Chapter 1

Stephan Lodge was busy sweet-talking his 52nd mistress over the phone when Rebecca Green handed over a divorce agreement.

"Stephan, let's get a divorce. After you sign this and the one-month divorce cooling-off period ends, we'll part ways. We won't be tied to each other in any way anymore."

He hummed absent-mindedly and took the agreement without looking at it. Then, he flipped to the last page and signed it.

After that, he grabbed his coat while still murmuring sweet nothings to his mistress. "Alright, alright. I'm coming over right now, okay?"

He ended the call and was already halfway out the door when he suddenly thought of something. He turned back and looked at Ruby. "Oh, right. Becks, what was that agreement you made me sign?"

Was he only thinking of asking what it was after signing it?

Rebecca curled her lip and smiled mockingly. "It's a di—"

He waved dismissively before she could finish and said carelessly, "Just go ahead and buy whatever property you want in the future—you don't have to make me sign the agreement. Look, I need to go smooth things over. My sweetheart is throwing a tantrum because I spent a few days at home with you."

Only then did Rebecca realize Stephan hadn't heard a word she'd said. He'd only signed the agreement because he thought it was a property purchase agreement.

Well, it made sense. In the past, whenever they'd argued, her favorite form of retaliation was to use his money to purchase property. It was a dying industry, yet she wanted to spend millions of dollars on it just to spite him. She wanted to vent her pain and anger.

At the time, she'd still been somewhat hopeful. The dying embers of her love for him made it impossible for her to accept the fact that his heart had gone astray. That was why she'd broken down.

So, how had it happened?

Rebecca still remembered the first time she and Stephan had met—it had been at a bar. She'd gone there to pick up a friend when she ran into a drunk Stephan. He'd looked like he was about to fall, so she'd lent him a hand out of kindness.

He'd looked up at her and had fallen for her at first sight.

Stephan was infamous in their social circle. He was the heir of one of Gevardia's most prestigious families, and he was handsome and unruly. He had a different piece of eye candy on his arm every other day—he'd broken the hearts of over half the women in the city.

Rebecca hadn't wanted to join their ranks, nor had she been interested in getting involved with a playboy like Stephan. So, she'd rejected him without hesitation.

Unexpectedly, that hadn't made him give up. On the contrary, he'd become obsessed with her. He'd pursued her doggedly, seemingly only having eyes for her.

He'd filled a plaza with flowers on Valentine's Day for her; he'd set fireworks over a river throughout the night just to make her smile; he'd been by her side when she was down in the dumps…

Rebecca's heart had never beat for anyone else, but it slowly fell for Stephan under his grand and relentless pursuit.

He stopped playing the field after they'd officially gotten together. He'd stuck by her side faithfully, and he'd kept her updated on his whereabouts at all times.

Everyone had said that Stephan had changed his playboy ways for Rebecca, and she'd believed them. And so, when he'd gotten on one knee before her and proposed with red-rimmed eyes, she'd joyfully accepted.

However, a short year after they'd gotten married, he'd started getting involved with other women again. They'd gotten into countless fights over this, and she'd screamed at him like a madwoman, completely unlike herself. Meanwhile, he'd rubbed his temples, looking exhausted.

Ultimately, Stephan had suggested that they have an open relationship. They would each have their own fun before going back to each other once they'd had enough.

"Becks, I love you, but I can't stomach the thought of spending the rest of my life with just one woman. We can get together with whoever we want, but we can't catch feelings for them. Once we've had enough, we can come back to each other, okay?"

Rebecca had been vehemently against that, but Stephan hadn't cared. He'd gone ahead with his plan.

Over time, she had broken down and taken a lover of her own—Morgan Chapman, a college heartthrob.

Initially, it had started because she'd wanted to get back at Stephan. However, Morgan had treated her with tenderness, and he'd always been available whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on. He'd also stayed by her side when she'd been on the brink of death after a car crash. He'd also accompanied her to her subsequent checkups.

He was pure and innocent, and he'd slowly healed Rebecca's broken heart. She'd thought of giving him property or money, but he'd refused to accept them. All he wanted was for them to truly be together.

"Divorce him, Becca. Give me a go." He'd looked at her with love-filled eyes. They were so pure and bright that she'd seen her reflection in them.

