Chapter 1 A Marriage in Ruins

"Kra kra kra!"

The sound of papers, lipstick, and other small items echoed in the room as they tumbled onto the tiled floor.

Desmond Ashford had accidentally struck the bedroom shelf with the thick broom he was using to sweep.

At the top of the shelf sat his wife's bag, its zipper wide open.

The force sent its contents falling out. Desmond bent down to pick them up, but as his fingers grazed over the scattered items, his breath hitched.

His eyes landed on something, it made his vision blur for a split second.

What?

His fingers trembled as he picked up the objects, staring in utter disbelief.

"What???" He shouted, his voice laced with shock.

He blinked. His mind raced. Was he seeing correctly?

His pulse pounded as he rushed to the bed.

"Pa pa pa!" He tapped his wife, Tatiana Lancaster, on the back of her ankle, not daring to touch her elsewhere.

She was still deep in sleep, not knowing what was happening around her.

"Pa pa!" He tapped again, more insistently.

Tatiana stirred, a faint groan escaping her lips. "Uhmm..." she sprawled lazily, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ye... yes, dear?"

She rubbed her eyes, her expression drowsy as she slowly sat up.

Her gaze dropped to the floor. Scattered all around were her personal belongings, her lipstick, documents, loose cash, and other things.

Her eyes lifted, meeting Desmond's piercing stare.

He stood there, his hands raised.

In his right hand was a sealed pack of unused condoms.

On his left were three used ones, hung between three strands of the broom.

Tatiana's heart skipped a beat.

Unused condoms in her bag were one thing.

But three used ones?

And inside her bag?

Her chest rose and fell, but her facial expression didn't care.

Desmond's hands shook.

His heart felt like it was being torn apart.

Three years of marriage.

Three years.

And today was only the second time he had touched her.

The first was thirteen years ago when he saved her life.

Intimacy was a foreign concept between the couples.

Love? It was nonexistent.

So what were the condoms for? And the used ones?

The meaning was clear, painfully, disgustingly clear.

His throat dried up. His lips quivered.

Was this real?

Was his wife truly cheating on him?

"Is this what you've become? A snitch?" Tatiana's voice suddenly cut through the silence, loud and laced with irritation.

Desmond's brows shot up in disbelief.

Snitch? Was that her thought?

Not guilt. Not panic. But anger?

"I didn't search your bag on purpose," he finally said, his voice heavy. "It fell, and I found this."

He shook the condoms again, emphasizing them, waiting for an explanation.

Something, anything, that could make this nightmare make sense.

But instead, Tatiana threw her head back and laughed.

"Ah ah ah!" Her laughter rang through the room, loud and mocking.

This wasn't the Tatiana he had met years ago.

This wasn't the girl who had once cared for him.

Something inside him cracked.

"It's good that you found what you were looking for," she sneered.

"Now, your initiative should tell you that we are not on the same level."

Desmond's mouth parted slightly. Not on the same level?

Sweat formed on his back despite the coolness of the air-conditioned room.

"I don't understand," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Is this the explanation you have for this?"

"Explanation?" she repeated mockingly.

"Explanation, my foot! Ki ki ki!"

Another round of laughter.

Desmond's ears rang.

"Even if house chores are all you know, your brain should at least tell you what condoms are used for," she added with a smirk.

"Or am I getting something wrong?"

Her words sliced through him like a blade.

"Or am I getting something wrong?"

The phrase echoed in his mind, hammering into his soul.

Does it mean she thought there was nothing wrong with what she did?

She didn't care.

At all.

"But do you realize we are married?"

Tatiana scoffed. "Oh! It must be that you cast a spell on me."

Desmond's eyes darkened.

"A spell? And you're just realizing this after three years of marriage?"

Tatiana smirked.

Without a word, she grabbed her brand-new iPhone 16 Pro Max, scrolled through her banking app, and turned the screen towards Desmond.

"Shall we count the figures together?" she said, dragging each word mockingly.

One. Two. Three... Five.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In just one account.

"Can you see now?" Tatiana continued, her voice dripping with disdain.

"A woman worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and still counting is married to a trash like you."

"Trash?" Desmond was amazed.

Desmond clenched his fist. His jaw ticked.

"Do you think you achieved all this solely on your efforts?" His voice was calm.

Tatiana raised a brow.

"And who else?" she snapped.

Desmond inhaled deeply, suppressing the urge to get angry. She never knew.

Never knew that Desmond's secret interference had helped her reach where she is today.

Never knew that he had cleaned up scandals that could have shattered her reputation.

Never knew that he had fought for her behind the scenes, ensuring her untouchable status in the business world.

Yet here she stood, acting like he was nothing.

Desmond swallowed hard.

Tatiana, meanwhile, bent down and picked up a stapled paper and a blue pen from the floor, both of which had fallen from her bag.

She slammed them onto the shelf.

"Here. Sign it."

Desmond's brows furrowed.

"What's that?" His voice was hollow.

Tatiana folded her arms. "Divorce."

Desmond felt like the ground beneath him was crumbling.

"Is this your solution to the matter?" His voice was barely steady.

Tatiana rolled her eyes.

"Since what you know how to do now is snitch on me, it's high time we cut it off."

"So this is all my fault now?"

How had everything turned against him in the blink of an eye?

His mind drifted back to thirteen years ago.

Back to the orphanage.

Back to when he saved a girl from certain death.

The girl who once cared for him.

Who smiled warmly.

Who left him a rare gold pendant as a token of gratitude.

But now, that girl... no longer existed.

Tatiana scoffed. "Can you just sign this and stop looking for what isn't lost?"

Desmond exhaled sharply.

He picked up the pen.

With one final look at the woman he once thought he knew, he signed.

It was finally over.