's love for Hailey.

Just then, his phone pinged, pulling him out of his reverie. He checked it to see a message from Hailey. "I have something to do today. I'll celebrate your birthday with you next year."

Terence chuckled softly. Next year? They wouldn't have any more years together—their marriage would end that day.

Hailey was the one who'd suggested marriage back then. Terence would be the one to suggest divorce now.

Chapter 2

A car pulled up outside a villa. A man in a black coat held an umbrella over himself and the woman in his arms as they walked up the steps. The door opened, and a maid came out to take the umbrella from the man.

Hailey faltered when she didn't see Terence. Then, she frowned and hung her coat over her arm instead of handing it to the maid. "Where's Terence?"

"Mr. Stone isn't back yet," the maid answered.

Hailey stopped. Only then did she remember she was supposed to celebrate Terence's birthday with him that day. She'd only turned the car around and headed to the airport after receiving a call from Matthew.

She glanced outside the window. The sky was as dark as ink, and the howling wind brought with it a cold shower of rain through the window, which hadn't been shut.

Suddenly, she felt guilty. Would Terence be mad at her?

Still, she pushed that thought out of her mind as soon as it formed. There was no way Terence would get mad at anything. He'd always known where to draw the line and spoke gently. He never got angry at anyone.

Over the years, she'd uttered Matthew's name countless times when drunk, yet Terence acted like he didn't hear her. He would make her a hangover soup without even batting an eye. How could he possibly get angry over something as menial as this?

When the maid saw the hint of concern in Hailey's expression, she asked, "Should I call Mr. Stone, Ms. Rainer?"

Hailey's expression became nonchalant. "No, he'll be back soon. Tell him to come to the study when he is."

She turned to Matthew, her voice tender as she said, "It's getting late. You can sleep in his room."

He looked at her hesitantly. "I don't think that would be appropriate. It's Mr. Stone's room, after all…"

Hailey shook her head. "He won't mind."

Meanwhile, Terence held the umbrella over himself after getting out of the cab. The rain formed a sheet of water around him, cutting him off from the world outside. It didn't do anything to keep the biting wind out, though.

He pulled his coat tighter around him and decided to get a place for a temporary stay. After viewing several apartments, he settled on one by the river, immediately signing a half-year contract with the landlord.

His phone rang as soon as he shut the door. He frowned slightly when he saw the caller ID but still answered it. "Hello?"

"Good evening, Mr. Stone. I'm Matthew Cooke. I heard you've yet to return home after getting into a fight with Hailey because of me, and I wanted to let you know that I'm worried and sorry. I think I owe you an explanation about things between me and her.

"We did indeed date in the past, but that's all it is now—the past. We're just friends now. I genuinely wish you both all the happiness in the world. Please don't let my presence drive a wedge between you two. Could you please return her call soon? I don't want her to be worried about you," Matthew said.

Terence found this laughable. The Rainer family was rich and powerful—if Hailey really were worried about him, she would've called him or sent someone to look for him. Yet Matthew was the first to call him when he'd yet to return home.

He didn't want to listen to Matthew's nonsense and hung up without a word. On the other end of the line, Matthew gnashed his teeth at the darkened screen. Then, he called Terence again.

Terence rejected every call Matthew made, only answering the final one. He didn't say anything, though. After a while, Matthew chuckled. "It looks like you're not as generous and rational as Hailey made you out to be.

"I thought you were a master at enduring this—you managed to stick it out for five years before causing a scene, after all. Yet it looks like this is all you're capable of."

He played with his nails and continued smugly, "Running away from home isn't going to get you anywhere, Terence. I'll ask Hailey to be more generous in compensating you if you're willing to give up your position as her husband for me."

Terence finally spoke up. "Sure."

Matthew was caught off guard by that, evidently not expecting Terence to agree so readily. "What?"

Terence said, "You said you would ask Hailey to compensate me generously, right? How about we meet at a cafe tomorrow morning to discuss this?"

