Chapter 1

On the day of her divorce, Enrica Schubert dressed herself in a red sweater and put on full-coverage makeup—something she had not bothered with for a long time. With the sweater and makeup, she looked exactly as she had two years ago.

At 10:00 am, she arrived punctually at the courthouse entrance.

Miguel Zucker was already waiting for her there.

It was currently early spring, so he was wearing a light gray windbreaker. As he had a tall figure and handsome features, him just standing there was enough to draw the attention of the surrounding people.

"Did you bring your identification card?" he asked.

She nodded. "I did."

"Good," he said before promptly walking into the courthouse.

She absentmindedly recalled the day they had picked up their marriage certificate two years ago. They had walked into the city clerk's office hand-in-hand with happiness in their eyes.

And back when they had made their marriage vows, Miguel's eyes had been red from trying not to cry. He had grabbed her hand and vowed emphatically that he would treat her well for the rest of their lives.

Now, however…

The judge asked, "Are both of you certain that your relationship has broken down and that there is no possibility of reconciliation?"

"Yes," replied Enrica.

"Yes," echoed Miguel.

They neither had children nor did they raise any property disputes, so the judge formally granted the divorce and they signed the relevant documents. The entire procedure was smooth and easy to an almost abnormal extent.

Enrica looked at the divorce certificate in her hand with bitterness in her heart.

They got their marriage certificate two years ago. Now, time had passed and they had aged.

The man who had promised to take care of her for the rest of her life had backed out midway in the end.

It was just as well that they had gone through with the divorce. After all, there had not been a single day in which she was happy throughout the past two years.

The Zuckers were a wealthy family while she came from an ordinary background, so her marriage to Miguel had been a great step up.

In order to carve herself a place in the Zucker household, she quit her job and became a housewife who fretted over matters both inside and outside of their family. However, despite trying for a child for two years, she simply was not able to conceive.

Her mother-in-law was hypercritical of her while her sister-in-law liked to make things difficult for her. The tense relationship between her and her mother-in-law, Jilliana Chappell, eventually caused the relationship between her and Miguel to become tense as well.

For Miguel's sake, she could endure it.

However, Miguel's first love, Sheila Quinn, returned to the country not long ago.

In the end, she was nothing but a dim, insignificant star compared to the brilliant moon that was Sheila in Miguel's eyes.

Stuck in a three-way relationship where she was the one who received no love, she finally chose to end the relationship between her and Miguel with dignity.

As the two of them walked out of the courthouse, one walking ahead of the other, they did not exchange any words.

Sheila was waiting right outside. She was wearing a white dress that, paired with her long hair, made her look like a goddess.

She did not look at Miguel. Instead, she looked at Enrica with reddened eyes and said guiltily, "I'm really sorry, Ms. Schubert. I didn't know that things would turn out like this… I really didn't intend to ruin your marriage."

In a voice as quiet as a whisper, Enrica replied, "There's no need for you to apologize—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Miguel looked over at her in displeasure. "The divorce was my decision and has nothing to do with Sheila. If there's anything you're dissatisfied with, you can come to me about it, but don't blame this on her."

She fell silent. Kicking up a fuss, begging and pleading… She had attempted them all. In the end, just as it had been during their month-long cooling-off period before their divorce, all she was ever met with was numb silence.

Sounding slightly unhappy, Sheila said, "Ms. Schubert didn't do anything wrong, Miguel. We're the ones who did her wrong, so I won't allow you to speak to her like that."

The displeasure in Miguel's eyes melted into helpless affection. "You're too kind. What are you going to do without me around?"

Enrica's heart twisted painfully as she watched them flirt with each other.

On the day of her and Miguel's second wedding anniversary, she had caught him and Sheila red-handed in a hotel bed. When Sheila cried and kneeled on the floor begging for her forgiveness, Miguel had defended her in the same way.

In his eyes, Sheila was kind and innocent.

However, would a truly innocent person book a room with him with the intention of being intimate while clearly knowing that he was a married man?

Just because she was unwilling to call Sheila out on it did not mean that she was not perfectly aware of the situation. It was just that, in a relationship, when one person had already moved on, there was no point in trying to get them to stay.

She smiled bitterly. "Fate determined that the two of you are still meant to be together, so I should be congratulating you. I wish the two of you happiness."

Her acceptance and lack of argument made Miguel look at her in surprise.

She nodded at him. "Goodbye."

Just as she was turning to leave, he suddenly asked, "You neither asked for a car nor property during the divorce procedure, so what are you going to do from now on?"

She paused.

He took out a check and offered it to her. "Take it. Consider it compensation for keeping you tied down for the past two years."

He added with a complicated expression on his face, "Live a good life from now on. If you encounter any obstacles that you can't overcome, you can give me a call. As long as it doesn't inconvenience me, I'll make it easier for you."

She looked at the hand extended toward her. It was slender and well-defined, just as it had been when she used to hold it in hers back then.

However, he had already taken off the wedding ring that he had worn for two years.

She pushed his hand away. "No thanks."

Sheila looked distressed. "Please accept it, Ms. Schubert, even if it's just to make me feel slightly better about this—"

Enrica shook her head. "I really don't need it."

Miguel's hand hovered in mid-air, frozen. As he watched her getting farther and farther away, an inexplicable feeling of discomfort rose in his heart.

"Do you think Ms. Schubert will blame us for this, Miguel?" Sheila asked guiltily.

He ruffled her hair and said reassuringly. "She won't."

Her eyes were slightly red, and her voice was sad but firm. "Even if she blames me for it, I'll accept the blame. I'm willing to make an enemy of the entire world for your sake."

Looking faintly touched, Miguel hugged her and sighed. "Silly."

There was no room for a third person in love. With her back turned to the two of them, Enrica allowed her eyes to redden with tears. In the end, she could not bring herself to feel nothing.

Love did not operate on a first-come-first-serve basis, but if she had known beforehand that Miguel's heart yearned for another woman, she would never have agreed to marry him in the first place.

He had clearly been the one to confess first, and he had also been the one to propose. He had declared that he would give her a family and take care of her for the rest of her life.

It turned out that not only could love disappear, but it could also be faked.

She stopped by a pillar and lifted her hand to wipe away her tears. She then took out her phone to make a call.

"Hello? Have you arrived yet? I'm at the entrance, wearing a red sweater."

A few minutes later, a tall man walked up to her with his back against the sun.

"Ms. Schubert," he greeted.

"Mr. Fulcher?" she asked uncertainly.

She was stunned for a moment.

The lighting had been dim in the bar yesterday, so she had not seen his face clearly. Therefore, it was only now that she realized how unfairly handsome he looked.

He was dressed in a black suit and matching suit trousers. He had elegant facial features, a sharp jawline, and a pair of eyes as dark as a bottomless pool. He appeared enigmatic and seemed untouchable to the average person.

After momentarily losing herself in thought, she averted her gaze and asked politely, "Is it convenient for you right now?"

Her eyes and nose were still red, and her voice was slightly hoarse.

Zayne Fulcher gazed at her for a few seconds before nodding and replying, "Yes."

"Then let's go," she said.

Side by side, they walked into the city clerk's office nearby. Unexpectedly, they encountered Miguel and Sheila, who were just about to leave.

Sheila let out an exclamation and covered her mouth. "Is this your new boyfriend, Ms. Schubert?"

Enrica could not help but pause.

Miguel gave Zayne a once-over. His expression darkened as he frowned at Enrica. "What are you trying to pull this time? The relationship between us is over, so I advise you to behave more respectably. I don't want to have to make things ugly."

He did not think Enrica was capable of finding herself a new boyfriend. After all, just a week ago, she was still asking him why they could not go back to how they used to be with tears in her eyes.

Chapter 2

Enrica felt as if her heart was being torn to pieces.

She and Miguel had been married for two years, but he had probably never taken the time to understand her.

Behave more respectably, he said. Had she not behaved respectably enough?

When a problem occurred with their marriage, she did her best to fix it. From beginning to end, everything she worked to solve was between her and Miguel. Not once had she brought Sheila into it.

If she had really been unwilling to let things go, there were plenty of ways she could have continued to drag the situation out.

If she had refused the divorce, Sheila would have remained a mistress, forever scorned and ridiculed by others and never able to live her life with dignity.

Enrica had not done that but instead chose to step away and let them have what they wanted.

However, Miguel still feared that she would return to pester them even now that they had already gone through with the divorce.

The fact simultaneously made her want to laugh and cry.

Suddenly, someone's hand stretched over from beside her and held hers. A man's deep voice asked, "Is this your scumbag of an ex-husband and his shameless mistress?"

His words pulled her out of her sadness like a light shining through the darkness, and she could not help but be stunned.

Zayne glanced at Sheila with a complicated expression. "He has average standards, I see."

Sheila's eyes immediately reddened.

Miguel's expression darkened instantly, and he looked coldly at Enrica. "You casually mentioned our family affairs to outsiders. Is this how you're going to act? Apologize to Sheila immediately!"

Sheila immediately said uneasily, "I'm alright, Miguel. Don't embarrass Ms. Schubert."

Miguel looked at her with distress. "I won't allow you to suffer any grievance on my behalf, Sheila."

He looked over at Enrica again, his gaze much sharper than before. "Apologize to Sheila, otherwise I'm not letting this matter go."

