Chapter 1

Lorraine Reid was the saint in their social circle.

That saying had been circulating among the socialites for six years.

Despite being married to the untouchable star of the legal world, Luca Frey, for three years, Lorraine had remained a virgin.

Luca had an obsession with cleanliness, severe to the point of being shocking.

They had dated for three years and had been married for another three, and yet, he refused all physical contact, including hugs, kisses, and even sex.

She had once refused to believe it and tried to seduce him again and again, only to end up failing each time. She thought that was just who he was—cold, aloof, and untouchable.

But today, she finally realized that even the unattainable could descend into the mundane, and his obsession with cleanliness could make exceptions.

…

In a high-end restaurant, Lorraine's fingers trembled slightly as she held her glass. Through the glass window, she could clearly see Luca kneeling on one knee, massaging the sore ankle of the woman across from him.

He gripped her pale ankle gently with his long fingers, as if holding a treasure, his face showing no trace of disgust or discomfort.

Was this really the same Luca who had to sanitize his hands three times even when he accidentally touched Lorraine's?

Trembling, she snapped a photo and sent it to Luca's closest friend, Tobias Greene. "Who is she?"

Tobias quickly replied, "Isn't that Elene Moore?"

Elene Moore.

Lorraine stared at the name. "So… who is she?"

Tobias hesitated for a moment, then admitted, "She's Luca's first love. He once gave up inheriting the family business to become an attorney for her.

"He fought gangsters and ended up in the hospital, nearly losing his life for her. After they broke up, he spiraled into despair for two years before he finally recovered…"

Lorraine listened quietly, her mind going blank.

Tobias tried to comfort her. "That's all in the past. He's married to you now. You're definitely the one he loves."

Was that so?

Lorraine laughed through her tears. She remembered the first time she had seen Luca at Crestmont College during her sophomore year.

Standing at the entrance of the law school, his white shirt had danced in the wind, making him look like something out of a painting—distant, untouchable, and perfect.

She was the eldest daughter of the Reid family and had always been bright and bold. She was used to getting everything she wanted.

But that day, when she had approached him asking for his contact information and got rejected, she realized for the first time that there were things in this world she couldn't have.

And so, she had relentlessly pursued him for two years. She had brought him breakfast every morning, only to watch him dump it in the trash. She had meticulously prepared gifts for him, and he would just throw them to the strays on the street.

If her hand so much as brushed his sleeve, he would strip it off on the spot and throw it away.

But she had only become more determined and refused to give up.

Finally, on a rainy night, when she had been soaked outside the library, he had unexpectedly handed her an umbrella. "Let's give it a try," he had said in an ice-cold voice.

She had thought she had won. After all, he had finally become her boyfriend and gone on to become her husband as well.

But through three years of dating and another three years of marriage, he had continued to sanitize his hands three times even if he so much as accidentally touched her.

When she wanted to hug him, he would step back. When she wanted to kiss him, he would dodge. On their wedding night, he had slept in the study.

Everyone said, "Luca is always like this. He has severe cleanliness issues."

She had gradually accepted the explanation. After all, he treated everyone that way, didn't he?

But today, she saw him kneeling for another woman, his gaze tender beyond belief.

And that was when it became painfully clear that someone could be the exception in his heart. How ridiculous!

Lorraine had the looks and figure every woman envied, with men lining up across the city vying for her attention, even after she had gotten married.

And yet, she had spent eight years lowering herself for a man who had never loved her.

If he wouldn't touch her, plenty of others would. He didn't love her, but countless men were eager to shower her with affection.

She decided to get a divorce and let him be with the woman of his dreams once and for all.

After making up her mind, she wiped her tears, grabbed her bag, and quickly walked out of the restaurant.

She was walking so fast that she accidentally collided with Elene, who was leaving at the same time. As their eyes met, the sign above them suddenly came loose, crashing down toward them with full force.

Lorraine instinctively pushed Elene away, but the heavy sign struck her back, making blood gush from the wound instantly. The pain made her fall to her knees, and her vision blurred as she saw Luca running from the parking lot.

