Chapter 1

Everyone in Jonridge knew that Leon Quigley spoiled Victoria Smith, the once-down-and-out daughter of the Smiths, excessively.

After their marriage, he kept her home for five years, where she revolved around him 24/7 and obeyed his every command.

From what others saw, Victoria would never bring up a divorce, and Leon thought the same.

…

"Are you going to take care of Eva for the rest of your life? What about Victoria?"

As a voice from the private room drifted out, Victoria froze mid-way through opening the door. Her expression shifted slightly.

"I'll just keep Eva on the side, and Victoria will always be Mrs. Quigley. What's there to worry about?" Leon's nonchalant voice came from the room.

It was deep and pleasant as always, but it left Victoria breathless as if a heavy weight had fallen onto her chest.

She steadied herself and suppressed the sharp pain spreading in her chest.

They'd been married for five years. Leon had done everything to show his love and spoken every word of affection, and yet, he'd been keeping a woman behind her back.

That woman was none other than Eva Simmons, whom she despised. That was simply so ironic.

"Will Victoria agree to that?" The conversation in the room continued.

"She's obedient, and she'll understand with a hint. Plus, she doesn't have the right to refuse." Leon's voice was casual.

A trace of self-mockery flashed through Victoria's eyes. Her fingertips paled as she gripped the door handle and pushed it open.

The lively atmosphere in the private room came to an abrupt halt.

Leon sat at the head of the table. With his white shirt standing out under the dim lighting, he exuded an air of elegance, while his facial features were flawlessly perfect.

He seemed no different from heaven's favored child and was destined to receive all blessings.

Seeing Victoria enter, Leon frowned slightly. But soon he returned to his usual composure and gestured for her to come over.

"Come here." It was as if he were calling a well-trained cat.

Victoria didn't move. She stubbornly stood her ground and announced, "I heard everything you said."

"We were just joking, Victoria. Don't take it seriously."

"Exactly. We've seen how Leon has spoiled you all these years; no one else can compare to you."

Some immediately spoke up for Leon.

Victoria ignored them and insisted on hearing it from Leon himself.

Seeing her stance, Leon's demeanor cooled. He got up, and his tall figure radiated an undeniable pressure. "Good. Since you heard it, I was going to talk to you anyway."

A sharp pain stabbed through Victoria's heart. It seemed he'd never intended to explain.

Leon dismissed the others in the room and turned on the lights. Then, he habitually pulled Victoria onto his lap, while his hands wandered around her waist.

As he leaned in to kiss her, he murmured, "I missed you."

Victoria's stomach churned, and she forcefully broke free. "Let's talk."

Instead of holding her back, Leon gazed at her and said, "You now have quite the temper, huh, Vicky?"

Victoria remained silent as her stubborn gaze locked on his. She wanted to make her feelings clear.

Leon leaned back lazily against the couch and looked into her eyes. Then, he said, "I want you to accept Eva's presence. She's very important to me."

When he spoke, his voice was indifferent as if discussing what to have for dinner, but the words that came out were like a knife plunging her straight into hell.

Victoria's eyes filled with disbelief.

He continued, "As long as you agree, you'll always be Mrs. Quigley. No one can take your place."

"Do you even hear what you're saying?" Victoria questioned in shock.

Eva was her former best friend in college, and they'd fallen out. And now, Leon, her husband, was demanding she "share" him with that woman!

Leon's expression was unreadable as he replied, "I know exactly what I'm saying."

"I'll never agree to such an absurd request. No sane person would," Victoria said, reassessing him.

"It doesn't matter whether you agree, and I'll take care of her for the rest of my life," Leon declared firmly. His tone left no room for argument.

"I'm telling you this because you're the lady of the house, and you deserve to know."

Victoria's fingers clenched tightly, and she scowled. Her voice was sarcastic. "Well, should I thank you for that?"

"I won't mind if you want to," Leon replied. He had an infuriating way with words.

Victoria's chest heaved with anger.

She'd once thought of him as a courteous gentleman who was capable and principled. But now that his facade was ripped off, she finally saw his true colors.

"Leon," Victoria called out. She decided to give him one last chance.

He looked at her calmly. "Speak."

"Have you made up your mind to keep her by your side, regardless of how much I disagree, hate, or even loathe her? Will you not change your mind?" she seriously asked.

