When I got back from my business trip, the front door of my apartment was plastered with bright pink warning sticky notes. They were past due notices from the Homeowners Association (HOA). I immediately took a screenshot of my payment history on PayPal and sent it to the property manager. We had always paid our bills on time. This had to be a mistake. But her reply came back quickly: "Mrs. Vance, the HOA fees for your current apartment are indeed fully paid. However, the fees for the other luxury penthouse in our complex under your husband's name have been overdue for months." Someone else was defaulting on their fees. What did that have to do with me? Before I could ask, the manager sent over the unit number of the other penthouse, along with the payment history for the past three years. The signature at the bottom of the lease was clear as day: my husband’s name, Julian Miller, and his phone number. I followed the address and stood right outside the door of that luxury penthouse. Acting on instinct, I typed Julian’s birthday into the smart lock and pressed enter. *Beep.* The door actually clicked open.
From inside, a sweet, whiny female voice drifted out, carrying a hint of playful excitement. "Julian, you're back! I only said I was a little hungry, and you actually went out to get me food? You're going to completely spoil me at this rate~" The soft patter of slippers grew closer, making my heart tighten. "Give me the takeout." A manicured hand slipped through the crack of the door. I grabbed her wrist with a sudden, vicious yank, throwing the door wide open. Instead of being shocked, she giggled, leaning into me with an even more flirtatious pout. "Oh, Julian~ Stop playing hard to get. You're so bad." "Can we play later? My stomach is literally growling~" She finally looked up, and my eyes locked onto her face. It was Seraphina Ward. I had met her a few times before. Julian had talked about her a lot. He always said she was super talented, beautiful, and the rising star at his talent agency. He claimed tons of guys were chasing her, and he was just acting as a shield to help her reject them. To show her gratitude, Seraphina often treated him to dinners—sometimes lasting late into the night. I had assumed it was just professional courtesy between colleagues. I hadn't thought twice about it. Now, it was obvious their relationship was far filthier than I had ever imagined. I looked her up and down. She was indeed pretty, but in a very cheap, try-hard way. Today, she was dressed differently. She was wearing a skimpy, kinky French maid outfit that squeezed her curves, complete with an electronic, wagging cat tail attached to her backside. No doubt about it, this was Julian’s kink. In the past, I had put so much effort into pleasing Julian. I had tried all kinds of sexy lingerie just because he once said: "Babe, wearing baggy pajamas around the house is so boring. I bought you some sexy stuff. Let's spice things up tonight." We had been married for three years, and I wanted to keep the spark alive, so I agreed. At first, I wore them for him every night. He clung to me constantly, making me feel like we were back in college. But as time went on, I realized he would rather play Xbox than look at me. So, I stopped. It felt pointless. And now, the exact same outfit was on another woman. He certainly seemed to have regained his appetite. "Babe, who's at the door?" A familiar, smooth male voice cut through my thoughts. Obviously, that "babe" wasn't meant for me. When Julian saw me standing there, there wasn't a single shred of guilt or panic on his face. Instead, his brows furrowed into a tight, irritated scowl. "Chloe? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be visiting your mother today?" I let out a cold laugh and pushed past them into the foyer. "Just checking out our marital assets." "Julian, I didn't know you bought us a new home. Care to explain?" Seraphina, finally realizing she was caught, shrank back and hid behind Julian’s broad shoulders. She gripped his arm tightly, trembling like a frightened puppy. Julian instinctively stepped in front of her, shielding her with his body. He seemed to have completely forgotten that I was his actual wife. I scanned the room. The massive penthouse was littered with used condom wrappers. There was one on the kitchen counter, one on the coffee table, and even two lying right by the floor-to-ceiling windows. I had actually seen the interior design of this penthouse two years ago in a photo on Julian's phone. In that photo, Julian and Seraphina were snuggled up together, holding a newborn baby. Julian was a rising star in the local fashion photography scene. Back then, he had dismissed my suspicions, saying it was just a mock shoot for a commercial client. But I couldn't see any professional lighting or composition in that photo. It was just a candid, warm snapshot of a happy family of three. He had rolled his eyes at me back then. "The male model flaked at the last minute, so I had to step in. You’re always overthinking everything, Chloe. The client wanted something realistic. If I were actually having an affair, would I be stupid enough to keep the photos?" Turns out, the breadcrumbs had been there for two years. A wave of coldness washed over my heart, and I scoffed. "No wonder you've been complaining about back pain and being exhausted every time you come home, Julian. Turns out you were spending all your energy on another woman." He didn't care about my sarcasm at all. Now that his affair was out in the open, his tense shoulders actually relaxed. He let out a long sigh, looking almost relieved. "Since you found this place, there's no point in lying." "Seraphina is different from you. This is between you and me, Chloe. Don't drag her into this. She scares easily." I laughed out loud. So, he was openly admitting that Seraphina was his mistress? My eyes locked onto the cheating couple. My piercing gaze made Seraphina gasp. She immediately started whining, rubbing her face against Julian’s shoulder. "Julian, I was just too lonely and wanted you with me. But... I don't think Chloe likes me very much." Julian patted her hand gently. "Don't worry, Seraphina. I'll handle her."