She was broken and shattered from her marriage to Stephan, but she seemed to glow in his eyes. In that instant, she'd suddenly been moved. She'd been struck by a simple truth—life was short, and one had to seize joy while one could.

Even children knew that they had to replace broken toys with new ones, so why had she insisted on wasting time being entangled with Stephan?

And so, Rebecca gave in to Morgan. She agreed to be with him and to finally put an end to her wreck of a marriage.

Chapter 2

Shortly after Stephan left, Rebecca received a video call from Morgan. He wore a white shirt as he cooked, and his fringe fell over his forehead. His lashes curved upward slightly, looking soft and gentle.

He asked, "Becca, have you gone through with the divorce?"

Rebecca was older than he was and had seen more in life than he had, but she still couldn't stop her heart from speeding up when seeing his handsome face. She couldn't blame the young women at his college for coveting him—who wouldn't, with a face like that?

She cleared her throat. "He's signed the divorce agreement. I'll have nothing to do with him in a month's time."

Morgan smiled at that and said, "Since there's nothing between you guys anymore, remember not to let him touch you before everything's finalized. I'll make sure to check for marks."

She didn't expect him to say that and blushed faintly. Then, she put on a serious face and said, "Stop saying such nonsense! You're still so young!"

He turned to look at her, not bothering to hide the possessive look in his eyes which was gone in a flash. His expression became aggrieved, and he said, "My age is the only thing that's small about me, Becca. I'm not like that in… other areas."

Rebecca hurriedly switched the subject and pacified him, afraid that the conversation would turn raunchy if they continued like that. Finally, she managed to get him to end the call.

He was perfect in every way, aside from the fact that he was too clingy.

Rebecca left the house to buy a calendar after hanging up. For the next month, she counted the days until she was free. With each day that passed, she would tear off a page of the calendar.

From October 1st until the 10th, Stephan didn't come home at all. However, she still knew where he'd gone, who he'd seen, and what he'd done.

His current conquest, Giselle Lane, was an intern at his company. Every day, she would update her social media and subtly brag about the things they did together.

They had afternoon tea at high-end restaurants, played golf at exclusive golf courses, enjoyed the city lights from mountaintop villas, and had steamy moments in luxury hot springs.

It was strange that Stephan, who was notorious for being a playboy, had spent so much time with one woman. In the past, his flings never lasted more than a month. He would grow bored with them by then.

But Giselle seemed to have a few tricks up her sleeve. She and Stephan had already been together for three months, yet he still wasn't sick of her.

Perhaps it was that unusually long shelf life that boosted her confidence. She wasn't as obedient as Stephan's past lovers—she'd added Rebecca's number and had sent her WhatsApp messages to provoke her.

Rebecca didn't take her plotting to heart. She was already preparing for a divorce—why would she care about any of these things?

She had time to spare, so she started clearing out the house. The razors she'd painstakingly picked, the suits she'd ironed and hung neatly, the Patek Philippe watch she'd stayed up late to buy…

It didn't matter how cheap or expensive the item was—as long as it was something she'd given to Stephan, she packed it up and threw it out.

At the same time, she threw out the grievances she'd suffered in this marriage and the love she'd once harbored for him. She'd already made up her mind to bid her past farewell and start afresh.

Another two days passed before Stephan returned. He frowned as he looked around the villa, which looked much emptier. "Did you throw my things out, Becks?"

Rebecca nonchalantly flipped through a magazine. "Yep. I bought those things, so I can do whatever I want with them. Do you have a problem with that? It's not like you use them, anyway. You're never home."

He thought she was saying those things on purpose because she was still mad about what had happened. He sat beside her and coaxed half-heartedly, "Didn't we agree that we'd have our own fun without catching feelings for anyone? Why are you upset over this again?"

That again. No matter what he did, he could always find various excuses to explain away his behavior. And she, as his wife, could only accept the pain he brought her. She couldn't even voice her grievances.

But now, she no longer wanted to waste her time arguing with him over these inconsequential matters. She shut her magazine loudly and headed upstairs, her tone cool as she said, "Don't overthink this. I don't care at all."

