Chapter 1 A Trap

Should a woman always give her first time to someone she loves?

The moment the sharp pain ripped through her, Katherine Clarke realized that her chance for that was gone for good.

Faced with a stranger forcing himself on her, she cried so hard her vision blurred. Her instincts told her to run, but her weak, disoriented body couldn't move. All she could do was give in to the nightmare and sink into despair.

When she finally accepted there was no escape, she clenched her jaw and tried to hide how scared she was. Her voice was dry and broken as she muttered, "At least use protection."

The man on top of her stopped for just a second but didn't say a word. Instead, his actions became even more violent.

She didn't know how much time had passed before it ended. Completely worn out, she lost consciousness.

The next morning, when she woke up, the suite was quiet and empty. The messy bed and the pain in her body told her clearly-it hadn't been a nightmare. It had really happened.

It had all been planned. What was supposed to be a regular business dinner turned out to be a trap. She'd been given drink after drink until she could barely stay awake, then sent to that room to be taken advantage of.

Last night, when she realized she had been set up, in her half-conscious state, she had thought of Julian Nash-her husband-who had just come back from a business trip. She messaged him again and again, calling nonstop. When he finally answered, his voice was cold and distant. "I'm busy. Call the cops."

Even now, his words kept ringing in her ears.

With just a few words, he had crushed all the love they'd shared and what little pride she had left.

A bitter laugh slipped out as the pain in her heart turned numb. She slowly pushed the blanket off and got out of bed.

Just then, a business card slid off the bed and fell to the floor.

She stopped in her tracks. She picked it up slowly, and the second she saw the logo, her blood ran cold.

It was from Nash Group.

The room had been dark, and she never saw the man's face. But out of all the things she could've imagined, she never thought the man from last night would be connected to Julian's company.

Could Julian have had something to do with this?

......

When Katherine got back home, she saw a pair of shoes she knew too well-Julian was back. She paused, took a breath, and headed upstairs.

Julian came out of the bathroom, wearing a clean bathrobe. Even in something so simple, his natural confidence and sharp looks stood out. His hair was damp, his features sharp, and he carried himself with that usual cool distance.

His gaze landed on Katherine, and a faint frown formed between his brows. The look in his eyes was cold and distant. Maybe even filled with scorn. "What is it?" he asked flatly.

Katherine just looked at him.

They never should've ended up together. Their worlds had always been miles apart. Three years ago, when Julian's father had been dying, she was the bone marrow donor who saved him. In exchange, he promised to grant her one wish.

She used that wish to marry Julian.

Back then, she had been young and foolish. She thought she could make it work-that even a man who was emotionally closed off could be opened up over time.

But to Julian, she was nothing more than an opportunist.

He resented her. For three years, he expected her to wait on him and care for him, all the while never truly seeing her as his wife.

And Katherine had taken it all without complaint.

After her family fell apart, holding on to Julian hadn't just been about needing a roof-it was about love. She wanted him to love her. So, no matter how cold he was, she kept finding ways to convince herself it was okay.

But after last night, she had nothing left to give.

She still didn't know if Julian had anything to do with what happened. But she had a feeling that it had something to do with his family. She had walked into this house ready to confront him, but just standing here, looking at him, she already knew. This would only end with her pride in pieces.

Her voice came out rough, strained from everything she'd been through. "Julian..."

But he didn't even glance at her. He walked straight to the closet, reaching for the shirt and tie Katherine had prepared for him, like it was just another morning.

With his back to her, his tone was cold and careless. "Stop standing there. Go make breakfast. I'm heading out in half an hour."

Katherine didn't move. She stood her ground, her voice quiet but steady. "Julian, let's get a divorce."