Chapter 1

"Mr. Durham, I'd like to file for divorce and resign from my job. Please help me draft the two agreements."

To the world, Jessie Hickman was just Brandon Kerr's secretary for the past three years. What no one suspected was that she had also been his wife for those same three years.

Alan Durham, her lawyer, knitted his brows. He solemnly said, "Ms. Hickman, marriage isn't something to take lightly. It's best that both parties consider it carefully before signing anything."

With a firm nod, Jessie replied, "I've already thought things through. As for my husband, he'll agree to it as well."

The one Brandon loved had never been her. She had known that much in the past three years.

Even so, Jessie had always loved Brandon since they were kids. When he said that he would marry her three years ago, she joyously agreed.

Their third-year anniversary was just around the corner, so she prepared one final gift for him—a divorce to set him free.

That evening, when Jessie returned to the villa, she found Brandon in the kitchen cooking. Brandon had a serious obsession with cleanliness, and the mess that came with cooking was the thing he couldn't stand the most.

She could still recall the time during their first year of marriage—Brandon had walked into the kitchen while she was cooking, frowned, and uttered, "Disgusting."

Yet after that, when Anna Hickman said she liked Brandon's cooking, he even took cooking classes to be better at it.

Bringing the dishes to the table, Brandon said, "There shouldn't have been much to do at the company today. Why are you back so late?"

Even with an apron on, Brandon, who had broad shoulders and a slim waist, still radiated his usual allure.

Keeping her expression neutral, Jessie answered flatly, "The company just recruited a batch of newcomers. I was busy preparing training materials."

Brandon had always thought of Jessie as a workaholic, so he didn't think much of it. "I see. Come eat. I'm done making dinner."

Jessie took her seat.

Brandon held out a piece of broccoli to Jessie. "I know you like broccoli, so I made this just for you."

A dull ache settled in Jessie's chest. It was Anna who liked broccoli. Jessie was actually allergic to it. It had already been three years, yet Brandon still couldn't remember her allergies. If he had cared even a little, he wouldn't be completely oblivious.

Brandon's hand was still hovering in midair. "Aren't you going to take it, Jessie?" he asked with a frown.

Jessie gently pushed his hand away and pulled out two documents from her bag. "Dinner can wait. I need you to sign these two agreements first."

He didn't like discussing business at the dinner table. "What's so urgent that they have to be signed right this second?"

Just as he reached to take the documents to have a look at them, the phone in his pocket rang. Though he reacted quickly and covered the caller ID, Jessie still saw who it was—Anna.

Brandon immediately got up to answer the call out on the balcony. As he had moved a bit too quickly and forcefully, plates and utensils were knocked off the table. The porcelain shattered everywhere.

A shard bounced off the floor and sliced Jessie's fingertip, causing blood to drip steadily onto the floor.

Yet Brandon didn't notice a thing. He spent over ten minutes on the phone before returning, only to grab his coat from the chair.

"I've got plans tonight. I won't be eating at home anymore."

Jessie stopped him, urging, "You haven't signed the agreements yet."

That annoyed Brandon as he thought she was being unreasonable. He swiftly grabbed a pen, flipped to the last pages of both documents, and signed them.

"There. Happy? Can I go now?"

Staring at his signature on both documents, Jessie said numbly, "Yes."

As if staying a second longer would be a waste of time, Brandon strode out of the villa.

Watching him disappear, Jessie let out a self-deprecating laugh. If Brandon had even a sliver of care for her, he would've noticed the documents were a divorce agreement and an employment termination agreement—and that her hand had been bleeding the entire time.

The one Brandon loved had always been Anna, Jessie's younger sister and the "fake heiress" of the Hickman family.

Twenty-five years ago, the Hickman family's maid gave birth at the same hospital as Liliana Hart, Jessie's biological mother. Due to a mix-up, the real daughter of the Hickman family, Jessie, was raised by the maid whereas Anna became a part of the Hickman family.

It wasn't until 20 years ago, after the maid passed away, that the truth came out.

The Hickmans took Jessie back in but kept Anna too.

Back then, Liliana had said, "Jessie, we're all human. We raised Anna all her life, and now that her birth mother is gone, we're the only family she has left."

The Hickman family also said that if they acknowledged Jessie's identity publicly, Anna would be looked down upon. As such, to the world, Anna remained the Hickman heiress. Only the Hickmans and the Kerrs knew about Jessie's true identity.