Stephan thought she was putting up a strong front when he heard that. He got up and grabbed her hand. Then, he pulled out an invitation and placed it in her hand. "Look, stop being mad. I'll take you to an auction tomorrow, and you can get whatever you want. Cheer up, alright?"

Rebecca wanted to turn him down, but she changed her mind when she saw that the auction was organized by Weatherby's. She agreed to go.

Since they were about to get divorced, it would be nice to use his money to make herself happier.

Chapter 3

Stephan's car pulled up outside the villa at 5:00 pm sharp. Rebecca headed downstairs and was about to open the door to get in when she saw a familiar face—Giselle.

She held a large bag of snacks and drinks as she sat in the front passenger seat, greeting Rebecca innocently. "I get carsick really easily, Mrs. Lodge. Can you sit in the back today?"

Rebecca lowered her gaze when she saw the flash of smugness in Giselle's eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a decorative piece on the dashboard. It was of a kitten, and a row of words was printed on it. "Princess Gigi's exclusive seat!"

Stephan knew Rebecca was upset again when he saw that she wasn't saying anything or moving. He said slowly, "Giselle's never been to an auction, so I'm letting her tag along to expand her horizons. She's fragile, so let her have her way this time."

Let Giselle have her way? Sure. Rebecca didn't even want Stephan anymore. Why would a seat matter?

She chuckled softly and got into the backseat.

On the way to the auction house, Giselle nibbled on various snacks and cakes. Using her spoon, she fed Stephan. They acted all lovey-dovey without a care for Rebecca.

They chatted about everything under the sun, and he didn't stop smiling as he listened to her interesting ideas and enjoyed her occasional cutesy behavior.

Rebecca didn't spare them any glances from beginning to end. She rolled down the window and admired the scenery outside.

When they arrived at the auction house, they'd barely taken a few steps when Giselle complained about her heels hurting her feet. Stephan chuckled and said she was high maintenance, but he still brought her to the nearest shopping mall.

He personally picked a pair of flats for her and helped her try them on. Rebecca watched as he got on one knee and considerately checked how the shoes fit, suddenly remembering how he'd turned her down when she'd asked him to get her a glass of water when she was burning up with a high fever.

She supposed the princess who held his heart deserved better treatment. Still, had he forgotten that she'd once also been his princess?

Back then, Rebecca had had no intention of accepting Stephan's pursuit. She'd deliberately made things difficult for him and told him that she would consider giving him a shot if he could buy a specific red velvet cake that could only be bought in the south of the city.

The bakery was across the city from her home, and it had been snowing heavily that day. Even a fool would be able to tell that she'd given Stephan an impossible order.

However, he'd gotten into the car without hesitation and had taken five whole hours to deliver the cake to her.

Later, Rebecca had wondered countless times why Stephan had changed his mind so easily when his love for her hadn't been a show.

In hindsight, it wasn't that he'd changed. It was just that she'd never seen through his true colors, that she'd never realized he was a playboy at heart. No one could make a playboy settle down.

Rebecca smiled self-deprecatingly and headed inside the auction hall without Stephan and Giselle. They only arrived when the bidding for the first item had already started.

Dinner was provided along with the auction, so there were various pastries and delicious dishes on the table. As soon as Giselle sat down, she saw a bowl of oysters and clamored about wanting Stephan to shell them for her.

He chuckled helplessly and helped her adjust the hem of her dress. Then, he rejected the help of a server and started shelling the oysters, placing them on the plate before her.

Her eyes glowed with admiration when she saw how gentlemanly he was.

Rebecca watched them silently. Once Giselle was done eating, she casually pointed at an emerald jewelry set that was up for bidding. Stephan immediately raised his paddle.

"Bidder No.17 has offered 300 million dollars!"

Everyone was stunned by the exorbitant sum. No one dared to compete with him, and there were gasps everywhere.

Soon, the event moved into intermission. Many people approached Stephan's table, hoping to curry favor with him. When they saw how doting he was of Giselle, they started sucking up to her, calling her Mrs. Lodge.

Stephan glanced at Rebecca and said nonchalantly, "You've got the wrong person. That's my wife."

The guests abruptly fell silent, looking awkward. They quickly corrected themselves.

Rebecca didn't say a thing, and she ignored the surprised and pitying glances that were sent her way. They weren't wrong to address Giselle that way—Rebecca wouldn't be Mrs. Lodge for much longer, and it was likely that Stephan would immediately marry Giselle after the divorce, judging from how much he cared for her.

After the intermission, the auction continued. The rest of the items up for bidding were antiques.

Rebecca wasn't interested in them, so she left early after bidding on some of the more expensive collectibles. She'd just gotten to the elevator lobby when she heard Giselle's sickly sweet voice ring out behind her.

"Mrs. Lodge, can we talk?" she asked.

Rebecca stopped and turned around. "I don't think there's anything for us to—"

She saw Giselle raise a hand before she could finish. Then, the latter slapped her hard across the face.

Chapter 4

Giselle had put all her strength into the slap, so Rebecca's cheek instantly turned red. She cupped it, and her mind went blank as her ears buzzed.

"What the hell was that for, Giselle?" Rebecca's blood boiled when she returned to her senses, and she raised a hand to return the favor.

However, the slap didn't land. Stephan grabbed her wrist and stopped her, sounding a little angry as he said, "Giselle did nothing to upset you, Becks. Why are you trying to hit her?"

Rebecca yanked her wrist out of his grip, which was so tight that her wrist felt numb. She snarled, "You think I'm hitting her for no reason? Ask everyone here who made the first move!"

Giselle immediately put on a pitiful look as tears welled up in her eyes. "Stephan, you're the one who said I'm too timid and that I need to find chances to build my courage. That's why I wanted to try slapping your wife in public. I couldn't think of a better opportunity! But Mrs. Lodge was so fierce… I'm scared!"

Stephan frowned at her words. "How could you slap someone to build your courage?"

And she'd done it to Rebecca, of all people!

Giselle sniffled as tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry! I'm just too stupid. You said Mrs. Lodge has a good temper, so I figured she wouldn't get mad even if I slapped her. I didn't think…"

His heart softened at the sight of her tears, and he forgot about being mad. He wiped her tears and said comfortingly, "Alright, alright. No one's mad at you, okay? Be good and stop crying."

Rebecca was furious and heartbroken as she watched things unfold. She couldn't keep her anger at bay anymore and snapped, "I'm the one who was hit, Stephan! What right do you have to forgive her on my behalf? And drop your act, Giselle! Would anyone think of using this to build their courage?"

Giselle sobbed so hard that she couldn't even breathe. She looked like she would keel over at any moment.

Stephan's heart ached at the sight, and he said carelessly, "She's just a young lady. How hard could she have slapped you? Do you have to be so petty and calculative? Look at how guilty she is now—she's about to pass out! Enough's enough, Becks."

With that, he swept Giselle off her feet and left.

Rebecca never expected him to say that, so she stood there in shock. She felt like she'd been dunked in ice. She didn't even know how she got home.

She kept telling herself not to cry, so she kept her tears at bay throughout the journey home. In the end, her eyes became bloodshot.

When she got home, one of the maids was shocked to see the handprint on her face. She asked whether someone had bullied Rebecca and reached for the phone to call Stephan, wanting to tell him so he could stand up for her.

"Don't bother," Rebecca said softly, stopping her. He was the one who'd caused all her pain.

She sat before the window and put ice on her face for an hour before the swelling reduced slightly. Then, she received a text from Giselle.

"Are you home yet, Mrs. Lodge? I'm at the hospital now. Stephan was just too worried about me—I only fainted, but he booked out the whole VIP floor and got dozens of doctors to check on me.

"How's your face? It's all my fault for not controlling my strength. It must hurt, right? How about you come to the hospital now? I'll generously allow one of my doctors to take a look at you and see whether you'll end up disfigured."

Rebecca gave the message a quick glance before forwarding it to Stephan. He only replied when it was past midnight. "Giselle meant well."

She laughed so hard that tears flowed down her face. Then, she sent him a voice message. "So defensive of her, huh? How about you marry her right now? I'll step down and make way for her. I wish you both the best."

This time, his reply was instant. "Why are you saying these things again, Becks? I've told you countless times that you're the only woman who will ever be my wife. I'm just fooling around with these people, so stop being so calculative. Go to bed, alright? I'll be back tomorrow to be with you."