Enrica stood across from Miguel. He was tall, strong, and intimidating, forcing her to lower her head in submission. She opened her mouth to speak before closing it again. What could she say when Miguel was bent on supporting the woman he loved?

She was just an ordinary person with nothing to her name, so how was she supposed to go up against the Zuckers?

Just as she was about to swallow her bitterness and take the blame in order to settle things peacefully, Zayne suddenly reached out and pulled her behind his back.

"I was the one who said the offending words, so I should also be the one to apologize," he said.

He then looked at Sheila and said with a hint of a mysterious smile in his voice, "Sorry. I just thought that you got so many procedures done on your face because you were dissatisfied with your looks. I apologize if I offended you."

Sheila started crying instantly. "I-I haven't… I've never had plastic surgery. I've always looked like this…"

Miguel hurriedly embraced her and said in a soft, comforting tone, "I know. You've always been as pretty as a flower."

Sheila started sobbing aggrievedly.

Miguel continued to hug her, his eyes burning with anger. "Get over here, Enrica Schubert! Who's this man to interfere with our family affairs? If you don't accept accountability for what was said to Sheila today, then don't blame me for exacting revenge on her behalf! I won't let you get away with it even if you used to be my wife!"

Keeping Enrica firmly behind him, Zayne looked at Miguel with a playful smirk on his lips. "Family affairs? You and Enrica are already divorced. On the other hand, I'm her fiancé, so we're the ones who are family. Please watch yourself."

"Fiancé?" Miguel repeated furiously. "We only just divorced, Enrica! When did you two start seeing each other? Were you cheating on me?"

Enrica's eyes inexplicably reddened, and she could no longer stop herself from stepping forward.

"I wasn't!" she exclaimed with rage. "Do you think everyone is like you? Unlike you, I can face you and your family without shame, so don't slander me!"

Miguel's eyes turned cold. "What are you trying to say about me? I have the right to pursue true love too. You were the one who agreed to the divorce, so it's hardly appropriate for you to use it to argue your case now, is it?"

She gritted her teeth as she struggled to suppress her emotions, not wanting to let herself cry.

Sheila's eyes were still red as she said worriedly, "I know that you're upset about Miguel divorcing you, Ms. Schubert. I feel guilty about it too, but marriage is a serious affair that affects your entire life. No matter how angry you are, you can't just find a random person to marry—"

Zayne suddenly spoke up in his deep voice. "You're talking about guilt after stealing someone else's fiancé from them. Are you feeling superior about being a mistress?"

Sheila immediately stiffened.

Miguel was just about to explode with rage when Zayne interrupted him with a hint of impatience in his tone, "Are you going to demand accountability again? As a grown man, let's not make things difficult for a woman. You can come to me instead. Here's my business card."

He handed Miguel a business card. "If you have anything to say, let's talk about it later. Please refrain from delaying my marriage to Enrica."

He paused, then added with a laugh, "Whatever the case, thank you for divorcing Enrica. If you're not busy, I'll get you two boxes of candies as a celebratory gift after we've gotten our marriage certificate."

He then turned to leave, keeping his arm wrapped around Enrica.

Miguel watched in astonishment as the two of them walked into the city clerk's office together.

Enrica actually dared go through with this?

Sheila was incredibly upset. "As expected, Ms. Schubert really is holding a grudge against me. Why else would she casually marry a stranger?"

Miguel immediately sneered at that, his face livid with rage. "It's not as if you're unaware of how prudent she is. There's no way she would just marry a stranger on short notice! She probably already hooked up with him long ago!"

Woe be him for actually having been attracted to such a despicable woman as her in the two years that they had been together!

He lowered his head to look at the business card in his hand. The card read, "Tennings Insurance Sales Specialist, Zayne Fulcher".

His hand reflexively tightened into a fist, crushing the business card. He scrunched it up and tossed it into a trash can, inwardly scoffing at the fact that Zayne was nothing but a mere insurance salesman.

He sneered disdainfully as he took out his phone to call his assistant. "Schedule a meeting with the boss of Tennings Insurance. I'd like to have a meal with him whenever he's available."

He would certainly like to see if that scumbag duo could do anything about it!

Back inside the city clerk's office, Enrica and Zayne finished signing the relevant documents and said their marriage vows to each other.

Enrica used to think that vows made here were very sacred, and breaking them would invite divine retribution.

Now, however…

How sincere were the people who declared that they would "love each other till death do them part"?

She and Zayne both exited the city clerk's office with a copy of the marriage certificate in hand.

They had just gotten married and were still unfamiliar with each other, so she said politely, "I still have an interview to attend later. Will you be heading back by yourself?"

She had not gotten married to a stranger on a mere whim.

The grandmother of the child she had been supporting financially for three years had passed away, so the child had been sent to an orphanage. She had been preparing for adoption all this time, and although she had divorced Miguel, she did not intend to give up on this matter.

However, one of the foremost requirements for adopting a child was a marriage certificate.

Additionally, she would temporarily have no place to stay after moving out of Miguel's house, but Zayne had a small house in the city that could solve that urgent need.

As for Zayne, she did not truly consider him a spouse as he was actually gay. As he was of marriageable age, the constant pressure from his family to get married placed him under a lot of stress, and he urgently needed to appease them with marriage.

Therefore, when they met at a bar last night, they hit it off immediately.

Zayne smiled politely at her, but his attitude was equally distant. "My insurance company is holding an event today. I applied for a half-day leave to come here, so I'll be returning to the company later."

Enrica had already been informed of his job yesterday, so she nodded at that. "I'll take my leave first, then."

She turned and quickly got on the bus, so she did notice Zayne staring after her for a long time.

It was only after the bus had completely vanished into the distance that he averted his gaze and looked down at the marriage certificate. As he admired the two names displayed side by side, the corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile.

Only he knew just how long he had been waiting for this day.

Chapter 3

The company that Enrica had an interview with was a multinational pharmaceutical company.

She had originally applied for a sales manager position, but because she was 30 years old without any children and had left the workforce for two years, the HR department eventually assigned her to a sales assistant position.

Her basic salary was 4,500 dollars plus commission, and if she did not secure any sales in three months, she would be asked to pack up and leave.

She recalled how she had been the backbone of her company before she resigned from her job two years ago. Her manager had advised her multiple times not to abandon her career for love. However, she had been obstinate and rushed headlong into marriage like a moth to a flame, chasing a life of peace and security.

Little had she known that the life she was chasing would turn out to be one of suffering.

Now that she was returning to the workforce, society was teaching her a hard life lesson—this was the price of marriage.

She smiled bitterly and signed the employment contract. She believed in herself, and she was confident that her career would not stagnate here. She would officially start work tomorrow, so after running through the formalities, she left the company.

She headed to the address that Zayne had given her and knocked on the door, which was quickly opened. Zayne stood inside the house with no apparent expression on his face.

"You're back," he said politely.

She smiled politely back at him. "Yes. I've bought some food. If you haven't eaten yet, how about we eat together?"

He paused slightly. She thought that he was going to refuse her offer, but unexpectedly, he agreed. "Alright. I'll get the cutlery."

He even brought out a bottle of fruit wine.

She toasted him at the dinner table and said, "Thank you for coming to my aid at the courthouse today."

Zayne smiled faintly with his wine glass in hand, seemingly unconcerned about the matter. "Just consider me a good Samaritan standing up for what's right. We're partners, after all."

At his mention of them being partners, she said with slight embarrassment, "I'll pay you rent for the house based on the market price. I'll have to owe you a portion of the rent for the first two months, but I'll pay you back in full after I get my salary."

He simply nodded.

After dinner, he asked, "It's still early, so how about we go for a walk together? There's another person living here now, so there are many things that need to be purchased. We'll split the cost."

She had no choice but to go along. "Sure."

Neither of them owned a car, so they could only walk to the shopping mall. Fortunately, it was not too far away, and it only took them ten minutes or so to get there.

As the two of them browsed the home appliances section, pushing a shopping cart between them, Zayne suddenly stopped.

Enrica followed his gaze and stiffened involuntarily.

It was often said that enemies would inevitably meet each other time and time again.

A short distance away from them, Sheila was holding Miguel's arm while leaning lovingly against his shoulder. Standing next to Miguel was his younger sister, Rohana.

Sheila looked over in surprise. "What a coincidence, Ms. Schubert. Are you also here to purchase the necessary supplies for living together?"

Miguel's expression immediately darkened.

Rohana crossed her arms over her chest and sneered, "Why are you so shameless, Enrica Schubert? You only just got divorced and immediately remarried. You've completely disgraced the Zucker family!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the surrounding people started looking Enrica up and down. They were shocked that a woman who looked so pretty was actually such a player.

Enrica subconsciously squeezed Zayne's hand.

She had never really gotten along with Rohana. In the two years she was married to Miguel, Rohana had made it a point to bully her whenever possible due to her family background and had even gone as far as to pour boiling water on her once.

Enrica had countless other memories of Rohana belittling her like this in public. In the past, she would endure it as much as she could for Miguel's sake, but suffering in silence had not helped her achieve a good ending.

She felt suffocated.

She looked at Rohana and said in a very soft voice, "You say that I remarried as soon as I divorced, but didn't your older brother practically do the same? My husband and I are legally married, but Miguel and Sheila are still unmarried. Who exactly deserves to hold their head high here?"