Brandon and Anna grew up together, but just before they were formally engaged, Anna met a wealthy foreigner and insisted on leaving the country to pursue "true love".

But since the Hickman family didn't want to offend the Kerrs, they had Jessie marry Brandon in Anna's place. At the time, Brandon, who was crushed, agreed to the marriage.

Yet, a month ago, Anna returned, and Brandon cheated on Jessie with her. To force Jessie to leave the Kerr family, Brandon even leaked intimate videos of them online.

That same day, Jessie came across Brandon and Anna's chat logs.

Brandon: "Jessie hasn't done anything wrong over the years. The Kerrs and Hickmans won't agree to it if we simply get a divorce. Only by destroying her reputation can we render the Hickmans unable to object to it.

And to test Brandon's devotion, Anna even asked, "You've been with her for three years. Have you never liked her?"

Brandon: "She was just your substitute. I only married her to shut up our families."

Jessie had once believed that as long as she loved Brandon wholeheartedly, he would come to love her. Now, it was clear that it was all just her wishful thinking.

Tears blurred Jessie's vision as she pulled out a notebook from her bag. She had always known Brandon didn't love her. That was why three years ago, she vowed that she would leave once he had hurt her 99 times. It just so happened that uploading her videos online was the 99th thing he had done.

Jessie placed three items into a box before locking it inside a safe. This was her anniversary gift to Brandon. He'd probably like it.

After all of that was done, Jessie pulled out her phone and texted the man she hadn't spoken to in three years.

"Zane, my divorce will be finalized in a month. Come take me away once that time comes."

Chapter 2

Jessie had expected that it would take a while for Zane to respond, but to her surprise, he called her immediately.

"Jessie, you're not messing with me, are you? You've had a crush on Brandon for as long as I've pursued you. With me, your heart has always been as hard as a diamond, so what made you suddenly come around?"

Zane Stafford was Jessie's senior back in school and was basically considered royalty among the city's elite social circle. He had pursued Jessie for seven years, and she had almost chosen to be with him. But on the very night she was going to make her decision, Brandon gave her a glimmer of hope.

That was how Jessie gave Zane up.

Hearing Zane's questioning, Jessie lowered her head in guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't think things through. Just pretend you didn't see my text.

A clatter came from the other end of the line. He seemed to be furious.

"What do you take me for, Jessie? Someone who's at your beck and call? Now that you've chosen me, don't even think about running away. I'll give you one month to deal with that loser Brandon. After a month, I'll be taking you away myself!"

With that, Zane ended the call before Jessie could say another word. She smiled faintly. He hadn't changed one bit.

That night, Brandon never came home.

It wasn't until the next day, when Jessie was putting her things in a box, that Brandon finally returned.

"What are you throwing away?"

Jessie froze slightly. Hiding her panic, she merely uttered, "I'm just getting rid of some junk I no longer want."

Upon getting closer, Brandon noticed that the box was filled with gifts and clothes he had once given her.

"You call this junk?"

"They're all old things that are just taking up space at home. I'm donating them to a charity under your name. They'll be given to children living in remote areas. That way, you get a bit of good publicity too."

Brandon's frown eased at the explanation. Smiling lightly, he remarked, "I can always count on you to do things."

Seeing that he bought the story, Jessie let out a quiet sigh of relief, though she did feel somewhat bitter. It wasn't that Brandon believed her wholeheartedly. He just didn't want to waste any more time on her.

Suddenly, the sound of something shattering came from behind them.

Jessie whipped her head around, only to lock eyes with Anna. Just like always, Anna wore her sweet, disarming smile. "Brandon, Jessie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break that."

Not even glancing at the broken item on the ground, Brandon rushed over to check if Anna was hurt. Once he saw she was unharmed, he was relieved. "It's fine. Nothing else matters as long as you're okay."

But Anna wasn't satisfied yet, so she tilted her head slightly and asked Jessie, "Jessie, you don't mind, right?"

Jessie's gaze fell on the shattered sculpture on the floor. It was a sculpture she had commissioned from a trip she and Brandon had taken together—the only sculpture where they appeared as a couple. And now, Anna had destroyed it.

Jessie knew it was intentional. That was basically a declaration of war. The old her would've been furious. Maybe she would've even snapped back at Anna.

But now, Jessie simply replied with composure, "It's fine."