She'd decided that if he said no, she could forgive everything that'd just happened. But fate had other plans.

Under her stubborn unyielding gaze, Leon replied with a single word. He said, "Yes."

A sharp pain pierced Victoria's heart and sent it throbbing with agony.

"No one can change my mind," he added.

"In that case, let's get a divorce. Since you've chosen to take care of her for life, I'll give up the title of Mrs. Quigley for her." Victoria couldn't accept the decision or stay with him any longer.

If this were any other marriage, she could've turned to her in-laws. But Leon's parents had opposed their marriage from the start. They believed Leon should marry someone from an equally powerful family.

Though the Smiths had once been wealthy, they were nothing compared to the Quigley family of Jonridge in status.

After her family business collapsed and her father, Wayne Smith, fled with embezzled funds, she lost any so-called "value" she had.

"Have you thought this through?" Leon's gaze was dark and unreadable.

"I have," Victoria announced. Loyalty was the bottom line for her in marriage.

Leon studied her in silence. He hadn't expected the once obedient and docile Victoria to defy him one day.

"Fine." He agreed quickly.

His immediate acceptance stung her. Deep down, she'd always known that she'd never taken a place in his heart even after all these years of marriage. His kindness to her had likely been nothing more than a passing whim.

As her heart ached, she pulled out the divorce papers she'd prepared.

She should've seen it earlier. When she'd caught the scent of another woman's perfume on him three months ago and asked, he'd dismissed it as picking it up on a flight.

She'd believed him, but now it was clear it'd been an excuse. Eva had returned three months ago, and the timing matched perfectly.

"Here are the divorce papers. Take a look." Victoria signed her name and handed it to him. "Sign it if everything's alright. We'll file for divorce tomorrow."

"You do realize what divorce means for you, don't you?" Leon asked.

Victoria's grip tightened on the papers. "Yes, I do, and I don't need your reminder."

"We've been married for five years, and you've remained unemployed," Leon said coldly as he picked up the papers. "How do you plan to cover your mother's expensive medical bills? Have you thought about that?" He flipped through the papers as he spoke.

When his eyes fell on the terms stating equal division of marital assets and that she'd have full custody of their child, he looked up with a scrutinizing gaze.

"You've got some nerve."

Chapter 2

"Everything stated is in accordance with the law. As for the child, I won't let him stay with you, given your immoral conduct," Victoria said and made it clear that she'd never taken advantage of him.

"You haven't earned a single dollar in our five years of marriage, so why should I split my earnings with you?" Leon ruthlessly asked.

"I've been taking care of you and Edwin for all these years," she replied.

He looked at her indifferently. "So?"

So? Victoria felt as if she was meeting him for the first time.

"If you're thinking about using marital assets to cover your mother's expensive medical bills, you should give up on that idea now." Leon tossed the divorce papers onto the coffee table.

Victoria stared at him and asked, "What do you mean?"

"There are no marital assets," Leon clarified. "If you don't trust me, you can file for divorce and have the court investigate."

Victoria froze. After a brief moment of shock, the realization hit her.

From the first time she'd questioned him about the perfume to their current confrontation, he'd transferred all marital assets away.

She should've known something was off when she overheard that conversation at the door, and now it was clear that he'd planned it all.

He'd been waiting for her to discover the truth and confront him, so he could smoothly propose his absurd demand to maintain the family while having a mistress.

"Hah! You're really something," Victoria jeered inwardly.

Then, she looked up and said, "Fine. Just sign it. I only want the child." Now that she'd completely seen through him, she knew he'd been meticulous in covering everything up and leaving no evidence.

Leon signed. His handwriting was as elegant and refined as his appearance, but Victoria found it utterly disgusting.

…

The next morning, they headed to the courthouse to submit their divorce application.

Through the process, Leon showed no reluctance or guilt and maintained the same calm demeanor he'd always had.

As Victoria signed the documents, she glanced at him. She couldn't help wondering how he'd managed to treat her so well for years despite never loving her.

What was their marriage even supposed to mean?

"Your divorce application has been accepted. There's a one-month cooling-off period. For 30 days starting May 13th, you can come over to revoke the application if either party wishes to cancel the divorce," the staff explained while handing them the divorce receipt.

