I was the charity case, the poor student sponsored by the wealthy Sterling family. At twenty-two, I married Carter Sterling because I was pregnant. Carter was a notoriously severe germaphobe. He used separate serving spoons at dinner and refused to kiss me on the lips in bed. He even found it repulsive to drink from a glass I had used. But at a party recently, I watched him intercept a drink for his childhood sweetheart, his "one who got away," downing the very glass she had just sipped from to save her from drinking too much. In that moment, I knew our marriage was over. 01 Carter stumbled through the front door, leaning heavily against me. He had intercepted far too many drinks for Serena Hayes, and by now, he was barely coherent. Before we left the party, Serena had looked at me, her face the picture of innocent guilt. "I’m so sorry, Ms. Miller. It's all my fault Carter drank so much." "It’s just that… I got a little too drunk once and almost kissed another guy. Ever since then, Carter absolutely refuses to let me drink too much." Her hand had continuously stroked Carter’s chest, smoothing his shirt. She even had the nerve to remind me to make him honey water when we got home. I thought to myself, if it were any other woman, she would have slapped Serena across the face right then and there. But I just calmly took Carter’s weight and said absolutely nothing. It wasn't that I was a saint who could endure anything; it was just that I knew I had no right to act like a jealous wife. Eventually, I poured Carter a glass of plain water. Even in his drunken stupor, as he took the glass, he instinctively asked: "Whose glass is this?" "Yours." I replied flatly. Only then did he relax and drink it down. I knew about Carter’s germaphobia from the very beginning. Shortly after we got married, he had a sudden, severe stomach ache and was looking for his medication. In my panic, I grabbed my own water glass, filled it, and handed it to him. When Carter realized what I'd done, he was furious. He threw the glass, shattering it against the wall. "Haven't I told you I don't use other people's glasses?!" That was the first time I had ever seen him so angry. I was terrified, standing off to the side, not daring to make a sound. Seeing my reaction, his tone involuntarily softened: "It’s not you. I just have a habit of not sharing things. Just be careful from now on." But in that VIP booth tonight, sharing with Serena came so naturally to him. It turned out he didn't have a habit of not sharing things; he just only shared with Serena. That realization made the tip of my nose sting. It wasn't that I didn't know Serena existed. She had just been living overseas for years. And Carter never brought her up on his own. He treated everyone, including me, with polite, detached courtesy. I figured I could live the rest of my life like that. But now, I had seen what he looked like when he actually loved someone. All the grievances I had convinced myself didn't matter suddenly crashed over me like a tidal wave. They nearly drowned me. I suddenly felt so incredibly tired. Maybe… I didn't have to endure this anymore. Maybe leaving would be better for both of us. 02 After helping Carter to his room, I went back to my own room to wash up. We normally slept in separate bedrooms. He only came to my room on the first and fifteenth of every month. Under the guise of fulfilling his "marital duties." But whenever he got drunk, he would throw a childish tantrum, demanding to sleep with me, wrapping his arms around me and refusing to let go. Just like he was doing right now. I have no idea how he even managed to stumble into my room. I had barely laid down when a pair of large arms suddenly clamped around me. By the time I reacted, I was already locked tightly against his chest. He let out a satisfied sigh and fell asleep. In the past, even though I hated the smell of alcohol, I would have convinced myself to just let it go and sleep like this. After all, the debt of gratitude I owed the Sterling family was too massive. But tonight, I didn't want to endure it. I struggled and wrenched myself out of his grip. Since he liked this bed so much, I’d go sleep in another room. The Sterling mansion had plenty of them, anyway. But as soon as I stepped out, I saw Leo standing in the hallway. He was peering anxiously into the room, clearly worried about Carter. I smiled, crouching down to rub his head: "Leo, why are you still awake? Don't you have kindergarten tomorrow? Go to bed, sweetie." But Leo violently slapped my hand away. He glared at me with eyes identical to Carter's, full of disgust. "Chloe, you have no right to tell me what to do." That's right, Chloe. Not Mom. Ever since someone at school called him a bastard child. And he found out I only got to marry into the Sterling family because I got pregnant with him, Leo had hated me. He forgot how I stayed awake night after night sitting by his bed when he was sick. He forgot how he used to curl up in my arms, whining that he loved Mommy the most. Now, his greatest wish was that I wasn't his mother at all. Watching his small back disappear into his room, I let out a quiet sigh, stood up, and headed to the guest room down the hall. As soon as I closed the door, I called my old boss, Valerie. "Valerie, I've made up my mind. I want to go to Paris with you." 03 Valerie paused for a second on the other end of the line, then her voice pitched up in surprise: "Really? That’s amazing, Chloe! Get your visa sorted this month, and once I wrap things up here, we’ll fly out." My college major was actually fashion design. I had worked under Valerie for years. Even after getting married, I freelanced, submitting design