Chapter 1

I arrived at the law firm in my wedding dress. After being married for five years, I'd finally made up my mind to divorce my husband, Ian Payne, who was a racer.

The lawyer asked formally, "If you want a divorce, both husband and wife are required to sign the divorce agreement. Did your husband not come today?"

A self-deprecating smile tugged at my lips.

"I'll get him to sign it," I said firmly.

It'd been five years since Ian and I received our marriage certificate, but he had canceled our wedding ceremony for the 52nd time.

The first time, a female student from the training camp that he was mentoring—Selena Lindsay—wanted to cheer on the racecars, so he abandoned me in the suburbs in my wedding dress.

Unable to hail a taxi, I ended up miserably walking home on foot. The incident left me with countless blisters on my feet.

The second time, said female student had a stomachache and craved cupcakes from Southallerton. He drove three hours to buy the cupcakes, leaving me to apologize humbly to the guests and drink so much wine that my stomach hurt.

Every time, on the day of our wedding, Selena would encounter all sorts of trouble. Ian would also abandon me at the wedding venue to reach her side every time.

"The young lady is timid and afraid of the dark. She needs someone to accompany her while practicing on the track in the middle of the night."

"You're just a housewife who doesn't understand the allure of the racing track. Selena and I have similar interests and are true soulmates."

Today marked the 52nd time he canceled on me, and Selena's video was delivered to the wedding venue as expected.

In the video, she and Ian were making love in his race car. Ian cherished it as much as his own life and usually never even let me touch it. Selena's clothes were disheveled, and she had Ian's head pressed to her chest as she looked challengingly into the camera—at me.

I was very familiar with the person in the video. For the past five years, Ian had canceled our wedding time and again for her sake.

Back then, my family had tricked me back home and away from the racing track with one phone call. My elder sister, Iris Shannon, had perished in a traffic accident. As such, my family forced me to marry Ian, my then brother-in-law, in her stead.

They locked my car away, detained me, and all but shoved a wailing infant and an injured man into my arms.

It took me five years to raise the child, take care of Ian, and let go of my dreams.

Over those five years, I forced myself to fall in love with Ian and the child. All I wanted in the end was the wedding ceremony he promised me.

However, he began regarding my five years of hard work and dedication as some sort of premeditated scheme early into our time together, and he started hating me because of it.

The wedding ceremony that was supposed to have been held five years ago had still not been held.

I was completely disheartened. The five years we'd agreed upon were up, and Iris' child no longer required my care. It was time for me to live my own life.

…

I returned to the villa with the divorce agreement in hand.

As soon as I opened the front door, I was hit squarely in the face by a slice of cake.

A member of the household staff hurriedly handed me a towel.

"Nobody is allowed to help her wipe her face clean!"

Following those words, an ashtray hit my forehead with a heavy thud.

"You bitch! Who allowed you to wear what used to be my mother's favorite necklace?"

Warm liquid flowed unceasingly down my forehead as the household staff looked at me in panic.

Shawn Payne continued angrily, "Blockhead! What can you do other than cook? You're nothing compared to Ms. Lindsay!"

I walked up to Shawn and gazed absentmindedly at him. This was the child I'd sacrificed my dreams to raise for five years.

He shrank back for an instant, then glared at me. "What do you want? I'll have you know I'll never agree to you being my mother! Someone like you doesn't even deserve to be part of the household staff!

"Ms. Lindsay is the one who deserves to be Dad's spouse! You caused Mom's death, and now you're even trying to harm Ms. Lindsay! Once I grow up, I'm going to kick you out—"

"You don't have to. I'll leave on my own," I said coldly.

I raised my hand to touch Shawn's face for the last time, but before I could, I heard Ian's voice ring out from the doorway.

He asked accusingly, "What are you doing? The house is a mess, yet you didn't even bother cleaning up. What if Shawn scratches himself on these fragments? As expected, you don't care about him because he's not your biological child. Am I right?"

Shawn immediately ran over to Ian and threw himself into the latter's arms.

"This evil woman scolded me, Dad," he complained aggrievedly. "She even tried to hit me."

Ian's voice turned cold when he heard this. "Where did you get the courage to do that, Dahlia Shannon? Do you really think of yourself as the head lady of the Payne family now?"

