Chapter 1 Her Husband Has A New Love

"Melanie, why don't you step away for a few days? I can take care of Saturday's interview."

At the sound of that, Melanie Shaw turned her head and answered in an even tone, "Thanks, but I'm fine. Really."

The day before, an anonymous envelope had arrived. Inside were several photographs. In each one, her husband stood close to a woman she didn't recognize, their bodies pressed together in ways no marriage should allow. The message needed no explanation. He was involved with someone else.

Tucked in with the photos was the address of a jewelry store.

Pulling herself back to the present, Melanie said, "You can go ahead. I'll walk around by myself for a bit."

Once her assistant left, her eyes drifted again toward the jewelry store across the street.

Through the glass, a man dressed in a fitted suit had his arm wrapped around a woman's waist. His expression carried warmth that felt intimate.

With a slight tilt of her chin, the woman gave him room to clasp a necklace around her neck.

They spoke to each other with easy smiles, and the closeness between them left no room for doubt.

For several seconds, Melanie kept watching before she forced herself to look elsewhere.

The suited man was none other than her husband, Gabriel Clayton.

As for the woman beside him, she had been a stranger until recently.

According to the investigator she hired, the woman was a well-known beauty influencer named Chelsey Wallace.

A sharp sting burned behind Melanie's eyes, and a heavy ache spread through her chest. She reached for the edge of a nearby counter to steady herself.

Ten full years. She had given Gabriel ten years of her life, yet now she stood outside like an outsider, quietly witnessing the happiness he shared with someone else.

Nearby, a sales clerk spoke to a coworker without lowering her voice. "That's the famous beauty influencer everyone's talking about. Her career's taking off, and she's got such a devoted boyfriend too. She's really blessed."

Every word landed on Melanie like a blade she couldn't see. The pain didn't stay on the surface. It sank deep and settled in her chest. Of course, that woman was blessed.

Without thinking, Melanie stepped away from the counter and drifted toward a quieter corner, yet her gaze betrayed her and returned to the couple.

Chelsey didn't come from wealth, and she didn't carry herself with the same polish Melanie had been taught. Still, her features were soft and appealing. Her eyes, bright and expressive, held nothing back as she looked at Gabriel.

A storm of questions rose in Melanie's mind. What had Chelsey done to win over the man who used to treat his wife with patience and care? How had she managed to erase ten years of devotion and make him cast aside his promises? When had he fallen so completely for a rising influencer whose fame had come almost overnight?

Tears blurred Melanie's vision.

--

By the time Melanie reached home, night had settled in, and the rain outside had grown heavy and relentless.

The door had barely closed behind her when Gabriel stood up from the foyer.

His broad hand slid around her waist, pulling her close. Noticing the damp strands clinging to her hair, he frowned. "Mel, where did you go? Why are you just getting back now?"

"Mr. Clayton was losing it! He must've called you a dozen times-no answer. He almost rang the police." Ethel Davis, the housekeeper, said as she hurried over from across the foyer, her voice filled with concern.

Without a word, Gabriel accepted the towel she offered. He carefully dried Melanie's rain soaked hair, then gathered her chilled hands between his palms. "Next time, please answer me. I was worried sick."

As Melanie stepped closer, a trace of unfamiliar sweetness drifted from him. The scent of another woman's perfume clung to his clothes.

In that instant, clarity settled over her. The tenderness he showed now felt rehearsed. His heart no longer belonged to her.

When the investigator had first delivered those photographs, she had rejected the evidence outright.

Yet after watching Gabriel laugh beside Chelsey, she had stood there like an outsider staring at someone else's happiness through glass.

Silence stretched before she managed to respond, "I went out to shop. My phone ran out of battery."

Turning away with an easy smile, Gabriel addressed the housekeeper, "Ethel, warm up some milk for her first. And make a few of her favorite dishes. Keep the salt and oil light. She's been watching her diet."

After Ethel withdrew, the spacious living room felt too quiet with only the two of them remaining.

Drawing Melanie into his side, Gabriel rested his arm around her shoulders and lowered his voice. "Don't be upset, sweetheart. I only reacted that way because I was anxious. That's on me. Work's been overwhelming lately. In a few days, I'll take you somewhere nice so you can unwind."

Searching his face, Melanie held his gaze and tried to read what lay behind those deep eyes.