A look of surprise crossed Anna's face, followed by a faint smile. "You sure are magnanimous, Jessie. Brandon, seeing how magnanimous Jessie is, don't you think she'll definitely agree to my next request?"

Brandon turned to Jessie, his tone more of a notification than a discussion.

"Anna just got back to the country. With your parents overseas, she's too scared to stay at the Hickman residence alone, so she'll be staying here for a while. Anna has always been intolerant of the cold. Since your room faces the sun, she'll have to stay in your room."

Chapter 3

Although Brandon and Jessie had been married for three years, they rarely shared a bed. That was because Brandon said he didn't like having someone next to him while he slept.

But Jessie knew that it wasn't that he disliked having someone next to him; he just wasn't used to her being next to him.

Aware that Jessie had always had an issue with Anna, Brandon had even prepared a whole set of excuses in advance. But to his surprise, Jessie agreed right away.

"Alright. I have a lot of things in the room. I'll just move them out altogether."

She'd have to move everything sooner or later anyway.

Hearing that Jessie planned to move everything out, Brandon instinctively wanted to say she didn't have to, but Anna spoke before he could. "Thank you very much, Jessie."

Without responding, Jessie bent her frail figure to move the box down the stairs.

The box was a bit too full and heavy. As Jessie walked, she accidentally stepped on a shard of alabaster. She slipped, and her knee slammed hard against the ground, causing bits of alabaster to pierce her skin. The pain made cold sweat break out down her back, but she bit her lip.

By then, Brandon had already been led away by Anna. He didn't see any of it.

The agonizing pain brought tears to Jessie's eyes, and they gradually fell to the floor.

Back when she was living in the Hickman residence, Brandon wouldn't even let Anna carry her own bag, saying, "You're a princess here, Anna. Princesses deserve to be treated as such."

Back when Jessie was just the maid's daughter, no one cared if she did dirty, backbreaking work or got hurt. Now that she was revealed to be the true heiress and was even Brandon's wife, things weren't much different.

No matter the time or place, the people around her would always choose to side with Anna.

As for Jessie, she had gotten used to it.

It took Jessie the whole afternoon, but she finally finished packing everything. She then called for some movers to haul everything to the dump.

Seeing that, Brandon asked, "Anna's only staying for a little while. Once she leaves, you'll have your room back. Why are you throwing so much out?"

He couldn't shake the feeling that Jessie had been acting strangely these past couple of days.

Jessie calmly said, "All of them were pretty old. I just think that it's time to get rid of them."

"Jessie, you're not the kind of person to be wasteful."

Of course, she wasn't. Jessie had never lived a pampered life, so she didn't have the habits of spoiled ladies from wealthy families. She tended to use her things for a long time.

Smiling, Jessie merely said, "It's just been long enough. Only by removing the old would there be space for the new."

That applied to people as well.

Her reason sounded perfectly reasonable, and further questioning would only make Brandon seem petty. Thus, he changed the topic. "There's an auction tonight. Since the host has invited me, you and Anna are coming along."

Jessie had wanted to refuse, but Brandon quickly added, "You're my secretary. It wouldn't be right if I attended without one."

She stared at him. And bringing Anna along was somehow right to him? She seriously wanted to force him to answer that.

Nevertheless, knowing that questioning him would lead her nowhere, she merely gave a nod. She should just treat this as her final duty as his secretary before finally leaving the job.

…

That evening, the lights of the auction hall were so bright that it was like daytime. The attendees were all members of high society, every one of them seasoned and shrewd.

The Kerr family's business had been thriving for the past two years, so the organizers came to greet them right away.

"Mr. Kerr, your seats are ready. You may be seated now."

They had prepared two seats for Brandon. "Mr. Kerr, we heard you're married. The other seat is reserved for your wife."

Brandon, Jessie, and Anna froze for a split second.

Brandon's marriage had been kept tightly under wraps. No one knew how that news was leaked.

Jessie couldn't help looking at Brandon, waiting for his response. There were three people and two seats. Who was he going to choose?

His answer didn't come as a surprise to Jessie. Brandon denied it, saying, "I'm not married. I have no idea where that rumor came from."

"Then the two ladies with you are…" The host looked behind Brandon.

Brandon brought Anna forward, introducing her, "This is Mr. Phillip Hickman's daughter, Anna Hickman."

"Oh, Ms. Hickman. A pleasure."

