Chapter 1 The End of Two Years

"Justin's mine tonight."

Samantha Jamison received a photo of her husband, Justin Cooper, sprawled on the bed. His shirt was half-open, his belt slack, and he looked like he belonged to whoever wanted him.

A tremor of rage swept through her. She loved him, but she could never forgive infidelity. Without hesitation, she sped toward the hotel, intent on catching him in the act.

Samantha reached the luxury suite, ready to burst through the door, only to find it already ajar. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, but the scene she'd imagined wasn't there.

Justin lay alone on the bed. His brow furrowed, lips tightly set, cheeks tinged with heat.

She scanned every corner of the room, yet found no trace of another woman.

Something about it didn't sit right with her. Who, then, could have sent that message?

Samantha noticed the unease etched across Justin's face and couldn't help but fill a glass with water. Then, she stepped closer, nudging him. "Jus."

He woke with a start, his eyes heavy and burning. Before she could react, he gripped her wrist and pulled her into his arms.

Panic surged within her. They'd never been this close before. She lay against him meekly, feeling his body blaze against hers.

Justin's hold was tight. His eyes were dark and stormy, shadowed with doubt, though his body betrayed a growing surrender.

Samantha curled into his embrace, surrendering to the weight of his commanding, icy presence that pressed over her like a storm. She couldn't push him away at all.

Before she could speak, his mouth claimed hers, forceful and possessive, silencing any thought she might have voiced. Her mind went blank.

His voice followed, low and deliberate. "Lisa."

Samantha's eyes flew wide.

Lisa? Who was that?

Next, her clothes ripped apart, falling away in fragmented pieces.

…

In the dim, early hours of the morning, Samantha answered the phone with a groggy, half-lidded gaze. "Ma'am, your car is blocking someone else's spot. Could you please come down and move it?"

She fumbled clumsily with her clothes, and her eyes caught on the open wardrobe nearby. Inside, a woman's garments lay draped and waiting.

Her mind tumbled into confusion. Without a backward glance, she fled the hotel.

After Samantha's departure, Lisa Cullen swiped her card and stepped into the luxury suite. At the sight of Justin, jealousy flooded her, leaving her eyes glistening red.

Her suspicion had proven true. If Justin hadn't been forbidden to touch her, Samantha would never have found her way into his bed.

A sense of victory curled at Lisa's lips as she stripped away her own clothes and sank onto the bed. From this moment forward, Justin would be utterly hers.

…

The following day stretched long and empty. Samantha waited, hour by hour, yet Justin never reached out.

Her thoughts swirled around the enigma of Lisa, and for the first time, she found herself calling him in the middle of the workday.

When he picked up, she asked hesitantly, "Are you free tonight? I'd like to talk."

On the other end, Justin offered only a cold hum before abruptly hanging up.

That evening, Samantha kept herself occupied in the kitchen, her hands moving deftly as she prepared a wide array of dishes.

"You've got a real talent for cooking, Mrs. Cooper. They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach—I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Cooper keeps coming back, drawn by your meals."

Samantha's gaze faltered, and a flicker of something complicated passed through her eyes.

Though she and Justin had been married for two years, he'd long carried the belief that the night they had ended up in bed together was a calculated scheme on her part, meant to humiliate him before his grandmother.

That conviction had filled him with contempt, painting her as a ruthless woman, and for two long years, he had never touched her.

Last night had been the first time.

Could he truly set aside those past misunderstandings he'd long carried against her?

Soon after, a sleek black car arrived at the villa. The housekeepers rushed outside, eager to greet their returning employer.

Justin stepped out, bending slightly as his polished shoes met the lawn, his tall, commanding presence exuding authority.

Samantha entered the dining room, her emotions knotted and uneasy.

Justin was already seated, his black suit jacket draped carelessly over the back of his chair. His brows were drawn together, and a faint shadow of fatigue lay across his face.

Samantha's eyes landed on a box resting on the table.

Could it be a gift from him?