Yet the longer she looked, the less she recognized the man in front of her.

After ten years of loving him without holding back, she now felt as though she were standing across from a stranger.

"I haven't been angry. I've just felt a little suffocated staying home lately. Don't read too much into it."

"If that's all, then I'll take you out tomorrow. We'll go shopping, and I'll get you a new purse," Gabriel replied at once.

His offer made her chest tighten, but she still curved her lips upward.

Noticing the change in her expression, he asked, "Why are you smiling like that?"

"With a husband who's this thoughtful, I might even laugh in my sleep. And if something's weighing on you, don't carry it alone. You can always tell me," Melanie answered, keeping her eyes fixed on his.

"How could I hide anything from you?" he responded with an easy smile, then leaned in and brushed a quick kiss against the corner of her lips.

The curve of his lips, filled with affection that no longer felt real, tightened something deep inside her.

Instead of responding, she calmly lifted a folder from her bag and held it out to him. "I've been considering a plot of land on the outskirts of the city. Can you sign this transfer for me-as a gift?"

Without even glancing through the pages, Gabriel accepted the document. He signed his name where indicated, set it aside on the table, and leaned in as though eager to trail kisses along her neck.

Before he could get closer, she shifted back and stopped him. "You're not going to read what you just signed?"

"You're my wife. If there's something you want, you don't need to explain it to me."

Lowering her gaze to the papers, she let out a faint, tired smile.

The sudden vibration of his phone cut through the room. When he saw the name on the screen, his expression shifted. "Mel, I have to take this. It's work."

Melanie gave a small nod.

He walked toward the balcony, and the pale moonlight settled across his shoulders. From where she stood, she could see the way his mouth curved gently, and a softness filled his eyes as he spoke.

After watching for a moment, Melanie picked up the divorce agreement and made her way upstairs.

She had prepared those papers the day she learned about his affair, though she had hesitated ever since.

More than once, in the quiet hours of the night, she had told herself that if he admitted everything on his own, she might still choose to forgive him.

Then she saw what she saw today. And that was the end of it.

There was no way she could continue living beside a man who had given his heart elsewhere and still pretended nothing was wrong.

From a drawer, she took out an elegant gift box. She placed the signed document inside, closed the lid carefully, and tied a ribbon into a precise bow. This would be her farewell.

"Mel, I'm sorry. I have to step out for a while. I won't be able to have dinner with you," Gabriel said as he walked over, sounding apologetic.

Melanie's eyes dropped to the phone still in his hand. The call hadn't ended. He couldn't even spare a second to hang up.

A faint, ironic smile touched her lips as she lifted her gaze to him. "It's alright," she replied gently. "Work comes first. Don't worry about me."

Gratitude and guilt flashed across his face, and he quickly tapped the screen to end the call.

"I'm so sorry. When I get back, I'll bring you something you like."

He stepped toward her, clearly intending to pull her into his arms, but she moved aside before he could touch her.

Facing the mirror at her dressing table, she began removing her earrings with steady hands. "You should head out. It's not polite to keep your client waiting."

Without saying anything else, Gabriel grabbed his coat and hurried out.

Through the mirror, Melanie caught the last trace of his departing smile, and a heavy ache settled deep in her chest.

The signs had been there all along, so why had she chosen to ignore them until now?

Facing her reflection, she noticed how pale she looked, yet her expression remained steady and unreadable.

His signature was already on the divorce papers. All that remained was the legal waiting period.

Judging from the way he behaved, he likely believed he could keep both women in his life for as long as he pleased.

Unfortunately for him, he had miscalculated. He thought too highly of his control and too little of her resolve.

It was just typical of some men.

No matter how passionate love once felt, betrayal often followed the same path.

If he could step outside their marriage without hesitation, then she could choose a different road for herself. She didn't need him to survive.

With measured movements, Melanie began packing her belongings. Once finished, she dialed her lawyer's number. "Mr. Jones, the papers have been signed."

On the other end, the lawyer's tone turned cautious. "Are you confident your husband won't object after he's officially notified?"

A low, humorless laugh escaped her. "You don't need to worry. I know how to handle him."

Gabriel had always had his weaknesses-and she knew how to use them.

"I understand. Then let me congratulate you in advance on your freedom."