Then, looking slightly awkward, Brandon gestured to Jessie. "This is my secretary."

Even though Jessie had expected this, hearing the cruel truth out loud still made her heart ache. She forced herself to keep her composure, clinging to the last shred of dignity she had left.

Thereafter, Brandon brought Anna to their seats whereas Jessie was left standing in the back.

All of a sudden, Jessie felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, possibly because of the cold air conditioning in the auction hall. Clutching her stomach, she turned and rushed to the restroom.

Chapter 4

Jessie wasn't on her period, so she wasn't sure why she was suddenly in so much pain.

She stood up, intending to leave the restroom, but the door had been locked from the outside. No matter how hard she tried to open it, it wouldn't budge.

That was when Anna's arrogant voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Jessie, what is it like experiencing the love that I threw away? Brandon has only ever loved me. Now that I'm back, it's time for you to get lost. How dare you show up here and steal my spotlight?"

Jessie was in so much pain that she had to hunch over, cold sweat dripping from her forehead. "Anna, if you want him so badly, you can have him. I couldn't care less about him anymore."

Certain Jessie was bluffing, Anna scoffed. "You think I'd believe that, bitch? You stole my identity back then, and now, you think you can steal my man too? Who do you think you are? You're staying in there tonight. No one's coming to save you."

With a smirk, Anna dragged over a "Do Not Enter" sign and placed it in front of the door.

Since many items at tonight's auction were restricted from being photographed, everyone had to hand over their phones before entering.

No one was going to come for Jessie. Anna was the only one who knew she was locked in the restroom.

The pain in Jessie's abdomen was so intense that she couldn't even utter a word anymore. Leaning against the wall, she slumped on the floor.

Using the last of her strength, she knocked on the door and cried out in despair, "Help… Is anyone there… Please…"

But with the sign outside the door, anyone walking by would merely take one look at it before walking away.

Jessie didn't know how long she had yelled. Eventually, the pain overwhelmed her, and she passed out.

When the auction ended and Jessie still hadn't returned, Brandon frowned.

Anna batted her innocent, doe-like eyes, saying, "Brandon, maybe Jessie got mad because you gave me the extra seat and left early. If I had known it'd upset her so much, I would've given it to her instead."

Hearing about how bad she felt, Brandon furrowed his brows. "You're the legitimate daughter of the Hickman family. Should I have let a secretary take that seat instead? Forget it—let her be. She's been getting a bit too full of herself lately. It'll do her good to be knocked down a peg. Let's go home."

Behind his back, Anna smiled triumphantly. She knew Jessie would never win against her, not when it came to love or family.

Jessie didn't return home that night, but Brandon didn't ask about her even once.

It wasn't until the next morning, when a janitor came to clean the restroom, that the door was finally opened. Seeing Jessie curled up in the corner, the janitor rushed over in concern.

Her dress was soaked through, and her body was trembling from the cold, even in her semi-conscious state.

"Miss, how did you get locked in the restroom? You don't look too good. Should I call an ambulance for you?"

Jessie's eyes trembled open, her eyelashes damp. She propped herself up and struggled to her feet. "No, but thank you."

The pain in her belly had mostly passed. It was just that the restroom had been freezing last night. She had thought Brandon would at least come looking for her, but clearly, she had overestimated her place again.

Back when they were kids, Brandon almost called the police when Anna was missing for just ten minutes. Yet now, Jessie had been gone an entire night, and he hadn't even tried to look for her. The difference between being loved and unloved was just that stark.

Leaning against the wall for support, Jessie arduously headed toward the door. She took a cab home.

Inside the cab, she turned on her phone. As expected, there wasn't a single call from Brandon.

However, Zane had sent her multiple messages. "Jessie, I can't wait a month. How about one week instead? I'll go to you in a week."

Chapter 5

Reading Zane's message warmed Jessie's heart a little.

She replied instantly. "Okay."

A month was too long anyway. One week was enough.

In one week, she would leave for good, finally putting an end to her relationship with Brandon.

As soon as Jessie stepped into the villa, she spotted Anna lounging on the couch, wearing her pajamas. The sound of the door opening made Anna look up slightly. She sneered, "Back already? You look awful."

As she spoke, she got up and walked over to Jessie. Anna gently hooked Jessie's chin. "Jeez, look at your face. You're as pale as a ghost. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were dying. See these hickeys on my chest? Brandon left them last night."