Miguel's expression instantly turned stormy at her words, and he snapped with suppressed anger, "Why are you getting all passive-aggressive, Enrica? Sheila and I truly love each other, and it's not your place to express your opinion! Know your place!"

Rohana sneered and added, "That's right. Just look at yourself! What do a pair of adulterers know of legal marriage? Do you think yourself comparable to Sheila? You sure have a lot of nerve to act all high-and-mighty despite being such a slut!'

Enrica felt her chest twinge in pain as if she had taken a heavy blow to the chest.

Look at herself? When Miguel first hooked up with Sheila, she was still the Zuckers' official daughter-in-law and Miguel's legitimate wife!

She was the one who had chosen to let the matter rest and helped the couple attain their wish of being together, but in the end, she was the one being ridiculed for being unworthy due to her status.

She gazed at Miguel with dull eyes and said, her voice still soft as silk, "You can rest assured that I want, more than anyone, to completely sever ties with all of you."

She said this with a dejected look on her face, like a flower that had been nipped harshly by frost on the day it fully bloomed, leaving it to wither away overnight.

A strange feeling curled around Miguel's heart. He could not help recalling the day of their wedding two years ago, when she had smiled tenderly at him and said, "Please take care of me for the rest of my life."

Sheila suddenly shook him gently and asked, "How about you just forget it, Miguel? Ms. Schubert probably didn't mean it in a bad way…"

He instantly came back to his senses. He had married Enrica back then simply out of convenience, and Sheila was the one he actually loved.

He looked at Enrica with annoyance. "It'd better be as you say!"

He turned to leave, pulling Sheila along with him. Rohana's eyes flashed with dissatisfaction, and she suddenly rammed into Enrica, who was completely unprepared for her assault.

Just as she was about to fall over, a hand suddenly reached out to catch her by the waist and pulled her aside.

Rohana had thrown herself at Enrica with all her strength, not expecting Enrica to dodge. Unable to control her momentum, she ended up falling directly against one of the shelves.

The items on the shelves fell to the floor in a series of loud clatters.

The number of onlookers instantly increased.

Rohana had made a fool of herself, which made her furious. "You did that on purpose, didn't you, Enrica Schubert?"

An employee rushed over and was stunned to see the mess on the floor. "What happened here?"

Rohana pointed at Enrica and said angrily, "Settle things with her! She's the one who did all this!"

The employee looked hesitantly at Enrica. "Excuse me, miss. You're going to have to pay compensation for damaging so many of the supermarket's products…"

Everyone looked at her, but nobody spoke up on her behalf. That included Miguel and Sheila, who had seen Rohana do it with their own eyes.

Enrica stood in the spotlight, feeling a strong sense of loneliness and helplessness.

"It wasn't me," she said weakly, attempting to explain herself, but her words fell short in isolation.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind and wrapped itself around her waist, as if lending her strength. A tall figure then stepped forward to stand beside her.

"I can testify that my wife did not touch those shelves," he said confidently. "It's this woman here who suddenly attempted to ram into her and knocked down the merchandise on the shelves."

Rohana immediately glared at him. "You're spouting nonsense! I say you're both in cohorts, and you're deliberately framing me in order to absolve that bitch of blame!"

Zayne looked expressionlessly at the employee. "You can check the surveillance feed. If there's any dispute, you can call the police, but my wife will not plead guilty to a false charge."

His voice was calm and powerful, slowly calming down Enrica's heart.

Chapter 4

The moment Rohana heard Zayne tell the store employee to call the police and check the surveillance, she lost her bluster and looked guiltily at Miguel. "Miggy…"

Rohana had messed up, but as her older brother, Miguel naturally would not stand idly by.

He stepped forward and looked at Enrica as he said, "I'll compensate the store for the losses incurred, so just forgo calling the police. It won't do you any good to make a huge fuss over this."

Although his words made it seem like he was trying to discuss a resolution, his tone suggested that he was not going to take no for an answer.

Enrica noticed the hidden warning in his words and nodded silently.

The Zuckers possessed great influence in Evernorth, so she did not dare risk offending them for one moment of satisfaction, nor could she afford to.

After that, Rohana paid the compensation fee, and the employees cleaned up the scene.

Enrica and Zayne did not linger and instead left together.

Following such a ruckus, neither of them had the mood to continue shopping, so they pushed their shopping cart over to the register to check their purchases out.

There was a long line of people waiting to check out. By the time it was their turn, Miguel, Rohana, and Sheila had also come over to queue up.

When Rohana heard the beep of the scanner, she glanced at the item price displayed and said snidely, "A certain someone sure is living a miserable life after leaving my brother's side. They can't even afford decent bed sheets. I mean, are hundred-dollar bed sheets even made for humans to sleep on?"

Enrica was not a lifeless doll with no temper, but she could not afford to lose her temper against the Zucker family. Therefore, she simply lowered her head and pretended not to hear Rohana.

Seeing her remain silent, Zayne's eyes darkened slightly, and he suddenly commented meaningfully, "A certain someone seems to forget that they're nothing but a former sister-in-law while parading their so-called superiority around like a clown."

Rohana flew into a rage out of humiliation. "Just who did you say looks like a clown? I dare you to say that again!"

Zayne arched an eyebrow and looked at her in surprise. "I didn't mention anyone by name, so why are you getting offended? Could it be that the person I mentioned reminds you of yourself?"

"You—"

Rohana put her hands on her waist and was just about to swear at him when Miguel glared at her and snapped, "Shut up! Haven't you embarrassed us enough?"

She stamped her feet and said indignantly, "I can't take this lying down, Miggy! Enrica is walking all over you with that new pretty boy of hers!"

Miguel pursed his lips, gazing coldly at Enrica and Zayne, who were standing not too far away.

Forget Rohana, because there was no way he was willing to take it lying down either.

However, when he thought about how his assistant, Gregory West, had already arranged a meeting with the boss of Tennings Insurance for him the day after tomorrow, his lips curved into a smirk.

This incident did not matter because before long, Enrica would be crying and begging for him to show mercy.

…

Enrica had been silent ever since she and Zayne left the shopping mall.

Zayne lowered his head to look at her and asked, "Are you very upset?"

She smiled bitterly and replied without attempting to conceal anything, "Yes."

Giving up on a person one loved dearly and abandoning an unforgettable relationship was like cutting out a section of bone to mend an injury. It was impossible not to feel hurt and upset.

She paused, then looked gratefully at Zayne. "Thank you for speaking up for me just now, but…"

She was afraid that Miguel would take his anger out on Zayne.

As if noticing her concern, Zayne said nonchalantly, "Don't worry. I'm related to the boss, and I'm also the best-performing salesperson in my department. It won't be easy for your ex-husband to get to me."

His rich, powerful voice seemed to miraculously soothe her worries.

After they arrived home, Zayne thoughtfully let her shower first. Once she was done showering, she entered the bedroom. She hesitated for a moment, but still decided to lock her bedroom door in the end.

…

Early the next morning, she was about to head out to report to her company when she saw Zayne walking out of his bedroom in his sleepwear.

"Doesn't your insurance company require their employees to clock in?" she asked in puzzlement.

He froze before humming an affirmative, his expression neutral.

She did not think too much of it and simply said enviously, "How carefree. I'll be leaving first, then."

New employees were required to attend a training course when they first joined the company. The knowledge was very familiar to her, so the morning went by quickly.

Just as she was about to buy lunch, her phone suddenly rang.

She picked up the call. "Hello?"

The angry, high-pitched shriek of Miguel's mother, Jilliana Chapell, rang in her ears. "Enrica Schubert! My son has already divorced you, so why are you still letting that poor bitch come to my house? Are you unable to stand seeing my son live a good life?"

Enrica was stunned. "What did you say? My stepmother went looking for you?"

Jilliana cursed loudly at her. "Stop pretending that you weren't aware of it! Why would she have come knocking at our door if you hadn't instigated her actions? Neither you nor your stepmother are saints! You're all just a family of leeches who are still trying to leech off my son even though you've already divorced him!"

Enrica sighed lightly. "I'll head over right now."

Afternoon training started at 2:00 pm, and it was currently 11:00 am right now. Three hours was enough for her to get there and back.

She hurried downstairs and hailed a cab. The situation was urgent, so she could not afford to worry about spending money.

"Please hurry over to the Farthen residential area, mister," she requested.

"No problem!" replied the cab driver.

He stepped on the accelerator, and the cab speeded off.

She felt restless. Why would Enna Shaw suddenly run off to the Zucker family's villa?

Could it be that they had run out of money back home? But she had just transferred Enna ten thousand dollars last month…

Perhaps Julian had gotten himself into trouble again. Did her father know that Enna had gone to see the Zuckers?

Her thoughts were a mess. She willed the cab to go faster as she prayed inwardly that Enna would not blow things up to such an extent that she would be powerless to fix the situation.

Fortunately, today was a work day, so they did not run into any traffic jams. Half an hour later, the cab stopped outside the Farthen residential area.

Enrica paid the driver and got out of the car.

She had lived here for two years, so the security guards were all familiar with her. When one of them swiped his card to let her through, he smiled at her.

"Please hurry on in, Mrs. Zucker. Your mother came over today."

Enrica whispered a thank you before hurrying inside.