"Between June 13th and July 12th, you may bring the required documents to collect your divorce certificate. If you do not, the divorce application will be automatically withdrawn."

They each took their copy.

Upon leaving the courthouse, Victoria didn't return home with Leon. Instead, she went to see her best friend, Susie Sutton. She needed someone to talk to about something this big.

When she arrived at Susie's place, the latter had just gotten out of bed. She noticed Victoria's low spirits and asked with concern, "Why the long face? Did something happen?"

"Leon and I got a divorce," Victoria said calmly, though her heart felt as if it were being torn apart.

She'd truly loved him, and it'd be a lie to say she wasn't in pain.

Susie was utterly baffled and didn't believe her words. "Stop kidding around. Everyone knows Leon treats you so well. Even if everyone else gets divorced, there's no way he'd agree with how much he dotes on you."

"It's true," Victoria stated with a serious expression.

Noticing her reaction, Susie realized she wasn't joking and immediately pressed for details. Victoria told her everything.

After learning about the reason for their divorce, the hot-tempered Susie erupted in anger. "Damn it! What a jerk! How dare he make such a disgusting request!"

"Does he know about your relationship with Eva?" she pressed.

"He does," Victoria confirmed. Leon had thoroughly investigated all her relationships.

"And he brought it up? Is he out of his mind?" Susie seethed. She grabbed Victoria and dragged her up. "Come on, let's beat him up! I won't feel better until we do!"

"Do you think you can get close to him?" Victoria reminded her.

Susie froze. A powerful jerk wasn't exactly a good thing.

After a moment of silence, she asked, "Are you sure there's not a single marital property under his name? Could he be lying to you?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," Victoria said. She'd decided to let go.

Susie looked at her in disbelief. "How can it not matter?"

"He won't let me have any of it even if they exist. Plus, proving infidelity for a divorce lawsuit is tough, and even if I manage to collect any proof, most of it would be circumstantial. They won't be strong enough to serve as direct evidence," Victoria explained.

Filing for divorce might sound simple, but it was actually challenging when the other party was someone like Leon.

He was meticulous and ensured no trace of his financial support for Eva could be found. There would be no proof of them living together as a couple.

The only thing Victoria could do was take their child, Edwin Quigley, and leave the morally corrupt man.

"If you ask me, you shouldn't divorce him. Hold onto your position as the rightful wife!" Susie grew increasingly indignant.

"Spend all his money so Susie will remain a shameful mistress for the rest of her life."

"That would be playing right into his hands," Victoria pointed out in a clear rational tone.

Susie paused. Then, realizing the truth in Victoria's words, she seethed. To think she'd once thought Leon was one of the rare responsible men in their circle!

"So what's your plan? You can't just have the jerk and homewrecker spend their lives happily ever after." Susie asked.

"First, I'll move out. I'll find a job once I'm settled." Victoria had spent last night thinking about her next steps after crying her heart out.

"Why should you move out? You're not the one who cheated." Susie disagreed. "Stay there with Edwin. I dare him to kick you out."

"He won't do it himself, but he'll find ways to force me out," Victoria said. Last night's events had given her the chance to see Leon in a new light.

"What a bastard! I used to think he was husband material!" Susie was livid.

Victoria pursed her lips and lowered her gaze. Before all this, she'd thought Leon was the light pulling her out of the mess Wayne left behind. Now she realized he was just another mess she had to deal with.

One abandoned her and fled with money, while the other transferred their marital assets away and demanded she accept another woman in their marriage.

These two men, whom she considered family, were disturbingly alike.

As Susie was still trying to think of ways to secure Victoria's benefits, the latter's phone rang. She answered immediately, seeing that it was a call from the hospital.

"Ms. Smith, Mr. Quigley has stopped covering your mother's medical expenses for the next month and beyond. Could you come to the hospital to discuss the next steps for her treatment?" the doctor, Leslie Zane, urged.

"I'll be right there," Victoria said without hesitation.

After hanging up, she told Susie she had to leave for the hospital and rushed over.

When she arrived, she found Leon waiting for her in the doctor's office.

Chapter 3

Leon sat on the couch and was dressed in the same custom-made gray suit he'd worn in the morning for the divorce proceedings.