"Open it," he murmured, his voice low and hoarse.

Surprise flickered across her face as she lifted the lid. Inside lay an exquisitely feminine dress, precisely the style he'd always admired. It was the first gift he'd ever given her.

Could this be a sign that he was beginning to accept her?

A smile curved her lips as she held the dress up, but it vanished the moment her eyes landed on a document.

The words "Divorce Agreement" leapt from the page. They stabbed at her like countless needles, scorching her very soul.

Justin actually wanted a divorce?

Chapter 2 The Unexpected

Silence hung heavy over the dining room, pressing against Samantha's lungs. She couldn't fathom it. Just yesterday, they had shared the night, and he'd given no hint of displeasure.

"Why?" she asked, her voice trembling like a fragile thread.

Justin looked at Samantha, his so-called wife.

She was asking why?

His mind drifted to the absurdity of last night with Lisa. His old condition had resurfaced, and he'd allowed Lisa to hypnotize him, but he'd never anticipated being played.

There was no reason for Samantha to know the true cause of their divorce.

Justin rose impatiently and grabbed his suit jacket. "You said you had something to talk about. Go ahead."

Samantha wanted to demand an explanation. If he was serious about divorce, why had he lain with her just last night?

"Last night—"

Her words were cut short by the ring of Justin's phone on the table. Over and over, the name "Lisa" blinked across the screen.

Lisa? It was the very name he'd murmured while holding her close the night before.

It hit Samantha all at once. Justin had confused her with Lisa. He was really cheating on her.

Her grip on the divorce agreement tightened. She'd planned to explain what had happened two years ago, but now the idea struck her as absurd.

Nothing mattered now. Nothing.

"If there's any extra compensation you want, speak up. I'll file the divorce papers today. We'll have to wait a month before it's final, and I happen to have a business trip. I'll sign everything when I get back."

Samantha lowered her gaze and went over the divorce agreement. The terms were more generous than she'd expected.

Justin must be desperate to finalize this, afraid she'd say no to the divorce.

…

After leaving the Cooper residence, Justin tugged at his collar with a sharp, irritated jerk and answered his phone. "Hello?"

"Mr. Cooper, what happened last night was just an accident. I've already had Felix delete the photos he took. You don't need to give in to his demands or divorce your wife. Otherwise, I'd feel bad. Just act as if nothing ever happened."

Justin frowned. "You don't need to get involved. I'll deal with it myself."

With that, he ended the call in a surge of anger.

His assistant, Oscar Malcolm, approached carefully. Justin had been manipulated into sleeping with Lisa the night before.

And this morning, Lisa's brother, Felix Cullen, had stormed in with a small group, snapping photos and issuing threats. He demanded that Justin divorce Samantha, or the pictures would be made public.

Juniper Group's overseas operations were still in a growth phase, and a scandal like this was simply out of the question. For now, Justin had no choice but to compromise.

After all, Felix was a wild card. There was no doubt he had kept a backup of the photos.

Oscar felt a pang of sympathy for Lisa. She was kind-hearted, but she had ended up with a brother like Felix.

As for Samantha, she had played her own games to win Justin in the first place. To Oscar, that alone was reason enough for Justin to divorce her.

Justin rubbed his temples. "Keep an eye on Lisa. Make sure she takes the contraceptives. Handle it thoroughly. I don't want a child."

Samantha stood in the doorway, stunned. She'd never imagined Justin could be so ruthless. He loved Lisa, yet he wouldn't allow her to have a child. How could Samantha ever hope to compete with her?

It was clear that she had to let go of him. Even after three years of holding a place in her heart for him, she could never feel anything for a man who had cheated.

She still had a month, just enough time to find her own place and finish the projects she had underway.

After the divorce, she would resign from Juniper Group and move out of the Cooper residence. If she was going to sever ties, she would do it thoroughly, leaving nothing behind.

…

A month later, Juniper Group's hot spring resort opened its doors to the public.