He steadied Elene in his arms, checking her for injuries, completely unconcerned that his expensive suit was now covered in dust.

Only after he had confirmed that Elene was unharmed did he notice Lorraine lying in a pool of blood.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his gaze sharp and icy as he kept Elene behind him. "Were you following me while I met a friend?"

She was in too much pain to speak. But it was her chest that hurt even more than her wound.

"No, the sign fell, and this lady saved me…" Elene finally regained her senses and spoke up.

Luca paused, turning to look at Lorraine.

"Do you two… know each other?" Elene asked cautiously.

Lorraine winced in pain, unable to speak, her eyes fixed on Luca as his expression shifted.

"She's one of my admirers who's been bothering me for a long time," he said casually, glancing at Lorraine's pale face.

His words were like a knife, stabbing straight into Lorraine's heart.

Suddenly, she laughed, tears mingling with the blood streaming down her face. After loving him for eight years, she could barely be labeled as one of his admirers.

Seeing the blood around Lorraine, Elene said worriedly, "Luca, take her to the hospital. She's badly hurt."

But Luca stood frozen and said coldly, "She's a mess with blood everywhere. I have a cleanliness obsession and can't touch her. Let's just call 911 for her."

Lorraine lay on the cold ground with blood spilling from her forehead, making her face grow even more pallid. Hearing his words, she felt as if an invisible hand were squeezing her heart tight, and the sharp pain nearly suffocated her.

The wail of an approaching ambulance grew louder.

As the paramedics rushed over, ready to lift her onto a stretcher, Elene suddenly staggered, her face turning pale. "Luca, I…"

Before she could finish, everything went black, and she collapsed.

"Lene!" Luca leapt forward, catching her steadily.

For the first time, his usually cold voice was laced with panic. He shot a cold glare at the paramedics. "Put her down and take Lene to the hospital first!"

The nurse looked conflicted. "But Ms. Reid has lost a lot of blood and is already disoriented. If we wait for the next ambulance, it could be life-threatening—"

"I called the ambulance," he interrupted coldly, placing Elene carefully on the stretcher, his voice leaving no room for argument. "I decide who goes first."

He got into the ambulance, never once glancing back at Lorraine.

Lorraine watched the ambulance drive away, her heart going numb from pain, and she finally passed out.

…

When Lorraine woke up, the bright white lights made her squint in discomfort.

"You're finally awake!" the nurse sighed in relief. "A kind-hearted person brought you to the hospital. You'll need to notify your family to care for you."

Lorraine shook her head weakly and said faintly, "I'm single."

The nurse was surprised. "But your records show you've been married three years with no children."

"I'll be divorced soon," she said lightly, but her voice was laced with determination.

Just as the words left her mouth, the ward door was pushed open.

"Divorced?" Luca stepped in with a cold face. "Who said anything about divorce?"

Chapter 2

"It's a friend of mine who wants a divorce." Lorraine kept her expression calm as she lied, her fingers secretly tightening on the corner of the bedsheet.

Luca nodded indifferently. "She can come to me. I'll handle the case pro bono."

"There's no need to go to such trouble," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Both parties are willing to get a divorce, so just help draft the agreement."

Luca didn't suspect a thing and gestured for his assistant, Taylor Smith, to prepare it.

Once the ward door closed, the air became stiflingly quiet.

"Lene and I were just old friends and met for dinner yesterday," he said suddenly. "Don't overthink it, and don't make things difficult for her."

Lorraine suddenly laughed. She was spoiled and headstrong, but she had never been unreasonable. Back then, if he had admitted that he had someone else in his heart, she would never have persisted for so many years.

A sharp pang hit her chest, but she forced it down and looked up at him. "Did you come just to say that?"

"And…" His tone softened a little. "Thank you for saving Lene. She has a bleeding disorder that makes even minor cuts risky. As compensation, you can make a request."

She stared at him steadily. "Do you love her so much that you have to give your wife compensation for it?"