His demeanor exuded a sense of laziness and indifference. At that moment, he was making idle conversation with Leslie and was clearly unaffected by the divorce.

When he noticed Victoria's arrival, he looked up at her.

Victoria's hands clenched at her sides as her eyes filled with unmistakable disdain and loathing.

"You're here," Leslie greeted her.

Victoria shifted her gaze and responded with a hum.

"I explained everything over the phone, and here's a breakdown of the monthly costs. Take a look.

"If everything's okay, just fill in your information and sign." Leslie handed her the itemized bill.

As Victoria took it. Her heart sank slightly at the sight of the five-figure monthly medical expenses.

If Wayne hadn't swindled away her premarital assets, she could've managed for a few more months, but now she had nothing. Given her financial situation, there was no way she could sustain such an enormous cost.

"If the expenses are too much of a burden, you can choose from one of these alternative plans." Noticing her hesitation, Leslie pulled out another document and handed it to her.

The new plans were significantly cheaper but still required over ten thousand dollars per month.

Seeing her deep in thought, Leslie instinctively glanced at Leon, who gave him a look.

Leslie immediately understood and got up with his phone in hand. "Take your time to review these plans. I'll check on the patients. If none of these options work, we can discuss it again when I'm back."

Victoria was focused on the treatment plans. "Alright."

Leslie soon left and made sure to close the door behind him, leaving only Victoria and Leon in the room. The room was filled with intense pin-drop silence.

"No matter how long you stare at those papers, you simply don't have the financial ability to afford your mother's expensive medical costs," Leon finally said. His voice was casual and utterly indifferent.

Victoria's anger flared, and her gaze filled with fury.

"Not to mention, you need to rent a place and raise Edwin," Leon added.

Victoria glared at him. "What exactly are you trying to imply?"

"I consider the divorce as just you throwing a tantrum." Leon got up and stepped toward her. "As long as you never bring it up again, I'll continue covering your mother's medical expenses, and you'll still be my wife."

"What about Eva?" Victoria questioned in return.

"You two won't interfere with each other. If you don't like seeing her, I can make sure she says out of your sight."

Victoria let out a mocking laugh. "Well, should I thank you for your thoughtfulness?"

"You should know which choice benefits you the most. You've lived a wealthy life long enough to understand it'll be tough to adapt to a frugal life," Leon responded and was unbothered by her sarcasm. His tone was calm as if he were negotiating a business deal.

Of course, Victoria understood. She'd never experienced hardship in her life.

She'd never had to worry about money before the Smith family's downfall. And even after everything happened, she hadn't had time to feel the financial strain because Leon married her.

He'd given her unlimited access to his cards, so she had never had to concern herself with money.

By all accounts, she should be satisfied. Even if Eva and Leon were a couple, Leon would never mistreat her. He'd still give her everything she needed and treat her with the same meticulous care as before.

But life wasn't just about money. Dignity and self-respect mattered too.

"Dignity and respect won't put food on the table. The outside world isn't as easy as you think," Leon harshly commented as he saw through her thoughts.

"Given your current situation, you'll struggle with each step you take without me."

Victoria snapped, "I don't need your concern. Mind your own business."

"Victoria." Leon didn't understand why she was being so stubborn.

"If you have nothing else to say, please leave. I have things to discuss with the doctor, and I don't have time to listen to your lectures." For the first time, Victoria talked to him in such an unwelcoming tone.

Instead of getting mad, Leon simply stared at her.

Victoria's mental defenses started crumbling under his scorching gaze. Clenching the papers, she forced herself to meet his eyes and endured the pressure as if to win the silent battle of wits.

"You have one minute to reconsider. I'll let everything go within this one minute, but you'll just be Victoria Smith after that. If you come begging me then, I might not agree to whatever it is you want."

She turned to look out the window and silently gave him her answer.

Leon didn't linger. Once the one minute was up, he left without another word.

He figured she didn't know what was good for her and would only learn her lesson after hitting a dead end.

As the door slammed shut, Victoria's heart shuddered.

She'd once believed that though her relationship with Leon wasn't dramatic or passionate, it was a long-lasting genuine love. But now she wasn't so sure anymore.

Leslie returned before she could sort out her thoughts.

Before he could speak, Victoria adjusted herself and said, "Dr. Zane, I'll take these home and think it over before giving you an answer. Would that be okay?"