sketches for her label. Recently, she was preparing to take her core team and jump ship to a major international fashion house. She really wanted me to go with her. At first, I hesitated. For someone who grew up as an orphan, having a family was everything. I didn't want my child to lose his mother at such a young age. But looking at things now… Leo didn't want a mother like me anyway. And I finally realized, the definition of family was never about the number of people. Sometimes, you can be your own family. After hanging up, I scrolled through my saved files and opened a PDF. It was the divorce agreement Carter’s mother had drafted for me four years ago. 04 The next morning, the moment I opened the guest room door, I bumped into Carter coming out of my bedroom. He looked exhausted. His eyes silently demanded to know why he had woken up in my bed. I didn't even hesitate: "You stumbled into my room last night, grabbed me, and wouldn't let go. I had no choice, so I just gave you the room." Hearing this, a rare look of embarrassment washed over his face. He coughed softly: "Sorry. It won't happen again." I nodded, not looking at him again. I turned and walked downstairs to help the housekeeper with breakfast. Carter stood frozen. In the past, whenever we talked about things like this, my face would always flush with shyness. But today, I was completely nonchalant, even a little impatient. This sudden shift made Carter stand there, staring at my back for a long time. During breakfast, I announced I had errands to run today. I couldn't drop Leo off at kindergarten, and I wouldn't have time to deliver Carter's lunch to the office. They would have to figure it out themselves. "Where are you going?" Father and son spoke almost simultaneously. Two pairs of eyes stared right at me. I was a little surprised they suddenly cared about my whereabouts. "I haven't been back to the main estate in a while. I'm going to see your mother." Carter's brow relaxed, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch up slightly: "Wait until I get off work. I'll go with you." I shook my head: "No need. I can go by myself." Carter’s eyes narrowed. He looked up at me again, but didn't push it. Just as he was heading out the door, he suddenly stopped and said: "I hope you don't go back there and say anything unpleasant." I blinked, then let out a knowing smile. So he didn't want to go with me because he cared; he was afraid I was going to tattle on him. He was really overthinking it. His scandal with Serena was practically plastered all over the tabloids. Why would I need to tattle? Leo stood at the top of the stairs for a long time, watching me. I didn't know if I was imagining it, but I thought I saw a flicker of anger and hurt in his eyes. Finally, he let out a loud hmph and stomped off with the driver, Mr. Clark. I shook my head, amused. I really must not have slept well last night to be hallucinating. Leo couldn't wait to get rid of me. Why would he be upset that I wasn't dropping him off? When I arrived at the main estate and saw Carter's mother, Eleanor, my first sentence was: "I want a divorce." 05 I was adopted by the Sterling family from an orphanage. That year, Carter’s father and grandparents all died in a tragic accident. A psychic told Eleanor that adopting an orphan would build good karma and ward off further disaster. Otherwise, she wouldn't even be able to keep Carter, the sole heir. So, Eleanor picked me. She paid for my living expenses and put me through college. I was always incredibly grateful to them. Until a gala a few years ago. One of Carter’s obsessive admirers managed to slip a date-rape drug into his drink. I just happened to be walking by. And just like that, we spent the night together. Afterward, everyone assumed I was the one who drugged him. They said the Sterling family had raised a backstabbing snake. Carter knew the truth, but he never said a single word in my defense. Then, I found out I was pregnant. Eleanor begged me to keep the baby. At that time, Carter had been broken up with Serena for a year and flat-out refused to get married. Everyone said it was because he couldn't get over her. Eleanor put all her hopes on me. She promised that as long as I had the child, I could divorce him whenever I wanted. Thinking of everything the Sterling family had done for me, and seeing Eleanor’s tearful pleas… I agreed. After Leo was born, I couldn't bear to leave him. I comforted myself by thinking that even a loveless marriage was better than freezing and starving like I did when I was a kid. I ultimately overestimated my tolerance for a marriage devoid of affection. Eleanor kept her word. She never made things difficult for me. She didn't beg me to stay, and she didn't insult me. She simply called her lawyer and sat down with me to go over the divorce agreement line by line. She acted less like a mother-in-law and more like a mother. I never thought I'd become a multi-millionaire just by getting a divorce. As I was leaving, Eleanor suddenly spoke: "Chloe, thank you." My eyes welled up with tears. Honestly, Eleanor had always been good to me. Whether it was paying for my upbringing, or intentionally giving Carter and me our space after we got married… She did things most mothers-in-law would never do. 06 When I got home, I received a call from Carter’s secretary. She said Carter refused to eat lunch because I hadn't delivered it. She was worried his stomach issues would flare up in the afternoon, and asked if I had time to whip something simple up and bring it over. My instinct was to refuse, but then I thought of Eleanor. I hesitated, then agreed. Just as I reached the door to Carter's office, I heard