I retracted my hand, slowly turned around, and bent down, hiding the self-deprecation in my eyes. "Sorry. I'll clean up right away."

Ian opened his mouth as if to say something else, but he fell silent when he caught sight of my bloodstained wedding dress.

He then walked over to me quickly and asked, "What happened to your forehead? Why is it bleeding?"

When I saw his expression, I suddenly felt as if I was hallucinating. Why else would I have heard a trace of nervousness in his tone?

I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn't stop myself from falling sideways a second later.

…

The next time I opened my eyes, it was to the sight of Ian feeding me porridge.

"I didn't leave yesterday's wedding on purpose. Something unavoidable happened at the racing track, so I couldn't get away. The wedding will resume in three days, and I definitely won't leave this time," he informed me.

I lowered my gaze and avoided the spoon he held out to me.

I couldn't help but sneer at the sincere look on his face.

If I hadn't seen Selena's Instagram post, I might actually have believed him.

The truth was that he'd taken Selena to a restaurant atop a Ferris wheel that day.

Selena had posted on Instagram that day, attaching a photo of their silhouettes entangled in a kiss. She had captioned it, "Eternal Love."

I simply couldn't figure out how Ian could tell so many lies with a straight face.

Ian's expression darkened when he noticed that I wasn't speaking. "I don't care if you throw a tantrum, but you should know when enough is enough. Also, I haven't settled the score with you for trying to hit Shawnie this afternoon.

"He's just a child. Why must you be petty with him and try to hit him just because he threw something at you?"

My fingers dug deeply into my palms. It felt as if I'd lose all sense of pain, because it didn't seem to hurt at all.

"Why are you so sure I lifted a hand because I wanted to hit him? Did you ask me about it?" I asked in a strained voice.

He stiffened momentarily, and bitterness rose in my throat at the sight.

"He's just a child. How could he lie?" he asked stubbornly.

Countless emotions flashed through my mind at that moment. In the end, I settled for a chuckle. "Yes… You're right. Neither he nor Selena will lie, so the liar can only be me."

Previously, I'd delivered a broth I spent an entire afternoon making to the racing track for him. Selena had stopped me halfway there, snatched the broth from me, and poured it into the trash.

When I reached out to stop her, she'd poured the broth all over herself instead.

After seeing what happened, Ian believed Selena's one-sided account of events and assumed that I was the one who deliberately spilled the broth on Selena.

Back then, I'd asked him why he didn't question me before making such a decision, and he'd told me the same thing.

"She's just a young lady. How could she lie?"

I gave up on him completely then. I took out the divorce agreement and flipped it to the last page. "This is Shawnie's enrollment contract. Your signature is required."

Ian frowned. "Does your everyday life only revolve around Shawnie? Can't you take a leaf out of Selena's book and work on a career of your own?"

Just as he was about to look through the contract, his phone suddenly started ringing.

After answering the call, his expression suddenly changed, and there was an uncontrollable worry in his eyes. "Something came up. I have to go."

I smiled mockingly. "It involves Selena, right?"

He looked at me in displeasure and said coldly, "She's a diligent young lady who's still practicing this late at night. It's completely reasonable for me to keep her company for a while. Stop letting your imagination run wild."

When I saw him leave without hesitation, I sent a message to the man who had always one-upped him on the racing track.

"Are you still accepting people on your team? Shall we aim for the championship together?"

I received a reply immediately. "Welcome back to the team. After the formalities are completed in three days' time, I'll come pick you up personally."

Chapter 2

I started packing my things the next morning.

Everything I couldn't bring with me, I packed into boxes and threw away.

I took down the family photo hanging in the living room. I was the only one smiling in the picture.

Funnily enough, this was the only family photo we had after five years of living together. As a matter of fact, we only had the photo taken because Ian reluctantly agreed to it at his parents' insistence.

My thoughts drifted back toward the past.

I had only just been forced to give up on my dream back then. I was filled with hope for the future, thinking that I'd be able to return to my family that way.

"You're truly a kind lady, Dahlia. I can rest at ease knowing you're caring for Shawnie. Once I'm finished with this competition, I'll definitely hold a romantic wedding ceremony for you," Ian had said.