He frowned slightly, not catching her meaning. "What?"

Just then, Taylor pushed the door open, handing Lorraine the drafted divorce agreement.

She took it silently, flipping straight to Luca's signature line, and pushed it toward him. "Sign here."

"It's not here." His long fingers hovered above the page. "This is where the party involved should sign. I'm the attorney, and I should sign the witness page."

He was about to turn the page when his phone rang abruptly. The name "Lene" flashed brightly on the screen.

"Turn to the next page," he said to Lorraine, then answered the call in a gentle voice. "What's wrong?"

She stayed completely still, the tip of her pen hovering over the paper.

"Okay, I'll be there right away."

After hanging up, Luca signed without even looking. The moment his pen hit the paper, Lorraine's heart sank into an icy pit.

"Something urgent happened at the firm. I'll go first." He left with so much urgency that he didn't even notice he had signed in the wrong place.

Lorraine watched him go, trembling as she signed her name on the other line.

Once the 30-day waiting period ended, they would have nothing to do with each other anymore.

…

During her week in the hospital, Lorraine's bedside remained empty. She learned to change her own dressings, to grit her teeth and turn herself in pain, and to monitor the IV and call the nurse.

It wasn't until the day she got discharged that Luca finally appeared.

"I've been busy at work," he said, standing at the door of the ward in a sharp suit, carrying a faint hint of jasmine.

It was the same fragrance Elene had worn that day.

Lorraine lowered her eyes and packed her things, not exposing his lie. To her surprise, he didn't take her straight home. Instead, he took her to a newly opened shopping center.

"What do you want to eat?" He stood in the elevator, swiping on his phone screen with long fingers, patiently suggesting, "Their lobster rolls are supposed to be amazing."

From lunch to a movie, he had planned every detail.

He pulled out her chair before she sat, reminded her that the soup was hot, and draped his jacket over her shoulders when the theater air conditioning was too cold.

"Is it too cold?"

"Is your seat comfortable?"

"Does this dish suit your taste?"

His attentiveness left Lorraine dazed. In all eight years she had loved him, this was the first time they had gone on a date like ordinary lovers.

"I thought you hated crowded places because of your cleanliness obsession," she finally said in the dim light of the theater.

Luca paused while adjusting his cuff. "You must be bored after so long, so I'll make an exception."

His voice was so gentle that it didn't sound like him at all.

The dissonance peaked when he drove her home but insisted he had to "return to the office to work overtime".

On impulse, she hailed a cab to follow him.

The shopping center was brightly lit at night. She saw Luca meet Elene and repeat the day's routine. He took her to the same restaurant and the same theater and even bought her the same dress from the same store.

"It's been a long time since I've been back," Elene said, linking her arm with his. "I don't know my way around. Luckily, you're here."

She tilted her head. "But I remember you hated shopping before and always tried to avoid malls. Now, you know which lobster rolls are perfect, which theater seats are best, and which dress suits me. Did you secretly do your homework?"

Luca's expression was indifferent. The man who found others' touch filthy now naturally took the handbag Elene handed him as she turned to try on clothes.

"Yes, I did my homework."

Through the shop's window, Lorraine's heart tightened sharply, like an ice pick piercing her chest. Each beat tore through her flesh, and even breathing felt like torture.

She became painfully aware that, in Luca's eyes, she was nothing more than a tool he used to please his first love.

Chapter 3

Lorraine's whole body trembled as she turned to run, but Elene's sharp eyes caught her immediately.

"Ms. Reid?" Elene called out in a sweet voice. "What a coincidence! I didn't expect to see you here. By the way, are you feeling better? I was planning to visit you at the hospital, but lately, I've been—"

Before she could finish, her phone rang. She smiled apologetically and stepped aside to answer.

Luca's expression turned gloomy instantly.

"Were you following me again?" His voice was low, and his gaze was as sharp as a knife. "I told you, Lene and I are just ordinary friends. Stop imagining things."