him talking to a friend inside. "I hear you and Serena have been getting awfully close lately?" Carter’s pen stopped. He looked up at his friend. "Stop reading the tabloids. Keep talking garbage and I don't mind having your old man drag you back home." The friend brushed it off: "Oh, save it." "You're really keeping secrets from your best friend? If it's fake, why haven't you suppressed the trending articles?" "Listen to me. If you can't get over her, just get a divorce. Marry Serena and finally get your happy ending, wouldn't that be better?" "No." Carter rejected the idea instantly this time. He was silent for a moment before continuing: "Serena has her own dreams. I can't hold her back." "Chloe… she's taken really good care of me and Leo these past few years." His friend laughed: "So you're treating Chloe like a glorified nanny?" Carter didn't answer. Hearing this, my heart still stung. So he didn't want to divorce me just because I took good care of him. And Serena was the woman he actually loved. So he'd rather stay apart, hoping she could achieve her dreams. And what about me? What was I in his eyes? It seems if you want something, you have to fight for it yourself. If you eat scraps for long enough, people will start to think scraps are all you deserve. I didn't go in. I handed the lunchbox to the janitor cleaning the hallway downstairs. That night at home, Carter and I barely spoke. But when it was time to go to bed, he stood outside my door and refused to leave. "What is it?" I asked him. He pressed his lips together: "Today is the fifteenth." 07 I suddenly remembered. Today was our designated day to sleep together. On the surface, Carter seemed like a monk with no earthly desires. But in bed, he was always fierce and relentless. He wouldn't stop until dawn. He claimed he hated kissing, but in the heat of the moment, he was always the one grabbing the back of my head and kissing me like he was starving. He would constantly demand I say his name. If I didn't, he wouldn't stop. Since I had already decided to divorce him, I had absolutely no desire to be intimate with him ever again. "Not tonight. It's my time of the month." I turned to go into my room, but he suddenly grabbed my wrist. "I remember your cycle. It isn't now." I didn't expect him to be so stubborn. I wrenched my hand out of his grip, annoyed: "It came early, okay?" I didn't care if he believed me or not. I walked quickly into my room and slammed the door shut. Carter seemed to stand outside my door for a long time before finally walking away. In the middle of the night, I suddenly felt the mattress dip behind me. The next second, a pair of large, burning hands pulled me into a tight embrace. Carter’s familiar voice whispered in my ear: "Just because it's your time of the month doesn't mean we can't sleep in the same bed." I tried to struggle, but his grip was like iron. Eventually, I was just too exhausted. I gave up and let him hold me. When I woke up the next morning, Carter was already gone. Leo had been taken to kindergarten by Mr. Clark. I decided to head out and get my visa sorted. On the way home, I was debating whether I should tell Carter and Leo about the divorce. After all, this wasn't just my business. But the moment I walked through the door, I saw the two of them and Serena in the living room, laughing and playing like a perfect, happy family. The second Leo saw me, he threw his arms around Serena and yelled: "Dad and Ms. Hayes came to pick me up from school today! I was so happy! I wish Ms. Hayes could pick me up every day!" He shot me a smug, triumphant look. 08 Serena affectionately stroked his little head. "If you like it, I'll pick you up whenever I have time." Carter was sitting on the couch. Seeing me, he offered a brief explanation: "Serena said she wanted to see Leo, so I brought her over." I nodded, not looking at Leo again, and walked straight up to Carter. "Do you have a minute? I need to speak to you privately." Carter frowned: "Chloe, are you throwing a tantrum again?" "I know you don't like Serena, but she is a guest here right now. She deserves your basic respect." "Whatever you need to say can wait until tonight. Serena said she wanted to eat the sweet and sour ribs you make. Go help the chef prep dinner." Serena immediately chimed in: "Carter, what are you saying? Ms. Miller isn't a maid, how could you ask her to do that?" "I don't do any cooking at my own house." "It's fine. She's not like you. She does this kind of stuff all the time," Carter said dismissively. "Really? Then I guess we'll be bothering Ms. Miller tonight." Serena looked at me, her eyes smiling, full of both smugness and mockery. I took a deep breath. Only now did I realize that the lunches I had painstakingly made and delivered to him... he had given them to Serena. Suddenly, I didn't want to say anything at all. What was the point? I was truly pathetic. They didn't care about me at all. "I'm not feeling well. If you want to eat, make it yourselves." With that, I turned toward the stairs. Suddenly, Carter’s secretary walked in. She was holding several documents for him to sign. She looked extremely hesitant. Finally, she glanced at me and stammered: "There's... there's one more document." "It's... it's the divorce agreement... sent over by the Chairman's office this afternoon." The moment she said those words, Carter and Leo's heads snapped toward me. Even Serena’s eyes widened in shock. Scanning the contents of the agreement, the pen in Carter’s hand snapped with a loud crack. The veins on the back of his hand bulged. His tone carried a forced, terrifying calmness. "You want a divorce?"
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