I thought I could live a happy life with Ian and Shawn. I thought I could be a good wife and mother.

However, all of that now seemed like nothing but wishful thinking on my part.

Shawn's angry voice rang out from behind me. "Where's my warm milk? Why are you looking at that photo again? I told you I wanted to drink warm milk every morning!"

One of the maids whispered cajolingly, "Don't be angry, Mr. Shawn. Your warm milk is right here."

He pushed the maid away and ran over to grab the photo in my hand, then smashed it on the floor.

The photo frame shattered, and glass shards scattered all over the floor. Our only family photo was shattered just like that, the same way we could never go back to being family.

Shawn didn't care. He glared at me and pointed an accusing finger at my face. "I want to drink the milk you prepare! What right do you have to freeload in our household without doing anything? These tasks are yours to do!"

I gazed silently at him for a few seconds before turning to enter the kitchen.

When I brought the warm milk to him, he took a single sip before smashing the glass against the floor. Warm milk splashed all over my shoes, and flying glass shards cut into my calves.

"It's too hot!" he complained loudly.

I knew he was deliberately making things difficult for me. He refused to acknowledge my identity over the years we'd been together and had always treated me like a housekeeper.

I'd raised him as my own child for five years. No matter how much he detested me, I couldn't bring myself to hate him. Yet, all I got in return was even more bullying.

"What are you looking at? Aren't you going to clean up the mess?" he snapped.

I clenched my fists and cast him a glance before turning away.

"Are you deaf? Did you not hear me telling you to clean the floor?"

Before I could say a word, I heard Ian's voice coming from the front door. "What's going on?"

I looked over only to see that Ian wasn't alone. He'd actually brought Selena home with him.

I looked away and pretended I hadn't seen a thing, but Ian was dissatisfied with my indifference.

He stepped in my way and frowned. "There are so many glass shards on the floor. Do you not know how to clean up without me ordering you to? What if Shawnie cuts himself on these shards?"

I sneered. "Do you really see me as a housekeeper?"

He stiffened for an instant, then frowned and looked at me. "All I asked is for you to clean the floor. Do you have to take that attitude with me? You're the only one in this household who's idling around all day. Or do you expect me to handle the clean-up instead?"

Selena stuck her head out from behind him, then pretended to squat down to pick up the glass shards. "I'll do it, Ianie. Dahlia is your wife, so she's used to a life of luxury. How could we leave her to do such a menial task?"

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly let out a shrill yelp.

She pricked her finger on the glass shard she just picked up, but the wound was small enough that it stopped bleeding in an instant.

However, Ian was so anxious that he grabbed her hand and carefully put her finger in his mouth. "Leave this kind of work to Dahlia. Your hands are meant for racing, not cleaning up floorboards. Besides, I'll also feel distressed if you hurt yourself."

His words pierced my heart like a knife. My hard work over the past five years added an extra layer of irony to the moment.

Ian stopped paying attention to me. He took Selena's hand and led her toward the master bedroom, then asked the household staff to bring Selena's luggage along.

"Lena has a heavy workload ahead due to the competition and needs proper rest. Move your things out of the master bedroom so she can stay there instead. Also, make sure she has three unique meals a day. We mustn't neglect her nutrition."

He laid out the instructions like an order. I wasn't even allowed the right to refuse.

Shawn immediately threw himself into Selena's arms upon hearing Ian's words. "Will you be staying at our house over the next few days, Ms. Lindsay? Hooray! If only you were my mother, you'd be able to teach me how to race too."

It pained me deeply to watch their harmonious interactions.

I left the living room without hesitation. A short while after I entered my room, there was a knock on my door. I suppressed my impatience and opened the door.

"Is something the matter?" I asked.

My impatient tone made Ian pause.

"The relationship between me and Selena is nothing more than that of a mentor and his apprentice. She has a rare talent for racing. Please understand where I'm coming from. I can't exactly take you to the racing track, can I? Considering you know nothing of racing, you'll only embarrass me."

I didn't expect Ian to take the initiative to explain things to me, but I'd heard such words far too many times.

He'd said much the same the first time I ever quarreled with him over Selena.