From a distance, she could already see Enna clinging to the metal bars of the gate outside the Zucker family's villa and cursing hysterically. She looked like a madwoman.

"It was your son who proposed to my daughter back when they first got married, but now, you're kicking her out just because she can't conceive? That's utterly preposterous!

"If you want a divorce, fine! But how dare you not give us a single cent? What right do you have to use her like a toy for two whole years? I'm warning you all! You're either going to give me the money or remarry my daughter. Otherwise, I'm never letting this matter rest!"

Enrica paused. She had always known that Enna was a difficult woman to deal with, but she had never heard her say such nasty things before.

Was she showing her true colors because she felt that Enrica no longer had anyone at her back now that she was divorced?

The two real estate agents standing nearby glanced at each other. They had clearly been trying to calm Enna down for a long time and had run out of ideas, but they could not just leave her be either.

They sighed in relief at the sight of Enrica and reflexively greeted her as "Mrs. Zucker". Then, they recalled that Enna had just mentioned divorce and felt embarrassed for a moment.

Enrica apologized to them before they could say anything. "Sorry for causing you trouble. I'll take her away as soon as possible."

The agents did not want to get involved in such messy affairs, so they left after exchanging a few words with her.

Enna looked back to see Enrica, and her arrogance immediately surged. "You came right on time, Enrica! Open the door! How dare these bastards shut me out? I'm going to go in and negotiate a proper resolution with them!"

Enrica did not want to cross her, so she said placatingly, "The divorce was my decision, Enna. We no longer have any ties to the Zuckers, so there's nothing to negotiate. Let's stop making a scene and go back."

Chapter 5

Enna's eyes widened, and she looked angrily at Enrica. "Are you stupid? What right do the Zuckers have to make you go through with the divorce without offering any compensation at all when they're so rich?"

She snorted before continuing, "Your father requires several thousand dollars every month for his rehabilitation, and Julian's school fees are expensive. I'm nowhere near as noble as you. In my eyes, they should give you money for the divorce! Otherwise, you're the one who's going to have to pay up!"

Enrica felt rather helpless. "I've always given you money, Enna."

"That's different," Enna said stubbornly. "In the past, you had the Zuckers backing you and could provide that money, but now, you have nothing. How are you going to come up with that money in the future?"

Enrica had no choice but to explain, "I've never asked the Zuckers for a single cent. The money I've given you over the past two years all came from my previous savings. I still have some savings left, and I'll be earning money soon. I guarantee that I won't give you any less than before."

"You really are an idiot! You should've just kept your savings for when Julian finds himself a woman to marry! Why didn't you take money from the Zuckers since you were already married to them? You've let someone sleep with you for two years for zero benefits!"

Enna shoved Enrica hard, furious.

In her eyes, it was ridiculous that Enrica had been married to such a good family, but she had not squeezed a single benefit out of them.

Enrica staggered back a few steps. She could not make Enna see reason, and their exchange had made her so angry that she was trembling with rage.

Unable to hold back any longer, she snapped, "I legally married him and divorced him just as legally, so what do you mean by saying I let him sleep with me for zero benefits? It's not like I whored myself out!"

Enna did not take her words seriously at all. Instead, she said arrogantly, "Are you picking a fight with me? If you have a problem with me, you might as well strangle your father for marrying me in the first place! Do you think I can't handle you, you little bitch?"

Just then, Enna's phone rang, and she answered the call grumpily. "Hello! Who is it?"

The person on the other end said something that caused her to pale instantly, and she said fearfully, "Please don't get angry. I'll head over immediately. Let's talk face-to-face."

After hanging up the call, she glared viciously at Enrica. "I'll settle the score with you later!"

She then left in a hurry.

As soon as she was gone, Enrica finally sighed in relief.

Three years ago, her parents were involved in a traffic accident. Her mother died on the spot while her father's legs were injured. A kind neighbor then introduced her father to Enna.

Enna had a son of her own who was already in high school. She had originally looked down on Charles, who had lost his ability to work, but she later heard that Enrica was going to marry Miguel. Because of that, she actually agreed to marry Enrica's father.

Enrica had always known that Enna was only in it for the money, but Charles had limited mobility and required long-term care.

She had not been able to come up with a better solution than having Enna marry into their family, so she accepted her money-grubbing ways and acknowledged that the money she gave Enna was a sum she had to pay for her help in taking care of Charles.

However, she had never expected Enna to try and get her hands on a piece of the Zuckers' pie.

The power that the Zuckers held in Evernorth was overwhelming. If ordinary people were to try and contend with them, it would be like throwing an egg at a stone wall.

Had it not been enough of a lesson when she had come out of the marriage battered and bruised?

She laughed bitterly. Just as she was about to leave, the tightly-shut villa door suddenly opened.

Jilliana stood on top of the stairs with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Since you're already divorced, keep a proper eye on your crazy family," she said snidely. "It's not like our house is a garbage dump that will take in all your trash!"

Enna had been too aggressive, and Jilliana had known that she would not be able to win an argument with her, so she had hidden in the villa. However, now that the madwoman had left, she naturally appeared to throw her weight around. After all, Enrica was nothing in her eyes.

Enrica stopped and looked at Jilliana, subconsciously swallowing her words of greeting.

The past two years had deeply ingrained one principle in her. If someone saw her as insignificant, then she should not bother trying to ingratiate herself with them.

No matter how bitter she felt, she did not let it show on her face. "Sorry. This sort of thing won't happen again. However, please be careful with your wording. My family members aren't crazy."

She had no desire to get caught up with Jilliana, so she turned to leave.

"Stay right there!" shouted Jilliana, walking down the steps and staring coldly at her. "Is this how you speak to your elders? It looks like you really were just pretending to be meek and subservient before! You're showing your true colors now that you're divorced!"

Enrica's fists momentarily tightened at her sides before she relaxed again and smiled weakly.

She laughed inwardly at her own stupidity. In the two years that she had been Jilliana's daughter-in-law, she had devoted herself to waiting respectfully on Jilliana.

When Jilliana was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and subsequently underwent surgery last year, she remained by her bedside day and night, tirelessly taking care of her.

However, what had that earned her in the end?

Verbal abuse, humiliation, and ridicule.

From beginning to end, none of the Zuckers had ever thought highly of her.

She lowered her gaze. "When it comes to you, I'm certain that my conscience is clear."

She spoke every word calmly, feeling almost numb to the pain in her heart.

Just then, a silver-gray sports car suddenly came to a skidding stop in front of the villa. Miguel got out of the car and marched aggressively up to them.

"Why are you coming here to pester us again, Enrica?" he asked coldly. "Why can't you just let up?"

Enrica was stunned at his sudden appearance. She wanted to explain herself, but Miguel did not give her the opportunity and started lecturing her harshly.

"You've been pestering me endlessly for the past few days. Do you think doing this will make me change my mind? Here I thought that you easily agreed to the divorce because you were willing to let me and Sheila be together, but I didn't expect it to be part of your stalling tactics instead! Your hypocrisy makes me sick!"

Enrica paled, and she met his gaze directly. When she spoke, her voice trembled uncontrollably due to her anger.

"Miguel Zucker! Do you think I'm someone who can't move on? Yes, I did love you before, but from the moment we walked out of the courthouse, I've never thought of looking back! What right do you have to slander me without properly understanding the situation?"

Sheila, who had come over at some point, sighed lightly and said, "Considering that Miguel is such an outstanding person, it's perfectly normal that you're unable to move on from him, Ms. Schubert. But no matter what, you shouldn't bother Mrs. Zucker over something like this."

After saying that, she walked over to Jilliana with a concerned expression on her face and asked gently, "Are you alright, Mrs. Zucker? You look very pale. Could it be your high blood pressure acting up again?"

Jilliana liked Sheila very much as she was respectful and highly educated. She held Sheila's hand in hers and replied, "I'm alright. I was so angry with that little bitch that I gave myself a headache, but I'm feeling much better after seeing you."

Sheila said guiltily, "It's our fault. If we had arrived earlier, you wouldn't have had to deal with such a huge grievance."

Her voice was gentle, but her words were as sharp as knives, each one seemingly stabbing into Enrica and pinning her with unfounded charges.

Miguel's expression turned uglier than ever, and he glared at Enrica while saying coldly, "Is this your goal? Are you only going to be satisfied once you've angered my mother so badly that her health suffers?"

Enrica struggled hard to hold back her tears. She was tired—really tired—of the feeling that her attempts to explain herself never got anywhere.

In the two years she had been married to Miguel, there had been countless such conversations, and they had always turned out like this. Miguel believed in everyone but her. It always seemed as if anyone and everyone was more qualified and of higher standing than her.

All she had done was fall in love with someone and go into a marriage with a heart full of expectations.

Why did she deserve to become so miserable in the end?

Chapter 6

Sheila stepped forward and said in a cajoling tone, "Please don't be upset anymore, Ms. Schubert. Love has always been an incomprehensible, unexplainable thing. Miguel didn't hold you accountable for marrying another man right after divorcing him yesterday, did he? Why, then, can't you just give us your blessing and move on?"

Jilliana had not known about Zayne, so the moment she heard Sheila's words, she exploded with rage. "You even dared to cheat on my son? You cunning slut! I already knew just from looking at your face that you were the unruly sort, but it seems I still heavily underestimated you!"

