Chapter 1 Divorce

"Ma'am, are you really going to divorce Mr. Roberts?" asked Alex Brown, the butler of the Roberts family, as he looked at the divorce agreement before him, his face showing a hint of dismay.

Scarlett Wallace nodded and replied gently, "Yes, Alex. I've made up my mind. Please deliver this paper to-"

Scarlett paused, realizing she hadn't seen her nominal husband since their wedding. It had been a year, and she had even forgotten his name. She smiled awkwardly at Alex and continued, "Please deliver it to Mr. Roberts."

Alex was about to urge Scarlett to reconsider, but when he saw the resolute determination in her gentle eyes, he changed his mind and accepted the divorce agreement.

Somehow, he couldn't help but feel a bit melancholic.

He sighed softly and said, "Please take care of yourself."

Scarlett nodded with a smile. As she walked out of the mansion with her suitcase in tow, she felt an unprecedented sense of relief.

Perhaps, compared to continuing this in-name-only marriage, divorce was the better choice for her.

From this point on, she was embarking on a new chapter in her life.

The twilight sky gradually shifted from a dark orange hue to darkness, but the Roberts Group's headquarters remained brightly illuminated.

The door to the top-floor meeting room swung open, and Elias Roberts, having just concluded a meeting, emerged.

Jude Green, his assistant, followed closely, ready to brief him on the next agenda.

"Mr. Roberts, there's a video conference in half an hour. Additionally, Mr. Kyle Wright has arranged a party to celebrate your return."

"Decline it," Elias interjected in an indifferent tone.

Jude lowered his head and replied, "Yes, sir."

After a brief pause, he hesitated. "Mr. Roberts, there's one more thing-"

Elias abruptly halted and cast a grave look at Jude. His deep voice turned icy. "Since when did you become so hesitant in your speech?"

Jude quickly continued, "Alex called and informed me that your wife has prepared the divorce agreement and has signed it."

He lowered his gaze, avoiding eye contact with Elias, feeling a bit anxious about mentioning that woman in front of him.

The atmosphere hung heavy for a moment. Just when Jude thought Elias wouldn't address the matter, he heard a chilling snort.

Jude had been working for Elias for years and knew that such a snort from Elias was rare and only occurred when he was in a particularly foul mood.

Realizing this, Jude broke into a cold sweat.

Elias raised his gaze and said expressionlessly, "Send me the agreement."

Jude nodded quickly, saying, "Yes, sir."

After a while, Elias received the divorce agreement. As he turned to the final page, his eyes landed on the signature, "Scarlett Wallace".

Squinting his eyes, Elias couldn't help but feel a touch of disdain.

Back then, this woman had married him for the sake of money. Now, she was suddenly proposing a divorce. What could she possibly want?

Elias casually perused the agreement, his gaze fixating on one of the terms.

It stated that Scarlett would relinquish all marital property. Additionally, there was a note indicating that the money she had borrowed from his family one year ago had been paid back, along with accrued interest.

Elias was taken aback. He hadn't expected Scarlett to repay the debt.

It made him wonder if he had misjudged Scarlett's character. Perhaps she wasn't the kind of woman motivated solely by money.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a ringing phone. It was a call from his grandmother, Ella Roberts.

Elias picked up the phone with a furrowed brow.

Ella's voice sounded anxious. "Elias! I won't allow you to divorce Scarlett!"

Elias squinted his eyes and responded with a hint of irony, "Grandma, you're remarkably well-informed."

The moment he received the divorce agreement, his grandmother had called to dissuade him from signing it. He couldn't help but suspect that Scarlett had orchestrated all this.

This woman was certainly something!

Ella paused for a moment before saying seriously, "That's not the point! Regardless, you can't divorce Scarlett! I don't know what's gotten into you. She is such a wonderful girl. Why don't you appreciate her?"

Elias set the agreement on the desk and explained, "Grandma, she's the one who wants the divorce."

Ella remained resolute and exclaimed, "Over the past year, you've been distant from her! No matter how strong she is, it's difficult for her to endure such an aloof husband!"

Elias rubbed his temples in frustration. He couldn't fathom why his grandmother was so fond of Scarlett. She had pressured him into marrying Scarlett in the first place, and now she was preventing him from divorcing her.

He sighed. "Grandma, why don't you ask me if I even like her?"

Ella replied with stubborn conviction, "You don't like her because you've never truly spent time with her. Scarlett is a wonderful girl. Once you get to know her, you'll surely come to like her."

Elias chose not to respond. Inwardly, he couldn't help but sneer at Ella's insistence.

Noticing Elias' reluctance, Ella continued her persuasion, "Elias, I'm begging you one last time. Take some time to get to know Scarlett, okay? I'm sure your opinion of her will change!"

"Get to know a woman like her?" Elias's tone was filled with unmistakable disgust.

Ella persisted, "Three months! I'm only asking you to maintain your marriage with Scarlett for another three months. If you still want to divorce her after that, I won't interfere! What do you say?"