"You're just a housewife who doesn't understand the allure of racing. Don't speculate about us with that dirty mind of yours."

The memories pricked ceaselessly at my consciousness, and the words he'd said to me stabbed repeatedly into my heart like knives.

Just as he reached out to take my hand and opened his mouth as if he still had something else to say, Selena called out to him from upstairs.

Chapter 3

Selena suddenly ran down the stairs and shouted, "This wedding dress is beautiful, Ianie. Can you give it to me?"

"Give your wedding dress to Selena, Dahlia," commanded Ian. "Lena is young and beautiful, so she'd look great in it. On the other hand, you're immersed in housework all the time. An old hag who is out of shape has no business wearing a wedding dress!"

"Oh my, Ianie! You're so nice to me!" exclaimed Selena.

I had meticulously designed the wedding dress for our wedding, perfecting it time and again over the course of five years. I'd put all my love and effort into making it, so it was no wonder Selena liked it.

Ian looked into my bloodshot eyes and said coolly, "Stop being so petty. Name your price."

How much could a five-year marriage where one had to work like a dog as their husband's housekeeper be worth? How much could a wedding and wedding dress that nobody looked forward to be worth?

I couldn't be bothered to figure it out.

All I knew was that when I refused to give up my seat next to Ian to Selena on the Ferris wheel last time, I'd been locked up in the Ferris wheel cabin for an entire night.

My phone screen lit up, and I lowered my head to glance down at it.

The message on the screen read, "I've already handed in the registration form. I'm coming to pick you up."

I calmly unlocked the glass display cabinet containing the wedding dress before returning to the guest bedroom, no longer paying attention to Ian and Sleena's disgusting flirting.

…

Later that night, I was looking through information on the recent competitions being hosted by various racing clubs when Selena knocked on my door.

I didn't have much to say to her. As such, I tried to close the door upon seeing that it was her, but she stopped me.

She glanced condescendingly at me from the doorway and said sarcastically, "After not seeing you for some time, you've learned to act smarter."

I didn't want to argue with her and simply replied indifferently, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'd like to rest now."

The corners of Selena's mouth tugged up into a disdainful smile. She took a step closer to me and whispered in my ear, "I heard you'll never be able to conceive again."

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, staring Selena down.

Selena smiled in satisfaction. "How about a bet? Guess how long it'll take for me to be pregnant with Ian's child. Guess where the fruit juice from three years ago came from as well."

I closed my eyes, barely suppressing my anger as I said shakily, "Get lost."

After she left, I slid to the floor and leaned against the door, unable to support my own weight any longer.

I covered my face, unable to hold back my sobs. Selena was right. I could no longer have a child of my own.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I suffered a miscarriage after drinking a fruit juice Ian brought home with him.

When I was carrying my second child, Shawn covered the staircase in oil, causing me to slip and fall on the stairs.

I bit my lip and tried my best to suppress my sobs, but the pain felt like countless needles piercing into my skin. It was as if I could feel the pain right down to the marrow.

The next morning, I was awakened by the sounds of laughter coming from the backyard.

When I opened the window, I saw Selena playing with Shawn in the garden. Ian was sitting off to the side, watching them with a gentle gaze.

Anyone who looked at them would think they were family.

I closed the window, but that didn't prevent the sounds from the garden from carrying upstairs.

I picked up my bag, prepared to go out and complete the competition registration procedures, such as my identity verification.

Just as I was about to leave, I heard Selena call out, "Hey, are you going out? I want to eat pastries from that one shop in an alley in Northallerton. Buy some for me."

Selena approached me, her gaze filled with smugness. "Sorry for troubling you, Ms. Dahlia."

She deliberately emphasized the "miss" as she eyed me condescendingly.

My gaze landed on the bruises around her neck. When I thought back to her words last night, I reflexively clenched my fists.

I practically ran out of the house.

After completing the necessary paperwork, I wandered around outside for an entire evening before slowly making my way home. I placed the pastries on the coffee table before getting ready to make my way upstairs.

Ian's angry voice rang out from behind me. "Aren't you even going to greet me after coming home?"

When I remained motionless, he spoke up again in a colder tone. "Come here."