As she poked, she pushed Sheila out of the way, rushed at Enrica, and slapped her hard.

For a moment, Enrica was unable to react. She reflexively lifted her hand to cover her stinging face.

With one hand on her hip, Jilliana pointed an accusing finger at Enrica and scolded her, "I could tell from the start that you were just a jinx! You disgraceful thing! In what way has Miguel ever let you down when you're the one who's done such an utterly heartless thing!"

Every word out of her mouth was harsher than the last, and her voice was so sharp and high-pitched that it shattered the eardrums of everyone who was listening.

Enrica felt like laughing.

With how self-righteous Jilliana was acting, someone unaware of the situation would think that Enrica had done something to ruin their entire family.

Miguel simply stood aside and watched them. Although Sheila half-heartedly tugged on Jilliana's arm and tried to persuade her to stand down, she quickly returned to being a "feeble maiden" at a loss for what to do.

Jilliana came from an ordinary background. She had been a delinquent back in school, so she was incredibly good at swearing and cursing.

After marrying into the Zucker family, she relied on her status to strut around while pretending to be an upper-class lady. It was then that she slowly started to change her previous habits.

However, whatever she still retained from her delinquent days was more than enough to deal with Enrica.

Enrica had been a good child. In the first 20 years or so of her life, she had been generous, kind, and polite. Her circle of friends also consisted of equally well-educated people.

If she had not met Enna and Jilliana three and two years ago respectively, she would never have known that people like them existed in the world.

They could not be reasoned with and presented illogical arguments. They barraged people with insults and stubbornly pushed their own unreasonable points, preventing others from getting a single word in.

Jilliana found herself getting angry just looking at Enrica. She hated people like Enrica more than anyone else as she felt that they always pretended to be innocent, as if they had been greatly wronged. She really wanted to rip that face to shreds!

Enrica staggered out of the way of Jilliana's continued assault. She did not dare strike back, fearing that if she angered Jilliana, she would get Charles in trouble and would no longer be able to live a decent life in Evernorth in the future.

However, as she continued to dodge, Jilliana unexpectedly stumbled and suddenly fell to the ground.

Sheila hurriedly stepped forward to help her up, and she could not resist blaming Enrica for it as she did so. "Mrs. Zucker is your elder, Ms. Schubert! How could you lash out against her?"

Miguel strode over as well with a stormy expression on his face. He grabbed Enrica by the arm and dragged her aside.

"Have you had enough of causing trouble?" he snapped.

Faced with his thoughtless accusations, Enrica could not stop her eyes from tearing up due to embarrassment.

Miguel noticed this, and his voice grew even colder. "Spare me your pitiful act and apologize to my mother!"

Enrica desperately held back her sobs. "I didn't do anything, Miguel. Can you please be reasonable? She was the one who hit me, and I didn't even fight back!"

Miguel's expression darkened. "I never knew that you were such a vicious woman! Since you're not willing to apologize, don't blame me for holding you legally accountable!"

Enrica's entire body shuddered uncontrollably. She could not win against the Zucker family. If they really did take this to court, putting aside the fact that it would take a lot of time and effort, it would probably end badly for her.

Just as she was debating whether or not to give in and accept the blame, a deep voice sounded from behind her. "If you wish to take legal action, that's fine. I also require an explanation for why my wife was harmed for no reason."

Enrica looked back at the newcomer in surprise. "Mr. Ful—Zayne? Why are you here?"

Zayne showing up in a residential area known for housing Evernorth's wealthiest was not what confused her the most but the fact that he was dressed in a noble, dignified manner. He was wearing a neatly pressed silver-gray suit, and there was a black luxury wristwatch around his wrist. Overall, he looked extraordinary.

When Zayne looked at her, he suppressed his anger and explained, "I came to visit a client."

Then, he glanced imperceptibly at the man following him, who considered the meaningful look in Zayne's eyes for a moment before asking tentatively, "Shall we sign the contract tomorrow then, Zayne?"

His voice shook as he addressed Zayne by name.

Zayne nodded. "Alright."

Joy flashed in the man's eyes, and he said with forced calm, "I'll take my leave first, so feel free to busy yourself with your own work."

He even seemed slightly panicked as he left the scene.

Miguel shot a condescending look at Zayne. "That's Mr. King from Lesmouth Mining, isn't it? I'm pretty close with him. Just one word from me and all your efforts trying to secure that sale will fall through. If I were you, I'd get down on my knees and beg for mercy right now."

He sneered disdainfully. He could easily destroy Zayne's life with a snap of his fingers.

Was this man the best Enrica could find after leaving him?

Zayne stood calmly where he was, seemingly not taking Miguel's threat seriously at all.

"Unfortunately, you're not me," he said in a low and unyielding voice.

Miguel's expression darkened. Enrica, on the other hand, was feeling a little panicked.

She really did not want to implicate Zayne, so she said quickly, "I'll apologize, so let's just—"

Before she could finish speaking, Zayne clamped a hand down on her shoulder. When he spoke, his voice was strong and steady, showing his complete readiness to defend her.

"It's not your fault, so why do you have to apologize?" he asked.

Enrica was stunned.

For the past two years, she had grown used to being treated as inferior by the Zuckers and having to apologize to everyone. This was the first time someone had said those words to her.

However, the people standing across from them were from the Zucker family, who wielded great power in Evernorth. How was she going to survive in this city if she did not give in to them?

Miguel sneered, "Remember that you asked for this, Enrica! See you in court! I'm not going to go easy on you!"

In response, Zayne said indifferently, "You don't have to. We'll get the compensation we're due."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he walked up to Jilliana and slapped her back on Enrica's behalf.

His movements were smooth, and he did not appear to have used much force, but his slap caused Jilliana's face to become redder and more swollen than Enrica's.

Holding a hand to her face, Jilliana glared at him in anger and disbelief. "How dare you hit me?"

The Zuckers were all stunned by Zayne's sudden slap.

How dare a mere insurance salesman—a commoner they could trample under their feet like an ant—lay a hand on a member of the Zucker family?

Zayne did not seem to notice their anger. He took his time wiping his right hand on a silk handkerchief before explaining good-naturedly, "I can't allow someone to slap my wife without consequences, can I?"

"You! Fulcher, was it? It looks to me like you're tired of living!" roared Miguel.

Zayne's behavior was akin to stepping on the Zuckers' faces and grinding them into the dirt. Miguel glared coldly at him before suddenly reaching out and punching viciously toward him.

Enrica's breath caught. Miguel frequented the gym all year round, so he had a muscular body. If Zayne took a direct hit from him, she feared that his skull would break.

Her heart was practically about to leap out of her chest, but she did not have the time to stop all this from happening and could only clench her hands helplessly.

However, contrary to everyone's expectations, Zayne casually caught Miguel by the wrist.

He did not seem to be exerting much force, but Miguel's face paled instantly, and sweat broke out on his forehead. He looked as if he was experiencing excruciating pain.

Zayne lifted his gaze and looked at Miguel as if he were an insignificant clown. "You'll regret it, Mr. Zucker, in every way you can imagine."

Miguel's breathing turned erratic due to the pain he was in, and he felt as if his wrist was going to break. He actually felt intimidated by a mere insurance salesman.

He wanted to say something harsh toward Zayne, but his words were caught in his throat. He was actually feeling scared!

Chapter 7

Zayne released Miguel, took Enrica's hand, and promptly left with her.

Miguel massaged his stinging wrist while watching them leave. He gritted his teeth so hard one could hear it. He had never felt like such a loser before!

Sheila held his hand in distress and said with some dissatisfaction, "Ms. Schubert really went too far. How could she last out against you?"

Miguel brooded silently.

Nobody in the entirety of Evernorth dared to provoke the Zucker family.

Enrica was asking for it this time!

Meanwhile, after leaving the residential area, Enrica smoothly shook off Zayne's hand and said guiltily, "Actually, it doesn't matter even if I have to apologize to them. It's no skin off my back, really. But now that you've become involved, the Zuckers aren't going to let us off easily."

Zayne reflexively clenched his now-empty palm before smiling at her. "It's alright. I have a friend who works as a lawyer. He's very capable and will be able to win the lawsuit for us."

Enrica sighed lightly. Unfortunately, the world that rich people lived in did not operate so simply. Zucker Group had a lot of legal personnel under their employment. Each and every one of them was a professional in handling lawsuits.

How could an ordinary lawyer possibly measure up against such people?

However, since things had come to this, it was useless to say anything else. Besides, Zayne had done it to help her.

She turned to ask him, "You haven't eaten lunch yet, have you? Let me treat you to a meal. What would you like to eat?"

He replied, "Anything will do. You still have to go to work later."

She nodded agreeably. The two of them entered a restaurant and each ordered a plate of fish and chips.

The restaurant they had chosen was very small and only had a few tables set out. It also had very simple decor.

On the other hand, Zayne had the temperament of a noble, so he looked like a prince who had decided to grace the humble establishment with his presence.

He stood up to get a glass of water and pushed it over to Enrica. "Have some water."

She thanked him politely. She had not had any water the entire morning, and she had been standing under the sun for two hours. Thanks to that, her lips were so dry that they were peeling. She picked up the glass and drank the water in small sips.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere between them was rather awkward. Zayne was cutting up his fish with a fork and knife in a very elegant manner, giving Enrica the feeling that they were eating at a high-class restaurant.