"Of course. But you need to decide soon; preferably ten days before the next billing cycle." Leslie readily agreed.

"Got it. Thank you." Victoria grabbed the documents and left the hospital.

Her next priority was finding a job. If there was a high salary offer, she could keep her mother, Laura Smith, in the hospital.

That hospital was private under Quigley Corporation and offered the best medical equipment and specialists in the country. Leon was the reason Laura had received top-notch care all these years. If she were transferred away, she might not receive the same level of treatment.

Laura was the only person in the world who truly loved Victoria. Victoria couldn't afford to have anything happen to her.

With these thoughts in mind, Victoria left the hospital and returned home. Along the way, she thought about how to tell Edwin about the divorce.

He'd always been intelligent beyond his peers and had a high IQ and EQ. She rarely had to worry about him, but a divorce wasn't a trivial matter for a child. She was worried he might not take it well.

But her worries paled in comparison to what Leon did.

Just as she got home, she stepped into the house and was met with a nauseating sight.

Eva and Leon were sitting on the couch. They were leaning against each other.

Eva looked slightly uneasy and asked, "This is still Victoria's home. Is it okay for me to be here?"

"It's fine," Leon replied in a deep voice.

"But…" Eva bit her lip.

"She'll be moving out soon. After that, you'll be the lady of the Quigley family."

Eva looked up at him, and their eyes locked in an intimate gaze. They were so engrossed in each other that they didn't even notice Victoria had returned.

Chapter 4

"Welcome back, Mrs. Quigley." The butler, Thomas Saunders, greeted Victoria as usual.

Leon and Eva turned to look at her. Eva hesitated for a moment. Then, she greeted her softly, "Hello, Vicky."

Victoria didn't bother sparing her a glance. She walked straight upstairs and kept her gaze forward.

She was afraid that if she looked, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from losing her temper.

"Did you not hear Eva's greeting? Or have you always been so rude, Ms. Smith?" Leon's distant and indifferent voice rang out.

Victoria halted in her steps. "Ms. Smith?" she muttered to herself.

Turning around to look at the two, she snapped in a sarcastic voice, "You're bringing your affair into our home, and you expect me to be polite?"

"This is my house. I can do whatever I want. You can move out if you can't stand seeing us," Leon replied in a steady, unhurried voice.

Victoria's hands clenched tightly at her sides. Though she knew she had no place in his heart, hearing such cruel words still felt like a knife twisting in her chest.

He was the one who'd told her this was her home, and all his possessions belonged to her as well.

"Don't say that, Leon. Vicky is your wife after all. Isn't it a little harsh to say that?" Eva gently tried to mediate.

"I gave her a chance, and she didn't take it," Leon said. His eyes were fixed on Victoria, and she was staring right back at him.

One refused to back down, and the other refused to compromise.

"Vicky, why don't you just apologize to Leon? He cares so much about you, and I'm sure he won't hold a grudge." Eva subtly fanned the flames.

"I was going to move out anyway," Victoria retorted and stubbornly refused to yield.

Then, while ignoring Eva, she added, "A place reeking of a cheating man and a homewrecker makes me sick. I can't stay here for another second."

With that, she turned and strode upstairs. Her pace quickened, which made it seem like she feared their filth might catch up to her.

Bang! The door slammed shut behind her with a deafening bang.

Once Victoria entered, she immediately grabbed a suitcase and started packing her stuff. She knew this was Leon's way of provoking her, but she couldn't hold back any longer.

After gathering her important documents and essentials, she headed to the closet.

She hesitated briefly as she looked at the countless designer clothes, bags, and jewelry. And in the end, she went straight for the jewelry section.

She needed money, and selling these could get her through the crisis.

But before she could take them out and store them away, Leon entered with Eva.

"Vicky, how could you be so careless with such expensive jewelry?" Eva's eyes gleamed with envy as she took in the countless limited-edition and custom-made pieces. "Are you going to sell them?"

Victoria snapped, "None of your business."

Eva glanced at Leon and continued, "But Leon gave these to you. How could you just sell them?"

"Not your concern," Victoria snapped. She didn't bother being polite.

Hearing this, Leon, who'd remained silent until now, finally spoke. "I didn't expect you to have a habit of stealing jewelry, Ms. Smith."