Dressed in her professional attire, Samantha worked as an administrative clerk. She was so buried in her tasks that she barely had a moment to catch her breath.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit, followed by nausea so fierce she couldn't even swallow water.

"Sam, you don't look well. Want some water? Maybe take a short break?"

She forced a smile, trying to suppress the rising unease, and hurried to the restroom. She retched for what felt like forever, but nothing came up.

Digging through her bag, she spotted a sanitary pad and realized her period was a month late. A sudden, chilling dread gripped her.

She ran to the nearest convenience store, grabbed a pregnancy test, and rushed back, desperate to confirm her fear.

"Sam, take these documents up to the VIP lounge. Hurry!"

Without a second thought, Samantha snatched the papers and ran upstairs. After setting them down, she turned and headed straight for the restroom.

Ten minutes later, she stared at the pregnancy test. Two clear lines stared back at her, and for a long moment, her mind went utterly blank.

She was actually pregnant?

Samantha clutched her head. She had taken emergency contraception the last time she'd heard Justin say he didn't want children. So how could this even be happening?

Still reeling, she hadn't even begun to collect herself when the restroom door suddenly swung open. Instinct made her look up, and her breath caught.

It was Justin.

Samantha quickly shoved the test behind her back, her face tight with awkwardness. "Why didn't you knock before coming in?"

"This is my lounge. And you're seriously asking me to knock?"

His voice was calm, steady, and effortlessly magnetic as always.

He lingered in the doorway, eyes lowering to hers. "What are you hiding in your hands?"

A sudden chill ran down Samantha's spine.

What could she do? If Justin found out she was pregnant, would he insist she get rid of the baby?

Chapter 3 See You at the Courthouse Tomorrow at Nine

Cold sweat beaded on Samantha's forehead as she forced a smile. "I-It's nothing."

"Nothing?" Justin approached her and bent down. "You're always hiding things. What are you up to now?"

Before she could stop him, Justin reached out and snatched her handbag.

Samantha jerked back in panic, and her head collided with his jaw. Justin grunted. The bag slipped, and everything spilled across the floor.

The room went silent.

His gaze flicked over the pack of pads scattered on the ground, and his expression faltered in the blink of an eye. That wasn't what he expected.

Samantha's heart was ready to explode as she clutched the pregnancy test.

Justin scowled. "Get out. Do you plan on watching me take a piss?"

Her cheeks burned with humiliation. She grabbed her things from the floor and bolted out the door.

Samantha took a day off to head to the hospital. She needed certainty.

The blood test confirmed it. She was pregnant.

The doctor glanced at her. "The baby's healthy. Do you want to keep it?"

Samantha couldn't believe she was really pregnant.

"Yes," she replied firmly.

Two years of marriage hadn't been enough to keep Justin, but she was determined to keep the child.

She wrestled with herself. She still had to tell Justin. Like it or not, he was still the father. He had a right to know.

Besides, the truth would eventually come out.

All she hoped for was that he would at least spare the baby's life. If he didn't want the baby, then she would raise it alone.

That night, Samantha sat nervously on the living room couch as she waited for him to come home.

But Justin never showed.

…

The next day, Samantha arrived at the resort to find her colleagues whispering in groups by the entrance.

"What's going on?" she asked curiously.

"Samantha, we finally found out who the mysterious Mrs. Cooper really is!"

Samantha's stomach dropped. Had she been found out? That was impossible. Justin had promised from the start that their marriage would stay private. Only family and a few close friends knew.

A coworker leaned in, excited. "The boss came in this morning with a young woman. She didn’t look like a secretary at all. They even brought their luggage to the same room. I'm telling you, that has to be Mrs. Cooper."

Samantha guessed who that woman was. It was Lisa.

That was why Justin hadn't come home last night. He had been with his mistress.

Samantha brushed her hand over her stomach. Even if she told Justin about the pregnancy, it wouldn't change anything. He would just think she was trying to use the baby as leverage, and he would ask her to get an abortion.

