Chapter 1 The Beginning Of The End

Mandy Norton woke up to the faint sound of birds chirping outside her window. The morning sun was just beginning to filter through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow across the room.

For a moment, she forgot everything-her life felt almost peaceful. But then she turned to her bedside table and saw the white envelope resting there like a ghost from the past.

With trembling hands, she reached for it. As she tore open the envelope, her heart pounded in her chest. Her breath caught when she saw the words she had feared for so long: **Divorce Papers**.

Mandy's world shattered. It wasn't just the paper-it was everything it represented. The end of her marriage, the end of her dreams, the end of the life she had planned with Ramsey.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to sob, her body shaking with grief.

"How could he do this to me?" she whispered into the empty room.

And then her sorrow turned to anger.

"Serena Fenton," she spat, venom in her voice. "That snake. She slithered into his life and stole him away from me."

Serena Fenton, CEO of Ramsey's tech company, had come into their lives like a hurricane. She was everything Mandy wasn't-bold, confident, sexy.

Mandy hated her for it.

And now, because of Serena, Ramsey was leaving her. A fresh wave of tears came over her, and she collapsed back onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow.

After what felt like an eternity, she picked up her phone and dialed the one person she knew would understand-her sister, Bella.

Bella answered on the second ring, her voice as bubbly as ever. "Mandy! Long time, no talk! What's up?"

Mandy could barely speak through her tears. "Bella, he's leaving me," she choked out.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then Bella's tone softened. "Oh, Mandy... not Ramsey?"

Mandy nodded, even though Bella couldn't see her. "He dropped the divorce papers before leaving this morning. I don't know what to do, Bella. I feel so lost."

Bella sighed, but Mandy could almost hear her thinking through the problem like it was a tricky puzzle. "Well, first things first, sis, you've got to sign those papers."

"What?" Mandy gasped. "Sign them? How could I do that?"

"Listen," Bella said, her voice filled with the kind of practical wisdom only she could pull off.

"Staying in this marriage isn't going to bring you any happiness. It's like holding onto a cactus-you're only hurting yourself. And besides, you know what they say: better out of a bad marriage than stuck in it, right?"

Mandy let out a shaky breath. "I just never thought it would end like this."

"Nobody ever does," Bella said gently. "But you're strong, Mandy. And you're not alone. Why don't you go back home? to Grandpa's place. It's not too late to start over."

Mandy hesitated. She knew she would not be accepted in the Norton's Mansion. Although It was the place where she'd grown up, surrounded by her family, yet it's still the place where she'd always felt like she didn't quite belong, most especially after what happened on her so-called wedding day.

And now, going back as a woman whose marriage had failed? It was almost too much to bear.

"I don't know, Bella," Mandy said, her voice small.

"Oh, come on," Bella insisted, her tone lightening again. "It's still your home. And besides, maybe you'll find some of Grandma's old recipes stuffed in the kitchen drawers. Remember those cookies she used to make?"

Mandy couldn't help but smile through her tears. Bella always had a way of finding the bright side, no matter how dark things seemed.

"Okay," Mandy said finally. "I'll go."

"Atta girl!" Bella cheered. "And don't worry about a thing. I'll be back soon enough, and we'll face this together. But for now, go home. Be strong."

Mandy ended the call feeling a little better, but the pit in her stomach remained. Signing the papers was one thing; facing her family was another.

---

Later that day, Mandy stood outside the grand entrance to her grandfather's mansion, clutching her suitcase in one hand and the divorce papers in the other. The mansion loomed over her, just as imposing as she remembered. She took a deep breath and pushed the heavy golden door open.

She barely had time to take in her surroundings before she was greeted by her cousin, Elsa, who eyed her up and down with a look of pure disdain. "Well, look who finally decided to crawl back," Elsa sneered.

Mandy tried to smile, but it faltered under Elsa's harsh gaze. "Hello, Elsa. It's... been a while."

"Not long enough," Elsa muttered, turning on her heel and disappearing down the hallway.

Mandy sighed and started towards the living room, where the rest of the family was gathered. As she entered, the conversation fell silent, and all eyes turned to her. Her cousin Rachel, sitting with her legs crossed and a smirk on her face, was the first to speak.

"Look who it is-Mrs. Ramsey," Rachel said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or should I say, not-Mrs. Ramsey?"

The room erupted in mocking laughter, and Mandy felt her cheeks burn with shame. Her grandfather, sitting in his old steel armchair, didn't even bother to look at her.

"What a disgrace, Mandy! you are such a failure! I knew Elsa was a better bride for Ramsey than you. But your wicked soul would not let your cousin have what she deserved. Now look at you! you just ruined our ties with the Billionaire." he spatted, shaking his head.

Mandy's heart broke a little more with every word. She stood there, surrounded by her family, feeling smaller and smaller until she could barely hold back the tears. They didn't just mock her-they spat on her pain, rubbed salt in her wounds.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "Ain't nobody got my back!?" she yelled, her voice cracking with emotion.

The room fell silent, and for a moment, Mandy felt completely alone. But then, from somewhere in the shadows, she heard a voice-calm, steady, and filled with a quiet strength.

"I got you, Mandy."