Her gaze drifted involuntarily to the watch on his wrist.

She recalled that Miguel had an identical one. It was a limited edition model of a luxury brand, and it was not easy to obtain. Miguel had paid someone extra and gone to a lot of effort to get his hands on one.

An item with a price tag of several million dollars was evidently not something a mere salesman could afford.

She began hesitantly, "Your watch…"

"I borrowed it from a friend, and the same goes for this suit," he replied easily. "You know as well as I do that in this industry, we sometimes have to rely on things like this to keep up appearances."

After hearing what he had to say, her doubts vanished instantly. The sales industry operated differently from the others, so to achieve success in the industry, one needed to find oneself a stepping stone.

Zayne was already done with his meal. He gently wiped his mouth with a napkin before placing his hands on the table and asking casually, "How did you get to know Miguel Zucker?"

Enrica paused and said nothing.

He gazed at her. "Do you not want to talk about it?"

"That's not it," she said, shaking her head with painful relief in her eyes before explaining, "Three years ago, my parents were involved in a traffic accident. My mother died on the spot while my father injured his spine and became paralyzed from the waist down. The perpetrator fled the scene.

"I met him when I was at the peak of despair. He helped me track down the perpetrator and also introduced my father to the best medical expert available, saving his legs."

Zayne's expression was unreadable. "No wonder your marriage made you so miserable. It turns out he was taking advantage of you."

She was startled for a moment. Then, she laughed bitterly and lowered her head. "I'm not a sore loser, but…"

However, Miguel meant more to her than someone she loved. Meeting him two years ago had been her salvation, her peace of mind, and her beacon of light in the darkness.

Nothing lasted forever, and people came and went throughout one's life. However, the most painful thing that one could experience was having the person one trusted most stab one in the back with the longest knife they could find.

The wound might not be fatal, but it would leave behind scars and a cruel lesson. It was a wound that would continue to hurt whenever it was touched, even after it closed up.

Enrica's voice was choked with sobs, and she could no longer continue.

Because her head was lowered, she did not see the complicated emotions flashing across Zayne's face.

He handed her a tissue, then said quietly and meaningfully, "Some people will think you're not good enough while others will think you're practically flawless, so there's no need to wear yourself down for those who don't deserve you."

She nodded vigorously. Holding back her sobs, she finished her meal with tears in her eyes.

Zayne watched her intently. "For all you know, there'll be something better waiting for you in the future."

She laughed through her tears, a smile coming to her face. "Whether or not that's true, it doesn't matter. Still, thank you for your kind words."

After lunch, she was just debating how best to say goodbye to Zayne when he suddenly offered, "I'm taking a cab back to my company, and yours happens to be along the way. Would you like to come along?"

His offer caught her off guard, but she did not refuse. "I'll transfer you my portion of the fare later, then."

He did not respond.

After the cab arrived at her company building and she got out of the car, she sent Zayne 30 dollars via Venmo.

Two seconds later, he sent the money back.

"There's no need to pay me back," he sent via WhatsApp.

Perhaps because he was afraid that she would feel bad, he added, "Housemates should help each other out."

She silently made a note of this favor she now owed him.

She continued with training in the afternoon. After getting off work, she packed up her things and was just about to leave when she suddenly received a call from Enna.

"Come back home, Enrica," Enna said in a rather harsh tone. "Your father and I have something to discuss with you!"

Enrica already knew that Enna was not going to let the matter of her divorce rest, so she might as well take the opportunity to go home and clarify the situation.

"Alright. I'll head over right now," she replied.

Charles lived in a low-cost apartment subsidized by the government. There were several people sitting downstairs, playing poker together. When they saw Enrica, they greeted her warmly.

"Have you come home to see your father, Enrica?" one of them asked.

She smiled and replied, "Yes. I've come back for a visit."

She headed upstairs. Several of the women present exchanged glances. Each of them knew what the rest were thinking without having to say a word.

Back when Enrica married into a wealthy family, she went from being a pauper to a princess. Who didn't envy Charles for raising such a daughter?

However, Enna came back today cursing and swearing, so everyone now knew that Enrica had been kicked out of the wealthy family. They all speculated that she had done something morally wrong, because why else would the wealthy family not want her anymore?

With Enrica's looks, she did not seem like someone who would be satisfied with staying at home all day being a housewife, so no wonder she was driven out. In their eyes, she had completely disgraced Charles.

The women made up all sorts of rumors with twisted expressions on their faces, and they derived great satisfaction from it.

Enrica was unaware of the rumors being spread behind her back. She climbed the stairs and arrived at the apartment unit that was the Schubert home.

The moment she stepped in, she saw Enna in the middle of packing two large suitcases.

Enna looked at her in annoyance and said, "You've returned just in time! I want to divorce your father!"

Charles was sitting in his wheelchair, looking despondent.

Enrica did not expect to come back to this sort of situation. She remained silent for a few seconds before asking softly, "Is it because of my divorce?"

Chapter 8

Charles turned his head away and said in a stilted tone, "What does this have to do with you? Don't think too much about it. It's just that Enna and I can no longer get along."

Enna glared angrily at Charles, put a hand on her hip, and pointed a threatening finger at him. "How do you still have the nerve to speak? I've waited on you hand and foot for three years! Even if I haven't done much worth being credited for, I've at least put in a lot of hard work!

"All I wanted you to do was persuade your daughter to think twice about her divorce! Is that so wrong? Aren't I doing it for her sake? If she just gets divorced like this, how is she going to support the family?"

Charles was an honest and kind man who could not bring himself to say anything malicious despite the fact that he was livid with rage. He gripped the arms of his wheelchair tightly.

"That wasn't what you said just now!" he shouted.

No father could bear to listen to someone say such demeaning things about his daughter.

Enrica did not want her father to be put on the spot, so she walked over to him and pushed his wheelchair along while telling him, "Go back to your room first, Dad. I'll talk to Enna."

Charles held her hand and looked at her with determination in his honest eyes. "Please don't feel pressured to do anything, Enrica. I can take care of myself, so if she doesn't want to stay, then just let her leave. I don't want to see you have to accept a compromise for my sake."

The hand holding hers was very rough, but it made her feel a warmth she had never felt before.

She smiled with feigned ease. "It's alright, Dad. Don't worry. Enna and I had a bit of a misunderstanding around noon, so she's angry with me too. It'll be alright once I've talked things over with her."

Charles sighed heavily, but he did not say anything else and allowed Enrica to wheel him back to his bedroom.

Once Enrica came out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her, Enna said with a sour face, "It's useless to beg me. Either you apologize to the Zuckers and beg them to take you back, or you file a lawsuit against them for a large sum of compensation money. Otherwise, there's no way I'm staying with this family!"

Enrica gazed at her. "Your thought process is far too simple. There's no way Miguel will remarry me because that will embarrass the Zuckers in the public eye. For a wealthy family like theirs, their reputation is more important than their lives."

Enna frowned deeply and insisted, "Ask them for money, then! The Zuckers' assets should've been split between the two of you, so asking for several hundred million dollars in compensation shouldn't be an issue!"

Enrica shook her head. "I can't. We had a prenuptial agreement notarized before marriage, and Miguel took an advance of ten years worth of his salary before that, so he only receives a hundred dollars in income every year."

That was Jilliana's condition for agreeing to their marriage, which she had requested specifically as a countermeasure against Enna.

Therefore, from a legal standpoint, Enrica would not be able to receive anything from the divorce.

She continued to gaze at Enna. "Furthermore, do you know what became of the last person to cause a ruckus at Zucker Group's doorstep? They took that person to court, and the person was forced to pay 1.2 million dollars in compensation."

Enna paled instantly.

She did not have 1.2 million dollars on hand!

It was only then that Enna realized Enrica's divorce was a lost cause.

Her expression darkened, and she glared at Enrica. "Don't blame me for being unkind. You've seen for yourself how well I've been taking care of your father for the past three years.

"Your father requires more than five thousand dollars a month for his rehabilitation, and Julian's school fees cost over four thousand dollars, which adds up to at least ten thousand dollars. If you include the family's expenditure on food and drinks, it's at least 15 thousand dollars a month.

"Now that you've gotten divorced and don't have a proper job, how are you going to pay for all these expenses? I, for one, have no desire to let you drag me down with you!"

Enrica understood why Enna felt such urgency.

Julian, Enna's only son, was currently studying in a private high school. His grades were at rock bottom, he loafed around all day, and he got into trouble all the time. Enna had to worry about him going to college, finding work, getting himself a wife, and having children—many of which required money.

However, the Schubert family clearly could not provide her with that money in their current state.

She used to covet the Zuckers' wealth, but the Zuckers were out of the equation now.

Enrica had no other choice, though. She did not possess any bargaining chips, but she still needed Enna to take care of her father. Therefore, she could only attempt to negotiate with Enna.

She proposed, "I'll give you 15 thousand dollars on time every month, so can you please give me three months' time? In these three months, you can seek out a new husband. All I ask for is three months. If I don't show any promising change after three months, I'll give you an extra ten thousand dollars and you can leave at any time."

No matter how one looked at it, it was a worthwhile deal.