Watching this display of "true love" made me want to applaud. I actually laughed out loud. I was laughing at how pathetic my marriage was, and letting out the absolute rage boiling inside me. "Chloe, can you keep your voice down? We live in the same complex. If the neighbors hear you, aren't you embarrassed?" Julian snapped. I arched an eyebrow. "You're the cheating scumbag, and she’s the shameless homewrecker. If you two aren't embarrassed, why should I be? I didn't do anything wrong." Seraphina bit her lip, playing the brave, fragile victim. She stepped out from behind Julian and faced me. "Chloe, I know you hate me. I know you blame me. But Julian is a public figure now. If you really love him, you shouldn't make a scene that ruins his reputation." "It's all my fault. If you want to scream or hit someone, do it to me. I won't complain." She was playing the martyr, knowing Julian would protect her just to make me look like a crazy, hysterical wife. I didn't hesitate. I stepped forward and kicked Seraphina right in the stomach. The kick was fast and hard. Julian didn't even have time to react. Seraphina doubled over, clutching her stomach, her face turning pale as she gasped for air. Julian shoved me hard. I stumbled back two steps. He immediately scooped Seraphina up in his arms and laid her gently on the plush sofa, looking absolutely devastated. "Aww, look how much you care." "She literally asked me to hit her. I just obliged." Julian clenched his fists, the veins in his forehead pulsing. I had never seen him this angry. Usually, he treated me with cold indifference. He never showed any real emotion in front of me. Perhaps our marriage had been dead for a very long time. "Chloe, you are a psycho! Coming in here and throwing a tantrum... Have you ever stopped to think about why I've been cold to you lately? It's because of this! You're toxic, and you never admit your own faults!" I pointed to myself, finding it utterly hilarious. Indeed, when a man loves you, your anger is cute. When he doesn't, even your breathing is toxic. I stared at Julian’s face—a face that now felt so incredibly foreign. When did it start? When did his patience turn into annoyance? When did the warmth in his eyes turn into absolute hatred? What does marriage actually give a woman? I didn't know. All I knew was that the moment I found out he cheated, I was done. Julian glared at me, his eyes bloodshot, as if he had finally made up his mind to destroy me. "Look at you. You’re only twenty-five, but you dress like a grandma. Those thick, ugly glasses look like glass bottles, and your face is covered in those hideous fake freckles. Looking at you every morning literally ruins my appetite." "And those clunky metal braces! You've had them since before we got married. Kissing you feels like chewing on wire hangers, and your breath always smells like metal. I've tolerated you for years without divorcing you, Chloe. You should be down on your knees thanking me!" I turned my head and looked at the full-length mirror nearby. My reflection stared back at me. It was true. I looked frumpy and completely unappealing. But I had my reasons. Ever since I could remember, my father was never in the picture. My mother's bitter warnings were the soundtrack to my childhood. "Chloe, when you get married, keep your eyes open. Never choose a man who only loves you for your face. Beauty fades, and so will his love." "You must find a man who loves you for who you are. Relationships built on pretty faces never last." My mother had been a famous beauty in her youth. I inherited her stunning looks, but I chose to hide them. I wanted to find a man who loved me purely for my soul, just like my mother had advised.