I placed my shoes on the shoe rack with an indifferent expression.

"I'm not going to repeat myself, Dahlia Shannon."

I could hear the warning in his tone. I didn't want to cause a scene at this final stage, so I had no choice but to walk over to him.

He looked at me with a frown, then asked, "Where were you doing outside all day today? Don't you know you're expected to cook for Lena and Shawnie? You can't even do your job as a housewife properly. Because of you, we were forced to eat fast food."

"Nothing much. I was just strolling around," I said flatly.

The coldness in my voice struck a strange chord within Ian.

He placed a spoonful of diced carrots onto a plate and handed it to me. Then, he asked in a gentler tone, "You haven't eaten, have you? You should eat before you head back to your room."

I looked down at the carrots on the plate and laughed self-deprecatingly. "I'm allergic to carrots, Ian. I can't eat these at all."

He was momentarily stunned. Before he could react, I'd already turned around and left the dining room.

When I came out of the bathroom after my shower, I saw Ian sitting on my bed and looking through my laptop.

I hid the disgust in my eyes and asked, "Is there something you need from me?"

He answered my question with one of his own. "Why does your room seem a lot emptier?"

My heart skipped a beat at his words. I was afraid that he'd catch on to something that would disrupt my plans to leave.

"I got tired of seeing certain items and wanted a change of pace," I replied.

He nodded, seemingly believing my words. However, his next words made my heart leap into my throat.

He stood up, walked over to me, and said in a low voice, "Someone sent you a message just now, asking when you'll be returning to the racing track. What racing track? Why don't I know—"

I hurriedly cut him off, replying with feigned calm, "It's just a racing track in a game. Don't overthink it."

He gazed intently at me. I didn't know whether he believed me, but he didn't say anything else in the end.

I lay on my bed, assuming that he'd leave after he was done with his questions. Instead, he reached out to wrap his arms around my waist a moment later.

I was so startled that I couldn't help but let out a yelp. I immediately placed my hands against his chest and pushed.

Ian felt a flash of anxiety at my violent reaction.

I clearly used to be so proactive and eager in initiating intimate contact with him, yet I reacted so strongly and negatively to his touch today.

He lowered his head, his warm breath puffing over my ear. I simply couldn't bear it anymore and shoved him forcefully away.

I panted slightly and said in a strained voice, "Sorry… I'm not feeling too well today."

Chapter 4

Ian was astonished that I shoved him away, but his expression softened when he heard what I said.

"In that case, get some good rest. Selena and I probably won't come home tomorrow night, so you don't have to prepare dinner for us."

With that, he left my room.

The next day, I received a new message from "that" person.

"Have you packed your things? I'll arrive by tonight."

I sighed in relief when I saw the message. It was probably the best news I had heard over the past few days.

Shawn and I were the only two eating lunch at home in the afternoon. I glanced at the bowl of soup he'd just finished and asked, "Would you like seconds?"

He licked his lips and glanced at me for a short while before snapping, "No!'

I hummed indifferently and looked away.

After lunch, I started clearing away the dishes, but then Shawn suddenly walked over and grabbed the hem of my clothes.

"The food you make is certainly delicious," he said reluctantly. "Still, I won't acknowledge you as my mother! I can agree to letting you stay in my house, though."

I smiled self-deprecatingly. "As a housekeeper, you mean?"

He paused, then exclaimed, "What else would you be? What right would an ordinary woman like you have to marry an outstanding man like my dad? Once Dad and Ms. Lindsay have held their wedding ceremony, you can continue staying with us as our housekeeper.

"I saw that Dad's been secretly making arrangements for a wedding. Ms. Lindsay is so pretty, and she's good at racing too. She looks like a goddess in a wedding dress. She's the only one fit to be my mother."

Although I'd already made up my mind to leave, I still felt bitter upon hearing that Ian was preparing for a wedding with Selena.

I recalled the time Ian hugged me by the waist and gazed at me with deep affection.

"You're the kindest, prettiest lady in the world," he'd said. "You've done so much for our household. Once the competition is over, I'll definitely host a romantic wedding to thank you, my beautiful wife."

When had things changed? When had those terms of endearment been replaced by insulting titles like housewife, old hag, and housekeeper?