Lorraine looked at the man she had loved for eight years and suddenly laughed.

"Luca, listen carefully. I don't care what kind of relationship you have with her," she said softly but clearly. "Just like how you have your cleanliness obsession, I have my own boundaries.

"I've respected your habits all these years, but I also hoped you'd respect me. At least be honest with me."

His brows furrowed. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Lorraine opened her mouth to speak when a sharp fire alarm suddenly cut through the air.

"Fire! Everyone, run!"

Panic erupted instantly as thick smoke surged from every direction.

Luca and Lorraine were separated by the panicked crowd, and they were now several meters apart.

Lorraine struggled to steady herself, trying to move, but someone behind her shoved her hard. She crashed to the ground, hitting the back of her head on the cold marble.

Darkness clouded her vision.

Agonizing pain shot through her back as countless feet trampled over her. Her ribs felt like they were being crushed, and her palms were mangled and bloodied.

She struggled to get up, only to be knocked down again. Through her blurred vision, she saw Luca pushing through the crowd with all his might. For a moment, she thought he was coming to save her.

But the next second, he ran straight toward Elene without looking back. "Lene!"

She watched helplessly as he cradled Elene in his arms, using his own body to shield her from the crushing crowd.

Lorraine lay on the cold floor, staring at their retreating figures with red-rimmed eyes. Her ribs were likely broken, and every breath tasted of blood, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the suffocating agony in her heart.

The smoke thickened as the flames bathed the entire mall in a fiery red glow.

Lorraine's consciousness gradually blurred until she finally passed out completely.

…

When she woke up, her entire body stung with pain.

"Ms. Reid, you have multiple burns. We need to gather several surgeons for surgery immediately," the doctor said gravely. "Otherwise, there could be permanent disfigurement. At worst, you'll have organ failure."

She forced herself to sit up, her voice hoarse. "Book the entire hospital and mobilize all medical resources."

The doctors acted quickly, but as she was being wheeled toward the operating room, a commotion erupted at the end of the hallway.

"Are you saying the hospital's been reserved for one patient?"

The voice made Lorraine freeze. Through the gap in the stretcher, she saw Luca holding the unconscious Elene, confronting the medical staff.

"Yes, Mr. Frey. We'll only be serving one critical patient today…"

"My girlfriend was in a car accident. She must have surgery today!" Luca's voice was sharp and commanding. "Public hospitals being bought off to concentrate resources on one patient is a serious violation of the law!"

He suddenly flashed his business card, the glossy surface catching the light. "Either you operate immediately, or I'll see you in court!"

The doctors exchanged uneasy glances. Everyone was aware of his reputation for being an attorney who never lost a case.

Five minutes later, Lorraine's surgery was canceled.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Reid…" The attending physician stood by her bed, guilt etched on his face.

"Mr. Frey said if we refused, he would expose the hospital. Since the number of available surgeons is limited, and your operation requires multiple senior specialists, you'll have to wait until that lady's surgery is completed…"

As Lorraine lay on the stretcher, the scorching pain all over her body couldn't compare to the agony of her heart being torn apart.

She watched Luca pacing anxiously outside Elene's operating room.

He constantly checked his watch, walked back and forth, and even stopped every passing nurse to ask for updates.

Even the untouchable ones could fall from their pedestal. But the person he was ever willing to fall for was never her.

Chapter 4

It wasn't until Elene's surgery was over that Lorraine was wheeled into the operating room. When she woke up again, her back burned painfully from the wounds.

"Ms. Reid, I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news…" The doctor hesitated. "Due to the delay in surgery, your burns on your back will leave permanent scars.

"If you're worried your husband will mind, you could consider cosmetic reconstruction…"

She tugged slightly at the corner of her mouth, the movement pulling at the injury on her face. "It's fine. My husband never touches me. He won't care about these scars."

She paused, and her gaze became chillingly calm. "Besides, he won't be my husband much longer."

The ward door suddenly swung open.

"What do you mean by that?" Luca stood in the doorway with his brows furrowed.