Our third anniversary was coming up, and I had been planning to shed my disguise. I wanted to be completely honest with Julian. I wanted to tell him that he had passed my test. I was going to tell him that he would never have to endure people laughing at his "ugly wife" anymore. He could proudly show me off to the world. But I never got the chance. He had already strayed. My chest felt incredibly tight, as if an invisible hand was squeezing my heart. "I'm a public figure, Chloe. A woman like you is an embarrassment. I can't take you to events." "Seraphina never wanted to take your place as my wife, but you just had to push it. Ruining my life won't do you any good. If you want to keep any shred of dignity, pack your trash and get the hell out of here." Julian looked at me with pure disgust. To make his point, he grabbed a trash bag that hadn't been tied up and threw it at me. The bag broke, and foul, rotten garbage juice splashed all over my jeans. "Julian, don't forget that if it wasn't for me, you'd still be a miserable, low-paid assistant at that studio!" I had believed we were a couple that could survive anything together. Now I realized we could only share the struggle, but someone else was going to enjoy the reward. Julian let out a mocking laugh. "Chloe, you really think highly of yourself, don't you?" "Sure, you introduced me to the CEO of the entertainment agency. But if I didn't have talent, do you think I'd be where I am today?" "I became a top photographer because of my unique style and my own networking skills! It had absolutely nothing to do with you!" My heart turned to ice. His words were like a blunt knife carving into my chest. The path I paved for him, the financial backing I secretly provided, the elite connections I handed to him on a silver platter... I had built him up with my own hands. And he dismissed it all in two sentences. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms, but the physical pain couldn't numb the agony in my chest. Seraphina whimpered, clutch her stomach. Her weak voice instantly drew Julian’s attention. "Julian... it hurts so bad." "Please stop fighting. My head is spinning." Julian ignored me completely. He rushed to her side, kneeling in front of the sofa, gently cupping her face. Staying here would only bring more humiliation. I turned on my heel and walked out of the penthouse. I spent the next twenty-four hours at the clinic having my braces removed, washing off the fake freckles, and getting a professional blowout. Then, I went on a shopping spree for designer clothes. Hiding my face for a man was the stupidest thing I had ever done. I wanted to see if Julian could survive in this industry without me.
When I returned to our actual apartment, I ripped the HOA warning off the door. Julian hadn't been home. I pulled out my phone and sent him a message on Snapchat. *Chloe: Our marriage is over. Let's get a divorce.* It took a while before he replied. *Julian: Do you have any idea what you did? Seraphina is pregnant! Thank God the baby is fine, or I would have made you pay for that kick!* *Julian: Now that she's pregnant, we definitely need a divorce. I need to give her and the baby a proper family!* I had already processed my emotions. His anger didn't move me at all. *Chloe: I don't care about this dead marriage. I just want one thing.* A corrupt mind always projects its own venom. *Julian: Want to bleed me dry? Let me tell you, Chloe, you won't get a single penny of my money.* I smiled coldly at the screen. *Chloe: I want a proper divorce ceremony. Just to keep things civil. You won't deny me that dignity, right?* My request caught him off guard. Eager to seal the deal, he replied quickly. *Julian: Fine.* *Julian: When?* *Chloe: Tonight!* *Julian: You better sign the papers and not cause any trouble.* I put my phone away and ignored him. I spent the next hour decorating the apartment. I invited all our close friends and family over for a "gathering." When I heard the front door open, I stood in the center of the living room, a smirk playing on my lips. Julian walked in, holding hands with Seraphina. Perfect. How could we have a public execution without the main villain? I slowly walked down the stairs. The moment the guests saw me, gasps echoed through the room. "Oh my god, is that Chloe? She looks completely different!" "Holy crap! That body, that face... She is a literal goddess!" "Who dared to say Chloe was ugly? She looks like a supermodel!" "Wait, is that Tristan Sterling behind her? The rebel billionaire heir?" "I heard he only dates wild party girls... Why is he holding Chloe's hand?" I looked at Julian. His face was a mask of utter shock, his pupils dilated. Tristan Sterling’s status and wealth were light-years ahead of Julian’s. Julian had always been desperately jealous of him. Tristan stepped up, wrapping an arm around my waist, and announced to the room, "From now on, Chloe is my fiancée. Also, the Sterling Group is officially canceling all business mergers and partnerships with the Miller family." The moment those words left his mouth, Julian completely lost his cool.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "NovelMaster" app ? search for "466456", and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster