My CEO wife threw a welcome-home party for her one true love. While I was gone, he tried to take my drunk wife to a hotel room. But I cut him off first. That night, through a mix of sweet-talking and sheer persistence, I ended up sleeping with the wife who’d been saving herself for him. The next morning, she was furious, shoving divorce papers in my face. “Cole, just pretend last night never happened.” “If you don’t sign these, I’ll make you regret it.” I glanced at the settlement: a cool fifty million dollars. I signed my name so fast the pen smoked. Are you kidding me? I’m just a guy who got transmigrated into this novel. Let someone else play the part of the tragic, pining husband. I got the girl, I got the money. Time to disappear. 1 I’ve been transmigrated. And I’ve landed on the exact day my CEO wife, Stella, is throwing a lavish welcome-home party for the man she actually loves. I checked the time. This was bad. If I was a minute later, they’d be in a hotel room, and I’m not the kind of guy who gets cheated on. I grabbed my jacket and rushed out, bringing a couple of my bodyguards just in case. Following the script of the novel, I drove straight to the hotel. As soon as I walked into the lobby, I saw her. Stella was passed out on one of the plush sofas, completely oblivious. Just then, the male lead—the one and only Leo—walked over from the front desk, a key card in his hand. “Stella, you’re drunk. Let’s get you up to a room to rest…” He reached down to pick her up. My face was a thundercloud as I shoved him back. “Who the hell are you, trying to take my wife to a hotel room?” The sudden push sent Leo stumbling. He steadied himself, a flash of shock in his eyes that quickly turned to anger. “You must be Cole,” he sneered. “If I hadn’t gone abroad, do you really think Stella would have married you? You’re just my replacement.” A smug, condescending smirk spread across his face. “Oh, and by the way, Stella told me everything. Three years of marriage, and she’s kept herself pure for me. It must be pathetic, being her husband.” I didn’t have time for his trash talk. I gestured for my bodyguards to get Stella into the car. “What do you think you’re doing? Put her down!” Leo shouted, lunging forward to stop them. I stepped in his way, my eyes like ice. “Leo, I’ll say this one last time: Stella is my wife. If you keep this up, I have no problem plastering your face all over the internet. The world can see the ‘brilliant young talent’ fresh from overseas is just a homewrecker in a hurry.” I leaned in closer. “Think about it. Can you really handle the wrath of both the Sullivan and the Croft families?” My words hit him like a slap. Leo was just an illegitimate son of the Croft family. Stella’s grandfather, the Sullivan family patriarch, had never approved of him, which was why he’d been shipped abroad in the first place. If he forced this and I made it public, the old man’s fury would be apocalyptic. It was a fire Leo couldn’t afford to play with. He saw the cold resolve in my eyes and knew I wasn’t bluffing. He stood frozen, his face a mask of impotent rage, and could only watch as my men carried Stella away. As I left, I shot him a final, triumphant smirk. It nearly made his head explode. In the back of the car, with Stella’s soft form nestled against me and the faint, sweet scent of her perfume in the air, my heart began to race. She really was stunning. Her body was soft and pliant, her skin like porcelain, her curves impossibly perfect. More breathtaking than any celebrity. And that bastard Leo almost had her. 2 Back home, after a quick shower, I slid into bed next to Stella. In the original novel, the two of them always slept in separate rooms. Leaving a wife with a body like this to sleep alone? The original Cole was an absolute fool. I silently cursed his name a hundred times. With zero guilt, I wrapped my arm around her slender waist. The moment my hand started to wander, her small, soft hand clamped down on mine. A blush crept up her cheeks. “Don’t,” she murmured, her voice husky with sleep. “I’m not… divorced yet…” Her eyes fluttered open. When she saw it was me, the haze of sleep vanished, replaced by a glacial cold. “What are you doing here?” I froze my hand but didn't remove it, my tone lazy. “I’m your husband. Who else would it be? Were you hoping for someone else?” That shut her up. A second later, she started struggling, trying to push me away. But she was weak from the alcohol, her efforts futile. All she could do was glare at me. “Cole, let go of me! Who said you could sleep in my bed? Get out!” I chuckled and pulled her closer. “We’re married. Isn't sharing a bed what couples do?” “You’re shameless!” she seethed, her chest heaving. She looked like she wanted to bite me. I sighed dramatically in her ear, my voice laced with sorrow. “Stella, you’re the one who wants the divorce, right? For three years, I’ve served you without a single complaint.” “I made you breakfast every morning.” “Last year, when you were sick in the hospital for a week, I stayed by your side for seven days and seven nights, barely sleeping a wink.” “Every time you came home drunk from a business dinner, who was it that made you soup to sober you up?” “You said you wanted to stay faithful to your first love, and have I ever touched a single hair on your head in three years?” As I spoke, I worked up a tear in my eye. “All these years, I’ve taken care of you, given you everything. Even if there was no love, there was effort. All I’m asking for is one night, just holding you. Is that too much?” Her tense body gradually softened. A rare flicker of guilt crossed her face. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I’ll make sure you’re well compensated financially.” I pretended to make a great, painful decision. “Just promise me this one night,” I said through gritted teeth. “Let me just hold you. And tomorrow… tomorrow I’ll sign the divorce papers.” She stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had brought up divorce dozens of times, and I had always refused, adamant. She never pushed too hard, afraid her grandfather would find out. Now, here I was, offering it up myself. She couldn’t believe it was real. “You’ll really sign?” 3 My eyes filled with a deep, heartbreaking reluctance. My voice was heavy with unspoken sadness. “Stella, everyone says I’m your doormat. They all know that you mean more to me than my own life. And it’s because I love you that I’m choosing to let you go. I want you to be happy…” Her heart melted. Images of the past three years flashed through her mind—countless moments of me taking care of her, quietly, steadfastly. The guilt intensified. But she still looked at me, a hint of suspicion in her eyes. “Just holding me? That’s it?” With a shattered expression, I nodded fiercely and raised my right hand. “I swear.” She watched me, her big, beautiful eyes searching my face. All she saw was sincerity. “You’d better behave, Cole.” After a few more minutes of my soft, pleading words, she finally let her guard down completely. Heh. Once a woman's heart softens, it's game over. The night was deep, the room was quiet. Two bodies, pressed close together. As the minutes ticked by, I could feel the heat rising from her skin, her breathing growing shallow and quick. She’d already had a lot to drink, and the proximity was doing the rest. One thing led to another. And what should and shouldn’t happen… happened. It was a wild night that didn’t end until the sun began to rise. I was woken up by a phone ringing. Not mine. Stella’s. She must have been exhausted. It was her first time, after all, and she was sleeping like the dead. I glanced at the caller ID. Leo. My annoyance spiked. I just turned her phone off. I was getting out of the shower when the doorbell rang, its timing impeccable. I opened the door, a towel wrapped around my waist, and found Leo standing on the doorstep, his face dark as a storm cloud. I couldn't help but smile. “Mr. Croft. To what do I owe the pleasure this early in the morning?” 4 His eyes immediately locked onto the fresh scratch marks covering my chest and shoulders. “You slept together,” he hissed through clenched teeth. Heh. We’re a legally married couple. Is that a problem? But I played dumb. “No, of course not. You’re imagining things. Stella has been saving herself for you. She would never… you’ve misunderstood.” The money wasn’t in my account yet. I couldn’t admit anything. If I pissed Stella off now, she might back out of the settlement, and I’d be left with nothing. Leo’s eyes bored into me, his face turning a sickly shade of green. “Misunderstood? Do you think I’m blind, Cole? What about those scratches?” I feigned a frown. “My cat,” I said, my voice laced with impatience. “Is that a problem? And by what right are you questioning me, Mr. Croft? In case you’ve forgotten, until these papers are finalized, I am Stella’s husband.” His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white. He took a deep, shaky breath, trying to control his rage. “Move. I want to see Stella.” I blocked the doorway, a playful smirk on my face. “She had a lot to drink last night. She’s still sleeping. If you try to force your way in here, and the old man finds out… I imagine he’ll be paying your family a visit to have a little chat about manners.” Just as I expected, the mention of Stella’s grandfather deflated him instantly. He shot me one last venomous glare, knowing he was beaten. “You just wait,” he spat, before turning and storming off. When I got back to the bedroom, Stella was already awake. Her eyes were burning with fury. My heart skipped a beat. I immediately switched into character, my face a mask of pitiful longing. “Stella, you’re awake? Stella, I can’t live without you. Can we not get a divorce? Please? What would I do without you?” She was livid. Last night, I had promised to just hold her, and instead, I had… well. And now I was backing out of the deal? Did I think she was a pushover? 5 But then her eyes met my pleading, mournful gaze, and her resolve wavered. Her voice, when she spoke, was softer than I expected. “Cole, I kept my end of the bargain. Don’t try to pull anything.” She slapped a document on the bedside table. A divorce agreement. “If you don’t sign this, I will make your life a living hell.” My eyes went wide as I scanned the asset division clause. Fifty. Million. Dollars. Before I was transmigrated, I was just a corporate drone, crushed by the daily grind. The original Cole’s family had a business, sure, but it was nothing compared to the Sullivan empire. Besides, he had an older brother. He was never the heir. Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent three years of his marriage as a house husband. This wasn’t a divorce agreement. It was a winning lottery ticket. Seeing me hesitate, Stella’s face darkened. She thought I was going to renege on the deal. “Cole, do not test my patience…” Before she could finish, I had scrawled my signature and handed it back. “When does the money hit my account?” Stella was clearly taken aback, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “You’re really agreeing to this?” Heh. What’s that supposed to mean? I signed it. Is she going to back out now? But this was the critical moment. I couldn’t look too eager. I grabbed her soft hand, my face the picture of heartbreak. “Stella, you know I can’t live without you. But… I respect your choice.” She snatched her hand back, a visible wave of relief washing over her. She turned and made a call to her assistant. A few moments later, my phone pinged with a bank notification. I stared at the long line of zeros and almost burst out laughing. Overcome with joy, I pulled her in and kissed her on the cheek. The memory of last night must have resurfaced, because her face flushed with anger and she shoved me away. “Get out!” she screamed. “I don’t want to see you ever again!” Faced with her murderous glare, I didn’t need to be told twice. I beat a hasty retreat. After I left, Stella sat on the sofa in a daze. The events of the past twenty-four hours were still a blur. Suddenly, she realized that something about me had changed. The old Cole would never have been so bold, so shameless. He would never have done… any of that. She had thought signing the papers would make her happy, ecstatic even. But now, all she felt was a strange, hollow emptiness in her chest, as if she had lost something vital.
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