Anna grew bolder with every word. Leaning closer to Jessie, she whispered next to her ear, "Last night, in your bed, Brandon said that I'm the only one who makes him feel like a real man. You? You're like a dead fish—boring as hell."

Before she could say anything else, Jessie's eyes turned icy, and she slapped Anna hard across the face.

"Let's get one thing straight, Anna. I'm still Brandon's wife. You're just a mistress at best. Push me any further and I'll hold a press conference to let the whole world know that you're just the daughter of a maid who seduced her own brother-in-law."

Jessie hadn't wanted to stoop to Anna's level, but Anna was clearly asking for it.

Anna was just about to lash out when she saw Brandon walking over. Her knees buckled, and she dropped to her knees. "Jessie, I'm so sorry. I never should've come back. I'll take my own life now so that I won't be a bother to you."

Before Jessie could react, Anna suddenly threw herself toward a column.

Brandon rushed over just in time to pull her away from it. "Anna, you're my guest. If anyone can't accept that, then I can't accept them!"

Jessie's pale face revealed a bitter smile.

Holding Anna, Brandon shouted at Jessie, "Apologize to Anna, Jessie!"

"I did nothing wrong. I have nothing to apologize for. Aren't you even going to ask where I was last night, Brandon? Or were you—"

Brandon scowled, cutting her off, "I don't care where you were last night. But bullying Anna is unacceptable! If you don't apologize today, I'll suspend you from work effective immediately until you admit your mistake."

To Brandon, Jessie was nothing more than a workaholic, so he believed suspension would feel like a death sentence to her. What he didn't know was that Jessie never truly loved her job. She just wanted to work harder so that he could have it easier.

When he saw the lifeless look in Jessie's eyes, he felt his chest ache so much that it was unbearable. Still, he turned and left with Anna. Wanting to teach Jessie a lesson, he told the bodyguards to watch Jessie, telling them that she wouldn't be allowed any food until she apologized.

Jessie stared at his retreating figure as tears slid down her cheeks.

So, this was the man she had loved for seven years. After everything that happened that day, she wasn't going to love him anymore.

Jessie was confined inside the villa for several days straight.

Like clockwork, three times a day at every mealtime, the bodyguards would come to ask if she was ready to apologize. Nevertheless, Jessie would just stare out the window, not saying a single word.

She was counting down the days. There were still five days left. Once time was up, she would leave forever.

Jessie sat on the swing on the balcony, her phone constantly buzzing. They were all videos from Anna.

The day she left, Anna sent a message to provoke her. "Jessie, you couldn't win against me when it came to our parents, and you can't win against me when it comes to men either. One word from me is enough to keep Brandon away from home for a month."

And true to her word, Brandon hadn't come home for two days straight. But Anna had been sending her content every day—videos of her and Brandon kissing passionately on the beach, photos of Brandon cooking for her, and even intimate videos of them in bed from every angle possible.

Before, such things would've crushed Jessie. Now, she just felt numb.

A man that filthy deserved to be discarded.

On the fourth day, Jessie still hadn't admitted her "mistake". As such, the bodyguards still gave her nothing but water.

That evening, Jessie went to the garden in the back as usual.

Suddenly, a Golden Retriever came out of nowhere and knocked her to the ground. The dog wasn't that strong, but since Jessie hadn't eaten in days, she was as weak as a kite in the wind.

As Jessie collapsed, a sharp pain tore through her abdomen. Instantly, blood soaked her pants. Her face turned ashen as a sudden realization dawned on her.

Two months ago, because Monica Hines, Brandon's mother, kept pressuring them to have a child, they skipped protection.

The stabbing pain in her abdomen rendered her unable to get up. Biting her lip, she begged the bodyguards for help.

Rushing in, the bodyguards were shocked by the sight and hurriedly carried her to the car. Who would have thought that on the way to the hospital, the road in front of them would be completely blocked?

The bodyguard said nervously, "Mrs. Kerr, Mr. Kerr blocked off this street for Anna's birthday. We can't get through…"

Jessie looked down at her blood-stained clothes. She then looked up to see fireworks lighting up the sky. That was Brandon's love for Anna.

Right then, Jessie shut her eyes in despair. She ripped off her wedding ring and, using the last bit of strength she had, flung it out the window. Whether it was Brandon or anything else, she was done with it all.