Rebecca felt helpless and resigned when she read his message. She laughed self-deprecatingly and locked her phone, not wanting to waste any more time on this nonsense.

Chapter 5

The following day, Rebecca headed to Lodge Manor after lunch. She brought an emerald jewelry set that Stephan's mother, Melanie Brown, had given to her when she and Stephan had gotten married. It was supposed to be a family heirloom.

Unfortunately, Melanie and her husband, Jerome Lodge, had flown to Beryl Island for a vacation that very morning. Rebecca had gone there for nothing.

She asked the butler when they would return—it seemed they would be away for a month. And so, she left the jewelry in the butler's care before leaving.

After that, she went to a beauty center for a relaxing spa. Then, she headed home after purchasing several pairs of earrings that had caught her eye.

The lights in the living room were on, and Stephan sat on the couch with many gift boxes on the table before him. He put down his phone and looked at Rebecca when he heard her enter the house. "I heard from the butler that you returned the family heirloom."

She gave a noncommittal hum.

He sighed and pulled her down to sit beside him. "Are you still mad? Come on, stop being like this. Look at all the gifts I prepared for you—forgive me this once, okay?"

Even after she'd returned his family heirloom, he still thought she was just mad and not that she wanted to end things. He was so sure that she loved him and would never leave him.

That was why he'd boldly asked for an open marriage, and why he'd broken her heart time and time again with his affairs.

Rebecca didn't say anything. She merely glanced at the boxes on the table, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes when she saw the familiar logo on them. She said, "I only want things that are unique to me."

Stephan was taken aback. He didn't know how she knew that he'd given Giselle the same things. "Don't get me wrong, Becks. I only asked Giselle to help me pick these things out because I genuinely wanted to apologize to you. I saw that she liked them when I was paying, so I got another set for her. Don't let these small things get to you."

Small things. That was what he always said, and she was sick of hearing it.

She swept the gifts off the table and cried out, "You can prepare several sets of the same gifts, and your love can also be split into separate sets, right? You have no idea how much I regret—"

Her eyes turned red. She regretted believing his lies and regretted marrying him.

Though she didn't finish her sentence, Stephan could still tell what she'd been trying to say. He panicked and grabbed her hand. "Becks, trust me when I say you're the only one who holds my heart. Why else would I have married you? Give me a few more years, alright? Just a few more years. I'll come back to you once I've had my fun."

These meaningless things were all he could say, and Rebecca no longer wanted to hear them. She pulled her hand out of his grasp and said flatly, "Let's wait, then."

Stephan thought she wasn't mad anymore when he saw her calm down. His expression softened, and he picked up the bags and boxes strewn across the floor, holding them out to her.

She knew he hadn't caught her drift, but she didn't bother explaining. She took the things and headed upstairs. In truth, she was actually waiting for the divorce cooling-off period to be over, not for him to see the error of his ways.

…

It was almost Rebecca's birthday. Though they were abroad, Jerome and Melanie still remembered the big day. They had a priceless diamond tiara imported from Iropa as a birthday gift, and it was sent to Lodge Corporation's headquarters, Lodge Tower.

When Rebecca heard about this, she wanted to tell Jerome and Melanie that she and Stephan had already signed the divorce papers. However, she decided against it, not wanting to rain on their parade when they were enjoying themselves abroad.

She went to Lodge Tower. The tiara had been placed in Stephan's office. He happened to be in a meeting, so Rebecca went inside alone. As soon as she entered, she saw that Giselle had already unwrapped the gift and popped the tiara onto her head.

She panicked when she first saw Rebecca, but she quickly put on her usual timid look. "What are you doing here, Mrs. Lodge?"

Rebecca wasn't in the mood to watch her performance. She strode forward to take the tiara off her head. "I came to take what's mine."

A trace of jealousy and indignance flashed in Giselle's eyes at that. She gripped the tiara tightly, refusing to let go.

Did she like it that much?

Rebecca was about to let go when she saw Giselle deliberately press down on the tiara, making its sharp edges pierce her skin. Blood oozed out, and she immediately slumped onto the couch while weeping.

"Mrs. Lodge, I just wanted to admire the tiara when I saw how pretty it was. Why did you do this to me?"