Enna turned it over in her mind. If she could get 15 thousand dollars a month, that would be 22 thousand dollars if she included the seven thousand dollars that she could scrounge up herself. Including the extra ten thousand dollars that Enrica would give her, that would be 32 thousand dollars in total.

Furthermore, Enrica was not even stopping her from seeking better opportunities while still being married to Charles.

She was already feeling good about the deal, but then she recalled the request from the parents of the child that Julian had gotten into a fight with at school that afternoon.

She gritted her teeth. "You'll have to show me your sincerity first, no? Give me a hundred thousand dollars as collateral, and I'll return the money to you after three months!"

Enrica frowned. "A hundred thousand dollars? That's far too much."

The amount she had offered Enna in the beginning was already the most she could come up with.

Enna's expression looked ugly. She crossed her arms over her chest and said in annoyance, "If you can't come up with a hundred thousand dollars, then don't bother saying anything else!"

Enrica gritted her teeth and pleaded, "Please just consider it a good deed, Enna—"

Enna sneered and cut her off before she could continue. "A good deed? I'm not a charity! If I help you, who's going to help me?"

Enrica clenched her hands, feeling quite helpless for a moment. "Enna, I really can't come up with that much money."

Enna scoffed. "I don't care. In case you complain that I'm not willing to help you, I'll give you three days' time. If you can't get the money within three days, I'll pack up my bags and leave!"

She promptly stood up, walked toward her own bedroom, and slammed the door shut.

Enrica sat in the living room with a heavy heart.

She only had around 50 thousand dollars left on hand now. Her father required money, and the orphan she was financially supporting also needed money, so every bit of spending had to be carefully calculated.

Enna had asked for a hundred thousand dollars and claimed that she would return the money in three months, but who was to say she would really keep her word?

She knew that the cost of hiring a caretaker was very high, as she had inquired about it three years ago. Hiring someone to take care of someone like Charles, who required round-the-clock care, would cost her at least 30,000 dollars a month. Factoring in Charles' rehabilitation fees, she could not afford it.

Moreover, caretakers were not necessarily reliable. Frequently changing caretakers in the first few months of employment were unavoidable. Even if she could afford it, she could not spare so much time away from work to deal with the complications involved, so both potential solutions were dead ends.

After a long while, she took a deep breath and physically forced her lips to turn upward before walking into Charles' room with a smile on her face.

Charles was sitting dazedly in front of his writing desk. There was a family photo on the desk depicting their family of three from three years ago.

A single traffic accident had completely destroyed their family overnight.

Enrica suppressed the bitterness in her heart and called out calmly, "Dad."

Charles shuddered as if he was snapping out of some terrible memories. When he saw Enrica, he quickly regained his normal composure and asked, "Have the two of you finished talking it out?"

Enrica smiled and replied, "It was actually just a small misunderstanding, and I've already apologized to Enna. Don't worry. Enna has already promised me that she'll take good care of you. We'll get through this rough patch together."

Charles sighed in relief and patted her hand. "You should take good care of yourself as well. I know that you feel bad too, but don't put too much pressure on yourself. If things really don't work out, we can just sell the apartment. You'll always come first in my heart."

Enrica became choked up, and she could not stop a few tears from escaping, but she stopped herself from crying openly. "Don't worry, Dad. I'm alright."

She was afraid that Charles would notice something strange about her behavior, so she quickly found an excuse to leave.

Charles remained sitting at his desk and picked up the photo frame as if in a trance. The three people in the photo were all smiling sweetly. After looking at it for a long time, he closed his eyes, and a tear rolled down his cheek.

As a father, he had let his daughter down.

However, there were some things that he could not—dared not—say aloud.

Chapter 9

When Enrica left the Schubert home, the women from before were still playing poker downstairs, and they greeted her warmly. "Are you leaving, Enrica?"

She smiled at them. "Yes. I came back to see my father. I'm relieved to see that he's doing fine."

"Be careful on your way back!" they called after her.

"Got it," she replied.

She felt touched by their concern. However, she had not gotten far before she overheard their disdainful voices ring out.

"Tsk. Why is she still trying to act all prim and proper? She's already been driven out of that wealthy family, but she's still pretending that she's going back to them!"

"Didn't all of you see how she was dressed? Which respectable young lady would go around wearing high heels? For all we know, she's going to sell herself out!"

"It's already 8:00 pm, and it's not like she has anywhere else to go. Where else would she be heading if not to seduce some men?"

Enrica froze on the spot, and her chest heaved violently with anger. She was unable to process the fact that the neighbors who had watched her grow up and were always so amicable toward her on the surface were actually like this behind her back.

She respected them and treated them as she would her relatives. She would even give them gifts during festivals and the new year!

She wanted to turn back and argue with them, but she deflated before she could follow through with her initial intention.

Charles was still staying here, and these neighbors were all his friends. It would do him no good if she really had a falling-out with them.

Furthermore, nobody would care about the anger of an insignificant person. If she wished to be respected, she would have to become stronger and more powerful.

She gave up on her job at the peak of her career and willingly bound her own wings to be by Miguel's side for two years, so she now had nothing to her name. She was the one who had landed herself in her current predicament.

It was a chilly night. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself as a gust of wind blew by and left without looking back.

She did not take the bus and instead walked all the way back to Zayne's house, which took her more than an hour. He had already given her a set of house keys, so she unlocked the door herself and entered the house.

Zayne just so happened to be coming out of the kitchen with a bowl of beef stew in his hands.

"I just made dinner, but I accidentally made too much. Would you like to eat with me?" he asked.

It was a very domestic scene that made her feel more relaxed, but she had neither the mood nor appetite to eat just then, so she forced a smile onto her face and turned down his offer.

"I've already eaten," she lied.

Zayne observed her subtly for a moment before averting his gaze and saying simply, "Alright."

After returning to her room, she hesitated for a moment before sending a message in the group chat she was in with two of her best friends. "Do you guys have money on hand?"

Zack Alford responded immediately. "Have you finalized the divorce?"

Rachel Kennedy was also quick to reply. "No way. Are you still required to pay that Zucker guy alimony after your divorce?"

"That's not it. I've already cut off all ties with the Zucker family. The issue is on my father's side," she typed before proceeding to explain the whole situation to them.

Zack immediately initiated a group video call.

Enrica accepted the call and was greeted with a handsome face on her phone screen.

"How much do you need?" asked Zack. "I had a falling-out with my mother this morning, so now, my only credit card has been frozen and I only have ten thousand dollars left on me. How about you use it to settle your emergency first?"

Zack was a trust fund baby. Although his family was not as rich and powerful as the Zuckers, they still held considerable influence. It had also been because of Zack that Enrica got acquainted with Miguel back then.

Unfortunately, he came out to his family three years ago, only to receive heavy backlash from them. Because of that, he went from living the pampered life of a trust fund baby to the disgraced life of an outcast.

Enrica sighed. "You should probably take care of your own issues first."

Rachel joined the video call as well, and her crying face appeared on the screen.

She started sobbing. "Darling, I don't have any money to spare either. I only have a few hundred dollars in savings…"

Rachel's father was a small business owner who had many mistresses outside of his family. Ever since Rachel's mother passed away, she and her father had been at odds with each other. She constantly took on minor roles in film productions to make ends meet, and her living situation was even worse than Enrica's.

Enrica knew of her two friends' situations, so she had not asked with much hope in her heart anyway. "I'll just think of something else. By the way, I got married again."

She had only met Zayne the night before, and their marriage had been a split-second decision, so she had not even had the time to tell her best friends about it.

Zack was thunderstruck. "You had an impromptu marriage with a gay man? Doesn't that mean you've basically been dragged into a marriage of convenience?"

Enrica considered his words. "I'd say it goes both ways. You guys are also aware that I want to adopt that orphaned child, but an unmarried person doesn't meet the qualifications."

"In other words, right after you picked up your divorce certificate with that Zucker guy, you went and got yourself a marriage certificate with another man in his face? Talk about a satisfying ending!"

She had always been one to hone in on weird points instead of focusing on the main point.

Zack suggested, "You should bring your new husband out for a meal with us some other day, and I'll give you my evaluation of him. I'm a professional when it comes to this!"

Just as Enrica was about to reply, there was a sudden knock on her door.

Her scalp crawled with a sense of dread. Zayne hadn't heard them, had he?

It was incredibly embarrassing to be caught talking about someone's private affairs behind their back…

She hurriedly hung up the call and mentally braced herself before opening the door.

"Mr. Fulcher?" she asked hesitantly.

Zayne appeared to have just finished taking a shower. He combed his wet hair back with his fingers, revealing his handsome and exquisite facial features. He was wearing a light gray set of loungewear, but his model-like figure made even ordinary loungewear look extremely eye-catching on him.

"I heard you talking on the phone just now," he said.

Her mind went blank, and she bemoaned inwardly that he had indeed overheard them. Gay men did not usually like people judging them, so he was probably really angry.

Just as she was about to apologize, he continued, "I didn't mean to invade your privacy, but the walls at home aren't soundproof… Are you short of money?"

"Huh?" she uttered dumbly.

It was such a sudden turn of events that her brain had not yet caught up to the situation.

Zayne gazed calmly at her. "There's something I'd like your help with. In return, I can loan you a hundred thousand dollars with a repayment period of one year, no interest attached."