She couldn't let Justin find out about the child, no matter what.

Her thoughts were cut short by her department manager's voice. "Samantha, take these aromatherapy candles to the hot spring. Mr. Cooper requested them."

"Got it."

Samantha had helped set the resort up, so she knew it well. She quickly made her way to the steaming pool. There he was.

Justin.

Samantha thought it was her chance to bring up the divorce before her pregnancy began to show.

Before she could step forward, a woman in a bathrobe emerged from a side room. With a tray in hand, she knelt beside Justin. "Justin, should we start right here in the water?"

"Yeah."

Justin closed his eyes and leaned back as the woman slipped off her robe to reveal a bikini. Her figure was flawless.

Samantha watched as the woman edged closer to him with a shy expression.

Her heart clenched as she thought back to that night when he had touched her, only to mistake her for someone else.

If she were to tell him about the baby, he would probably accuse her of lying.

She placed her hand on her stomach as tears slid down her face. "I'm sorry. I have to keep you a secret for your safety."

Samantha fled the hot spring. She sent Justin a message as she left. "Tomorrow, nine in the morning. Meet you at the courthouse."

Back at the hot spring, Justin's phone buzzed. His expression darkened after opening the message.

From his point of view, Samantha was rushing to break off their relationship. He wondered what kind of games Samantha was trying to pull now.

Lisa, being next to him, caught a glimpse of the text. A triumphant smile flickered across her face.

A month ago, her brother had tried to force the divorce by threatening Justin, but Justin had turned the tables and destroyed all the evidence instead.

After that, the divorce had been shelved.

Well, if Justin wouldn't bring it up, she was more than happy to make Samantha do it herself.

Shaking off her thoughts, Lisa put on an innocent face. "Justin, I could explain things to your wife. She's probably just angry about you asking for a divorce.

"Women always bring up divorce or breakups when they're upset. They just want you to sweet-talk them. She doesn't really mean it."

"I know that better than you do," Justin replied.

He tossed the phone aside. The truth was, after everything that had happened, he'd been ready to set the divorce aside.

Samantha had her schemes, but she was good to his grandmother, Geraldine. Even better than he was to her.

He hadn't expected her to try something like she did just now again.

He wouldn't let her get away with it again.

Justin's gaze shifted to Lisa in her bikini. He furrowed his brows. "Next time, wear a swimsuit."

"I wore this for you, Justin. Don't you like it?" she asked before feigning a stumble and tumbling into Justin's arms.

Chapter 4 I Don't Want Anything

A loud splash echoed at the hot spring.

When Lisa stumbled, Justin immediately stood up. He caught her and let go the second she steadied herself.

"I don't care if that night was an accident or premeditated. Either way, I don't want it to happen again. How much do you want? I'll give it to you."

"No, Justin. I don't want money. I'm sorry, I lost control. I really am sorry."

Lisa felt wronged, but she knew a man like Justin wasn't easily won over. If she clung to him, she'd end up like Samantha.

She had tried, openly and secretly, to throw herself at him before, but she had never once succeeded. Justin didn't let anyone touch him. Otherwise, Samantha never would have gotten her chance that last time.

But it didn't matter who he touched before. What mattered was that Justin would belong to her, and only her. She had time.

Besides, Justin was about to get divorced, and she was the only one who could ease his headaches. He had even asked her to join his company as a designer. Soon, she would be around him every day. She was close to being by his side.

Smirking, Lisa slipped out of the room.

Justin didn't spare her a glance. His irritation was fixed on his phone as he stared at Samantha's latest message. He never noticed the scheming written all over Lisa's face.

…

Meanwhile, Samantha was already home. She was packing her things. She hired movers, boxed up her belongings, and had them delivered to her small apartment.

When Justin came back, the moving truck was just pulling away.

Frowning, he stepped into the house. His face darkened at the sight of her still packing things up. "Samantha, what are you scheming now?"

Scheming. Everything she did was a scheme to him.