Chapter 3

Matthew arrived at the cafe early the following morning, where he waited for Terence. He stirred his coffee countless times, and the customers came and went.

Terence arrived fashionably late. Matthew scowled at him and grumbled, "Didn't you say we were supposed to meet at 9:00 am? Were you trying to delay this meeting and humiliate me by showing up at this hour?"

Terence sat opposite him. "I was indeed, Mr. Cooke."

"Why, you—" Matthew wanted to hit Terence, but the latter grabbed his wrist and shoved him back, making him fall back onto his chair, looking furious. He didn't expect Terence to be tougher than he thought.

Terence looked at him calmly. "You won't be able to handle being Hailey's husband if you're so impatient, Mr. Cooke."

Only then did Matthew sit up straight and appraise Terence seriously. All men would react the same way upon meeting their wives' first loves—they would cause a scene, their eyes red and bloodshot. They would throw expletives at the other man.

Some people would look calm, but their words would be nasty and rude. Matthew had never met anyone who reacted like Terence did, though—he was calm.

His eyes were devoid of emotion as he slowly stirred his coffee. It was as if he was there for a leisurely drink.

Matthew's anger subsided. "You didn't invite me here just to have some coffee, did you?"

Terence put down his spoon and pulled out a document from his bag, placing it before Matthew. The latter saw that it was a divorce agreement, and his eyes widened. "You…"

Terence said, "You want Hailey and me to divorce, right? I'll do it. All you need to do is help me with two things. Once I get that divorce certificate, I'll disappear from your and her worlds."

Matthew was ecstatic to hear that. This was his first time feeling so close to being Hailey's husband, and he had to take a few deep breaths to stop himself from smiling.

Terence continued, "Firstly, some of my things are still at the villa. Help me pack them and deliver them to me. I'll give you my address later.

"Secondly, I've already signed the divorce agreement—you need to think of a way to get Hailey to sign it without her knowledge."

Matthew couldn't understand that. "Why don't you give it to her yourself?"

Terence stared into the distance, suddenly thinking about the day he and Hailey had gotten married. She'd stood on the steps leading to city hall and asked him again whether he was truly willing to marry her and not doing something in the heat of the moment.

At the time, he'd been so overwhelmed by the joy of being able to marry her that all he could think of was getting that marriage certificate. Naturally, he didn't take her words to heart.

Later, he'd inadvertently discovered her past with Matthew. He'd seriously considered getting a divorce with her after losing hope in her, but he'd learned the Rainer family had a rule against divorces. They only acknowledged the deaths of spouses, not divorces.

And so, he'd repeatedly delayed getting a divorce. Perhaps he'd also still held out hope for Hailey, leading to him failing to take the final step. Now, however, he was sure he wanted to go ahead with it, even if he had to ask Matthew for help in getting it done.

Terence didn't know when Matthew left the cafe. When he returned to his senses, the latter was already gone, taking the divorce agreement with him. Terence glanced at his empty bag and downed his coffee before disappearing into the crowd.

…

Three days had passed since Terence's refusal to return home. Hailey ate a sandwich that wasn't to her liking and drank a cup of coffee that was more milk than coffee. She frowned and put down her mug, throwing the sandwich onto the plate.

She looked at a maid standing nearby and asked, "Have we changed chefs? Why does the food taste so bad?"

The maid looked at her, her expression distressed. She hesitated briefly before explaining, "The chef is still the same person, Ms. Rainer. It's just that Mr. Stone is the one who used to handle all your meals, so we're not sure how exactly he prepared your food…"

Hailey's question seemed to unlock something in the maid. The latter told the former about everything Terence had done for her over the years. Aside from Hailey's meals, Terence would also deal with everything related to Hailey's life.

Even when he occasionally went on business trips, he would make sure everything was in order before leaving. He would also call home several times a day to remind the maids what to do.

Hailey was taken aback. She'd never been aware of Terence doing so much for her, nor had she ever heard him mention anything. Her mind became jumbled as she stared at the cold breakfast.