Enrica was still a little confused, but she asked anyway, "What do you need help with?"

Zayne seemed pleased with her vigilance. He smiled faintly and said in a low, pleasant voice, "Don't worry. I won't put you on the spot."

…

She was still feeling rather lost by the time she went to work the next day. However, Zayne was a man of his word. The moment she agreed to his terms, he transferred a hundred thousand dollars to her bank account.

The crisis on Charles' side had been temporarily resolved, but she could not wrap her head around the situation.

Zayne was just an insurance salesman, so a hundred thousand dollars should not be a small figure to him, right?

She had only agreed to do him a small favor, yet he had lent her that huge sum so readily. Why? They could not even be considered friends, and they had only known each other for three days. She had not expected someone who looked so cold and distant to be so kind.

Right at that moment, her phone, which was on the table, rang. She picked up the call and realized that it was from the receptionist. "Is this Ms. Enrica Schubert? There's a delivery for you. Please drop by the front desk to pick it up."

She retrieved the package and tore open the packaging, then stared at its contents in shock. It was a court summons. In just one day's time, Miguel had already arranged for a lawyer to file a lawsuit against her. The court session was scheduled for three days later.

The entire process had been greatly expedited—this was the power of influence.

She felt extremely uneasy. If she really became engaged in a lawsuit with Miguel, he would definitely tear her apart in court. It would be fine if she was the only one involved, but Zayne was also being implicated…

She hesitated for a moment before sending Zayne a WhatsApp message. "I received a court summons from the Zucker family."

He was probably busy as he did not reply.

She sent him another message. "You said that you have a friend who's a lawyer. Can we meet?"

If a lawyer came forward to apply for mediation, it might still be possible to save the situation.

Both she and Zayne were defenseless common folk who did not have the power to shake up a powerful family like the Zuckers.

Zayne called her when it was almost time for her to get off work. His voice was as deep as ever, and she could not hear any emotion in it, which made her feel a sense of security. "I'm downstairs right now. Let's talk after we meet up."

Chapter 10

Enrica saw Zayne as soon as she went downstairs.

His temperament was so unique. He was the type of person one could pick out of the crowd at a glance. He was wearing a light gray suit that made him look more like a high-level executive than an insurance salesman.

There was an old Volkswagen Jetta behind him. Its coat of white paint was covered in a thick layer of dust. The front passenger door was open, and Zayne was leaning half against it while smoking.

When he saw her, he immediately put out his cigarette and tossed it into a trash can.

Then, he straightened up and said, "Get in the car first. We'll talk inside."

With that, he got into the front passenger seat.

Enrica had no choice but to open the back door and get into the car.

She could tell that the man driving the car had quite a unique personality. His hair and beard were very long, but he was wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, of all things. The combination contrasted strangely—it was as if she was seeing a caveman wearing a suit.

The car engine roared to life, accompanied by the violent shuddering of the car. Enrica reflexively grabbed the armrest.

The driver saw this through the rear-view mirror and said jokingly, "Don't worry, Mrs. Fulcher. The car's not going to fall apart."

Enrica was a little embarrassed to be seen through. The way he addressed her as "Mrs. Fulcher" also bewildered her.

Zayne seemed to notice her restlessness and took it upon himself to introduce the man. "This is my friend, Lawrence White. He obtained his domestic lawyer's license just this year. He'll be driving us to the location I mentioned, and we can discuss the case along the way."

He only just obtained his license?

For a moment, she did not know how to respond. After a moment's hesitation, she decided to respect Zayne and Lawrence instead of raining on their parade. "What do you think of this lawsuit, Mr. White?"

Lawrence seemed a little confused. In the ten years he had been in this profession, this was the first time that a client had asked him that.

For a case as simple as this, didn't they just have to bulldoze through it and demand an appropriate amount of compensation for emotional distress afterward? What did she need his opinion on?

However, he dared not answer hastily, so he thought over it for a moment before asking in return, "What do you think of it, Mrs. Fulcher?"

Enrica did not try to hide her feelings on that matter and replied with a slight frown, "According to what I know, Zucker Group has a dozen or so top-notch lawyers in their employ. The Zucker family has deep connections to Evernorth's judiciary.

"Last year, a Zucker Group employee got into a dispute with their superior. They were later sued in court and forced to pay the company 60 thousand dollars in compensation."

She had even wanted to speak up on behalf of that employee back when the verdict had been handed down, but Miguel had ridiculed her for her naivety.

At that point in time, their relationship had not been as volatile as it was now, so he had patiently explained the overall situation to her. However, she had simply felt that he was misrepresenting the facts.

However, it was her turn to receive that treatment this time.

She paused before realistically sharing her opinion. "I think that we have no chance of winning, so I'd like to request for a private settlement if at all possible."

As soon as the words left her mouth, silence descended in the car.

Lawrence turned to look at Zayne in disbelief, doubting his own ears.

He began humorlessly. "No way, right? Zayne, don't tell me you didn't tell Mrs. Fulcher—"

The front passenger window was open, and Zayne was resting his elbow on the windowsill. His sleeve slid down, exposing half his wrist.

He glanced warningly at Lawrence, who caught on and immediately shut his mouth. Enrica continued to frown, seemingly not noticing anything strange.

Zayne suddenly said in a calm and steady tone, "Let's just give it a try. You can take it as us giving Lawrence an opportunity to practice."

Lawrence stared at him in bewilderment.

Enrica hesitated. Wasn't the cost of this practice opportunity much too high?

Zayne added, "If we lose, I'll figure out a way to cover the compensation costs."

Since he had said as much, there was nothing more she could say, so she could only nod in agreement. Inwardly, she couldn't help but wonder if Zayne was just a really gullible person.

However, she quickly connected the dots. Zayne was gay, so considering he was willing to take such a huge risk just to give Lawrence an opportunity to practice his craft, the relationship between them was quite evident.

She could not stop herself from gazing meaningfully at Zayne.

He had to love Lawrence deeply if he was willing to trade a few hundred thousand dollars for the opportunity to let his lover get in some practice.

The most terrifying thing to have in a relationship was for one party to be a hopeless romantic while the other was a schemer. She hoped that Zayne would not end up in her shoes.

The old Jetta drove into Evernorth's old town. After multiple twists and turns, it stopped in a narrow alley in front of a five-story building with mottled walls.

Enrica opened the car door and looked dazedly around at her surroundings for a moment. This place felt inexplicably familiar to her, but she had clearly never been here before.

Lawrence sat in the car and waved at them. "I'll take my leave first, Zayne and Mrs. Fulcher."

Zayne nodded slightly. "Okay."

Enrica smiled back at Lawrence. "Goodbye, Mr. White."

The old Jetta quickly drove away, clanking loudly.

Enrica looked at Zayne and asked, "Do we go upstairs, Mr. Fulcher?"

Zayne said half-jokingly, "When we go upstairs later, please call me Zayne. If you keep calling me Mr. Fulcher, my grandmother is definitely not going to believe that you're my wife."

He said the last part so straightforwardly that Enrica felt her face grow hot. She was just here to help him keep up the act, but with the way he said it, it was almost as if they really were husband and wife.

Zayne lent her a hundred thousand dollars last night on the condition that she would have a meal with him at his grandmother's house as his newly wedded wife.

According to him, he was raised by his grandmother since he was a child. He did not want his grandmother to worry about his marriage all the time, so he was visiting her specifically to tell her that he was now married in order to put her at ease.

This was part of the terms they had agreed upon before getting married, so Enrica naturally would not refuse.

Zayne had not averted his gaze and seemed to be watching her with a hint of expectation in his eyes.

Enrica belatedly realized that he might be waiting for her to change her term of address for him.

It was supposed to be a really casual term of address. However, perhaps because he was staring at her, she felt a little uncomfortable. In the end, she bit the bullet and stuttered, "Z-Zayne."

Her voice was soft and carried a hint of shyness due to her embarrassment. It was like a feather tickling Zayne's heart.

For an instant, his eyes darkened with desire, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. He finally nodded a few seconds later and said with a subtle tightness in his voice, "Okay. Let's head upstairs."

Enrica followed him into the building's corridor.

This was an old apartment building with no elevator, and the stairwell was very dark. Zayne was tall and almost completely blocked her view, so she could not see anything ahead of her. She could only lower her head and shadow his steps as they ascended the stairs step after step.

At some point, he stopped walking. She did not notice him pause and walked straight into his back, caught unaware. His coat was quite cold to the touch. She let out an exclamation and backed away quickly.

However, she had forgotten that they were on a staircase. Her foot met air, and she experienced a sudden feeling of weightlessness. She cried out as she started falling backward.

At the critical moment, Zayne reached out to pull her back, and she unexpectedly found herself in his embrace.

The steps were narrow, so Zayne hugged her tightly for fear of her falling again. It was warm in his arms, and his steady presence made her feel very safe.

Zayne's heart suddenly started beating very fast, which snapped her back to her senses. She moved aside and thanked him sheepishly.

He chuckled, seemingly finding her reaction amusing. "You're welcome."

She had been embarrassed at first, but then she recalled that he was gay and thus more like one of her female friends, which instantly made her feel more at ease. She turned to look at the door in front of them and asked, "Is this the apartment unit?"

Zayne nodded. "Yes."

He stepped forward and reached past her to knock on the door.