The doctor, sensing the tension, quietly left, closing the door softly behind him.

Lorraine closed her eyes in exhaustion, unwilling to speak.

Luca's gaze finally fell on her bandaged body, and his tone became unusually soft. "That day… I thought you'd gotten out of the mall safely."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he said, "I didn't expect you'd be hurt so badly. I came as soon as I heard."

She opened her eyes, looking at him calmly. "It's okay. I'm used to it."

Her voice was flat, without a trace of emotion. "After all, in all these years, whenever I needed you the most, you were never there. So it makes no difference this time."

His brow furrowed tighter. He was silent for a moment before pulling a black card from his suit pocket. "Consider this compensation."

She didn't take the card and just looked straight at him. "I want 50 million dollars to be wired to my account now."

He was momentarily taken aback, seemingly surprised by her demand, but he didn't question it further. With a cold response, he logged into the mobile banking app while asking in a detached voice, "What happened to you?"

Just as she was about to answer, his phone rang.

"Lene?" His voice softened instantly. "Okay, I'll be there right away."

After finishing the transfer, he quickly put the phone away. "I'll come see you later."

She watched his retreating back and whispered, "Consider this money part of the divorce settlement. Once the divorce is finalized, we'll be done with each other for good." Her voice was quiet but sharp.

…

The first thing Lorraine did after being discharged and returning home was sort through everything related to Luca.

In the study, she opened the long-sealed storage cabinet, where she put all the gifts she had given him over the years. There were unopened limited-edition pens, perfectly packaged custom cufflinks, and cashmere scarves with the tags still on.

"Take it all away," she told the maids softly. "Burn what's useless, and split the rest among yourselves."

The maids were delighted to receive such valuable items and thanked her repeatedly.

That evening, Luca returned home and happened to see the housekeeper carefully polishing the Montblanc pen he had never used.

"What's going on here?" he asked, frowning.

The housekeeper replied nervously, "It's a gift from Mrs. Frey for us."

A flicker of unease crossed Luca's mind. He hurried upstairs, pushing open the bedroom door to find Lorraine organizing the wardrobe. "Why are you giving away my things?" he asked sternly.

Lorraine didn't look up as she answered calmly, "You never used them anyway. They just collect dust when they're left here. It's better to give them to someone who needs them and put them to good use."

He stared at her profile, sensing that something was different about her. But he couldn't pinpoint exactly what.

Then, he returned to the study, only to realize the sandalwood box was gone.

It held the sapphire cufflinks Elene had given him, which he had always treasured and kept deep in his drawer.

"Lorraine, give me back my cufflinks!" He stormed into the bedroom with a terrifying expression.

Lorraine raised her head with slightly furrowed brows. "Which cufflinks?"

He swiped through his photo album angrily. "These. You'd better give them back within an hour. If not, there will be consequences."

She studied the picture for three seconds and knew immediately that whatever drove him this out of control had to be linked to Elene.

She didn't remember taking the box, but she began searching the villa, fearing she might have overlooked something.

To her surprise, he was also searching. The man who was usually obsessed with cleanliness now had dust all over his suit, his expensive leather shoes buried in a heap of garbage as his long fingers rummaged through grimy plastic bags.

She stood aside, suddenly feeling short of breath. After six years of being together, it was the first time she had seen him degrade himself like this over a single item.

It turned out that the gift Elene gave him was worth this much.

Chapter 5

The whole night of searching was in vain, and Luca's temper had reached its breaking point.

Dawn was approaching, and the entire villa lay in complete disarray.

Luca's white dress shirt was wrinkled and clung to his body, and the stray hairs at his forehead were damp with sweat. His long, normally pristine hands were now covered in grime and blood.

He was completely unhinged. He stormed into the bedroom and snatched the emerald bracelet Lorraine's grandmother had given her before she passed from the vanity. He asked in a hoarse voice, "This is the last time I'm going to ask you. Where are my cufflinks?"

