Chapter 1 It's About Time The Marriage Came To An End

The bedroom, though modestly adorned, radiated an understated wealth. The atmosphere was charged with the soft sounds of a woman's moans intertwined with a man's deep grunts.

Stretched out across the plush bed, Allison Evans' fingers clenched the smooth silk of the sheets, her movements synchronizing with the man's deepening pace.

One of his hands firmly anchored her waist, the other pinned hers to the bed, channeling the pent-up desire from his recent a month-long business trip.

A muffled cry escaped Allison's lips as she bit down, prompting him to deliver one forceful, final thrust, releasing his long-held passion.

Lingering in the afterglow, they clung to each other, the echoes of their pleasure slowly fading.

"Derek, your grandfather is hinting about us having a baby again," Allison murmured in the dark, entwining her fingers with his, her voice soft and tender, laced with a lingering intimacy.

She could feel his hot breath against her ear, sending tingling sensations along her spine with each breath.

"A baby?" Derek Evans repeated, his lips curling into a playful smirk as he tenderly stroked her hair.

Allison could not see her husband's face, and the fact that he had not immediately dismissed the idea allowed a fragile hope to take root in her heart. "Yes. I am still young. Recovering from childbirth would be easier now. And if we decide we want more kids later, it would make sense to start early."

His fingers, which had been gently stroking her hair just moments ago, suddenly slid down to her face and clamped harshly around her chin, leaving a raw red mark on her skin.

"So you're planning to tie me down with a kid? How pathetic."

The chill in his voice cut through her, sharp and merciless. Without even pausing, he yanked himself away, leaving Allison limp and shivering on the bed.

A surge of panic seized her. She hurried to defend herself, saying, "It was your grandfather's suggestion, not mine..."

The silence stretched on unbearably long before Derek finally spoke again, his voice low and cutting.

"Don't even think about showing up at the family dinner tomorrow."

"Why not?"

Allison turned to him, confusion clouding her eyes. Was he really this angry just because she had mentioned having a baby?

Tomorrow was supposed to be their third wedding anniversary, a day when the entire Evans family would get together at his grandfather's place.

Only the faint outline of Derek's face was visible in the thick darkness.

"Kaylyn's back."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the overhead lights blinked on with a sharp glare.

Allison's first instinct was to yank the thin blanket higher, shielding her bare chest while she gaped at him in speechless disbelief.

Not even glancing her way, Derek climbed out of bed, his body completely exposed, and headed straight for the bathroom. A moment later, the steady splash of water echoed through the room.

An invisible weight dropped in Allison's chest, spreading a slow, numbing ache.

Still clutching the blanket loosely around her, she remained frozen, her ears filled with the rushing sound of water as old memories stirred back to life.

Three years earlier, she had been gravely injured. It was Glenn Evans, Derek's grandfather, who had stepped in and saved her.

When she finally recovered, Glenn had asked only one thing of her-marry his grandson, who lay trapped in a coma after a devastating car crash.

Grateful for Glenn's kindness, and desperate to keep her whereabouts hidden, Allison had agreed without protest, signing a marriage contract that would bind her to Derek for three years.

When the agreed time ended, the choice to stay together or part ways would fall to both her and Derek.

Since then, Allison had stepped into the role of Derek's wife and tended to him with unwavering dedication.

Due to her constant care, Derek had eventually opened his eyes.

Somewhere along the way, Allison's heart had quietly surrendered.

Even though they had been married for three years, their real time spent together only amounted to about a year and a half. And during all of it, Derek had never once pretended-his heart had been reserved for another, his first love, Kaylyn Stevens.

It was from Glenn that Allison learned that the moment Derek fell into a coma, Kaylyn wasted no time leaving the country.

She claimed she was chasing a dream of studying fashion design, but the reality was far different. She drifted from one man to another, never once looking back.

Now, by some cruel twist of timing, the end of their marriage contract lined up exactly with Kaylyn's return.

Three years of tender care, whispered words, and small acts of devotion still could not measure up against the space Kaylyn occupied in Derek's heart. No amount of love could melt the ice that sealed it shut.

The water finally cut off, leaving an eerie silence hanging in the air. A moment later, the bathroom door slid open, and Derek emerged, a towel slung loosely around his hips.

Every inch of him looked sculpted to perfection-sharp muscles, a lean and powerful build, long legs, and a body Allison had come to know in the most intimate ways.

His gaze flickered toward the bed, and a faint crease appeared between his brows when he noticed her lying there, unmoving.

Crossing the room, he opened the wardrobe and pulled out a crisp white shirt and a pair of fitted slacks. With slow, deliberate movements, he let the towel fall and dressed, fastening each button with practiced ease.

"Tell Grandpa you're not feeling well and won't attend the family dinner," Derek said, his voice flat and detached.

Despite the perfect lines of his face and the sharp angles of his profile, there was nothing warm about him. Every syllable seemed to slice through the room, leaving the air colder.

Pausing as if something occurred to him, he bent to rifle through the pocket of his jacket, tossed on the chair. From it, he pulled out a small box of pills and tossed it onto the bed without ceremony.

"Take your birth control."

Allison's eyes landed heavily on the box. When she finally spoke, her voice was scratchy and hoarse. "I know."

No matter how many times they were together, Derek always made sure she swallowed the pills afterward, leaving no room for even the smallest accident.

The reason why Glenn had been urging her to get pregnant was not only to bind Derek and her together, but also to keep her in the Evans family.

With most people, Derek barely concealed his lack of interest. Only two had ever broken through that wall: his grandfather and Kaylyn.

"It's about time this marriage came to an end." Once he finished buttoning up his shirt, Derek turned to the bedside table. He yanked open a drawer, pulled out a document, and dropped it onto the bed in front of her. "Sign it. After this, you and I are done."

At the top of the papers, the heavy words-Divorce Agreement-seared into her chest like a brand. Allison's hand shook as she reached for the papers, the edges cutting into her skin like they meant to wound her.