It turned out Ian wasn't unwilling to hold a wedding. He simply didn't want to have a wedding with me.

I held back my upset expression and cast Shawn a glance. "Don't worry. This 'ordinary woman' will be leaving very soon. You can rest assured that I won't be an eyesore any longer."

…

I was in the middle of packing my things at night when I suddenly received a message from Ian. He sent me nothing but an address.

I frowned. I intended to ignore it, but at the same time, I was also worried that something had really happened to him.

I decided I didn't want to risk anything going wrong at this juncture, considering I was going to leave soon. In the end, I hailed a taxi and rushed over to the address.

It was still raining heavily outside. By the time I arrived at the location, I was completely soaked.

I opened the door, panting heavily. Everyone inside looked toward me, then burst into laughter.

"Damn! She really came! Your housekeeper is so dedicated, Ian."

"Here I was thinking 'housekeeper' was code for something, but she really does look like a housekeeper!"

"How boring. I thought she was the other sort of housekeeper…"

At that point, I'd have been a fool not to realize what was going on. My gaze landed on a mirror.

The woman in the reflection was soaked to the bone. Her hair was an absolute mess, and she looked like she'd been fished out of a gutter.

Countless emotions flashed through my heart in that instant—humiliation, disappointment, sadness, anger. In the end, it was a chuckle that rose from my throat.

I looked at Ian. "Are you satisfied?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, I turned to leave without hesitation.

As I reached the doorway, Ian caught up to me and grabbed me by the wrist. "It was just a joke. Do you have to react this badly?"

I took a few deep breaths and suppressed my urge to slap him.

I pulled my hand out of his grasp and said coldly, "Now that you're done with your joke, can I leave?"

Selena had caught up to us as well. She bit her lip and looked timidly at me. "Sorry, Ms. Dahlia… Blame me if you have to. I was the one who proposed this little game. Sorry…"

I frowned. Just as I was about to say something, I heard the sounds of an argument coming from behind me.

I turned around to look, only to realize that some people at the pizzeria nearby had started squabbling. Suddenly, someone bellowed angrily and flipped over a table.

I was just about to dodge when Selena, who had run up to me, grabbed my arm and shoved me forward.

My pupils shrank in fear at the sight of boiling hot minestrone flying through the air toward me. All I could think of were Selena's words just now.

"It's all your fault for marrying Ian. If I could run over your sister five years ago, I can certainly kill you today."

There was chaos all around me, so nobody else heard her.

My body burned with agony, and the last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Ian holding Selena tightly in his arms.

Chapter 5

When I regained consciousness, I was greeted by a white ceiling. Excruciating pain spread throughout my body at the slightest movement.

I could roughly guess how serious my injuries were by looking at my bandaged arm.

I heard a sound from the doorway and looked in that direction to see Ian standing there.

I immediately looked away. He walked over to me, covered his mouth, and cleared his throat lightly. "It was an urgent situation, so I was too preoccupied to make sure you were alright."

When I remained silent, he continued with his explanation. "I wasn't the one who changed your name in my contacts to 'housekeeper.' Shawnie probably fiddled with my phone at some point and changed it as a joke. There's no need to be petty with a child.

"Besides, Selena has a race coming up in a few days. I can't possibly allow her to get injured at a time like this. You're always idling around every day anyway. If you get hurt, all you have to do is rest and recuperate in the hospital for a while, no?"

His tone even carried a hint of accusation as he said that.

His lips moved as if he wanted to add more, but a nurse opened the door at that moment.

"Is Ian Payne present? The burn medication you requested is ready. You may collect it from the pharmacy now."

Ian immediately stood up at that. "Some of the soup splashed onto the back of Selena's hand. I'm going to see her now. Just stay here and rest up."

He then hurriedly left the ward.

As I gazed at the door he'd slammed shut behind him, I felt as if my heart was being squeezed. An indescribable bitterness filled my heart.

I took my phone and called "that man".

"I'm in Ward 3512 at Allerton General Hospital. Come pick me up immediately," I instructed while suppressing the tremor in my voice.

…

Ian's POV

As Ian looked at the small burn on the back of Selena's hand, he suddenly thought of Dahlia back in the ward just now. She had been completely covered in bandages.