"I told you I didn't take them!" Lorraine's voice trembled as she stared at him, her eyes stinging with tears. "Give me back the bracelet!"

"If you won't give it to me, then you won't have this bracelet either!" With that, he smashed it hard.

The emerald bracelet shattered into three pieces, bouncing twice on the floor.

Lorraine collapsed to her knees, suddenly struggling to breathe. She managed to choke out, "You care so much about what she gave you that you'd smash my grandmother's keepsake?"

He looked at her coldly. "What I care about is that you touched my things, and this is the price you have to pay!"

Lorraine's heart ached terribly, yet she suddenly laughed. And the more she laughed, the more uncontrollable her tears became.

"Luca!" she shouted. "You know exactly what matters to you in your heart!"

He froze. In all eight years he had known her, this was the first time he had ever seen her cry. His Adam's apple moved as if he wanted to say something. But at that moment, his phone rang.

"Lene? The cufflinks are with you? Okay, I'll come get them now."

After hanging up, he gave Lorraine a complicated look. "I misunderstood you."

He hesitated for a while before adding, "I'll have someone repair your bracelet."

Then, he turned and left, not even glancing at the emerald bracelet that had shattered into three pieces on the floor.

Lorraine kneeled on the ground, clutching the keepsake her grandmother had left her as her tears fell hard onto the shattered bracelet.

Even now, he still couldn't be bothered to apologize. Did he think that she would forgive him no matter what he did just because she loved him?

He wouldn't touch her because of his cleanliness obsession, but she still loved him.

He neglected her for Elene, but she still loved him.

So after he smashed her grandmother's bracelet for Elene's gift, he assumed she would still love him just the same.

That's why he didn't even say sorry.

But this time, he was completely wrong.

…

For the next few days, Luca didn't come home.

Lorraine didn't care, instead quietly packing her things alone.

Time passed, and soon, it was the last day before the waiting period ended. She had already booked her flight when she suddenly received a friend request from Elene.

"Ms. Reid, can we talk?"

She stared at the message for a long time before finally replying with a simple "Okay".

At the cafe, Elene sat by the window, her hair falling in soft curls, her makeup impeccable, and her every gesture refined.

Lorraine sat across from her with a calm expression.

Elene looked up with a gentle smile. "Ms. Reid, sorry for asking you out like this."

"Is there something you want to say?" Lorraine asked coolly.

Elene stirred her coffee lightly, her tone apologetic. "I only recently realized that you and Luca are married."

The corner of Lorraine's lips tugged at that. "Not for much longer."

Elene was momentarily stunned, then furrowed her brows. "What do you mean? Are you getting a divorce?"

"Yeah. The divorce will be finalized tomorrow."

A fleeting smile appeared on Elene's face, but it quickly vanished. She looked down and said softly, "Is it because of me?"

Lorraine said nothing.

Elene sighed and explained, "Luca and I did have an unforgettable relationship before. He loved me very much back then," she said softly while tracing the cup's rim with her fingers. "I was spoiled and had a bad temper, but he never got angry and just indulged me unconditionally.

"One time, for my birthday, he flew abroad overnight to surprise me. The flight was delayed, and he ended up waiting at the airport all night.

"The day I broke up with him, he got drunk almost to the point of alcohol poisoning.

"Later, when I went abroad, he pretended not to care, but in fact, he would secretly visit me every year and send gifts through friends."

Lorraine sat quietly as she listened, feeling as if her heart were being cut open, piece by piece, with a dull blade.

So, Luca hadn't been on business trips but had instead been with Elene on all those occasions when he disappeared.

All those nights he drank too much hadn't been because of the work-related stress but because of Elene.

He was never incapable of loving someone; he just never loved her.

Lorraine had always thought that he was born cold, that his obsession with cleanliness made even the slightest touch from her feel unbearable to him. But it turned out that his gentleness was simply not for her.

Elene went on, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "He loves me a lot, so—"

"So?" Lorraine suddenly cut her off, lifting her gaze to meet Elene's eyes. "Are you here just to flaunt it?"