Victoria froze. Steal?

"If I call the police, how many years do you think you'd be sentenced for?" he asked and stared at her.

"We haven't finalized our divorce, and these were gifts from you. How is that stealing?" Victoria calmly countered.

Leon took a step closer. His warm voice carried words as sharp as knives. "How can you prove they were gifts and not part of my personal collection?"

Victoria was momentarily stunned. That was when she realized he wasn't going to let her take anything from the house and was determined to force her to a dead-end.

"You can take them if you want, but the day our divorce is finalized, I'll report a theft at home," Leon added.

He wasn't going to leave her a way out.

Chapter 5

Victoria's heart shattered under Leon's harsh words. She pursed her lips and finally said, "Must you go that far?"

"I'm just trying to tell you that without me, your life will be a complete mess." Leon stepped closer and looked down at her condescendingly.

"Of course, if you really need something to make ends meet, you can always ask Eva if she'll agree to it."

Eva pointed at herself. "Me?"

"You're the lady of the house now, and it's naturally up to you to decide what stays and what goes." Though Leon was speaking to Eva, his gaze remained on Victoria as if he were warning her of the consequences of disobedience, which was to be replaced.

Victoria's hands clenched tightly at her sides as a wave of humiliation surged through her chest.

"If Vicky wants to take something as a keepsake, I have no problem with that," Eva said and carefully selected her words to fan the flames.

"But if she's selling them, it feels like she's cheapening your love for her. If I were in her shoes, I'd never do that, no matter how desperate I was."

Leon turned to Victoria. "Did you hear that?"

The response he received was her throwing the jewelry onto the floor with a loud crash. Then without sparing them another glance, she strode toward the door.

"Why is Vicky so upset? Did I say something to piss her off?" Victoria bit her lip, and her face was full of remorse. "Should I apologize?"

"No need." Leon refused.

"But…" Eva's words trailed off. She wondered if she should voice out what she was thinking.

"See if there's anything you don't like. If there is, I'll have it removed. From now on, everything is yours." Leon indulgently ruffled her hair.

"Thank you, Leon," Eva replied as she hugged him.

Victoria caught the scene from the corner of her eye. Though she knew they were intimate, seeing Leon treat Eva with such gentleness still made her heart ache.

He'd once told her she was his most beloved and only exception. But now, all of that was gone.

"You're taking this long to pack. Do you not want to leave?" Leon appeared before her and looked down condescendingly.

Victoria snapped her suitcase shut. "I just wanted to see how a decent person turns into garbage."

"Did you get your answer?" he asked.

"I did."

"Then get out. You're not welcome here."

For a moment, Victoria wanted to say: "Aren't you afraid I'll stay here and refuse to divorce you, and that Eva will forever be forced to be a mistress?"

Then, she remembered this was exactly what he wanted.

"You don't have to pack Edwin's stuff. Once you find a place, I'll have someone send them over. I just hope you won't sell them off to cover your mother's medical expenses." Leon was as infuriating as ever.

"Not everyone's as shameless as you are," Victoria retorted.

Leon stepped closer and leaned over to send her into a corner. "Then I'll be watching. I look forward to seeing how well you manage on your own."

Victoria glared at him. Just as she was about to shove him away, Eva appeared.

Seeing them leaning so close, the smile on her face instantly vanished. But she quickly acted unfazed for fear that Leon would notice her jealousy. "Leon."

"What?" Leon turned to her.

"I like everything in there. Can I have all of it?" Eva asked as her gaze flickered toward Victoria.

Leon straightened up and didn't seem to care. "If you like it, take it. You don't have to get my approval."

"But these were gifts for Vicky. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for me to take them?" Eva appeared as if she were genuinely conflicted.

"If you really thought that, you wouldn't have asked in the first place. Don't bother putting on an act now that you've brought it up." Victoria could barely hide the anger on her face.

Then, she continued, "You're a homewrecker. What's there left to be concerned about?"

Eva's eyes turned red as she called out, "Leon…"

Leon's expression darkened instantly. He took a step toward Victoria and closed the distance between them until they could sense each other's breath.

"Has no one ever told you? The one who isn't loved is the mistress here."

Victoria's eyes widened as if it was her first time hearing such a twisted statement.