Jealousy flashed in Selena's eyes at the sight of Ian's distracted expression.

"This won't leave a scar, will it, Ianie?" she asked pitifully, looking at Ian with tears in her bloodshot eyes.

"It won't. I'll find you the best dermatologist in town. I guarantee it won't scar," he promised.

It was only after Ian was done appeasing Selena that he remembered he should visit Dahlia again. However, he arrived at the ward only to discover she'd already been discharged from the hospital.

His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately realized that something wasn't quite right.

As he took out his phone to call Dahlia, Selena's voice rang out from behind him. "I think I sprained my leg just now, Ianie. Could you help me massage it better?"

Ian gazed at the empty ward. He decided that Dahlia had probably gone home early, so he promptly looked away and squatted in front of Selena to gently massage her feet for her.

He ran toward Dahlia's room immediately after arriving home. The moment he opened the door, he realized something was wrong.

Her room was too empty. There wasn't a single trace of life.

He gripped the doorknob tightly as countless scenarios ran through his mind. He rejected each and every one of them, refusing to believe that Dahlia would leave him.

He went looking for a member of the household staff and asked them where Dahlia had gone, but the answer left him completely floored.

"Mrs. Payne only returned to pick up a suitcase before leaving again."

He questioned himself inwardly.

She'd taken a suitcase with her? She'd left? Where could she have gone?

He recalled her indifferent expression back in the ward, and he felt his heart sink abruptly.

She must have been angry that he hadn't protected her.

He took out his phone and sent her several messages.

"Stop throwing a tantrum. Selena's a racer. If I didn't save her first and she suffered burns on her hands, how was she going to be able to race?"

"You need to understand when enough is enough, Dahlia. Do you really think I have nothing better to do than keep you happy all day?"

"Come back first, then I'll make it up to you, alright? Besides, you were fine, weren't you? What exactly are you making a fuss about?"

Ian leaned against the couch with a heavy frown. It felt as if the temperature around him had dropped several degrees as he held a lit cigarette between his slender fingers.

Dahlia hadn't called him by the time he finished smoking the entire cigarette. In fact, she hadn't even read his messages.

As he gazed at the string of unread messages, he irritably tossed the cigarette into the trash can.

He then sent Dahlia one last text message. "I'll be waiting for you at the church in three days, and we'll have a wedding there. If you don't show up then, you can forget about ever getting another wedding."

He refused to believe that she wouldn't show up after seeing that message.

…

Three days later, he felt his heart gradually sink as he gazed out at the church full of guests.

There was only half an hour remaining until the start of the wedding, but Dahlia was still nowhere to be seen.

He began feeling short of breath, and his chest visibly heaved. He kept his eyes fixed on the doorway, waiting expectantly for Dahlia to enter through the doors in a wedding dress.

Time trickled by, yet Dahlia still hadn't appeared. The guests in attendance were also beginning to realize that something wasn't quite right, and sounds of discussion could be heard throughout the venue.

This grated on Ian's sensitive nerves. He gripped his phone so tightly his knuckles went white from the force. He felt as if his heart was stuck in his throat.

The sound of a bell signaled the official start of the wedding. Just as Ian fell into complete despair, someone opened the doors.

His eyes lit up with immense joy, and he strode toward the doorway only to freeze in place a second later.

It was because it wasn't Dahlia who entered, but a deliveryman.

"Which of you is Mr. Payne? I have here a wedding gift from Ms. Shannon. She requested that I announce each gift."

Everyone present looked over with unconcealed curiosity in their eyes.

"Her first gift is this award certificate," the deliveryman said.

Ian was bewildered. He looked down, and his eyes widened in shock. That was an award certificate for the AHX Formula Racing Competition.

However, the name "Dahlia Shannon" was written in the column for the winner's name, which meant Dahlia had been a racer from the very beginning!

"Her second gift is this divorce agreement. She requested that I congratulate you and Ms. Lindsay on her behalf—may your love be eternal, and may you enjoy happiness for the rest of your lives."

Ian's phone fell to the floor with a thud. He reached out to take the divorce agreement with trembling hands and eyes filled with disbelief.