Samantha's hands paused, then she continued packing without looking up. "I'll be moving out after the divorce. Any problems with that?"

The scent of the candles still clung to him. The thought of him tangled up with Lisa in that hot spring made her sick. She couldn't wait to leave.

"Did you sign the divorce papers yet?" Samantha shut her suitcase and pulled out the agreement. "I don't want anything. I'll walk away empty-handed."

"Nothing at all?" Justin laughed. He got closer to her, grabbed her chin, and forced her to look at him. "You went through hell to marry me. Wasn't it for money? Don't play games with me, Samantha. You're not built for it!"

"If I wanted to play games, these would've been on the front page a long time ago. Or maybe I should've handed them to your grandmother so she could deal with you herself!"

Samantha tossed a stack of photos at Justin. They were photos of him disheveled, flushed, and sprawled half-naked across a hotel bed.

Justin's anger boiled over. "Where did you get these?"

"Mr. Cooper, if you didn't want people to find out about this, then don't do it in the first place."

With that, Samantha dragged her suitcase out the door.

Justin watched her leave while seething. He called his assistant, Oscar Malcolm.

"Didn't you say you got all the negatives? Why does Samantha still have photos? Get back to me with details!"

…

The next morning, Samantha arrived at the courthouse ten minutes early.

At nine sharp, a sleek black Bentley pulled up to the curb.

The two entered the VIP room to finalize the divorce in secret.

Justin's tone was as cold as ever. "You're really walking away without a dime? I hear your brother's drowning in debt from that failed startup. He'll be facing time in prison if he can't pay it back."

"That's his problem, not yours." Samantha glanced up at him and smiled. "Are you worried about my family? If that's the case, why don't we just stay married?"

Justin's face went dark.

He had thought that after two years together, even if they split, he would at least see to it that she didn't suffer. He was prepared to give her more than enough money. But Samantha just had to be difficult.

Having lost his patience, Justin snapped, "Don't play hard to get with me, Samantha. It won't work."

Samantha was so angry that she wanted to claw him. Did Justin think she was clinging to him? That she still had feelings for him?

Well, her heart did ache, and it hurt more than she liked to admit.

Minutes later, the two divorce certificates were handed over. They were still warm to the touch.

Samantha took a deep breath before glancing around. Two years ago, she had walked into the same place full of hope. Now everything had changed.

As soon as they stepped outside, a wave of nausea hit her. Afraid Justin would notice, she hurried into a cab and left without a word.

Oscar watched Samantha go and began, "Mr. Cooper, didn't you say once this was all handled, you wouldn't go through with the divorce? Wasn't it all just to keep Mrs. Cooper Senior from finding out?"

"If she wants to play games, then I'll play them with her to the end," Justin muttered coldly. It was just another hard-to-get-act. He would see it through.

Inside the cab, Samantha finally let out a long sigh. Her face gradually returned to normal. She told the driver to head for Juniper Group's headquarters.

Her work on the hot spring project was finished, so it was time to resign. She wanted every tie to Justin cut clean, and she was afraid that her pregnancy would be discovered.

When she arrived at the office, she headed straight for HR. But they sent her to the CEO's office. She hadn't expected someone else to be inside already.

It was Lisa.

Samantha walked in without a flicker of expression.

Lisa, on the other hand, greeted her warmly. "Samantha, it's me! Don't you recognize me?"

"No," Samantha replied after studying her.

"It's me, Lisa Cullen. We were desk mates in elementary school."

"Oh, it's you. After all that plastic surgery, it's no wonder I couldn't recognize you."

The memory clicked. They hadn't just been classmates; they had once been close friends. But everything changed when they studied acupuncture together.

Back then, their teacher had praised Samantha's talent and planned to pass her a rare medical book. That made Lisa jealous.

Lisa falsely accused Samantha of treating patients for money, which was forbidden before formal certification.

Their teacher had punished Samantha harshly, forcing her to sign a vow never to profit from medicine in her lifetime.