Chapter 4

It had been five days since Terence had stopped going home. Hailey finally realized he'd run away from home. She picked up her phone and called him for the first time.

She stood on the balcony, watching as the sun slowly set and the sky darkened. Her heart sank like the sun did, and impatience surged in her.

Terence didn't answer any of her calls. She took a deep breath and decided to call his family. Then, she remembered he was an orphan—his only relative had been his grandmother, and she'd passed away due to an illness a few years ago.

As she scrolled through her contacts, she realized she didn't even know who his friends were. She went to his room, hoping to find some clues. But as soon as she opened the door, she was taken aback.

She rarely entered Terence's room but vaguely remembered how it was decorated. He had a gentle and demure personality, so his room only had the necessary furniture.

Now, however, there were various decorative pieces around. There were also flashy clothes and accessories. She couldn't see any sign of what the room had originally looked like.

She was about to ask a maid who had changed the room when she saw Matthew come upstairs with a massive bouquet of roses.

"Look at how beautiful these roses are, Hailey. I—" He abruptly stopped talking when he saw the slightly grim look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Where are the things that were originally in this room, Matthew?" Hailey asked.

He was briefly taken aback. Then, he said, "I asked the maids to clear them out when I saw how outdated they were. Are you mad at me? I suppose that makes sense.

"This is the home you share with Mr. Stone, so you guys are the ones who should decide what goes where. I'm just an outsider, after all. I should leave…"

He became choked up toward the end of his sentence, and his eyes reddened. For some reason, Hailey couldn't help feeling a little irritated at the sound of his weeping.

Terence had never cried around her. Even when she'd spent three months abroad to help Matthew divorce his psychotic wife, Terence had merely spoken to her over the phone and told her to stay safe.

Matthew looked up at Hailey, perhaps wondering why she'd yet to console him. He found her staring at Terence's room, her gaze dazed. He bit his lip, feeling resentful.

He was back in the country and standing before her. He wasn't going anywhere. Why was she still thinking about Terence?

This made him feel even more wronged. He wept and said, "It's all my fault. I should never have returned, let alone taken over his room. I should get going."

He threw the bouquet aside and turned to run off.

"Matthew!" Only then did Hailey snap to her senses and run after him.

"Let me go! Let me leave this place!" Matthew's eyes were filled with pain and torment. "If not for me returning to the country and troubling you with my problems, he wouldn't have done this…"

The more he struggled to break free, the tighter Hailey gripped him. "What does this have to do with you? He's the one who's causing a scene over nothing."

"He's only acting like this because you've allowed it, Hailey." Matthew smiled bitterly. "Whenever I couldn't fall asleep because of how much I missed you, I would ask the people in our circle about you. But all I would hear was that you were with him…"

His eyes reddened again. Hailey couldn't stop herself from blurting, "Others might not know why I married him, but don't you?"

Matthew tearfully looked at her. "Was it really because of me?"

Hailey didn't say anything, but her silence was the best answer. Matthew finally stopped crying.

That night, they had a candlelight dinner. Hailey rarely drank alcohol, but she downed glass after glass of wine during dinner. She drank until her eyes turned red.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Matthew dug out the divorce agreement Terence had given him. "Do you remember the villa you bought me, Hailey? You need to sign an additional agreement for it."

She took it from him. She was cautious when it came to signing agreements and was about to flip through it when he stopped her, immediately flipping to the last page.

Then, he pressed a hand to his head. "I'm not feeling too well, Hailey. Let's head home once you've signed this."

Hailey immediately put down her pen and felt his forehead. "Where does it hurt? I'll take you to the hospital."

She was about to put the document away and pull Matthew out of the restaurant, but he stopped her and shook his head, a hint of panic in his eyes. "It's not a big deal. I'll be okay once we head home. Just sign the document."

Hailey was worried about him, so she signed the divorce agreement without trying to read it again.