That was when Samantha saw Lisa's true face.

And now, fate had brought them together again.

"Samantha, it's been years. We were friends once, you don't have to be so cold."

"I don't have a friendly face for homewreckers. Cut the act. You sent me those photos, didn't you? Justin and I only divorced this morning, and here you are flaunting your little victory."

Lisa's smile faltered. She forced herself to stand tall. "Samantha, didn't you use dirty tricks to marry into money in the first place?"

"You've always played the victim while clawing for what isn't yours. Even if I'm divorced, Justin is still just my castoff. You'll always be nothing more than a mistress."

Samantha's words threw Lisa into a rage. She raised her hand to slap her, but Samantha caught it. "Not every mistress gets to rise to the top. If I expose your little affairs to Mrs. Cooper Senior, you won't survive the fallout."

"You can try," a man's voice cut in from behind.

The temperature in the office plummeted.

Chapter 5 So Lisa Was Her

Samantha instinctively let go of Lisa's hand, and Lisa yelped as she tumbled to the floor.

Out of nowhere, Justin strode in. "Samantha, you're crossing the line."

Geraldine's health was fragile. Justin couldn't believe that Samantha would stoop so low as to use Geraldine against him. To him, Samantha was nothing but a scheming woman.

Samantha stared at him in disbelief. Was he blind? Lisa had thrown herself down on her own. She wondered if he really couldn't see through such a pathetic trick.

Fine. If he wanted her to "cross the line", she would give it to him.

She walked over to a table, picked up a glass of water, and tossed its contents straight onto Lisa.

Lisa shrieked at the sudden cold splash.

Samantha lifted her chin toward Justin. "You're right. I'm being outrageous. If you want to fire me, then do it."

And with that, she turned and walked away.

Stunned, Justin watched Samantha's retreating figure. For years, Samantha had always been meek and never dared to step out of line. But the blunt defiance she was showing now was something he had never seen from her before.

Strangely, the anger burning within him flickered out.

Sensing his shift in mood, Lisa quickly put on her best pitiful act. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to apologize to her, but she wouldn't listen. She even accused me of being a mistress. I lost my temper and argued back; I didn't think she'd attack me."

"Did your brother go looking for her?" Justin questioned instead of comforting Lisa.

"Justin, I don't know what he did, but I promise I'll talk to him. It won't happen again."

Her pulse spiked. Had he found out that Samantha had been at the hotel that night?

"Your brother sent photos to my wife." Justin frowned. His voice went ice-cold. "I've warned him not to push for more than what's given. If he does, I won't mind spending the money to make sure he regrets ever being born. I'll let this go once, for your sake. But there won't be a second time."

"Alright. I'll make sure to warn him."

Lisa breathed a sigh of relief despite the cold sweat gathering on her back. Justin hadn't seemed to connect the dots that the woman that night had been Samantha.

Justin leaned back in his chair and said with a curt tone, "And another thing, address me as Mr. Cooper in the office. Don't show up here uninvited again."

Lisa forced a smile in response. Rage simmered beneath the surface.

Meanwhile, Samantha sat at her desk as her mind replayed the image of Justin snapping at her to defend Lisa.

Her heart went cold.

Maybe it was for the better. At least now, she could finally let go of whatever hopes she had for him.

She opened the company system and submitted her resignation without a second thought.

The nausea came back in waves. She rushed to the bathroom, reaching over the sink, but nothing came up.

It seemed like the symptoms of pregnancy were getting stronger.

When Samantha left the bathroom, a worried colleague stepped out of a stall. "Samantha, you were just throwing up. You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No, must've just eaten something bad," replied Samantha before slipping back into the office.

The moment Samantha left, Lisa rounded the corner. She widened her eyes in surprise. "Don't tell me she might be pregnant?"

She did the math in her head. The timing lined up.

Pulling out her phone, Lisa hissed into the receiver, "Felix, Samantha's pregnant. What do we do?"